That morning, the atmosphere at Haneul High School felt heavy and gloomy. The school's walls, already worn and covered in graffiti, had become a daily sight at this place. Kang Joon-woo walked with steady steps, making his way through the corridors filled with students who preferred to gather in the corners, avoiding the gaze of teachers who were too lazy to supervise.
It didn't take long for Joon-woo to realize that this school was different from Cheongwon High School. Here, the rules were determined by whoever was the bravest and strongest. He could feel the sharp stares from some of the students who were watching him, but he didn't care. He was already used to being the center of attention, although not for good reasons.
"Hey, new kid!" a loud voice called out from behind him. Joon-woo turned around and saw a tall young man with a sinister smile approaching him. Behind him were two other students who looked equally intimidating. The young man was wearing a black leather jacket with a gang logo embroidered on the back.
Joon-woo simply stared at them without expression, not intending to get involved in unnecessary trouble. However, the young man showed no intention of backing off. He approached until he was just a few inches away from Joon-woo, looking him up and down.
"My name is Oh Tae-sik," the young man said, his voice low and threatening. "And in this school, everyone knows who I am. You, on the other hand, are just a new kid who doesn't know anything. So, you'd better learn to bow your head before I teach you the hard way."
Joon-woo raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the direct threat. "I'm not looking for trouble," he replied briefly.
"Good," Tae-sik grinned, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "But remember this, new kid: here, I'm the one in control. So if you want to stay intact, don't even think about resisting."
Joon-woo stared at Tae-sik with a blank expression, then turned around and walked away without saying another word. For Joon-woo, Tae-sik's threat was just empty talk. In a place like this, physical strength was everything, and Joon-woo knew he was not lacking in that department.
However, Joon-woo's steps were halted when one of Tae-sik's underlings, a burly student, grabbed his shoulder roughly. "Hey, don't even think about walking away before we're done talking!"
Joon-woo turned back, this time with anger beginning to burn in his eyes. He grabbed the student's hand and twisted it sharply, making the student cry out in pain.
"Don't touch me," Joon-woo said in a low but threatening tone. He released his grip roughly, causing the student to stumble backward.
Tae-sik looked surprised, but he quickly controlled his expression. "Do you think you can take me on, new kid?" he asked with a sneer, though there was a hint of caution in his voice.
Before Tae-sik could do anything else, the school bell rang, breaking the tension. The students who had been gathering quickly made their way to their classes, leaving Joon-woo and Tae-sik glaring at each other with hatred.
"You're lucky this time," Tae-sik hissed, pulling his underling away. "But we're not done, Joon-woo. I'll make sure you learn to bow down."
Joon-woo simply nodded, showing no fear. "I'll be waiting," he replied coldly before walking away.
During class, Joon-woo sat at the back, trying to ignore the curious stares from some of the other students. He didn't care what they thought of him. Here, in this new school, he had no reputation to uphold or image to protect. For him, this was just another place where he had to survive.
However, his mind was disturbed by the morning's events. He knew that Tae-sik was not the type to let things go easily. There was something in the way he spoke, the way he looked, that told Joon-woo this was just the beginning of a bigger problem.
His thoughts were interrupted when a girl entered the classroom and caught Joon-woo's attention. The girl seemed different from the others her long hair neatly draped over her shoulders, her face calm yet full of determination. It was the same girl who had stopped Tae-min that morning. She walked straight to Joon-woo's desk and, without hesitation, sat in the seat next to him.
"You must be Kang Joon-woo," she said, her voice low and confident.
Joon-woo stared at her for a moment before nodding. "And you are?"
"My name is Han So-yeon," the girl replied with a gaze as cold as his. "I've heard a lot about you. The rich kid who got expelled from an elite school for beating up seven people until they ended up in the hospital."
Joon-woo chuckled softly. "You've done your research well."
So-yeon crossed her arms in front of her chest, studying Joon-woo carefully. "I just wanted to know if you're as dangerous as they say."
"I'm not looking for trouble," Joon-woo replied shortly. "But I won't stay silent if someone messes with me."
So-yeon nodded as if she had expected that answer. "Good, because in this school, people like Tae-sik will try to take advantage of you. They think that because you're new, you're easy to control."
"I'm not easy to control," Joon-woo said, staring at So-yeon intensely. "And I don't care who tries."
So-yeon smiled faintly, seemingly satisfied with Joon-woo's answer. "We'll see," she said before standing up and returning to her seat at the front of the class. Joon-woo watched her for a moment, sensing something different about this girl. She wasn't like the other students at this school. So-yeon seemed calm and in control, unlike the chaos around her.
Time passed slowly in class. When the bell finally rang to signal the end of the lesson, Joon-woo felt relieved to leave the room filled with curious stares and whispers behind his back. But outside, another problem was already waiting for him.
Right outside the school gate, Tae-sik and his gang were waiting. This time, there were more of them. About five or six other students stood with them, all of them looking ready for a fight.
Joon-woo stared at them blankly, not surprised that Tae-sik would act so quickly. He walked towards them, showing no fear.
"I told you, we're not done," Tae-sik said with a sneer. "You might be strong, but let's see how well you fight against all of us."
"So, this is your plan?" Joon-woo responded, his voice low and full of challenge. "Gathering people to gang up on me?"
Tae-sik chuckled. "In this school, we play by our own rules. There are no rules. If you want to survive, you have to know how to play."
Joon-woo nodded as if considering Tae-sik's words. "Alright, then," he said finally. "Let's start."
Tae-sik looked surprised for a moment before signaling his gang to attack. Immediately, five students rushed towards Joon-woo, each of them intent on taking him down.
But Joon-woo was ready. He dodged the first punch easily, grabbing one student's arm and pulling him forward, causing him to lose balance and fall to the ground. Without hesitation, Joon-woo kicked the student hard in the stomach, leaving him sprawled out. Then, quickly, Joon-woo turned and swung his fist at the jaw of another student who approached from behind, knocking him to the ground with a groan of pain.
Tae-sik watched from the side, his smile fading with every blow that Joon-woo delivered to his gang. He hadn't expected Joon-woo to hold his ground so well, let alone against five people at once. One by one, Tae-sik's gang members fell under the brutal assault of Joon-woo, who seemed to grow stronger with every fight.
One of Tae-sik's men tried to attack Joon-woo from the side with a punch aimed at his stomach, but Joon-woo dodged nimbly. He grabbed the student's arm and twisted it behind his back, eliciting a sharp cry of pain. In one swift motion, Joon-woo kicked the student's knee, causing him to fall to the ground on his knees before striking his back with his elbow.
The last remaining student standing attempted to attack from the front, but Joon-woo evaded the strike with a quick sidestep. Without wasting any time, he grabbed the student's collar and pulled him toward the cold, rough school wall. With one hard motion, Joon-woo slammed the student's head into the wall, creating a resounding thud that echoed through the air. The student collapsed immediately, unconscious.
Now, only Tae-sik remained standing, watching as his men lay on the ground, groaning in pain or unconscious. Joon-woo stood amidst the chaos, his breath heavy, but his eyes sharp and full of determination. Fresh blood dripped from his fist, though it wasn't his own.
Tae-sik tried to maintain his composure, but it was clear he was starting to waver. However, he wasn't the type to back down from a fight, especially with pride on the line. With a face filled with rage and wounded pride, Tae-sik advanced.
"Do you think you can just beat me like that?" Tae-sik shouted as he attacked Joon-woo with a hard punch aimed at his face.
Joon-woo easily dodged the punch, and before Tae-sik could strike again, Joon-woo retaliated with a quick blow to Tae-sik's stomach, causing him to double over in pain. Without giving him a chance to recover, Joon-woo drove his knee into Tae-sik's face, making blood flow from his nose.
Tae-sik staggered back a few steps, reeling, but still trying to keep his balance. Anger and shame mixed in his gaze, but his body was clearly weakened by Joon-woo's brutal attacks.
"Enough," Joon-woo said in a low, firm voice. "Don't force yourself to end up worse than this."
Tae-sik did not respond, only glaring at Joon-woo with hatred. With trembling hands, he tried to attack once more, this time with a punch aimed at Joon-woo's jaw. But his movements were too slow, too weak. Joon-woo easily avoided the punch and countered with a solid hit to Tae-sik's chin, causing him to fall to the ground with a thud.
Tae-sik lay on the ground, feeling the sharp pain throughout his body. His vision was blurred by blood flowing from the wound on his forehead, and his consciousness began to fade. But before he lost consciousness, he heard Joon-woo's voice, sounding like thunder in his ears.
"Don't ever try to bother me again," Joon-woo warned, his voice cold and unfeeling.
After ensuring Tae-sik was truly incapacitated, Joon-woo stood upright and surveyed his surroundings. The other students who had been watching from a distance looked shocked and frightened by the scene. None dared to approach, let alone try to stop the fight. They all knew now that Joon-woo was not someone to be underestimated.
With one last glance at Tae-sik's body lying on the ground, Joon-woo turned and walked away from the school gate. His steps were firm, though his body still felt tense after the fight. He knew this was just the beginning, and that bigger problems might still lie ahead.
Yet, inside, Joon-woo felt calm. He had faced his first challenge at this school and emerged victorious. Now, he just needed to endure, adapt to his new environment, and stay alert. He would not let anyone dominate or force him to submit.
As he walked away from the school, the sound of approaching footsteps reached him. Joon-woo didn't need to look back to know who was coming. Han So-yeon walked beside him, her steps calm and measured.
"You've made quite a few enemies today," So-yeon said bluntly, her voice flat but attentive.
Joon-woo nodded, still staring straight ahead. "Enemies are always there. It's part of life."
"At this school, enemies can be more dangerous than you might think," So-yeon continued. "Tae-sik is just the beginning. There are others who are stronger and won't hesitate to crush you if they feel threatened."
"I'm not afraid of anyone," Joon-woo replied briefly, his voice full of determination.
So-yeon looked at him from the side, noting Joon-woo's calm expression despite just having been in a brutal fight. "You are different, Joon-woo," she said finally. "But remember, this school is not just about physical strength. It's also about power dynamics. You need to be careful."
"I'll be careful," Joon-woo replied, though in his heart he knew that being careful wasn't his way. He preferred to face problems head-on, eliminating threats before they could destroy him.
So-yeon gave a slight smile, as if reading Joon-woo's thoughts. "Let's see how you fare here," she said, before turning and walking away, leaving Joon-woo standing in place.
Joon-woo watched So-yeon's retreating figure, feeling a certain pull towards the girl. He didn't know why, but he sensed that So-yeon had an important role in his new life at Haneul High School. And somehow, he knew that his journey at this school had only just begun.