And another day was beginning at the Prestigious Moraes de Ednan School…
Birds sang freely in the air, while a light breeze brought a pleasant feeling to anyone who was there. It would be a perfect scene… if it wasn't 40 degrees. But, in the end, what matters is the intention.
We move closer, and then we find our friend, Yory Madeira.
The model student of the school. Impeccable grades, exemplary behavior, and a reputation that made anyone want to get close to him… even if he himself didn't realize it.
Yory walked through the corridors with a serious face, completely focused on a small book in his hands, whose title read: "The Art of Psychology."
As he passed by, several students watched him and whispered among themselves.
— See? It's Yory… always so dedicated… — said a girl, admiring him.— I wish I could be his friend… — commented a boy, looking from afar.
Yory kept walking in silence, his eyes glued to the book, completely unaware of what was happening around him.
Or… at least, that's what it seemed like.
On the inside, his mind was in complete chaos.
— "Damn… why are they looking at me like that? I didn't do anything! They're whispering… they're definitely talking about me! What's going to happen now? Are they going to do something? Pull out a knife out of nowhere…? I DON'T WANT TO DIE!! Where's my classroom?! I just want to get there already!!"
Suddenly, he spots the classroom door in the distance… almost like it was a portal to his salvation.
— "Finally… safe zone…"
Without realizing it, he speeds up and opens the door harder than he should have.
The sound echoes through the room.
For a moment… the environment goes silent, and all eyes turn toward him.
Yory Madeira had arrived.
On the outside, he simply walks to his desk, keeping a neutral expression while continuing to read, as if nothing had happened.
On the inside?
— "SHIT!! I MADE TOO MUCH NOISE!! NOW EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT ME!! HOW EMBARRASSING… just sit down… just sit down and stay quiet…"
For Yory, that was an extremely embarrassing situation.
But for the other students… the story was very different.
— That aura… it's Yory…— It's impossible not to notice his presence… the genius…
Koetso, a boy with dark brown hair and blue eyes, smiles to the side and comments:
— Calm down, guys… he's just a normal guy.
Immediately, a bald nerd with glasses turns to him, completely outraged.
— Normal?! That guy is an academic monster! Do you think someone normal studies like that?!
Koetso gets angry and shows a fake smile of anger.
— You're telling me you're one of his fanboys?
— YES! — the nerd replies without hesitation. — But not just any fanboy… I am THE fanboy!!
The two start arguing nonsense while other people try to intervene.
Yory, on the outside, keeps reading in silence.
On the inside…
— "They're talking about me… those two are clearly delinquents… I'M GOING TO GET BEAT UP AFTER SCHOOL!!"
The lunch bell rings, cutting the tension.
After that, in another classroom, Anano felt her hunger gradually increasing. As she remembered the breakfast she had at home, her mood instantly worsened.
Her stomach growls loudly.
Moyaso looks at her.
— Are you hungry, miss?
Anano, with her face slightly red, responds irritably:
— No… my stomach just decided to start singing today…
— Such a foul mouth…
That only makes things worse.
— You don't understand! — Anano snaps, crossing her arms. — Today at home there was only ridiculous food! No mayonnaise, no juice… just bread, coffee, and cookies! That's a loser's breakfast! I refused to eat that!
Her stomach responds again:
ROOOOWN~
Silence.
Anano turns completely red from embarrassment.
Moyaso, ignoring the situation, takes out her phone and quickly checks something.
— Miss… today is "Coxinha Day" here at school.
Anano turns her head, confused.
— …what is a coxinha?
Moyaso freezes.
Slowly… she looks at Anano.
— You… don't know?
— No…
Moyaso takes a deep breath.
Puts on glasses.
Ties her hair.
And, without any explanation, pulls a chalkboard from behind her.
Anano takes a step back.
— W-what… is that…?
— Miss Anano… — Moyaso begins, with a tone far too serious for the situation — today you will learn what a coxinha is.
— That wasn't necessary…
— A coxinha is, technically, dough on the outside and filling on the inside… — she starts.
— That sounds normal…
— But that's where you're wrong. — Moyaso adjusts her glasses. — The true value of a coxinha is not only in the ingredients… but in the shape.
She quickly draws a coxinha on the board.
— A drop. Simple, elegant… perfect.
Anano stares at the drawing, confused.
— …it still just looks like dough in the shape of a drop.
— WRONG.
Anano jumps in surprise.
— The shape defines the character of the one who eats it — Moyaso continues, getting more intense. — Do you start from the tip… or from the fuller side?
Anano blinks.
— Does that… matter?
— It defines who you are as a person.
— That makes no sense at all!!
Moyaso continues, completely ignoring her:
— And the filling… well-seasoned, juicy chicken… in some cases, reaching more than 80% of the total.
Anano blinks again.
— 80%?! That exists?!
— Of course it does.
— I need that.
— And you can still add ketchup, mayonnaise…
— Okay, I get it already!!
Moyaso points firmly to the door.
— Then go. Buy a coxinha.
Anano doesn't hesitate.
— FINE!!
She runs out of the classroom.
Anano walked through the corridors with only one thing hammering in her mind as she hurried forward.
— Coxinha… I need to try that… if even Moyaso said it's good, then I have to try it!
After crossing the corridor, she finally finds the school cafeteria. Without wasting time, she approaches the glass counter where the food was displayed and makes her order quickly…
But another voice appears at the same time.
— One coxinha, please!— One coxinha, please!
Anano turns her head.
Yory was at her side.
The two stare at each other, completely in disbelief, with clear expressions of disapproval.
The atmosphere gets heavy.
A man with a cap, thin mustache, goatee, and round glasses raises his hands as he serves them.
— Two coxinhas coming right up!
Anano and Yory freeze.
Slowly… they look at the man.
Cold sweat.
It was him.
Fatozo De Elboges.
The principal.
The two stay silent for a moment.
The most powerful person in the school…
was serving coxinhas as if it were something normal.
Yes… that was Fatozo De Elboges, known in many parts of the world simply as Elboges — the man behind Moraes de Ednan School, the institution responsible for forming some of the best students on the planet.
His influence was comparable to that of a president. They said that even an average student from that school was respected anywhere.
And now…
he was there.
In the cafeteria.
Serving food.
Elboges watches the two with a strange smile, almost as if he were enjoying the situation.
As if he knew…
that he was witnessing something interesting.
Yory breaks the silence:
— What are you doing here?! Shouldn't you be in your office handling something more serious?
— You idiot, if he's here it's because there's a reason! — Anano replies, irritated.
Yory turns to her immediately.
— Excuse me? I don't remember asking you.
— Sorry, it's just that the question was so irrational that I answered instinctively.
— Irrational?!
— Completely.
The tension rises.
The two were already about to start another meaningless argument.
Meanwhile…
Elboges simply watches.
And lets out a low laugh.
— Oh… so this is how these two are…
He rests his elbow on the counter, clearly interested.
— Interesting… let's see how far this goes.
Yory and Anano turn their attention back to him at the same time.
— The coxinha.— The coxinha.
Elboges slowly raises his hand…
Holding only one.
Silence.
— Sorry… — he says, with a light smile — but there's only one coxinha left.
— ONE COXINHA?!— ONE COXINHA?!
The two shout at the same time.
And then…
they stare at each other again.
Yory clenches his teeth.
His mind starts spinning.
— "I only had bread and water for breakfast… I'm hungry… really hungry…"— "And there's a math test soon…"— "If I don't eat, my performance will drop…"— "I NEED THAT COXINHA!"
On the other side…
Anano was also at her limit.
Hungry.
Irritated.
Determined.
There was only one coxinha.
And only one of them…
would come out victorious.
Yory doesn't waste time. He takes a five reais bill from his pocket, slams it on the counter, and speaks quickly:
— The winner is whoever convinces him better!!
— Oh yeah??? You think only you have money?!
PÁ!
Anano slams a ten reais bill on the table, staring at the principal in front of her.
— If your only argument is money, I think you should give up!
Yory is startled for a moment.
— "Shit... I'm so hungry I didn't even think straight! She's rich, of course she has more financial power than me!! Think, Yory... think of something to make this spoiled rich girl give up!!!"
He turns to Anano, trying to keep a serious posture.
— Anano... it seems like you take very good care of your health, I think that...
For a moment…
Silence.
A voice echoes in Anano's mind. Cold. Sharp.
— It seems like you're gaining weight...?
Weight.
Weight…
Weight...
She freezes.
Her expression completely changes.
Elboges watches everything, savoring the moment as if it were a spectacle.
— "The old weight move… there are three things you should never ask a woman: her age, her height… and especially… her weight. On this chessboard, he advanced the queen without thinking about the consequences… ignoring her dignity… and even his own pride."
— "And you, Anano… what is your move?"
…
Suddenly—
An answer.
Firm.
— And who said I gained weight? And if I did… what does it matter? Is it up to you to decide what I should eat or not? Or are you so desperate for food that you're saying this kind of thing to a woman, to the point of ruining your own image… just for a coxinha?
Silence.
Impact.
The perfect counterattack.
Anano received a critical hit…
But responded at the same level.
She turned the game around.
Used Yory's words against himself.
And the result…
An absurd pressure of shame and emotional pain falls over him.
— AAAAAHHHH!!!
The principal watches, impressed.
— "Magnificent… simply magnificent! A perfect defense followed by a counterattack! Even being a rich young girl, she gave up her own dignity to sustain the argument…"
— "And Yory… even so continues fighting for the coxinha…"
— "This is not just any discussion…"
— "THIS IS A HIGH-LEVEL BATTLE OF INTELLECT!!"
— "TWO GENIUS MINDS FIGHTING… FOR A SINGLE COXINHA!!"
Elboges' smile changes.
Now… he decides.
— "A scene like this… cannot end with a simple coxinha."
BOOOOOOM!!
A blast echoes through the cafeteria.
Everyone looks.
On the counter…
A new coxinha appears.
Different.
The dough has a strange shine… almost hypnotic.
A student in the back widens his eyes.
— I-it can't be… this texture… the steam… the tone of the dough… it can't be…
Yory and Anano try to speak, but—
Elboges interrupts.
— THIS… IS THE LAST COXINHA…
— THE 90% COXINHA!!
— IMPOSSIBLE!!
— IMPOSSIBLE!!
Both shout at the same time.
Elboges smiles.
He picks up a knife.
Lightly touches the coxinha…
And reveals—
An absurdly thin layer of dough.
Almost nonexistent.
The filling…
Overflowing.
— Yes… the legendary 90% coxinha. Only 10% dough… and 90% pure filling.
— A masterpiece.
— When something like this is made… the cooks themselves keep it.
— Because something so perfect… should not fall into the hands of those who don't know how to appreciate it.
He stares at the two.
— Come, Yory… Anano…
— Decide.
— Who will get the legendary coxinha?
— 90…
— Percent…
They stare at each other.
— IT'S MINE!!
— IT'S MINE!!
Yory needs that to survive the test that defines his absolute top at the school.
Anano needs that because she is so hungry… that she would devour everything around her without thinking twice.
Now there is only one question—
WHO WILL GET THE LEGENDARY COXINHA?!
The principal wastes no time. He raises his hand abruptly and shouts, pointing at Yory:
— YORY! SAY SOMETHING! SHOW ME THAT YOU DESERVE THE COXINHA!!
The air becomes heavy.
Yory freezes for a moment… but soon dives into his own thoughts, activating all of his intellect. His eyes shine.
He stares at Anano with a serious expression.
Hungry.
— A coxinha is nothing more than one of the most delicious savory snacks that exist… and only those of the high class who truly appreciate its real flavor should have the right to taste something like a 90% coxinha.
He takes a step forward.
— You… are just a spoiled rich girl, who probably has never even seen a coxinha in your life. You're here just out of whim!
Anano is shocked by the direct attack.
She tries to respond…
But Yory notices the hesitation.
And advances.
— I, as a frequent visitor of snack bars and a coxinha appreciator, have full right to want this one.
He looks down at her.
— You can offer all the money in the world to the creator of this coxinha… but there is something you will never be able to give him…
A pause.
— True appreciation!
Silence.
The principal watches everything, hands clasped on the counter, resting his chin while smiling.
— "That's it… Yory didn't give space for recovery. The pressure was perfect."
— "Don't take it the wrong way, Anano… but he has something you don't have…"
— "The experience of someone who has already gone through hardship."
Yory sees the expression of defeat on her face.
A slight smile appears.
— "Hmph… too easy… that means only one thing…"
— "I WON—"
…
STEP.
A single step echoes through the hall.
The environment changes.
A heavy aura, dark as the night sky, spreads. Everyone around feels the pressure.
Even Elboges himself is surprised.
— "What… is this presence…?"
Moyaso Tomayama.
She arrived.
She had stayed in the classroom waiting for Anano… but upon discovering, through social media, that her master was disputing the legendary 90% coxinha…
She exploded.
And came.
Now… she was there.
Moyaso walks in front of Anano, who was already practically defeated, and speaks with a tone full of sarcasm:
— Hmph… you call yourself a know-it-all… and you don't even know the basics about a coxinha?
Yory feels as if he has been stabbed in his pride.
— Oh yeah? And what would be my mistake… miss?
Moyaso slowly approaches the counter.
Calm.
Precise.
— The first thing you should do when seeing a 90% coxinha… is not ask the price.
She turns her head, looking directly at Yory.
— The first thing… is to praise the creator.
— Praise?!
— Praise?!
Anano and Yory speak at the same time.
Elboges strokes his goatee, interested.
Moyaso continues:
— You need to recognize the value of the one who created something so perfect.
She crosses her arms.
— Why do you think they never sell something like this to just anyone?
Silence.
— Because no one knows how to appreciate it.
She lightly points at the coxinha.
— And that is exactly why… from the very beginning…
— This coxinha would never be sold to either of you.
…
The impact is immediate.
Moyaso slowly turns to the principal.
— Isn't that right… principal?
Elboges smiles.
— Exactly, Miss Moyaso.
He leans slightly.
— From the beginning… this coxinha was never going to be sold.
SHOCK.
The entire cafeteria falls into absolute silence.
— "Indeed…" — the principal thinks. — "I wanted to see how far this mental battle would go…"
— "But what she said is the truth."
— "From the moment I presented the coxinha… they were already condemned to not have it."
He gives a slight cough.
— Now… I have my verdict.
Everyone holds their breath.
— The coxinha goes to—
— The cat. — says a student in the back.
— Exactly, a ca— …wait.
Elboges freezes.
— A CAT?!
PLOFT!
An orange cat appears on top of the counter.
Without warning.
Without fear.
It bites the coxinha with everything—
And runs away.
— CATCH THE CAAAAT!!
— THE COXINHAAA!!
— NOOOOOOO!!!
— MEOWWW!!
And, in seconds…
Chaos breaks out.
Everyone starts running desperately after the cat throughout the entire school.
After so many disasters, no one managed to catch the cat and soon they lost the 90% coxinha.... Yory Invaded the Kitchen and threw Flour into his mouth while Drinking water. Anano Received Half of a coxinha from her Friend Moyaso who was very angry, and the principal.... who until now... wait. IS HE STILL RUNNING THROUGH THE SCHOOL AFTER THE CAT??!!
— WHERE IS THAT FURBALLLLLL!!!