…
A Few Months Before
…
It was just days after the first official appearance of The Fool, the mysterious figure who publicly executed the useless, arrogant son of Senator, Red Scaver. The news went viral, reaching every household across the country—including a small, quiet home where a boy named Glenn lived.
Glenn, a high school student, sat frozen in front of the television, wide-eyed. The moment he saw the broadcast of The Fool in action, a spark ignited in him—one he never felt before.
"Mama! I want to be like The Fool someday!"
Glenn exclaimed, unable to hide his awe.
In the background, his mother was busy ironing his freshly washed uniform, preparing him for school.
"Glenn! Hush! What if the police hear you? Don't say things like that. We could get in trouble,"
she scolded him, clearly nervous. Still, she smiled softly as she handed him his uniform—pressed clean, the collar perfectly stiff.
Glenn gave a little chuckle and ran off to get ready.
It was around 6 a.m. when Glenn finally stepped out of the house. On the porch, he saw his father tying the last knot of his worn-out shoes.
His father was a garbage collector—a job often looked down upon by others. But Glenn never once felt ashamed of his family or their work. To him, it was honest, honorable labor. He admired his father's strength and his mother's perseverance.
And yet... ever since he saw The Fool, something started brewing in Glenn's heart.
A silent wish.
A burning desire to become someone powerful—someone no one could look down on again.
At school, Glenn was known as a hardworking student. He wasn't the brightest in the class, but his dedication and persistence were undeniable. He always gave his best—determined to finish his studies no matter what.
Despite walking to school every day, Glenn was never late. He made it a point to leave home early, even before the sun fully rose, just to make sure he arrived on time. But the trade-off was clear—he often arrived sweaty and exhausted from the long walk under the sun.
This, unfortunately, became a source of ridicule.
Because of his constantly sweaty appearance, Glenn became the target of jokes. His classmates frequently teased him, calling him names and mocking him every chance they got. What made it worse was the well-known fact that his father was a garbage collector. Word had spread throughout the school, and even that became a cruel nickname used against Glenn—"basurero."
Still, Glenn held his ground.
He had built a strong tolerance for the mockery. No matter how painful the words, he refused to let them get to him. Deep inside, he believed that fighting back would only escalate things—and worse, prove the bullies right. So, he stayed silent… choosing dignity over retaliation.
Thankfully, Glenn wasn't completely alone.
He had one true friend in school—a kind girl named Claire.
Claire never cared what their classmates said about Glenn. For her, their friendship mattered more than popularity.
"Being picked on again by Bong-Gong, huh? Glenn," Claire teased lightly as she approached Glenn's desk.
"Yeah, it's fine. Let them talk. I don't get affected by their nonsense. Remember our quote?" Glenn replied, smiling.
"In life—don't waste time on people with smaller brains than yours," they both said at the same time, sharing a laugh.
Claire leaned closer and whispered, "Don't worry about them. Sure, they're rich kids—but honestly? They're ugly and stupid."
Her words made Glenn chuckle. Claire always had a way of lifting his spirits, and she never failed to remind him of his worth.
But deep down, Glenn harbored a quiet feeling—a secret admiration for Claire. He'd never confessed it, afraid that doing so might ruin what they had. Their bond as best friends was too important to risk. Staying close to her like this… was enough for him.
That day felt like any other.
Classes went on normally, just another afternoon. Until, later in the day, their teacher made an unexpected announcement.
"Class, we have a special guest visiting our school today. He's here to offer us a prayer for the afternoon and will be giving out free pocket bibles to everyone."
Their teacher smiled as she gestured to the man entering the classroom.
"Please welcome a well-known local pastor—Pastor Jun."
Everything seemed normal at first. Pastor Jun's visit appeared to be just another school activity—he spoke about faith, shared comforting words from the Bible, and smiled warmly as he moved from row to row, handing out small pocket Bibles to the students he described as "kind-hearted."
But something about the pastor's behavior caught Glenn's attention.
As Pastor Jun made his way around the room, his gaze lingered too long on Claire. Her fair tan skin, almond eyes, soft flowing hair tied with a cute headband—she looked innocent, radiant even. The pastor's expression shifted into something unsettling.
He approached Claire, asking her name in an overly gentle tone. Claire, oblivious to the hidden intent in his eyes, smiled politely and introduced herself. She thanked him when he handed her a Bible.
Then Glenn noticed it—the pastor's hand resting on Claire's back.
At first, it seemed harmless, but then he began rubbing her shoulder, his fingers slowly tracing down her spine as he whispered,
"Read this well, my child. Let His words guide you when you return home."
A flicker of disgust crossed Glenn's face. He clenched his fists. The longer he watched, the more he felt his anger rising like boiling water inside him.
Finally, he snapped.
Glenn stood up and smacked the pastor's hand away from Claire.
The entire class froze. The sharp slap echoed through the room.
The teacher, startled, immediately turned to Glenn.
"Glenn! Why did you do that?" she demanded, her voice filled with disbelief.
From her angle, she hadn't seen what the pastor had done.
The bullies, led by Bong, burst out laughing.
"No respect, huh, Basurero Glenn?" one sneered.
"Who hits a pastor? He was just giving her a Bible, stupid!" another taunted.
Laughter filled the room—mocking, cruel, and deafening.
But Glenn didn't care.
His eyes were locked on Pastor Jun, whose forced smile was beginning to twist into something darker.