Chapter 105 Caught With Pants Down

As the golden sun dipped below the spires and turrets of the ancient academy, its light cast long shadows across the polished floors of the classroom. Professor Stone, a wise and grizzled teacher, raised his hands high and clapped them with a resounding clap, calling his student's attention. The room fell silent as the students turned their eager faces toward him, waiting for his words. 

"Alright class, that's it for today, another day's lessons come to a close," the professor announced, his voice booming with authority. "But do not rest on your laurels, my dear students. Practice what you have learned, hone your skills, and be prepared for an upcoming exam. Have a good evening, everyone!"

Suzuka gathered her belongings and bid farewell to the professor before exiting the classroom. The dimly lit hallway greeted her with silence, and she began to make her way toward the exit. Silvia rushed after almost tripping over herself in her haste to catch up with Suzuka.

"Helen, may I walk with you, please? I will not bother you for long," Silvia pleaded, breathless. Suzuka looked at her with a raised eyebrow before nodding her head in agreement.

As they walked, Silvia hesitantly broached the subject on her mind. "Umm, maybe you can teach me today? I-I know you promised to help me tomorrow, but, but maybe you can help me today? With defending myself against Sterling. I really want to stand up to him." She stammered.

However, Suzuka had other plans for the day and declined Silvia's plea. "I can't, Silvia. I have some urgent matters to attend to."

 Silvia felt disheartened and with a sad voice said, "Okay, I understand. Thank you for considering helping me. Goodbye, Helen." Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the bad news for Silvia. 

When she walked away, a shadowy figure slipped out of the corner. The figure was one of Sterling's shady associates, and he had overheard the conversation. With a wicked grin, he ran off to report everything he had heard to Sterling.

Suzuka's footsteps echoed through the corridors of the University as she made her way to the campus café. She felt a twinge of hunger gnawing at her stomach, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee was calling out to her. As she entered the café, she was greeted by the sound of beans being ground and the churning of the milk frother.

She scanned the menu and ordered a tall, creamy latte with an extra shot of espresso. The barista, a friendly middle-aged woman with a warm smile, prepared her drink with great care, adding a heart-shaped pattern on top of the foam. Suzuka took a deep whiff of the coffee's steam and let out a satisfied sigh. It was the perfect drink to end the day.

 Suzuka had a relaxed look on her face as she left the café, coffee in hand, ready to retrieve her lost coins. The morning had been eventful already, and she couldn't help but mull over it as she walked. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Silvia turning the corner, and they collided, spilling coffee all over Suzuka's clothes.

Silvia was visibly shaken, afraid of what Suzuka might do in response to the accident. She began to apologize profusely, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please forgive me. Let's go to my room, we can try to wash the coffee stains there. Please don't hate me. It was an accident."

Surprisingly, Suzuka remained calm and collected. "It's alright, accidents happen," she said, trying to soothe Silvia's nerves. "Lead the way, let's go to your room and see what we can do about these stains."

As they walked to Silvia's room, Suzuka couldn't help but wonder what other unexpected events the day had in store for her.

As they entered Silvia's room, Suzuka noticed that it was surprisingly neat and tidy. The room is small and cozy, with pale grey walls adorned with framed pictures of cute animals and landscapes. A small bookshelf sits in the corner, displaying a collection of books with various genres ranging from romance to mystery. The bed is pushed against the wall and is covered with a soft, fluffy comforter in a deep shade of purple, matched by the pillows propped up against the headboard.

At the foot of the bed, a pile of plush toys of various shapes and sizes is scattered haphazardly, providing a sense of comfort and companionship. A small wooden desk with a matching chair sits against the opposite wall, covered in papers, pens, and books. A few stacks of notebooks are neatly arranged on the desk, suggesting a love for reading and writing.

The closet is on the left side of the room, with a few pieces of clothing hanging on hangers. Dark and plain clothes dominate the selection, suggesting a preference for blending in and not drawing too much attention. 

The room is tidy, with everything in its proper place, but it seems that no one else has been in this room for a while. The peaceful and quiet atmosphere invites you to sit and relax while enjoying a good book. It's clear that the inhabitant of this room is a young, shy, introverted, and insecure person who finds comfort and solace in the peaceful sanctuary of her bedroom.

Suzuka took a seat on the bed, while Silvia rushed to the bathroom to get a towel and some water.

After a few minutes, Silvia came back with a towel and a bowl of water. She handed the towel to Suzuka and apologized once again, "I'm really sorry about this. I'll help you clean it up."

Suzuka smiled reassuringly and replied, "Don't worry about it, I can do it myself but I will have to borrow your bathroom for a minute."

Silvia sat nervously on her bed, anxiously biting her lip as she waited for Suzuka to finish cleaning up the coffee stains in the bathroom. Her heart was pounding with fear, imagining all sorts of horrible scenarios in which Suzuka would take revenge on her for spilling coffee all over her. She had heard stories about Suzuka's quick temper and ruthless punishments for those who crossed her, and now she was convinced that she was about to become the next victim.

As she sat there, Silvia couldn't help but think about how foolish she had been to run into Suzuka like that. She had been so focused on her own thoughts and worries that she hadn't even noticed the other girl coming towards her, and now she was paying the price for her carelessness. She wished she could turn back time and do things differently, but it was too late for that now.

Suddenly, she heard a loud knock on the door. When she opened it, she found Sterling and his cronies standing outside. "Well, well, well, look who we have here, miss popular." Sterling sneered. "I heard that our little bookworm found a secret friend, eh boys?" The group laughed menacingly as Silvia trembled with fear.

"Please, Sterling, I don't know what you're talking about," Silvia stammered, her voice shaking.

"Don't play dumb with me, Silvia," Sterling growled. "We know all about your little rendezvous with Helen. And we don't appreciate you trying to keep secrets from us." Sterling's face twisted into an evil grin as he stepped closer to Silvia. "A little birdy told me that you want to learn to stand up for yourself, to be brave enough and fight back."

Silvia recoiled at the mention of her secret rendezvous with Suzuka, fear filling her chest like a weight. She had never been good at keeping secrets, and now her mistake had been laid bare for all to see. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, her voice weak. "I didn't mean it like that, I just didn't want you to bully me."

Sterling let out a low chuckle, his eyes glinting with malice. "Oh, Silvia, we're not bullying you," he said, his voice dripping with insincerity. "We just want to help you be the best version of yourself. And what better way to do that than to give you a little motivation?"

Silvia shrank back against the wall as Sterling loomed over her, his breath hot against her cheek. "I-I don't understand," she stammered, her heart pounding in her chest. "What kind of motivation?"

Sterling's grin widened as he signaled his lackeys to get a hold of Silvia. "This," he said while unbuckling his belt. "This is going to make you the bravest, most confident person in the room. And all you have to do is lay on the floor."

Silvia's eyes widened, a sense of fear settling in the pit of her stomach. "No, please, don't," she said, her voice barely audible.

Sterling's grin turned malicious as he leaned in close, his breath hot against her ear. "I will make you a woman," he said, his voice dripping with malice.

 With a commanding voice, he told his lackeys, "Push her down onto the ground and hold her still, It's time to show this woman what sterling is made of."

Three of Sterling's lackeys quickly overpowered a frail young woman and pushed her down. Sterling dropped his pants and was about to do something I can not write here when Suzuka casually walked out of the bathroom.   

Sterling and his goons were caught off guard as Suzuka appeared out of nowhere. They stood there in shock, mouths agape, not knowing what to say or do. Suzuka let out a low growl of disappointment as she walked up to Sterling. "Awww, you again. That's it, I've had it with you, Sterling," she said with a cold glare in her eyes.

Without warning, Suzuka launched herself at Sterling and tackled him to the ground. His lackeys tried to intervene, but Suzuka's lightning-fast reflexes allowed her to dodge their attacks with ease. She landed a swift punch on one of the goons' jaws, sending him reeling back in pain. The other goon tried to grab her from behind, but Suzuka swiftly elbowed him in the gut, causing him to double over in pain. The third goon followed after, she headbutted him and he fell on the ground to the rest of his buddies.

Suzuka then turned her attention back to Sterling, who was struggling to get back up. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him close to her face. "Listen to me, Sterling. I don't know what you think you're doing, but if you and your goons ever bother Silvia or anyone else again, you'll regret it," she said in a low, menacing voice, and with a quick punch she introduced her fist to his face sending Sterling to the ground, reuniting him with his buddies.

Suzuka stood tall and glared down at the four men on the ground, not a hint of fear in her eyes. "You really should learn to pick your battles more wisely," she said, her voice cold and menacing. "You think you can bully people like Silvia and get away with it? Think again."

Sterling struggled to get up, his face twisted in pain. "You don't know what you're getting into, woman," he spat. "You'll regret crossing us."

Suzuka laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. "I highly doubt that," she said. "Now, I suggest you and your little minions leave before things get ugly."

The four men scrambled to their feet and quickly made their way out of the room, their tails between their legs. Suzuka watched them go, a satisfied smirk on her face. She turned to Silvia, who was staring at her in awe.

"You...you saved me," Silvia said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to thank you."

Suzuka smiled warmly. "No need to thank me," she said. "I just couldn't stand Sterling anymore. But you should be careful in the future. People like Sterling and his goons are always looking for someone to pick on."

Silvia nodded, still in shock. "I will," she said. "And...thank you again. You're a good person, Helen."

Suzuka shrugged off the compliment. "I'm just doing what I want," she said. "But I think I will be leaving now."

Suzuka left Silvia's room and University grounds determined to find her lost coins and retraced her steps with utmost care. She checked every nook and cranny of the café where she met with Olivia, searching under the tables and chairs, and even asked the staff if they had found anything. But all she got was a polite negative response.

Disheartened, she continued her search on the streets they walked, scanning the ground for any signs of her missing coins. She looked through every crack and crevice, even rummaging through the trash cans and dumpsters, hoping to catch a glimpse of the missing coins.

After several hours of fruitless searching, Suzuka's frustration began to mount. She retraced her steps back to Walter's shop, convinced that her coins must have fallen out of her pocket there. But even with her eagle eyes, there was no sign of the coins anywhere. Suzuka gave up hope and walked back home.