The weather was bright and sunny, yet autumn was coming. Daniel wore his light blue V-neck T-shirt that matched his pants and sneakers. He gets ready for school. He's now in his 4th-year college studying Bachelor's in Business, majoring in Marketing. He did not pursue law as his father wanted him to. Most of his father's side were involved in politics or worked as a lawyer for big-time clients. His mother is working along with his father in the office in dealing with clients for lawsuits. He was kicked out of the house due to his unacceptable behavior. His elder sister Dara who married a politician checks on him rarely. Although living with his parents' support, he made his life more miserable. Now that Samuel was gone, he had no one to lean on except a new person who became his new friend, his neighbor Yna Mitchel and her son Adan. 

Daniel tried to pull himself up together despite the loss. It's not easy when his emotions are full of regrets, guilt, and sorrow. His coping mechanism would be exemplary, but when he is left alone in his apartment, he struggles so much that he will go wasted. He hid his pain in front of many people, yet he lives like hellfire within his soul. 

He walked in the corridor for his class while the ladies looked at him in admiration or lust. Then, his friend Julio on the soccer team nudged his side. 

Daniel got startled and annoyed by his presence, "Hey dude, what's up?" Julio smirked as they walked together. 

"Dude, can you knock it off?" Daniel annoyed face. 

"What's with you? Woke up in a bad mood or something?" Julio wondered, but Daniel just kept walking [poker face] and did not say a word. 

As they sat at their respective desk, "By the way, have you heard about the new transferee?" Julio breaks the silence. 

"What about it?" Daniel said as he took his notebook and pen out from his bag, the same Julio did, as he leaned closer to Daniel's side. 

"I heard he's gay -" Daniel was not bothered, "and some of the guys in school seem to be fond of him. They said his beauty was appealing. Have you seen his face?" Julio asked curiously. 

"How would I know? I am too busy with my own stuff, plus I don't care what he looks like." 

"Geez, busy with your balls [in between legs]  lately?" Julio smirked and teased, tapping his left shoulder. 

"Shut up! I'm done mocking around." Daniel frowned. 

"Fine, fine, so what's keeping you busy?" Julio wondered. 

"Busy thinking of how to change my fucked up life," Daniel said with a displeased self. 

"Woah - that's deep, mate. Just chill a little bit, will yah." Julio was a bit surprised yet wondered what had happened to him. 

The class started by discussing Strategic Marketing and its application in business. Most of them are paying attention in class, while Julio seems to get bored as he quietly yawns. Daniel texted Yna that he could pick up Adan a little late because he needed to see his soccer coach. Yna sent him a smiley and a thumbs-up reply. 

The class ended. Julio hastily excused himself from Daniel to see his girlfriend. Daniel smirked. He went to the next building, where the soccer office is. He visited his coach and asked for a month's rest from playing because his mental well-being is currently not at peace, and he does not want to ruin the training with the rest of the team. He lied about his family relative's bereavement. 

"I didn't know that you still care about your family after being kicked out last year." the coach said, yet worried.

"Well, no matter how I think about it, coach, they are still my family at the end of the day. They pay my bills and needs, so I must live with it until I finish college." Daniel said, sitting in front of his coach's desk. 

"You have a point, Daniel. As everyone says in your team, you might be a player who mocks around, but you are a smart kid. Finding what's meaningful in your life would be better than wasting it. Believe me; regrets happen when you cannot turn back time, Daniel." his coach advised. The word of his coach struck his ego.  

"Yes, coach, that's what I am going to do. I lost a lot from the days that I had taken for granted. Being seen as a disgrace in my family is something I want to change. I know it's not going to be easy, but at least I want to take the path that will allow me to ease the guilt and pain I am going through right now." he said with a sad tone. His coach looked at him with pity. 

"Anyway, just come back when you are ready, as we need a great player like you, Daniel." his coach comforted with a smile. 

"Thanks, coach." He said.

**

While walking around the campus, he saw three of his soccer team players pulling and grabbing someone to a secluded building. At first, he didn't mind and continued to walk, but he remembered what Julio told him about the new transferee that the guys are fond of. He quietly and secretly went. He peaked behind the wall. The three guys were harassing the new transferee, who looked helpless. The two guys were holding his arms, and the other was trying to undress his pants. The transferee looked angry and disgusted by the way he was being treated. 

"Get your hands off me, you assholes!" he exclaimed as he kicked the guy on the leg. The right guy punched his abdomen. He groaned in pain and almost fainted. 

"You, fucking homo! Do you think you can run away from us? We want to taste you." the guy verbally harassed him as he ripped his shirt. 

"Fucking assholes!" He exclaimed with a savage look. 

Daniel's eyes widened. Everything reminded him of the day Samuel died of the gruesome abuse. He quietly showed up and harshly threw his bag like a pitcher on the guy's head in front of the transferee. The guy stumbled on the ground. The transferee was shocked as they looked towards him. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" Daniel's cold tone with a furious look. 

"Daniel, man, it- it's you." they let go of the transferee's arm. The transferee moves backward, his back leaning on the wall, trembling in fear. 

"I said, what the fuck are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be on the training?" Daniel clenched his fist tightly with his angry and furrowed face. The transferee's body was shaking as his forehead perspired. 

"Ah- eh- we're just having fun." the black-haired guy said as he gulped nervously. The other two got scared, as their knees trembled from being caught in the act. 

"Fun? By harassing someone? Get the fuck out here before I report the three of you to coach." Daniel firmly said, intimidated. 

The three of them hastily run off without apologizing. Daniel went to pick up the bags. The new transferee was afraid and perspiring. Daniel handed him the bag, and he reached for it and covered it with his ripped shirt. When Daniel saw his face, the transferee was indeed a beauty. He has an appealing mole with light brown eyes on the tip of his nose. He was slim, like those idols you see on television. The transferee looked scared, his body still trembling, fearing being bullied because he was gay. 

"Hey, I'm not going to bite. Can you walk?" Daniel's cold tone as the transferee looked at him without saying a word. Daniel saw his ripped T-shirt. 

Then, he opened his bag, took out his extra loose shirt, and handed it to him [sideways]. 

"Here," he said, "Huh?" the transferee was surprised. "You don't want to walk on the road with a torn t-shirt, right?" Daniel said while he handed the t-shirt waiting for him to take it. The transferee slowly reached his hand to the t-shirt. He nodded as he said, "Thank you." 

He put his bag down for a moment. He takes off his ripped shirt and puts on the loose shirt. Daniel saw how flawless his skin tone was. If he can hold it, it would be like soft cotton candy. He looked away as he felt uneasy looking at his body from his shoulder down to his belly button. The transferee is quite masculine, apart from the pretty face he has. 

They walked together outside the campus. 

"By the way, thank you for earlier." 

"Not a big deal. Those punks will learn their lesson. By the way, I'm Daniel Wong, and you are?" Daniel suddenly asked. 

"I'm Jong-in Min. Thank you for the shirt. I'll return it to you tomorrow." he politely said with a naive looked.

"No rush; I'm from the Business Department, majoring in Marketing, and you?" Daniel said as they walked on the sidewalk.

"I'm also from Business Department, but my major is Administration," he said as they reached the traffic light. 

"Well, nice to meet you, Jong-in. I have to go now; I have to pick up someone. I'll see you tomorrow when we get the chance to meet again." Daniel said, slightly tilting his head, and smiled at him. 

"Sure, see you tomorrow too." He smiled, looking at Daniel's back. "He seems to be a nice guy."