Hyemin and Suyoung, their faces pale as ghosts, charged into the classroom like wild boars fleeing a forest fire. Mina followed behind, looking bewildered.
"Hey, you!"
"Me? W-What?"
"Shut up! Those guys took Sehwa just now, didn't they? Where'd they take him?"
Hyemin barked at a random classmate she didn't even know by name. The girl, visibly frightened, stammered a response.
"I-I don't know… I just heard they were going somewhere isolated…"
"Damn it!"
(Why the hell would they take him when all we told them was to corner him a bit?) Hyemin fumed. They needed to stop those clueless idiots right now. But when Suyoung frantically tried calling Minwoo, he didn't pick up. Hyemin, growing anxious, shouted again.
"Where's this 'isolated place'?! Tell me, damn it!"
"I'm sorry! I really don't know… I'm sorry!"
"Jung Hyemin, stop it. You already know where it is," Suyoung interjected, calming Hyemin as she berated the teary-eyed girl.
Hyemin took a deep breath to cool her head. If it was a place where no one goes, it had to be the storage shed where materials were kept the only place in this oversized school that fit the bill.
"What's wrong with you two? Did you cause trouble again?" Mina asked sternly, hands on her hips.
Hyemin almost snapped at her to shut up but stopped when a better idea hit her. Sehwa and Mina were close close enough to walk home together every day. If they brought Mina along, Sehwa might hold back, even if he was pissed. It was a desperate hope, but Hyemin forced a sleazy smile and turned to Mina.
"No, it's not like that. You know Minwoo's crew? They got into it with Sehwa. We're going to save him. Come with us."
Mina gave Hyemin a suspicious look, as if questioning her motives, but after a moment's thought, she nodded. Suyoung, picking up on Hyemin's plan, clenched her fists and stayed silent. The three of them hurriedly headed toward the storage shed, practically running. As they went, Hyemin and Suyoung whispered to each other out of Mina's earshot.
"Suyoung… what if he's really one of them?"
"Don't jump to conclusions yet. But if it's true, we're screwed. Ugh, I told you I had a bad feeling about this."
Hyemin trembled, refusing to believe it, but Suyoung tried to think as calmly as possible. There were too many unproven holes in Mina's story. Maybe the whole thing about Sia working with Sehwa was a lie. Even if it was true, Sehwa was just a high schooler would he really be entrusted with something big? Though Suyoung had been the first to suspect Sehwa was tied to that world, now that the crisis loomed, she desperately tried to deny it. If she didn't, she felt like she'd lose it and strangle Hyemin herself.
Biting their trembling lips until they nearly broke, Hyemin and Suyoung silently raced toward the shed.
---
___
I yawned out of boredom. How long was it going to take to get there? Their aggressive encirclement had been kind of thrilling at first, but now it was getting dull. As we walked in this formation, every student we passed shot us fearful glances. These guys were probably dragging this out to savor those looks. That might work for them now, but would they still enjoy it when their bones were broken?
I was about to urge the leader up ahead to hurry up when—
*Ring ring!*
"Minwoo, you got a call?"
"Ugh, I know who it is. Whatever, ignore it."
When Minwoo's phone rang, one of his lackeys asked, but he brushed it off. Something about his response felt off to me. *I know who it is*? That sounded suspicious, like there was more to this than a random fight.
"Why don't you answer it?" I said.
"Why should I? Don't get your hopes up," Minwoo scoffed, but the uneasy feeling grew stronger.
I hadn't had any issues with other students, yet today, out of nowhere, these guys picked a fight. And now Minwoo was dodging a call. If my hunch was right, someone put them up to this, and I wasn't going to let that slide. First, I'd deal with these idiots, then check Minwoo's phone for answers.
As we walked, we passed more students. Some ran off, maybe to get a teacher, but Minwoo's crew didn't flinch, their faces unchanging. These guys were real delinquents, huh?
---
After what felt like forever, we finally reached what looked like a storage shed. One of the lackeys fiddled with the entrance, and the heavy iron door creaked open, releasing a cloud of dust like fog from years of neglect.
"Get in," Minwoo said, shoving my shoulder from behind.
I didn't resist and stepped inside with them. The group closed the iron door behind me, as if to trap me. Someone flicked a switch, and with a buzzing sound, a light flickered on overhead.
"Nice atmosphere," I said, genuinely impressed by the grim vibe. A rusty drum in the middle would've made it perfect.
They must've thought I was bluffing, because they cackled like I was some cute little kid. Their laughter made my stomach churn, and I grimaced.
"Cut it out, guys. Hey, mutt," Minwoo said, silencing his crew before turning to me.
I smirked, amusement lacing my voice. "Mutt?"
"Yeah, you mutt bastard. Born from some white chick screwing your dad. That makes you a mutt, right? Am I wrong?"
Does he even know who he's talking to? My lips curled into a cold smile as he continued.
"You look just like your filthy dad. Why even bother with school? You'd make more money selling your body. Bet you'd be popular."
With that, the last shred of mercy I had withered away. I'd been debating how far to take this, but this guy was begging to get crushed. Before I went all out, I muttered to myself, curious about one thing.
"I don't get it. I haven't pissed anyone off, so why are bugs crawling all over me?"
I raised my eyes with genuine interest, but Minwoo, clearly annoyed that I wasn't breaking, clicked his tongue.
"Still acting tough? You brought this on yourself. Tch, if you'd just apologized earlier, I wouldn't have wanted to do this."
Minwoo stepped back behind his crew, clapping his hands. They scattered to the corners of the shed. As I wondered what these high schoolers were up to, I heard a clanging sound. I glanced over and saw them each picking up weapons rusted iron pipes, wooden clubs. I had no idea why crap like that was in a school, but it was unexpected. I figured even the worst male delinquents in this world would just pull hair and fight dirty, not this.
"Scared now? Wanna call a teacher?"
"We could cripple you and not even see juvie. We've got connections."
The lackeys, now closer, threw out threats one by one. Connections? Then why were these rich kids playing lackey to some guy named Minwoo or whatever? Instead of tensing up, I found myself more curious than nervous, my eyes narrowing with a slight smirk.
Minwoo, standing at the back with his arms crossed, lit a cigarette. Blowing out smoke, he muttered, "Let's get started. Ugh, I was hoping to buy a new bag, but this is such a hassle. Guys, shopping's for later."
His disappointed tone seemed to rile up his crew, their eyes glaring with anger. From Minwoo's earlier attitude, it felt like they'd only meant to pick a fight, not go this far. I hadn't given them a reason to target me, so someone must've put them up to it, promising something in return.
(And when I pushed back, they got pissed and escalated? Whoever sent them probably didn't want it to go this far.)
It might just be a wild guess, but it didn't matter. I'd get answers after I was done with them.
Five of them, minus Minwoo, dragged their long weapons across the floor, approaching me. They spread out like a fan, encircling me. As they slowly closed in, one of them suddenly charged, swinging an iron pipe at my head. I ducked easily it was so sloppy I wondered if he was even trying to hit me. Without missing a beat, I stepped left, grabbed his right arm, and twisted his thick wrist backward with force.
"What the—let go, you bastard!"
His panicked yelp turned into a scream like a little girl or maybe a crow as I snapped his wrist completely.
"Kyaaa!"
He dropped to his knees, letting go of the pipe and clutching his wrist pathetically, tears streaming down his face. His sobbing was so loud it grated on my nerves. Frowning, I grabbed his hair, yanked his head up, and slammed my knee into his face like chopping wood with an axe. Teeth scattered, blood sprayed from his nose, and it bent sideways. In an instant, his face looked monstrous. I tossed him aside and turned around.
Now, I saw the right emotion in their eyes—fear.
"You… that's too much! How could you do that to a guy's face?!"
One of them stammered, his voice trembling. I burst out laughing at the absurdity. Were these guys insane? They brought weapons, and now they're whining about *too much*?
Wiping away a tear from laughing, the guy who spoke backed away, turning to someone else.
"M-Minwoo, do we keep going? This wasn't part of the deal! We'd need to use the weapons for real!"
(So that's why their swings were so half-assed. They were just for show. Idiots… why bring weapons they can't even use?)
Minwoo, who'd been coolly smoking, muttered a curse as if he'd made up his mind.
"Just… do it. You know my mom's a prosecutor. I'll take care of it."
The remaining lackeys wiped their sweaty hands and gripped their weapons tightly. With a yell that sounded like a battle cry, they charged. I dodged the first guy's swing, and as he stumbled, I landed an uppercut on his exposed jaw. He collapsed, unconscious, but I grabbed him before he hit the ground, using him as a shield. Just then, a wooden club meant for me smashed into his shoulder instead, followed by the sound of something breaking.
(Morons. They don't even know how to use long weapons, and this is what happens.)
I twisted the arm of my human shield, snapping it, and threw him to the ground. I'd decided to make sure each of them was out of commission. The others flinched, staring at their fallen comrade. They must've realized swinging wildly could end up like that.
Taking advantage of the pause, I rushed the guy holding a broken club, grabbed his throat, and threw him down. His shocked face met my foot as I stomped it into the ground, crushing it. He let out a zombie-like groan. I kicked him aside and scanned the room.
One guy lay bleeding, his face caved in. Another's arm was grotesquely twisted. A third was trembling in the corner. In less than three minutes, I'd created a scene of carnage. The remaining lackeys, terrified, let their weapons clatter to the ground, tears streaming down their faces.
"Minwoo, I can't do this! I'm done!"
"I'm sorry… let's talk this out. Please, I'm really sorry!"
They'd lost all will to fight. I approached them, a twisted smile on my lips.
"After all this, now what?"
As I walked slowly, they froze like mice before a snake. My eyes gleamed as I pondered how to deal with them. Then I spotted Minwoo, frantically trying to open the door.
(You don't get to escape.)
I couldn't let the leader slip away. Leaving his lackeys behind? Pathetic. I glanced at the ones kneeling and begging, then sprinted forward, grabbing Minwoo's hair as he tried to slip through the door.
"We're not done talking."
"Let go! Let go! Argh, it hurts! You're ripping my hair out!"
Sunlight streamed through the slightly open door. I tightened my grip, yanking him back and slamming him to the ground. Before starting his "education," I said quietly,
"Stay right there."
The words were for the lackeys trying to sneak out. I heard them gasp, as if wondering how I noticed without looking. It was obvious from their movements. With a single sentence, I stopped them in their tracks. Straddling Minwoo, I raised my fist.
At that moment, his hand slipped into his pocket, and a sharp object shot toward me. I opened my raised fist, catching it like lightning. Blood poured from my palm.
"If you had something like this, you should've used it sooner. Your buddies are already half-dead."
This was his last act of defiance? I grinned, tightening my grip. Minwoo's terrified eyes went dull as he let go of the knife. I easily disarmed him and tossed it aside. Compared to the time I broke a mirror, the blood covering my hand was nothing. I clenched my blood-soaked fist and raised it again, silently.
The door creaked open wide, and someone burst in.
"Sehwa… you're here—holy shit!"
I looked at the familiar faces and replied expressionlessly,
"You're here. Wait a sec. I've got some business to finish."
With that, I lowered my gaze. Minwoo's pleading eyes met mine, and I gave him a faint smile, shaking my head. Tightening my fist with a crack, I brought it down.
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Translated by Reversalmanhwa.web.id
/ Reversalnovel.web.id