Isa leaned back in his chair, a smirk plastered across his face as his classmates chatted around him. Life in Form 1 was predictable—classes, recess, and finding ways to entertain himself in between. Unfortunately, his idea of "fun" often involved teasing others. Today, his target had been Stacy. Quiet, shy, and always sitting in the back, she had seemed like an easy mark. All he did was joke about her voice, mimicking her soft tone during class. He didn’t think it was that big of a deal. But when she teared up during recess, the guilt never even crossed his mind. Joseph, his best friend, nudged him. "You know, you might’ve gone too far this time, bro." "Relax. It’s not like I hurt her. People need to toughen up," Isa replied, brushing it off. Joseph sighed, shaking his head. "If you say so." The carefree moment didn’t last. As they were walking back to class after lunch, Zul, a towering Form 3 student, blocked their path. Two other boys stood on either side of him, arms cro
Disheartened, Isa thanked him and moved on to another lead—his sister’s former classmates. But the responses were always the same: vague, indifferent, or unhelpful.“Why is everyone acting like she didn’t exist?” Isa muttered to himself, frustration mounting.By lunchtime, Isa sat alone under a tree, the weight of dead ends pressing down on him.“Isa?” Luna’s soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts.He looked up, startled. “Luna, hey. What’s up?”“I should be asking you that,” she said, sitting beside him. “You’ve been acting… distant. What’s going on?”Isa shook his head. “It’s nothing. Just some stuff I’m trying to figure out.”Luna frowned. “You’re lying. I’ve seen that look before—when I used to bottle things up. Whatever it is, you don’t have to deal with it alone.”Isa hesitated, then sighed. “It’s about my sister. She died a few years ago. Someone left this photo of her in my locker, and I think it’s a clue to what happened to her.”Luna’s expression softened. “Isa, I’m so so
“What did you just say?” the ringleader asked, her tone faltering.“You heard me,” Luna said, meeting her gaze without flinching. “Now, get out of my way. I’ve got better things to do than deal with your drama.”The bullies hesitated before retreating, muttering under their breaths.Isa leaned back in his seat, a proud grin spreading across his face.When Luna returned to her desk, Isa whispered, “Nice one, tiger.”She blushed but smiled. “Thanks. I guess I just… remembered what you said.”System Notification:Mission Complete: Help the Lonely One. Bonus Rewards Unlocked: Increased Charisma and Empathy Stats. New Path Unlocked: Emotional Guardian.Isa glanced at Luna, who was now laughing softly with Stacy and Joseph. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he’d done something that truly mattered.“Good job, sis,” Isa murmured under his breath, glancing at his sister’s photo in his wallet. “I think you’d be proud.”The school day dragged on, but Isa’s thoughts were elsewhere.
The opportunity came sooner than Isa expected. He found Aisha sitting on a bench near the school’s back gate, her head buried in a book.“Hey,” Isa said, approaching cautiously.She glanced up, startled, before quickly looking away. “What do you want?”“I just wanted to check if you’re okay,” Isa said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “After what happened in the cafeteria.”“I’m fine,” she mumbled, flipping a page without reading it.Isa sat down at the far end of the bench, giving her space. “Doesn’t look like you’re fine. Those girls—do they do this to you a lot?”Aisha didn’t answer right away. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. “It doesn’t matter. They’ll never stop. People like me… we’re just easy targets.”“Why?” Isa asked, genuinely curious.She looked at him then, her eyes tired but defiant. “Because I don’t trust people. Every time I let someone in, they just end up hurting me. It’s easier to be alone.”Isa frowned. Her words hit closer to home than he
“Not bad,” Faiz wheezed, grinning.Later that evening, Azlan collapsed onto the gym floor after finishing 200 push-ups. The System chimed again:“Next Mission: Perfect the Switch Jab within 24 hours. Failure will reduce Accuracy by 7%.”Azlan groaned, staring up at the ceiling. “Do you ever stop?”His coach clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t talk to yourself like a crazy person. Get up. We’re doing bag drills next.”“Yeah, yeah,” Azlan muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.When Azlan finally staggered home, the sun had long set. His mom was waiting at the dining table, her arms crossed.“You’ve been out all day again,” she said, her tone sharp but laced with worry.“Training,” Azlan replied, dropping his bag near the door.“You’re overdoing it,” she said. “Your father would never have pushed himself like this.”Azlan froze, his jaw tightening. “Dad wouldn’t settle for less than his best,” he said quietly. “I’m not settling either.”“Azlan, you’re not him,” she said, her voice softeni
The gym was packed. Students crowded around the ring, their cheers deafening as the school championship was about to begin. Posters of Azlan and Zafran, the two titans of the school’s boxing scene, hung high on the walls. Azlan adjusted his gloves, his jaw tight as his System chimed in:“Opponent Analysis: Speed-focused fighter. Agility 85%, Strength 70%. Focus required for optimal victory.”He glanced across the ring at Zafran, who was shadowboxing with an arrogant smirk. Zafran locked eyes with Azlan and mouthed, “You’re done for, champ.”Isa leaned over the ropes from Azlan’s corner, shouting, “Bro, don’t let that guy’s cocky face fool you. Just knock him out!”Azlan smirked faintly. “Focus on your popcorn, Isa. I got this.”Rika sat quietly in the crowd, her sketchpad on her lap. She wasn’t drawing this time, though. Her eyes were locked on Azlan, her fingers gripping the edges of the sketchpad.Why do I feel nervous for him? she thought, biting her lip.The bell rang, and the cro
Azlan walked into his house, the faint scent of his mother’s cooking wafting through the air. The cozy living room was filled with familiar sights: the old sofa with its worn-out cushions, family photos hanging on the wall, and right in the center of the room—a glass cabinet displaying his father’s boxing trophies.The golden trophies gleamed in the evening light, each one a reminder of the man Azlan looked up to. His father had been a local boxing legend, a powerhouse in his prime.“Azlan, is that you?” his mother called from the kitchen.“Yeah, Ma. I’m back!” Azlan replied, kicking off his shoes and heading to the kitchen.His mother was at the stove, stirring a pot of curry. She turned to him, a warm smile on her face. “How was training today?”Azlan grabbed a glass of water from the counter and took a long sip. “Tough. Coach paired me up with Isa as a sparring partner. You remember Isa, right? The loud one.”His mom chuckled. “The one who talks too much? Sounds like he’d be a hand
The school gym was alive with the sounds of grunts, the rhythmic thud of fists meeting punching bags, and the occasional sharp whistle from Coach Raman. Azlan wiped the sweat from his brow as he finished his last set of speed punches. His muscles ached, but he thrived on the burn. The championship fight was in two weeks, and he was determined to defend his title as the school’s undefeated boxing champ.“Alright, champ,” Coach Raman called out, tossing Azlan a towel. “That was solid. But you’ve got a sparring session next. New partner today.”Azlan frowned, catching the towel. “New partner? What happened to Kamal?”“Out with a shoulder injury,” Coach said, his lips quirking into a smirk. “But don’t worry. This one’s got potential. You might actually sweat for a change.”Azlan snorted. “Doubt it.”The gym door creaked open, and Azlan turned to see none other than Isa strolling in, his trademark cocky grin plastered on his face.“Yo, Azlan!” Isa called out, throwing his bag to the side.
Isa was riding high. After surviving the ambush with Azlan and Joseph, his reputation soared even higher in school. He was no longer just “that loud guy” or “the troublemaker”; now, he was someone students respected—or feared. But Isa had bigger goals.His System reminded him every day:[Flirt King Mission: 75% Progress. Objective: Win Stacy’s Heart.]Isa smirked to himself. “Piece of cake.”The next day, Isa spotted Stacy in the cafeteria. She was sitting with her friends, laughing at something on her phone. She looked radiant, her laugh lighting up the room. Isa’s heart skipped a beat.He took a deep breath. This is it.As Isa approached the table, Stacy’s friends noticed him first. Their chatter stopped, replaced by curious whispers.“Hey, Stacy,” Isa said, leaning casually against the table.Stacy looked up, surprised. “Isa? What are you doing here?”“I was in the area,” Isa said with a grin, pretending not to notice her skeptical look. “Thought I’d stop by and say hi. You know, b
Isa squared up, his fists raised and ready. Hamid and his crew circled him like predators, their smirks brimming with confidence. The onlookers who had gathered whispered nervously, wondering if Isa would survive this time.Hamid stepped forward, his voice mocking. “You’ve been riding high since you beat Zul. Time for someone to put you back in your place.”Isa smirked, his adrenaline pumping. “Talk all you want, Hamid. I’ve taken down bigger threats than you.”Hamid cracked his knuckles and lunged. Isa barely dodged, retaliating with a quick jab that connected with Hamid’s jaw. But before Isa could savor the hit, one of Hamid’s lackeys swung a punch from the side.It connected.Isa stumbled, his cheek stinging, but he regained his footing quickly. “Alright,” Isa muttered, wiping his mouth. “You wanna play dirty? Fine by me.”The fight erupted into chaos. Isa ducked and weaved, landing blows where he could, but it was clear he was outnumbered. Hamid’s crew pressed in, their punches an