Tae gripped Cho's collar tighter, slamming his head against the dented locker again and again. Each dull thud echoed through the silent classroom, and the sharp smell of blood began to mix with the faint stench of sweat and metal.
He was numb to it all—the blood streaking the locker, the panicked whispers of his classmates, even the raw scrape of his knuckles against the metal. His mind wasn't in the room. It was a dark, chaotic pit, spiraling with images he couldn't escape.
Does it matter? Any of it?
Another slam.
They're gone. I've got nothing left to lose, anyway.
The thought hit like a shot to the chest, and his hands paused mid-swing. Cho's barely-conscious form slumped against the locker, head lolling like a ragdoll. Tae's vision sharpened as he caught something—or someone—out of the corner of his eye.
Down in the schoolyard, standing casually with her arms crossed, was Rein.
What the hell is she doing here?
Her expression was unreadable, but her presence alone was enough to snap Tae out of his haze. He let Cho drop, his limp body crumpling to the floor with a sickening thud. Without a second glance at the bloody mess he'd made, Tae rushed out of the classroom, shoving past desks and stunned classmates.
He found Rein leaning against the wall of the stairwell. Before she could say a word, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into one of the abandoned classrooms. The door clicked shut behind him, and he turned to face her.
"For someone who's seen me kill a man, you've got some nerve dragging me like this," she said, her voice low and sharp.
Tae scanned the room, his gaze flicking between the broken windows and the door, before settling back on her. "What are you doing here? Did they send you?"
Rein raised an eyebrow. "They? You think I work for them?" She scoffed. "What do you think this is, some spy movie? I go here."
"What?" Tae blinked, trying to process.
She pointed at her uniform, shaking her head slightly at his confusion. "What, you think I just wandered in off the street? Look closer."
Tae's eyes trailed over her outfit. The dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, the glasses that once had flecks of blood on them, the button-up sweater over the standard white shirt, the above-the-knee skirt paired with black leggings.
"That's... the uniform?" he asked, incredulous.
"Yes. Though not that you'd notice. Most people don't wear it properly anymore." She gestured at his oversized hoodie. "Like you, for example."
Tae frowned, his mind working overtime.
"Wait. How have I never seen you here before?"
Rein leaned back against a desk, arms crossed. "You probably have. You just didn't care enough to remember my face. Hard to keep track of people when you're too busy—"
"Getting hit?" Tae cut her off, his voice dry.
She didn't miss a beat. "Exactly. But it seems you've decided not to let that happen anymore."
Tae shrugged, his gaze distant. "I let it happen because it was easier. But now..." He trailed off, unable to finish.
"You've got nothing left to lose," Rein said softly, her tone less mocking. "Yeah. That does that to a person."
Before Tae could respond, the door slammed open with a loud bang.
A tall boy strolled in, his hands buried casually in his jacket pockets. He had sharp features, a cocky grin, and a dangerous air about him that instantly filled the room. His bleached blonde hair was messy in a way that seemed intentional, and his dark eyes gleamed with an unsettling mix of amusement and malice.
Tae's stomach sank. Kim Min-kyu, he thought grimly.
Bullet.
Not just Cho's buddy, but one of Snake's top lackeys. The rumor was snake was in a very close relationship with bullet's sister, and although she later died from undisclosed causes, its said to have only enhanced the relationship between Kim and snake.
"You've got some balls, I'll give you that," Kim said, his voice dripping with condescension. He didn't bother taking his hands out of his pockets as he sauntered closer. "But now you've got two choices. We beat the crap out of you, and then you crawl to Cho and apologize. Or—" He tilted his head, smirking wider. "You crawl to Cho first, and then we beat the crap out of you. Your pick."
Tae stared at him, his expression unreadable. The room felt heavier as the seconds dragged on.
Finally, Tae spoke. "I've got a third option."
Kim raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Do tell."
"You kiss my ass," Tae said flatly, his voice dripping with disdain. "Then you get out of my face."
The smirk vanished. Kim stared at Tae, his expression blank for a moment. Then his eyes flicked to Rein. His grin returned, wider and crueler than before.
"Oh, I see. You've got yourself a girlfriend now, huh?" he drawled. "And I suppose all this sudden bravado is to impress her?"
Kim turned his attention to Rein, stepping closer. Tae's body tensed as Kim reached out a hand toward her face, he was scared for Kim…she could kill him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Tae warned, his voice low.
But Kim ignored him. His fingers brushed under Rein's chin, tilting her face up slightly. To Tae's shock, she didn't do anything. She didn't shove him away or grab his wrist. Instead, she looked... uncomfortable.
Scared, even.
The cold, calculated killer Tae had seen take down a brute with ease was gone.
And for a moment, Tae could swear he saw reluctance in Kim's gesture after he noticed her fear.
"Well," Kim murmured, examining her like she were a fragile thing. "She is quite pretty. But is she pretty enough to die for? Maybe when we're done with you, I'll—"
Before Kim could finish, Tae's fist shot out, aiming for his jaw. But instead of the satisfying crack of impact, his knuckles met nothing but air.
What the—?
His thought was cut short as a white-hot burst of pain exploded in his face. Kim's heel struck him squarely, sending him stumbling back. His head smashed into the already shattered window, glass shards raining around him as he crumpled against the wall.
"Look at you," Kim sneered, his voice mocking. "Knight in shining armor. Never thought I'd see the day. You were quiet. Obedient. That's why you were alive. But this? Protecting her? All it does is make me want to tease her even more."
Tae groaned, pushing himself off the ground. Blood dripped from his lip, and his vision blurred momentarily before he shook his head clear.
[Focus: 91%]
[Opponent attack speed surpasses user perception.]
The panel blinked into view, confirming what Tae already knew. The name "Bullet" isn't just for show.
Tae spat blood onto the floor and smirked grimly. "You think I care about that? I couldn't give two shits what you do with her. But you..." His voice turned venomous. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this. How many times I've imagined beating the ever-living shit out of you."
Kim's grin didn't falter. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Tae. But I'll make you regret it with every passing second of the coma I'm about to put you in." He shifted his stance slightly, still not removing his hands from his pockets. "Come on, then."
A new system panel flashed in Tae's vision.
[Weak points: None.]
Tae sighed internally.
Ah, fuck me.