I recalled how they were always leaving early and coming home late, their bodies covered in bloody knife scars, shouting about running into cops again today.

Thinking of how the news constantly showed criminals being arrested and thrown into prison, I couldn’t drag them into this.

When I looked up again, I tried one last time to plead.

“Ms. Jones, my dad… is all working out of town. He’s far away and can’t come.

“Can’t I just… write an apology letter? I’ll apologize and even accept disciplinary punishment. Just please don’t call them, okay?”

However, Ms. Jones only let out a mocking laugh.

“Working out of town? No wonder they raised a shameless child like you. And they can’t even come?”

“Nope!”

“Macy’s medical fees and emotional damages cost a lot of money. Can a little kid like you even afford that? Hurry up and make the call already. Stop dragging this out!”

Her face was full of contempt as she looked at me.

“How much is it? I can—” I was just about to say I could pay for it myself. After all, I still hadn’t touched the black cards my dads had given me.

That was when Daniel suddenly walked out and tossed a bank card directly to Ms. Jones.

“Ms. Jones, there’s five hundred thousand dollars in this card. Consider it a donation to the school.

“My request is simple. Get her parents here immediately to compensate us and admit guilt.

“Otherwise, I’ll call the police and charge her with intentional assault! Once she has a record, she can forget about getting into college for the rest of her life!”

The moment she saw the bank card, Ms. Jones’ eyes lit up instantly. She turned to me, her tone becoming even harsher.

“Ariel, did you hear that? This is your last chance!

“Either call your working-class parents here right now to apologize and pay up…

“Or you’ll end up with a criminal record and never get into college for the rest of your life!”

A criminal record…

Those two words stabbed straight into my brain like needles.

I couldn’t have a criminal record. If I went to jail, I wouldn’t be able to take my exams.

I still wanted to get into college, make money, and take care of my dads when they got old.

Looking at that bank card, then at Ms. Jones’ ugly, greedy face, tears instantly rushed out of my eyes.

With trembling fingers, I finally turned on my phone screen.

“Ms. Jones, please don’t call the police. I’ll… I’ll call my parents.”

…

My shaking hand tapped the very top contact named “James” in my phone.

Even though he was a mob boss, he was still the most normal out of all my dads.

I could only hope he could pretend to be an ordinary person and help me get through this.

“Beep… beep…”

The call was answered almost instantly.

James’ gentle voice came through the phone with a smile. “Ariel?”

“Dad…” I pressed my lips together before speaking. “The teacher wants you to come to school. I…”

“Come to school?” He instantly sounded excited. “Oh wow, did my girl win another award? This is the first time you’ve asked me to come and accept a certificate for you. Wait for me, I’m heading there right now!”

“No…”

My chest tightened painfully as I tried to say that wasn’t it when, suddenly, a clear gunshot rang out from the other side of the phone.

Right after that came the scream of a strange man, followed by several heavy thuds.

I froze instantly.

Then I vaguely heard a quiet voice say, “Clean it up.”

Childhood memories rushed into my mind at once.

Every time James came home, there would be blood on him, but he always lied and said it was spilled ketchup.

His breathing sounded a little uneven, but when he spoke to me again, his voice was still gentle.

“No what, sweetheart?”

The moment I thought about whether he was doing something dangerous right now and if he was hurt, my heart immediately started pounding wildly.

The words at the tip of my tongue forcibly changed into, “N… nothing. I can collect the certificate myself. You sound busy. I’m hanging up.”

“Hey! I haven’t talked to him yet! Why’d you hang up?!”

Ms. Jones shouted and reached for my phone.

Instinctively, I dodged to the side and quickly ended the call.

The next second, “Smack!”

Another hard slap landed across my face.

Ms. Jones’ face twisted with anger. “You caused such a huge mess and still want to hide this from your parents?!”

Daniel suddenly slammed a hand against the wall and pointed at my nose while yelling, “Don’t think you’re safe just because you’re hiding it from the adults!

“I run Hawkins! I’ve got connections at the police department, too! You dared touch my daughter? Your whole working-class family could disappear in minutes if I wanted!”

Macy limped out as well and sneered at me.

“You’re so pathetic, not even daring to call your parents. What, is your family so poor that they can’t even afford food? Then where’d you get the guts to push me? Ridiculous!”

I lowered my head, my voice so quiet that it was almost a whisper.

“My dad really can’t come… I’m sorry, Macy. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have pushed you.

“I can kneel and apologize in front of the whole school. I’ll even be your servant for a year. Or you can hit me back. Just don’t call the police, okay? I don’t want to get expelled…”

Macy let out a mocking laugh, but Daniel roared and reached for my phone again.

“You think you’re in a position to negotiate?!

“Give me your parents’ number. I’ll talk to them myself!”

Ms. Jones immediately joined in. “Ariel, give your phone to Mr. Fuller! Stop being stubborn and show some good problem-solving attitude!”

Daniel charged forward to snatch the phone, while I desperately protected it and kept backing away.

In the end, I stumbled and dropped to the floor.

My knees slammed against the cold tiles, and the pain made tears stream down my face.

However, I still kept begging.

“Please don’t contact my dad. Macy, please. I’ll do everything I said before. I’ll apologize, make up for it, let you hit me back, anything. Just don’t call my parents, okay?!”

Only after my knee was bleeding did a satisfied look finally appear on Macy’s face.

She stopped her dad and deliberately raised her voice.

“Fine. But just apologizing publicly isn’t enough. Tomorrow, you’re going to kneel and apologize to me a hundred times. You’ll keep doing it until I’m satisfied. Then I won’t call the police.”

“Okay.”

Clenching my fists tightly, I agreed to every single condition she gave me.

My chest felt like it was bleeding from humiliation, but at the same time, I felt it was worth it.

As long as my dads weren’t dragged into this.

That night, I returned exhausted to the small apartment Dad number two, Michael, rented for me.

Wearing a baseball cap pulled low over my face, I saw three men busy cooking in the kitchen.

They were Dad Number Sixty-Six, Robert, Dad Number Seventy-Nine, David, and Dad Number Ninety-Three, Thomas.

The moment they saw me come home, they immediately gathered around happily.

“Ariel’s home!”

At the dinner table, Robert grinned and pinched my cheek.

“Ariel, I heard your school’s giving you an award? Why didn’t you let me go with you? Going by turns, it should’ve been my turn already, right?”

David skillfully massaged my shoulders while arguing back, “The hell it should. It’s my turn!”

Thomas pushed a bowl of soup in front of me.

“Drink up. It’s good for your brain. Get yourself into a good college.”

My nose suddenly stung, and I nearly burst into tears.

However, I forced a smile and explained, “It’s just a small certificate. No need to trouble yourselves. Next time, if it’s a big award, I’ll call you guys.”

“Fine, fine, we’ll stop arguing. Eat first, sweetheart.”

The three of them excitedly served me food.

But while we were eating, Robert’s expression suddenly changed. He stood up and answered a phone call.

I could vaguely hear a few phrases from where I sat.

“That shipment… got targeted again… jumped into the river himself… Damn it, making money’s getting harder and harder…”

Instantly, my heart tightened painfully again.

Terrified that they might get arrested, I took a deep breath and slowly put down my spoon.

“Dads, from now on, can you maybe stop doing those kinds of jobs?

“I’m growing up. I’ll get into a good college and support you guys.

“So could you find safer work instead?”

The three grown men froze at the same time. Then, almost immediately, they tearfully hugged each other and agreed.

Two hours later, after reminding me about a few more things and leaving behind three black cards, the three of them hurried off.

I stood at the doorway and watched them disappear down the hallway, my eyes stinging.

“Don’t forget to change jobs!”

“Got it!”

However, the moment the door closed, Robert looked at the others in confusion.

“That’s weird. Our girl doesn’t like me researching nuclear submarines anymore?”

The other two looked just as confused.

Meanwhile, after shutting the door, I looked down at the family group chat on my phone called “Loving Family”.

The unread messages had already passed nine hundred and ninety-nine.

All my dads were asking things like, [Ariel, was studying tiring today?]

[Do you have enough money? Don’t try to save it, Dad’s got plenty!]

My eyes began tearing again.

Sniffling quietly, I finally typed out a message in the chat box.

[I’m doing fine, don’t worry about me. Dads, if work gets busy, make sure to stay safe too.]

Send.

The moment I saw all the caring messages pop up on the screen, I made up my mind.

I would not cause my dads any more trouble.

‘Ariel, you have to endure it.

‘Just until the college entrance exams are over, and everything will be fine.’

…

At Monday’s morning assembly, the field below was packed with students.

Meanwhile, I was kneeling on the ground and mechanically confessed my “crime”.

“It was because I held resentment toward Macy that I pushed her down the stairs… I was jealous of her… I’m a terrible person…”

My voice echoed across the entire schoolyard, every word feeling like a knife slicing into my throat.

Macy sat in a wheelchair at the very front, pushed there by several classmates.

She watched me kneeling on the ground, slapping my face and apologizing over and over again, her eyes filled with excitement.

Meanwhile, the whispers below blended into an endless buzzing noise.

“I heard her family’s super poor. She only studies here because of financial aid.”

“She’s so vicious. Obviously jealous that Macy’s rich.”

“Just look at her. Totally pathetic.”

“No wonder she’s so uncivilized.”

Every cruel word stabbed into me like needles, painfully sinking into my flesh.

But by then, I was already numb.

After finishing the confession, I slowly raised my hand.

Slap.

My first lap hit my right cheek.

…

Fifty times.

One hundred times.

I kept slapping myself again and again.

My face went from numb to unbearable pain until finally all I felt was warmth.

After the self-criticism ended, I walked off the stage with my face swollen.

The crowd parted around me like I was some kind of disease.

Surrounded by her followers, Macy deliberately walked past me. In a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, she sneered.

“Some people are just born pathetic. You think apologizing is enough? From now on, whenever you see me, call me Your Majesty. Got it?”

I clenched my fists tightly. My nails dug deep into my palms, but I said nothing.

I only returned silently to my seat and took out wet wipes, desperately trying to scrub away the red words written across my desk.

However, the paint had already seeped into the wood grain.

The more I wiped, the messier it became, like ugly scars carved into the surface.

For the entire day, I was surrounded by endless malice.

The moment the dismissal bell rang, I finally couldn’t take it anymore and rushed out of the classroom.

Not daring to leave through the front gate, I circled to the deserted alley behind the school instead.