As if trapped in a moment where time stood still, we stared at each other without moving an inch. Our gazes tangled, and Mina's flushed face seemed to urge me to respond, so I finally opened my mouth.
"…You want me to teach you martial arts?"
A hint of disbelief leaked into my voice, and Mina nodded.
Why all of a sudden?
There's a limit to randomness, and this crossed it. With my arms crossed, I tried to piece together Mina's intentions in my head. Could it be that my harsh words, almost like a declaration of cutting ties, had thrown her off mentally? Maybe her talk about protecting me was an impulsive extension of that.
(Was she that desperate not to lose our connection…?)
I widened my eyes slightly, scanning Mina as if to imprint her image into my mind. The height difference between us was as stark as her small head. Her pale, delicate arms and legs, unmarred by scars, seemed worlds apart from the idea of protecting someone. Sure, her height of about 170 cm meant she didn't look too frail for a girl, but still. To me, she was just a girl who triggered my protective instincts.
The thought of a girl like her protecting me felt oddly strange. That aside, I had no clue why she was acting this way, which was frustrating. Since I couldn't unravel the situation alone, I looked down at her, and she spoke in a subdued voice.
"If you're still upset about what I did earlier…"
"It's not about that. Just tell me why you want to protect me and why you want to learn martial arts from me. All of it."
"…"
Even after my question lingered, Mina's face only grew redder without a response. When I gave her a strange look, she took a deep breath and spoke.
"So… Sehwa, you haven't been in Korea long since leaving your past behind, right?"
"…You're talking about me immigrating from Russia, aren't you?"
Her odd choice of words made me squint, and Mina quickly continued.
"Ah… yeah. Sorry. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Anyway, can I go on?"
If it was about that, I didn't care if she talked about it, so I nodded without pressing further.
"I get how you think. But Sehwa, do you have anyone in Korea you know? Or anyone you can rely on?"
"No."
At my firm reply, Mina's eyes turned sad as she continued.
"Right… Those kids you, uh… didn't threaten, but got mad at and choked… Hyemin and Suyoung. Their families aren't exactly pushovers. Imagine if kids like that keep picking fights with you every day. Are you going to handle it the same way every time?"
"You're saying kids from such powerful families are asking if I can handle them?"
"…Yeah."
I understood what Mina was getting at, but I tilted my head, unsure why she was bringing this up.
"And how does that connect to you wanting to protect me?"
"…If I learn martial arts from you and stick by your side, I can fend off those kids. Since you're a guy, some people might see you as an easy target. That's why."
Mina stumbled over her words as she explained. To sum it up: she's tall for a girl, which could be intimidating. Before anyone tries to mess with me and gets beaten up, she'd take on the role of a "martial artist girl" to scare off the flies with just her presence, without fighting. I could understand that much, but I didn't get why she was volunteering for such trouble.
We hadn't known each other long, and we weren't that close?
The moment I repeated that thought, my heart sank. Could it be? I widened my eyes and studied Mina's face closely. Her cheeks were flushed, but it didn't seem like embarrassment. She wasn't meeting my gaze either, which made me think… it had to be that. But it could also be a ridiculous misunderstanding, so I couldn't just blurt out,
"Do you like me?" It didn't make sense. There was no reason for her to like me.
Or maybe it was something else. Pity, sympathy those kinds of emotions.
Maybe it was from that time I drank soju like the world was ending, or seeing a "guy" living alone without parents, recklessly handling himself. Or maybe she mistook me for a soft person because of the kindness I'd shown. It's kind of funny. I'm not that kind of person. Still, that seemed more plausible. Would someone who barely knows me learn to fight and protect me just because they like me? No way.
Anyway, being treated like a princess was something I'd refuse, and my years of living as a man wouldn't allow it. So, in a low tone, I said,
"I'll pass. Thanks for the sentiment, but I don't want that kind of help. And I noticed you're good at studying. Don't waste your time learning something unnecessary."
"…Then promise me you'll hold back from now on. If not, I'll keep pestering you."
With that, her red lips sealed shut. No matter how many times I asked why she was doing this, she just stared at me with resolute eyes. Sighing, I said,
"To get any decent skill, it'll take years. That means you won't be able to focus on your studies."
So—
"Go home and think it over. Make sure it's not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Talk it over with your mom… about learning martial arts from me."
I chose my words carefully, hoping to shake her resolve. I'd seen something online recently people going to the gym and getting roped into personal training by overbearing trainers, making them want to escape. It was funny enough to stick in my memory. Deciding to try it, I spoke to Mina with a serious expression.
"Once you start with me, there's no backing out. Even if you say it's too hard and want to quit, I'll keep pushing you. If you try to run, I'll drag you back."
At my words, Mina hung her head. Thinking my threat might've worked, I gently lifted her chin, only to see her face red as a beet. It didn't look like my words had the intended effect, so I brushed my hair back in resignation.
"Fine… my mistake for expecting it to work. If you get it, let's walk. It's hot, and I'm sweating."
As I turned to leave, my phone vibrated. Checking the caller ID, it was my homeroom teacher. I didn't answer, quietly turning off the vibration and slipping it back into my pocket. If you asked if I was worried about the situation I'd caused, I'd be lying if I said no, but I had my own plans.
First, they came at me as a group with weapons. I got hurt too my palms were torn open so it was self-defense, in a way. Plus, the veiled threats I'd given them seemed to have worked, so things might resolve better than expected. Maybe I'd just acted scary for a moment. Either way, I was both a perpetrator and a victim. Now, I just needed to go home, wait for their calls, and plan my next steps.
"Maybe they'll call around evening. I'm curious how far they'll go."
I didn't think they could completely shield me from their attacks. They came from influential families, so if they did even a little, I'd be grateful. I had no regrets about what I'd done. At worst, they could suspend me or press charges.
"But if I end up taking the fall…"
The thought brought a wave of frustration, and a sharp glint flickered in my eyes. My mind felt clouded, like it was filled with fog. As a strange, constricting feeling tightened around me, I twitched my index finger and kept walking.
---
___
Leaning against a glass wall, a woman with graying hair sat at an elegant desk, flipping through documents. Hyemin stood respectfully with her hands clasped, her face sour, waiting for her mother to speak. After standing for so long that her legs ached, her mother removed her glasses slightly and asked,
"So, you went crazy over a guy, caused this mess, and now those boys are hospitalized, is that it, Jung Hyemin?"
"Yes… I'm sorry…"
"Honestly, it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. A single guy did all that, and he's supposedly a mafia member?"
Her mother stood from the chair, searching for something as she continued.
"If you made up that story to cover your tracks, it's a clever choice. I knew a reckless girl like you would cause trouble someday. And what, mafia?"
Now holding a golf club, her mother approached Hyemin, laughing incredulously.
"M-Mother! Please calm down! It's true, I swear!"
"Get down."
"It's true… please believe me. I could die… no, we could be in danger!"
"Fine, standing's good too. Let's settle this today."
As her mother raised the golf club high, its swing poised to shatter Hyemin's shoulder, Hyemin trembled and shouted just before it struck.
*Whoosh—*
"Sia!!"
The golf club stopped just before hitting her.
"Sia he worked with Sia. And he really looked like mafia. I'm not lying, please, just listen once…"
Seeing the shock in her mother's eyes, Hyemin hurriedly spilled everything.
His cruelty, his matching strength, the tattoos covering his body enough to raise suspicion and the fact that he worked with Sia. Unless he had serious backing, that was impossible, and he'd said he'd kill anyone who looked into his background. She recounted every detail, including the conditions Sehwa had given her, and her mother's face began to twist.
"…What a piece of work. Half-killing people, instilling fear, then threatening them kids wouldn't stand a chance. Then choking Suyoung and showing his palm while laying out conditions?"
"Yes… it's all true. I even showed you the bloodstained clothes…"
"Threats, coercion. Flawless execution, straight out of the mafia playbook. Must've learned well from his boss. Or maybe a godmother?"
Her mother laughed heartily, setting the golf club down or so it seemed before swinging it at Hyemin. As Hyemin collapsed with a scream, her mother, panting, continued.
"He showed two fingers, so two billion for both of them. At that age, working with Sia means he's high up in his organization. You think he'd let you off with just two billion?"
"Ugh… then twenty billion?"
"Shut up for now. What else did he say?"
"He said to stop any lawsuits against him."
Her mother sighed deeply, picked up the phone, and started making calls.
"Yes, Inkyu's mother. It's me."
"I'm sorry it came to this. Let's just make it go away… smoothly."
Thanks to her mother's influence, quashing the incident seemed to go smoothly. After the fifth call to parents, only one remained. Hyemin sighed in relief, closing her eyes, but a loud voice made her snap them open.
"Minwoo's mother! I've told you repeatedly!"
"Mafia? Don't give me that nonsense! Do you know what condition my son is in? I'm a prosecutor in Korea! I'll make sure he pays, so you'd better know that! I'm hanging up."
*Beep—beep—*
"…Some powerless woman acting tough."
Her mother slammed the receiver down, fuming, then returned with a cold expression. Hyemin sensed things hadn't gone well.
"M-Mother, what do we do? He said to stop all the lawsuits…"
"It's fine. We've done more than enough. You think a guy like that really expects us to handle everything? He's just testing our attitude. That last prosecutor woman he'll deal with her himself."
"…So, if we send the money, it's over?"
"Not yet. First, let him know we've done this much, then see how he handles the attacks coming his way. If he's as big as you say, he'll manage. If he's a nobody, he'll end up in juvie."
With that, her mother slumped into her chair, then looked at Hyemin with a glint in her eyes.
"Call him, tell him this is where things stand, and don't upset him. Casually ask where his 'guardian' is. And mention Sia's name."
_________________________________________
Translated by Reversalmanhwa.web.id
/ Reversalnovel.web.id