“Was that really him? Jin Tae Hyun? The punching bag?”

“Did he take drugs or what?. It’s like… he’s not even human anymore.”

“No one could’ve taken down Sung-Woo that easily. Did you see how calm he was? Like it was nothing.”

Unbothered by the whispers, Jin walked calmly toward the school gates, his posture straight, eyes sharp, and expression unreadable.

Yumi caught up to him, her bag slung over one shoulder, her brow furrowed. “What the hell was that, Jin? You just came back to school, and you’re already picking fights?”

“I didn’t pick a fight,” Jin replied, his tone even. “They came to me.”

“And you just had to break their pride in front of everyone?” Yumi shot back, exasperated.

Jin’s lips quirked into a faint smirk as they stepped out of the gate. “If they want respect, they shouldn’t act like clowns.”

Yumi groaned, her fiery personality flaring. “One day, your stubbornness is going to get us both in trouble.”

He didn’t reply, his eyes scanning the horizon as the streets grew quieter with each step. The siblings walked side by side, the tension between them easing as the cool evening breeze brushed past.

The scene darkened, shifting to the hollowed skeleton of an abandoned construction site. The cold moonlight filtered through rusted metal beams and broken walls. The sound of dripping water echoed faintly in the background, blending with the occasional creak of unstable structures.

Near the center of the site sat Ju Won, slouched on a chair that looked more like a throne amidst the rubble. He held a pair of heavy bolt cutters, twirling them lazily in one hand. His sharp, angular face was partially obscured by shadows, but the dim light revealed the veins bulging on his temples, betraying his rising fury.

In front of him stood In-Su, his right-hand man, stiff and nervous.

“So…” Ju Won’s voice was low, deliberate, almost conversational. He leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes piercing through the gloom. “Our hot-blooded Sung-Woo got into a fight with Jin Tae Hyun, the infamous punching bag.” He spat out the last words like poison. “And lost. Is that right?”

In-Su nodded cautiously. “Yes.”

Ju Won’s hand gripped the bolt cutters tighter, the metal creaking ominously under his strength.

“Hmm…” His lips curled into a cruel smile, but the anger bubbling beneath his calm exterior was evident. His free hand ran along the edge of the tool, testing its sharpness. “I thought I told you to stay low. Instead…”

Ju Won abruptly stood, the legs of the chair screeching against the floor. His expression darkened, veins popping across his forehead. “You ended up getting broken.”

The sound of chains rattling drew Ju Won’s attention to the side. There, Sung-Woo sat tied to a chair, his arms and legs restrained by thick chains. His body jerked as he struggled, sweat dripping down his face.

“Ughnn…” Sung-Woo grunted through gritted teeth, his bruised face contorted in pain.

Ju Won turned to him, his movements slow and calculated. His voice dropped an octave, thick with menace. “Don’t you know we’re all fucked if Do-yun finds out about this?”

He took a single step forward, the echo of his boots reverberating through the room.

Ju Won’s voice rose, a sharp bark cutting through the silence. “A Cheonghwa high member lost to a kosei high member?”

Without warning, Ju Won delivered a vicious kick to Sung-Woo’s side.

CRACK!

The force of the kick sent Sung-Woo crashing into a wall, the chair shattering on impact. Blood splattered against the cracked concrete as Sung-Woo slumped to the ground, his face bruised and cuts oozing crimson.

“AHHH!” Sung-Woo screamed, his voice raw with pain.

Ju Won loomed over him, his towering frame casting a menacing shadow. “I fucking hate when the weak mess up.” His voice dripped with venom, each word punctuated by the intensity of his glare.

He turned to In-Su, who stood frozen in place. “In-Su.”

“Yes?” In-Su’s voice wavered, his eyes darting nervously.

Ju Won’s lips curled into a sneer. “Bring him to me.”

“Who?”

“Jin Tae Hyun,” Ju Won growled, gripping the bolt cutters tightly, the veins in his forearm bulging. “Or whoever the hell that bastard thinks he is. I’ll take care of this myself.”

As Ju Won turned back to Sung-Woo, a sickening smirk spread across his face. “You brought shame to Cheonghwa High, Sung-Woo. Do you know what happens when someone embarrasses us?.”

Sung-Woo coughed violently, blood dripping from his mouth. His body shook with pain, but he managed to glare up at Ju Won.

“Go to hell…” Sung-Woo spat, his voice weak but defiant.

Ju Won’s smile faltered, replaced by cold fury. He raised the bolt cutters high, the metal glinting in the dim light.

THWACK!

Sung-Woo let out another scream, the sound ripping through the night.

Ju Won’s cold voice echoed through the site. “This is just the beginning, Jin Tae Hyun. Let’s see if you’re as tough as they say.”

The camera pans upward, showing the construction site under the pale moonlight. Ju Won’s menacing figure stands tall amidst the rubble, his shadow stretching across the ground like a harbinger of doom.

In the distance, Jin Tae Hyun walks home with Yumi, completely unaware of the plots in the shadow.