Chapter-2

Jin frozes for a second before looking away, But Theo didn’t look bothered at all. He leans onto the mic and looked at the judges. He skipped his intro and just came to the topic.

“Mr Chairman, I’ll respond to Government. Or I would, if they’d said anything new.

Jin gave you Kranz. Again. That’s his only move. It’s like he read one leadership book in freshman year and laminated it. Let me finish the story for him, since he never does.

Kranz said he was scared. To his team. After. Because crews don’t follow statues. They follow people who don’t lie to them. But Jin wouldn’t know that. He thinks leadership is a checklist. Color-coded. Like his notes. Like his tie. Like his whole personality.”

Room shifts. That’s not on the motion anymore. Everyone started invested on Theo’s point of view.

“First: Trust through reality. You can’t follow someone who’s performing 24/7. If your captain won’t say ‘I don’t know’ when the hull’s cracking, you’ll drown before he admits. Jin’s version gets you soldiers who salute. Mine gets you soldiers who stay.

Second: Correction speed. Leaders who can’t be wrong can’t be right for long. If you build your whole case on never bleeding, you’ll bleed out defending a bad call”.

Theo stops for a moment and lock eyes with Jin with a mocking look,

“And Jin — quick question for you. When was the last time you admitted you were wrong about anything? To anyone? Or does that go in the private notebook too, under ‘things that compromise stability’?”

The crowd gasps, and there was pin drop silence.

Jin’s hand stops on his pen. He doesn’t look up. The room goes quiet.

Theo went back to his chair and sits.

Still watching Jin. Grinning, but it’s sharp now.

“Opposition is proud to oppose. And Jin, your tie is fine. You checked it twice during my speech. We all saw.”

Jin’s head snaps up. Actually looks at Theo for the first time, like actually looks.

“We will address the motion, not the speakers.” one of the judge said.

Too late. The whole room felt it. Jin’s knuckles are white on his pen. Theo leans back, like he just wanted to see if he could get a reaction.

Mr. Chairman cleared his throat once and said,“ Cross-examination. Government may question Opposition for 3 minutes.”

Jin stands. No notes. No pen. Walks to the center. Doesn’t look at the chair. Looks at Theo.

“You talked a lot about crews. About trust. About lying.” Beat. “Let’s talk about water.”

Room goes still. What’s that? What was happening? No one says it.

“Motion’s about leadership, Jin.” Theo says, warning

“Leadership is knowing when to jump in.” Steps closer. “And when to stay dry on the dock. Isn’t that right, Theo?” Jin doesn’t look away from Theo.

Chairman shifts. “Mr. Ashworth confine yourself to—”

Jin shakes his head, “No. He made it personal. So let’s be personal.” He looks at Theo, not the chair. “You said leaders admit when they don’t know. So tell us. Did you know I couldn’t swim that night?”

Theo’s jaw locks, “That’s enough”

“You said crews follow people who don’t lie. So why did you lie?” Jin asked

“Jin—”

“Answer the question, Opposition Leader. Or is ‘I don’t know’ only for other people’s mistakes?”

The Chairman snaps,

“Both speakers will return to the motion or I will suspend this round.”

Jin doesn’t sit. Doesn’t look away from Theo.

Theo stood up, “Why don’t you ask yourself that?”

”What does that mean?”

“It means that-“

Principal Paul stood up, “Enough!”

Theo and Jin stopped and looked at their principal, the judges and the chairman himself was disappointed with what happened.

“Both of you will face consequences for this again” Principal Paul says and dismisses them with his hand. Theo sighed and walked down from the stage, not even bothered.

But Jin…he gulped hard, things weren’t supposed to turn out like this..how did he get distracted again by him? When did things get this messy?

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That afternoon, Jin returned home after his messed up day, he stood infront of his house’s door and paused midway opening the door. Because he knew what’s waiting for him inside..With a quick breathe he reached for the doorknob but it opened from inside.

It was John, the Ashworth’s family’s butler, “Jin, you’re back..your father is waiting-”

“I know”, Jin gulped hard before he walked inside the living room.

He stopped infront of his father, Richard Ashworth, a man in his late 50s, nothing’s soft about Richard, hair neatly combed, straight nose — high cheekbones, a strong jawline. The kind of bone structure that looks “respectable” in court photos and “unforgiving” at the dinner table.

Richard watched as his son came in quietly and he watched him with no warmth in his eyes.

Jin’s late mother, Georgi Ashworth died of a heart disease when Jin was only 6, he was really close with his mother, they’d go picnics together, plan their vacation, and Georgi would always bake Chocolate Chip cookies for Jin on weekends while his dad was away on business trips and meetings. His mom was the only friend he had growing up because according to Richard, “The Ashworths don’t befriend everyone.”

But after his mother passed away, Jin’s inner child was gone too, he lost the only parent who cared for him, his only friend and his…mother.

Richard didn’t let Jin cry because only weaklings cry, little 6 yr old Jin would hide and cry in her mother’s room every time when his dad was away and if Richard finds him crying, he’d beat Jin up. That was his childhood growing up.

...----------------...

“You messed up again” Richard said, his voice dangerously low.

“Dad..I..”

“It’s Mr Ashworth to you!”

Jin shuddered by the harsh tone and his hands shake uncontrollably.

“R-Right…Mr Ashworth, I’m sorry..I didn’t mean to humiliate myself in front of everyone” Jin said controlling his voice from breaking.

Richard looks down at his son, and grabs his collar

“Humiliate “myself”? Do you have any idea what my friends and business partners would think if they found out you, my fucking own son was caught bickering with some lowlife student?!”

Jin didn’t say anything, just listened like always.

“You should’ve just died with your mother, what did you bring to the Ashworth family other than shame and disgrace?” Richard continued.

He let go for his son, “Make a mistake once again and I swear to god I’ll fucking drown you to death”

Jin shivered but nodded, “I’ll try harder for the next school competition”

“You better” Richard said before he gave his son a last look and walked past him, going out of the room before closing the door shut when a loud “Bang”.

The moment Jin heard the sound of the door closed, he sat down on the couch...facepalming and breathing.

End of Chapter 2\~

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