The High School Troll Takedown
Present meetup...? I steeled myself for going out and yanked open the closet door.
I rummaged carelessly through the going-out clothes I'd normally ignore.
No need to dress up for a present meetup, so I threw on the black hoodie and jeans at the top of the pile.
Shoved my wallet into my jeans pocket and turned the doorknob.
-Creak.
"Whoa!"
Ha-eun, who'd been pressing her ear to the door, bumped right into me face-to-face.
She jumped back in surprise.
"Oppa, heading out? What's the occasion?"
Ha-eun's eyes frantically scanned me up and down.
"Got something. Move it."
I waved her off and headed for the entryway, but she stuck to me like glue.
"Not something important, right? No Osaka trip today."
"Yeah, just personal stuff."
"Personal stuff?"
Ha-eun's eyebrows shot up dramatically.
"Since when do you have personal stuff, oppa? You're always holed up playing games."
"Ugh, seriously. Go your own way."
"You're not going off to cause trouble somewhere, are you?"
My sister glared at me with narrowed eyes, suspicion unsolved.
"Trouble my ass. Stop messing around and go admire your elf pics."
"Hmmm... Fine."
I crammed my feet into my shoes and unlocked the door.
"Come back early! Ordering pizza for dinner!"
I lightly ignored my sister's shout from behind.
Shut the front door and hit the elevator button.
1:30 PM.
I wrapped mana around my body and shot straight into the sky.
Cleaving through the air toward Incheon Bupyeong Station, I indifferently gazed down at the scenery below.
Plenty of time before the meetup.
Yesterday, I'd lost my reason and rashly agreed to the present in a fit of rage.
But waking up after sleeping it off brought a massive wave of regret.
Thirty-two years old, and picking a fight over a gaming spot? With some random online troll kid I didn't even know.
It was so pathetic even to me that a hollow laugh escaped.
Just don't go, problem solved.
A rational thought briefly crossed my mind.
But remembering yesterday's brutal roasting made my gut boil again.
Agree to present and bail? Coward.
Go through with it? Total idiot.
Already deep in the hole from trash-talking first.
But win or lose, I'm screwed—so better to be the winning idiot.
At least I could shut that troll's yapping mouth for good.
I lightly landed on the roof of a commercial building near Bupyeong Station.
Thanks to the perception-blocking field, no need to worry about prying eyes.
Down the emergency stairs to the underground mall entrance.
Stale air mixed with the stench of crowds.
The swarming people already drained my energy.
Dodging through the throng toward the destination: the underground mall fountain.
The meetup spot was obvious even from afar.
A few groups clustered around the round fountain, but spotting the target wasn't hard.
A noisy bunch of high school boys in one corner by the fountain.
I hid behind a pillar, perked up my ears, and tuned into their chatter.
"Dude, you think he'll really show, you moron?"
The burly leader snorted.
"Ugh, whatever. If not, let's just hit a PC bang."
The scrawny guy glued to his smartphone grumbled.
That anchovy-lookin' punk must be the present target.
"Fuck, man. Ruining our weekend for this asshole."
"Hey, you guys were all in yesterday too."
The skinny one protested like he was wronged.
"Yeah, 'cause you begged for backup on the flame war. Present's a whole different story!"
"True, it was hilarious though."
They cackled, using yesterday's drama as bar snacks.
Gaming talk, flame wars, present meetup.
Jackpot.
That damn pack of school brats was my target.
Thought they were just basement dwellers, turns out actual high schoolers.
Another thick wave of regret crawled up my spine.
What am I doing here picking fights with kids?
I wanted to turn tail and head home right then.
But the image of my innocent blanket kicked in rage all night flickered before me.
Endure.
As an adult, I'd give 'em a stern talking-to and bounce.
-Thud thud.
I deliberately dragged my sneaker soles loudly as I stepped out from behind the pillar.
The heavy footsteps made the high schoolers whip their heads around.
I stopped right in front of them.
"Who's this shrimp?"
The big guy looked down, furrowing his brow.
I let out a deep sigh instead of answering.
"Listen up, you troll brats. ATTENTION!"
I snapped my fingers lightly, releasing the perception block.
The hazy disguise peeled away, my silver hair sparkling under the lights.
My red eyes indifferently swept over them.
Their faces froze like a paused screen.
"Wha...?"
"What, what the— holy shit."
Monkey screeches erupted from them all at once.
"Dude, dude! Is this for real?!"
"Fuck yeah! It's her? Kang Tae-ho Hunter for real?!"
"Insane!"
Passersby's stares locked on us—I needed to wrap this up and dip fast.
I nodded indifferently.
"Yeah, it's me."
I pointed straight at the skinny punk.
"The asshole who messed with my hunt and talked shit. Which one?"
His face drained white at my question, and the crew scattered like the Red Sea.
Stranded in the middle, the skinny one shuffled forward meekly.
"M-me..."
Wonder where that monitor-hid trash-talk energy went.
Just an underdeveloped troll kid standing before me now.
"Uh, um... Tae-ho bro. It wasn't like that..."
"Bro? You were cussing me out yesterday."
"I-I didn't know it was you, bro... Just some kid whining about seats..."
His voice trailed off weakly.
His buddies were already whipping out phones to film this epic scene.
By tomorrow, communities would explode with "Kang Tae-ho Crashes Bupyeong Fountain Present."
Headache incoming just thinking about it.
I sighed and lightly smacked his waist.
"Hey, you. Over here."
I dragged him to a fountain corner and gave a short, sharp lecture.
Games are for fun, not bullying; live in the real world—standard stuff.
But coming from me? Different story.
He clasped his hands like a kid hearing the principal's speech, nodding nonstop.
"My bad! Won't happen again!"
"Good. Now delete that post."
As I turned to leave post-lecture, the high school pack surrounded me.
Their eyes sparkled even brighter now.
"Uh, Tae-ho bro!"
"What now."
"Huge fans! Play one game with us?"
"You nuts? Why would I."
"Please! Skip that one guy! We'll cover PC bang fees!"
They clung like beggars.
Sigh.
Ditching coldly after lecturing would make me just some cranky old dude bullying kids.
Since I'm out, might as well change the mood and humor them.
"I'll cover the fees. Follow."
"Yesssss!"
Their cheers filled the underground mall.
Just like that, I became alley boss to four high schoolers, heading to the nearest PC bang.
A big PC bang near Bupyeong Station.
The clerk's eyes bugged out as I walked in.
Too late for perception block—oh well, whatever.
"Holy crap, Kang Tae-ho!"
"No way. Tae-ho at Bupyeong PC bang!"
Rumors spread instantly; crowds swarmed like locusts.
I sat indifferently at the spot the kids guided me to.
"Log in."
"Yes, bro!"
They buzzed like it was an honor.
Partied up for an hour, sweeping the hunting grounds.
The guild that trolled me yesterday spammed apology chats—quite the sight.
"Pathetic."
I snorted and blocked all their whispers.
Wrapped up the session decently; by the time we left the PC bang, it was evening.
Herded the kids to a nearby burger joint, ordered set meals for everyone.
"Eat up. Done? Go home and study."
"Whoa! Burgers from Tae-ho bro!"
"Keeping this wrapper as a souvenir forever!"
They teared up in感動, stuffing burgers frantically.
Finally snapped a few proof pics at their desperate begging and escaped.
Back home, showered, and my body felt like a ton of bricks.
Outings aren't my thing, confirmed.
Drying my hair, I habitually logged into the gaming community.
As expected, the boards were nuked.
Title: Almost Did a Present Meetup with Kang Tae-ho at Bupyeong Station Today (Proof Pics)
The post detailed the scene with the kids' photos of me lecturing the trolls.
My character's nickname and server info were spreading everywhere.
A bad feeling hit.
I rushed to log into the game.
-Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Whispers and friend requests flooding in!
The bottom-left corner scrolled too fast to read.
My hunting ground was already mobbed with players.
Dozens swarmed before monsters even spawned, hacking away.
"Ah, we're screwed."
No hunting—just couldn't even move my character.
Beyond flame wars; players boxed me in so tight I couldn't see monsters.
Then, the door burst open.
"Phew, our hero finally graces us?"
A voice dripping with mockery.
Ha-eun shoved her smartphone screen in my face as she barged in.
"Get out."
"Oppa, you went out for a present?"
Ha-eun clutched her stomach, rolling on the floor cackling.
"This is hilarious! Kang Tae-ho does a present with high schoolers?!"
"Shut up. Out."
"Wow, your mental age matches your body now? 140cm and kid brain too?"
She reached to pat my head; I hurled a pillow at her.
"I said out."
"Eek, scary. Mad now? This'd blow up on YouTube."
Ha-eun left smirking, mocking me to the end.
Her laughter echoed down the hall forever.
I blankly stared at the chaotic hunting ground on my monitor.
My sin is great.
Should've just endured.
What was so tempting about those trolls' bait to agree to a present?
"Hoo..."
A deep sigh escaped on its own.
Might need to find a new game starting tomorrow.