Chapter 1

Hearing what Samuel said, Sally cried even harder.

“Chris…” She looked at me pitifully, and her voice was filled with grievance.

“Even Samuel acknowledges who this baby belongs to. Why are you still refusing to acknowledge him?

Samuel froze and quickly cut in, “Wait! Has it occurred to anyone that I just addressed Chris as my sister?”

“Samuel, do you think I’m deaf?!”

Sally shot to her feet. Her finger trembled as she pointed at me and sobbed. “Ever since I got pregnant, you’ve been addressing him as your brother!

“You two are working together to lie to me. How long are you planning to keep this up?”

I was so shocked that I instantly turned to look at Samuel. He clasped his hands together like he was praying in the corner. His gaze seemed to say that he only wanted to set Sally up. He wanted to make her embarrass herself and did not mean to drag me into this.

“I got pregnant before marriage. I already lost my dignity. All I want is for the child’s father to bear responsibility as a parent. Is that so wrong?”

Sally gently stroked her belly and stared at me through tear-filled eyes.

“Chris, my mom always told me that men with buzz cuts were the most heartless. I never listened to her, and you absolutely disappointed me.

“Who are you calling a man with a buzz cut?!” I yelled.

“I may be 178-cm tall with a lower-than-average voice. But could you please at least confirm someone’s gender first before you ask them to accept responsibility?!

“I’m a woman!”

I rubbed the top of my head. I had a fresh buzz cut, so it was a bit prickly to the touch. I was wrongly accused.

Had I known earlier that I would end up in this disaster, I would have never taken her to the hospital when she fainted from her period cramps!

“Sally, you’ve really gotten it wrong. I had a buzz cut just because it was cool. I actually—”

“Enough!” the counselor, William Anderson, snapped.

“I know you’re young and afraid of taking responsibility. But Sally’s a girl. The price she’s paying is far greater than yours! Do you think you can brush everything off just by saying all this is a misunderstanding?!”

He gave me a look that said I was completely hopeless as I tried to explain myself.

“Look at yourself. You’re not acting like a man at all!”

Exactly!

I did not look anything like a man!

“Mr. Anderson, I really am—”

“That’s enough!”

He waved his hand in dismissal and cut me off again.

“Call your parents. Have them come here right away!”

William paused for a moment before he continued, “Sally’s parents are divorced, and her family situation is complicated. As for the baby, it’s better to have your parents here so that everyone can talk it through.”

Right after that, Sally pounced on me. “Honey, I don’t have anyone else in this world. If you abandon me and our baby, I won’t be able to go on living.”

“Stop! Stop! Stop!”

I flailed my arms and moved back in a panic.

“Stop calling me your honey. I—”

“I know!” Sally interrupted. Her voice was wracked with sobs. “You’re blaming me for not using contraceptives and getting pregnant. I swear that as long as you acknowledge me and our baby, I’ll do whatever you say from now on.”

Meanwhile, the onlookers outside the office erupted in anger.

“Oh, my god! I feel like punching something! How could he get his girlfriend pregnant and run off? Is he even a man?!”

“You can tell from his ridiculous hairstyle that he’s a good-for-nothing. He’s trash!”

“Record it! We have to get him on the campus forum! We have to cancel him!”

“Guys, look at this! We just caught a jerk outside the counselor’s office. Donate, and I’ll record him up close!”

They aimed their phones’ cameras at me like the black muzzles of loaded guns.

Apparently, Samuel did not expect things to go this far. He stepped in front of me, and the veins on his forehead were bulging.

“What are you recording this for? She’s my—”

The mockery and slander around us did not stop. Instead, it only grew worse.

“Stop making things up! Both of you are trash!”

“Useless men are getting craftier these days. Ladies, if you see this, remember to take heed!”

In just an hour, I became the target of mass online condemnation for something that I had never done.

Samuel tried to defend me. I looked at him before I turned to the delicate and harmless-looking Sally.

“Fine. You want to ruin my reputation, huh?

“Let’s see who walks away with a clean reputation at the end of this!”