The next morning, Kang Min woke up late. His mother had called him many times from the kitchen, but Kang Min just mumbled quietly while pulling the blanket back. Finally, Soo Hyuk's distinctive voice came from outside the room, knocking loudly on the door.
"Min! Do you want to be an athlete or a professional sleeper? Wake up, it's noon!" Soo Hyuk exclaimed.
Reluctantly, Kang Min opened the door while rubbing his wrinkled face. "Hyung, relax... I don't have a test today," he replied with a big yawn.
"Whatever. But if you don't want to go to school, don't come whining for a new motorcycle!" Soo Hyuk retorted as he walked away.
Hearing that threat, Kang Min hurriedly grabbed a towel and went into the bathroom. On the way to school, he rode his motorcycle at high speed, making some people on the road look at him in surprise.
When he arrived at school, Lee Jong was waiting at the gate. "Min, are you late again? Just try to be on time one day," he quipped with a mischievous smile.
Kang Min patted his friend's shoulder. "Take it easy, bro. The important thing is that I'm still handsome," he replied with a laugh.
In class, Kim Hanna and Sung Jae were already sitting in their places, discussing the results of yesterday's basketball game. Hanna waved her hand, calling Kang Min. "Min, come quickly! I want to tell you about the new teacher in the next class. They say she's really fierce!"
However, before Kang Min could sit down, a teacher entered and the atmosphere immediately turned tense. Kang Min stared at the new teacher, a cold-faced man with a sharp gaze.
"Today I'm the one who's changing your lessons. My name is Choi Sang Woo," the man said with a deep and serious voice.
The name immediately stunned Kang Min. Choi Sang Woo? The same name as the person in my brother's email. Kang Min's mind started racing. Something was off, and he had to find out more.
While pretending to listen to the lesson, Kang Min secretly observed the man's movements. "I have to find out who he really is," he muttered to himself.
After school, Kang Min immediately gathered his friends in the park behind the school. They gathered at an old wooden bench that was often their hangout spot.
"You all have to hear this," Kang Min said in a serious tone, making the atmosphere suddenly silent.
"What else, Min? You look really serious," asked Sung Jae while folding his arms.
"Our new teacher, Choi Sang Woo... I'm sure he has something to do with the email I found on Hyung's laptop," Kang Min replied as he looked at them one by one.
Lee Jong frowned. "Email? Are you saying it's related to your family problems?"
"I don't know for sure," Kang Min continued. "But his name appeared in an email that contained an order for my brother. It's not a coincidence."
Kim Hanna leaned back on the bench while fiddling with the black bracelet on her wrist. "What are you going to do then? You can't ask him directly, right?"
Kang Min nodded slowly. "I need more evidence. I need your help to find out about him."
Sung Jae immediately turned on his cell phone. "Okay, I can search online. If she's a teacher, there should be a digital footprint on the internet."
Lee Jong patted Kang Min's shoulder. "I can help you watch out for him at school. You know I'm good at disguises."
Kim Hanna smiled a little. "Then I'll go with Jong. Let's watch out for him together. Whatever he does at school, we'll know."
Kang Min smiled with satisfaction. "Thanks, guys. I can't do this alone."
That night Kang Min returned home with his mind full. After having dinner with his mom, he went into his room and thought about his next move. He opened his laptop and started searching for additional information about Choi Sang Woo. However, the search results didn't help much. The name was too common.
"If there's no public information, then he's not an ordinary person," Kang Min muttered.
That's when his cell phone vibrated. A message came in from an unknown number:
"Stop finding out about Sang Woo, if you love the lives of your family."
Kang Min was stunned. The message made his blood rush. He read the message over and over again, trying to make sure he wasn't mistaken. Who sent this? He thought.
However, instead of feeling scared, Kang Min's determination grew stronger. He clenched his hands into fists. "I won't stop. If you want to threaten me, try it!"
The next day at school, Lee Jong and Kim Hanna reported their observations. "That teacher is really weird, Min," Hanna said. "She rarely talks to other teachers, but I saw her taking calls in the teacher's lounge while whispering. She looked tense."
"I saw that too," Lee Jong added. "I think he was hiding something in his desk drawer. There was a big brown folder, but I didn't see what was inside."
Kang Min nodded while thinking hard. "Then, tonight we'll go to the teacher's room. I want to know what he's hiding."
Sung Jae glared. "Tonight? Are you serious? If we get caught, we'll all be in big trouble!"
"Whether you want to come or not is up to you," Kang Min replied coldly. "I've already decided that I'm going in there."
Kim Hanna patted Sung Jae's shoulder. "If Min is determined, no one can stop him. Let's just help."
That night
When the school was quiet, Kang Min, Lee Jong, Kim Hanna, and Sung Jae sneaked into the school building. They moved carefully, avoiding the surveillance cameras and night guards.
Upon arriving at the teachers' room, Kang Min went straight to Choi Sang Woo's desk. With Lee Jong's help, they managed to open the locked drawer. Inside, they found the brown folder Jong had mentioned earlier.
"Open it, Min," Hanna whispered, her tone tense.
Kang Min opened the folder and found some surprising documents. There were pictures of Soo Hyuk, financial documents of his brother's company, and a small handwritten note: "This marriage should not happen."
Kang Min's face paled. "She really has something to do with my brother..." he muttered.
Sung Jae looked at Kang Min worriedly. "Min, are you sure you want to continue this? It's getting dangerous, bro."
However, Kang Min just nodded. With a determined look, he replied, "This is just the beginning. I have to know what his plan is, and why he strayed into my family."
Before Kang Min could close the brown folder, footsteps sounded from the school hallway. All eyes instantly widened, their bodies frozen in place.
"Uh, is that... the school guard?" whispered Lee Jong, his face pale.
"I don't think so. But whoever it is, we have to pull out now!" Sung Jae whispered frantically.
Kim Hanna glared at Kang Min. "Hurry up, Min! If we get caught, I'll say this was all your idea."
Kang Min just shrugged with a grin. "Just say I was the mastermind. But if we get into the newspaper tomorrow, don't forget to say I'm also the most handsome."
"Min, seriously! You're joking at a time like this!" Sung Jae almost spoke out loud.
Footsteps were approaching. Kang Min quickly closed the folder and put it back in the drawer. Lee Jong hurriedly locked the drawer with a modified paperclip.
"I tell you what, learning to cheat has its benefits!" Lee Jong said proudly.
Kim Hanna shook her head. "Jong, seriously, if you weren't good at cheating, your grades would be a big zero."
"But I'm a survival genius. It's different, isn't it?" Lee Jong replied with an ignorant wink.
Kang Min stifled a laugh. "Already, already. Focus on the next step. Let's go to the back window. That's the fastest way out."
The four of them moved quickly, but when they almost reached the window, a man stood at the end of the hallway, his back to the light. His face was not clearly visible, but his body was tall and well-built.
"Who's there?" the man's voice was heavy and cold, making their blood rush.
"We're dead," Sung Jae whispered softly. "Min, I regret coming with you!"
"Me too," Hanna added, rolling her eyes. "If I get caught, my mom will make me become a nun."
Lee Jong giggled softly. "You're good, Hanna. Seriously. Just change your black bracelet to a cross."
"Shut up!" Hanna threw a light punch at his shoulder.
The man at the end of the hall started walking towards them. Kang Min took a deep breath and whispered, "I count to three, we're running toward the fire escape. Ready?"
Lee Jong gave him a sharp look. "If I fall, please don't leave me like in Korean dramas."
"If you fall, I'll be the one cheering you on," Hanna said with a smile.
"READY?" Kang Min emphasized.
"One... two... THREE!"
They immediately ran as fast as they could, across the dark hallway. Sung Jae, who was the slowest, almost tripped at the end of the stairs. "I know this is a crazy idea! I hate crazy ideas!"
The man yelled, "Stop right there!" but the sound of their steps grew farther away.
Once outside, they were all panting. Lee Jong dropped his body to the ground, catching his breath. "I... I think... we're safe."
Hanna looked at him while scrunching her waist. "You were the first to say 'I'm sure it's not dangerous,' right? What about now?"
Lee Jong raised his hand. "I take back what I said. Now I believe it's dangerous."
Kang Min stood up while resting his hands on his knees, looking at them with a tired smile. "This is just the beginning, guys. If we can get away from it, we can get away from anything."
"I'm not sure, Min," Sung Jae interjected while hugging his knees. "At this rate, we won't live long."
Kang Min patted his shoulder. "Relax, Jae. If you die first, I'll give a cool speech at your funeral."
"Min!" Sung Jae glared.
"Just kidding, bro. We're not going to die. We just need to be smarter than those guys."
Hanna let out a long sigh. "Min, this is serious, but you can always make me laugh."
"Yeah, that's my talent. I'm cool, handsome, and can make people laugh. Now, let's find out what the next step is."
They all went home safely, even though they knew in their hearts that this problem was far from over. Kang Min gripped his cell phone tightly as he thought, Who is that guy? And why is he at school at this time of night?
After arriving home, Kang Min went straight to his room without saying much. He locked the door, sat in front of his laptop, and started to rescan the file he took a picture of earlier. His face was serious, but his hands trembled slightly when he read one name written on one of the documents: Kim Dal.
Kang Min's eyes widened. "Soo Hyuk's girlfriend? Why is she involved? What does she have to do with Choi Sang Woo?" he muttered.
His mind immediately wandered. There were many possibilities, but one thing was certain: this relationship is more complicated than she thought.
Her phone suddenly vibrated. Lee Jong was calling.
"Min, did you realize?" Jong's voice sounded worried. "I just thought... if that folder has Soo Hyuk's picture and the company documents, then this is bigger than just a wedding."
"I thought so too, Jong. But one thing I'm confused about: why is Kim Dal's name on the document?"
"Huh? Kim Dal? You mean your brother's girlfriend?"
"Exactly. I don't know what her role is here, but I'm not going to sit idly by."
In the middle of the conversation, Hanna's voice came from behind Jong. "Min, this is crazy. Do you realize that we almost got caught earlier? If you keep going, we could all be in danger!"
Kang Min was silent for a moment, then replied in a firm tone, "I'm not forcing you to come. If you back out now, I understand."
"What are you talking about?" Sung Jae suddenly interrupted. "We started this together, we finished it together. You knew you'd ask us to continue, right?"
Lee Jong snorted. "I won't leave you either, Min. I don't want you to die alone without me having a chance to laugh at you."
Hanna took a deep breath. "Well, if we die, at least we'll make a big news together."
Kang Min smiled slightly. "Okay. Tomorrow we'll meet again at the usual place. I need your help to investigate one name: Choi Sang Woo. We need to know who he really is."