Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Forgot Whose House Servant Bastard's Kid I Am?
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“Gahk!”
Kang Chang-gil let out a scream as he clutched his face, then stared at me with a completely dumbfounded look.
As if he couldn't make sense of the situation at all.
And the chaotic classroom suddenly fell silent.
Everyone was way too shocked.
Of course the kids were stunned.
This was just the beginning.
“You, you bastard! How dare a house servant's brat like you lay a hand on me...”
“Hah...”
I couldn't believe it.
How dare you? House servant's brat?
Was this really coming out of a high school sophomore's mouth?
Fine, just like you said, beatings make the man.
Crack!
“Agh!”
I smashed my fist into the head of the guy who was still clutching his face, and only then did Kang Chang-gil seem to grasp what was happening as he swung at me with his fist.
“You crazy bastard! You're dead by my hand today!”
“If you've got the skills, bring it on.”
Whoosh!
For a high schooler, it was a pretty fierce punch, but it was nothing to me.
Did he think I'd been holding back because I lacked strength?
The Jo family must have done so much dirty work that their family security and home guards were excessively thorough.
Even compared to other chaebol families of similar caliber, it was unprecedented. Their core guards even included alumni from the presidential security service.
That's why guards were stationed at the house around the clock.
Chairman Jo's residence had a separate main building where the Jo family lived and an annex for the house servants and guards. Our family occupied about a third of the second floor, while the rest was living quarters for maids, drivers, and such, plus some offices.
The first floor had guards' dorms, a cafeteria, and a control room managing the CCTV, and the basement featured a large gym combining a dojo and fitness center where the guards constantly trained their physiques.
Of course, my dad and I trained right alongside them, too.
Plus, being born into a house servant family, I naturally had a physique a head bigger than kids my age, raised among people whose daily routine was eating and training.
Truth be told, even in my original life around this age, I had the power to take over the school if I'd wanted to. But now, I had the added experience of steadily training all the way into adulthood from my first life.
Never married and with no real hobbies, the only way I relieved stress was pounding a sandbag with all my pent-up rage.
So a punk's wild swing?
Handled like this.
Dodge! Crack!
“Gaaah! It hurts! It hurts!”
I sidestepped the punch, grabbed his arm, and twisted it hard. He started shrieking that it hurt, that he was dying.
Then his two lackeys, who'd been playing sidekick, finally rushed me. I dropped one with a low kick, sending him tumbling across the classroom floor, and power-slammed the other face-first into the ground with an ippon seoi nage.
“Guhk!”
“Urk!”
Thud!
“...”
“...”
“...”
The classroom was in utter shock.
Well, can you blame them? A guy who'd always been quiet with zero presence suddenly dismantled Kang Chang-gil's crew of three—guys known for throwing punches around school—in the blink of an eye.
I ignored them and focused back on Chang-gil.
I grabbed the throat of the guy groaning and clutching his half-twisted arm, then slammed him roughly against the back wall of the classroom.
Thud!
“Grahk! C-can't... breathe...”
“Hey, Chang-gil.”
“Guhk-guhk!”
“Kang Chang-gil, not answering? Should I just choke you out for good?”
“You fucking house servant bastard, how dare you... You think you'll get away with this?”
This punk wouldn't stay down.
Judging by his actions in my original life, he'd hire thugs with money for revenge if nothing else.
But what could he do?
I could handle the fallout, that's why I was doing this.
He was an arch-enemy, but right now, I was at least Jo Min-cheol's 'property.'
Messing with me meant damaging Jo Min-cheol's stuff.
Call it property destruction, I guess?
“Yeah, just like you said, I'm a house servant's bastard. But you seem to be forgetting something. Forgot whose house servant's bastard I am? Didn't you just tell me not to tell Min-cheol? You dumb fuck!”
“...”
He had nothing to say.
It was the same later on, but at this time, Chang-gil's family company was so dependent on the Jo family that they'd crumble without them.
If Jo Min-cheol got really pissed and said something to his dad, it would be seriously bad.
Over a kids' fight? You think?
That's not knowing chaebols at all.
Or how ruthless and vicious the Jo family was.
If they felt their dignity was tarnished, they didn't hold back.
Especially if it involved the eldest son who would one day lead the family and group.
Anyway, as long as I was the Jo family's house servant, Chang-gil could never get revenge on me.
So it was best to wrap this up here.
I wanted to beat him half to death, but I couldn't—not now, and there was no need.
Plenty of chances ahead to ruin his life for real.
“Right? Am I right?”
“You bastard... Ngh!”
“Right or not?”
“Y-yeah, right.”
To Kang Chang-gil, Jo Min-cheol was an insurmountable wall.
No matter how young, dumb, and violent the kid was, he still had that much sense.
“Alright, then let's call it even. I'll forget you bashed my head with that bat today. So you forget I beat you up. Got it?”
“...”
“Not answering? Want more?”
“O-okay, got it.”
“And one more thing. Don't even dream of messing with me again. If you do it without Min-cheol around, I'll show you hell.”
Having served as the head house servant for the Jo family for over sixty years, weathering every storm imaginable, my glare was too much for a punk like him.
Naturally, Kang Chang-gil dropped his head and muttered his agreement.
Whew, to think I suffered through high school because of scum like this.
Unbelievable.
Anyway, this settled it.
At least for the rest of high school, this punk wouldn't be a headache anymore.
I released my grip on his throat and headed back to my seat.
No need to look—it was next to Dae-cheol.
“Y-you crazy bastard! What the hell's gotten into you? You took out those three in seconds!”
Dae-cheol spat as he ranted at me.
Disgusting kid.
But he's my friend, so I let it slide.
“Seriously, what happened? How do you fight like that? And why'd you hide it all this time?”
He was full of questions.
“Dae-cheol.”
“Yeah?”
“You know, right?”
“Know what?”
“That our family are house servants.”
“Dude, why bring that up? House servants? Come on, no one uses that word anymore. Stop putting yourself down.”
“Haha! You're the only one who says that. You know the other kids point fingers behind my back calling me the house servant's son, right?”
“Ignore those jerks.”
“Yeah, thanks. You're the only one.”
I could thank him a hundred times and it wouldn't be enough.
“Aw, whatever. I'm asking why you put up with it all this time, and you bring up the house servant crap?”
“Dude, you think I'd say it for no reason? You say no house servants in this day and age, but that's not true. We always have to be careful. Hate to say it, but we have to watch Min-cheol's mood, too.”
“Man... you live a tough life.”
“Eh, it's fine now.”
“So why not hold back today?”
“Haha! No need to anymore.”
“Why?”
“Hard to explain. Just... circumstances.”
“I see.”
“Yeah. Thanks for understanding.”
“But Kang Hyeok.”
“Yeah?”
“You crazy punk! What's with the sudden old-man talk? 'Circumstances'? 'Thanks for understanding'? You sound like a geezer! Fix your speech!”
“...”
Guess I needed to work on my speech patterns fast.
Heading home after school.
Normally, since private tutoring was fully banned in July last year as part of the new regime's 'July 30 Educational Reform Measures,' we'd do self-study and head home late. But today, I told the teacher I wasn't feeling well and left after classes ended.
This era's self-study wasn't that strictly enforced anyway, so it was easy to get permission.
It wasn't mandatory for the whole school—just the top students stayed.
I heard it became fully compulsory later.
The house came into view.
It's where our family lives, but I could never call it 'our house.'
“Whew!”
Even after living here over sixty years, it still felt so foreign.
A massive 700-pyeong estate.
The main building where the chairman's family lived was over 150 pyeong in floor space alone, and the annex about 100 pyeong.
It was more castle than house.
“Gotta escape this place as soon as possible.”
This isn't our home.
It's a den of beasts that could threaten Hye-jeong again someday.
I'll get out for sure.
“Home early today?”
A guard at the estate's front gate booth recognized me and opened the gate.
Ah, Brother Sang-sik.
Don't underestimate gate duty.
Sang-sik was ex-airborne troops and took silver in boxing at the national high school championships.
He was always kind to me, teaching me boxing, but in a couple years, he'd quit over the dirtiness and open his own gym.
So right now, he grit his teeth, saved money despite the sleaze.
The Jo family paid guards ridiculously well.
“Hey, Brother Sang-sik. Not feeling great, so I came after classes.”
“Yeah? Get inside. You must be hungry.”
“Haha, yeah.”
“Came early, so how about some sparring before dinner?”
“Aw, I just said I feel off.”
“Whoops, my bad.”
“Heh, summer break soon. We'll do it then.”
“Right, right. Kid, if you train properly, you'd smoke Hong Su-hwan or Park Jong-pal...”
This brother nagged me nonstop to go pro.
Said I could beat Roberto Duran or Sugar Ray Leonard?
“You know my situation.”
“Fuck, what kind of household is this in modern times? Damn dirty world!”
“You'll get in trouble talking like that.”
He stood gate duty more than others because he was too outspoken when bored.
Today too—he must've mouthed off and got caught.
“Eh, get chewed out, I'll just quit.”
“No job like this for saving up.”
“Heh, true.”
“Hang in there a bit longer.”
“Got it, punk. You're awfully mature today.”
“Heh heh! Uh, where's Hye-jeong?”
“Our pretty Hye-jeong's been back awhile.”
Hye-jeong was in sixth grade at national school, stunningly beautiful and sweet, loved not just by family but all the staff—guards, maids, everyone.
Sang-sik would do anything if she asked.
“A-alright, heading in.”
“Yeah.”
I entered, headed to the annex, and stood before the second-floor entrance.
Beyond this door would be Hye-jeong.
Dad and Mom wouldn't be back for hours.
Creeeak.
I steadied my pounding heart, opened the door, and carefully took off my shoes.
“Oppa! You're early today?”
Hye-jeong.
My beautiful little sister greeted me with a bright smile.
And I froze.
How much I'd missed her?
On the way home, I'd sworn over and over.
Don't cry when I see Hye-jeong and my parents.
All empty promises.
My eyes burned.
Vision blurring as hot tears poured uncontrollably.
“Oppa? What's wrong? Something happen?”
Seeing me, Hye-jeong came over to hug me.
That's the kind of kid she was.
I finally broke.
“Sniff... huhuhu!”
“Oppa, waaaah!”
In the end, I cried, and so did Hye-jeong.
She probably had no idea why.
And outside the window, thunder suddenly crashed as rain poured down.
Even the heavens wept.