Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

School was as it always has been—boring. Just the same dull shuffle of voices and slamming doors and lockers. You knew the rhythm well, having walked through Jae Won High's wrought iron gates a few hundred times before. Nothing had changed: girls in clustered groups whispering about some new gossip, boys gathered in packs, boasting about yesterday’s sparring match or a stolen glance from a girl they liked.

Same shit, different day.

But this suited you perfectly. Boring meant safe, and safe was essential. You needed uneventful days, the kind that would let you drift through high school, unnoticed and unbothered, all the way to graduation. No fights, no drama. Nothing that would make you stick out. You needed boring. Boring was safe. Boring would help you graduate.

That hope, however, was dashed the moment you walked into Fashion Design Class. You did so with little regard for your classmates. The usual crew was there, scattered across desks or leaning against walls. Some faces you recognised, though none worth the trouble of greeting. You made for your usual seat by the window, dropping your bag beside it and letting your eyes drift shut. No one paid you much attention, and it was almost as like you were a ghost. But the peace was short-lived.

Dumping your bag by your desk, you went to take a much needed nap, but a pair of hands grabbed your cheeks and shook you.

"Y/n!" Doo Lee cheered, grinning down at you with what could only be awe. "How’s it going, bud? How was vacation?"

You blinked, half-awake, and shrugged. “'Twas alright."

You'd hoped the straightforward answer would have been enough for Doo, but that wasn't the case for today.

Doo’s grin only widened, ignoring your disinterest. He slid into the seat next to you—after roughly shoving the previous occupant out of it—and leaned in closer, voice dropping to a mischievous whisper. “Come on, did you go anywhere fun? Beat up any more children?"

You narrowed your eyes. "I told you. It isn't what you-"

But before you could finish, a familiar voice cut through the class noise, smug and unmistakably loud.

"Oi, L/n!” Zack Lee called out from his seat at the back, leaning back and crossing his arms. He was practically radiating confidence. “If you want a round two, you know where to find me."

You clenched your jaw. "Yeah? Tough of you to say-"

"Y/n~!" Zoe Park chirped, bouncing toward you with a wide grin, cutting your sight from Zack. She propped herself on the edge of your desk, oblivious to your lack of interest. "I called out to you this morning, and you ignored me! How about you make it up to me by buying me lunch~?"

Lacking the recollection of seeing Zoe earlier that morning, you waved her off. "How about you leav-"

But before you could finish, Doo muscled his way back into your line of sight, edging Zoe aside with a smug grin of his own. “Nice try, Zoe. Me and Y/n have lunch together. Better luck next time. Try again never."

Zoe wasn’t deterred. She put her hands on her hips, squaring up to Doo with a competitive glint in her eye. “Oh, yeah? Well I asked first!"

"Uh-huh? You should know better than to take my best bud away from me."

The brewing argument was interrupted by Han Park from the back of the classroom. "Come show her, Doo." He and Kay Jang stood around Zack's desk. Yui Kim watched from the window.

"Huh?"

"Last night. You still have the picture, don't you? Show it to us."

Doo’s eyes lit up as he fished his phone from his pocket, eager to share whatever had him grinning like an idiot earlier. He darted over to his friends, leaving Zoe fuming as she glared after him.

"So, what do you say?" Zoe asked.

You knew that whatever you would say, Zoe would either ignore it or twist your words. You'd long since gotten over keeping her feelings intact, but unfortunately she'd gotten good at predicting your actions.

"Just so you know- I took the picture to ensure he stays silent," Doo was saying.

"What picture?"

"Y/n~ I'm right here~" Zoe whined.

From you seat, you watched as Doo flipped open his phone and showed it to the group. A few of your classmates crowded in to take a peak, and even Zoe took a look. All the while, Zack's smug expression grew.

Zack tried to defend himself, but it was anything but genuine. "Enough. As a boxer, I'm not proud of using a straight punch-"

"Ah, that explains it." Doo showed you a picture of a small convenience store boy curled up in a ball. The picture captured Zack with his fist held high, straddling the boy. "I wondered how you could have beat someone up so easily, Lee. Of course it's because he was on the ground."

"What was that?"

Doo rushed to defuse the tension, looking genuinely panicked. “Whoa, guys! Relax!”

Swiping Doo's phone, you flipped through multiple pictures. All of them with similar poses. "Isn’t it against the rules in boxing to hit someone on the ground? Well, it looks like the only punches you got in was when you were on top of him. And you call yourself a clean boxer."

Zack’s face turned red. He glared, standing abruptly. "If you want, L/n, I can show you how I got into that position."

Someone slapped your chest as you closed in towards the boxer. "Hey hey hey!" Doo pouted, and you thought you saw a tear in his eye. "You don't want to fight again so soon, do you? They're not gonna be so lenient on you this time. What if they expel you?"

You clenched your fist, forcing yourself to stand down. Doo was right. If you wanted to graduate, you couldn’t afford any more fights. Not even with Zack Lee. You took a deep breath, gave Zack a dismissive wave, and went back to your seat.

"Whatever."

You didn't do so much as flip Zack the bird as you backed away to your seat. They were silent for a bit before mocking your quick departure, before moving back onto the topic before you had interrupted them.

If you wanted to graduate, you couldn't risk getting into anymore fights. Not even with Zack Lee!

You spent the remaining spare time getting your things ready. You finished a sheet of homework that you should've done weeks ago and you completed the last page of some rag mag right as a desk slammed across the room.

"Hey. You're fucking funny. You know that?"

"What's that?"

Once again, with a scowl covering his face, Zack Lee raised his fists. "Get up you fucking worm."

He wasn't speaking to you, but whoever the boy he was speaking to didn't appear afraid. The unknown boy simply stared up at Zack, face void of expression.

The class erupted in whispers and hushed chants of “fight, fight, fight,” and soon enough, students from neighbouring classes crowded the doorway, eager to watch the showdown.

The boy that Zack had decided to pick on was standing now, in a impromptu boxing pose, though his posture wasn't proper. To you, it looked as though the boy didn't have any clue to what he was doing.

"Go lightning hands~!"

"I bet on the newbie!"

He's new?

"Who's he?" You asked as Zack threw a punch, only to be missed by the adversary. He dodged another one, and another one, and an-

"Daniel Park. Transferred last week," Yui said, who had appeared at your side, watching the scene unfold with mild interest.

You hadn't recognised the guy earlier, though to be honest, you didn’t remember many of the peers in your class.

But Daniel’s demeanour wasn’t helping him here. Zack was in his face, fists up, taunting him. Daniel held up his fists in response, mimicking a boxing stance, but it was obvious he had no clue what he was doing. Despite that, he managed to dodge Zack’s punches, one after another, moving with surprising speed.

"And he's already picked a fight with Zack Lee? What a fool."

"You're one to talk, L/n."

You crossed your arms, eyeing the situation. “New kid’s got guts. Not that it’ll help much against Zack.”

You realised in that moment that to be a good student, you needed to help your peers. You'd also be helping Zack by taking him down a peg.

A double whammy, if you may.

"Hey!"

Right as you were striding in with your iron chariot, you were stopped by a familiar figure, who slid in front of you as quickly as the new guy had dodged Zack's fist.

You went to side-step the figure, only to be stopped once again. You gritted your teeth as you circled the room, though you couldn't get to the back of the room because the figure was always there to block you.

"Get out of the way, Jay."

Of course he didn't respond, didn’t even acknowledge you. His attention was still locked on the fight, ignoring your demands as if you were invisible. Zack had now cornered the new guy- Daniel, between the window and the lockers.

Taking a second to think, you vaulted a desk. Although you had planned to land between the two, you instead landed with Zack in front of your feet.

"Huh?"

Daniel had thrown a single punch, landing it square on Zack’s jaw. Zack crumpled to the ground, clutching his face, groaning in pain. A ripple of awe passed through the room, whispers and gasps blending with laughter.

"Awesome!" someone cheered.

“Whoa!” another exclaimed. “One-punch knockout!”

"Ruthless one-punch!"

"Daniel, you are the man!"

Daniel stood there, looking almost as shocked as Zack. The crowd broke into applause, and chants of “Daniel, Daniel!” rang out, as if he were some kind of hero.

"Eughh..."

Similar to how the boy had been in the picture, Zack kneeled, huddling into himself. He coughed and gasped while the class congratulated the newbie on one-punching Zack.

"Oi Lee," you grinned down at Zack between your feet, unable to resist a parting shot. "How's it feel from down there?"

Zack glared up, red-faced and furious. “I’m going to kill you."

“You'll need to get up first to do that." You turned on your heel, leaving Zack seething in the dust.

Chapter Text

“Yes sir, I understand.”

The principal’s office felt like it was closing in on you as he gave his usual “final warning” speech. His voice droned on about responsibility, respect, and the necessity of “turning over a new leaf.” You nodded at the right moments, but your mind drifted, wondering how many times you’d sat in this exact chair, getting the same lecture.

“Good. Now off you go. You have a lot of catching up to do.”

You forced a polite smile and headed for the door. As you passed the principal’s secretary, you spotted the candy jar perched on her desk. Without breaking eye contact, you grabbed a handful of sweets, feeling her glare intensify as you cheekily stuffed them into your mouth. You grinned wider.

J High’s principal had never been your best friend. Whenever you broke some type of rule, he was always around the corner to serve you punishment. The other students roamed free, barely aware of his existence, but he hovered around you like a bad omen. It was almost as if you had your own personal warden, lurking, waiting for you to step out of line.

When you returned to the classroom, it was a noisy hive of students chattering about their summer, setting up plans, and pretending to care about the new semester. You found your seat just as Doo, wearing his usual mischievous grin, took the chair beside you.

“Say,” Doo leaned in close, voice conspiratorial, “what d’you say we have a get-together, eh?”

“Define ‘we,’” you replied, raising an eyebrow.

He gave you a shit-eating grin and waved to Han and Kay. "Just you, me, and the boys. We’ll keep it small, nothing fancy. A little reunion for the new semester, y’know.”

You paused, catching his hopeful expression. “Okay.”

Doo’s grin widened. “And we’ll invite the new kid, too. Get to know him a little.”

Before you could respond, Zoe squeezed herself onto your desk, pushing her way into the conversation. “What’s this about a get-together? And you weren’t going to invite me?” She pouted, expertly slipping into her well-practiced look of wounded offense.

Doo waved his hands, feigning innocence. “Course we were! No fun without you, Zoe,” he bluffed with a wink.

You glanced around, remembering the principal’s words about this year being your last chance. “I’ll pass. Turning a new leaf, Doo. I’m actually going to focus on school this time. Try to, anyway. Some of us want to graduate.”

Doo’s face fell, his expression morphing from surprise to horror. “But… We won’t be graduating for a few more years.”

“You won’t be, but I will,” you said pretentiously. “No more drinking on school nights! No more!”

“But what about the fun times?” A tear seemed to drip from Doo’s eye. “But we won’t be able to bully kindergarteners when we’re old! No more stories about your legendary high school days?”

Despite yourself, you laughed at Doo’s dramatics. Zoe wasn’t so easily convinced, though. You noticed her lean in closer and a few ears around you perk up.

“Who cares about fun!” you exclaimed. “We’re to focus on school.”

“Ugh. What a buzzkill,” a no-name classmate groaned.

Zoe shook your shoulders. "Come on Y/n, just this one night.”

You shook your head firmly. “No.”

“That’ll be four-twenty.” The cashier glared down at you, though you didn’t know why. Sure, you were out past your bedtime, but at least you weren’t drinking!

You took the barely lit streets to return home, but were stopped when someone called out to you.

Turning, you saw Doo running toward you, a plastic bag in his hand and a familiar glint in his eye. “Hey, bud! Fancy seeing you out here.”

You held up your bag in response, but before you could shrug him off, he threw an arm around your shoulder. “Walk each other home, yeah? Don’t wanna get mugged or anything, right? Heh,” he snickered.

You should have seen it coming. Come to think of it, you probably did see it coming, but you couldn’t have stopped it before it was too late. The idea of mugging seemed absurd until you realised you’d lost track of your route. Doo had led you through enough alleyways and backstreets that you no longer knew where you were.

“Through here, heh,” Doo chuckled once more as you traversed down another dark alley, you then took to a flight of stairs.

“What’s this?”

“Just a short pit stop.”

Upon entering the building, you were assaulting with the smell of alcohol and tobacco. Of course Doo hadn’t intended to walk you home; rather he led you into a trap.

Inside, you saw familiar faces lounging around a table: Zack, Han, Kay, and of course, Zoe, who waved and slid over to make room for you. Zack, unfortunately sober, narrowed his eyes at you, as if disappointed you’d come along

“It’s Y/n!” Doo exclaimed your entrance.

“What are you doing here?” Zack glared over his glass.

“Come take a seat!” Zoe patted the seat next to her.

The only other seat left unoccupied was the one between the transfer and Zack. The former appeared pleased at the sight of you while the latter seemed to lean back as you took the seat.

“Aw, decided to join us after all, hmm?” Zoe leaned across the table, her smile sly.

Doo slid a bottle of soju your way from beside Zack who was throwing down shots like he intended to get alcohol poisoning. A part of you laughed manically at the sight that was sure to unfold.

“Easy tiger, you know what happens when you go too fast.” You laughed when Zack ignored you. So that’s how it was going to be.

You took the offered bottle. What was one drink? The principal wasn’t gonna know anyway.

The principal should rather keep an eye on Zack, particularly with the way he was downing his drinks. The conversation turned to the transfer student and his living situation, which then revolved to your classmates setting up a sleepover.

The night wore on, the conversation drifting to Daniel’s living situation and other idle gossip. You noticed Zoe inching closer to Daniel, batting her eyelashes every time he looked her way. You leaned in, tapping the table. “Hey, new kid—Daniel, right?”

He nodded, slightly taken aback. “U-uh, yes?”

You slammed your bottle down onto the table a tad too harshly. “If she’s bothering you, just push her away.”

“Aw,” Zoe smirked. "Are you jealous?”

At that, Zack suddenly raised his head, eyes bleary. “Pah!” Zack yelled out suddenly, spluttering liquor all over the table.

“Hey! slow down,” Doo cringed away. "Why’s this douche slamming them back today?”

“Hey, Daniel Park.”

Zack rose from his hunched position. He was nearly standing threateningly until he suddenly broke out in laughter and ended up smacking his face into the table when his body lost strength. With his face planted on the table, Zack began giggling. It wasn’t a sound you’d hear during the day, but rather one that would be easily produced whenever Zack had a few to drink.

You saw the look of fear on Daniel’s face, and rather tipsy yourself, you pinched Zack’s cheek. “Yeah, isn’t he just cute? Not the big scary gangster no more, are you? Harmless when he’s like this. Isn’t that right?” You shook Zack’s face lightly when he began giggling.

“He’s not the only one,” Han called from across the table. “You’re not so intimidating yourself, L/n, after a couple of drinks.”

“Eh? What did you say big man?” You rose from the table. He reeled back; intimidated by your beastly size.

“Yeah,” Doo laughed. "You should see yourself when you get a few drinks in ya.”

Your drunk tipsy self wanted to launch yourself over the table and deal with Han, but a different body launched itself across your vision. Zack had gotten over his giggling fit and was currently latched onto Daniel. “Daniel- you know Mira’s mine. Right?”

“Hah! Mira doesn’t like you, fool! Especially when you’re like this!”

Zack stilled for a moment before he started sobbing into Daniel’s neck.

“Ugh, not this again.”

You were obliterated by those around you. Your harsh words were, well… harsh. Poor Zack cried himself to sleep that night.

Doo chuckled in your face. “I told you this was fun, Y/n!” He and the others began cheering on Daniel, who'd began drinking the soju with as much speed as Zack had.

“I don’t consider this fun.”

“What about the kindergarteners?”

“I told you-.” You paused. You were going to tell Doo that he’d best drop the subject, except it hadn’t been Doo who brought that up.

“Oho, you heard about that didcha?” Doo slapped Daniel on the back. “Word of our achievements sure do get around, huh Y/n.”

Daniel was looking between you with a look that was completely different to how he cowered from Zack. He was almost… angry?

“You’re beating up children now Y/n? What about me?” Zack whined, bawling into the table.

“He isn’t a child; or a kindergartener,” you tried to excuse. “You're just stupid.”

“Yeah man, whatever you say!” Doo waved you off.

“Fuck. Just keep it the fuck down.” The older patrons across the restaurant started conspiring to teach you and your friends a lesson- whatever that meant.

You paid them no mind; there was no reason to pick fights with-.

“Y/n, she called me a slut. Daniel- did you hear that?!”

“Huh?!”

You were up and out of your seat before your thoughts could comprehend. You’ll teach these boomers a lesson, yeah!

“Geez. Kids nowadays have no respect. Sit down before your elders.”

The older men’s patience finally snapped, and one of them shoved you roughly back into your seat. “Show some respect for your elders, brat.”

Your laughter stopped. The mood soured in a heartbeat as the group grew tense. There wasn’t much time to dwell on it, as the edges of your vision began to blur. The next time your mind cleared, you found Zack kneeling and pleading his apologies. You laughed at him. Someone spilt their liquor onto your shirt and the subsequent events were blanked from your memory.

At some point you were carted out of the restaurant. Daniel, who was over your shoulder, had passed out, and Doo was complaining about his broken phone. The atmosphere had changed, though that might have been because the moon was well up in the sky. You were definitely up past your bedtime now.

“And I was like…!” Doo feigned punching the air. He did it a few more times before pulling up on you. “Hey Y/n! Pick up your game next time, you crumpled like a leaf!”

Zack wasn’t crying anymore, instead he was prancing happily towards the arcade machines at the end of the alley. “I’ll show you something good, as a gift of reconciliation!” He was speaking to a small boy who you hadn't noticed at first. Nor did you recognise him. “Watch close!”

You sniffed the cold air as Zack reared up to the arcade machine. “Hey Zack, reconciliation? What did you do?”

“You watch too, L/n. I’ll show you how it’s done.”

Zack showed the unknown kid a move that was quite popular in boxing. It was one you’d been shown many times before; it was one of Zack’s favourite moves.

“Who’s the shorty?” You asked Doo as you let Daniel slip to the ground. Poor guy must have been beat up by the boomers…

Doo shrugged, bending down to pat Daniel's head. “Some guy that lives with Daniel’s roommate.”

“Oh? And what did Zack do to him?”

Doo’s smile dropped. “Nothing. It’s all over, see!”

Zack threw the straight then proceeded to vomit. The others groaned and began making plans to go home. You looked at Daniel, passed out and wondered if the principal would know you’d let a classmate of yours sit in a dark alleyway all night.

“Come on, piggy said he’s got Daniel,” Doo led you away.

He abandoned you a few moments later, and so you took your own way home, which happened to lead you past a convenience store. You paused for a second to see Vasco and his right-hand Jace outside the store drinking juice boxes. A short woman glared up at you, gripping her purse tight as she passed by. You paid her no mind as Jace met your stare and finally gave a small nod. You held your ground for a moment before feeling a headache rising. If you stood still for another moment, you were going to pass out on your feet. Sighing, you continued on your way towards your home.

Chapter Text

You'd gotten to school early for once, a rarity for you. While arriving early didn't come without its downsides—the main one being the boredom of a near-empty classroom—you felt a small surge of pride, so you pat yourself on the back for your effort. You scanned the room and located your desk. It was within eyesight, but you hadn’t foreseen the obstacles you were to overcome.

A classmate of yours had placed himself in the middle of the class, showing off his hands. He'd collected a few of his fellow peers, who all worked together to block your path. The poser looked up at you when you approached.

“What’s this- Chrome Hearts rings? What are you… Do we have a superstar in this class?” you asked, observing the poser’s hand. The student wore rings that were not unlike those worn by popstars, or one in particular.

The student, who you don’t remember being so cocksure, turned to look at you, holding his hands out with exaggerated flair. His grin widened when he caught your eye. “Oh, this?” He splayed his fingers even wider, letting the light catch every facet of his rings. “Yeah, Chrome Hearts. The brand makes the man, baby.” He said with a sloppy grin.

You smiled in return, for you were about to show him who the real ‘baby’ was.

You rolled your eyes. “The brand makes the man, huh? Sure, if the man’s got zero personality to back it up.”

His grin faltered, but before he could retort, a voice cut across the room.

“You,” someone called. It was your teacher, a man whose name you could never remember despite seeing him every day. He stood at his desk, eyebrows raised, gesturing for you to come forward. “Come here.”

Namsoo, the classmate who had attempted to look like a washed-out popstar, grinned up at you as you wove your way over to the teacher’s desk.

“Yes, sir?” you asked.

He let out a sigh as he shuffled through some papers in his drawer, not meeting your eyes. “The assignment from last term. Do you have it?”

You already knew the answer. “Assignment, sir?”

Another sigh. “I didn’t think so.” From his drawer, he pulled out a thick, blue folder and slapped it on the desk in front of you. “This is everything you missed. Go through it, and I’ll test you at the end of the semester. Don’t let it happen again.”

“Oh… thank you.”

He nodded then left the classroom, off to who-knows where despite the class having already started.

“L/n?”

You turned at the sound of your name and saw Mira Kim standing near your desk, a warm smile on her face. “I overhead you’re behind on schoolwork. If you don’t mind, I’m heading to the library this afternoon. If you want, we can study together?”

You felt daggers pierce your back, but decided you’d need all the help you could get to be the best student Jae Won High could ever get!

“Uh, yeah,” you said, smiling. “Thanks, Mira. That sounds great.”

Later that day, you sneaked into the city library—there was no way you were paying to study—and found Mira settled at a booth, waving you over. You’d barely exchanged more than pleasantries with her before, but here she was, offering you her study notes as if you were an old friend. She was kind, patient, and genuinely interested in helping, not that you’d admit it aloud. To be honest, you didn’t even know who her friends were or even what she was like. All you knew was that Zack had a big-boy crush on her.

“Say… what topic was the exam on?”

Mira smiled at your audacious attempt to cheat. Of course, the teacher should have assumed you’d do this- who exactly did he think you were?

“Come on, we’ll start with something simple,” she replied, pulling out notes on textiles, something about ethics and production methods. Just as you tried to settle into studying, someone interrupted by slamming a hand down on the table.

“Hey, move your crap,” Zack snapped, towering over you both.

“There’re seats on the other side of the room, Lee.” You waved a hand dismissively. "Buh-bye."

He only narrowed his eyes. “I’m here with Mira.”

Mira, always the peacemaker, scooted her things to make room beside her. “Here, Zack, sit with me.”

At that, Zack had gone a hilarious shade of bright red and was frozen in his spot.

“Or, you can sit with me, Zack.” You mimicked, urging Zack into movement. He dropped into the seat beside Mira, his bluster replaced by fluster, as she continued showing you her notes. If he stepped on your toes, you didn't acknowledge it.

After a while, Mira excused herself for a moment, leaving you and Zack alone.

Zack glared at you. “Leave. You’re ruining my date with Mira.”

“Date?” Your eyes widened to saucers, suddenly very eager about Zack’s love life. “Did I hear that right- you’ve got a date with Mira Kim? What did you bribe her with?”

He grit his teeth. “No, I didn’t bribe her. I talked to her—like a normal person.”

Oh- you got it.

“I see.” You wrote a few lines down. Apparently learning about the ethics of textile production was important to your high-school diploma.

“Okay fine, just because you asked, I’ll tell you.” Zack sighed, exasperated.

“I didn’t ask-”

“-with my handsome good looks and these,” he showed you his ringed fingers. “I got something you could never.”

“I don’t think Mira is as materialistic as you believe her to be.”

Zack opened his eyes to glare. At some point he’d hefted his shoes (luxury branded, you presumed) onto the table between you. The librarian saw this and came over to tell him off.

“Damn woman,” Zack muttered into his lap. The boy hadn’t brought any study materials, and neither did he have the gall to borrow a book. All he brought with him to the library was a shitload of hair gel and some fancy clothes.

You snorted. He really was hopeless.

Mira returned shortly after and she allowed you to take a look at some of her old notes. At least now with the extra help, you were sure to impress your underqualified teacher!

Another day of studying, and another day of ruining dates, you were riding home when a limo suddenly came into sight. You weren’t exactly in an area where limos were common, so you found yourself slowing down. It was driving in your direction, so you stopped to think of your next course of action. Fortunately, it didn’t stop for you as it continued rolling by, though you found out why when you looked into the open window and saw a familiar blond. He was smiling, which you’d thought was rare, but the smile dropped slightly as he took notice of you.

Then, just as quickly, the limo moved on, leaving you in the dust.

As the limo left your line of sight, you took in the scene it left behind. A boy in the same uniform as you was struggling under the weight of about six duffle bags filled with what you assumed were concrete. His face flushed with the effort.

“You alright there?” you asked, biking closer.

The boy looked up and you saw that it was the new transfer student: Daniel Park.

Daniel still smiled despite the load. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just bringing these home.”

You mocked him in your head. What doofus dumped luxury duffle bags on the road. Did he want them to be stolen? Then you read the note written in fancy Hangul on one of the bags and did a double-take when you saw the writing on them.

“Wait, it’s your birthday?”

Daniel nodded, smiling shyly. “Jay… he, uh, he gave me these as a gift.”

“Oh…” You gave him a thin and awkward smile. Jay gave him clothes? “That’s nice. I guess you have plans then. I don’t want to delay you. ¡Ciao!”

You got back onto your bike as quickly as you got off it. You should have ridden off into the sunset; there was no reason to stick around, but-

Curse your generosity; you couldn’t let this poor sod carry all these bags without help. There’d been a lot of mugging cases around this area- you didn’t know if the transfer could handle that!

You biked back and abandoned your bike to help your poor useless classmate.

“Please tell me you live in one of these apartments,” you said.

“Huh?”

“Around here? Do you live in the next neighbourhood over?”

“Oh, no, I live on Sujeong street.”

Sujeong street? You were familiar with that area- it was quite far.

You told him as much. “You’ve got six bags to carry… Need a hand?” you asked, already dreading the trek.

His smile brightened. “You’ll help? Thank you!”

Due to the power of [REDACTED], you and the transfer managed to get all six bags to Sujeong street before the sun set. Sweat had begun rolling down your back, and you were beginning to wonder if Daniel had even needed your help as not a single drop could be sighted on his smooth skin.

Unsure of where your classmate lived, you let him lead you to a small rundown unit with a thatched roof. It appeared out of place among the semi-decent apartments, but you supposed that was the point.

“You live here?” You asked, wondering how you ended up back here.

Daniel’s eyes, which had been bright as he told you about his past birthdays he’d shared with his mother, suddenly took on a sad glaze. “Y-yeah… sorry, I know it’s not the best…” he said quietly. “Thanks for helping.”

“No. No don’t worry. Never mind.”

You tried your best to reassure him, but he didn’t say anything further as he unlocked the door. He strayed at the threshold for a moment before looking back at you, where you reared back into motion.

“All right then, I’d best be off. Have a good day, Park.”

Sujeong street seemed to loom over you as you departed. You caught a couple or few people watching you through their windows and you were finally allowed to let out a breath of air upon leaving the cursed street. Sujeong street… what were the odds?