After a long scolding, Miss Ho led them to the office because she had found more and more people gathering on the playground. On the way, Lucas and Billy still looked nervous. Hanky noticed and said, "Come on, guys, cheer up! Show me some spirit."
Lucas gave him a quick glance and sighed. Still worried, Billy whispered, "We're worried because we don't know what she's going to do with us."
"Worrying isn't useful or helpful. You just have to take it," Hanky said, trying to comfort them. "Take me, for example. I'm used to being scolded, so I view criticism as a normal part of the day, like a meal." He continued, "You can count on me. I'll take responsibility, so don't worry."
Lucas lifted his head and said, "No, it's not that. We aren't blaming you."
"Ahem, what are you talking about? You've already made one mistake. Do you want to make another?" Miss Ho turned her head and glared at them furiously. She continued, "You three—but mostly you, Hanky. Are you an incorrigible troublemaker?"
They fell completely silent. The silence continued until they stepped into the office. Miss Ho sat down at her desk and they stood before her.
"Whose idea was it to play basketball?" Miss Ho looked at them and asked.
The room was silent for a moment before Hanky stepped forward. "Mine, Miss Ho. Don't blame them. It was my fault. I will accept all the punishment and take full responsibility. Please let them go."
Miss Ho let out a cold laugh. "So, you're the leader of your team, and you want to be loyal? Why didn't you think about the consequences before you made the mistake? You only know how to take responsibility after you've done something wrong. Why don't you try following the rules before you act? I heard you say that you aren't afraid of me. Is that right? If so, you are welcome to leave the school. You study for yourself, not for me. Understood?"
Hanky lowered his head and remained silent.
Then Lucas spoke up. "Miss Ho, we are prepared to accept the punishment, whatever you decide."
"Yes," Billy added. "We also made a huge mistake. You can't blame all of it on Hanky."
Miss Ho looked at them and said, "It's not about shouldering the blame. All three of you made a mistake, so of course you will be punished. This isn't just a punishment. It's meant to ensure that you never make the same mistake again."
Billy looked up and nodded, while Lucas stared at Miss Ho, his mouth wide with surprise.
Miss Ho had them stand facing the wall for a period of deep self-reflection. They were also to copy the class rules into their notebooks no fewer than three times.
They stood there, murmuring to each other.
They were standing far enough from Miss Ho's office that even if they talked loudly, she definitely wouldn't be able to hear them. Even if she heard noises in the hallway, she wouldn't be able to tell if they were from Hanky's group. They talked a lot, and their voices grew louder and louder.
Then, Ketto walked by on his way to turn in his in-class assignment. He paused and stared at them. Hanky noticed him staring and snapped, "What the hell are you looking at?"
Ketto replied, "Nothing. I'm just going to hand in my homework."
"Boring. Go away quickly," said Hanky. "I feel uncomfortable every time I see a 'role model' student."
Ketto was bothered and irritated by Hanky's rude attitude. He had only looked at them curiously, with no ill intent. He murmured under his breath, "Hanky, you are the worst person in the world. You should burn in hell forever." Then, he shot Hanky a disgusted look. Hanky was unaware and kept talking with Lucas and Billy.
Ketto left and went to the teachers' office. He handed his homework to the math teacher first and apologized for not submitting it on time. The math teacher smiled and said, "It's not a big problem." Then, he asked Ketto how he was feeling about his math studies recently and if he was having any difficulties.
Ketto replied that everything was going well so far, and he had grown accustomed to high school math. He added that he liked the teacher's teaching style because it helped him easily understand and remember new concepts. They chatted for a while longer about other things.
Ketto said goodbye and was about to leave when Miss Ho suddenly called out to him. "Ketto, on your way to the office, did you notice Hanky and the others standing facing the wall?"
Ketto turned his head in surprise. "Um?" He was clearly caught off guard by the sudden question. He continued, "Yes, I saw them."
"How were they behaving? Did they do anything else wrong?" Miss Ho pressed him for a truthful answer.
After a moment of silence, Ketto said, "Well, they were standing there, but they kept talking the whole time."
Miss Ho listened and replied, "I knew they would be like that. Thank you for the information."
Ketto opened the door and stepped out. To his surprise, Miss Ho stood up and walked with him. They headed together toward the classroom. When they arrived at the spot where Hanky and the others were being punished, the boys hadn't noticed Miss Ho's arrival and were still talking loudly.
Suddenly, Miss Ho called out, "It seems you're relaxing here, not accepting your punishment."
They spun around to see Miss Ho and Ketto. Ketto quickly left, a knot of nervousness in his stomach, worried that this would lead to something bad happening to him.
The three boys stood frozen, worried and speechless. Miss Ho continued to scold them. "Don't think this is glorious. It's embarrassing to stand here in disgrace. Do you think this is something to be proud of? I don't know how else to get through to you. You simply refuse to listen to a word I say."
She paused, thought for a moment, and then abruptly said, "Go back to class."
"Um?" Lucas couldn't believe it.
"I said you can go back. Didn't you understand me?" Miss Ho repeated.
Billy dared to ask, "Do we still have to copy the class rules?"
"That's canceled, too. You don't have to do it. I have lost my patience with you," said Miss Ho, her voice flat and devoid of expression.
No one knew why Miss Ho had changed her mind, and no one cared to find out. They only cared about the result. The reason behind it wasn't their concern. They were simply happy and relieved.
When Miss Ho came into the classroom to make the announcement, everyone was happy. After she left, Hanky sat staring at Ketto. He was convinced that Ketto had told Miss Ho that they were talking when they were supposed to be quiet.
Hanky's attitude toward Ketto soured. He decided that Ketto was a tattletale, the kind of person who whispers secrets to the teacher. He thought to himself that one day he would teach Ketto a lesson to show him what happens to snitches and that there are consequences for such behavior.
After Miss Ho left, Ketto could feel Hanky's eyes burning into him. A cold fear settled in his stomach. He was sure that Hanky would bully him sooner or later. Hanky obviously believed the whole incident was Ketto's fault. He was convinced that if Ketto hadn't spoken up, nothing would have happened. The more Ketto thought about it, the more terrified he became.
What he didn't know was that Hanky didn't know the full story. He had no idea that, after he left, Miss Ho had withdrawn her initial decision to punish the boys. For Hanky, the outcome had been positive, and no harm had been done.
A wave of regret washed over Ketto. He replayed the moment in his head and realized he should have lied or claimed ignorance when the teacher asked about Hanky. He reasoned that keeping quiet wasn't always the right thing, but it certainly avoided trouble.
Then, he tried to comfort himself. He had done the right thing. He was an honest boy who told the plain truth without exaggerating to make himself look good. He had been fair and righteous. If Hanky tried to menace him later, he would go straight to the teacher for help. He might not be able to beat Hanky in a fight, but he believed in a society built on laws and morality. He trusted that system to protect him.
Ketto deliberately avoided making eye contact with Hanky. He kept his head down, his eyes fixed on his textbook, and never once turned in Hanky's direction. He hoped to avoid a confrontation entirely, but his luck ran out after school. As he was walking down the stairs, he found his path blocked. It was Hanky.
He stared at Ketto with a hard-to-decipher look—a mix of anger and satisfaction. "I already know it was you," he said in a low voice. "You're the one who told Miss Ho, right?" He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and let out a low, guttural sound.
Ketto tensed up, feeling a jolt of fear. Hanky's anger was a physical force, palpable in the narrow stairwell. But he refused to show his fear. He squared his shoulders, met Hanky's gaze, and answered, "Yes, it was me."
"If you ever do that to me again," Hanky threatened, his voice dropping low, "I'll teach you how to be a good boy. And don't worry. I'll give you some 'candy' to taste." The way he said "candy" made it clear that it was a threat, a promise of pain and bullying.
With that, Hanky left.
Ketto stood frozen, his eyes wide. A hot, helpless fury boiled inside him. "I wish you'd get hurt tomorrow," he thought, then immediately corrected himself. "No, not tomorrow. I wish you'd get hurt today! Right now!" He knew it was wrong to curse someone, but his hatred for Hanky was so intense that he couldn't stop the venomous thoughts.