Exam day.
Min Jae leaves home early carrying only his backpack and admission card.
He plans to ignore his father's criminal world and focus on his future.
Halfway to the exam center, a black van suddenly stops beside him.
Men jump out.
One of them smirks.
"Boss Baek sends his regards."
Min Jae realizes immediately.
They're from his father's rival gang.
A brutal chase begins.
Min Jae fights back and escapes, but he is badly injured.
His school uniform is stained with blood.
The gang keeps searching.
"If we lose him, we're dead!"
Rain starts falling.
Weak and dizzy, Min Jae slips into a small convenience store.
He hides in the storage room behind stacks of boxes.
Outside, gang members search every street.
A few minutes later, the bell rings.
A schoolgirl enters.
Han Seo Ah.
She is on her way to the same exam.
While looking for a drink, she notices blood droplets on the floor.
Following them, she discovers Min Jae.
Bruised.
Bleeding.
Barely conscious.
Their eyes meet.
Min Jae grabs her sleeve weakly.
"Please..."
"Don't tell them I'm here."
Before Seo Ah can answer, the store door bursts open.
Several gang members enter.
"Search the place!"
Seo Ah quickly thinks.
She drags Min Jae behind a stack of supply boxes and throws a store apron over him.
Then she stands in front of the hiding spot.
The gang members question her.
"Did you see a wounded boy?"
Seo Ah looks them directly in the eyes.
"No."
After a tense search, they leave.
The moment the door closes, Min Jae collapses completely.
Seo Ah catches him before he hits the ground.
As she calls for an ambulance, she whispers:
"Hang on."
"You're going to be okay."
Final panel:
Min Jae, fading in and out of consciousness, sees only Seo Ah's face.
For the first time in years, someone protected him instead of fearing him.