Chapter 3

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1-2. School Zone.

Wearing shabby rubber pants and a T-shirt, Kang Chan opened the wardrobe and took out a pair of jeans and a black round-neck T-shirt to put on.

Now what he needed was money.

But then Kang Chan suddenly remembered the money he had saved before.

He might not be able to find it, but it was worth checking.

As he left the room, Yu Hyesook jumped up in surprise and handed him ten ten-thousand won bills.

"Is this enough to get a haircut?"

"Sure. It's plenty. Since it's been a while since I've gone out, I'll meet up with some friends and buy them pizza."

Kang Chan looked at Yu Hyesook.

Her eyes were filled with genuine love and concern for her son.

But why didn't she know that her son was being bullied in the past?

"Why?"

"No, it's nothing. I'll be back."

"Okay. Be careful. Don't be too late. When you cross the road…"

As Kang Chan was about to leave the front door, Yu Hyesook's head suddenly jerked back.

"I'll call if I'm late."

"Uh, okay."

Nodding twice, Yu Hyesook watched as Kang Chan left the apartment.

He felt strange.

It was strange to have someone worry about him, and it was also strange to recognize the existence of a mother in a new way.

Once outside, Kang Chan first wanted to buy and smoke a cigarette. After about two weeks of abstinence, his craving for smoking had grown strong.

"Get a haircut first."

However, he grumbled to himself and entered a noticeable hair salon.

"Oh! Is that Chan? I heard you were hurt, are you okay now? I heard from your mom. You want a haircut?"

A woman in her early thirties, who seemed to be the owner, greeted him with a burst of breathless words.

"Sit down. How would you like it cut?"

"Give me a clean military-style cut."

"Really? Chan, you look better with a bit of length…"

"Just cut it, please."

"Uh? Oh! Okay."

The owner, looking surprised, answered and began to cut his hair with a machine from the front shelf, giving him a clean, short cut.

As his hair was gradually cut, Kang Chan started to like his appearance more.

"Can you make it a bit shorter?"

"Really? Are you sure?"

His eyes looked different.

Finding his old hairstyle, at least his eyes were starting to resemble the old Kang Chan.

Finally, with the desired style, Kang Chan washed and dried his hair.

"Do you have gel?"

"Of course! What do you want to do with it?"

"Just give me some."

Kang Chan used the gel he was given to slick back his short fringe.

'That's it! This is how Kang Chan should look!'

He smiled in satisfaction, something he hadn't done in a long time.

In the mirror, he saw himself with the eyes of a new recruit on his first day at the base.

Leaving the hair salon, Kang Chan immediately entered a convenience store in the same building.

"A pack of Marlboro and a lighter."

A young man who looked like a college student glanced at Kang Chan.

"Show me your ID."

"What?"

"You need an ID to buy cigarettes."

"Since when?"

The student, clearly working part-time, was hesitating.

"Since I'm in a good mood, I'll show you next time. Just sell me the cigarettes and lighter for now."

'This is it.'

Kang Chan felt like he was gradually regaining his original self. What did it matter about his voice? He had found a tone that matched his personality, and that was enough.

After a moment's hesitation, the student looked around and quickly handed over the cigarettes and lighter.

After paying, Kang Chan left the building and walked out of the apartment entrance. He sat on a stone in a flower bed at the entrance and leisurely took out a cigarette.

Click.

"Phew."

It felt like he was alive.

Though he wasn't dead, watching the smoke spread, Kang Chan felt as if the past and present were holding hands.

He had to take a bus to school.

After smoking two cigarettes, Kang Chan flagged down a taxi passing by the apartment and headed to Shinmuk High School. He didn't know the bus or subway routes well yet, and he found it too troublesome.

'It feels like I'm on leave.'

Leaning back in the back seat, he felt much better.

After about ten minutes, the taxi dropped him off in front of the school, and he walked in leisurely.

'But which class am I in?'

It was a problem.

Even after entering the main gate, he had no idea where to go.

Kang Chan looked around and walked towards the buildings.

"What kind of school has three buildings? That one looks like an office. Is this where the students are?"

Kang Chan walked confidently towards the building facing the playground. The playground was covered with artificial turf, which looked green, with lines for soccer and goals at both ends.

"What should I do now?"

As he was pondering in front of the building, the bell rang, and suddenly the building came to life with voices and the sound of desks being moved roughly.

The students were wearing uniforms.

'There are girls too?'

The students who came out of the building glanced at Kang Chan as they passed by, but they didn't seem to know him.

Just as he was staring at the students, someone called out to him.

"Hey! Kang-Chan!"

Someone was calling him, approaching with their hands in their pockets and a swaggering gait, which clearly wasn't a good sign.

What was surprising was the students' reaction.

They were carefully avoiding the approaching person.

"Ha? You don't even wear a uniform and you stand up like that? Is this what you've become?"

The person standing in front of Kang Chan finally pointed to his head with his right index finger and made a circular motion.

Students standing at a distance were watching, and heads were popping out of the classrooms on this floor, observing Kang Chan and the person in front of him.

Kang Chan recognized the voice.

Still, he needed to identify his enemy before the fight.

"Lee Ho-jun?"

"Yeah, it's me! I had to buy my own cigarettes and lunch because of your complete indifference. Are you finally back to your senses?"

Squish.

Suddenly, it was as if the commotion was swallowed, and everything became quiet.

Kang Chan didn't want to prolong it. He didn't want to be insulted by a worthless person, and he certainly didn't want to get into a scuffle with such a person.

Squish. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

Kang Chan slapped the other cheek and punched Lee Ho-jun's neck, chest, and sternum.

"Ugh. Gah."

Lee Ho-jun bent over, his mouth wide open, unable to breathe. Despite his considerable height, his head was at Kang Chan's waist level.

Kang Chan grabbed Lee Ho-jun's hair.

'Can you see? I don't know where you are, but now it's time to settle the score.'

Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish.

Blood was already pooling under Lee Ho-jun's face, but Kang Chan's hand didn't stop.

Squish.

Kang Chan gave a final, satisfying slap and lifted Lee Ho-jun's head.

Looking at the swollen left eye, cheek, and mouth, Kang Chan tilted his head.

'Is it because this isn't my body? Even this much, and he still has some fight left?'

Kang Chan pressed Lee Ho-jun's head down and slapped his cheek forcefully. After hitting him five more times,

"Hey, man!"

Someone's angry voice cut through the crowd, and a middle-aged man appeared in front of Kang Chan.

"You, what are you doing to this kid?"

Kang Chan looked at the man and guessed he was a teacher.

"Did you just stand by when this kid made me buy cigarettes and steal my money, and now you're doing this because you can't get away with it?"

"What? You, you! How dare you!"

Kang Chan felt an inexplicable rage.

"Don't call me 'this kid' or 'that kid'! Why? Do you want to try it too? Are you confident?"

Pushing away the man's left hand, Lee Ho-jun fell to the ground. Kang Chan took a step forward and stood right in front of the teacher.

I'll kill you.

As the aura of a seasoned fighter rose, the teacher couldn't even look into Kang Chan's eyes.

"Let's be reasonable. I have evidence of how much this kid has bullied others by demanding money. Don't take sides too much."

"You, you... Do you want to drop out of school?"

"That's up to you. I still have things to do, so please move aside."

Kang Chan wiped the blood from under his nose with the back of his hand and grabbed Lee Ho-jun's hair again.

Girls around him gasped, but Kang Chan didn't hesitate.

"Lee Ho-jun, we're not done yet. Do you want to talk?"

"Huh? Huh?"

"You said you had trouble with cigarettes and lunch because of me, right? If you called me, there must be more to say, right?"

As the terrified Lee Ho-jun grabbed Kang Chan's wrist and struggled, the teacher grabbed Kang Chan's waist.

"Why are you doing this? If you keep this up, you won't be able to attend school! Stop now!"

When Kang Chan turned to look, the teacher's eyes were sincere. He didn't want to be rude to a teacher who was genuinely concerned, not because he was afraid of not being able to attend school.

Kang Chan let go of Lee Ho-jun's hair and took a deep breath.

"Okay, let go of me."

The teacher, nodding, looked at Kang Chan and then went to Lee Ho-jun. A moment later, the teacher helped Lee Ho-jun into the building.

The students, still gathered around, watched him, but they avoided his gaze whenever he turned to look at them.

Kang Chan slowly walked out of the building and sat on the top stand facing the playground.

'Why is it lunchtime? Tsk. If I had known, I would have come after school.'

He felt uneasy.

And he thought of his subordinates who couldn't watch his back.

As he stared at the playground, several shadows appeared around him.

"Hey? Looks like you're crazy, huh?"

Kang Chan turned his head and laughed.

He had a strong, intimidating presence, but it still felt a bit awkward.

Six. One of them had a cutter knife in his pocket?

"Is this kid laughing after dealing with one idiot?"

Kang Chan slowly stood up. Since he was sitting on the top stand, he was one step below the approaching group.

When he made a fist, he extended his thumb and pressed it against his index finger. A weak opponent would be unable to stand after one punch.

Thud.

Kang Chan immediately jabbed the outer thigh of the person in front with his right thumb.

Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch.

Before the person could react, he jabbed the side, sternum, and throat in quick succession.

"Ugh!"

With a dog-like howl, the person fell, and the others rushed in.

Thud. Punch. Punch. Thud. Thud. Punch.

Dealing with their lazy punches was almost boring.

Kang Chan blocked their punches with his palms and knocked them down one by one, hitting their sternum or throat.

Thud.

It was like a blink of an eye.

While the students on the playground were saying "Huh?" six people were already rolling on the ground.

Kang Chan reached out to the person with the cutter knife.

Putting his hand in the pocket, he found a thick knife.

Click.

"Idiot. Why do you carry something like this?"

He grabbed the end of the person's pants and lifted him up. Then he walked down the stand.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

The person's terrifying scream echoed as his head hit the concrete steps.

Thud.

Finally, Kang Chan stepped onto the playground and kicked the person's stomach hard.

As he walked up the stand, the fallen people sat on the ground and moved back.