Chapter 101
My heart pounded fiercely. Yaseong seemed even stronger than I'd imagined. In a one-on-one fight with my father, he'd probably smash him to pieces in under ten seconds.
But Father had too much going for him. Money, power, people—far too many. This kind of raw strength alone wouldn't be enough to take on all that.
Still, Jang Euna felt relieved that Han Yaseong possessed such overwhelming power. At least he wouldn't get beaten to death by the minions Father mobilized on his orders. Even if he couldn't save her, as long as Yaseong could protect himself, that was something to be grateful for.
"Oh no, you're bleeding."
Blood dripped steadily from Han Yaseong's right fist. It must have gotten cut by a sharp splinter when the table shattered.
Jang Euna hurriedly grabbed a towel and wrapped it around the bleeding fist.
"We need to go to the hospital right now. It could get infected."
"No, I'm fine."
"You have to go quick. You might even get tetanus."
Watching senior Euna fret over his towel-wrapped, injured fist made his heart ache for her. She'd been living in hell all this time, all alone, without anyone knowing—not even her closest friend, senior Choi Yujin.
He recalled the lonely expression she sometimes wore in the clubroom, staring blankly out the window. That was why. Living in such hell, of course she'd dream of freedom.
And he'd been nagging her about "freedom passes" without a clue... Han Yaseong realized he was just as superficial as anyone.
"I'm sorry... I really had no idea..."
Han Yaseong pulled Jang Euna into a tight embrace. Tears welled up uncontrollably for some reason. Maybe it was because it reminded him of his own parents who'd abandoned him.
He'd done nothing wrong, yet they'd discarded him just like that. No, it had always been that way. His parents had never shown him a shred of affection, not even for a moment. They lived under one roof, but he was treated like a ghost. Conversations were rare. They spoke to him like he was a stranger, not their child.
Still, Han Yaseong had tried everything to win their attention. He'd hover around them, always putting himself in their line of sight. But all he ever got in return was indifference and turned backs.
To his parents, he wasn't even a person. Holding senior Euna like this brought all those old pains flooding back. That's why the tears wouldn't stop. The grudges he'd bottled up for so long finally burst free.
"Sob... Why us? What did we do wrong...? What the hell did we ever do...?"
"Yaseong..."
Jang Euna cried too. Yaseong seemed to carry just as much resentment. Of course he did—his biological parents had divorced and ditched him. How could that not leave scars?
Like her, he'd just endured it and kept living. But it must have been lonely, so achingly lonely. That's why she understood. Yaseong had lived with wounds as deep as hers. That's why he was so passive. Never once loved, never shown affection by anyone—he'd come to see that isolation as normal.
Jang Euna patted his back as she wept.
"It's okay now. We're adults. Not kids anymore. We can fight the grown-ups. I'll fight my father too—with your help, Yaseong. Let's escape this swamp our parents trapped us in. Our lives are ours. We'll claim them, no matter what."
"Yeah..."
Han Yaseong hardened his resolve. He'd fight. Against those filthy bastards. If they were the elite, he'd devour every last one of them.
They said the upper crust was the most sensitive to survival of the fittest. They bowed to those stronger, but stiffened their necks against the weak. Their hierarchy of power was clearer and more ruthless than anywhere else.
Han Yaseong planned to smash through it all with money. He'd become Korea's richest man and force every elite head to bow. Business, politics, entertainment—he'd use any means necessary to subjugate this rotten upper class.
Money and power were their kryptonite, they said. In elite society, the richest and most powerful always won. Han Yaseong intended to seize it all.
With seniors Choi Yujin and Jang Euna's help, he could do it.
"Now let's go to the hospital. You need that hand treated."
Once her emotions settled, Euna wiped her tears and urged him.
But Han Yaseong shook his head.
"There's disinfectant in the bathroom. I can clean it with that."
"Fine, then. I'll do it for you."
"No, stay here. I'll be quick."
Han Yaseong headed to the bathroom, fist still wrapped in the towel. In the meantime, Jang Euna tried to clear the shattered table. But the heavy wooden chunks were too much for her. To think he'd smashed it with his fist. And in one hit.
The moment he'd struck, it felt like a massive hammer crashing down—a 10cm-thick table exploding into splinters. Yaseong's power was beyond imagination. He'd said he could take on a few guys, but this was another level. He seemed stronger than even the special forces bodyguards protecting the house and Father.
Senior Choi Yujin was right. There was something inexplicable and immense about Han Yaseong. It was real.
Jang Euna felt hope rising. Maybe Yaseong really could save her. She pictured it: that terrifying father on his knees, utterly broken and submissive. It felt like it could become reality someday.
Jang Euna made her decision. She'd stake her life and future on Yaseong. If he died fighting Father, she'd follow him. She was done being a puppet forever. Someday, she'd smash the back of Father's head, leave him half-paralyzed, and toy with him like a plaything. Repay the pain he'd inflicted on her a millionfold.
For that day, she'd give Yaseong anything he wanted. Except penetration, of course—but everything else was fair game. He was kinda-sorta senior Choi Yujin's boyfriend, but not officially, so fooling around was fine. No, even if Choi Yujin objected, she'd stick with Yaseong.
But she wouldn't object. Yujin had said she didn't care if he played with other girls—as long as it wasn't Ban Hee-kyung.
Anyway, that was a side issue. The real problem was how to deal with Father. Fighting now was impossible. But becoming elite would take Yaseong too long. Jang Euna felt lost, no idea what to do.
Whoosh...
Han Yaseong ran the faucet and washed his injured fist. Blood mixed with the water, swirling down the drain. What an idiot. Smashing a table with his bare hand...
It was a secondhand find from the flea market for 20,000 won. He'd treasured it, slurping ramen at that very table. Now regret gnawed at him for breaking it needlessly.
But when had his fist gotten this strong? Back then, he couldn't even crack thin plywood—his punches were pure water. Now, thick lumber shattered like a weapon. Hit a person's skull, and it might cave right in.
It was the power from that other world. Truly bizarre. Ten years of training here wouldn't yield this. Han Yaseong figured he was receiving special privileges from over there.
All the more reason to be grateful. Finding that portal was a godsend. Without it, he'd still be that scrawny nobody, living ordinarily, unremarkably—blending in so seamlessly no one could pick him out of a crowd.
He never would've gotten close to senior Choi Yujin, let alone had Euna ask for his help. He'd have used Yujin as a sugar mama and seen Euna only as club president—nothing more. Known their beauty, but never their hearts or souls.
But now? With the other world's gifts, he was insanely strong. Maybe a hundred times more than before. That's why he could stand with elites like Choi Yujin and Jang Euna.
Han Yaseong steeled himself. Time to become elite for real. What was life for, anyway? He'd rather live one extraordinary year than a hundred ordinary ones. The chance was here now. He wouldn't let it slip.
He stared at his right fist under the running water. The back of his hand was gashed long and deep in several places. Blood still flowed steadily. It was serious bleeding—normally, it'd need stitches at a hospital.
But Han Yaseong had the other world's perks.
"This is it, right?"
He opened the medicine cabinet mirror and pulled out a small jar of assorted fruits. From it, he took a white one—the size of a BB pellet. He'd tried it over there; it was great for healing wounds. He'd seen wild animals mash them with their teeth and lick the paste onto injuries.