Chapter 10: An Unwanted Invitation

The crisp air of the early morning carried through the school campus as Shin Ji walked to his next class, his hands tucked into his pockets. The world around him was a blur—students chatting, laughing, rushing to their next destinations. The noise had become background music to his life, but today, something felt different. There was a shift in the atmosphere, subtle but undeniable.

Normal life, Shin Ji thought as he stepped into the school building. That's all I want.

It had been weeks since he'd decided to leave his old life behind. No more fighting, no more The Breakers, just a peaceful, simple existence. It was working—sort of. He hadn't gotten into trouble since he enrolled at this school, but he knew it wouldn't last. It never did.

The hum of the school continued, but Shin Ji couldn't shake the feeling that today wouldn't be as ordinary as the others. His instincts were on edge, but he shrugged it off. Maybe he was just overthinking.

The sound of footsteps approaching snapped Shin Ji out of his thoughts. He glanced up.

There he was.

A figure moving with a calm confidence, as if the chaos of the school didn't even register. The new transfer student. Mateo Kim, or as he was known in the old days—Le Phantom. Shin Ji had always hated the nickname. It made Mateo sound more mysterious than he actually was. But there was no denying that the name fit. Mateo was fast, agile, and elusive—like a ghost, slipping past anyone who tried to catch him.

Shin Ji's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to keep walking as if nothing had changed. Mateo had that effect on him. No matter how much he tried to move on, the past was never far behind.

As they crossed paths in the school's courtyard, their eyes met. There was no need for words. Mateo's grin was unmistakable—playful, knowing, and more than a little mischievous. It was as if he could see right through Shin Ji's façade. The weight of it all pressed down on Shin Ji's shoulders.

"You look… normal," Mateo said, raising an eyebrow, the words dripping with amusement.

Shin Ji sighed. "I'm just trying to blend in, alright?"

"Blend in?" Mateo chuckled, clearly enjoying the irony of it. "Shin Ji, you've always stood out, even when you didn't want to."

Shin Ji tried to brush it off, but the tension in his chest remained. "I'm trying. I really am. No more fights, no more—"

"Trying to be normal?" Mateo finished the sentence for him, still grinning. "That's why I'm here, right?"

Before Shin Ji could respond, a voice interrupted them. Yeji stood just a few feet away, her curiosity piqued by the interaction. Her eyes flickered between the two, sensing something familiar about the way they carried themselves.

"Is he your friend?" Yeji asked, her tone casual but with an edge of curiosity.

Shin Ji hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. Mateo's just a transfer student."

Yeji didn't seem convinced, but she didn't push. Her gaze lingered on Mateo for a beat too long, and then she turned to Shin Ji. "If he's your friend, why didn't you mention him before?"

Shin Ji only shrugged, unsure of how to answer. Mateo, for his part, was unfazed. He gave Yeji a polite smile, one that didn't reach his eyes.

"I don't always like making a big deal about things," Mateo said smoothly. "But it's nice to meet you, Yeji."

Yeji nodded, still studying him. "Nice to meet you too," she said, her voice cautious but polite. "I'll see you around."

As she walked away, Shin Ji sighed in relief. The last thing he needed was Yeji getting too curious about his past. But deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was only a matter of time before she asked the right questions.

"So, what brings you here?" Shin Ji asked, trying to steer the conversation away from things he didn't want to discuss.

Mateo's eyes glinted with amusement as he looked at Shin Ji. "I've been following you around for a while, boss. I figured it was time to make sure you weren't slacking off."

"Don't call me that," Shin Ji muttered under his breath.

"Old habits die hard," Mateo teased, leaning back against the brick wall of the school building. "I just wanted to see if the rumors were true. You really are trying to live a 'normal' life, huh?"

Shin Ji could only nod, his mind already racing. Mateo wasn't here by accident. The Breakers were still a part of him, whether he liked it or not. And now, with Mateo in his life again, that reality seemed all too close.

Before Shin Ji could respond, a group of students from a nearby gang strolled by, their eyes narrowing as they caught sight of him. One of them, a lanky boy with a cocky grin, stepped forward.

"Hey," he called, his tone full of challenge. "You Shin Ji, right? The guy who's been laying low?"

Shin Ji didn't even blink. He had been trying to avoid these kinds of interactions, but they always seemed to find him.

Mateo, however, was already moving. In a flash, he closed the distance between himself and the gang member, effortlessly sidestepping the boy's attempt to shove him. Mateo's feet swept across the ground in an almost graceful blur, sending the gang member crashing to the pavement in a matter of seconds. Before anyone could react, he was back in his original position, as if nothing had happened.

The gang members were left standing in stunned silence, eyeing Mateo with a mix of awe and fear. The cocky boy who had approached Shin Ji finally managed to spit out, "Who the hell are you?"

Mateo, his expression unreadable, gave a nonchalant shrug. "No one important. Just passing through." He turned to Shin Ji, his tone light, as if the fight had been nothing. "Some people just don't know when to back off."

Shin Ji watched the scene unfold, his heart still racing, but part of him couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Mateo had handled the situation quickly, without breaking a sweat. It was something Shin Ji couldn't have done himself anymore.

As the gang members quickly retreated, their pride wounded more than anything else, Shin Ji and Mateo stood in silence. Shin Ji's eyes met Mateo's, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he realized that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't completely alone.

Mateo gave him a grin, the same easygoing expression he had worn since they were kids. "You might want to stay sharp, Shin Ji," he said, his voice softening just a bit. "Looks like the past isn't finished with you yet."

Shin Ji's chest tightened as the weight of Mateo's words settled in. He had hoped, for so long, that he could just move on. But in reality, peace would always be out of his reach. His past, The Breakers, would never let him go.

"I'm not looking for trouble," Shin Ji muttered.

Mateo's grin softened, but his eyes remained serious. "Trouble doesn't need you to look for it. It finds you, whether you want it or not."

The two of them stood there in the quiet aftermath, the sounds of the school fading into the background. Shin Ji couldn't help but wonder if his attempts to live a normal life had been in vain.