"There are moments when people lose control of their emotions."
"Today..."
"April 28, 2026."
"For the first time in a long while..."
"I lost control of myself."
_________________________
Morning
The classroom door suddenly opened.
Kentarou stepped inside.
His expression was completely different from usual.
His eyes were cold.
His breathing was heavier than normal.
He didn't even look at anyone else.
His eyes immediately found one person.
Lyoid.
Kentarou walked straight toward him.
Lyoid looked up in confusion.
"Kentarou?"
Kentarou grabbed him by the collar.
The entire classroom fell silent.
"Kentarou... what are you doing?"
Kentarou raised his fist.
He was about to swing—
"Kentarou!"
A voice suddenly called from behind him.
Kentarou froze.
He slowly turned his head.
Standing behind him was—
Tae Joon Kang.
The moment Kentarou saw him, his expression became even colder.
For a brief moment, something flashed through his mind.
A memory.
Tae Joon Kang's words from before.
"Don't approach Yui Takamura."
"If you remember what happened that day..."
Kentarou's grip tightened around Lyoid's collar.
Then he released him.
Lyoid stumbled backward, confused by what had just happened.
Kentarou turned toward Tae Joon Kang.
"So..."
"You finally decided to show up."
Tae Joon Kang calmly walked closer.
Kentarou's fists clenched.
Tae Joon Kang looked at him.
"You still remember what I told you, don't you?"
Kentarou's eyes narrowed.
"Look..."
"I'm not in the mood for a conversation right now."
His voice was low.
"So leave me alone."
Tae Joon Kang didn't move.
"Neither am I."
Kentarou stared at him.
For a few seconds, neither of them said anything.
The classroom remained completely silent.
Then—
Tae Joon Kang suddenly stepped forward.
His fist moved without warning.
THUD!
His punch struck Kentarou.
Kentarou's head snapped slightly to the side.
A shocked murmur spread through the classroom.
Kentarou slowly turned his face back toward him.
His eyes were no longer calm.
Tae Joon Kang looked directly at him.
"I warned you."
Kentarou wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.
Then he looked at the faint mark on his fingers.
His expression darkened.
"...So that's how you want to do this."
He slowly raised his eyes toward Tae Joon Kang.
"Fine."
The atmosphere inside the classroom changed completely.
And somewhere in the back—
Someone was already wondering how this confrontation was going to end.
For a moment—
Neither of them moved.
The entire classroom seemed to hold its breath.
Kentarou slowly raised his fists.
Tae Joon Kang did the same.
Then—
BANG!
Tae Joon rushed forward.
His fist came straight toward Kentarou's face.
Kentarou tilted his head aside.
The punch missed by barely an inch.
Before Tae Joon could recover—
THUD!
Kentarou drove his elbow into Tae Joon's shoulder.
Tae Joon staggered backward.
But he immediately regained his balance.
A grin appeared on his face.
"So you can fight."
Kentarou didn't answer.
He rushed forward.
Tae Joon blocked his first punch.
Then the second.
THUD! THUD!
Their fists collided again and again.
The sound echoed throughout the classroom.
Students quickly moved away from their desks.
Someone shouted,
"Get out of the way!"
A chair was knocked aside.
A desk scraped violently across the floor.
Kentarou ducked beneath Tae Joon's punch and swept his leg forward.
Tae Joon jumped over it.
He landed—
And immediately threw a kick.
Kentarou raised his arm.
BAM!
The impact forced him several steps backward.
Tae Joon didn't give him time to recover.
He charged again.
Punch.
Block.
Punch.
Dodge.
Kick.
Counter.
The two moved across the classroom like they had completely forgotten where they were.
Kentarou caught Tae Joon's wrist.
Twisted.
Tae Joon reacted instantly and tried to strike with his other hand.
Kentarou leaned backward.
The fist passed directly in front of his face.
Kentarou grabbed Tae Joon's arm and used his momentum against him.
CRASH!
Tae Joon was thrown onto a desk.
The desk nearly flipped over.
"Whoa!"
Several students gasped.
Tae Joon pushed himself up.
He wiped his mouth.
Then he laughed.
"Not bad."
Kentarou stared at him.
"You're still smiling?"
Tae Joon stood.
"You've gotten stronger."
Kentarou's expression hardened.
"I never stopped being strong."
He took a step forward.
"I stopped fighting."
Tae Joon's smile disappeared.
"Then maybe you should've kept fighting."
He charged.
This time, Kentarou didn't move.
At the last possible moment—
He caught Tae Joon's fist.
WHAM!
The force of the impact made Kentarou's shoes slide across the floor.
But his hand didn't move.
He had stopped the punch with one hand.
Tae Joon's eyes widened.
Kentarou tightened his grip.
"You made one mistake."
"What?"
"You thought I was angry because I wanted to fight you."
Kentarou pulled him closer.
"I'm angry because you keep deciding what I should do."
Tae Joon's expression changed.
Kentarou released his fist and immediately struck his chest with his palm.
THUD!
Tae Joon stumbled backward.
But before he could fall—
He planted his foot firmly against the floor.
He rushed forward one final time.
Kentarou did the same.
Their fists flew toward each other.
BANG!
The impact echoed through the classroom.
Both stopped.
For several seconds—
Neither moved.
Then Kentarou slowly lowered his fist.
Tae Joon did the same.
Their breathing was heavy.
The classroom was completely silent.
Lyoid stared at them in disbelief.
He had never seen Kentarou like this.
Not at school.
Not anywhere.
Kentarou looked at Tae Joon.
"This isn't over."
Tae Joon stared back.
"I know."
Kentarou turned away.
But Tae Joon suddenly spoke.
"Kentarou."
Kentarou stopped.
"You can run from your feelings."
"You can pretend you don't care."
"But don't expect everyone else to believe you."
Kentarou's eyes widened slightly.
For the first time—
His anger disappeared.
Only confusion remained.
Tae Joon walked past him.
"Think about what you're actually fighting for."
Kentarou stood motionless.
His fists slowly loosened.
And somewhere inside his heart—
Those words hurt far more than any punch.
__________________________
By that time, Tae Joon Kang's friends had also arrived.
They stopped at the classroom entrance when they saw what was happening.
"What the hell is going on here?"
One of them immediately rushed toward Kentarou.
Kentarou didn't even hesitate.
The first punch came toward him—
BAM!
Kentarou blocked it.
He grabbed the boy's arm, pulled him forward and struck him in the stomach.
THUD!
The boy fell to the floor.
Another one came from behind.
Kentarou turned around just in time.
He ducked beneath the punch and kicked him away.
BANG!
The fight continued.
One after another, Tae Joon's friends tried to stop Kentarou.
But none of them could.
Kentarou moved with frightening precision.
Every punch was blocked.
Every attack was countered.
Within minutes, all of them were on the ground.
The classroom had gone completely silent.
Lyoid stood there, staring at Kentarou.
His body began to tremble.
"Kentarou..."
He had never seen this side of him.
Not even once.
Kentarou slowly looked toward him.
Lyoid stepped backward.
Then another step.
Suddenly—
He turned around and ran.
"Lyoid!"
Kentarou followed him.
Lyoid rushed out of the classroom, ran down the stairs and headed toward the school grounds.
Kentarou followed closely behind.
By the time they reached the ground, several students had already gathered around them.
Lyoid stumbled.
He fell to the ground.
He quickly pushed himself back up.
His breathing was heavy.
Kentarou stopped a few meters away.
"Lyoid."
Lyoid looked at him.
His eyes were filled with fear.
He looked around and noticed a pen lying nearby.
He grabbed it.
"Kentarou..."
His hand was shaking.
"Don't come any closer."
Kentarou took a step forward.
Lyoid suddenly threw the pen.
SWISH!
Kentarou moved his head slightly to the left.
The pen missed his eye—
But its edge grazed his cheek.
A small scratch appeared.
Kentarou touched it.
He looked at the tiny mark of blood on his fingers.
The students surrounding them gasped.
Lyoid's eyes widened.
"I... I'm sorry..."
Kentarou didn't respond.
Lyoid clenched his fists.
Then he charged.
"Lyoid!"
He threw a punch.
Kentarou easily blocked it.
Lyoid tried again.
Another punch.
Blocked.
Another.
Blocked.
Kentarou's expression remained emotionless.
Finally, Lyoid swung with everything he had.
Kentarou stepped aside.
He caught Lyoid's arm.
Then—
THUD!
Lyoid was thrown to the ground.
The crowd fell silent.
Lyoid slowly tried to get back up.
His arms were trembling.
But he refused to stay down.
He looked at Kentarou.
"Why..."
Kentarou stared at him.
"Why are you doing this?"
Kentarou didn't answer.
Lyoid clenched his teeth and stood again.
"You're not like this."
Kentarou's eyes narrowed.
"You don't know what I'm like."
"I do!"
Lyoid shouted.
"You've been my friend for years!"
The words echoed across the school grounds.
Kentarou froze.
Lyoid's voice became weaker.
"That's why..."
"...I'm scared."
Kentarou's expression changed slightly.
Lyoid looked at him.
"Not because you're strong."
"Because I don't know what's happening to you."
Kentarou lowered his eyes.
For a moment, the anger inside him seemed to disappear.
But then—
A voice came from behind the crowd.
"Kentarou!"
Kentarou looked up.
It was Senku.
Yui was standing beside him.
Both of them had witnessed the scene.
Senku's expression was completely different from usual.
He looked at the people lying on the ground.
Then at Lyoid.
Then finally—
At Kentarou.
"Kentarou..."
"What happened to you?"
__________________________
Later
The incident quickly spread throughout the school.
The students involved were called before the student council.
The student council president sat at the center of the room, looking at everyone involved.
Kang Tae Joon and his friends stood on one side.
Kentarou stood separately.
The president looked at all of them.
"What happened today was completely unacceptable."
No one spoke.
"After reviewing the incident and listening to the witnesses..."
He paused.
"Kang Tae Joon and the students who participated in the fight are suspended for three months."
Everyone remained silent.
Then the president looked toward Kentarou.
"Kentarou Izumi."
Kentarou raised his eyes.
"You will also be suspended."
A short pause.
"However, your suspension will be limited to one week."
Kentarou said nothing.
The president continued.
"You were involved in the confrontation, but according to the witnesses, you were not the one who initiated the incident."
He then looked toward another student council member.
"Gun-Woo."
A boy stepped forward.
"Yes, sir."
"You helped prevent the situation from becoming even worse. You also helped Kentarou before things escalated further."
Gun-Woo nodded.
He was a member of the student council and a friend of Park Minwoo.
The president looked at everyone one final time.
"All of you are dismissed."
Kentarou quietly walked out of the room.
He didn't feel relieved.
He didn't feel angry anymore, either.
There was only one thought running through his mind.
Why did I lose control like that?
And somewhere inside him...
He already knew the answer.