Ko, Joe, and Mo had finally made it to the cage outside. The area was fairly empty, while a few students loitered nearby, the cage itself was usually packed. Especially when Dipter called a meeting. Normally, it meant every delinquent in the school would gather here, but not this time.
And somehow, that made the whole thing feel even more personal.
Instead of a crowd, Dipter stood there with just two people by his side. One of them was a big guy, not exactly muscular, but broad and solid. His short-cropped hair faded cleanly on the sides, with a messy tuft at the top. The moment Ko saw him, he tensed.
Jay Woods.
One of the strongest students in the entire school.
Back when the school was deciding on its head, it had been a toss-up between Jay and Dipter. People had taken sides. There were even rumors of a fight that never happened. In the end, Dipter was the one chosen to lead.
And then there was the other student, taller, leaner, with dyed green hair and a mask that covered the bottom half of his face. Snide.
Everyone knew that name. Not just because of how he looked, but because of the rumors. That he'd stabbed someone from a rival school. That he was dangerous. Unpredictable.
Seeing both of them here now, standing quietly beside Dipter, sent a message loud and clear:
This meeting wasn't just personal, it was serious.
Then there was Dipter himself, cool as ever, a cigarette hanging lazily from the corner of his mouth, both hands shoved deep in his pockets. His sharp, wide eyes held a coldness that could make anyone freeze, and his slicked-back hair revealed a prominent forehead that somehow made him look even more intimidating.
He was the head of the school, the undisputed top dog of all the delinquents. The one who called the shots. Even Ko took orders from him.
"You've gotten yourselves into one hell of a mess, haven't you?" Dipter said, his voice low and cutting. "I can't believe it. How the hell did you guys manage to get rid of the one kid we weren't even targeting?"
Ko stared down at his feet, unable to bring himself to meet Dipter's gaze.
"Look at me," Dipter ordered.
Instantly, Ko's head snapped up, his eyes locking with Dipter's.
"I already know what happened," Dipter continued. "You lot were having way too much fun playing king of your little sandbox. Now look what you've done, I have to clean up the mess."
He took one last drag from his cigarette before flicking it to the ground and stepping on it.
"Luckily, I've managed to smooth things over… for now. Gotten some advice too. You're going to tell the truth about what you did to the kid."
All three of them froze in shock.
"The truth?" Ko echoed, confused.
"There are way too many statements from your classmates. Too many kids who saw what you were doing. But don't be stupid, play it down. Don't make it sound like it was a big deal. Got it?" Dipter said, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel.
"Show them you regret what you did. Act like you never expected things to go this far," Dipter said, flicking ash off his cigarette. "All three of you are just kids. Since they're ruling it a suicide, it's going to be tough for them to pin it on you anyway.
"But if they do? At worst, you'll get a slap on the wrist."
He let out a long, tired sigh, like even this cleanup job was starting to annoy him.
"I don't think I need to spell this out. Keep your heads down while the police are here. And once they're gone, make sure you handle the right target next time. No more mistakes. Do exactly what you're told."
Times like this were when the trio felt grateful, grateful that someone like Dipter was at the top, someone who could keep things under control when everything was about to blow up.
****
The trio eventually returned to class, walking in with more composure than before, though they still looked uneasy. The police investigations were still in progress, students being called one by one to give statements.
It was all being done alphabetically by last name, which meant Max Stern was near the bottom of the list. He sat quietly in his corner, eyes tracking the trio as they were called out one at a time, his mind racing through everything that had happened.
'I remember when I was in school before… if the teachers ever found out about stuff like this, about bullying at this level, it never made anything better,' Max thought. 'It made everything ten times worse.'
Things changed when I became head of the school, Max thought, his jaw tight. I shut all of that crap down. But if the teachers find out Sam was the one who called them yesterday… crap. And I already feel guilty enough for not doing anything.
"Max Smith!"
His name echoed through the room, the teacher's voice breaking his thoughts. It was his turn.
As Max stepped into the hallway, the teacher walked ahead, guiding him down the corridor toward one of the empty rooms set aside for the interviews. But just before they reached it, someone stepped out of another classroom up ahead.
Ko.
Max's eyes narrowed. But it wasn't just Ko, there was someone standing beside him.
A man dressed in a sleek gray suit, his hair perfectly styled, a subtle sheen on his polished shoes. He wore a gold name badge clipped to his jacket pocket.
Max squinted.
Odin Law Firm?
His thoughts scrambled for context.
No way. That's one of the biggest law firms in the entire country. Everyone knows them. They're the kind of people who get celebrities out of messes the public never even hears about. And not just celebs, some of the more powerful groups I knew used firms like Odin to make problems vanish. Hell, we used someone just like them in the White Tigers.
His eyes flicked back to Ko, who was smirking like nothing in the world could touch him.
Just what kind of protection do these kids have?
Their prices aren't something kids from a random public school could afford, Max thought, eyes narrowing. It's starting to become clearer now… Someone is definitely behind all of this.
The presence of a lawyer from Odin Law Firm, one of the most prestigious in the country, only confirmed what Max had been suspecting. Whoever was pulling the strings had real power. And with legal backup like that, Ko and the others weren't going to face consequences for anything they'd done. Not unless someone made them.
But more than that, it all but confirmed something else for Max.
They were responsible. I'm sure of it now.
The moment Max stepped into the interview room, his eyes scanned the setup. A camera sat on a tripod in the corner. A plain table. A police officer. And a teacher stationed nearby, likely as a school representative.
After he took his seat, the officer began to speak, reading out his rights, explaining the procedure in calm, even tones. Max nodded along, confirming he understood.
The questions started out basic, name, age, class, details to verify identity. Then the tone shifted.
"Max, according to several reports from other students, it's been said that you were also being bullied, along with Sam, in your classroom. Can you confirm whether that's true? And if so, could you describe what kind of things were done to the two of you?"
Max stared ahead, silent for a moment, the weight of it all pressing down on him. He thought carefully, piecing together what needed to be said.
Then, slowly, he opened his mouth to speak.
"They'll be tried as minors, right?" Max asked, his eyes locked on the officers. "Can I ask something else? Was Sam's death ruled a suicide? Did he leave anything behind that pointed to them being at fault? And… if I say anything, will it really change the outcome?"
The two officers exchanged a quick, surprised glance before one of them responded.
"We're not at liberty to share details about the case, Max. But what we can say is this, any information you provide can help. The more we understand, the more we can prevent things like this from happening again."
Max didn't respond. Instead, he calmly rose from his seat.
"I believe I'm not being detained," he said. "So I'm leaving. And for the rest of your questions, just consider my answer 'no comment.'"
Without another word, Max turned and headed for the door. He ignored the teacher calling after him, his mind already elsewhere as he pulled out his phone and fired off a text.
A few minutes later, Max walked right past his classroom without even a glance. He turned the corner and pushed open the door to the boys' restroom. Inside, just as expected, Joe was waiting, his posture tense, his eyes flicking toward the entrance as soon as Max walked in.
"I got your message," Joe said, his voice low and jittery. "But… I really don't think we should be seen together this much, you know?"
"And that's why I messaged you to meet me in here," Max said, his tone sharp and to the point. There was no patience in his voice, no room for games. "Did you and Ko find out that Sam told the teacher about what I was doing to you?"
"Oh, that?" Joe replied, fidgeting where he stood. "I don't know the full story, but Ko had a hunch. He said Sam must've snitched or something… and he wanted to pay him back."
"And…?" Max asked, his voice low but pressing.
Joe didn't respond. He was visibly nervous, shifting his weight, his eyes not meeting Max's. His hand still ached from their last encounter, his finger, wrapped in bandages, was a constant reminder.
"What. Did. You. Do?" Max asked again, firmer now.
"Alright… alright, I'll tell you everything," Joe blurted out. "But it wasn't my idea, okay? You told me to keep acting like normal, remember?"
With that, Joe started talking. He explained everything, how they had gone to Sam's family restaurant, how Ko led the whole thing, how they acted like customers… and how it ended with the police showing up. Every detail spilled out in a ramble of regret and fear.
Max stood frozen, letting it all sink in. He wanted to feel angry. He should have felt angry. But that wasn't the emotion bubbling inside him.
No, what Max felt was something far worse—guilt.
It wasn't just them. He had set all of this in motion. A chain of events, decisions made one after another, leading to a kid's death. A kid who had tried to help him.
Without saying another word, Max reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
"What are you doing? Are you gonna tell the police?" Joe asked, his voice rising in panic. "The police already know. I don't think it's gonna help. Dipter got us those lawyers, and the cops were already on the back foot from the start. They know about the report too."
Max didn't say a word to Joe's rambling. None of what he said was surprising anymore, not even hearing Dipter's name. It only confirmed what he already suspected. Dipter's name had been on the list for a reason.
"I'm doing what he should've done," Max said quietly, unlocking his phone.
He scrolled through his contacts and tapped on one name: Stalker.
It didn't even ring more than twice before the line picked up.
"Well, this is a surprise. Do you need help?" came Aron's calm, deep voice on the other end.
"You said I could ask you for anything, right?" Max said, his voice steady but cold. "As long as it's within your power... then I need your help. Now."