(Friday, April 12th – 09:08 a.m. – Preparatoria J High)
The day started like many others. Although this week Namsoo was no longer alone or eating alone. Jiho, Duke, and Daniel sat near him. Although he still felt watched, it wasn't as uncomfortable as before. These days, Duke and Daniel were practicing to participate in the festival singing a song, but their honest thoughts were that Duke is quite good at it, whereas Daniel, well, no need to say, given his body and talent, everything will turn out fine.
After classes, the hallways changed shape, decorated with banners, lights, students running in costumes and colorful outfits. The annual J High festival had begun.
Zack Lee stood in the middle of a circle of students, wearing gloves. His bet was simple.
"If you hit me before a minute passes, I double your won."
Many tried. None succeeded. His speed and reflexes were too good for normal students.
The girls looked at him with a mix of fear. The guys muttered lost numbers in failed bets.
Vasco had a vencidas stand where he clearly defeated every opponent effortlessly. His strength was the result of extreme hard work; it was almost impossible for normal students to beat him.
Then the loud and exciting part started—the audience, mostly female, was restless.
The first to appear was Beom, from the Practical Music Department. Attractive face, street-style model. The girls erupted.
"150,000 won!"
"200,000 won!"
"250,000 won!"
The bids increased with excitement.
Then Eli Jang arrived, from the Beauty Department. He looked like he stepped out of a luxury magazine. His face was perfect. The girls offered absurd figures.
"300,000 won!"
"400,000 won!"
"600,000 won?!"
Namsoo watched Eli Jang, who didn't seem like a fighter. At that moment, he didn't feel anything, or maybe Eli was hiding very deep because he couldn't see how someone with that attitude could be a savage beast.
Eli wasn't an idol. He was a monster in disguise. His strength was real. His past, tragic. The smiles he provoked were not enough to cover his shadow.
Then Vasco took the stage. Tall, muscular, with a presence that made the microphone tremble. But the girls hesitated. His energy was overwhelming.
"No bids."
He calmly stepped down, silently.
Next, Daniel Park.
The girls screamed as if a famous actor had just entered.
"500,000 won!"
"700,000 won!"
"900,000 won!"
The excitement was uncontrollable. But then...
A voice rose among the crowd.
"1,000,000 won!"
Everyone turned.
A tall girl, with an arrogant and confident face, expensive clothes, and a sturdy figure, raised a card. Lala Kim, from a private school. Her purchasing power was offensive.
Everyone thought the auction was decided… until another voice was heard. Soft, firm, almost icy.
"1,500,000 won."
The silence was instant.
The students looked around. There was Crystal Choi. Perfect skin, perfect figure, an unapproachable face. She looked like an actress or a famous idol.
And behind her, the famous Gun Park. Glasses. Arms crossed. Contained threatening posture. Serious expression.
The atmosphere changed. Surprise shouts for the bid amount. Everyone was stunned.
From the crowd, Namsoo thought with some emotion and nerves.
This. This is the most interesting thing that has happened since I arrived. With Gun Park's appearance, the White Oni, this is the first time I see someone among the strongest in this world.
In the end, Daniel Park was bought by Crystal Choi. Then Namsoo hurried to see what would happen next.
When he arrived, he saw Daniel approaching Crystal to help her get into the car. He was about to touch the door when Gun grabbed his arm and said in a cold voice:
"Hold on there. Who are you trying to touch?"
Daniel roughly freed himself and replied.
"Let me go!"
Gun and Crystal were surprised by his reaction. Then Gun smirked disdainfully and released him.
"Your trash."
He threw a direct kick, but Daniel managed to raise his arm to block it. At the last moment, Gun changed the direction of the strike and hit him directly on the back of the neck. Daniel fell to the ground, holding his head where he received the blow.
Gun watched him with curiosity.
"You have good reflexes. You're interesting. Lightweight body, determined look... but it's obvious you don't practice sports. Still... you have talent."
Crystal intervened.
"You didn't have to do that! That was too much."
But Gun simply responded coldly.
"I have orders. No one should touch you."
Then Vasco appeared, holding a milk carton. He stopped next to them and said in a firm tone.
"Hey, four eyes... What are you doing? I saw everything."
Gun turned toward him:
"Who are you? His friend?"
Vasco, with a serious expression, nodded.
"Yes. I'm his friend."
Daniel, still on the ground, looked at him surprised. Vasco set his milk aside and added.
"Don't attack him. If you do... you'll be corrected by me."
Gun threw a punch straight to Vasco's face, hitting hard. As his fist made contact with the other's face, he muttered.
"Are you going to correct me? If you're with him, you deserve a punishment too."
Vasco was bleeding from the nose but kept his gaze firm.
"Four eyes... take off your glasses."
Gun withdrew his fist, somewhat surprised, and took off his glasses. His eyes were completely black, with white irises. A scar ran across the area between them. The atmosphere became tense as he said:
"This school... really is interesting."
Vasco prepared himself.
"Fine, I'll defeat you."
But Crystal intervened, holding Gun's arm.
"Enough. Don't continue with this."
Gun looked at Daniel.
"I got carried away. It's been a while since I last fought."
He turned to Vasco.
"You can lower your guard now."
He put his glasses back on, entered the car with Crystal, and they left.
Vasco sat down, panting. Daniel, worried, approached.
"Are you okay?"
Vasco, still bleeding, responded annoyed.
"Who the hell is that 'four eyes'? I don't think I can beat him... I'm still too weak."
Daniel smiled, sincerely.
"Thanks for helping me, Vasco."
They sat together, sharing the milk in silence.
Then the last part of the festival began.
Daniel Park and Duke Pyeon went up on stage. The audience's murmurs immediately turned toward Daniel.
"Who is that guy? He's so handsome."
But when they saw Duke, the comments became cruel.
"And him? Why is he so ugly?"
Daniel tried to sing, but nerves betrayed him; his voice trembled, insecure. Then Duke stepped forward… and started singing.
His voice was warm, powerful, deeply emotional. A silence filled with amazement swept over the audience. No one expected it. Daniel, hearing his partner, calmed down. Little by little, he joined the singing. They weren't idols. They didn't dominate the stage like stars… but they connected. With each note, with each shared look, they conveyed something real.
The girls cheered with every sustained note. The crowd chanted Daniel's name as if he were already a professional singer. And Duke, for the first time, was no longer invisible. People listened to him.
(3:14 p.m. – Cho Institute)
The mat welcomed him as always. Silence. Sweat. Steady pulse.
Master Cho had him repeat a sequence of evasions and counterattacks. His body was slow but obedient.
(8:25 p.m. – House)
His mother was waiting with doenjang jjigae loaded with proteins, hot rice, and spicy chicken.
"You look stronger," she said without looking, focused on her TV novela.
"Thanks. I'm working on that," he replied.
They ate in silence. A comfortable silence.
(9:40 p.m. – Namsoo's Room)
Lying in his bed, he couldn't get out of his head what Gun Park showed. He didn't try hard. He didn't show what he's capable of because he needed to. And still, he crushed everyone with humiliating ease.
I'm not a warrior... but seeing that makes me uncomfortable. It angers me. And it makes me push myself harder... I have to become stronger.
---
(Saturday, April 13th – 6:52 p.m. – Cho Institute)
The training was demanding. Master Cho led the session with near-military precision. Defensive sequences with spins, basic projections, fall practices. Each impact made the tatami shake, as if the ground itself responded to the effort. Namsoo absorbed more from the ground than from the movements. Cho didn't speak much that day; his corrections were gestural, firm, communicated with direct pressure. It was exactly what Namsoo needed.
...
(8:25 p.m. – Namsoo's Room)
Later, the soft evening light filtered through the window, drawing lines across his desk. His body still hurt. The projections that once took his breath now only left marks. It was a silent but real progress.
With numb fingers and a spinning mind, Namsoo opened his notebook. It was time to start his Phase 2 of the project. He began writing.
Website: ideas for names
The plan was clear: create a website to sell secondhand clothes… technically obtained through unconventional means. He knew he couldn't do it under his name, nor under something too obvious. He needed a title that hinted without revealing, that camouflaged the truth without sounding fake.
He wrote:
"LookLow" – For the idea of expensive clothes sold quietly.
"ShadowWardrobe" – As if the wardrobe had a dark side.
"Retiro de Marca" – A sarcastic name. Clothes that 'retired' from circulation.
"StreetLayer" – They are layers. They are from the street. Sounds technical.
"404 Couture" – Doesn't officially exist, but it works. Subversive.
He ran the tip of his pencil over each title, drawing quick lines, as if he could read the world's reaction from that sheet. He didn't choose any. He decided to keep the five. It wasn't the moment to decide. He wanted to analyze more, observe which could hide the truth better.
"Whatever it is, this website will be part of my system. Not a luxury. A method," he thought.
(9:00 p.m.)
Namsoo went to bed without looking at his phone. He sighed tired, knowing that what was coming next wouldn't be easy. But he had already started to move.