The morning air outside J High School buzzed with restless energy. Students clustered in loud groups, gossiping about fights, crews, and reputations.
For most, today was just another day. For Daniel Park, it was supposed to be a fresh start. For Seong Min, it was the first turn of a dangerous chess game.
And for Gun Park, it was a mission.
Seong Min adjusted his uniform jacket, ignoring the curious glances. He and Gun walked side by side through the gate, their resemblance undeniable. Gun had the aura of a predator, each step calm yet commanding. Seong Min, on the other hand, carried himself with studied indifference, his violet-tinged eyes scanning everything.
So it begins.
Meta-knowledge whispered in his head. He remembered the story—Daniel transferring here, Zack Lee picking a fight, Logan Lee lurking. But this wasn't the same timeline. His very existence had already changed the board.
Gun spoke without looking at him."Stay quiet. Watch. Don't cause trouble unless I tell you."
Seong Min smirked."Relax. I'm not here to steal your spotlight, brother."
Gun's gaze flicked toward him, unreadable behind his glasses. "Good."
The crowd parted as they entered the hallway. Whispers rippled instantly.
"Two of them? Are they brothers?""Who the hell are those guys? They don't look like transfer students.""They look dangerous…"
Seong Min let their assumptions run wild. Attention could be useful.
At the same time, Daniel Park was nervously finding his classroom. His heart pounded. New school, new chance. He glanced around hopefully—only to bump shoulders with Zack Lee, the boxing prodigy.
"Watch it, fatty," Zack sneered. His friends laughed, pulling out phones.
Daniel froze, dread clawing at his chest. This was the moment he remembered—his humiliation caught on video. The start of his nightmare.
Except…
"Stop."
A calm, commanding voice cut through the laughter. Everyone turned.
Seong Min stood there, hands in his pockets, gaze fixed on Zack. His Eye of Insight glimmered faintly, reading Zack's posture, his vanity, his insecurity hidden behind bravado.
"You like an audience, don't you? Makes you feel bigger than you are."
Zack's smirk faltered. "What did you say?"
Gun stepped forward slightly, glasses sliding down his nose. His aura alone silenced the crowd. "Don't waste time."
Seong Min chuckled. "I'm not. Just pointing out—if you fight him now, you'll look like a bully, not a boxer. No glory in that."
The hallway buzzed. Zack clenched his fists, then clicked his tongue and turned away. "Tch. Whatever."
The tension snapped. Students whispered louder than ever. Daniel blinked in shock.
Seong Min glanced at him briefly .So this is the protagonist of the story. Looks just as lost as I expected.
Classes passed in a blur. Seong Min spent the morning mapping out cliques and potential threats. His Eye picked up everything—who admired who, who feared who, who hid desperation beneath their smiles. The school wasn't just a building. It was a battlefield of egos, fists, and secrets.
Gun, as usual, said little. He didn't need to. His presence was enough to keep most people from approaching. But Seong Min noticed the way his brother's eyes sharpened whenever someone strong walked by.
Gun's testing them too. Figures.
During lunch, Daniel sat alone, tray untouched. Seong Min wandered over and dropped into the seat across from him.
"You're Daniel Park, right?"
Daniel blinked nervously. "Y-yeah. Do I… know you?"
"Not yet. But I know you." Seong Min leaned forward, voice low. "Word of advice: don't let Zack bait you. He wants a stage. Don't give him one."
Daniel stared, confused. "Why… are you telling me this?"
Seong Min smiled faintly. "Because sometimes the right move isn't throwing a punch. It's knowing when not to."
Before Daniel could reply, a hush fell over the cafeteria. Heads turned.
A girl had entered—long dark hair, posture elegant, uniform crisp as if tailored. Her expression was cool, detached, yet her presence drew every eye.
Whispers erupted.
"Who is she?""Isn't that… a Choi?""She looks rich as hell."
Seong Min's stomach tightened. He recognized her instantly.
Crystal Choi.
In the original timeline, she wasn't supposed to appear yet. Not this early.
She scanned the room once, her gaze brushing past Daniel, lingering briefly on Gun… and then locking onto Seong Min.
For the first time that day, Seong Min felt his pulse quicken.
Butterfly effect confirmed.
Gun's chair scraped as he stood, his eyes narrowing at the girl. The atmosphere thickened.
Daniel shrank under the weight of tension he couldn't understand. The rest of the cafeteria buzzed with nervous speculation.
Crystal walked forward calmly, her heels clicking against the floor. She stopped directly in front of the twins, expression unreadable.
"So it's true," she said softly, her voice carrying through the silence. "There are two of you."
The room erupted in whispers again. Seong Min forced his expression to remain casual, though his mind raced.
This was no longer canon. Crystal's early arrival meant Charles Choi had already set plans into motion. Plans involving both him and Gun.
And if Crystal was here, watching… then every step he took from now on was being measured.
He smirked, leaning back in his chair." Well. Guess introductions are in order."
Gun remained silent, eyes hidden behind his lenses. Crystal's gaze flicked between them, as if weighing something.
For Daniel, it was a confusing lunch break. For Seong Min, it was confirmation.
The board had shifted.
And the game had officially begun.
End of Chapter 1