For the past two weeks, I’ve been lazing around at home, living the idle life of a grasshopper.
This was all because of the unexpectedly harsh punishment, likely due to the original storyline being twisted.
Normally, the protagonist would get beaten up by the delinquents and only receive unfair school service as punishment.
But the school’s disciplinary committee ruled my actions as one-sided violence.
As a result, I got a two-week suspension, while the delinquents, including Choi Sunghum, received a month-long suspension.
‘Well, I guess I should feel satisfied that it’s better than theirs.’
***
Ding. Ding. Ding.
Checking my smartphone, I saw a message.
[Seo Yuna: Hey, Kim Dohyun! Reply already!]
‘Doesn’t she ever get tired of this?’
At first, I replied a few times, but the conversations always ended up being like, “I’m sorry… It’s my fault.”
Just reading them was frustrating, so I eventually decided to ignore her altogether.
On the other hand, Kim Harin’s reaction to the incident was surprisingly positive.
When I honestly told her that I hit the delinquents because they provoked me, she laughed and said, “Brother, if anyone messes with you in the future, don’t hold back. Beat them up!”
It was an unexpected response.
I stepped out in my tracksuit.
Lately, my routine has become like clockwork.
After waking up, I eat breakfast prepared by Harin, read a light novel for a bit, take a shower, and head to the boxing gym.
After spending the day like that, I return home, eat dinner, and collapse into bed, falling asleep immediately.
It was monotonous but surprisingly orderly.
***
When I arrived at the boxing gym, a familiar muscular figure waved at me and approached.
“Hey, have you thought about it yet?”
It was Kangcheol, the coach.
This guy seemed to enjoy hearing about my suspension for hitting another student.
“Why don’t you quit the academy and pursue a career as a professional boxer?”
‘Asking a student to quit school—what kind of adult says that?’
“I told you, I’m not interested.”
When I replied firmly, Kangcheol shook his head in disappointment and patted my shoulder.
“You’ve got talent. I wouldn’t have taken notice of you otherwise.”
“Talent or not, I’m staying in school.”
He muttered under his breath and stepped back.
“I’m telling you, don’t waste your potential. There’s more to life than studying.”
I simply shrugged without responding.
From the moment he heard about my suspension, Kangcheol had been persistently trying to recruit me.
“So, did you win? Breaking a few of those punks’ teeth is fine.”
“Why don’t we aim for a championship while we’re at it?”
Still, he didn’t push further if I flatly refused.
As I warmed up and focused on hitting the sandbag, the gym door suddenly burst open with a loud bang.
A familiar voice called out.
“Hey, Dohyun!”
Stopping my workout, I turned my head.
Jinyoung, in a sweat-drenched school uniform, was running into the gym, panting heavily.
“What now?”
Jinyoung caught his breath and stood in front of me, blurting out, “Choi Gihoon! He dropped out of school!”
I stopped punching the sandbag and wiped my sweat with a towel before asking indifferently, “Why?”
Jinyoung looked at me incredulously and replied, “I heard he muttered something about being just an ordinary person as he walked out of the school gate.”
After thinking about it for a moment, I smirked and went back to hitting the sandbag.
“Really? Well, good for him.”
Jinyoung scratched his head while watching me.
“Didn’t you have a bad relationship with him?”
“Not really.”
“Whether Choi Gihoon dropped out or not didn’t matter much to me. If he ever caused trouble again, I’d deal with him just like before.”
“There’s even a rumor at school that you beat up all of Choi Gihoon’s gang.”
“Come on, how could I?”
“Exactly. Even I think that’s a stretch. Anyway, your suspension ends tomorrow. How do you feel about going back?”
I punched the sandbag one last time and replied casually, “I just feel annoyed that I’ll have to wake up early.”
Hearing that, Jinyoung stared at me blankly for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“Man, that’s such a ‘you’ answer.”
“Nothing else happened, right?”
“Nope, except Seo Yuna saying she won’t leave you alone once you’re back at school.”
Jinyoung’s laughter echoed through the gym.
***
Thud. Thud. Thud.
“Brother, wake up! It’s your first day back at school!”
Harin’s voice boomed louder than usual from outside the door.
I grumbled, pulling the blanket over my head.
“…Can’t I just start going tomorrow?”
Clatter. Clatter.
I heard the sound of something fiddling with the locked door.
Soon, Harin opened the door and entered the room.
She yanked the blanket off me and shouted, “No way! What kind of impression would that make on your first day back?”
In the end, I was dragged out of bed by Harin’s relentless persistence.
‘I think I need to put a lock on my door.’
Rubbing my eyes as I got up, I paused when I saw the neatly pressed uniform hanging on the coat rack.
“Harin, did you iron my uniform?”
“Of course. Who else would take care of you, Brother?”
From the shirt to the pants, the ironing was so thorough that not a single crease could be found.
I should feel good about how much she cares, but why does it feel a bit terrifying?
Looking at the uniform, I once again marveled at her meticulousness.
After washing up and heading to the living room, my eyes were drawn to the meal set on the table.
The rice was steaming hot, and the soup was a hearty soybean paste stew filled with meat and vegetables.
There were five side dishes: bulgogi, seasoned greens, kimchi, rolled omelet, and pickled radish.
‘What is this? A feast?’
“Since today’s your first day back at school, I made something special. You better eat it all, or else.”
‘Since when did the day someone returns to school after being suspended for fighting become a special occasion?’
“Don’t rush and eat slowly, so you don’t get indigestion.”
“Alright, alright.”
After finishing the meal, I left Harin’s nagging behind and leisurely got ready for school.
***
In front of the school gate, groups of students were gathered, chatting among themselves.
As I appeared, some of them started whispering.
“Hey, it’s Kim Dohyun.”
“I heard he took down Choi Gihoon’s gang all by himself.”
“Wow, seriously? This feels like a drama.”
‘Did Choi Gihoon’s gang spread the rumor themselves?’
That seemed unlikely.
There’s no way they’d proudly admit to being beaten up by one guy, especially when they carry themselves like self-proclaimed school tyrants.
‘So how did this rumor even start?’
A headache began to creep in as soon as I arrived at school.
At that moment, a familiar voice called out from behind me.
“Kim Dohyun! Why haven’t you been replying to me? You’re driving me crazy!”
Turning around, I saw Yuna hurrying toward me from the school gate, pointing a finger at me with a furious expression.
“You were bothering me during my break.”
I responded nonchalantly.
Stopping in front of me, Yuna crossed her arms and glared.
Her face was filled with anger.
“When did I ever bother you? I was just checking if you were doing okay!”
“It’s just that your constant messages feel a bit overwhelming.”
I sighed as I replied, and Yuna pouted her lips.
“I was doing it because I felt guilty! And yet you didn’t even reply…”
“That makes it even more tiring.”
Yuna raised her eyebrows and stared at me again.
“You’re such a jerk.”
Her gaze dropped to the ground.
Seeing her look so dejected for some reason made me feel a bit guilty.
“If I reply, will that be enough?”
“Really?”
Yuna’s eyes lit up as she raised her head again, a faint smile forming on her lips.
“Then that’s fine. But… stop causing trouble. There are weird rumors going around the academy these days. Stuff like you hunting down Choi Gihoon’s gang and beating them up.”
Yuna narrowed her eyes and scrutinized my face.
“That’s not true, right?”
A chill ran down my spine for a moment.
“What are you talking about?”
I averted her gaze and mumbled vaguely.
“Those rumors! They’re not true, right?”
“They’re not. Do I look like some superhuman?”
“Alright, then.”
Wanting to end the conversation quickly, I turned toward the classroom.
Yuna followed behind me, muttering, “Your reaction is suspicious…”
‘She still doesn’t believe me. Who on earth started that ridiculous rumor?’
***
As I walked, I spotted a male student heading toward the back of the academy.
Hunched over slightly, he was clutching a notebook tightly in his hands.
‘Must be a model student.’
I thought nothing of it and continued toward the classroom.
***
Near the hideout where Choi Gihoon’s gang usually gathered.
At the entrance of a shabby commercial building, a student stood with his hands shoved into his pockets.
His face was stiff, and the envelope in his hand was damp with sweat.
‘Why am I the one who has to go through this?’
Inside the envelope was several ten-thousand-won bills—his allowance money.
The student, Kang Minwoo, was one of the many victims who had been extorted by Choi Gihoon’s gang.
But today, things were different.
When he arrived at the hideout, he noticed someone familiar standing in front of the building.
“…Kim Dohyun?”
The person everyone was talking about lately.
There were even rumors about him dating Seo Yuna and showing up unexpectedly to help people in trouble.
‘Why is he here? Is he getting bullied by Choi Gihoon’s gang too?’
Minwoo cautiously followed Dohyun into the abandoned building.
Not long after, a scream echoed from inside.
“Urgh…!”
Hiding himself, Minwoo peeked at the scene inside.
What he saw shocked him.
One of the delinquents who had tormented him was sprawled on the ground, his face bruised and blood dripping from his nose.
Nearby, Choi Gihoon was on the floor, scrambling backward in fear.
As Dohyun approached slowly, Gihoon’s expression turned to one of terror, like a herbivore facing a predator.
Minwoo watched the scene, his eyes wide in disbelief.
‘The rumors were true. He’s like a hero straight out of a comic book!’