The next day Kang Min woke up late. When he came downstairs, his mother was already looking at him with raised eyebrows. "Kang Min, what time did you sleep last night? Look, it's already this late!"
"Mom, don't get mad," Kang Min said as he grabbed his mom's hand. "That handsome boy needs more sleep to get glowing."
His mom lightly hit his arm. "Already there, eat first. If you oversleep again, don't blame mom."
After eating quickly, Kang Min went to school. There, he immediately met Lee Jong, Sung Jae, and Hanna in the back garden.
"Where do we start?" asked Lee Jong as he handed over a cup of coffee that he bought in the cafeteria.
Kang Min opened his laptop and started searching for information about Choi Sang Woo. After a few minutes, he found something interesting: Choi Sang Woo was a former police detective who was fired for bribery.
"Detective?" Hanna frowned. "Why is he involved in all this?"
Sung Jae nodded. "And why is he working at our school now?"
"That's what we need to find out," Kang Min replied. "She has access to Soo Hyuk, to Kim Dal, even to us. He's not just an ordinary teacher."
They all looked at each other seriously.
Lee Jong tried to break the tension. "Okay, I understand this is scary. But I really don't want to die silly, Min. If you come up with another crazy idea, don't forget to give us helmets first."
"Helmet?" Hanna asked confused.
"Yes, so that my head will be safe if Min asks me to run away again. Do you want one?" Jong replied with a chuckle.
Kang Min laughed softly, although his mind was still heavy. Choi Sang Woo... I will expose everything. No matter what it takes.
After a day of planning with his friends, Kang Min finally returned home. The night was quiet, only the sound of his steps echoed on the small road leading to his house. As he opened the fence, someone appeared from the darkness.
"Long time no see, Kang Min," the heavy voice broke the silence.
Kang Min looked up in surprise. "Choi Sang Woo?!"
The middle-aged man stood casually, hands stuffed into his pants pockets. His face looked calm, but his eyes were sharp.
Kang Min looked at him suspiciously. "Didn't you get fired because of the bribery case?"
Choi Sang Woo chuckled, then stepped closer. "It was just an accusation, kid. Just like your father was. You know how it feels, right, to be framed for no apparent reason?"
That statement made Kang Min flinch. "Don't bring up my father!" he said in a sharp tone.
Choi raised his hands, as if giving up. "Relax, I'm not here to fight you. I just want to warn you."
"Warn? About what?"
Choi brought his face closer to Kang Min, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Your brother, Kang Soo Hyuk, is in danger. If he marries that woman, it could be the end of his life."
Kang Min stiffened. "What do you mean?"
Choi sighed, then said, "Kim Dal's family is no ordinary family. They're full of problems. His father is a corrupt businessman who was once involved in the illegal arms trade. And that woman you called your future sister-in-law... she's a contract killer."
Kang Min looked at Choi Sang Woo in disbelief. "That's impossible. My brother must know about Kim Dal's background. He can't be that careless."
"He knows some of it," Choi replied quietly. "But not everything. Kim Dal wouldn't marry your brother for love. He has a mission. After marriage, he will kill Kang Soo Hyuk and take over your family's company."
Kang Min felt his chest tighten. "Why do you care? You don't even have anything to do with my family."
Choi looked at Kang Min seriously. "I do have my personal reasons. But clearly, I don't want to see another family destroyed because of slander and evil like what happened to your family back then."
"Wait," Kang Min interrupted. "If Kim Dal is so dangerous, why don't you report him to the police?"
Choi laughed bitterly. "The police? Many of them are paid to keep quiet. The evidence about Kim Dal is also well hidden. Trust me, kid. The only way to save your brother is to reveal the truth before the wedding happens."
Kang Min frowned, his thoughts jumbled. "If you know all this, why don't you act on your own?"
Choi patted his shoulder lightly. "That's your part, Kang Min. You're closer to them. I can only provide information. The rest is up to you."
After saying that, Choi Sang Woo turned around and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Kang Min standing still with his mind spinning.
Kang Min's thoughts
"If what he said is true... then my brother is in great danger. But how can I prove this without destroying their relationship?"
In his heart, Kang Min knew that this would be an uphill battle. But one thing was certain: he wouldn't let his brother become a victim again.
After an enigmatic night, Kang Min decided to stop his little operation with his best friends. He felt he needed more time to think clearly and strategize. That day he decided to have a normal day at school.
However, his class's notoriously noisy atmosphere made things difficult to feel "normal."
"Uh, did you finish your homework?" asked Sung Jae to Lee Jong while grabbing his friend's book.
"What homework? I forgot to bring my book, bro!" Lee Jong replied casually, followed by loud laughter from several classmates.
The hustle and bustle stopped when a new teacher entered the classroom. Kang Min's face immediately tensed up. It was Choi Sang Woo, the man who had talked to him about his brother last night.
"Good morning, kids," Choi said in a heavy voice. "Starting today, I will be your homeroom teacher. I hope we can work well together."
The class immediately became quiet. All the students stared at the man with mixed expressions-curious and a little scared. However, Kang Min's attention was completely focused on the man.
A few days after Choi Sang Woo became homeroom teacher, Kang Min's class held a group discussion for a big project.
After the group discussion, the class situation was chaotic again. This time the class president, Jin Ho, stood in front of the class with a serious face, trying to calm down his noisy friends.
"Listen up!" exclaimed Jin Ho as he tapped the teacher's desk. "We have to do something about Mr. Choi. Don't you see how weird he is? I suggest we write a collective letter to the principal to get him replaced."
The class was immediately excited at the suggestion. Some agreed, others just watched without saying much. However, everyone's attention soon turned to Kang Min, who was sitting casually on the back seat with his head resting on his hands, looking half asleep.
"Min, you were the loudest about Mr. Choi. You agree, right?" asked Jin Ho, trying to engage Kang Min.
However, Kang Min just yawned and said casually without opening his eyes, "No need to shift. Let him be our homeroom teacher."
The whole class fell silent. Even Lee Jong, Sung Jae, and Kim Hanna looked at Kang Min in confusion.
"Uh, are you serious, Min?" Sung Jae approached, patting his shoulder. "You were the one who said from the beginning that we should 'watch out' for him. Now you're taking it easy?"
Kang Min shrugged without opening his eyes. "I think, for now, let him stay here. I have my own reasons."
Kim Hanna approached, crossing her arms over her chest. "What reason? You don't trust him anymore? Or did you find something?"
Kang Min finally opened his eyes slowly, looking at Hanna with a flat expression. "I know she has a good side. Maybe we just haven't seen that side yet. Besides, he's not that bad as a homeroom teacher."
"Not that bad? Min, are you sane? You wanted to unmask him from the start!" Lee Jong joined in.
Kang Min smiled slightly, then stood up and stretched his body. "If I say let it go, then there's a reason. Just trust me."
Jin Ho, who was still in front of the class, looked annoyed. "It doesn't make sense! She's obviously weird. You can't just suddenly defend him like that, Min!"
However, Kang Min just casually walked to the classroom door while saying, "Whatever you guys want. But I told you not to bother her. Trust me this time."
After Kang Min walked out of the classroom, his friends looked at each other with confusion.
"What's wrong with him?" Sung Jae scratched his head.
Kim Hanna shook her head. "I don't know. But I'm sure he knows something that he hasn't told us yet."
Lee Jong sighed. "Min likes to confuse people the most. But I trust him."
Outside the classroom, Kang Min walked to the school garden, stopped for a moment, then looked up at the sky. He remembered Choi Sang Woo's words last night. Although that man had a dark past, Kang Min felt there was something sincere about his warning.
"My brother is in danger if he marries Kim Dal..." Kang Min muttered to himself.
He realized that Choi Sang Woo could be the key to protecting his family. For now, let him stay here. Kang Min decided to watch him closely without arousing further suspicion.