A Gangster Return To Highschool, Chapter 10
A Gangster Return To Highschool, Chapter 10
"You are a murderer."
At the low, sharp accusation, Hong Jae-min flinched and then scowled fiercely. "That's because you're too weak! What do you want me to do about it...!"
He denied it, roughly pushing Song I-heon away. When he tried to grab his collar, Song I-heon was quicker. In a flash, Song I-heon grabbed Hong Jae-min's collar and pulled him close. The suddenness of the action had Hong Jae-min being dragged by the tightening collar.
Was it because the statement of being a murderer was too much for a high school student to handle? The trembling from the grabbed collar was palpable. Kim Deukpal lowered his gaze to see Hong Jae-min's hand, clenched into a fist in defiance, trembling slightly. His wide eyes straining to look tough and his clenched jaw were almost pitiful.
"You're scared."
Kim Deuk-pal let out a scoff, feeling the air leave his lungs. Seeing the kid turn pale and shake, his fighting spirit waned. He also felt a sudden doubt about what he was doing. With these kids, no amount of talking would help; only force would work.
Pushing Hong Jae-min away, Kim Deuk-pal took off his outerwear. The group that rushed to support Hong Jae-min watched Song I-heon cautiously. When he threw his jacket onto a pile of PET bottles and loosened his neck, he no longer carried the same weight as before.
"Let's get this over with quickly. I have class to attend."
With an air of annoyance, he flicked his fingers, beckoning them to come at him, which finally made Hong Jae-min's group react. They were embarrassed that the nerdy Song I-heon had momentarily taken charge. A delayed sense of shame rushed up under their skin.
"That, that fucking bastard-!"
His exaggerated behavior resembled that of prey trying to appear larger in front of a predator. Song I-heon rolled up his sleeves and smirked. Lifting his chin at an angle, he said,
"Come on, hit me. There's no honor in fighting a kid. I'll let you have the first punch."
"Did his guts just pop out of his stomach?!"
One of Hong Jae-min's crew charged forward like a vanguard, but he was quickly grabbed by the shoulder and pulled back. Hong Jae-min took his place and swung his fist. His fist, marked by bulging veins, connected with Song I-heon's cheek.
There was a significant thud as his jaw twisted. With his fist reddened, Hong Jaemin gasped for breath. If this had been the old Song I-heon, he would have been on the ground, but the current Song I-heon stood with both feet planted firmly. He touched his jaw, adjusting it, and spat.
"Pht."
His mouth was all torn, a thick, red liquid close to blood stretched out. He wiped the blood from his lips with his thumb. The blood-smeared lips glistened redly, and his eyes, bright and clear, were fixed on Hong Jae-min as he grinned.
"Nice punch."
"..."
There it was again. The eerie feeling of dealing with someone else wearing Song Iheon's face enveloped Hong Jae-min's group. It was hard to believe this was the same person they knew.
Song I-heon's body was weak. Even a small impact would cause bleeding, and he felt pain several times more than others would from the same injury. That's why the original Song I-heon hated getting hurt and was afraid of being injured, sometimes to the extent of being an exaggerated complainer.
Meanwhile, Kim Deuk-pal used his tongue to probe the inside of his mouth, checking for injuries. The only thing that had changed was the soul; the body was the same, so he should feel the same pain Song I-heon would have felt, but Kim Deuk-pal was not swayed by pain.
It would be more ridiculous for Kim Deuk-pal, who had risen to the top of the organization with his fists, to be hurt by a delinquent teenager's punches, but he was not clumsy enough to complain about pain when he felt it.
"Who the hell are you!"
Hong Jae-min, unaware of the situation, shouted. Kim Deuk-pal took a step forward, his shirt tail poking out from under his loose knit.
"Me? Song I-heon."
"Don't make me laugh! That kid should be crying and taking the hits, ugh-!"
"Your tongue is too long, Jae-min."
Kim Deuk-pal's fist struck Hong Jae-min in the solar plexus. His small but bony fist hit the target accurately. Hong Jae-min doubled over, retching. That was just the beginning. With their leader down, the others went berserk, rushing in. "Hey, fuck, hit him!"
Like seasoning their words with unnecessary profanity, Hong Jae-min's gang's punches were full of excess. They looked like they had seen a lot but had only superficial style, slow and all bark no bite. A ragtag bunch. Kim Deuk-pal defined the attacking kids with one word and swung his fists.
"Ugh-!"
The seasoned fists of an experienced fighter were skilled and fierce. He aimed mostly for vital points, striking hard. Song I-heon's delicate skin couldn't withstand the intense blows, and soon his knuckles were dotted with blood. But Kim Deuk-pal did not hesitate or slow down.
Song I-heon used the fallen body as a stepping stone to jump up, kicking one in the chest and punching another straight in the face. The teenage body was light and agile, moving as Kim Deuk-pal willed.
"Fuck!"
A giant of a boy, like a bear, attacked Song I-heon from behind. Sensing the shadow over his head, Kim Deuk-pal lowered his center of gravity. He tried to throw the bear-like boy over his shoulder. The simulation in his mind was perfect. He even managed to grab the arm. However, the problem was that Kim Deuk-pal hadn't fully adapted to Song I-heon's physique.
"......!"
Under the enormous weight pressing on his shoulders, Kim Deuk-pal's eyes widened. If he had his original robust body, throwing the large student would have been no problem, but now he was in Song I-heon's slender frame. It was impossible to toss someone twice his size.
The boy whose arm was grabbed was thrilled to see Song I-heon pinned and shivering. He pressed down with his weight, shouting:
"Got him!"
The ones who had been knocked down by punches gathered around. The large student lifted Song I-heon from behind, restraining his arms. Song I-heon, panting heavily, glared with wide eyes. He twisted his torso, trying to free his arms, but only ended up exhausting his strength.
"Move."
Hong Jae-min, appearing through the crowd, growled menacingly. In his hand, he held a piece of wood, likely picked up from the incinerator. He gripped it like a baseball bat, aiming at Song I-heon's head.
"If you don't want to get hit, hold on tight."
Feeling the boy who had bound him swallowing nervously and stiffening up, Kim Deuk-pal gave a sarcastic smirk. His eyes narrowed as he glared at Hong Jae-min.
"You little shit, all you've learned is bad stuff."
"Acting like an old geezer, you prick."
Hong Jae-min raised a wooden stick high. Against the sun, the stick cast a shadow, turning it into a black rod. Song I-heon also looked up, squinting to keep the stick in sight despite the glare.
"Hoo-, you're done."
Taking a deep breath, Hong Jae-min swung the stick. Just as it was halfway through its swing, Song I-heon kicked off the ground. Using the momentum, his long leg shot forward. With his upper body firmly held from behind, Song I-heon put all his weight into a powerful kick, sending Hong Jae-min rolling backward with a hit to the chest. "Ugh!"
"Jae-min!"
The surprised kids called out to Hong Jae-min, including the large boy holding Song I-heon. Song I-heon quickly struck the back of the large boy's head with his own. A sharp pain rang through his skull.
"Ack!"
The large boy fell, clutching his bloodied nose.
Song I-heon swiftly broke free, charging through the confused kids surrounding Hong Jae-min, fists clenched. As Hong Jae-min was trying to get up with help, Song I-heon landed another punch, knocking him down again before he could even scream.
At that moment, a high-pitched warning rang out from above. "Hey! What are you doing there! Stop immediately!"
From the window above, Jeong Eun-chae shouted urgently.
While Jeong Eun-chae was rushing towards the incinerator, the reason Hong Jaemin's gang didn't run away was out of a sense of injustice. Aren't humans creatures of emotion? They forgot about the times they had bullied Song I-heon, now feeling indignant about being hit today, clutching their bruises and grumbling.
Although they were also at fault, they couldn't stand watching Song I-heon, who had fought back, get away unscathed, so they waited for the teacher's punishment.
"Ugh, shit..."
While waiting, Hong Jae-min's group kept cursing and spitting. Unlike the kids trying to act tough to maintain their last shred of pride, Song I-heon calmly straightened his clothes. He felt his pocket out of habit, his shirt tucked in.
"Hoo-."
His pocket was empty. Feeling troubled that he might have inadvertently caused trouble for the real Song I-heon by getting caught by the teacher, Kim Deuk-pal sighed heavily, realizing there was no cigarette. He ran his fingers through his short hair, parting it left and right.
He didn't swear or throw a tantrum; it was just a small gesture of being inconvenienced. Yet, Hong Jae-min's group grew quiet, as if they were wary of Song I-heon. After that, the incinerator area fell into silence until Jeong Eun-chae arrived, with only the silent glares at Song I-heon bustling in the stillness. "You guys!"
Soon, Jeong Eun-chae burst out from around the corner of the building, using a white hand on the wall for support. She seemed to have sprinted the short distance, her legs almost giving out, with Choi Se-kyung supporting her from behind. Choi Sekyung, who was a head taller than Jeong Eun-chae, blinked innocently, clearly not understanding what all the fuss was about.
Choi Se-kyung's face was one of surprise. His slightly drooping eyes widened like marbles as he surveyed the scene where blood had splattered. At first glance, it was the typical response of someone worried about the victim, clearly distancing himself from any association with school violence.
Despite his concern, Choi Se-kyung maintained his distance as he checked the faces in the fray. He was taken aback because the student he thought was Song I-heon, surrounded by Hong Jae-min's gang, was actually the boy he had met at the bookstore during the winter break.
The boy's hair, which had grown out into a rough buzz cut, had lessened the youthful look but retained a sharp gaze that made one want to test him.
This was the second time Choi Se-kyung had mistaken this boy for Song I-heon.
"What are you guys doing! Who told you to fight at school!"
Even as the frail female teacher raised her voice in an attempt to intimidate, it wasn't effective. The students who had crouched down reluctantly stood up, dusting off their pants. Only Kim Deuk-pal took his hands out of his pockets and bowed politely.
"Did you come, teacher?"
"Crazy bastard, what's with him?"
Hong Jae-min's gang twirled their index fingers at their temples, mocking Kim
Deuk-pal. When he glanced back, the pain from the beating made him lower his eyes slightly.
Kim Deuk-pal wasn't scared because he was good at fighting. Of course, he had taken a beating, but what truly scared Hong Jae-min's gang was something else. Song I-heon, who continued to punch with undiminished force even when his skin split and raw flesh showed, could only be described as insane. His madness (狂氣) in fighting without feeling pain scared Hong Jae-min's gang into caution.
The fight itself was weak for something supposedly done by Kim Deuk-pal, who was considered for the next boss. However, it shattered the preconceived notions among the teenagers. Whatever had happened during the winter break, this was not the Song I-heon of old. Song I-heon had changed.
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