Without thinking, Yesu pushed the doors open.
Without thinking.
Millie had warned her about that. But what was she to do? Her body always reacted before her brain could process things.
Her eyes swiftly scanned the gym.
A girl was crouched on the floor, hands desperately holding on to her shirt, most of the buttons were gone.
A boy was squatting in front of the girl and another was smoking at a corner watching them.
The boys were startled at Yesu's sudden presence. The girl stayed still, sobbing, her hair fell over her face, hiding it.
Yesu recognized both boys, one was in her class and the other was a senior.
"Hey, what are you doing?" The boy with the girl barked.
Yesu marched in, fueled by rage. The boy advanced nacingly towards her.
Yesu attacked before he could reach her, flinging her backpack in his face.
He staggered, wincing in pain and before he could recover, she slamd into him, harder than she expected.
Pain shot through her shoulder, but he still went down.
She barely spent a second dwelling on the impact of her attack, making her way to the girl.
She didn't go far as the senior smoking at the corner now stood between them. And he was way bigger.
"What's wrong? Not going to slam out of your way?"
Yesu seed to have cald down a bit.
Her classmate behind her was struggling to get off the floor, gripping his ribs.
The senior looked her over.
"You're pretty strong for a girl, and for a Zero at that. I've never seen anyone around here move that quickly, either."
"She's coming with ." Yesu nodded towards the sobbing girl.
He held her gaze for a second longer, then stepped aside.
"Go on."
Yesu rushed over. "Are you hurt?"
The girl's sobs increased.
Yesu pulled the girl up, ushering her out. She picked up her backpack from where it had landed, not far from the boy on the floor.
She stared daggers at the boys before going out with the girl.
****
Outside, Yesu took out her school jacket from her bag and gave it to the crying girl who still had her head down.
The girl took it silently, and slowly put it on.
It was when Yesu recognized her, the girl in the last row in class. She had transferred just last month.
Yesu couldn't rember her na but she knew the girl was always getting picked on.
They walked out of school in silence.
"Please don't tell anyone what you saw."
They were already a long way off from school when the girl spoke.
"I'm not actually one for gossip, if that's what you an."
"I know you're not and that's not what I ant."
Yesu knew where this was going.
"You have to report it." She said simply.
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"I just can't. If I report it… it won't end."
And with that, the girl was gone, running ahead till she was out of sight.
****
Gerry's Pizza was bustling with custors when Yesu dashed in.
"You're late." Gerald hollered from the counter.
"I'm sorry. There was an ergency."
"There's always an ergency."
"It's for real this ti."
Yesu got behind the counter with him, tied an apron.
"No. You're on delivery tonight. Ray just quit."
"What?"
The introductory tune of the nine o'clock news shifted everyone's attention to the TV.
"Good evening everyone, this is the nine o'clock news and we're getting information that just this afternoon, a submarine belonging to the Northern Invaders made an attempt to infiltrate our borderlands…"
Yesu tapped Gerald. "Hey boss, can I use the telephone for a sec?"
Gerald slapped her hand away. "Of course not." His attention was solely on the news like everyone else.
"... Kudos to our ranked military, led by their Commanding Officer…"
"Please? It'll just be a minute." Yesu tried her luck with Gerald again.
Gerald barely spared a glance. "Do you know how much the phone bill costs?"
"... High Regent seeks to put more laws in order on the need to invest more in the ntorship and training of Rank individuals…"
The whole restaurant erupted in protest.
"What more can we invest? What more does this poor society have to offer?" An elderly man shouted angrily.
"Right. They charge tax like we're paying for oxygen. What do they use the money for? To make them feel like gods. They shine in the spotlight while we Zeros take the hit." A drunken man bellowed.
"I told you not to sell alcohol." Yesu took off her apron. Gerald shifted uncomfortably.
"I think you should get going now, mustn't keep the custors waiting." He dumped a stack of pizza before her.
Yesu nodded diligently, picked up the stack of pizza boxes and headed for the door.
So custors were still protesting as she drove away on the delivery bike.
Yesu knew why Gerald had seed uneasy. He was a rank.
No one knew. She wasn't supposed to either but she had caught him several tis heating the stove with his flas.
His restaurant was located in a Zero district, so he had to be careful. He once told her hatred burned hotter than flas, and it spread faster.
Personally, Yesu had no ill feelings towards Ranks. It was just that, the system deprived Zeros of a lot of things.
She had once dread of being a Rank, but that was before she got identified as nothing.
The road was unusually quiet. Too quiet.
Just then she noticed a black car in her side mirror, closing in fast.
She turned back to look, the headlights almost blinded her.
There was a trailer parked up front, sideways, blocking the road entirely.
The car wasn't slowing down.
The road was too narrow to divert, with buildings on each side.
The trailer was now only a few ters away, and the car still wasn't slowing down.
There was nowhere to go.
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