Chapter 132: Big Bad And Red Hood

After school had ended a few minutes earlier, Derek walked through the school grounds with a confident smile on his face. Sydney clung to his right arm as they made their way along the pathway, occasionally leaning closer to him whenever other students passed by. The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the buildings, while the fading noise of students leaving their classrooms filled the surrounding area.

For Derek, it should have been an ordinary afternoon. However, Sydney appeared to have other plans for the remainder of the day.

“I would like us to go to the cinema for that upcoming action adventure movie starring some famous actors,” Sydney said, looking up at him with an excited smile. “It’s called Sky Life, and it’s the latest series released this year. I’ve heard so many good things about it. You’ll love it, and you’ll probably thank me for choosing it.”

She spoke with such confidence that anyone listening might have thought she had already purchased their tickets.

Derek glanced down at her.

“Well, if that’s the case, I can just download it directly from a streaming site and watch it at home.”

He delivered the remark with a straight face, but the playful glint in his eyes betrayed him.

Sydney immediately frowned and nudged him in the side.

“Seriously? You can’t be serious right now.”

“What? I’m only suggesting a more convenient alternative.”

“An alternative that involves you sitting at home while I watch a movie alone?”

Derek chuckled.

“Well, technically, you wouldn’t be alone if you watched it with me.”

“That’s not the point!”

She gave his arm a gentle squeeze, pretending to be offended. Derek laughed at her reaction, enjoying the little argument until Sydney suddenly stopped walking.

She turned to face him fully, her beautiful eyes holding his gaze. Then she slowly traced a finger down the front of his chest, her earlier excitement giving way to a more suggestive smile.

“How about we have some fun tonight instead?” she asked. “Just you and me, away from everyone else. We could spend the evening together without anyone disturbing us. We haven’t had time like that for a while, you know.”

Derek’s smile faltered slightly.

For a brief moment, he seemed unsure how to respond. He scratched the back of his head and looked away, searching for a suitable answer that would not disappoint her too much.

“Uh, yeah. We could do that later. I have quite a few other things on my mind right now, though.”

Sydney’s expression changed.

“Other things? What things could possibly be more important than spending time with me?”

“It’s complicated.”

“That sounds like another excuse.”

Derek sighed and lowered his head slightly.

“Look, I really do want to make it up to you. But for now, why don’t you and Akara go out together? You two can enjoy the movie, get something to eat, and have a good time. I’ll take care of the expenses.”

He reached into his pocket and brought out one of his special credit cards. Holding it between two fingers, he offered it to her.

Sydney stared at the card before looking back at him.

“You think money is going to solve everything?”

“No, but it might make the evening more enjoyable.”

“Derek!”

“All right, all right. I’m sorry.”

He gently placed the card in her hand and gave her an apologetic smile.

Sydney remained silent for a moment, apparently debating whether she should continue arguing or accept his offer. Eventually, she released a long sigh and snatched the card from his hand.

“Fine. But this is becoming a habit. Every time I try to make plans with you, you suddenly remember that you have something else to do.”

Derek opened his mouth to respond, but she raised a finger to stop him.

“And don’t tell me you’ll make it up to me later unless you actually intend to do it. My patience and tolerance are running out.”

He gave her a sheepish smile.

“I understand.”

“I certainly hope you do.”

Sydney tucked the card away and folded her arms.

“You’re lucky I’m in a good mood today.”

“Then I’ll consider myself fortunate.”

She tried to maintain her stern expression, but a small smile eventually escaped her.

“You’re impossible.”

“So I’ve been told.”

Sydney shook her head before leaning forward to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Then she stepped back and began walking away.

“I’ll be expecting you to make it up to me!”

“I won’t forget!”

“You’d better not!”

They exchanged a final wave before heading in opposite directions. Sydney continued toward the school gate, occasionally glancing at the credit card in her hand, while Derek watched her leave with a quiet sigh.

He felt a little guilty about disappointing her again, but his mind was occupied with other concerns. There were things he wanted to investigate, and he had been putting them off for long enough.

“Well, I suppose I should get moving,” he muttered.

He adjusted his bag and continued along the pathway.

However, he had not gone very far when a faint, distressed sob reached his ears.

Derek slowed down.

At first, he thought the sound might have come from someone standing behind one of the nearby buildings. He looked around, expecting to find a student talking on the phone or perhaps crying over a bad result from one of their tests.

Instead, he noticed a small figure sitting on the ground beside a quiet section of the walkway.

It was a girl.

She had pulled a red cloak around herself, concealing most of her body and hiding her face beneath its hood. Her shoulders trembled as she sobbed, and her hands were pressed against her knees. She appeared so distressed that she barely seemed aware of the people passing through the area.

What troubled Derek most was that nobody had stopped to help her.

A few students glanced in her direction before continuing on their way. Others walked past without even looking twice. Perhaps they assumed she wanted to be left alone, or perhaps they simply did not want to become involved in another person’s troubles.

Whatever their reasons, the girl remained there by herself.

Derek’s expression grew serious.

He understood that not every situation required him to interfere. Sometimes, people needed space, and approaching a stranger without knowing what had happened could make matters worse. Still, there was something about the girl’s helpless posture that made it difficult for him to continue walking.

It reminded him of someone from his childhood.

A familiar image briefly surfaced in his mind, bringing with it an uncomfortable feeling he had never entirely forgotten. He could not change what had happened in the past, but perhaps he could prevent someone else from feeling just as abandoned.

He glanced at the direction he had been heading.

Whatever he had planned could wait a few minutes.

Derek turned and approached the girl slowly, making sure his footsteps were easy to hear. He did not want to startle her by suddenly appearing beside her.

When he was only a short distance away, he stopped.

“Hey. Are you all right?”

The girl immediately flinched.

She raised her head and let out a frightened shriek, scrambling backward as though she expected him to grab her. Her hands tightened around the edge of her cloak, and she stared at him with wide eyes hidden partly beneath the hood.

Derek stopped moving.

He had seen enough to understand that the girl was frightened, and he did not want to make her feel more threatened.

“Easy,” he said gently, raising both hands to show that he was not carrying anything. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

She continued staring at him, her breathing uneven.

Derek lowered himself slightly, keeping a respectful distance instead of trying to touch her.

“My name is Derek. I noticed you were crying, so I came to see if you needed help. That’s all.”

The girl did not answer immediately.

Her gaze moved from his face to his hands and then toward the surrounding walkway, as though she was checking whether anyone else was nearby. Only after several seconds did she begin to relax a little.

“Are you sure you’re not trying to trick me?” she asked in a shaky voice. “I don’t want any more of that.”

Derek’s expression softened.

“I’m sure. You don’t have to tell me anything you aren’t comfortable sharing. But if someone has been giving you trouble, perhaps I can help you figure out what to do.”

The girl looked down at her knees.

For a moment, Derek thought she might refuse to speak. Then she slowly reached up and lowered her hood.

Her appearance surprised him.

She had vermilion hair that fell to her shoulders, framing a youthful face with large ruby-red eyes. Her features were delicate, and her small stature made her look younger than some of the students who passed nearby. From her appearance, Derek guessed that she was a freshman.

The red cloak she wore was distinctive, with its bright colour standing out against the ordinary school uniforms around her. Although the fabric had become slightly dusty from sitting on the ground, she still seemed determined to keep it wrapped around herself.

Derek offered her a reassuring smile.

“See? Nothing to worry about. I’m just here to listen.”

The girl studied him carefully.

“I don’t know if I should trust you.”

“You don’t have to trust me immediately. Just tell me what happened, and we can take it from there.”

She hesitated again before finally speaking.

“They don’t call him the Big Bad for nothing.”

Derek’s eyebrows rose.

“The Big Bad?”

She nodded, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.

“He’s the reason I’m in this situation. He’s my classmate, and he’s been harassing me since the beginning of my freshman year. It started with little things, but it never stopped. Every time I think he’s finally going to leave me alone, he finds another way to make my life miserable.”

Her voice trembled as she spoke, but she continued.

“I’m tired of it. I don’t even feel comfortable walking around the school anymore because I never know when he’ll show up.”

Derek’s expression darkened.

He had expected an ordinary disagreement or perhaps a misunderstanding between classmates. Instead, the girl was describing a pattern of harassment that had continued for months, leaving her frightened and unable to enjoy her school life.

“How long has this been going on?” he asked.

“Since I started here. Sometimes he makes fun of me in front of other students. Other times, he waits until we’re somewhere quieter. He knows exactly what to say to upset me, and he always acts as though I’m the one causing trouble if I complain.”

Derek frowned.

“And nobody has helped you?”

“Some people have noticed, but they don’t want to get involved. Others think it’s funny. A few have told me to ignore him, as if that would magically make everything disappear.”

She gave a bitter little laugh.

“If ignoring him worked, I wouldn’t be sitting here crying.”

Derek could not argue with that.

He glanced toward the school buildings, wondering how many students had witnessed the girl’s distress without understanding how serious the situation had become.

“Well, why haven’t you reported him to the school authorities?” he asked. “If he’s been doing this for so long, there should be a record of his behaviour.”

The girl looked at him as though he had suggested something painfully obvious.

“That’s what everyone says. Report him. Tell a teacher. Go to the student council. It’s always the same advice.”

“Then what’s stopping you?”

She lowered her voice.

“He’s connected to people with high positions. His family has influence, and he knows it. Whenever I even hint that I might report him, he reminds me of what could happen if I do. He acts as though nobody would believe me, and he makes sure I understand that he can cause problems for me.”

Derek’s eyes narrowed.

“So he uses his connections to frighten you into staying quiet?”

“Yes. And the worst part is that I don’t know how much of what he says is true. I only know that he’s confident enough to keep threatening me.”

The girl wrapped her arms around herself.

“I’m afraid that if I report him and nothing happens, he’ll make things even worse. I don’t want to become the centre of another argument, and I don’t want everyone staring at me as if I’m the problem.”

Derek fell silent for a moment.

He was beginning to understand why the girl had been sitting alone, crying beneath her red hood. It was not simply a matter of being bullied. She felt trapped by the belief that the person responsible could escape the consequences because of his connections.

That possibility angered Derek more than he wanted to admit.

Still, he did not want to promise something he could not deliver.

“First, I need to know who this guy is,” he said. “What’s his name?”

“Barry.”

“Barry?”

She nodded.

“Barry is his name, but most people call him the Big Bad. He seems to like that nickname. He acts as though it makes him untouchable.”

Derek considered the name before studying her face again.

“Wait a minute. You look familiar.”

The girl blinked.

“Do I?”

“Not exactly familiar. It’s more like I’ve seen a character who looks like you somewhere before.”

Her expression changed slightly, as though she had finally remembered something important.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I haven’t even introduced myself properly.”

She straightened her back and wiped the remaining tears from her face.

“I’m Robin.”

“Robin?”

“Yes. And judging by your reaction, you’ve probably noticed the resemblance.”

Derek glanced at her red cloak, then at her vermilion hair.

“The Red Riding Hood?”

Robin nodded, looking a little embarrassed.

“That’s right. I’m the girl from the fairy tale. Well, not exactly the version you might have read as a child, but the resemblance is intentional. My appearance, my red clothing, and even some of my habits are similar to hers.”

Derek’s expression brightened with recognition.

“That explains it.”

Robin gave a small, reluctant smile.

“I also inherited some of her personality. I like delivering pies, and I sometimes sing while walking along the road. Animals seem to like me, too. I suppose that’s one of the nicer parts of the whole fairy tale connection.”

“That sounds rather wholesome.”

“It usually is.”

Her smile slowly faded.

“Unfortunately, I think my appearance and personality have also contributed to my problems with Barry. He seems to take a particular interest in me, and he never misses an opportunity to make trouble whenever he sees me.”

Derek folded his arms, thinking.

“So this Big Bad has been targeting Red Riding Hood.”

Robin looked at him uncertainly.

“When you put it that way, it sounds almost ridiculous.”

“It does a little.”

She gave him a small glare.

“You’re not helping.”

“Sorry.”

Derek’s apology was accompanied by a faint smile, but his expression soon became serious again.

“Listen, Robin. I may not know the whole story yet, but I don’t like the sound of this. Nobody should have to spend their school days worrying about whether another student is going to harass them.”

Robin stared at him, apparently unsure whether to believe what she was hearing.

“What can you do about it, though? Barry isn’t someone you can simply tell to stop and expect him to listen.”

“Maybe not. But that doesn’t mean nobody can stand up to him.”

Derek adjusted the strap of his bag and gave her a confident look.

“You might be in luck. I have some experience with the student council and how things work around here. If corruption and favouritism weren’t such a problem, I might even have been able to get more directly involved in student affairs.”

Robin’s eyes widened slightly.

“You know people on the student council?”

“Enough to understand how things work. I also know that influence doesn’t automatically make someone right.”

He offered her his hand.

“How about we look into this together? I’ll help you find out more about Barry and see what can be done about his behaviour.”

Robin looked at his hand but did not take it immediately.

“Are you serious?”

“Completely.”

“But he’s dangerous. People don’t call him the Big Bad just because he has a bad attitude. His summon is vicious, and I’ve heard that he sometimes visits the school’s piggery farm to feed it.”

Derek paused.

“He feeds his summon at the piggery farm?”

“That’s what I’ve heard. I don’t know all the details, but the other students talk about it. They say his summon is the kind of creature you wouldn’t want to encounter alone.”

Derek’s interest grew.

A troublesome student with powerful connections and a vicious summon sounded like a problem that would require more than a simple conversation. Yet the thought did not make him retreat. If anything, it made him more determined to find out what was happening.

“Well, that sounds like something worth investigating.”

Robin stared at him.

“You’re not worried?”

“Should I be?”

“Yes!”

Derek laughed softly.

“Finally, something interesting to do. I’m in.”