He must be really afraid of getting hurt if he decided to forfeit at the first moment. He really must be feeling the old man blues to slink back into trying to keep this boat afloat without a bruise.
I think I have to drop this if the MC keeps on being this cringy.
There was literally a teacher there who could have helped him out. And now he wants to give them the money? Just take a bat or any other weapon and at least beat the shit out of one of them so they stop fucking with you in the future.