The Bully's First Beating
We're not in some damn match. -_-_-_-_-
Regret. Should've properly educated young Hyeok-su. Thought this was enough since he's still just a kid. Did Yu-bin wrong.
"Temporary class president..."
I couldn't quite grasp what he was trying to say. Was he implying I should've beaten Hyeok-su just now? The Future Diary was telling me my actions were wrong.
"Temporary class president!!!"
A shout that snapped me out of my thoughts. Startled, I replied in a dazed voice.
"Yes!?"
The homeroom teacher had veins bulging on his forehead. I jumped to my feet in surprise and looked at him.
"No... greeting?"
"Ah..."
After the greeting, I sat through class worrying about Hong Yu-bin's safety. During every break, she came straight to check if I was hurt anywhere before leaving. Of course, she never skipped her monster comic story about the white furry beastman (with animal ears) as the male lead.
Even after school ended, Hong Yu-bin waited in front of our class. I took her along—she still looked fine—and headed out. I told Jun-woo, who had cleaning duty, that I had to hurry home for the move and ditched school.
As soon as we stepped outside, Yu-bin called to me.
"Do-hyun!"
"Yeah?"
Her face was flushed red. Probably about to thank me, just like why she'd kept visiting during breaks. No idea how many more "thank yous" this little kid needed to feel satisfied. Is this what a child's heart is like? I'd thought kids were annoying... but right now, she seemed kinda cute.
Before I could hear what Yu-bin had to say, as we were about to leave school grounds, cursing came from behind.
"Kim Do-hyun, you fucking punk! Follow me!"
Kang Hyeok-su, who'd been waiting for me. Good thing. The Future Diary must've been pointing to right now. Man, why does this kid swear so viciously... Definitely got it from his parents, either cursing at him or in front of him so much it became habit. Thinking that way feels like sinning against my own parents... so I won't.
In my head, I revised Hyeok-su to a kid with a mental illness.
"Gotta go home—moving today, so hurry."
"Ha, run if you wanna! I'm gonna kill Hong Yu-bin."
I rubbed my throbbing forehead. Treating his mental issues one by one myself? Hyeok-su's road looked long and rough. What 9-year-old threatens like that? Part of me wondered if I should've just gone home like this. With one brat already ignoring me, acting without backup felt reckless.
Normally, I'd ignore him. That's how, as written in the Future Diary, Hyeok-su would've gone after Yu-bin. Frightened, Yu-bin hid behind me, then spread her arms to block him.
"Don't do that to Do-hyun!"
Hyeok-su's face reddened even more at Yu-bin's reaction. Why does this kid escalate things...
"Yu-bin, go home first."
"Huh...? Nooo!"
"We won't fight—just talk. Don't worry."
Yu-bin, gauging the mood, grabbed my wrist and shook her head vigorously. Not like we're filming some romance drama. Even if acting's her calling, I'd rather she stay out of this.
"I said we won't fight."
"For real...? Then I'll go with you."
"Nah, Hyeok-su'll be embarrassed with you here—that's why he wants you gone."
Yu-bin glanced at Hyeok-su, clearly not buying it. Guess I underestimated 9-year-old smarts.
"Hyeok-su. We're talking this out, right?"
"Obviously..."
"See?"
I turned to Hong Yu-bin, but she half-closed her round eyes and glared at me.
"Then say what you gotta say quick and come out. I'll wait."
"Got it."
Kang Hyeok-su. I remembered he did judo and dominated elementary school. But I recalled picking on him badly because he strutted around like a boss despite barely knowing me. My autobiography had his name in it. In Hyeok-su's near future, something I couldn't ignore awaited: death. Hyeok-su would be the first kid to choose death because of me.
That's why I couldn't decide what to do. Should I really beat this young Hyeok-su?
Kang Hyeok-su grinned slyly at me.
"No teacher's gonna save you now? You're fucked for real."
Hyeok-su was twice my size. No one around anyway. No one to scold him for losing to a disabled kid like before. He charged at me like habit.
A kid who'd choose death because of me. But leaving him like this? Way too far gone. Just like my past self. The smartphone's words echoed: should've educated him properly back then.
I lightly dodged Hyeok-su's fist, clenching and unclenching mine. 9 years old...? Even gangsters. Even the hitman who came to kill me. People who've punched my face? I could count 'em. I smacked away his incoming fist with my palm and pondered a bit more.
Couldn't hit him, so Hyeok-su kept charging... Instinctively, I locked a choke on his neck. As control slipped on part of his body, he couldn't handle his own weight and fell. Habitually grabbing the fallen opponent's back, I hooked my leg around his waist to pin him. Then arched my back—tap out.
"Hyeok-su... Hyeok-su."
Movies from this era always had tap-outs. So Hyeok-su's reaction was natural too. But... we're not in a match.
Already hyped up, Hyeok-su passed out quick. Shocked, I pried open his jaw, stuck fingers in to check his tongue. Hadn't gone down his throat. Then lifted his legs to get blood to his head.
"Gasp!"
No matter how shitty I'd been to him, Kang Hyeok-su was infamous as a psycho. Every kid hated him. Stringing bugs with wire and hanging 'em on girls' necks. Stuffing animal corpses in desks... He sought out what people hated and did it. In middle school, in front of everyone, I beat him worse than a dog with bean paste on it. Then other kids he'd bullied piled on—Hyeok-su got his karma. It dragged on longer than I'd thought, and he made the wrong choice in the end. That's when school violence hit the media big time.
But it's not too late now. For this young, twisted kid... I think he needs the whip.
The moment Hyeok-su woke, he charged again. I dodged his fist without looking and scanned around. No witnesses anyway—no way he'd get ostracized just for losing to me.
I planted a straight right into Hyeok-su's jaw.
Crack.
"Guh..."
A kid's power doesn't hurt another kid much. They don't know how to put weight into it. Muscles stiff from pain he'd never felt, he dropped to his knees. I drove a kick into his collapsing torso.
Thud!
What I hadn't calculated: my lower body's strength was no joke, even if I'd kicked lightly.
"Huuuuaaaagh!!!"
Kneeling, gasping ragged breaths that wouldn't come. Shocked, I patted his back.
"You okay!?"
"Keurk... urk..."
"Slow breaths, slow. Hoo, hoo."
Thinking about it, my body ran around daily playing soccer with Dad. He'd turned play into intense training to make me a pro. Even a martial arts coach once tried turning me pro after feeling my kick speed and power.
"Huh...? Hey, man."
Couldn't breathe right, collapsed again. I lifted his legs for circulation, massaged his whole body. Slapped his cheeks—no wake. Horrified, I slapped till his cheeks burned red.
Smack! Smack!
"Hey! Get up, you punk!!!"
Hyeok-su woke fast but didn't charge like a beast—instead, he stared at me in fear. Makes sense—no peer had ever beaten him like that.
"Didn't mean to kick that hard. Sorry."
"....."
As I reached for his shoulder, he flinched like scared. Classic bully: weak to the strong, strong to the weak. My fault for not considering my leg strength. No need to do this to a kid...
I was about to send Hyeok-su home when my eyes met Yu-bin's—she'd been watching us. Why's her eyes sparkling like that?
"".....""
On the way home, Yu-bin walked silently.
"Want some tteokbokki, Do-hyun?"
"Huh? Sounds good. Get two for my sis too."
"Tch... You just want some yourself."
How'd she know...? Little brat's got mind-reading too?
We bought three 500-won tteokbokki from a street cart. Paper cups with toothpicks stuck in... Didn't expect the nostalgia hit.
"Do-hyun..."
"Yeah?"
"That... boyfriend thing from morning. I allow it."
She said it then bolted, embarrassed. I watched her run off, popping red tteokbokki in my mouth.
"Ooh~ Lucky you? Pretty girlfriend like that."
The cart lady eyed us sparklingly. I glanced at blushing Hong Yu-bin fleeing far away.
Yu-bin's a sure lottery win. Whole nation loves her. Made me think of "key grabber."
"I'm a crazy bastard."
Shaking my head, I scraped the sauce with the toothpick.
"Yeah, not normal..."
I know damn well I'm not normal.