'What the fuck?' Jiho blinked, heartbeat rising, eyes lifted in disbelief.
[Wanna go for a movie tonight.]
Not once. Never. Not once had she ever initiated something like that.
And especially not now. Not after everything.
No, even before everything—
Whenever they went out, it was usually all three of them. Her, Jiho, and Daniel.
And if Jiho and Eunhee ever did hang out alone, it was somewhere casual. Quiet. Never at night.
'A movie? What—What the… What is she on about?! And right in front of everyone—' His gaze dropped, stunned.
'Hehe... so jumpy,' she thought with a smile, watching his reaction. Exactly how she'd imagined he'd look if she ever did this.
"Hey, hey… I thought he did something to her?" one of the guys whispered.
"Yeah, dude! There was a whole story going around my school… This doesn't make any sense."
"Maybe she's sorry or something? J-Jiho was locked out of school during the outbreak. Heard he went out to cry or something…"
"Y-Yeah… Maybe it's just a catch-up thing? Childhood friends and all. Maybe she and Daniel wanna make amends?"
"Well?" she asked, turning toward him, "Jiho. Would you like to go out with me?"
The classroom went still.
She wasn't vague. It wasn't a maybe.
It was a date.
And the moment Jiho heard the words go out—
Something in him shifted.
The blush vanished. His posture straightened. He looked up at her slowly.
'I don't know what this is supposed to be… I thought we both agreed—she's with Daniel.'
'But somehow, this feels like she just puked on me and called it adorable.'
His fingers twitched as they curled into a fist.
"..." Jiho exhaled quietly.
"Why, Eunhee?" he asked, tone steady.
"Why?" She tilted her head. "Because I want to see you. I thought I made that pretty clear," she replied, confident.
'She wants to see me…?' he looked down, blinking. Slowly. Hollow.
'...'
"What about Daniel?" he asked bluntly. "I thought it was pretty clear you've been fu..." He cleared his throat. "Dating."
He gulped. 'Get a grip. Don't make a scene again.'
Girls whispered behind them.
"So?" she said. "Just because we're dating means I can't hang out with you anymore?"
The classroom looked around.
"She has a point… They've been childhood friends, after all."
"Maybe this is to set things straight."
But Jiho's face stayed hidden beneath his hair, unreadable.
'She's acting like nothing happened... like we can just go on...'
His fist clenched, arm trembling.
'Fucking serious... that fucking whore?!'
His breathing turned erratic—barely contained.
"Say, Eunhee," he muttered, voice tight, "Mind telling me something?"
"Sure," she said brightly.
"Just how long have you and Daniel been dating?"
"...!!" She cleared her throat, shook her head. "T-that's not important, Jiho. I told you—I just want to hang out now—"
"Uhm." He raised his voice. Turned to the girls behind her. "Excuse me."
They jumped, faces flushing as his gaze cut through them.
"J-Jiho?" Eunhee murmured, stunned.
"How long have Eunhee and Daniel been dating?" he asked flatly. "I got the impression it's been a while. Can anyone tell me? Just an estimate."
His eyes locked onto one girl. She blinked, trapped under his gaze.
"A-about... four months, I think...?"
Eunhee's face drained of color.
Jiho turned back to her and gave a slow, quiet nod.
"Hey, Eunhee," he said, eyes cold. "About two months ago, we went out for a movie, right? You, me, and Daniel."
She didn't answer. Frozen.
"I'm not talking about that, Jiho—it's not important—"
"You and Daniel took a toilet break together, didn't you?" he cut in, voice sharper.
Her body stiffened.
"I..." His eyes lowered. "I didn't think much of it back then. Tried not to. But it was always there."
His voice dropped.
"And it wasn't just once. Not just one place... Sometimes it's to get some snacks, or fix your makeup... I just believed in you, so I dismissed it as nothing."
"Now it hits me." He looked up at her, forcing a bitter chuckle. "You've been at it behind my back at every turn, huh?"
"Jiho, I'm—"
"Let me save you some time, Eunhee." He scowled now, openly. The veins in his eyes bulged, red threading into white.
"I can still smell his cum from—" He caught himself, stopping just short of finishing the sentence.
The room held its breath.
Cha's face flashed in his mind. The moment he struck her. The nose he broke.
He froze, trembling.
'Don't snap.'
He looked back at Eunhee—still frozen, shaken. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't stop shaking.
'No matter how hard you scream at this whore, she can't take it back. She can't unfuck that backstabber.'
His lips quivered.
"...? Jiho...?"
"How..." His voice cracked as he turned away, tears flooding his eyes. "How could you...?"
Eunhee's face went pale—paler than it ever had.
And in an instant, the girls who'd whispered about Jiho... stared in stunned silence. Something hit them in the chest. He looked like a model in a drama show, that you can't help but feel sorry for.
He looked up again.
"How could you hurt me like this...? Eunhee?" he said, voice breaking.
She had nothing to say.
"Oh, shut the fuck up, you pussy." One of the guys erupted, "You're the one who manipulated her. Now you crying like a little bitch when you don't get your way?"
"Jesus fuck. Dude got a pretty face and got fucking cocky. Manipulator scumbag...!" The echoed rumbled and amplified among the guys.
'Don't make a scene,' he thought as he looked down, rage boiling over again, as the class erupted to chaos, with more students sharing the sentiments.
"Just cuz he survived the quarantine zone he thinks he gets to cry and earn sympathy. Piece of shit lol."
"Hey, you guys stop it!" One of the girls tried to shout, but her voice was ultimately drowned.
"That's some nice acting skills. Maybe he cried to that Jang dude to fuck him in the ass in exchange for saving him." They all erupted into laughter as Jiho cried, but shook with anger.
'If you do something to them, you'll be labeled a zombie... A beater. And be an inconvenience to your mother. Hold it in... Hold it in...!!' He clenched his fist tightly.
'HOLD... IT IN...!!!'
"Eunhee, leave him alone. He's just some wannabe drama queen. But maybe send him pics when you and Daniel are at it again—"
'.!!!!!!' Jiho let out a low guttural growl.
But just before he erupted—
The door to the classroom was kicked open.
The clang that happened after it fell off its hinges to the ground, shut the whole classroom up.
"Hey," a low voice echoed. Hands in pocket. A long trenchcoat. "This isn't the 3rd year classroom."
All eyes on him. He then walked in, stomping his way in.
"Who said that this twink let me fuck him in the ass?" He called out as he pointed at Jiho, his eyes scanning the classroom as he came to the front.
"Holy shit..." the girls whispered, "It's him...!"
"Jang!"
He looked at the guys in the back, who sat in silence, stunned.
But he didn't wait for them to answer or point fingers.
'H... Hyung...?' Jiho looked up as Jang shoved Eunhee to the side as if she were a piece of paper.
"Hyaak!" She called as she leaned on another girl's desk as Jang walked over to the guy.
"Hey, man what the fuck are you—!" Jang didn't wait for the student to finish. He grabbed him by the neck and started beating the shit out of him.
Another fist.
Another fist. Another fist.
Another fist.
Blood spurted out of his nose as well as 5 teeth as Jang beat him the fuck up until he lost consciousness.
Two guys immediately got up from their seats, charging at him. "BEAT THIS FUCKER'S ASS! WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM—"
Jang then grabbed a chair, and then swung it at one of them like it was a bat, immediately breaking his jaw and nose, knocking him out.
"KYAA!!!" A girl gave a shout as the student slammed his head against her desk and fell to the floor.
The other guy slipped, hesitating, but Jang didn't care.
He then grabbed him by the shirt collar and slapped him in the face several dozen times, until he was dizzy.
With his final trick, he then spun him around, and shoved his fingers up his ass before kicking his back, making him fall to the ground.
The classroom all sat in stunned silence, looking up at Jang.
"Just so we're all fucking clear, you shitlings," he spoke loudly to all of them, "Unlike Twink here," he pointed at Jiho, "I don't give a rat's ass about my image, or restraint. If you're gonna piss me off, I'mma beat the shit out of you."
He let it sit in the air. No one dared to say anything to him.
"He just... Beat the shit out of Korkonsos, Borbovinshik, and... Uhm, Park. The three strongest wrestling members from my school... Like it was nothing..." One of the guys whispered.
Jang then walked over to Jiho, standing before him.
"Get up, twink. Let's fuck off."
"...." Jiho looked at him, almost in awe.
'I... Didn't think... He'd ever show up...'
"Hurry up," Jang said, "You didn't let me fuck you in the ass today as thanks." He let out, throwing a mocking stare at the guys who sat behind Jiho, who all collectively flinched.
His gaze lingered on the guys for a few seconds, they all were still, eyeing him cautiously.
"BOO!" He leaned suddenly, causing them all to jump in place. He then chuckled in response.
"..."
Jiho then chuckled, almost erratically.
Eunhee looked at him. His face as he laughed.
She merely gulped, looking at the two of them in stunned silence.
"Haaa... You're so gonna get kicked out, Hyung." Jiho got up and walked outside with Jang, and all Eunhee could do was watch him leave.
"U-uhm!" She muttered, but by then Jang and Jiho had already left.
'He's... Gone...?'
"Like I give a shit," Jang replied. "That's like telling me you're kicking me out of a heaping trashcan."
As they walked out, Jang added, "Why don't you just break their arms or something? People shut up and prostrate their prostate if you beat them into submission."
"Well, I can't just—"
They both stopped as two figures appeared in front of them.
Amélie. And Marcel.
"Messieurs," Marcel said with a slight bow. "Excellent timing."
'Amélie...' Jiho looked at her. She stood calmly, smiling at him.
His shoulders then started to loosen as he returned her smile.
"Come with us," Marcel said. "It's time to begin."
"Begin?" Jiho asked.
"Your training."