Chereads / Unbreakable Stone / Chapter 4 - Unseen Strength

Chapter 4 - Unseen Strength

After the fight earlier in the day, Seojoon, Minjun, and the four bullies had been dragged to the teacher's office. The school's discipline committee wasted no time interrogating everyone involved.

Taehwan and his friends tried to spin the story, but too many witnesses backed Seojoon and Minjun. The principal issued stern warnings to all of them, though Seojoon couldn't help but notice the glare in Taehwan's eyes as they left.

When they were allowed to go home, the sun was already dipping below the horizon. Seojoon, Hana, and Minjun walked together in silence at first, the weight of the day pressing down on all of them.

"Today was... a lot," Hana finally said, breaking the quiet.

"Yeah," Minjun muttered. "I didn't think we'd end up in the teacher's office on my first day hanging out with the new kid."

Seojoon glanced at him. "Not exactly the first impression I wanted to make."

Minjun grinned, his energy returning. "Well, you made an impression, alright. You've got half the school talking about you now."

As they neared the crossroad, Seojoon looked at the two of them, something nagging at him. "Hey, are you two... a couple?"

Hana stopped mid-step, her cheeks flushing pink. Minjun looked startled for a moment but quickly recovered with a chuckle.

"Is it that obvious?" Hana asked with a shy laugh.

"I wouldn't say obvious," Seojoon replied, his tone neutral, "but you seem close."

Minjun slung an arm around Hana's shoulders. "Yeah, we've been together for a while now."

"Don't make it sound so casual!" Hana scolded, swatting at his arm, though a smile tugged at her lips.

"Just telling the truth," Minjun said with a grin.

Seojoon chuckled softly, though a strange, hollow feeling crept into his chest. "Good for you two. You seem like a good match."

"Thanks, Seojoon," Hana said, her voice warm but carrying a note of awkwardness.

When they reached the next intersection, Minjun and Hana waved goodbye. "See you tomorrow!" Hana called out as they walked off together.

Seojoon watched them go, their laughter fading into the evening air. As he turned toward his own path, a sharp scream cut through the quiet.

He froze.

It was a girl's voice—desperate and terrified.

Seojoon didn't hesitate. He sprinted toward the sound, his heart pounding as he rounded the corner and entered a narrow alleyway.

Two men stood there, cornering a girl around his age. She had long black hair tied into a loose ponytail, her school uniform rumpled and dirty as she backed against the wall, her wide eyes glistening with fear.

"Please, just leave me alone!" she cried, clutching her bag against her chest.

One of the men sneered. "Why the rush? We just want to talk."

"Looks like you've got yourself an admirer," the second man added, stepping closer.

Seojoon's anger flared. "Hey!" he barked, stepping into the alley. "Back off!"

The two men turned to face him, their expressions darkening.

"Who the hell are you?" one of them demanded.

"Someone who's about to ruin your night," Seojoon said, his voice calm but firm.

The taller man stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "You think you're tough, kid? Let's see how tough you are after this."

He lunged at Seojoon, throwing a punch aimed at his head. Seojoon ducked under the swing and countered with a swift jab to the man's ribs, knocking the air out of him.

The second man cursed and rushed in, aiming a kick at Seojoon's side. Seojoon blocked it with his forearm, gritting his teeth against the sting, and swept the man's legs out from under him with a low kick.

The taller man recovered and came at Seojoon again, this time grabbing him by the collar. Seojoon twisted out of his grip, using the man's momentum against him to shove him into the wall.

"Get out of here!" Seojoon growled, his voice sharp and commanding.

The men exchanged a glance, weighing their chances, but Seojoon's stance made it clear he wasn't backing down.

"This isn't over," the taller man spat before grabbing his partner and retreating into the shadows.

Seojoon turned to the girl, who was still trembling but managed a shaky smile.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his tone softening.

She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes… thank you. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come."

Seojoon scratched the back of his head, suddenly self-conscious. "I'm just glad you're safe. Do you live nearby? I can walk you home."

The girl hesitated, then gave him a small nod. "I'm Azalea ," she said, her voice steadier now.

"Seojoon," he replied with a faint smile.

As they walked out of the alley together, Seojoon couldn't help but feel a strange sense of purpose. This wasn't just about escaping his past anymore—it was about protecting what mattered in the present.