Whistling could be heard, and the scene unfolded with numerous people lying unconscious on the ground.
In front of them all stood a person counting money. Kneeling before him was another person, his face bruised and swollen.
"Phew, not bad." The voice came from the person standing, Goo, standing tall at 184 cm with blond hair, glasses, a black jacket with gold lines, a black sweater underneath, and black pants.
"Is this all?" Goo asked with a smile, looking at the kneeling figure.
"Y-yes." the person replied nervously.
"Well, thanks for your cooperation. You guys are lifesavers." Goo smiled, turning around to leave. "See ya."
'This guy's a monster.' Thought the kneeling person, watching Goo walk away. He had been with his group when this guy suddenly appeared out of nowhere, demanding money. At first, we laughed, ready to teach him a lesson. But he beat us up completely. I saw it, he had his hands in his pockets, and everyone who got close was knocked out instantly. I couldn't even see how he attacked, as if his moves were invisible.
"That was profitable." Goo muttered as he exited the alley. "I didn't expect these guys to have so much money." He had come to rough up some wannabe gang, but the cash he got from this one was more than any gang he'd hit before. That made him happy.
"Hm." Goo reached into his pocket as his phone started ringing. "Who's this?" The number was unfamiliar, but he answered anyway.
"Yo, this is Goo Kim." he said.
"Oh, Dowan?" Goo smiled as he heard the voice of the caller, realizing he'd forgotten that he gave his number to Dowan.
"How are you doing?" he asked while walking through the crowded street.
"Yeah, I know that place."
"Want me to come over?"
"No problem, after all, it wouldn't be a party without me. I'll be there in a minute."
Goo hung up. Dowan had asked him to come to a karaoke place to join him and some others. Who was he to refuse?
After a minute.
"Well, this seems to be the place."
Goo stood in front of the door with the number Dowan had told him about.
"It's showtime." With a big grin, Goo kicked the door open.
Previously.
'I definitely shouldn't be here.' Dowan thought nervously as he sat in the karaoke room. Earlier at school, Jaemin Shin, one of Chulwoo's friends had started talking to him.
Dowan thought Jaemin was going to take revenge, but surprisingly, he invited him for a drink, along with some girls from an all girls school. Dowan had almost made an excuse about having to attend his grandpa's memorial service, but the sight of one of the girls made him change his mind. He was stun-locked by her beauty, so he decided to go. Which was a stupid choice.
'I wish I knew someone here.' Dowan thought nervously. Maybe he wouldn't be this anxious if there was a familiar face around. 'But I don't have any frie-' Suddenly, a voice flashed in his mind.
"If you're in trouble or something else…"
'Yes, Goo!' Dowan quickly pulled out the card Goo had given him. 'I'm so lucky!' He had kept the card, and it seemed like it was for this moment.
"Uh, Jaemin?" Dowan called out.
"Hm?" Jaemin looked at him. "What is it?"
"Uh, can I invite a friend?"
"A friend?" Jaemin frowned but quickly smiled. "Yeah, sure. The more, the merrier."
With that, Dowan rushed outside and called Goo.
'Please answer.' Dowan worried. What if Goo didn't pick up? Or what if he picked up and was busy? He just hoped for the best.
Suddenly, a voice came through the phone.
"Yo, this is Goo Kim."
Dowan didn't know why, but hearing that voice made his tense body relax.
"It's me, Dowan, remember? The one you gave your card to?"
"I'm fine, but I need you to come with me. Do you know the karaoke place next to the school?"
"Want me to come over?" Dowan felt even more relieved when Goo asked that.
"Yes, come over. There are people here with me."
"No problem. After all, it wouldn't be a party without me. I'll be there in a minute." Goo hung up, and Dowan breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing that Goo was coming made him feel a little more confident.
He went back inside and saw a new person sitting next to Jaemin.
"Oh, Dowan, you're back. Is your friend coming?" Jaemin asked.
"Y-yeah, he said he'll be here in a minute." Dowan replied, sitting next to the new guy. As he looked at him, he realized he recognized the face. 'He's the kid I bumped into at school.'
"Dowan, this is Jihan. The wallet." Jaemin smirked playfully as he introduced Jihan.
'Wallet?' Dowan thought. 'So this is the guy who's paying for everything?'
'Damn it, this is clearly bullying.' Dowan thought, placing his hands on his head and screaming internally. 'Why am I involved with a bully again?'
"What's with that loser?" One of the girls with short brown hair and black eyes sighed as she looked at Dowan freaking out.
"Hey, Jaemin!" another girl with long black hair shouted. "Come on, you should sing too."
"Hahaha, sing? Nah, I'll just dri-" Jaemin started, but his words were cut off.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Goo Kim has arrived!"
The door was kicked open, and a voice startled everyone. All eyes turned toward the source of the sound.
In walked a tall, blond young man wearing glasses, a black jacket, a sweater underneath, and black pants. Before anyone could react, Goo continued.
"Yo, Dowan, not too late, am I?" Goo made his way over to Dowan and sat next to him, leaning back casually.
"Whoa, is that spiced up chips? Don't mind if I do." Goo's eyes caught his favorite snack, and he grabbed a handful, munching away.
"Uh, Dowan, is this your friend?" Jaemin asked, clearly surprised at the dramatic entrance.
"U-uh, yeah." Dowan replied, scratching the back of his neck. Even he didn't expect that from Goo. 'I wish I could be like that.' Dowan knew that no matter how much time passed, he could never pull off an entrance like that. He wished he had at least 1% of Goo's confidence.
"Yo, Dowan, are these your friends?" Goo asked, tilting his head down and looking at Jihan and Jaemin.
"Y-yeah." Dowan forced a smile and nodded hesitantly. He couldn't exactly say no and ruin the mood.
"But..." Goo said as the atmosphere shifted. His playful demeanor vanished, and his face became expressionless as he stared at Jaemin. "That guy doesn't seem like a friend."
"Uh..." Dowan was at a loss for words. He hadn't expected this sudden change in Goo's attitude. The once playful character had been replaced by something unfamiliar and unsettling.
"Oi, what's your name?" Goo asked, locking eyes with Jaemin.
"J-Jaemin." Jaemin stammered, suddenly tense. He couldn't explain why, but something about Goo's stare gave him a very bad feeling, as if not answering would lead to something terrible.
"Jaemin, huh!" Goo said, his face still blank, his eyes disinterested. "Do you want me to kill you?"
A heavy silence fell over the room. Dowan, Jihan, and the girls were all frozen. The temperature seemed to drop, and a suffocating weight pressed down on everyone. They couldn't tell if it was Goo's words or his presence, but they all felt it.
"W-what?" Jaemin's voice trembled as cold sweat dripped down his forehead, soaking his back. He felt a chill run through him as Goo's gaze peered into him. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, overwhelmed by a feeling that was foreign to him. Fear. Pure, unshakable fear. The way Goo said those words, combined with his stare, made Jaemin tremble.
"Pffft, hahahahah!" Suddenly, Goo burst into laughter, shattering the tense atmosphere.
"Man, you really thought I meant it? I was just messing with you." Goo continued laughing, holding his stomach. "You guys should've seen the look on your faces!"
'He was joking?' Everyone in the room shared the same thought, but the intense vibe Goo had given off moments ago didn't feel like a joke at all.
"Hooo." Goo wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling as he caught his breath. "I should really be an actor, don't you think, Dowan?"
"Uh, yeah..." Dowan responded, but the image of Goo's cold expression lingered in his mind. It all felt a little too real. 'He's got to be an acting genius.' he thought.
"But Dowan." Goo said as he wrapped an arm around Dowan's neck, "You're kinda disappointing me."
"Huh?" Dowan's eyes widened. What did Goo mean by that?
"Look ahead and tell me what you see." Goo said.
"Uh..." Dowan looked in front of him. "Three girls?"
"Exactly." Goo said. "Three girls, and here you are, just sitting, doing nothing." He tilted his head to look Dowan in the eye. "Do you want to leave here as a failure?"
'Failure?' The word hit Dowan hard. His whole life had been a cycle of gaming, eating, sleeping, and repeating. He couldn't recall a single moment where he felt like anything but a failure. 'I won't let that happen again.' he resolved.
"No!" Dowan said with determination. "I won't be a failure!"
"That's the spirit." Goo smiled, clearly satisfied with Dowan's reaction. "Then go over there and make one of them your girlfriend."
"Huh?" Dowan froze. 'Make one of them my girlfriend?' He glanced at the three girls sitting in front of him. 'No, I can't.' His confidence immediately deflated as he started sweating. He had never even talked to a girl properly, let alone tried to make one his girlfriend. It seemed impossible.
"Hmm, shy, huh?" Goo said, noticing Dowan's change in demeanor, which only made Dowan feel smaller. "But don't worry, you've got me here. Just watch and learn from the best."
Goo stood up, leaving Dowan behind in surprise, and confidently made his way over to the girls. He sat down next to the one with short brown hair and black eyes named Si-Yeon.
"Yo, cutie, I just saw you and was mesmerized by your beauty." Goo said with a grin, slipping his arm around the girl's shoulder. She responded with a cold glare. "By the way, nice tits."
Silence. Dead silence.
Everyone was shocked by what they had just heard.
'What did Goo just say?' Dowan's jaw dropped. Were his ears playing tricks on him, or did Goo actually say that? 'Oh my god, is this what he means by watch and learn?' He had thought Goo was smooth with girls, given his looks and confidence, but those words completely changed that impression. 'I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that's not how you do it, Goo...'
'This guy's completely nuts.' Jihan thought, his expression one of pure disbelief. First, there was Goo's intense act, and now this. 'This guy doesn't fear social anxiety, social anxiety fears him.'
'What is this idiot doing?' Jaemin thought, stunned but still too afraid to speak up after Goo's earlier threat. He refused to believe that was just acting. The dread he felt was too real. 'This guy's going to ruin everything.' Jaemin could only hope his friend to arrive soon.
"So, what do you think, cutie? Wanna be my girlf-" Goo stopped mid-sentence as the girl looked at him with a cold piercing, disgusted wide glare. "Whoa, calm down a bit." Goo stood up, backing away from her. "Yikes, even the sun's not safe from that icy glare."
"Sheesh." Goo sighed, walking back to his seat next to Dowan. "Girls these days can't take a simple compliment."
Dowan sat there, speechless.
"But Goo, uh... isn't that kind of compliment, like, you know..." Dowan hesitated to finish his sentence.
"Inappropriate?" Goo asked, and Dowan nodded.
"Nah." Goo shrugged. "See, that's the problem, Dowan. You don't understand girls at all." He gave Dowan a knowing smile. "Right now, that compliment might seem inappropriate, but when she gets home, she'll be thinking about it happily. That's how girls work. They might not show it in public, but privately, they'll appreciate it."
'Eek.' Dowan glanced at the girl, who glared at him with the same cold look she gave Goo. He froze. 'I don't think she'll be happy about it, Goo.' he thought, quickly looking away.
"You're worrying too much." Goo said casually as he stuffed his mouth with chips. "Just go with the flow."
"Ah, there was a little trouble on the way here, so I got delayed while taking care of it."
Suddenly, the door to the room opened, and a large, muscular fat guy walked in. He was wearing a school uniform, but his face, fists, and white shirt were stained with blood. His arms were tattooed.
"Haha, you're here!" Jaemin announced, clearly relieved. "Guys, this is my friend, Machoon Yook. I told you about him earlier, his brother works here."
'That guy's a high school student?' Dowan thought, suddenly nervous as he looked at Machoon. 'He looks like a ten year veteran gangster. And that blood... just what did he take care of on the way here?'
Manchoon stared at Dowan, his eyes piercing. "But is he the one?" He asked, making Dowan panic.
"What?" Jaemin asked.
"That Chulwoo Min got beaten by this guy?" Manchoon said, gesturing at Dowan as he sat beside Si-Yeon.
"Yeah, it's true." Jaemin responded, his voice relaxed. 'Since Manchoon's here, I don't have to worry about that yellow haired bastard.'
"Manchoon, you look like a damn murderer." Jaemin said clearly referring to the blood covering him.
"Did you kill someone?" one of the girls with long black hair asked.
"I smashed a few heads on the way here. Guess some blood splattered on my face." Manchoon replied with a smirk.
"Pfft, Dowan, you hear this pig?"
A loud chuckle interrupted the tension. It was Goo, casually munching on his chips.
"He's acting tough, thinking it'll get him girls." Goo said, grinning. Dowan froze, recognizing the voice. Goo continued. "Someone clearly hasn't looked in the mirror twice." he laughed.
"What did you just say?" Manchoon growled as his face darkened, veins bulging.
The room stilled as Manchoon rose and started walking towards Goo.
'This idiot's done for.' Jaemin thought. 'The yellow haired bastard's gonna get killed if Manchoon snaps. He's ruthless when he's angry.'
"You heard me, piggy." Goo replied with a wide smile as he stood to face Manchoon. "But what are you gonna do about it?"
"I'll kill you!" Manchoon roared, eyes bloodshot, charging at Goo. But he suddenly stopped as Goo raised his hand.
"Before you start, why don't you look behind you?" Goo suggested, causing Manchoon to glance back.
"Hahaha, you idiot." Goo laughed and smashed a glass bottle over Manchoon's head. "That's gotta give you a concu-"
Goo paused. "Well, maybe not." he muttered as he noticed Manchoon turning back to him, his expression even more enraged.
"Wait, there seems to be a misunder-" Goo started, but a punch from Manchoon landed squarely on his face, sending him crashing to the ground. The floor cracked beneath Goo's head as Manchoon followed with a stomp on his face, a devastating sound echoing through the room.
'Is Goo dead?' Dowan thought, trembling. He had just witnessed his friend get demolished.
Jihan, standing beside Dowan, was equally shaken. He knew how powerful Manchoon's blows were. Most people would be hospitalized after that.
'Serves him right.' Jaemin thought, watching Goo motionless on the ground. 'Some bastards never learn.'
"Is he okay?" one of the girls whispered, her eyes on Goo.
"I don't know." the long haired girl replied. They stayed quiet, hoping Manchoon would vent his rage and calm down.
Si-Yeon stared at Goo on the gorund, her cold expression softened, though her face remained unreadable.
"This big mouthed bastard your friend?" Manchoon turned his attention to Dowan, taking slow steps toward him.
Dowan's heart raced. 'Shit, what do I do?' Panic crept in. 'Not again.' He's probably gonna get a beating.
"You fucker, that hurt."
The unexpected voice made Manchoon stop in his tracks and turn around, as everyone's eyes widened in disbelief. Goo was back on his feet, holding the side of his face.
"You nearly broke my glasses, you pig." Goo said irritably, adjusting his glasses. "But now, it's my turn, don't you think?" A wide grin spread across his face.
"Your turn? You bastard!" Manchoon was stunned at first since no one had ever taken one of his punches and stood back up. But his rage reignited, hearing Goo's words as he lunged at him.
"Hey, piggy, watch your legs before you charge blindly." Goo chuckled, striking Manchoon's leg and throwing him off balance before landing a punch to his face.
'S-Shit.' Manchoon cursed as he stumbled, unable to stop Goo's punch landing on his face. But to his surprise, he didn't feel a thing.
'What the hell?' Manchoon thought, wide eyed. 'Did he even hit me?' This was maybe the weakest punch he ever felt.
"Huh?" Goo had a shocked face. His punch had done no damage.
"Wait, time out!" Goo quickly pulled back, but before he could step away, Manchoon grabbed his shirt, his face filled with rage. "Time ou-"
Goo didn't get to finish. Manchoon smashed him to the ground, then punched him repeatedly. The floor cracked with each impact.
"You crazy-" Goo started, but Manchoon lifted him off the ground and slammed him down again.
"You won't be talking anymore after this." Manchoon growled, looking down at Goo. He had put everything into those hits.
"Ugh, you bastard, you never listen." Goo groaned, slowly rising to his feet again, stretching as if nothing had happened.
"You really want me to get serious?" Goo asked, grinning. His smile getting creepier as he stared at the wide eyed Manchoon. There wasn't a single bruise on Goo's face, and even his glasses were intact.
'He stood up again?' The thought echoed in everyone's minds as they watched in disbelief. Goo had been pummeled, slammed, and beaten repeatedly, yet there he stood, completely unfazed. Not a single bruise marked his face, and even his glasses remained perfectly intact.
'How is this guy still standing?' Manchoon couldn't comprehend it. He'd given it his all, and yet, Goo was up, talking like it was nothing. Embarrassment mixed with fury. 'How dare this fucker mock me?'
Manchoon, now angrier than ever, moved toward Goo.
"Hey piggy, want to know what I'm about to do?" Goo asked with a mischievous grin.
"Huh?" Manchoon was confused.
Goo reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of dirt. "I'm gonna put some dirt in your eyes." He said, throwing it right at Manchoon's face.
"Argh! You-" Manchoon clutched his eyes, caught off guard. But before he could react further.
"And go for a low blow." Goo followed with a powerful kick straight to his groin.
"Arghhh!" Manchoon doubled over, eyes tightly shut, clutching his crotch as a wave of nausea hit him. 'This dirty bastard.' Those were his last thoughts as his mind went blank as he collapsed, unconscious.
"Ding, ding, ding! The winner is the undefeated, the one invincible under the heavens, Goo Kim!" Goo shouted, flexing his muscles that are hidden under his sweater like a bodybuilder, striking various poses while everyone stared in shock at what had just happened.