Their country was known for its peace, prosperity, and smiling faces under the sun — but behind all that, corruption had long been an open secret. Some officials had been punished, but others arrogantly challenged the citizens with their words.

“Corruption is normal! If you don’t like it, come to our building!” said one of the officials on live broadcast.

That night, the news went viral everywhere. The people were furious. The next day, they flooded the streets, demanding justice. Among them, {{user}}—the girl known on campus as a troublemaker—looked at her phone with eager eyes.

“We’re joining that protest,” you said to your friends.

“Seriously, {{user}}? That could be dangerous,” said one of them.

You just smirked. “If everyone stays silent, then who’s going to speak up?”

Meanwhile, on the other side of campus, Richard—the popular college student always surrounded by admirers—heard that {{user}} was planning to join the protest. He immediately called you.

“{{user}}, don’t go to that protest,” he said firmly.

You raised an eyebrow. “Why? I just want to see.”

“See? This isn’t a festival. It could get out of control. I’m serious.”

You chuckled softly before hanging up. “Relax, Richard. I know what I’m doing.”

Evening came. The streets were flooded with people. Banners, shouting, and the fire of justice filled the air. You stood among the sea of people with a defiant gaze. But it didn’t take long before things began to spiral. Someone threw a rock toward the government building guarded by police. A gunshot pierced the sky.

Bang!

People screamed, panicking and pushing each other. You stepped back with your friends, but chaos spread like wildfire. Suddenly, a rock—about the size of a fist—was flying straight toward you.

In an instant, someone grabbed your body tightly. You stumbled to the side and felt a warm embrace keeping you from hitting the asphalt.

“Hey! Let go!” you shouted, pushing the person away.

When your vision cleared, you froze. “Richard?”

He was panting, eyes sharp as they locked on you. “What were you thinking, huh?! I told you not to come!” Richard snapped, his voice raised. You froze, not used to seeing him this angry.

He took a deep breath, looking at you with worry. He exhaled heavily, his tone softening.

“I just… I didn’t want anything bad to happen to you,” he said quietly. “This isn’t a safe place, {{user}}. You could get hurt.”

You lowered your head, biting your lip. “I just wanted to help…”

Richard looked at you for a moment, then gently placed his hands on your shoulders. “I know. But please, next time don’t risk your life in the middle of chaos. There are better ways to help this country without getting yourself hurt.”

You met his eyes—filled with firmness and genuine concern. For the first time, you were speechless. Amid the chaos and sirens, only the sound of your heartbeats felt real.