The sky above Noryangjin-dong was a churning gray, heavy with the promise of rain as Jang Taesan walked to school, his frayed backpack slung over one shoulder. The air crackled with tension, the scent of damp asphalt and sizzling street food mingling with the restless hum of the city. It was his fourteenth day back in 2008, and the fire of his second chance burned like a furnace, fueled by the coins in his pocket, the strength in his body, and the future knowledge etched in his mind. But the quiet of the past few days—Min-soo Kang's silent glares, Sophie Leclerc's piercing scrutiny—felt like a held breath, a storm waiting to break. Today, Taesan sensed, that storm would hit.
The school courtyard was alive with its usual chaos—students swapping notes, laughing over cans of Pocari Sweat, or rushing to cram schools. Taesan's eyes swept the crowd, alert for Min-soo or his cronies. The bully's absence had been a reprieve, but his cold stare from the market yesterday lingered like a blade at Taesan's back. Sophie's warnings, Noah Park's growing trust, Han Do-jin's carefree grin—they were anchors in his plan, but the weight of his rebirth and the mystery of why he'd been sent back after saving Emma Kim pressed harder than ever.
In history class, Taesan answered a question about the Gwangju Uprising with a precision that left Ms. Park stunned, her chalk pausing mid-scrawl. "Jang, you're making my lessons obsolete," she said, half-joking, half-impressed. Whispers rippled through the room, and Sophie, seated near the window, shot him a glance—her eyes sharp, calculating, like she was trying to unravel a secret. Taesan kept his expression neutral, but her scrutiny was a growing pressure. His brilliance was rewriting his reputation, but every step into the spotlight made him a bigger target.
At lunch, the cafeteria thrummed with noise—students shouting over trays of kalguksu, the air thick with the scent of soy and garlic. Taesan sat alone, his notebook open to a new page: a plan to expand his tutoring gigs, targeting more middle schoolers to boost his savings. The 10,000 won from yesterday's session with Ji-woo was a start, but he needed more to seize the market opportunities he knew were coming—Samsung's smartphone surge, Kakao's rise, Bitcoin's infancy. He was halfway through calculating potential earnings when a shadow fell over his table.
He looked up, expecting Han Do-jin's crooked grin, but instead, Min-soo Kang stood there, his broad frame blocking the light, his usual smirk replaced by a cold, predatory glare. His cronies, Ji-hoon and Dong-min, flanked him, their eyes gleaming with malice. The cafeteria hushed, heads turning, phones slipping out to capture the drama.
"No Leclerc to save you this time, Jang," Min-soo said, his voice low and venomous, loud enough for the nearby tables to fall silent. "You think you're hot shit now, huh? Math genius, tough guy in the alley? Time to learn your place."
Taesan set his chopsticks down, his pulse steady despite the adrenaline surging through him. In his past life, he'd have shrunk, apologized, vanished. But the man who'd faced death to save Emma Kim, who'd clawed through years of failure, didn't flinch. He stood, meeting Min-soo's gaze head-on, his voice calm but edged with steel. "My place? I'm not the one hiding behind goons, Min-soo. You want to settle this? Name the time and place."
The cafeteria went dead silent, the air crackling with tension. Min-soo's eyes flickered with surprise, then rage, his face reddening as Taesan's defiance hit its mark. "After school," he growled, leaning in close, his breath hot with anger. "Back gate. No teachers, no Choi, no Leclerc. Just you and me."
Taesan nodded, his heart pounding but his resolve unshaken. "I'll be there." Min-soo smirked, a cruel twist of his lips, and stalked off, his cronies trailing behind, leaving a wake of whispers and wide-eyed stares.
As the crowd dispersed, Han Do-jin slid into the seat across from Taesan, his face pale. "Dude, are you insane? Min-soo's twice your size, and he's pissed. You sure about this?"
Taesan forced a grin, masking the storm in his chest. "I'm done running, Do-jin. If he wants a fight, he'll get one."
Do-jin shook his head, his worry clear. "You're different, man. Braver or dumber, I can't tell. Just… don't get yourself killed, okay?"
Taesan clapped his shoulder, the weight of his friend's concern grounding him. "I'll be fine. Stick around, and maybe you'll see something cool." Do-jin's fate—the car crash in his future—loomed in Taesan's mind, a reminder of why he was fighting.
After the final bell, Taesan headed to the back gate, his heart thumping like a war drum. The alley was deserted, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and distant street food. Min-soo was already there, leaning against a graffiti-streaked wall, his cronies nowhere in sight. His eyes locked onto Taesan, cold and unyielding, a predator ready to strike.
"No backing out now, Jang," Min-soo said, cracking his knuckles, his voice low and dangerous. "You wanted to play tough. Let's see how tough you really are."
Taesan's mind flashed to Master Choi's drills—stance, balance, strike. His body was still weak, his training barely two weeks old, but he had something Min-soo didn't: the will of a man who'd already died once. "Let's get this over with," Taesan said, shifting into a basic stance, his muscles tense but ready.
Min-soo lunged, his fist swinging in a wild arc. Taesan sidestepped, clumsy but quick, the punch grazing his shoulder with a sharp sting. He countered with a low kick, aiming for Min-soo's knee, but it was weak, barely slowing the bully. Min-soo roared, charging with a tackle that sent Taesan stumbling back, his back slamming against the wall. Pain flared, but Taesan gritted his teeth, remembering Choi's words: "Leverage, not strength."
He ducked under Min-soo's next punch, grabbing the bully's wrist and twisting it in a hapkido lock, his movements rough but effective. Min-soo grunted, his arm bending unnaturally, but he broke free, shoving Taesan hard. "You little—" he snarled, raising his fist for a crushing blow.
Before it could land, a sharp voice cut through. "Kang! Back off!" Sophie Leclerc strode into the alley, her ponytail swinging, her eyes blazing with fury. "You're pathetic, picking a fight you can't even win fair."
Min-soo froze, his face twisting with rage and humiliation. "Stay out of this, Leclerc," he growled, but his voice wavered. Sophie's reputation—top student, fearless, untouchable—made her a force he couldn't ignore.
She stepped closer, unfazed. "Make me. Or are you scared to look like a loser again?" The alley was silent, the air thick with tension. Min-soo's eyes flicked to Taesan, then Sophie, his pride warring with his fear of another public defeat.
Taesan seized the moment, his voice steady despite the pain in his shoulder. "Walk away, Min-soo. You're done here."
Min-soo's jaw twitched, his fists still clenched, but Sophie's presence and the growing sound of footsteps—other students drawn by the commotion—tipped the scales. "This isn't over," he muttered, shoving past Taesan and storming off, his footsteps echoing in the alley.
Sophie turned to Taesan, her expression a mix of exasperation and curiosity. "You're either fearless or an idiot, Jang," she said, crossing her arms. "Why keep pushing him? You're not ready for that fight."
Taesan caught his breath, the pain in his shoulder pulsing. "I'm done being afraid," he said, meeting her gaze. "Thanks for the save. Again."
"Don't get used to it," she said, but her lips twitched, almost a smile. "You're making waves, Jang. People are talking, and not just about Min-soo. Be careful." She turned to leave, but paused, glancing back. "And maybe explain yourself someday. I'm starting to think you're hiding something big."
Taesan watched her go, his heart still racing. Sophie's words were a warning and a challenge, and her curiosity was becoming a puzzle he couldn't ignore.
At Choi's Taekwondo & Hapkido Academy that evening, Taesan threw himself into training, the alley fight fueling his intensity. The dojang's thwack of kicks and shouts of effort drowned out the pain in his shoulder. Master Choi's voice boomed as Taesan practiced a taekwondo side kick, his form sharper, the movement flowing from his core. "Jang! Good! Now harder!" Choi barked, his stern face betraying a flicker of pride.
Across the mat, Noah Park worked through a hapkido joint lock, his focus intense. Taesan caught his eye, offering a nod, and Noah returned it, their bond growing stronger. As the session ended, Noah approached, wiping his brow. "Heard about the alley," he said, his shy smile tinged with awe. "You really stood up to Min-soo. That's… intense."
Taesan grinned, slinging his towel over his shoulder. "Just doing what I have to. You're getting tougher too, Noah. Keep it up."
Noah's eyes lit up, a flicker of confidence breaking through. "Thanks, man. Means a lot."
Walking home under Noryangjin's neon glow, the stars faint against the city's electric haze, Taesan felt the storm break and pass. Min-soo's defeat, Sophie's intervention, Noah's trust—they were pieces of his plan falling into place. The CSAT, the markets, the mystery of his return—they were battles he'd face with everything he had.
He clenched his fists, his lips curling into a determined grin. The storm came, and I'm still standing. Now the real fight begins.