The road became quiet again.
Quinir remained on the ground for a moment.His breathing was heavy.
His school uniform was covered in dust. After a few seconds, he slowly pushed himself up.
His body hurt.But his eyes remained calm.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his lip with the back of his hand.Then he picked up his bag from the ground.
For a moment he simply stood there, looking in the direction Rylan had gone.
Then he turned and continued walking home.
Each step was steady.
Quinir looked down at the road ahead.
If this continued, things would only escalate.
"I need to end this before it gets worse."
Quinir adjusted the strap of his bag and continued walking.
His ribs ached slightly with each breath, and his cheek throbbed where Rylan's fist had landed.
But he ignored the pain.
Compared to the problem in front of him, the pain was insignificant.
By the time he reached his home, the sky had begun to turn orange with the setting sun. Quinir paused for a moment before entering the apartment building.
His mother would notice the injuries immediately.
Bella was the kind of person who could read his face the moment she saw him.
Quinir sighed quietly.
He brushed the dust from his uniform and ran a hand through his hair, trying to make himself look less like someone who had just been in a fight.
Then he walked upstairs.
When he opened the door, the familiar smell of cooking filled the small apartment.
Bella stood near the stove.
Rick sat at the small table, going through some papers.
Both of them looked up the moment Quinir stepped inside.
Bella froze.
"Quinir…"
Her voice carried immediate concern.
Rick's eyes narrowed slightly.
Quinir tried to smile.
"I'm home."
Bella walked closer quickly, her eyes scanning his face."What happened to you?"
Quinir touched his cheek casually.
"Nothing serious. I tripped near the school gate."
Bella frowned.
"You fell?"
Rick stood up slowly from the table.
His gaze lingered on the dust on Quinir's uniform.
"You don't get a bruise like that from tripping."
The room fell quiet for a moment.
Quinir met his father's eyes.
Rick was not someone easy to fool.
Quinir exhaled quietly.
"It was just some guys messing around."
Bella's expression tightened."Messing around?"
Rick's jaw hardened slightly.
"Who?"Quinir shook his head.
"It's nothing I can't handle."
Bella looked unconvinced, but she didn't push further.
Instead, she gently wiped the dried blood from the corner of his lip with a clean cloth.
Rick watched him for a moment longer before speaking.
"I'm going to your school tomorrow."
Quinir looked up.
Rick continued calmly,
"I need to register you anyway."
Then he added quietly,
Quinir opened his mouth to protest but stopped.
Rick's expression was firm.
Bella sighed softly.
"Go wash up first," she said gently.
"I'll serve dinner."
Quinir nodded and walked toward the bathroom.
As he closed the door behind him, he leaned slightly against the sink.
For a moment he just stared at his reflection.
A bruise forming on his cheek.
Dust on his uniform.
Split lip.
He washed his face slowly.Quinir wiped his face with a towel and murmured quietly,
"Two days…"That was the time Rylan had given him.
Two days before things escalated again.
Quinir stared at his reflection in the mirror for a moment longer.A faint bruise was already forming along his cheekbone, and the split at the corner of his lip stung when he pressed his tongue against it.
Through the thin bathroom door, he could hear the soft clatter of plates being set on the table and the low murmur of his parents talking in the kitchen.
Quinir let out a slow breath.
They were already worried enough.
If they knew the truth, things would only become worse.
He straightened up, folded the towel neatly on the rack, and stepped out of the bathroom.
Bella had already placed dinner on the table.
Simple food.
Rice, vegetables, and soup.
Rick sat down again, though his eyes briefly checked Quinir's face when he returned.
"Sit," Bella said softly.
For a few minutes, the only sound in the room was the quiet clink of spoons and bowls.
Bella occasionally glanced at him, clearly still worried.
Rick remained silent, though his gaze lingered longer than usual.
Finally, Bella spoke.
"You should be more careful walking home."
Quinir nodded.
"I will."
Rick set his spoon down.
"Did those 'guys messing around' have names?"
Quinir paused slightly before answering.
"It's not worth getting into trouble over."
Rick studied him for a moment but didn't press further.
Instead, he leaned back slightly.
"I spoke with my boss this morning," he said.
Quinir looked up.
Rick continued calmly.
"I'll finish work early tomorrow."
Rick glanced at Quinir.
"I'm registering you for Jackson Private High."
The room fell quiet again.
Bella looked between the two of them.
Rick's voice remained steady."You earned that opportunity."His eyes hardened slightly.
"And no one is taking it from you."Quinir didn't respond immediately.
Rick knew his father ment well.He felt warm in his heart looking at his father and seeing how supportive he is.
Rick had always been like this—steady, stubborn, and protective in his own quiet way.
Even when things were difficult.
Even when they barely had enough.
Rick still believed that Quinir deserved something better.
Quinir lowered his eyes slightly and continued eating.
"...Okay," he said softly.
Bella glanced between the two of them and sighed gently.
The rest of dinner passed quietly.
Rick talked briefly about work, and Bella reminded him not to forget the papers he needed for the school registration tomorrow.
When dinner ended, Quinir helped Bella clear the table before heading back to his room.
The apartment grew quiet as night settled in.
Through the thin walls, he could hear Rick moving around in the living room and Bella washing the dishes in the kitchen.
Quinir sat down on the edge of his bed and stared at the dark window.
Rylan's words echoed in his mind.
If you don't refuse that scholarship…
Quinir slowly clenched his hand.
"No," he murmured quietly.
He had already decided.
No matter what happened, He wouldn't give it up.
The pressure from his relatives.
Everything circled inside his mind.
But eventually exhaustion caught up with him.
His eyes slowly closed.
The next morning came earlier than usual.
The alarm rang at six.
Rick was already awake.
He moved quietly through the apartment so he wouldn't wake Quinir too soon.
Bella stood in the kitchen preparing breakfast, tying her hair back as she worked.
"You're up early," she said softly.
Rick nodded while putting on his jacket.
"I want to get to work early today."
Bella glanced at him.
"So you can leave early?"
Rick gave a small smile.
"Yeah."
He picked up a folder from the table.
Inside were the documents needed for Quinir's school registration.
Bella looked at the papers and sighed quietly.
"You really think everything will be okay?"
They knew yesterdays Quinir's fighting should have something to do with this incident . They knew about their relatives too well.
Rick closed the folder.
"It will."
He spoke with quiet confidence.
"Our son earned that opportunity."
Bella didn't argue.
She knew that stubborn tone in his voice.
Rick walked toward Quinir's door and knocked lightly.
"Quinir."
A moment later the door opened.
Quinir had already gotten dressed.
Rick noticed the bruise on his cheek again.
His expression tightened slightly.
"You feeling alright?"
Quinir nodded.
"I'm fine."
Rick studied him for a moment before patting his shoulder.
"Good."
Bella called from the kitchen.
"Breakfast is ready."
The three of them sat down at the small table.
The morning sunlight filtered through the window.
For a few minutes, everything felt peaceful.
Bella poured tea.
Rick ate quickly while glancing at the clock.
Quinir watched them quietly.
After finishing his meal, Rick stood up and grabbed his keys.
"I'll head out first," he said.
Bella walked him to the door.
"Drive safely."
Rick smiled.
"Always."
Then he looked at Quinir again.
"Don't worry about yesterday."
His voice was calm but firm.
"I'll handle things."Quinir nodded slightly.
"Okay."
Rick stepped outside and closed the door behind him.
that morning, Rick drove toward work as usual and after work.
After work… I'll go to Quinir's school.
After Rick's done with his work, He started going to Quinirs school.
Traffic was heavier than normal.
Cars filled the road as people rushed toward their offices.
Rick stopped at a red light.
He tapped the steering wheel lightly while thinking about the documents in the folder beside him.
The light turned green.
Cars began moving again.
A truck coming from the opposite direction suddenly lost control.
Its tires screeched loudly against the asphalt.
Drivers began honking.
Rick's eyes widened.
The truck was coming straight toward him.
There was no time to react.
The world exploded into noise.
Metal collided.
Glass shattered.
The sound of the crash echoed across the intersection.
And everything went dark.
Bella Got a call from Hospital, she quickly went to Quinirs school to pick him up and go to Quinir's school.