Chapter 14
Chapter 14
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: 3. Chaotic Disciplinary Committee (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
At the very moment the disciplinary committee was in session.
In a hospital room in Daesan, Park Min-cheol's gang was passing the time leisurely.
“I wonder how the disciplinary committee is going.”
“I can guarantee you Kim Hyun-seong is screwed right now. You know Jeong Min-ho's mom and her temper. She's the type to turn the whole school upside down over anything involving Min-ho. There's no way she'd let Kim Hyun-seong, who left him like that, off the hook. That's why even back when we were scrapping with them at the start of the school year, we never laid a finger on Min-ho.”
“Kekeke, yeah, true.”
Park Min-cheol laughed as if he were enjoying it immensely.
The past week.
It had been a hellish time.
When he first woke up in the hospital room, he wanted to just die upon realizing he'd been beaten like a dog by Kim Hyun-seong. But oddly enough, his mood lightened a lot as his friends were wheeled in one by one. If it had just been him getting crushed, he'd have been humiliated, but since the whole gang got taken down, it just meant Kim Hyun-seong was that strong.
Of course.
Their status at school would take a hit when they got back, but it was still way better than walking around with a loser's tag solo. Even now, his face hurt every time he laughed. His cheeks were so battered they'd swollen up huge, and even after a week, the swelling hadn't fully gone down—it was that pathetic.
But thinking of Kim Hyun-seong in despair made smiles bloom across his bandaged-up face.
Park Min-cheol said.
“You know, I'm gonna utterly destroy Kim Hyun-seong's life. Even if he gets expelled from school, I'll chase him down and demand a settlement. And if he doesn't get expelled? His school life might as well be over. After getting crushed by Jeong Min-ho's parents like that, no way he bounces back. I'll torment him until he quits school on his own or pulls some dumbass stunt off TV and offs himself.”
“Oh, so we can demand settlements too?”
“Of course. At least a few hundred per head.”
“Damn, that's badass. But doesn't Kim Hyun-seong just have his grandma? Eh, that's his problem. Once we get the cash, I should snag that bike I've had my eye on. Then we can hit the park with some girls and lay it down.”
“Fuck yeah, obviously.”
The mood was cheerful.
They lay there in the three-person room looking like total wrecks, but thinking about the future just brought laughs.
Actually, just the day before.
The doctor had said they could be discharged.
No serious internal injuries, mostly external, so a week was plenty—even home care with outpatient visits would do. But following Jeong Min-ho's advice, they'd refused discharge. Staying in the hospital even one more day would make Kim Hyun-seong's crime heavier, so they'd toughed it out watching hospital TV all day.
Every one of those days.
Would be pure hell for the other side.
They were chattering away noisily like that when Park Min-cheol's phone rang loudly.
Ring ring ring.
“Oh, it's Min-ho. Everyone quiet down.”
“Pick up quick!”
“Guess the committee's over.”
All eyes turned to him.
Park Min-cheol picked up, eager for Jeong Min-ho's victory report.
But.
[…Sorry, guys. We got expelled.]
That was the first thing he heard.
Park Min-cheol's gang's faces filled with bewilderment.
For the first time in a week of smugness, a hot spark landed right on their feet.
* * *
That evening.
Park Min-cheol, Kang Chang-seok, Jo Yong-taek.
The three discharged immediately and met Kim Hyun-seong in a quiet park.
It wasn't for revenge.
Seeing Kim Hyun-seong show up after his call, Park Min-cheol wore an unusually friendly expression.
“You came! Thanks so much!”
“Skip the intro, get to the point.”
“…Got it.”
Park Min-cheol's gang exchanged glances.
Truth be told, setting up this meeting was mortifying and embarrassing, but unlike Jeong Min-ho, they didn't have rich backers holding it down for them. If they got expelled like this? Their lives were over. Pride be damned, they'd scrounged up Kim Hyun-seong's number and called.
Park Min-cheol said.
“Hyun-seong. Everything that day—messing with the kids and trying to beat you up—we're really sorry. I was immature, didn't think about how much pain my actions would cause them. Spending the week in the hospital made me realize how scary school violence is, and no matter the committee outcome, I've sworn never to do it again. So… could you let it slide just this once?”
“Yeah, Hyun-seong. Give us a chance too. If we get expelled now, our lives are basically done.”
“I just called the teacher. If you write up a leniency statement, we can avoid expulsion. Jeong Min-ho can't turn it around even with his parents, but they said they can save us three. So please, just once. If we stay in school, we'll do whatever you say. Errands or anything—we promise to help you with whatever.”
They were desperate.
This was their true selves.
Just 17 years old.
Predators in front of their friends, sure, but at heart, they were insecure high schoolers with shaky futures. Being told to leave school hit like thunder from a clear sky. If they had backing like Jeong Min-ho, they could scout another school, but in tight-knit Daesan, schools taking Park Min-cheol and the other two were slim pickings.
Their futures were obvious then.
Middle school grad.
Forced dropout expulsion.
No one would hire them.
Fear of that uncharted future made Park Min-cheol meek as a lamb.
“…Hyun-seong. Any way we can work this out?”
He glanced at Kim Hyun-seong's face.
Impassive.
No anger, no hint of mercy.
Feeling doomed, Park Min-cheol locked eyes with his friends and pulled out a desperate card.
“Saying this puts us at risk too, but there was someone behind the bullying. We didn't want to mess with you, but they demanded it—we had no choice. Same with Lee Jung-min; we figured hitting him would drag you in. I'll tell you who.”
“I know.”
“Huh?”
Park Min-cheol's eyes widened.
The puppet master.
No way he knew.
But Kim Hyun-seong stared at him coldly and said.
“I know who’s behind you guys.”
* * *
In his previous life.
Kim Hyun-seong learned the truth about the puppet master years after becoming vegetative.
[Shocking news. The true force behind the school violence has been revealed. They are…]
The TV announcement.
Utterly shocking.
He'd thought it was just kids' malice causing the incidents, but a student's suicide note laid it bare.
The group was called Golden Circle.
Rooted in Gangnam's elite schools, born from one shadowy figure. Started as a simple business idea. In a world rife with school violence, its founder saw opportunity in protecting suffering students.
Simple deal.
Recruit bullies.
Or kids with that kind of power.
Approach the wealthy and powerful, offer protection for their kids' school lives. That alone wouldn't have grown it. The founder built a system ensuring protected kids aced exams. If a rival bumped a member to second place? They'd eliminate the top spot.
Simple method.
School violence.
Target the top student relentlessly, tank their grades, boost the second to first. Crude, but foolproof.
Time flew.
Over a decade, Golden Circle exploded, alumni pulling strings for each other. That's when it hit Kim Hyun-seong. Someone jealous of his grades commissioned them, and Park Min-cheol started targeting him on purpose.
When he first learned.
He was out of it for a while.
Bedridden vegetative, never imagined some massive shadow force.
‘The truth about Golden Circle came out in the future, but it got buried quick. They hid their dirt. The ones who shoved me into hell. To perfect my revenge, I have to dismantle Golden Circle itself.’
In pitch darkness.
He replayed plans endlessly.
Starting with Park Min-cheol, his push into Gangnam was because that's Golden Circle's stronghold.
Kim Hyun-seong said.
“Golden Circle, right? Weird thing is, they don't reach this far into Daesan. They're centered in Seoul and Gyeonggi. So who approached you guys?”
“…Shin Young-min sunbae.”
“Shin Young-min?”
Park Min-cheol spilled the truth.
If he knew Golden Circle, no point hiding more.
Shin Young-min.
Famous figure.
Cheonil High School third-year, gripped the whole school in his fist. MMA hopeful, insanely skilled fighter. Probably not full Golden Circle. They outsourced local jobs to 'mercenaries.'
Shin Young-min was just a merc.
Take him down to unmask the real culprit who wanted him gone.
‘Not feasible now. In my old future, he debuted pro MMA—he's a beast. Rush in half-assed, I'd get wrecked.’
He sorted his thoughts.
Now.
Time to decide Park Min-cheol's gang's fate.
No real dilemma there.
“So, you came begging forgiveness? Funny bastards.”
Kim Hyun-seong sneered.
Malice.
Layers of built-up emotion.
While vegetative, his grandma had confronted the perp kids. Their parents shoved her out, screaming. Hearing his little bro's tearful tales sealed it— a devil grew in his heart.
Forgiveness?
Repentance?
No such mercy.
Malice hardened like calluses, denying him any human softness.
Grab.
“H-Hyun-seong?!”
He suddenly seized Park Min-cheol's collar.
As the gang panicked, Kim Hyun-seong grinned demonically.
“I'll show you exactly what happens every time you cross me from now on.”
Smack!
Blood sprayed from his face.
Clutching the collapsing Park Min-cheol's collar, he pummeled his face repeatedly.
They'd never forget today.
Terror etched bone-deep—they'd piss themselves at Kim Hyun-seong's name.
That.
Was his true desire.
Please, never forget. Let trauma scar their lives forever.
He didn't stop the violence, hands staining red.
* * *
The next day.
Cheonil High School students gathered in clusters were in an uproar from morning.
“For real? That's insane.”
“Totally. Kim Hyun-seong's guardian turns out to be Myeongjin Construction's eldest son, so the principal and everyone shuts up and expels Park Min-cheol's gang. Isn't that epic? Classic protagonist hiding power. Who'd guess he had a backer like that?”
“So Kim Hyun-seong's the Class 1-1 king now? Took down the whole gang solo.”
“Nah. Park Min-cheol's crew were punks, but not king material.”
Buzzing chaos.
Topic: all Kim Hyun-seong.
Some spun dramatic tales.
“When he fought Park Min-cheol's gang? Dude went feral. Kang Chang-seok charged like a pissed boar first, but he smashed his head with a lock, subdued him, then rammed Jo Yong-taek. Jeong Min-ho? Chickened out, did jack. Don't know about the rest, but his grit is real. Watching him fight, you could tell: touch this guy, you're fucked.”
“But he just snapped outta nowhere. Hyun-seong wasn't like that before.”
“That's what makes it scarier when quiet ones flip. Once pissed, no holding back.”
Mid-chatter.
Class 1-1 door opened.
Kim Hyun-seong appeared; voices cut off, eyes averted hastily.
Silence hung.
He'd been the friendly guy to them, but after the chaos, no one dared approach.
Step step.
Thud.
Sat down.
Kim Hyun-seong too.
Had no intent to chat.
Staring calmly out the window, one student approached.
“…Thanks.”
He turned.
Lee Jung-min.
Fidgeting with his nails anxiously, Lee Jung-min said.
“Thanks to you, I survived. Just say the word from now on. Whatever it is, I'll help with everything I've got.”
Warm scene.
Friends figured Lee Jung-min's thanks meant their old Kim Hyun-seong was back.
But.
“What's there to thank?”
He snapped viciously.
Lee Jung-min flinched.
He hadn't expected that from Kim Hyun-seong.
It was laughable.
Lee Jung-min's gratitude rang hollow to him.
“You ignored it till the committee ended, and now you're thankful? Explain yourself.”