The bus screeched to a halt in front of Daejin High School. It was Dae-hyun's first time in Seoul, and everything about it felt loud—cars, crowds, even the sky felt heavier than it did back in Gyeongsang.
He stepped off the bus wearing a secondhand uniform that didn't quite fit. His shoes were scuffed, his bag was torn at the strap, and he carried the quiet dignity of someone used to being overlooked.
"Daejin High," he whispered, staring at the towering grey building ahead.
The school was famous for two things: excellent grades and high-level sports. What they didn't mention online was what really ran the school—fighting.
He didn't know that yet.
---
The front gate was guarded, not by teachers, but by students in red armbands and long jackets.
Crimson Uniforms.
One of them, a tall guy with sharp features and a cold stare, looked Dae-hyun up and down. His name was Jin Do-won, and he didn't bother hiding his contempt.
> "Another charity case," he said, loud enough for nearby students to laugh.
Dae-hyun didn't react. His plan was simple: keep his head down, study hard, get into Seoul National University, and take care of his mother.
But Do-won wasn't done.
He grabbed Dae-hyun's bag as he walked past. "You dropped something," he said, then dumped the contents onto the concrete.
Books, pencils, and a lunchbox slid across the pavement.
People stared. Some laughed. No one helped.
Dae-hyun crouched down and picked up his things one by one. His hands didn't shake. His face stayed calm. But inside, something twisted.
---
Class 2-C was packed with energy. Students were either loud or silent, separated into invisible groups. Dae-hyun was introduced by the teacher, then assigned the back corner seat—right next to a girl with short hair and earphones in both ears.
She didn't look at him.
> "You'll want to survive your first week," she said flatly, still not facing him.
Dae-hyun blinked. "Sorry?"
She finally looked at him. Her eyes were tired.
> "This school isn't about grades. It's about power. And you don't look like you have any."
---
Lunch came. Dae-hyun found an empty rooftop to eat alone. But he wasn't alone for long.
Four students came up. Same red armbands. One of them was the guy from earlier—Do-won.
> "Let's make this quick," he said, cracking his knuckles. "You don't belong here."
Dae-hyun looked around. No cameras. No teachers. No help.
Just fists.
The first punch came fast. Dae-hyun barely ducked.
The second caught his ribs. He staggered back.
They weren't playing.
He dropped to the ground as boots kicked into his side. One, two, three times. His vision blurred. Blood trickled from his lip.
He gritted his teeth—not in fear, but in silence.
He didn't beg. He didn't cry.
That's when someone else walked in.
---
A shadow crossed the rooftop. A girl.
Short hair. Earphones around her neck.
She moved fast.
Three seconds. That's all it took for her to drop two of them.
Elbows. Knees. One hard throw. Brutal efficiency.
Do-won swung at her. She ducked, then slammed him into the railing with a cold, robotic precision.
> "Pick on someone who hits back," she said.
The boys ran.
She looked at Dae-hyun and sighed.
> "You're lucky I was bored. Next time, don't be."
She tossed him a cold pack.
> "Name's Lee Chan-mi. Welcome to Daejin High."
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End of Chapter 1