In a tiny, dimly lit room, Jin Kang Soo punched his makeshift punching bag, a bundle of old clothes stuffed into a torn sleeping bag. With every impact, the fragile structure of the room trembled slightly, scattering cockroaches that scurried across the floor. A pile of instant noodle boxes cluttered one corner of the room. Jin paused for a moment, breathing heavily, his hands on his knees.
"Seriously, even the cockroaches here live better than I do..." he muttered, casting a disgusted glance at a rat staring at him from near the sink. "What? Waiting for me to cook or something?"
The rat squeaked, almost as if in response, before disappearing into a hole in the wall. Jin rolled his eyes.
"Great. Now I'm talking to rats. This is rock bottom."
He moved to the wobbly table where his phone rested. The cracked screen displayed a scanned, yellowed class photo. Jin picked up the photo and stared at it for a long time.
"You, Kyle... always in the center, huh? Mr. King." Jin ran a finger over the face of his former classmate, memories of their middle school years flooding back. He sighed and muttered, shaking his head, "I hated you back then. And today... I still hate you."
A loud growl interrupted his thoughts. He placed a hand on his empty stomach.
"Tsk, even my stomach's mocking me. No time for you, pal. Great minds are at work here."
He moved to the bed—or rather, the creaking board covered by a thin, stained mattress. Beside it, an open notebook displayed detailed training plans: combat techniques, strategies, and rough sketches of locations and people. At the top of the list, a name was circled multiple times: Kyle Riverland. Jin collapsed onto the bed, the wood creaking under his weight. He stared at the ceiling, where a spider calmly spun its web.
"You, at least, have a clear purpose in life. I'm here beating up a bag of clothes while you're catching flies. Respect."
An idea struck him, and he sat up abruptly. Grabbing a leather-bound notebook, he began scribbling furiously.
---
"Okay, today's checklist. One, don't die from the toxic air in this room. Two, figure out where that bastard Kyle hides his money. Three, eat something without legs that doesn't move. Four, become a living legend. Easy, right?"
---
Jin resumed his training, adding squats and push-ups to his routine. He groaned as he stood up after a tough set, staring at his blurry reflection in the cracked mirror propped against the floor.
"Not bad, Jin. Not bad at all. Maybe with a bit more muscle, I'll scare that rat next time."
He laughed, a short, bitter laugh that quickly faded as he realized he was alone. Silence enveloped the room once more, broken only by the dripping faucet. Jin glanced again at the class photo on the table.
"Kyle, enjoy your sweet life while you can. Because soon… soon, you'll know what it feels like to be hunted."
The rain battered violently against the motel window, the droplets forming trails on the glass that reflected the flickering light of an old neon sign outside. Inside, the smell of mold and dampness permeated the air. Jin sat on a rickety chair next to a scratched wooden table. The screen of his battered laptop cast a pale glow on his tired face. He had spent the last few days delving into the shadow of his old tormentor, Kyle Riverland. It wasn't by chance that he had tracked him down. Jin had always kept Kyle in the back of his mind, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Still playing the little king, huh? Bet you think you're untouchable, Riverland. But this time, the rules have changed."
On his screen, several tabs were open. Social media accounts where Kyle flaunted his luxurious life, private forums sharing information on Seorim's elite, and even floor plans of Riverland's villa. Jin was mapping out a mental blueprint of Kyle's movements and habits.
One photo caught his eye. Kyle, dressed in an immaculate black suit, posed in front of a luxurious nightclub with an arrogant caption:
"Exclusive night out. Only the real ones know."
Jin smirked bitterly.
"A private party... perfect. This will be the first act of your reckoning."
He grabbed a worn leather notebook and quickly jotted down the address of the venue.
---
Flashback: The Years of Bullying
Jin's past resurfaced in vivid memories.
The setting was a prestigious Seorim middle school, with pristine hallways and polished marble columns. Everything seemed perfect on the surface, but beneath the facade of elitism lay a corrupt system, rotten with abuse of power by the wealthy and influential. Jin, then 12 years old, navigated this unremarkable world—a quiet boy dressed in a slightly worn uniform carrying an oversized backpack. His days were filled with constant mockery and disdainful glances. Kyle Riverland, the son of the president of Riverland Private Security, ruled the school like a cruel prince surrounded by his court. Tall for his age, with angelic features, Kyle's smile concealed a cruel soul.
"Hey, Kang, still broke? Seriously, ever think of begging outside the school?" Kyle sneered, his voice echoing in the crowded hallway.
"Look at his shoes, Kyle! They look like they came from a dumpster."
Jin simply lowered his eyes, quickening his pace to escape their gaze.
But it wasn't the words that hurt the most. It was the indifference of the other students and teachers. Everyone knew what was happening, but no one dared to intervene. Kyle and his gang were untouchable, their families generously funding the school.
One day, while Jin ate alone in a secluded corner of the courtyard, he noticed a boy his age rummaging through the garbage bins near the cafeteria. It was Kim, a thin, poorly dressed boy with deeply shadowed eyes. Jin watched for a moment before timidly approaching, holding out a lunchbox.
"Here... you can have this."
Kim looked up, surprised.
"Are you sure? You won't have anything to eat after."
"Don't worry. I'll manage," Jin assured him, shaking his head.
It was the start of a friendship built on shared glances and discreet exchanges. Jin helped Kim as much as he could, but their bond soon caught the attention of Kyle and his gang.
One afternoon, as Jin and Kim shared a sandwich in a quiet spot, one of Kyle's cronies spotted them and reported back. The next day, Kyle and his gang were waiting for them in an isolated corner of the courtyard.
"So, asshole, you've turned into a charity worker?"
Kim tried to respond, but Séraphine cut him off with a glare.
"Shut it, filthy insect. The civilized people are talking."
They were dragged behind the gym and beaten without restraint. Jin remembered every punch, every insult. But that was nothing compared to what came next.
Weeks later, while Jin was bedridden from repeated beatings, Kim decided to rebel. He mustered all his courage to confront his tormentors, thinking he could stand up to them. The gang took him to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town—a place where they could act undisturbed. There, they unleashed their cruelty. Séraphine, ever sadistic, used a whip, while Kyle laughed and encouraged the others.
Kim never came back. Jin learned the news two days later when his body was discovered, discarded like a mere object in that warehouse.
Kim's death was a shock to Jin. He remembered the rumors, the students whispering in the hallways, and the tormentors bragging about their "work."
"They called it an accident... but we all know what they did to him."
Jin felt a silent rage building within him—a rage he couldn't express. The most unbearable part was seeing Kyle's and the other tormentors' parents cover up the incident with money. Justice never came. The perpetrators were simply sent abroad for ten years as if nothing had happened.