Chapter 3: The Meeting
Days passed.
Inside an arcade station, Chulwoo was sitting in front of an arcade game, playing. He was wearing a black hoody, black pants, and sports shoes.
Nothing much had happened over the past couple of days, and as usual, he skipped school just to enjoy his time. There was no need for him to even go since he aced every test, considering he had the mind of the peak.
"This is getting a bit boring." Chulwoo admitted as sitting and playing games had become dull for him. He needed to change that by taking Ahrinn out with him. A little company from her might change his boredom.
"Ughh." Chulwoo stretched out as he stopped playing, wanting to leave.
"Hmm." Just as he was stretching, from the corner of his eye, in the distance, he spotted someone familiar, which surprised him. A smirk suddenly formed on his face.
"Huh?" But Chulwoo's smirk quickly faded as he saw the figure walking toward someone and starting a conversation, which pissed him off. He got up from his seat and made his way toward them.
Earlier...
Siyeon was making her way to the arcade station, where someone she needed to talk to should be.
"Where is he?" She thought, looking around but quickly spotting him standing in place, on his phone. She walked toward him.
"Hey, Sehun Kang." Siyeon called out, making Sehun look up from his phone at her.
"You're here early." Sehun smirked as he looked at Siyeon. "Usually, you make me wait for minutes until you get here, so what's with the change?" He chuckled, taunting her as he continued, "So, when's the meeting?"
"The meeting starts-" Siyeon began to reply, but...
"Yo, Siyeon."
A voice was heard, making Siyeon stop midsentence. She saw someone bump into Sehun from behind, pushing him aside, but her eyes widened as she recognized who it was.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Chulwoo asked with a grin as he walked toward Siyeon. But he didn't stop. When he stood in front of her, he opened his arms and bent down, quickly embracing her. His arms wrapped around her back.
The sudden action startled Siyeon, her eyes widening as she felt Chulwoo hugging her. Her head rested over his shoulder.
'Her body is soft.' Chulwoo thought as he hugged Siyeon, enjoying the feeling of her soft body pressed against him. 'And she smells nice.' He noted, taking a sniff of her hair and relishing the girly scent brushing against his nose.
"Y-You, what do you think you're doing?" Siyeon quickly spoke, her face flushed as she felt the warm sensation of his solid body pressed against hers. Her tone was shaky, as this sudden approach from Chulwoo was completely unexpected. She knew he was bold, considering his actions at the karaoke night, but this was completely different.
"What? You don't like it?" Chulwoo asked, releasing Siyeon, who stepped back in panic as he straightened up, looking down at her with a teasing smile, enjoying her flustered expression.
"No." Siyeon replied, her eyes glaring hatefully at Chulwoo, who seemed unbothered by her gaze.
"Who the hell is that bastard?" Sehun thought, looking at Chulwoo's back as he rubbed the shoulder that had been bumped into. It felt as if a steel wall had hit him. "Does Siyeon know him?" he wondered, glancing at Siyeon, who seemed out of character from her usual cold self. It made him question if she was the same person. He was also stunned by how intimately this guy had just acted around her. After all, he had literally just seen him hug her.
"Is that so?" Chulwoo smiled at Siyeon's denial and continued. "But I've got to ask." He turned to look at Sehun, who stared at him. "Who the fuck is that loser?" Chulwoo asked, his face expressionless as he stared Sehun down. Sehun felt a sudden sense of dread under Chulwoo's gaze.
"A friend." Siyeon replied, unsure why Chulwoo would care about that.
"A friend, huh?" Chulwoo repeated, his eyes still on Sehun, who remained silent even after hearing the mocking words directed at him. The unsettling sense of dread from Chulwoo kept him quiet.
"Though, how come I don't know about that?" Chulwoo asked, still staring at Sehun.
"What do you mean?" Siyeon frowned, confused by his question.
"Well, as my girlfriend, shouldn't I at least know who your friends are?" Chulwoo smirked at Siyeon, whose eyes widened at his words.
'Siyeon's boyfriend?' Sehun was stunned, hearing this. He never expected Siyeon to have a boyfriend. Considering how intimate Chulwoo was with Siyeon, it seemed true. He was shocked, knowing Siyeon's distant nature in forming these kinds of relationships.
"Who's your girlfriend!" Siyeon retorted, crossing her arms. She was dissatisfied with how Chulwoo kept acting. His way of saying sensitive things and not caring about reactions showed just how thick-skinned he was. Not just his words, but his actions were bold in a way that she unexpectedly didn't hate for some reason.
"Heh." Chulwoo chuckled at her expression. "Since you're here, let's go somewhere and have some fun. Ditch this fatty over here, don't you agree?" His smile widened, and his tone grew louder on the word "fatty" as he briefly glanced at Sehun, who visibly flinched.
"So-" Chulwoo was about to continue.
"You bastard, what did you just say?" Sehun's angry voice cut him off, making Chulwoo shift his gaze to Sehun, who stepped toward him, stopping right in front of him.
"Are you also practically deaf?" Chulwoo's grin widened mockingly as he repeated the word. "Fatty?" He looked down at Sehun's angry face, which twitched at the insult.
"What, does calling you fat trigger something?" Chulwoo laughed knowingly, seeing how Sehun's face twitched. He could tell that this guy had been fat and had trained to his current state. Nothing like that escaped the nurturing genius's eye.
"But I have to ask." Chulwoo's eyes suddenly turned cold while his smile remained. "Who do you think you are to stand up to me?" His eyes became slight slits, making his face unnervingly creepy. "Want me to rip you apart?"
After Chulwoo finished speaking, a fist suddenly struck his face. Sehun acted purely on instinct. The last change in Chulwoo's expression had been unsettling and dangerous. The danger he felt prompted him to make the first move. The first move, the first attack, the first hit, always shifted the tide in the initiator's favor. But...
"Are you tickling me?" Chulwoo's mocking voice reached Sehun's ears, making him break out in a cold sweat. His eyes widened as he looked at Chulwoo's face, completely fine, no bruise, no nothing. He was sure his punch had made contact; the feeling of his fist hitting flesh still lingered. But why? 'Why is this bastard still fine?' Sehun was shocked, looking at Chulwoo. He had struck with full strength, but it wasn't even enough. Worse, his fist ached as if he'd hit a steel wall. He couldn't understand what was happening.
"Since you started, I hope you can handle what comes after, fatty." Chulwoo chuckled, ready to make his move. Sehun, hearing this, began to back away.
"Chulwoo, stop."
The voice made both Chulwoo and Sehun stop.
"Hmm?" Chulwoo looked beside him, seeing Siyeon holding his right wrist.
"This is not the place to start trouble." Siyeon quickly said, meeting Chulwoo's gaze. She didn't want anything to escalate here. This wasn't the type of environment where things like this should happen, and considering Chulwoo's personality, she feared he might take things too far. From what she'd seen so far, Chulwoo wasn't the type to let someone off with just a beating.
She didn't know the full extent of Chulwoo's strength. The incident at the karaoke bar didn't provide enough for her to evaluate his capabilities, but it did give her a glimpse into the kind of person he was. She still remembered his words from that night vividly, about killing and dealing with the feds. The way he said them, with that casual, unaffected tone and expression, made it clear that he wasn't joking. It only hinted at how dangerous he might actually be.
What happened just moments ago confirmed her unease. When Sehun landed a punch square on Chulwoo's face, she was stunned to see that Chulwoo barely reacted. Instead of staggering back or showing any sign of pain, he simply smiled. No bruise, no blood, nothing. She knew how strong Sehun was, having seen him in action as part of the Boramae Dong group, but compared to Chulwoo, Sehun suddenly seemed out of his depth. She didn't want to see what would happen if Chulwoo decided to retaliate, so she intervened before it could come to that.
"Hoo, you seem to remember my name." Chulwoo's grin widened as he looked at her. "Did you fall for me or something? How cute." He teased.
"No." Siyeon scoffed, clearly annoyed. Nothing good ever came out of this guy's mouth.
"By the way, I want you to come with me somewhere." Siyeon said, tugging on Chulwoo's arm, which she was still gripping, as she started pulling him away.
"Hmm?" Chulwoo raised a brow in surprise. Taking him somewhere? Chulwoo, for all his brashness, wasn't an idiot. He could tell that Siyeon had something in mind, but he didn't mind playing along to find out what it was.
With that, Siyeon and Chulwoo left together, leaving Sehun frozen in place.
After a few minutes…
"We're here." Siyeon said, stopping beside Chulwoo.
'This place is...?' Chulwoo glanced up at the building in front of them. 'A sauna?' His eyes caught the sign, but he doubted Siyeon had brought him here for relaxation. His curiosity grew as he followed her inside.
They entered the building, made their way to an elevator, and stepped inside. Chulwoo silently observed as Siyeon pressed the button for the seventh floor. A note posted in the elevator indicated that the top floors were closed, but he didn't comment, waiting instead to see where this was going.
"Ding!"
The elevator chimed as they reached the seventh floor. The doors slid open, and Chulwoo followed Siyeon into the dimly lit room beyond.
'What is this supposed to be?'
What entered Chulwoo's eyes was a dimly lit room. Chairs lined both sides, occupied by people who left a clear space in the center. At the far end of the room, a projector illuminated a whiteboard positioned above a small podium.
'Gwanak-Gu Bully Regular General Meeting, huh?' Chulwoo's eyes scanned an elongated sign hanging from the ceiling above the podium. It appeared this was a gathering of some idiots, but he stayed put, watching Siyeon, who hadn't moved forward. It seemed she had brought him here for something specific.
"To all the seniors, please be quiet."
A voice came from the podium. The speaker, standing behind a horizontally long table designed for presentations, tapped a small wooden hammer against a circular wooden pallet. The sound echoed softly, silencing the chatter in the room. A microphone rested on the table in front of him.
The speaker had neatly styled black hair, black eyes, and glasses. He wore a dark blue formal business suit.
"Starting now, we'll be having the Gwanak-Gu Regular Bully General Meeting." The student announced, his voice projecting clearly through the room.
'Now that's max-level cringe right there.' Chulwoo couldn't help but think. The guy could've just said "meeting" but instead recited the entire sign he'd seen earlier.
"As previously announced, here is our first agenda for today's meeting." The student continued, raising a remote and clicking it. The screen changed. "Recently, in schools and karaoke bars, there are dangerous people who have caused causalities on our side. Our focus today is on second-year student Chulwoo Min from Shinan High School."
'Huh?' Chulwoo's brows lifted as he saw his own name and photo projected on the screen, complete with his age and school information.
'Karaoke bars, huh?' A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. That was all he needed to understand what this was. A bunch of wannabe gangsters playing mafia, it was almost too funny.
"That's him? The guy who took out a few kids in Sillim-Dong in one day?"
"He looks kind of fierce."
The murmurs of the crowd reached Chulwoo's ears, but he barely paid them any mind.
"Let us proceed quickly. People that agree to Disposing him, raise your hand." The student at the podium said. Without hesitation, every hand in the room shot up.
"Everyone seems to agree. Then Starting now, Chulwoo Min has been designated as a target for the 500 members of bullies in Gwanak-Gu." The student announced. "From this point forward, Chulwoo Min is designated as a target for the 500 members of Gwanak-Gu's bully coalition." He raised the hammer again, preparing to strike it against the pallet.
"Hold on."
A voice interrupted.
The student froze mid-motion, looking toward the source of the voice. "What's wrong, Siyeon-sunbae?"
"Not this one, shall we start with the next agenda?" Siyeon replied firmly.
"What the hell? So suddenly?"
Confusion rippled through the room as everyone turned toward Siyeon.
"Who's that person next to her?"
"Wait, isn't that guy."
"Chulwoo Min."
The whispers grew louder as the crowd realized who was standing beside Siyeon. Their target, the very person they had just voted to dispose of, was right there in the room.
Chulwoo simply stood with his hands in his pockets, his expression calm but clearly amused. The audacity of these kids, labeling him as a target, as if they had the power to challenge him, was almost endearing. Whatever Siyeon's plan was, he decided to let it play out. After all, this was turning out to be far more entertaining than he'd expected.
"By the next agenda, you mean." The student started, adjusting his glasses as he continued. "Are you talking about the currently empty position in the cadre, Boramae-Dong Leader Election?"
"Yes, that's right." Siyeon confirmed. "I have finally found the right person." She said as Chulwoo, next to her, wore a knowing smirk on his face, finally figuring out what Siyeon brought him here for.
"I'll say this in his stead. The person who will be the new leader of Boramae-Dong is..." She looked at Chulwoo next to her. "Chulwoo Min."
"Rather than a person causing problems to our side." The student said as he continued clarifying, looking at Siyeon. "Electing him as a leader would be a problem."
"No, it's perfect." Siyeon denied. "Just the fact that he defeated the people on one day is enough to prove that he deserves to be a leader."
But Siyeon was skeptical. Right now, she had heard that Chulwoo had taken down the members at the karaoke bar, but she considered that he only took one out. 'Did something happen when I left?' This could only be the case, it seemed Chulwoo did something excessive while she had left with her friends that night.
"Eunseong, will you just stay quiet?" A person in the front row of the seats said, his voice directed to the person next to him who was on his phone. "She's saying that him beating your guys up proves his right to be a leader."
"Well, it's not wrong." Eunseong, next to him, replied. He had dark gray hair, black eyes. He wore a long-sleeved black coat, a light green blazer underneath, black pants, and shoes.
"Now that's funny, Siyeon." Chulwoo chuckled as he looked down at Siyeon, who looked back at him. "Talking on my behalf? Say..." Chulwoo grinned. "Tell me, why do you think I'll be joining a so-called bully group?" Chulwoo's tone changed into one of mockery as he said the word 'bully,' as he looked at the people in the room who looked at him.
"Chulwoo, think about it again." Siyeon said, hearing Chulwoo seemed to not want to join the group. "Just what position you're in right now. If you become a member, they won't ask you to take responsibility. There's no other choice for you, unless..." Siyeon turned back to face the people in the room. "You could fight 500 people if you want."
"And besides, I'm not doing this because of you." Siyeon's face turned dark. "Some asshole wants that position, and I'd rather put you there first."
Following Siyeon's words, the elevator doors suddenly opened as a figure walked into the room.
"Siyeon, why didn't you tell me there's an all-members meeting going on right now?" Sehun said, making Siyeon turn around in surprise, not expecting him to show up here.
"Sehun Kang? Why are you-" Siyeon said. She didn't expect Sehun to show up here, considering she didn't tell him about the meeting, but it seems he figured it out.
"I have my own people to inform me, so you don't have to worry about it." Sehun smirked at Siyeon.
"But you did that to hide this?" Sehun smiled. "Even if you don't want me to be the leader, don't you think this isn't right?" He continued, glancing at the back of Chulwoo, who seemed to be frozen in place. "Making him the leader?"
"Please refrain from making meaningless arguments in public, senior." The student standing on the podium cut Sehun off. "The leader of Boromae-Dong is Mr. Chulwoo Min. Is that true?"
"Huh? I'm going to be a leader, though?" Sehun said, stepping forward.
"Hey, don't talk nonsense! You can't do that!" Siyeon shouted. She didn't want to set an altercation between Sehun and Chulwoo.
"Since there are two candidates for the leader, then there's nothing we can do but to proceed with that." The student announced as the people that were sitting on the seats got up, moving to the side with the chairs forming a large space. "The game shall continue until one side declares defeat or becomes incapacitated." He continued, "If Chulwoo Min wins, he'll be assigned the position of leader of Boramae-Dong." Adjusting his glasses, he added, looking at Chulwoo, who seemed to be still frozen in place as he didn't say a word until now. "But, if you lose, you'll be disposed of here according to the first agenda."
'This is much better.' Sehun thought with a smile. He completely dismissed the feeling he got from Chulwoo before. He's now ready, but he needs to be serious in dealing with Chulwoo as he knew it would be a tough battle, but he'll win.
He turned around to look at Chulwoo but frowned as he saw him standing in place, not moving, his head tilted down, casting a shadow over his face, making his expression unreadable.
'Is he shaking?' Sehun was confused seeing Chulwoo's shaking, his body visibly trembling.
Siyeon was just as confused, seeing Chulwoo trembling, not expecting him to do so. 'Is he scared?' She questioned to herself, but it sounded unbelievable to imagine or even visualize that guy having a scared look or being scared.
But then it suddenly came.
"Hmph."
A small, muffled but audible hum came from Chulwoo, drawing both Sehun's and Siyeon's attention.
"Hah."
The muffled voice became a chuckle.
"Haha."
It became a small laugh until..
"Hahaha."
The laugh became loud, almost crazed. Chulwoo clutched his stomach as he continued laughing, startling everyone with the sudden action. Chulwoo continued to laugh, his laughter echoing throughout the room.
'Has he lost it?'
Sehun and the others thought as they looked at Chulwoo, who was laughing like a complete madman.
But Siyeon felt unsettled by Chulwoo's crazed laughter.
"Man, that was good." After a moment, Chulwoo stopped laughing, straightened up, and wiped his tears of laughter away. "I haven't had a good laugh in a while."
"But you guys sure are something." Chulwoo smiled, looking at the people around. "Take responsibility? Dispose of me? You idiots are better suited to be the clowns of a circus with the amount of jokes that come out of that mouth of yours."
His words made some people glare at him coldly with visible anger on their faces.
"Hey, Siyeon." Chulwoo called out, making Siyeon look at him, waiting for what he wanted to say.
"You said if I don't join you, 500 members would come after me?" Chulwoo continued.
"Yeah." Siyeon nodded.
"Not enough." Chulwoo chuckled, his eyes filled with disdain as he looked at the people in the room. His words startled everyone, including Siyeon.
"What do you mean by that?" Siyeon asked, stunned as she stared at Chulwoo. Did he really just say that 500 people weren't enough to take him down? That couldn't be possible, right? Her mind raced as she tried to process his words. It sounded absurd, almost surreal.
She wanted to confirm if there was another meaning behind what he had said,something less outrageous
"500 people? It's simply not enough." Chulwoo clarified, making Siyeon's eyes widen in surprise. "No matter how many there are, it's simply never enough. After all..." Chulwoo's smile stretched out. "Numbers never work on me."
"But first."
Chulwoo looked at Sehun. Almost the next second, he appeared in front of him, his leg aimed at his side, making Sehun widen his eyes at the speed. Chulwoo's leg hit him on the side, a crack sounding through the air. Sehun's body bent like a bow as he was sent flying against a wall. The impact formed cracks that spiderwebbed, a shockwave following right after.
'What the hell?' Sehun's eyes widened with pain and shock as he slammed against the wall. The strength and speed displayed by Chulwoo were simply monstrous. He couldn't even see how he moved. The strength, it felt as if a truck smashed into him. 'Fuck.' Sehun's eyes rolled back as he fell to the ground unconscious.
Everyone in the room was wide-eyed in shock at what they had just witnessed. Sehun Kang, who they knew to be capable and strong despite being only a member, was now on the ground, out cold, defeated in one hit.
Even Siyeon was stunned in place. She was just as shocked as the others. She had evaluated that maybe Chulwoo would be slightly stronger than Sehun, but she was completely wrong. Chulwoo wasn't just slightly stronger, he was on another level, not marginally but immensely. The sheer destructiveness he displayed made her question if what he said earlier about numbers not working on him was actually true.
If that really was the case, then...
"Now, now, don't tell me this little scene stunned you, right? After all, we're just getting started." Chulwoo smiled as he looked at the expressions of the onlookers. "Then it's just you lot now, even though you aren't 500, maybe you could entertain me a bit. So..." Chulwoo smiled sadistically. Under everyone's eyes, they could see Chulwoo's eyes changing, the process finishing as he uttered his next words. "Which one of you here is going to kill me?!" Chulwoo said loudly, his smile wide, becoming a manic one. His eyes, now fully changed in appearance, made everyone flinch as they looked at them.
Chulwoo's sclera was now pitch black, his irises and pupils were white, seemingly glowing as they gave off a white hue.
'What's with his eyes?'
The thought rippled through the room, shared by everyone who stared at the transformed Chulwoo. It was as if his eyes created a vortex of black and white, pulling them into an abyss. They were both creepy and overwhelming.
'What are they?' Siyeon wondered as she stared, unable to look away from Chulwoo's transformed eyes. They were unnerving yet dazzling, captivating her despite herself. It was probably the first time she had seen anything like them, and curiosity gnawed at her. Yet at the same time, she felt a foreboding.
Siyeon knew Chulwoo wasn't going to stop here, not even she could stop him now. All she could do was wait and watch what unfolded next.
"Come at me, or I'll come to you." Chulwoo commanded, his tone sharp and mocking.
"Damn it."
"Do we even have a choice?"
Muttered voices filled the room as some of the onlookers reluctantly stepped forward. Chulwoo was their initial target from the start, and now that things had escalated, they realized they had no option but to confront him.
"Take him down."
"He's just one guy!"
Several people charged at Chulwoo, throwing punches and kicks. Their attacks connected with audible thuds against his body.
"What..."
"The..."
"Hell?!"
Shock rippled through those who landed their strikes. Chulwoo remained perfectly still, his body rigid, his twisted grin unwavering. It was as if their attacks had no effect on him whatsoever, as if their full-force blows were nothing more than a gentle breeze to him.
"That's it?" Chulwoo chuckled, clearly enjoying their stunned expressions. "What's the point of hitting if you can't get through?"
Then he moved.
"Huh?"
Those closest to him were suddenly airborne, confusion etched on their faces as they found themselves upside down in midair. Their thoughts were cut short as Chulwoo struck them one by one, delivering bone-crushing punches while they were suspended in the air. Each impact sent them crashing into walls, cracking the surfaces as chunks of debris exploded outward. A shockwave reverberated through the room with every strike, leaving each victim unconscious upon impact.
"Monster."
The word escaped from someone's lips as the remaining onlookers gaped at the scene before them. To their eyes, it was as if the air itself had attacked the group. Chulwoo's speed was beyond human comprehension, so fast they couldn't even see him move.
Several more people rushed at Chulwoo, lunging toward him with everything they had. Yet, before they could land a blow, simultaneous thuds echoed as Chulwoo delivered sharp invisible kicks to their chins, knocking each of them to the ground in an instant.
"You guys are really pathetic." Chulwoo muttered, glancing at the unconscious bodies scattered around him. "All talk and no substance. Punches, kicks, that's all you idiots know? And you think you can dispose of me? What a joke."
Chulwoo's thoughts were interrupted as a sudden kick struck his liver.
"Come on now, am I supposed to be impressed?" Chulwoo said, his face expressionless as he looked down at the leg still pressed against his side. His gaze shifted upward to meet the eyes of Eunseong, who had delivered the strike.
'It didn't even faze him?' Eunseong was shocked, his gaze locked on Chulwoo's expressionless face. Chulwoo's eyes looked down at him, disinterested, as if Eunseong's attack was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
'But how come?' Eunseong couldn't understand. He had delivered a full-power kick to Chulwoo's liver, a spot that could incapacitate most people. He was certain the kick had landed squarely. Anyone else would have been on their knees, vomiting, unconscious, or seriously injured. Yet, Chulwoo stood unaffected. It wasn't just that he had tanked the hit, it was as if the attack hadn't even registered.
As the group's leader, Eunseong is the strongest. But now, faced with this situation, danger loomed. The words Chulwoo had spoken earlier about numbers being useless against him, could it be that he wasn't bluffing?
"Your talent is so-so. Even my used-to-be personal gaming shuttle has more talent than you," Chulwoo said, his tone dismissive as he raised a hand, aiming to grab Eunseong's face.
Reacting quickly, Eunseong spun around, launching another kick, this time at Chulwoo's face.
"Heh, trying so hard, for what?" Chulwoo chuckled, effortlessly catching Eunseong's leg. "Just to end up dead, it seems." With that, Chulwoo slammed Eunseong to the ground. The impact cracked the floor beneath him, sending small chunks of debris flying out with a shockwave.
"Ughh." Eunseong groaned, the pain from the impact reverberating through his body. It was immense, and he felt his consciousness waver. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up with his arms. But before he could get to his feet, a sudden kick slammed into his chest, hurling him across the room. He crashed into the podium with a resounding thud.
"N-No way."
"E-Eunseong lost?"
Murmurs spread among the rest of the group, disbelief clear in their voices. They stared in shock, unable to process what had just happened. Their strongest member, their leader, had been defeated effortlessly. Words failed them, leaving only nervous stares fixed on Chulwoo.
"No way." Siyeon muttered under her breath, frozen where she stood. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Chulwoo had overpowered almost everyone in the room with ease. His movements had been so fast that she couldn't see them. It was as if he had simply stood there while his opponents were flung back as though fighting an invisible force.
And then there was Eunseong. Siyeon was even more stunned by his defeat. She knew his capabilities. As the leader, Eunseong had always been the strongest, and she had seen him in action before. Yet, the moment Chulwoo entered the room, that reality had shifted.
"I could tell from this much, you're the leader here." Chulwoo said, reaching into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. He lit one up, taking a puff as the smoke curled around his face, making his eyes more intimidating. "Is there anything else?" He asked, taking another puff.
"Heh, so you still have some spark left in you, it seems." Chulwoo chuckled, watching Eunseong get back to his feet. His mouth was bloodied from the impacts he'd taken, but his eyes were deadly serious as he glared at Chulwoo.
"Let's see." Chulwoo muttered, glancing around the floor as if searching for something. "Oh, this could work." He continued, walking to his side, crouching down, and picking up an item.
"Hmm, sharp enough." Chulwoo remarked as he assessed the object in his hand. Turning to face Eunseong again, his right hand raised, holding the item between his thumb and second finger. His left hand hung loosely, holding the cigarette between his fingers.
"Come on then, I don't have all day." Chulwoo said with a smile. Eunseong frowned, confused as he realized what Chulwoo was holding.
'A toothpick?'
It wasn't just Eunseong who was confused, everyone else was, too. Was this guy really going to fight with a toothpick? Sure, they understood he was strong, but a toothpick? That was absurd. Who fights with a toothpick? Nobody. It's not a weapon, it's impossible to fight with one.
Eunseong shook off his doubts. He needed to focus. This had to be some kind of trick. There was no way this guy would actually fight with a toothpick. He could only conclude that he was being mocked.
Wasting no time, Eunseong charged at Chulwoo, aiming a fist at his face. But he stopped short, his eyes widening as a sharp pain radiated from his arm. He glanced down to see a slash mark cutting through his clothes and into his skin, blood seeping out.
'What happened?' Staring at the fresh cut on his arm, which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, Eunseong couldn't make sense of it. Then, realization struck. 'No way.' His gaze darted back to Chulwoo, who was smiling with disdain. Looking at the toothpick in Chulwoo's hand, Eunseong saw it dripping with fresh blood, his blood.
'You've got to be joking. A toothpick?' Eunseong's lips curled into a nervous smile. He had been cut by a toothpick. Absurd didn't even begin to describe it. Monster. That was the only word he could think of for Chulwoo. But he gritted his teeth and followed with another punch from his other arm. What else could he do but attack? He didn't understand Chulwoo's strength or speed. He couldn't see it. His only option was to fight.
"Idiot." Chulwoo sneered, his smile widening. He waved his hand, cutting a clean slash into Eunseong's other arm. The cut tore through clothes and skin, blood dripping onto the floor.
"Too bad, right?" Chulwoo remarked, swiping downward. A long slash appeared, cutting from Eunseong's left shoulder to his midsection, the wound deep enough to send blood spraying out. Eunseong's eyes widened in pain, but he didn't have time to think or recover as another slash, just as fast, marked his body from his right shoulder to his midsection. The two slashes formed a large X across his torso.
'Shit.' The pain Eunseong felt was unreal. It wasn't just from the injuries, it was the sensation of the slashes themselves, as if they were tearing him apart from the inside. His body broke out in a cold sweat as he looked down at the blood pooling from his wounds. 'Damn it.' His vision blurred, darkness closing in as he collapsed to the ground, unconscious, overwhelmed by the pain.
Chulwoo tossed the toothpick to the ground and raised his left hand, taking a long puff of his cigarette.
'This is absurd.'
The same thought echoed through everyone's minds. Absurd was the only word that fit the scene they had just witnessed. What had happened? None of them knew. None of them had been able to see Chulwoo move. What kind of speed was that? From start to finish, it felt like he hadn't moved at all. And now, this. He had taken down Eunseong, their leader, with a toothpick. A toothpick. A toothpick that seemed to cut like a sword in Chulwoo's hand. It was clear to all of them, this guy was not someone they could handle.
"But hey, I'll give you some credit, just for standing up, that is," Chulwoo said, looking down at the unconscious Eunseong as if speaking directly to him. "So be grateful. I'll be joining your little group." Chulwoo's voice carried clearly, stunning everyone as he announced his intention to join Boramae-Dong and take the position of representative.
"No problem, right?" Chulwoo asked, raising his head to look at the student at the podium, whose face was frozen in shock. "Four eyes?"
"Y-Yes! From now on, Chulwoo Min will be the representative of Boramae-Dong." The student stammered, his voice shaky as he hurried to announce the decision. Chulwoo's glare, both intimidating and unnerving, left no room for argument.
"Well, that was fun, I guess." Chulwoo said, taking one last puff of his cigarette before tossing it to the ground. His eyes returning back to their original state as he turned to walk toward the stunned Siyeon.
"Then let's leave together, Siyeon." Chulwoo said with a grin. Siyeon snapped out of her daze and gave a slight nod, though her mind was still replaying the scene she had just witnessed.
Outside, under the night sky.
Chulwoo walked alongside Siyeon, who was clearly lost in thought, her mind replaying the events of the meeting. She still couldn't fully process what had happened; it was too sudden for her to take in.
As they reached a park and were about to pass it, Chulwoo suddenly acted. Moving behind Siyeon, he embraced her, making her gasp in surprise.
"Man, do you know just how much you're making me wait?" Chulwoo whispered in her ear, his warm breath brushing against her skin, causing her face to flush. "This is our second meeting, so there should be at least something happening, right?" Chulwoo chuckled, lightly biting her ear.
Siyeon yelped in surprise, quickly pulling away from his embrace. She distanced herself from him, turning around and covering the ear he bit, her face flushed.
"You, again?" Siyeon asked, her voice uneasy. This guy was getting bolder and bolder, and it was unsettling. The way he looked at her now made her uncomfortable.
"So? I don't see how that's a problem." Chulwoo said with a chuckle, stepping toward her. Siyeon instinctively stepped back in response. It continued until her foot slipped, and she fell onto her butt.
"Trying to run away will lead to this, it seems." Chulwoo remarked with a grin, standing over Siyeon, who looked up at him.
"But I don't understand. Am I that scary for you to run away like that?" Chulwoo crouched in front of her, grabbing her wrist as he leaned closer.
"Chulwoo, stop." Siyeon said, her voice firm but laced with unease.
"Stop? What do you mean, stop?" Chulwoo replied, leaning in closer until her back was against the ground, his face hovering above her panicked one. "We're having fun, right?"
"You know, I don't normally act like this, but since it's you, I have to." Chulwoo chuckled. He still gripped her wrist, his left hand moving to touch her bare stomach, making her eyes widen.
"No." Siyeon said, panic overtaking her as she saw his hand moving toward her cleavage. "Stop!" She shouted, her voice filled with fear, but her words fell on deaf ears.
"Please, stop, Chulwoo." She said again, this time quieter, her voice trembling.
"No can do-" Chulwoo began, but his movements froze. His eyes widened as he saw her expression. Siyeon's eyes were filled with tears as she looked away, refusing to meet his gaze.
Chulwoo immediately stepped back, releasing her wrist and crouching where he was, letting her sit up.
'What am I doing?' Chulwoo thought, his hand rising as if to apologize. "Wait, Siyeon, I-"
Before he could finish, Siyeon stood up, turned around, and walked away. Chulwoo stayed where he was, his hand falling to his side as he watched her retreating figure.
"Fuck me." Chulwoo muttered, sitting on the ground. His arms rested on his slightly bent knees as he leaned forward, his head tilted down.
'What was I even doing?' He shouldn't have approached her like that. He hadn't expected her to show such an expression, but what had he expected? For her to laugh? He had been stupid, invading her personal space in that way. Of course, she was going to cry. She was just a girl.
"Phew." Chulwoo exhaled, regret settling heavily in his chest. The silence around him amplified the weight of his actions. He shouldn't have done that. He shouldn't have approached her in such a fucked up way.
"I'm such a fucking idiot." Chulwoo said to himself, covering the upper part of his face with his hand. What was he thinking? Why had he acted that way so suddenly? They had been walking peacefully, so why? Why did he have to be such an asshole? He's so wrong for that.
It's just, not fucking it.
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