Example
Example
The sun was already sinking low when they found us during our rest.
Just like last time, Ju Min-hee showed up at the door of classroom 3-C with her two big escorts in tow.
— "First Younger Sibling, Ju Min-hee! May I enter for a moment?"
"Yeah. Come in."
At Ha Hui-ryeong's permission, the door eased open.
Ju Min-hee looked us over like she found the sight displeasing, but the moment her eyes met Ha Hui-ryeong's, she smiled brighter than ever.
Blatant favoritism.
And since her gaze lingered longest on me, it was obvious she truly couldn't stand the sight of me.
...If I ever get the chance, I'd love to bend her over and make her bawl her eyes out.
While I was entertaining those kinds of thoughts, Ju Min-hee approached Ha Hui-ryeong and spoke.
"Elder sister, the search parties have all just returned. Shall we go right away?"
"Oh yeah? So that bastard Kim Dong-hwan finally crawled back... Heh heh, how about we go crumple that godforsaken face of his."
The one who answered wasn't Ha Hui-ryeong. It was Shin Yoo-hwa.
She had clearly been sharpening her blades, her eyes brimming with pure venom.
Ha Hui-ryeong shook her head at Shin Yoo-hwa's murderous intensity.
Then she answered Ju Min-hee.
"Got it. I'll get ready and head out."
"Yes. A small assembly will be held shortly, so it would be appreciated if everyone could gather at the 2nd-floor hall. Then I shall—"
"Hey, hold on."
As Ju Min-hee was about to withdraw with that same fist-wrapping salute as before, Shin Yoo-hwa grabbed her.
She caught Ju Min-hee's wrist and pulled her closer, lowering her posture.
"What is this so suddenly?"
"No, earlier you said you'd put forward a proposal, right? So what I'm saying is... shameless as it is, I need you to add a few more things."
"That truly is shameless. That was already my best consideration, you know."
"Ugh, just hear me out. It's not going to hurt you to listen."
Ju Min-hee's reaction was reluctant at first, but the instant she heard Shin Yoo-hwa's whisper, her tune flipped completely.
"What? Is that true?"
"Look, I'm telling you it is. How do you think I escaped from there in the first place? It was only possible because these guys took care of that bastard."
"Hmm... If that's true, it changes the entire situation. This has gotten interesting."
"So, what'll it be? Will you accept my proposal?"
Ju Min-hee seemed to ponder it for a moment.
Yeah, a very brief moment.
She nodded, a greasy smile tugging at her lips.
"Yes. Let's do that, senior. It's a perfect opportunity to make Hui-ryeong elder sister's majesty known throughout the land once more."
"Heh heh heh. Good, then I'll leave that part to you?"
"Set your worries aside and tie them down. I, First Younger Sibling Ju Min-hee, will gladly break my bones to dust for elder sister's sake at any time."
With those final words, Ju Min-hee turned on her heel.
Click. The classroom door closed, leaving us alone. I tapped Shin Yoo-hwa's leg and asked.
"Hey, Yoo-hwa. What the hell did you talk about? Earlier Hui-ryeong was going on about something or other."
"Exactly. And with all that 'throughout the land' bullshit, it sounds like it's definitely not normal. Hey, Shin Yoo-hwa. Spit it out honestly. What the hell is it?"
As Ha Hui-ryeong and I pressed her relentlessly, Shin Yoo-hwa wore a refreshing grin and threw her arms around both our shoulders.
"Don't be like that. I've got a plan."
"We need to know what it is to decide whether to go along with it or not. Are you the only one who gets to know?"
"Agreed. Just like Jjintta says, we should know what it's about too. If you don't tell us, we're bailing. So think carefully."
"Ugh, fine. I'll explain it to you. Seriously, you're both equally hot-headed."
In the end, Shin Yoo-hwa couldn't hold out against our combined nagging and began laying out her plan step by step.
"First of all..."
*
Shin Yoo-hwa's plan went roughly like this.
Every evening.
The search parties and perimeter guards all gathered in one place to hold a meeting, and there she intended to formally propose a resolution on Kim Dong-hwan's disciplinary action.
According to her, while her heart screamed to dispose of him immediately, the usefulness of the guy's ability made that impractical.
'Stasis (停滯)'.
An ability that could halt the time of an object, suspending it in place.
Though it couldn't fully stop time, it was supposedly possible to greatly extend the shelf life of food supplies.
It was even said he could delay the mutation of someone bitten by a zombie, so appealing to personal feelings wouldn't fly — that was Shin Yoo-hwa's assessment.
When asked what she wanted to do then.
— 'If we can't kill him, that means beating him to within an inch of his life is allowed, right? For now, that'll do. Since this alliance is going to fall apart before long anyway, that Lieutenant bastard will probably agree and join in.'
A group that claimed neutrality.
Dragging in the military faction and engineering a duel with Kim Dong-hwan was Shin Yoo-hwa's first objective.
— 'Who's going to step up for the duel? You?'
— 'As if. A delicate and frail thing like me couldn't possibly beat that guy. Here, we have to borrow your name, Ha Hui-ryeong. You step in as the black knight in my place.'
— 'What? Me?'
At Ha Hui-ryeong's bewildered reaction, Shin Yoo-hwa nodded as if it were the most obvious thing.
— 'You don't seem to realize it, but your name still carries weight. These guys here... even after five years have passed, they haven't been able to forget their past glory.'
Her eyes grew distant and hazy, as if reminiscing about a far-off past.
— 'The majestic sight of you conquering all of Seoul with just your fists. Your achievement of unifying all those wild thugs and utterly demolishing Incheon. Honestly, if you hadn't declared dissolution right after graduation, you'd probably be an enormous organized crime syndicate by now, wouldn't you?'
Back then, you were romance itself. So they'll all agree to it.
Shin Yoo-hwa declared that with full confidence.
Ha Hui-ryeong and I were taken aback, but for now, we decided to just nod along and say we understood.
Because honestly, it wasn't that bad of a proposal.
Not only would it be unwise to fight a large faction head-on like this, but it was also very likely we'd slip up and take heavy losses.
It wasn't a surprise attack like last time either.
Even back at the department store, there had been several skin-chilling crises.
— 'Alright. That's all good, but that's not everything, is it?'
— 'Of course not. We're going to hold the duel as spectacularly as possible. Since it has to be a demonstration, we'll call all personnel to the sports field. And while that's happening, everyone except Ha Hui-ryeong... you'll liberate the slaves on the 4th and 5th floors.'
— 'Slaves? Aha, you want to use them to stir up a huge ruckus?'
— 'Exactly. When everyone's in a panic trying to suppress that, we counterattack together with Ju Min-hee! We'll swallow them up from both flanks.'
Indeed, at first glance it sounded plausible.
It wasn't just blindly relying on luck; the plan had its corners somewhat thought out.
And since those big, reliable older sisters happened to be joining in, a grounded confidence surged up within us.
Anyway, and so, returning to the present moment.
"Well, who do we have here. Isn't it our great and glorious leader, Lord Ha Hui-ryeong."
The door to the 2nd-floor hall swung wide open as soldiers with buzz cuts came pouring out.
But among them, a woman dressed in full military uniform brightened up and greeted us like an old acquaintance.
"Huh, so that crazy Lieutenant was you?"
Ha Hui-ryeong met her eyes and let out an empty laugh.
I was the same.
Naturally flowing blonde hair.
And along with her exotic features, a towering height that well exceeded the average.
Roughly estimated, she easily seemed over 180 cm.
I knew her.
"Loyalty! Lieutenant Ahn Jelika! Though a former war comrade of yore, I have not forgotten that camaraderie. This platoon leader welcomes you."
She snapped a crisp salute. A descendant of the Sunheung Ahn clan, with a native Korean father and a Caucasian mother.
In short, mixed-race.
And so I had an extremely memorable impression of her. Not only was she a beauty in her own right, but her personality was quite unique too.
"I'm glad to see your face after all this time too. But why the military of all things? For you, there must have been plenty of other paths."
"Hm. Was I not quite interested in military matters since my youth? And so I enlisted through ROTC. That aside... There's another face I've missed here."
For a moment, Sunheung Ahn's gaze lingered on me.
Unlike Shin Yoo-hwa, she seemed to have recognized me right away.
Heh.
Having spotted me wedged between Ha Hui-ryeong and Shin Yoo-hwa, she wore a deeply meaningful smile.
Ah... seeing that face, the memories of being forced to be her wrestling sparring partner came flooding back vividly.
No, even calling it 'sparring partner' was too generous.
I was practically a living punching bag.
"Oh, are we going or not? How long are you planning to block the way?"
"Short-tempered as ever. I understand; I shall get out of the way myself as you wish."
When pressed from behind, Angelica clicked her tongue as if left with no choice and went to sit at the seat opposite us.
Then, with her chin resting on her hand in a somewhat burdensome manner, she stared intently this way.
...It kind of feels like she's specifically glaring at me. Must be my imagination, right?
"What the, is it really you, Ha Hui-ryeong?"
"Wow... never thought I'd see you again here. Guess life really is full of surprises?"
A few of the men with thuggish looks spotted Ha Hui-ryeong and greeted her with bright faces.
Ha Hui-ryeong handled all of them with an uncomfortable look.
"Well, things just sort of turned out this way. But you guys survived in pretty decent numbers, huh? Your lifelines are long despite all the hell that broke loose."
"Naturally, having rolled under you."
"Zombies, that small-time stuff — compared to those Incheon bastards back then, it's nothing. Anyway, really good to see you, damn."
Fortunately, no one recognized me.
Angelica was a unique case.
It was around then.
"...Shin Yoo-hwa."
"Kek, what are you glaring at with those shocked eyes? What, are you amazed I came back alive and in one piece?"
The man who appeared belatedly, tattoos engraved on both arms, muttered Shin Yoo-hwa's name in a low voice.
Kim Dong-hwan.
His build had changed considerably, but his distinctive physiognomy remained.
"...That's a relief. That you came back safely."
"Cut the crap. When things went south, you immediately used me as bait, bolted, and now you spew words like that? Got some thick skin on you?"
"...."
His murderous glare looked like it could chew her up and kill her right then.
But Shin Yoo-hwa didn't shrink back; she countered him confidently.
Only then did attention focus on the two of them.
The eyes of the guys who had been crowding around Ha Hui-ryeong turned toward the pair.
"What the heck, Shin Yoo-hwa's here too? How did you come back alive? I heard the Gangdong-gu bastards dragged you off."
"Dragged off, my ass. Kim Dong-hwan, this piece of shit threw me away. I hung on like grim death and barely made it back."
"Huh? That's what happened? Somehow... that's a bit different from what Dong-hwan said?"
"How could a sorry-ass guy honestly confess that he survived by shamefully using a woman as bait? He probably spun some bullshit, one hundred percent. Am I wrong?"
"...."
"Don't just shut your mouth — answer me. Why did you do it back then? I told you not to pick a fight, let's just run. So why did you act on your own? And on top of failing, you should have willingly accepted your karma. Why did you pathetically get on your knees and beg while handing me over?"
Kim Dong-hwan did not reply.
He just stared with sunken, silent eyes.
Seeing his fist clenched tightly, the atmosphere felt like violence could erupt at any moment and it wouldn't be strange.
"Now, now, that's enough."
It was then, while everyone was stirring with bewildered expressions.
In that hair-trigger situation, the one who stepped in to restrain them was a man named 'Song Hwan'.
"I get that you're both heated up, but let's not do this in front of everyone. Calm down for now. You can have that discussion later, can't you?"
As one would expect, he was also one of the former classmates.
Wearing a gentle, genial smile, he forcibly peeled Kim Dong-hwan away from Shin Yoo-hwa and sat him down in his seat.
At last, the enormous round table was filled.
Only then did Ju Min-hee, who had been quietly keeping her silence, begin the proceedings.
"That is correct. The main agenda item for today's meeting is also related to that. It concerns Kim Dong-hwan and his disciplinary measures."
Ju Min-hee rose confidently to express her opinion.
In a calm, clear, and measured tone.
"As everyone heard earlier, the process of Senior Yoo-hwa's abduction differs greatly from what we had previously understood. A disaster that inevitably unfolded due to collusion with Park Jung-woo of Gangdong-gu? No, that is not the case. From the start, he was reportedly unaware of our existence. The entire responsibility lies with Kim Dong-hwan, this despicable man."
However, as her words continued, her tone grew more impassioned.
"Not only did he act on his own authority, but when things went poorly, he sold out a comrade! And a fellow executive-level member at that — how dare he...! Can he truly be called one of our family? This can never be tolerated!"
Point.
Ju Min-hee pointed her finger at Kim Dong-hwan.
At that, Song Hwan cut in.
"Indeed. That crossed a line. We might be trash, but we still had an iron rule. Breaking it was definitely wrong. But can you actually prove that it's true?"
"The existence of Elder Sister Hui-ryeong herself is the proof. As it happened, Elder Sister, who was fortuitously passing by, utterly destroyed Gangdong-gu and slaughtered even Park Jung-woo. In that process, Senior Yoo-hwa was rescued as well."
As if asking whether it was really true, Song Hwan's gaze shifted to Ha Hui-ryeong.
Instead of answering, Ha Hui-ryeong simply shrugged her shoulders lightly.
"Haah... That is a bit shocking, I suppose. Ha Hui-ryeong, you killed that bastard Park Jung-woo?"
"Well, to be precise, we did it together with this guy."
Ha Hui-ryeong suddenly draped her arm over my shoulder.
Instantly, every gaze focused on me.
...Immense pressure.
"If you need proof, want me to show you a picture? Shin Yoo-hwa did have me take one, just in case."
"Hm, is that so. If such a thing exists, nothing could be better."
Those were Angelica's words.
As if mildly bothered, Ha Hui-ryeong scratched her head for a moment, then took out her phone and pulled up a photo.
A corpse with its head deeply caved in.
Yet, since the face was in clearly recognizable condition, those who confirmed it opened their eyes wide in considerable shock.
"It's real. Park Jung-woo — that's the bastard, alright."
"You all saw it, yes? Then Kim Dong-hwan, that man's crime is confirmed. Punishment for those who have wronged. Death for those who have betrayed a comrade. I, Ju Min-hee, hereby advocate for the Iron Cross Execution for the defendant Kim Dong-hwan."
"That's... not possible. Under the current circumstances, Dong-hwan's ability is essential. We can't discard it."
At Ju Min-hee's assertion, Song Hwan immediately shook his head.
Those by his side also seemed to share the same opinion, showing significantly reluctant expressions.
"Hm."
In contrast, Angelica tapped the table with a complicated expression.
It looked like she was trying to sort out her thoughts.
Then, shortly after, she opened her mouth.
"I find that hard to accept as well. I'm not fond of the person, but his ability must be acknowledged. Right now, there's an issue."
"In that case, how about a duel, allowing for some extenuating circumstances? If one is truly innocent, I believe there is a need to prove one's cleanliness honorably through one's fists. At least, that is what I think."
"Huh? By that, you mean..."
Angelica trailed off.
It was because she had caught on to what Ju Min-hee was hinting at.
But Song Hwan, who hadn't, voiced his question with a confused look.
"You're suggesting we make Shin Yoo-hwa and Dong-hwan fight it out? Hah, I can see the outcome without even watching."
"No, no. We must not do that. In a trial, isn't there a position called a lawyer? I am designating Elder Sister Hui-ryeong as Senior Yoo-hwa's proxy."
"Hold on. Ha Hui-ryeong, who killed Park Jung-woo? That just sounds to me like you're proposing an execution ceremony."
"Since Elder Sister brought the evidence, is that not only proper? If you find it disagreeable, then simply designate a proxy from your side as well."
At those words, Kim Dong-hwan's expression began to rot.
He had every reason to.
Even in hand-to-hand combat right now, it was clear he'd be overwhelmed. And on top of that, he'd just heard the news that she'd beaten that lunatic from Gangdong-gu to death.
So would there be anyone willing to step up and sacrifice themselves in his place?
I could confidently assert there is no one.
"Betrayal must be repaid in blood. Was that not a stipulation we agreed upon when we first collaborated? This is already being quite generous, so I would hope it is accepted quietly."
"....."
Perhaps feeling there was now no justification left to oppose it, Song Hwan closed his eyes and fell silent.
At this, Kim Dong-hwan bolted up from his seat and shouted.
"No, hey! You want me to fight that crazy bitch? In a one-on-one duel, no less? Are you kidding me? They said she even beat Park Jung-woo to death...! How am I supposed to win?!"
"...No one said to win. They said to endure."
"Words are shit...! Hey, Angelica! You guys say something too! Who's going to manage the food if I'm gone?! Do you think it's possible to store all that at room temperature!?"
Angelica answered nonchalantly.
"Don't worry. You won't die. Though you might be unable to walk or stand for a while."
"No, what the fuck kind of thing is that to say...!"
Just as he was about to spit out curses in his excitement, Angelica waved her hand.
Then the soldiers standing behind her gagged his mouth and dragged him off somewhere.
"Since he might try to run away later, my side will take him into custody. Song Hwan, any objections?"
"Hoo... No. None."
Song Hwan briefly scowled at Ha Hui-ryeong, then let out a short sigh.
Distinct fear resided in his eyes.
...Indeed, Shin Yoo-hwa's words that the old days' majestic presence remained were true.
"Then with that, let everyone disperse. Tomorrow at 12 o'clock sharp. The duel ceremony is scheduled to be held on the sports field, so the full attendance of all personnel is requested, please."
With Ju Min-hee's final words, the meeting was concluded.