Roby sat in the middle of the living room, spinning a pen between his fingers, eyes fixed blankly at the screen ahead. He glanced sideways at Tae Yang and asked calmly—but with a sharp edge:
Roby:
"Oh right, Tae... what exactly did you threaten Lucas with back then?"
Tae Yang froze. His eyes shifted away slightly, but before he could answer,
the scene cuts—
Underground Hideout – Central Seoul
Lucas walked into a dim room, the walls grimy, the air thick.
He wore a gray hoodie, dark sunglasses, and an exhausted expression.
He plopped onto an old couch, pulled off his glasses, and leaned back.
Lucas:
"I'm tired... of pretending. Acting like some stupid kid. Playing the helpless victim under your pressure."
A cold chuckle echoed from the shadows. Dae Hyun stepped into view, calm and smug.
Dae Hyun:
"Damn dog. You're the only foreigner I've ever respected, bro."
Lucas raised a brow.
"You don't need to call me 'bro'. I remember exactly who you are."
Dae Hyun picked up his phone from the table with a casual flick.
Dae Hyun:
"Anyway… your dad called me."
Lucas narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
Dae Hyun smirked:
"Just checking if you're still at school. Nothing important."
Lucas sat up straighter. His expression stayed still, but his eyes darkened.
Dae Hyun paced slowly, then leaned forward.
Dae Hyun:
"So... you ready to take Hae Jun down? Everything he has—I want it.
And don't forget—this school? It wasn't just his to begin with."
Lucas:
"This about your grandfather?"
Dae Hyun let out a small laugh.
"My grandfather built this school first. But his grandfather—the traitor—took the credit. And now his sweet little grandson Hae Jun is playing savior, protecting the school's image like a fool."
Lucas didn't reply. But his silence was enough.
Dae Hyun leaned over and pointed to the monitor in the corner, showing the anonymous forum post that rocked the school.
Dae Hyun:
"So? What do you think of the anonymous post?
Neat trick, right? Now everyone's focused on Hae Jun. Perfect fall guy."
Lucas gave a slow nod.
Lucas:
"And now... we wait. One of them will fall first."
At Jong Woo's apartment, the tension had settled slightly. After all the twists and that disturbing CCTV footage, the group sat around the living room—sipping sodas and snacking—but their minds were still racing.
Tae Yang looked at Roby and exhaled.
"You asked about Lucas, right? That time I threatened him? It was just... 'cause he sat at Ji Hoon's desk. I thought he was picking a fight. But now I'm the one confused."
Min Gyu crossed his arms, face more serious than usual.
"Lucas… he's protected by Dae Hyun. But they've never seemed close. Honestly, I think Lucas is more manipulative than I am."
Do Yoon squinted, thoughtful.
"So you think he's the culprit?"
Roby stared ahead, brain clearly running fast.
"I read parts of Ji Hoon's diary. He mentioned someone… a foreigner. But the physical description doesn't fully match. And well, there are other Western students at our school too. So we can't jump to conclusions."
Tae Yang leaned back, shifting uncomfortably.
"What if… he has two personalities? Like... one sweet, one sinister. 'Cause sometimes he feels like a whole different guy."
Min Gyu added, "And why didn't Ji Hoon write his name? He was always super specific in that diary."
Silence fell for a moment.
Roby slowly turned to Lee Hwang Woo.
"Lee, weren't you kinda close to Lucas?"
Lee shrugged.
"We were just friends through the school music club. Nothing deeper. But yeah... he gets picked up sometimes. Random guys. Night or day. I just figured it was college buddies."
Roby leaned forward, lowering his voice.
"Don't tell me... those guys we saw in that ramen shop video, Uncle?"
Everyone turned toward Jong Woo, who was pouring water. He paused and looked at Roby.
"You remember them?"
Roby nodded.
"One of them had a red hoodie with a weird symbol on the back. And Lucas sat close to them."
Jong Woo narrowed his eyes and grabbed his laptop. He opened the folder where he had saved footage from the ramen shop, recorded secretly due to his suspicions.
"If we can match their faces... we'll know exactly who Lucas is working with."
Tae Yang whispered, "If he's more than just some student... we're in deep trouble."
Do Yoon nodded slowly.
"Trouble that might be bigger than Ji Hoon's death."
Roby clenched his fist.
"We have to be sure. Because if Lucas isn't just another pawn... he might be the one holding the strings."
Inside Hae Jun's lavish home, the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy.
Min Jae Suk lounged on the sofa, holding a glass of iced tea, trying to lighten the mood.
"If Dae Hyun's not answering his phone, maybe he's studying… or, well, plotting world domination like usual."
Hae Jun stared at his tablet, scrolling through the school forum posts that were now flooded with rumors and reactions.
"Min Gyu's quiet, but I think he's pissed that his friend got thrown under the bus."
Suddenly, Seo Yoon Ji walked in — calm, poised, yet clearly tense.
She sat down quietly, glancing coldly at Hae Jun.
Yoon Ji (flatly): "Don't ever order Min Gyu around again. One person's already become a scapegoat. Don't push me."
Before Hae Jun could respond, the front door opened.
Dae Hyun entered, followed by a hesitant Ha Rin. He tossed a flash drive onto the coffee table casually.
Dae Hyun: "Here. An updated recording. This one proves Ji Seok's the culprit."
Yoon Ji shot up from her seat, her eyes sharp.
"That's enough. How long are you going to drag this game out?"
Dae Hyun calmly approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder with fake warmth.
"Sweetheart… if everything comes out, what happens to the corruption in the school? The elite agreements? Our parents are involved too. Do you want your father—"
Yoon Ji (snapping): "Don't. Mention. Him."
The whole room froze. The weight of that name hung in the air.
Ha Rin, who had been awkwardly lingering near the door, now stared curiously.
Yoon Ji stormed off to the bathroom, her hands trembling, face pale.
Min Jae Suk turned to Dae Hyun, whispering,
"That was a bit much, man. I've never seen her like that before."
Dae Hyun leaned back, unimpressed. "She'll be fine. Yoon Ji's tougher than she looks."
Hae Jun watched him closely, his expression unreadable.
"Fine. We'll take this to the principal later. If necessary, we'll control the media too."
In the corner, Ha Rin's curiosity boiled over.
She slowly made her way toward the bathroom. When the door finally opened, Yoon Ji emerged, her face pale but composed.
Ha Rin: "What are you all really hiding, Yoon Ji?"
Yoon Ji froze, meeting her eyes. Her expression was complex… as if she wanted to say something, but the weight of secrets held her tongue.