The room was tense, filled with the murmurs of concerned parents, school staff, and a few students who had been brought to testify. At the center of it all sat Jin Tae-Hyun, his expression calm but his eyes cold and calculating. Unlike the others, he had come alone. No parents. No guardian. Just him. Haruki and his gang, each sporting bandages and bruises, sat across from him with their parents, their faces painted with fake vulnerability.

The principal, an old man with a sharp suit and a stern demeanor, presided over the meeting. His gaze swept over the room, landing briefly on Jin before addressing the gathered crowd.

“This is a grave matter,” the principal began. “Violence of this nature cannot and will not be tolerated at Kosei High School. As one of the most prestigious institutions in Seoul, we must uphold our standards. Expulsion is a likely course of action for such behavior.”

At these words, Haruki’s mother, a well-dressed woman with an air of authority, nodded vigorously. “Exactly! Expulsion is the only solution! That boy,” she pointed a manicured finger at Jin, “should have no place in this school. Look at what he did to my son! Not only my son but who knows what he might do to others? he is a thug.”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the parents. Some teachers shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Meanwhile, Jin sat silently, his eyes fixed on the vice principal, Kim Hangul. His gaze was sharp, piercing, a silent demand for action.

Kim Hangul, who had been sweating under the pressure, suddenly stood up. His voice trembled as he spoke, “Why is the attacker being treated as the victim here?”

The principal turned to him, his brows furrowed. “What are you implying, Vice Principal Kim?”

Kim Hangul hesitated, glancing at Jin, who gave him a slight nod. Taking a deep breath, he continued, “I’ve been receiving reports for months now—claims that Haruki and his group have been harassing their fellow students. At first, I thought a stern warning would suffice, but their harassment only grew worse. Just a few days ago, Haruki was bullying Jin Tae-Hyun, and his friends stood by, watching. This wasn’t an isolated incident.”

The room erupted into chaos. Haruki’s mother stood up, slamming her hands on the table. “What nonsense are you spouting, Vice Principal Kim? How dare you accuse my son of such things! My son is the victim here!”

The principal raised a hand, silencing the room. “Let’s hear from the witnesses. Bring in the students.”

One by one, the students from Jin’s class were called in to testify. One by one, they lied. Each one claimed that Jin had been the aggressor, that he had attacked Haruki and his friends without provocation. Jin sat quietly, his expression unreadable, as the lies piled up.

Finally, a boy named Levi was called in. He hesitated as he stood before the committee, his eyes darting nervously between Haruki and Jin. “I… I…” He took a deep breath. “It’s true. Haruki and his group used to bully Jin. They’ve been doing it for a long time. Jin fought back so why is he being punished.”

Gasps filled the room. Haruki’s group shot Levi murderous glares, but he kept his head high, refusing to back down. He was the only one who spoke the truth.

Haruki’s mother, her face red with anger, stood up again. “How dare you slander my son! Do you know who we are? We’ve done nothing but support this school—”

Jin’s voice cut through the chaos, cold and sharp. “Support the school? You mean with bribes?”

The room fell silent. Haruki’s mother froze, her hand halfway to pointing at Jin. The principal stiffened in his chair, and all eyes turned to Jin.

The Principal swallowed hard, his face pale. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about—”

“Enough lies,” Jin interrupted. He pulled out his phone and walked up to the principal, holding it out. “Take a look at this.”

The principal hesitated before taking the phone. As he watched the video Jin had prepared, his face grew pale. It showed Haruki and his gang cornering Jin in an empty hallway, their voices loud and mocking as they pushed him around. It showed them laughing as they took his belongings, threatening him when he tried to resist.

The principal’s hands trembled as he handed the phone back. Jin leaned in close, his voice a whisper only the principal could hear. “You know what happens if I show this to the police, right? This school’s reputation will be destroyed. Your career will be over. Your wife might even leave you.”

The principal wiped the sweat from his brow, his mind racing. If he sided with Haruki, the truth would come out, and the school would become a national disgrace. If he sided with Jin, he would lose the support of Haruki’s wealthy family. Either way, his position was at risk.

Clearing his throat, the principal finally spoke. “Ahem… After reviewing the evidence and hearing the testimonies, it seems that there has indeed been a history of harassment by Haruki and his group. While violence is unacceptable, we cannot ignore the context in which this incident occurred.”

Haruki’s mother stood up, furious. “Principal! What are you saying?”

The principal held up a hand to silence her. “Please, ma’am. This is not your turn to speak. The job of this committee is to investigate the circumstances and come to a fair conclusion. Based on the evidence, Haruki and his group will be punished accordingly.”

Jin, his voice cutting through the murmurs. “All this time, there has been a group committing violence and harassment. Punish them appropriately, or I’ll make sure the entire world knows about Kosei High and its disgusting nature. This school will become the opposite of what it is now—a public disgrace.”

The room fell into stunned silence. Haruki’s mother grabbed her phone, dialing her husband. When he answered, she began yelling, “Do you know what’s happening here? This boy is threatening us!”

Haruki’s father’s voice was calm but firm. “Leave. Now. Do you know what will happen to our family’s image if a video of our son harassing others comes out? Handle this quietly and come home.”

Defeated, Haruki’s mother hung up and sat down, her face pale. Jin turned to the principal one last time. “You adults stand by and do nothing because it’s not your child. You close your eyes because you don’t benefit from doing the right thing.”

With that, Jin walked out of the room, leaving the committee in stunned silence.