The faint light of dawn spilled through the thin curtains of Jin’s room. He sat on the wooden floor, already drenched in sweat, his breaths steady but heavy. His punishment from Coach Goo Gun-Hee was no joke. Double the routine meant he couldn’t slack—not even for a moment.

“Two thousand push-ups… one… two…” Jin counted softly under his breath, his arms flexing with controlled precision.

His body moved like a machine, every push-up perfectly aligned with the rhythm of his breathing. When he reached the last one, he didn’t pause. Instead, he moved directly to pull-ups, gripping the bar with one arm at a time.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The sound of his weighted wristbands hitting the metal bar echoed faintly in the quiet apartment. Each band weighed 300 pounds, and the heavy vest strapped to his torso felt like an immovable rock, yet Jin moved as if the weight was merely an afterthought.

After finishing his pull-ups, Jin transitioned into shadow boxing. His punches sliced through the air with sharp precision, the faint woosh of his fists creating a rhythmic tempo.

“Faster,” he muttered to himself, throwing a sharp jab followed by a quick uppercut. “Stronger.”

As he reached the end of his routine, Jin’s shirt clung to his body, soaked through with sweat. His muscles burned, his breath was shallow, but his eyes remained sharp.

When Jin returned to the living room, the smell of food greeted him. Yumi was already at the stove, her hair tied up in a messy bun, flipping pancakes on the skillet.

“You’re finally done?” she asked without looking back. “You’ve been grunting like a bear in there for hours.”

“Yeah,” Jin replied, wiping the sweat from his face with a towel. He glanced at the table, already set with plates and glasses of juice. “You didn’t have to cook, you know.”

“You think I trust you to eat properly? Please.” Yumi rolled her eyes, setting a stack of pancakes on the table.

Jin chuckled, shaking his head as he headed to the bathroom. “Thanks, though.”

When Jin emerged from the bathroom, the difference was stark. His clean skin glowed with a healthy sheen, and his damp hair was neatly combed back, accentuating the sharpness of his features. He opened his closet and reached for his school uniform.

The moment he pulled on the shirt, he realized there was a problem.

Rip.

The seams stretched dangerously tight around his shoulders and chest, the fabric groaning in protest. Jin sighed, pulling it off and opting for a fitted black blazer that matched the school’s uniform style but fit his broader frame. Paired with his uniform trousers, the suit-like outfit gave him a refined yet intimidating presence.

Yumi, standing by the door with her school bag, blinked in surprise when Jin stepped out.

“Are you… going to a fashion show or something?” she asked, half-teasing.

“Don’t start,” Jin muttered, adjusting his cuffs. “Let’s go.”

The moment Jin and Yumi stepped through the school gates, the whispers began.

“Who is that guy?”

“Wow, he’s handsome!”

“Is he a transfer student?”

Jin ignored the murmurs, walking with a calm yet confident stride. His tall frame and sharp features drew attention like a magnet. Yumi, on the other hand, looked increasingly annoyed as she walked beside him.

“Is that his girlfriend?” someone whispered loudly.

Yumi’s eye twitched. “What the—”

She stopped abruptly, turned on her heel, and glared at the small group of girls whispering nearby. “Excuse me? Do I look like his girlfriend?”

The girls froze, unsure how to respond.

Jin smirked faintly but said nothing, continuing toward the school building.

When Jin entered the classroom, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations quieted, and all eyes turned toward him. He walked to his assigned seat, his movements calm and unbothered.

A group of girls near the back began whispering furiously.

“Who is he?”

“Is he new here?”

“He’s so tall…”

Jin’s new seat was by the window. As he approached, he noticed a guy already sitting at the desk beside his. The boy glanced up briefly before looking away, his expression unreadable.

I know him… don’t I? Jin thought, but the memory didn’t come.

Moments later

Jin was about to head to the cafeteria when he noticed something. In the corner of the schoolyard, a group of boys had surrounded someone—a familiar face. It was the guy from earlier, the one sitting beside him in class.

At first glance, it looked like he was being bullied. One of the boys shoved him lightly, but Jin noticed the subtle tension in the guy’s stance. He wasn’t cowering.

Interesting… Jin thought.

Before he could analyze further, one of the bullies raised his voice. “Oi, say something! What’s with that smug look?”

Jin sighed and stepped forward. “That’s enough.”

The group turned to him, their expressions ranging from confusion to annoyance.

“Who the hell are you?” one of them spat.

Jin didn’t reply. He simply stepped closer, his presence alone making them hesitate.

One of the boys, clearly emboldened, lunged at Jin.

Woosh.

In a blur of motion, Jin grabbed the boy’s wrist and twisting it effortlessly.

CRACK!

“AHHH!” the boy screamed, clutching his arm.

The rest of the group froze. Jin’s cold gaze swept over them, and without a word, they scattered, dragging their injured friend along.

The boy who had been “bullied” looked at Jin, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he nodded slightly. “Thanks.”

Jin shrugged and turned to leave.

Classroom Showdown

Word of the incident spread quickly. By the time lunch ended,(Sung-Woo, the leader of thefresh men), stormed into Jin’s classroom with his lackeys.

“Where is he?” Sung-Woo growled, scanning the room.

Jin leaned back in his chair, completely unfazed. “Looking for me?”

The room fell silent as the tension rose. Sung-Woo smirked, cracking his knuckles. “You’ve got guts, new guy. Let’s see how tough you really are.”

Jin smiled ''i Am Not New To This School Though''.

A punch came fast, but Jin was faster.

SWOOSH!

He ducked, the air hissing as Sung-Woo’s fist missed by inches. Jin retaliated with a sharp jab to the ribs, the impact sending Sung-Woo stumbling back.

THUD!

Sung-Woo roared, charging at him again. This time, Jin didn’t dodge. He grabbed Sung-Woo’s wrist mid-swing, twisting it with such force that the larger boy dropped to his knees.

CRACK!

“AHHH!” Sung-Woo screamed.

Jin released him, letting him collapse to the floor.

One of the lackeys lunged at Jin with a wooden chair, but Jin shattered it with a single kick.

BAM!

The pieces clattered to the ground as the lackeys hesitated, fear overtaking their bravado.

Jin stepped forward, his cold gaze locking onto each of them. “Do you want to try, too?”

They shook their heads, dragging Sung-Woo out of the classroom in defeat.

jin '' Oh, My Name Is Jin Tae Hyun''.

The room was silent. All eyes were on Jin, but he ignored them, sitting back in his chair like nothing had happened.

This is just the beginning, he thought, his gaze drifting to the window. There’s still so much more to do.