Chapter 4:

Part 3

Fragile Phantasy


Another day, another school. KC was starting anew, hoping that this time he could make friends and get along with everyone. He had a dream of becoming a president, and he knew that having social skills was a crucial part of it. As he entered the classroom, he saw his new classmates, all wearing fancy clothes that he had never seen before. He tried to smile and greet them, but no one noticed him. They just kept walking as if he didn't exist.

KC was nervous, but he forced himself to stay positive. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Suddenly, a beautiful woman with rose-red hair entered the room, catching his attention. He couldn't help but stare at her. Her skin was so white, and her nose was so beautiful.

Then the teacher entered the room and announced that they had a new classmate. KC had to introduce himself. He stood up, and his legs were shaking from fear. He walked to the front, trying to remember his name as if he had Alzheimer's. "Uh, it's me, KC. I'm glad to meet you, and I want to be your friend," he said, forcing an awkward smile.

The boys sitting in the back whispered, and KC felt uneasy. The teacher told him that he didn't have an assigned seat yet and that he would be sitting in the back for the meantime. KC slowly walked to the back of the classroom and sat down. The teacher wrote a word on the board, and KC immediately recognized it as hieroglyphics. He raised his hand and answered, "Ma'am, that's hieroglyphics." His classmates gave him an irritated look, but the teacher praised him for knowing the answer.

As the class went on, KC realized that he could easily keep up with the lessons as he put a all-nighter yesterday.

A few hours later, the bell rang, and it was time for recess.

As the bell rang for recess, the classroom buzzed with activity. Students pulled out their latest gadgets and huddled in groups, laughing and chatting. KC felt a pang of nervousness in his chest as he looked around, wondering how he could fit in.

But he was determined to make friends. So, he approached a group of boys and introduced himself. "Hey, I'm KC. What's your name?" he asked, extending his hand for a shake.

The boy looked him from up to bottom, sizing him up. "Where do you live?" they asked bluntly.

KC's heart sank a little, but he kept his cool. "I live in the mountainous farmland of the Philippines, about four hours away from here. I'm sorry, our village doesn't have a proper name yet because it's so far from civilization," he explained.

The boy's response was cold. "Can you stay away from us?" they said, turning thier back on KC.

KC walked away, feeling a little dejected, but he didn't let it get him down. He approached a group of girls next, admiring the beautiful red-haired woman at their center. "Hello, I'm KC," he said, his voice shaking a little with nerves.

The girl looked at him with disdain, "Eww, get away from us!" she sneered, her friends joining in.

Their words stung like a slap to the face, and KC's self-esteem plummeted. He turned back and walked away, feeling more alone than ever.

But then he saw a boy sitting on his own, engrossed in a game console. KC didn't know much about gaming, but he thought to ask. "Hey, I'm KC," he said, offering a tentative smile.

The boy, looked up at him with mild annoyance. "I'm Alex. What do you need?" he asked, not looking away from his game.

KC felt a little embarrassed, not knowing what kind of gadget Alex was holding. "I'm sorry, Alex. Can I ask what's you're holding?" he asked.

Alex looked up at him, a little irritated. "This is a game console. Please don't be nosy," he warned.

"I'm sorry," KC apologized, feeling a little foolish. He bowed and retreated to his seat, feeling like an outsider once again.

As he looked around at the other students, all absorbed in their gadgets and their own little worlds, KC realized that city folks could be harsh. But he refused to give up. He was determined to make friends and prove himself, no matter how hard it might be.

As Alex clutched his console tightly, the blonde-haired bully snatched it from his hands with ease. "What kind of loser game are you playing, geek?" he sneered, gripping the console tightly. Alex pleaded with him to return it, "Max please give it back you already took my lunch money". But the bully had other ideas. "I've changed my mind," he said, pulling back his fist and delivering a swift blow to Alex's head.

"Ouch, you asshole!" Alex yelped, wincing in pain.

The angry bully then loomed over Alex "What did you say geek?", threatening to deliver more blows. KC knew he had to step in to help his new friend. "That's enough! Can you stop it?" he demanded, trying to block the bully.

But the bully, Max, just laughed in his face. "Ah, do you want to join too?" he jeered, turning his attention back to Alex. "Alex I won't beat your ass up anymore. Just follow what I say!"

"What is it, Max?" Alex asked, fear creeping into his voice.

Max smirked, whistling to his buddies. "Hold that wanna-be hero and stop him from struggling," he ordered.

Alex and max friends grabbed KC's body and held him tightly, leaving KC unable to move. "Why are you doing this?" KC pleaded, shocked at the betrayal.

"I won't be hurt again. Now you are the new target for bullying," Alex answered, his voice desperate.

Max then delivered a flurry of punches to KC's face and stomach, causing him to vomit blood. As the bullies released him, KC crumpled to the ground, gasping for air. The pain was excruciating, but KC knew he couldn't let the bullies win. He would find a way to fight back, no matter what it took.

Suddenly, the classroom door opened, and the teacher stormed in, demanding to know what had happened. All eyes turned to kc, who was still clutching his bruised stomach and swollen jaw. The pain was too much, and he couldn't respond.

The teacher's hand gripped kc's arm firmly, pulling him up. He winced in agony, trying to break free, but the teacher was too strong. Slowly, they made their way to the guidance office, and as they entered, the school principal's stern gaze met them.

"It's your first day, and you're already causing trouble," the principal scolded kc, making him feel like a miscreant.

"I didn't start it, please believe me," kc pleaded, desperation lacing his voice.

But the principal wouldn't hear it. She had all the witnesses testify against him, claiming he was the one who instigated the fight. To kc's shock, even Max, the bully, came barging in, his face red and panting as if he had run a marathon.

"He started it, grandma. He pulled out a weapon and threatened us," Max lied, casting a smug grin in kc's direction.

kc's heart sank as he realized the principal was Max's grandmother. In that moment, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. His classmates corroborated Max's lies, and it felt like the whole world was against him.

The principal's anger was palpable as she spoke, "This school has a policy of only expelling a student after they've received guidance twice. But if it were up to me, I would expel you right now!"

With that, they were dismissed, and kc made his way back to the classroom, hoping to blend in and become invisible. But it was too late. Paper balls and insults were already being hurled at him, and he felt like the walls were closing in on him.

Despite the humiliation and pain, kc knew he couldn't give up on his dreams. His parents' happiness depended on his success, and he couldn't let them down. He made up his mind to endure the taunts and insults, to try and get along with his classmates and prove his innocence. He wasn't a troublemaker, but he was determined to show that he wasn't a pushover either. The road ahead would be long and arduous, but he was ready to take it on.

Hours later, the bell rang, signaling the start of the vacant period. Max immediately assumed his position as the leader of the class, barking orders at his classmates like they were his servants. kc couldn't help but feel like a lowly peasant, forced to follow Max's every command.

"Hey, kc the monkey boy, go buy us something to eat from downstairs. And make sure to keep the change, because I'm sure it's not much anyway!" Max ordered with a snicker.

Feeling humiliated and defeated, kc reluctantly took the money and made his way down to the fifth floor to buy their food. When he returned he delivered all the foods to the bullies, then he sat down to eat the small piece of bread his mother had packed him. But before he could take a bite, Alex snatched it from his hand with a wicked grin, taunting him.

"Oops, don't whine, or I'll report you to Max," Alex sneered.

With a heavy heart, kc decided to distract himself by studying. But when he opened his bag, he was horrified to see that his extra clothes and notebook were covered in insulting graffiti. His classmates had defaced his belongings while he was buying their food.

Desperate to clean himself up before his mother saw this, kc went to the bathroom to wash up. But as soon as he entered, he slipped and hit his head on the hard tile floor. He could hear his classmates laughing and taunting him from outside the bathroom door. To his horror, he realized that they had followed him with a camera and recorded his humiliation by making the bathroom slippery.

In that moment, kc felt like giving up on his dreams. kc almost didn't want to go back to the classroom. The day had been a nightmare, with Max acting like a tyrant, hitting him on the head like a drum, and slapping him in front of his classmates. The torture had gone on for hours, leaving kc feeling battered and bruised.

Finally, the teacher had dismissed the class, with a sigh of relief kc walked out of the school, stooping under the weight of his backpack. As he passed by a huge building with see-through glass, he marveled at how wealthy the people who lived there must be. It was the biggest building he had ever seen in the city.

As he peered through the glass, he saw all sorts of amazing technology, including a flying chair for adults that even made coffee. He decided to enter But before he could take another step, he was blocked by a group of guards who pushed him away, shouting, "It is forbidden to look here, child, leave!" kc continued walking, He knew he needed to hurry home to wash his dirty clothes before his parents saw them.

As he hurried down the street, someone suddenly shouted, "Boy, please stop the board!" kc immediately turned around and saw a flying surfboard being chased by an old man in a lab coat. The people around him were alarmed. "Here he is again, the crazy old man has started doing something again," the villagers shouted as they entered their homes. "Bring the children inside your houses!" the neighbors threatened.

The surfboard was very tricky and flew fast, making it difficult to catch. The old man fell down because his leg and back hurt, exclaiming, "Oh! I'm too old for this!" But kc knew he had to help. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it," he said, quickly chasing after the board.

"Thank you, boy," the old man said while panting. After a few seconds, they found that the board was following the direction of the wind. kc patiently waited for it on his way and quickly jumped on it, exclaiming, "I finally caught you!"

But The board tried to pull and dragged kc on the road. "Help, please!" he shouted while being dragged by the board. The old man stood up and said, "Don't worry, I'm there, kid," pulling kc's foot to stop the board from moving forward. "Press the button at the bottom, kid," the old man ordered while pulling hard.

"Yes," kc answered, forcing himself to reach for the button. "Closer, here it is," and he was able to press it just as the board shrank and looked like a miniature. "Thanks for the help, kid," the old man said, shaking the dust off their bodies. "What's your name?" he asked kc.

"I'm KC. And you?" kc replied.

"I'm glad to meet you. Just call me Doc. I'm sorry you got dirty. Let's go to my house; I can help you right there," said Doc.

"Don't worry, sir. I need to be home soon," kc answered, knowing he still needed to clean his clothes.

"Your clothes look ruined. Don't worry. I can help you fix them," Doc explained as he invited kc to his house.

"Thank you for the invitation," kc said, feeling grateful for the help.

As KC stepped into the room, the sheer amount of clutter and disarray overwhelmed him. Tools and gadgets of all sorts were scattered about haphazardly, leaving barely an inch of space untouched. But as he took a deep breath and looked around, he felt a sense of comfort wash over him. This was Doc's workshop, and he had been invited here.

"Relax, make yourself at home," Doc instructed him kindly as KC handed over his uniform. He watched as the inventor deftly fixed and adjusted his garments, the soft hum of machines filling the air. KC sank into the plush sofa, grateful for the respite. He felt his mind quieting, his thoughts drifting away into a tranquil state.

"Doc, do you live here alone and what do you do?" KC asked curiously, intrigued by the inventor's lifestyle.

"Yes," Doc replied with a gentle smile. "I am an inventor. My dream is to create inventions that make life easier, particularly for those less fortunate."

KC was struck by the nobility of Doc's aspirations. He felt a sense of kinship with the man's vision, admiring his selflessness and dedication to helping others.

Suddenly, Doc's expression grew serious as he turned to KC. "Where did you get those wounds, scratches, and bruises?" he asked, his voice trembling with concern.

"I just slipped," KC replied dismissively, not wanting to dwell on the painful memories.

But Doc was perceptive, and he wasn't fooled. "You were bullied at school," he said empathetically.

KC was taken aback by the inventor's insight. "Yes, how did you know?" he asked, surprised.

"Just guessed," Doc replied with a small smile. "But don't worry, I can help. Follow me."

He led KC to a large capsule and instructed him to step inside. Within moments, KC felt a wave of relief as all the pain he had been feeling vanished. When he emerged, he was astounded by the effectiveness of Doc's treatment. "You're great doc," he said in wonder seeing all of his bruise are gone.

"Thanks, Your clothes should be fixed by now," the Doc stated matter-of-factly.

KC was pleasantly surprised to see that his clothes looked as good as new. However, their peaceful moment was interrupted by a sudden knock on Doc's door. "Doc, I'll get it," KC offered, reaching for the doorknob.

But before KC could open the door, Doc stopped him and quickly peered through the peephole. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead as he whispered to KC in a shaky voice, "Quickly, hide in the small closet. They mustn't see you."

KC quickly obliged and hid in the cramped space. He watched anxiously as Doc opened the door, only to be met with two burly men in black. Without warning, they punched Doc in the stomach, causing him to crumple to the floor.

"Where is the advanced weapon you promised? You should have it by now," the men demanded, their voices laced with anger.

while in pain"I'm sorry. There i needed some more time," Doc explained, blood seeping from his mouth.

"We'll give you a chance. But the next time you do this again, you'll die, and we'll destroy your house,"The men gave him a stern warning before finally leaving, slamming the door behind them. KC emerged from the closet and helped Doc up, his concern for the kind doctor growing stronger with each passing moment. "Doc, are you alright?" he asked with ease.

"Take me to the capsule, please," Doc requested weakly, still recovering from the attack. KC quickly assisted him to the capsule to heal his wounds.

Once his bruises were healed, KC couldn't help but ask, "Who were those men, Doc? And what is their purpose?"

"It's nothing to worry about, kc. By the way, I have something to give you," Doc said with a forced smile, taking out an invisible MP4 player. KC was puzzled as he couldn't see anything in Doc's hand.

"This tech contains all the songs ever made over the years and decades. I'm giving it to you as a token of gratitude for your help today," Doc explained, pressing a button to activate the device.

KC was moved to tears as Doc handed him a contact lens that allowed him to see the invisible MP4 player. "Thank you, Doc. This is incredible," he replied gratefully.

As KC prepared to leave, Doc warned him, "Don't let them get to you. Don't be discouraged."

KC turned around and asked, "Doc, can I come back tomorrow to test the hoverboard?"

"Of course, you're always welcome here," Doc replied with a smile.

Upon arriving home, KC's family greeted him warmly, curious to hear about his first day. "It's okay. I made a new friend," he replied before heading to the dining table to eat.

Meanwhile, at Doc's house, he had just finished fixing the hoverboard and the new blaster gun for the cartel. As he looked at the blueprints of five gems on his nearby table, he couldn't help but wonder how much longer it would take him to complete his grand project. "There's still so much missing. I need help to speed things up," and sighed, wondering how many more years it would take to complete it. He knew he needed extra help to speed up the process.