'Handle It Well and Nothing Major Will Happen. Though Rumors Might Spread.'
I recalled Baron Samedi's advice to me before coming to school. His words that nothing major would happen if I handled it right.
I had summoned Bosu, but I didn't hit Ma Yu-hyeon. Instead, I thought about what would happen if I did. There was no upside to hitting him right now. Sure, it might feel good in the moment, but I had to consider the aftermath. Getting demerits was a given, and rumors spreading that I'd kicked Ma Yu-hyeon's ass would be a problem. Worst case, if I couldn't control my strength, I might kill him.
"Bosu? What the hell are you—"
Crack!
I swung my fist. Not at Ma Yu-hyeon, but at myself. It was the first time I'd taken a hit from Bosu's superhuman strength. My skull rang, my vision spun. My legs buckled. But it didn't hurt. I was starting to wonder just how hard I'd have to hit to feel pain anymore.
"……."
Thud!
Ma Yu-hyeon stared at me with a dumbfounded look, saying nothing more. I punched my face again.
Drip, drip.
Blood poured from my nose. I smashed my face a few more times with my fist. My mouth split open, blood flooding out. The floor was already slick with it.
As I approached Ma Yu-hyeon, he backed away unsteadily. Fear flashed across his face. I glanced at my reflection through the window of the dark, empty classroom. My face was a bloody mess.
"What, you done hitting me?" I said to Ma Yu-hyeon. My pronunciation was off from the blood pooling in my mouth. My shoes stuck to the floor with bloody footprints.
"……You're insane."
"Took you long enough."
Crash!
I smirked and headbutted the window, shattering it. It didn't hurt, but my head throbbed. Glass shards rained down on me. I touched the back of my head. Blood smeared my hand. It was weird— it didn't even hurt, yet so much blood.
Ma Yu-hyeon kept staring at me like he couldn't comprehend it. Clear dread was on his face now. Suddenly, I felt like laughing. I'd been so heartbroken when Yuk Eun-hyeong and his mercenaries feared me. But now? Laughter. Strange.
"What was I supposed to do?" I asked Ma Yu-hyeon. He just listened, no reply.
"Just scare you off nicely?"
"……."
"Someone like family got hurt. Several of my men died."
It was fine if I got hurt. I could endure that easily. A restoration spell would fix it. Thanks to sacrificing my sense of touch to Baron Samedi, most wounds didn't even hurt anymore. Even if overusing restoration spells drained my energy, a few days' sleep fixed it.
But people close to me getting hurt? That I couldn't stand. Even if restoration spells healed the wounds, the pain lingered. Seeing them suffer because of it hurt me. That wasn't something a day or two of sleep could wash away.
"What more was I supposed to endure?"
Thinking back made my teeth grind. Blood from my head trickled into my eyes, blurring my vision red. I wiped it away and looked around. Far off, someone was approaching us— Kim Jin-seo. Beside her was the petite girl who often hung around with her.
"……."
The nameless girl— startled by my bloodied state— backed away, face pale, hands trembling.
Kim Jin-seo stared blankly at me and Ma Yu-hyeon in turn, expressionless. More students followed behind her. They'd probably heard the window shatter.
Thud.
The moment I saw them, I dropped to my knees and clung to Ma Yu-hyeon's pant leg. Then, in a tear-choked voice, I spoke.
"Isn't this enough beating...? Why are you doing this all of a sudden...?"
I didn't need actual tears. The blood from my head was doing the job.
*
She and Kim Jin-seo had run into each other by chance. Kim Jin-seo had been focused on workouts and training the past few weeks, barely studying or attending classes. That's why she'd been called to the office— her absences. So many, she risked repeating the year.
Kim Jin-seo explained she was struggling with various things, making it hard to come to school. It wasn't that bad, but yeah, stuff had been tough. Her homeroom teacher nodded sympathetically.
"Still, with this many absences, regulations might force a repeat. At least drop by briefly to show your face. I'll log it as tardy or early leave and handle it somehow......"
"Yes, thank you."
As Kim Jin-seo left the office, the girl was emerging from the counseling room next door. Spotting her, she lit up and approached.
"What? Why were you in the office?"
"Teacher called me. Counseling."
Kim Jin-seo answered curtly. No need to specify why. Admitting it was about attendance was embarrassing. Her friends would tease her as a delinquent.
"Attendance counseling, right?"
The girl stared at her knowingly. Kim Jin-seo whipped her head around in surprise.
"How'd you know?"
"Obvious. You haven't been coming much lately. Think I wouldn't notice, same class?"
"Oh, right. Same class."
"......That hurt a bit."
"Then get hurt."
Kim Jin-seo gave a small smile. It was a joke. The girl pouted and glared.
"Hate school? Skip it. Get called to the office. Total delinquent prototype."
"Hey, prototype is a stretch......"
"And you smoke."
"……."
Kim Jin-seo shut her mouth, glaring instead. But her classmate didn't flinch— if anything, she grinned defiantly. Before, a glare or blank stare would cow her. But lately, with more time together, she wasn't fazed easily anymore.
"No comeback, so you glare. Classic delinquent."
"Shut up. You little......"
Kim Jin-seo wanted to snap back but faltered. Annoying, but not curse-worthy. Didn't want to yell either. Unsure what to say, she blurted the first thing that came to mind.
"You...... mouse turd."
"Mouse turd? Why?!"
"'Cause you're short."
"I'm not that short! Average!"
"Average is this short?"
"You're too tall!"
The offhand remark worked wonders. The chatty girl stood on tiptoes, fuming at Kim Jin-seo. Kim Jin-seo watched, then laughed. She'd once found her constant chatter annoying, but now? Kinda fun.
"Jealous. You're so tall. Me...... Huh."
Mid-sentence, her classmate clamped her mouth shut. Kim Jin-seo looked at her curiously. The girl's face was ashen, staring somewhere, hands shaking, eyes wide with terror.
Kim Jin-seo followed her gaze.
"……."
An unbelievable sight. The hallway was drenched in blood— floor, walls, everywhere. One window shattered, glass scattered. And there, on his knees atop it, was Do Seon-woo. Was he numb to pain, or beyond even thinking it? He clutched Ma Yu-hyeon's pant leg, fist clenched. His face was wrecked— blood streaming from mouth and nose, hair matted with it. Looked like a serious head injury.
"......What the hell is this?"
"T-Teacher! I'll get the teacher!"
Snapping to, her friend bolted toward the office. Kim Jin-seo approached Do Seon-woo and Ma Yu-hyeon. Her heart pounded wildly, breath short. Vision whited out, narrowing. Ma Yu-hyeon said something as she neared, but she couldn't hear it. Only one voice rang in her ears.
Do Seon-woo's desperate plea. Only one sight.
His bloodied face.
"W-Wait. Hey, hear me out first. This bastard's putting on a show—"
Crack!
"......A-Aaagh—!"
Kim Jin-seo twisted Ma Yu-hyeon's finger, breaking it. Grabbed his collar and yanked. He tried shaking her off, but lacked the strength. She gripped harder, glaring daggers.
"What the hell is this?"
"Holy shit. For real......"
Ma Yu-hyeon glanced down at Do Seon-woo, muttering. He let out a hollow chuckle.
"......You pulled off the favor perfectly. Crazy bastard."
"Hey. What. Is. This?"
Kim Jin-seo ignored him, demanding answers. Her heartbeat thundered louder. Soon, nothing else audible but it. She glanced at Do Seon-woo on his knees, bloodied and trembling. Heartbeat swelled.
Ma Yu-hyeon looked between them, then burst laughing.
"Ha, hahaha......! Seon-woo, you've got a plan, huh? Gives me chills...... Gahk!"
Thud!
"I asked what this is. Didn't say laugh."
Kim Jin-seo released his collar and kicked his gut. Too fast to block. Ma Yu-hyeon wheezed, collapsing. He looked up at her. Her eyes burned with rage. Words wouldn't reach those eyes. He glanced at Do Seon-woo. Curled up, secretly smirking. Self-harm out of nowhere— now he got it. Didn't want to dirty his own hands, so this pathetic show. Chills hit late.
"What the hell are you doing right nowww—!!"
From down the hall, a sharp, shrill voice. The girl had fetched a teacher from the office. The teacher stormed over, face flushed red-purple. The tattletale trailed timidly behind. Ma Yu-hyeon eyed the teacher. Familiar face. Ha Ye-jin. Known for quitting teaching to work under Mun Yo-seop. No idea why she was here, but bad news. For him, things were spiraling to worst-case.
"Ah....... Fuck, seriously."
Ha Ye-jin was one of the teachers who hated Ma Yu-hyeon.
(Continued next chapter)