Terror and guilty

"You're telling me your friend is acting weird?" Park Yun Do asked, yawning.

Yeon Ji shot him an annoyed glare. "She's not my friend, damn it!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He combed his bright red hair with his fingers, glancing at his pocket mirror. "What's the problem now? You know I'm a busy guy, right?"

"She- She's scary," Yeon Ji muttered, biting her nails.

"Huh?"

"When I called her behind the gym, she stopped all my punches." Her voice dropped lower. "But that's not it. It's her gaze. She pretended to be goofy, but her eyes… they had this deadly aura."

Park Yun Do raised an eyebrow, looking at her lazily, almost mocking. "So you're telling me her eyes scared you?"

Yeon Ji clenched her fists, her expression darkening.

Park Yun Do wasn't convinced. He knew Kim Ju Mi well enough. They weren't close, barely even spoke, but he'd seen her around. She was sweet, and kind, the type who never stood up for herself. And besides, this wasn't his problem.

Girls handled their own fights.

That's what he always told himself.

It wasn't that he couldn't interfere. He just… didn't want to. Because stepping in meant going against that freak Yi Jun. And nobody in their right mind would do that. Not even him.

After all, Park Yun Do wasn't just some bystander.

He was a bully too.

"You'll understand if you see her, Yun Do," Yeon Ji gritted her teeth. "Something's different about Ju Mi. And it pisses me off. I'm itching to kill her."

Park Yun Do clicked his tongue.

"There, there, Miss Yeon Ji," he said, smirking. "You can't just kill people."

 ***

It was almost lunchtime. After wandering around for what felt like forever, Kim Jun finally found the school dining hall.

The place was packed. Students were either sitting and eating or standing in line, waiting for their food. Blending in, Kim Jun grabbed a tray and joined the line. After getting his meal, he scanned the room for a quiet spot. He finally settled at an empty table in the corner.

So Ju Mi really has no friends here, huh...

With a sigh, he picked up his spoon, ready to start eating. But just as he was about to take his first sip, a splash of pink liquid poured into his soup.

Kim Jun blinked.

Strawberry milk.

Slowly, he looked up. And there she was again, Ponytail. Han Yeon Ji. She stood beside him, holding an empty carton, a smug grin on her face.

"It tastes better this way," she said, swirling the mixture with his spoon. Then, without another word, she turned around and walked away.

Kim Jun stared at the ruined soup. His patience had officially run out.

"Oi."

His voice rang through the noisy dining hall, cutting through the chatter like a knife.

Yeon Ji stopped and turned back.

In that moment, Kim Jun moved.

Before anyone could react, he grabbed the bowl and threw the soup straight at her.

Yeon Ji stood frozen. Thick, warm soup dripped down her face, mixing with the sticky pink of the strawberry milk. Her ponytail clung to her cheek.

Students stared, mouths open in shock.

Did Kim Ju Mi just -

No one had ever stood up to Han Yeon Ji before. And now, the weak and quiet Ju Mi had just humiliated her in front of the entire school?

Near the doorway, Kang San Ha stood frozen, watching with wide eyes.

Kim Jun smirked. "You said it was tasty, right? So why didn't you try it first, Miss Ponytail?"

The entire dining hall fell into complete silence. The sound of clinking utensils stopped. The chatter died down. All eyes were now on Kim Ju Mi, or rather, the person pretending to be her.

Han Yeon Ji stood frozen, her fists clenched at her sides, her whole-body trembling, but not from shock, from rage.

Kim Jun tilted his head, smirking. "What? Don't like the taste? But you said it's delicious, Miss Ponytail."

A few gasps escaped from the students watching.

At the entrance, Kang San Ha, the rich boy, still stood frozen. His eyes flickered between Yeon Ji and Kim Ju Mi, completely dumbfounded.

Yeon Ji wiped her face with her sleeve, breathing heavily. Then, she let out a low chuckle. A dark, twisted kind of chuckle.

"You've got some nerve, Ju Mi." She took a step forward, her wet uniform clinging to her.

Kim Jun stayed still, meeting her furious gaze with nothing but calm confidence.

Yeon Ji's lips curled into a grin. "Fine. You wanna play rough? Let's play."

Whispers spread like wildfire across the dining hall. The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating.

Kim Jun cracked his knuckles, smirking wider.

"Bring it on."

"My cute ladies~ This fight ends right there."

A smooth, cocky voice sliced through the tension.

The doors swung open, and a guy with bright red hair strolled in like he owned the place. His sharp gray eyes locked onto Kim Ju Mi, ignoring the way the entire room froze at his arrival.

Park Yun Do is here.

No one dared to look up. Heads ducked. Eyes fixed on the tables.

Kim Jun met Yun Do's gaze without a single flinch, his expression cold and unreadable. For a brief second, Yun Do hesitated. What the hell? Since when did Ju Mi look at him like that?

"You her boyfriend?" Kim Jun asked, voice dripping with irritation. "Then teach her some damn manners, will ya? I just wanna live a peaceful life! Why is that so hard?"

Gasps rippled across the dining hall.

Kang Mina, watching from the sidelines, nearly choked on air. Did Ju Mi just talk back to Park Yun Do?!

Yun Do blinked, then threw his head back in laughter, clutching his stomach like this was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. "Pfft-HAHAHA! Oh man, this is good."

But Kim Jun knew better. This wasn't looking good for him. If Yun Do picked a fight, there was no avoiding it. Damn it.

"You're annoying."

A new voice cut in.

The laughter stopped. The air grew heavier.

Kang San Ha stepped forward, light brown eyes filled with pure boredom and irritation. He leaned against a nearby chair, arms crossed lazily.

"Just get out of here," he said flatly. "I need some peace of mind."

The entire room held its breath.

Yun Do slowly turned, lips curling into a smirk. "Well, well, who is this now? Our pampered royal prince?" He drawled, his tone dripping with mockery. "You want me to step back, Your Highness?"

If there was one person Park Yun Do couldn't stand, it was Kang San Ha the almighty, golden boy of the school.

San Ha wasn't the type to get involved in anything unnecessary to his education. He stayed out of fights, ignored drama, and barely acknowledged anyone outside of class. So why was he standing against Park Yun Do now?

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, it felt like fire and lightning were colliding in the air.

Tension crackled.

Students clutched their trays, barely daring to breathe.

Then, Yun Do suddenly stretched his arms over his head and yawned. "Tch. This is boring."

He flashed a lazy smirk at San Ha. "I just wanted to stop the fight so His Highness could eat like the pig he is." He winked. "Guess I'll get going now."

"Oh, and Miss Kim," Yun Do paused, turning back with a smirk. "She's not my girlfriend, you know. So you won't be mad at me if I don't teach her some manners, right?"

With that, he walked off, his group of bullies following close behind.

Kim Jun sat back down, watching them go. Should I just transfer Ju Mi to another school? If this kept up, she'd never be free from these idiots. He had to do something.

Once the dining hall returned to its usual noisy and chaotic state, Kang San Ha leaned back in his chair, giving Kim Jun a lazy glance.

"You're way too reckless," he said. "You really picked a fight with that bubblegum bastard?"

Bubblegum bastard? Who?

San Ha sighed when he realized Ju Mi didn't get what he meant. "Park Yun Do, I mean."

Oh. Kim Jun stared at him. So now, this royal prince was worried about Kim Ju Mi?

Good for you, Ju Mi. Your crush is worrying about you now.

Kim Jun let out a tired sigh. "Jeez. I'd love to just wipe them all out, but I can't." He grabbed the leftovers of his meal and plopped down beside San Ha. His eyes landed on San Ha's untouched fries, pushed to the corner of his tray.

"You not eating those?" he asked.

San Ha barely tilted his head, as if saying no.

Kim Jun grabbed the fries and dumped them onto his tray.

San Ha: "...…?"

Was Ju Mi always like this???

"Ah, and thanks for helping me back there," Kim Jun said casually, munching on the fries. "But I won't say thank you for these."

San Ha twitched. I didn't ask you to thank me!

"I wasn't helping," San Ha muttered. "You guys were just too loud. It was annoying."

Kim Jun smirked. Playing hard to get, huh?

Without warning, he smacked San Ha on the back as he smiled.

San Ha froze.

He stared at Kim Jun in pure shock, his brain struggling to process what just happened.

JUST WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS GIRL?!

"Hey, Prince, you're not as bad as I thought," Kim Jun said, leaning in with a grin. "Wanna be friends?"

If he could get San Ha to be Ju Mi's friend, he wouldn't have to worry about the bullies anymore. He didn't know the full details, but it seemed like Kang San Ha held some serious weight in this school.

San Ha's eye twitched. "Stop calling me Prince."

"Sorry, Prince."

San Ha raised an eyebrow. Is she mocking me right now?

"Sorry, but I don't make friends with dumb people."

Kim Jun froze.

Dumb?!

Did this damn orange bastard just call my little sister dumb?!

"The heck you just say?!" Kim Jun snapped. "Ju Mi has one of the highest scores in school, you bastard!"

San Ha blinked.

Wait… what?

His eyes narrowed in confusion. "What did you just say?"

Kim Jun frowned. Why did this orange prince sound so surprised? Did I… say something wrong?

"You're Ju Mi, right? Then why are you talking about yourself like you're a whole different person?"

Damn this orange-haired bastard. He's too sharp for his own good.

Kim Jun crossed his arms, clicking his tongue. "It's just how I talk, you dumbass!" he snapped. "And for the record, I don't need dumb, idiotic friends either! Hmph!"

With a dramatic pout, he spun on his heel and stormed off.

Kang San Ha sat there, staring after him. For the fifth time today, the same thought crossed his mind,

Just what the hell is wrong with Kim Ju Mi?!

 ***

Itaewon Street was buzzing with life, even as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Neon signs flashed in bright pinks, blues, and yellows, lighting up the narrow road. Bars, restaurants, and little shops lined both sides, their doors wide open, welcoming anyone who passed by. The scent of grilled meat and fried snacks mixed in the air, blending with the sound of music and chattering voices. 

Kim Jun walked down the pavement, yawning. The school was surely tiresome.

A yellow line stretched along the edge of the road, guiding the people moving in and out of stores. Some were laughing, some were huddled in quiet conversations, and some walked alone, lost in their own thoughts. 

His eyes flickered to a bar on the left, where a group of guys in suits clinked their glasses together. On the right, a girl stood outside a clothing store, scrolling through her phone as if waiting for someone. The whole place had a certain energy, like a story was always unfolding somewhere in the crowd. 

Yeah, this street... it felt like a place where anything could happen.

Just like in the past, when he fought for these streets, clad in a black jacket. But those days were behind him now. Or so he thought.

Kim Jun's thoughts hit a pause the moment he spotted Han Yeon Ji.

Well, well… what do we have here? A street fight about to break out?

Damn it! He just wanted to go home, get changed, and throw off these itchy, hard-to-wear girly clothes.

But Yeon Ji didn't even glance his way. She was running, fast. Like she was being chased. And when she brushed past him and darted into a side alley, he saw them.

A group of guys followed close behind, their eyes locked on her like wolves tracking prey.

Jun could've turned a blind eye. Could've just walked away, pretending he saw nothing. But his instincts screamed at him. Something bad was about to go down.

Tch. Some things never change.

Without a sound, he slipped into the alley, moving like a viper lurking in the shadows.

The men chased Han Yeon Ji into a lonely neon-lit street, where the bright signs flickered against the empty road. At this hour, there was no one around, no shops open, no people passing by. Just her and them.

Yeon Ji panted, her breath hissing. She glanced around desperately, but there was nowhere to run. The street stretched out like a trap, the neon lights painting the asphalt in eerie colors.

"Heh, where do you think you're going, sweetheart?" One of the guys sneered, cracking his knuckles as they closed in.

Another one chuckled. "Thought you could run from us? Bad idea."

Yeon Ji clenched her fists, stepping back until her heel touched the curb. Her mind raced. Damn it... No one's around. What do I do?

Yeon Ji's breath came fast and shallow. She turned around, her fists clenched. Running wasn't an option anymore. If they wanted to fight, she'd give them one.

"Heh, you got some guts," one of the thugs sneered, rolling his shoulders. "But you should've known better than to mess with us."

Yeon Ji didn't wait for them to make the first move. She kicked forward, striking the nearest guy right in the stomach. He stumbled back with a grunt, but the others didn't hesitate. One swung at her, and she ducked. Another tried to grab her arm, she twisted out of his grip and elbowed him in the ribs.

For a moment, it looked like she could handle herself.

But there were too many of them.

A heavy fist slammed into her side, knocking the wind out of her. She staggered, trying to recover, but another guy yanked her by the hair and threw her to the ground.

"Tch, annoying brat," one of them spat, wiping blood from his lip. "You got lucky with a few hits, but this is over."

Yeon Ji winced, pushing herself up, but her arms trembled. Damn it...!

Then,

A deep, distorted chuckle echoed through the alley.

The gangsters froze.

From the shadows, a figure stepped forward, wearing Ansung high uniform just like Yeon Ji, the neon glow casting eerie colors across her face. No- her mask. A festival mask, painted in deep red and black, shaped like a grinning demon. It hid her face completely, revealing only sharp, cold eyes that gleamed beneath it.

The masked figure tilted his head. "Tsk. Five guys against one girl? You must be really desperate."

Yeon Ji's eyes widened slightly. That voice, something about it sounded familiar.

One of the thugs scowled. "The hell are you supposed to be? Some kind of freak?"

The masked girl didn't answer. Instead, she sighed dramatically. "And here I was, hoping for a quiet night."

Before they could react, she moved.

With lightning speed, she grabbed the guy closest to her and slammed his head into the wall with a dull thud. The others barely had time to curse before the masked figure twisted around, delivering a brutal kick to another's jaw. The sound of bone cracking filled the air.

Yeon Ji stared. Who the hell…?

The remaining thugs hesitated.

The masked girl let out a slow chuckle, cracking her knuckles. "What? You were so eager just a second ago. Don't chicken out now."

The neon lights buzzed overhead. The street felt colder.

And then,

They ran.

The masked girl froze.

"Haaaah?! You kidding me? They really ran?!" she blurted out, still in disbelief. Then, turning toward Yeon Ji, she dropped her stance.

"Ya okay?" she asked, eyeing Yeon Ji's bruised cheek, now red as hell from that punch.

"Yeah," Yeon Ji muttered, trying to push herself up. "Thanks, Ju Mi."

The masked girl stiffened again.

"Ju Mi? Which Ju Mi?" She tilted her head, pretending to look for someone else. There was no way Yeon Ji figured it out. No way.

Yeon Ji smirked. "You really are dumb, huh? Even though you hid your face, your name tag was still on your collar."

…God. Damn. It.

"I-I'm not Ju Mi! I-uh-I just borrowed the name tag!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Yeon Ji waved it off, but her voice was different now, lighter, yet cautious. Deep inside, she felt something she never expected. Fear.

The girl she used to bully, Kim Ju Mi, had this kind of strength? If Ju Mi had ever fought back seriously, Yeon Ji might not have made it out alive. And now, guilt mixed with terror. She had spent so long looking down on her, only to be saved by her in the end.

Kim Jun, still masked, grabbed his bag from where he had hidden it. "Anyway, why were they after you?"

"They wanted information."

"Information?"

"Yeah," Yeon Ji muttered. "About Shin Myung Gil."

Kim Jun had been turning his back to her, so she didn't see how his whole body tensed. His grip on the bag tightened. His eyes, hidden behind the mask, flickered with something dark, shock, fear, and something else.

"Shin Myung Gil… You don't mean-"

"Yeah," Yeon Ji sighed, running a hand through her hair. "That Shin Myung Gil. Captain of the third division of the Shadow Vipers."

Silence.

Kim Jun's fingers curled tighter around the bag strap.

"And why are they after you for information?" he asked, his voice steady but low.

Yeon Ji scoffed. "Because that cowardly bastard is my stepbrother." She exhaled sharply.

"And it's all because of that damn Viper No. Zero. That masked freak shows up out of nowhere, tries to turn a delinquent gang into a police squad, then vanishes just as fast. Like he has any idea what kind of hell those Shadow Vipers go through after he disappears."

She clenched her jaw, frustration burning in her eyes. "Damn it."

Kim Jun said nothing.

His heart pounded inside his chest.

Because Viper No. Zero… was him.