Chapter 13 : A Wounded Choice

Jinhyuk's footsteps echoed softly along the city sidewalk, still alive with the buzz of late-night life. The streetlights cast a faint glow across the pavement as the chill in the night air crept into his skin. He took a deep breath and hugged himself.

His thoughts, once again, returned to the same place—Seri.

The image of that girl sitting in the car with that man... Jang Daejin. A figure he had only known as a young, successful CEO. Now, suddenly, a real person. Someone who might have captured Yoon Seri's heart. Someone standing beside her.

"No wonder," Jinhyuk murmured. "She started to change after joining Arx Group…"

His steps slowed to a stop at the edge of a pedestrian bridge. He looked out at the city lights flickering in the distance. His eyes dimmed.

"What Noona said… it made sense. If I were a woman choosing between Ryu Jinhyuk and Jang Daejin, of course I'd pick Jang Daejin. If they really are together… should I just stop hoping?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, familiar object—a stone Seri had given him when they were kids. A so-called good luck charm. Though lately, it hadn't brought him much luck.

Then, his gaze dropped to the black ring on his middle finger.

"If Ryuga can change my fate… will that really bring Seri back to me? Will it be enough to make her choose me over Daejin?"

That question hung in the air, soon followed by another.

"And even if it does… will she be happy with me? Will I really be happy with that outcome?"

Silence settled around him, but his heart churned. A tangled mess of childhood love, rejection, and false hope knotted deep in his chest.

The night grew colder.

Jinhyuk finally headed back to the dorm. He crept up the narrow staircase quietly, not wanting to wake his two roommates. But even though his body was exhausted, sleep refused to come.

His small bed felt cold. His mind was too loud.

"Why does everything feel so unfair?" he whispered.

He covered his eyes with his arm, trying to hold back tears. But it didn't help. The tears began to fall. Unwelcome thoughts poured in—shattered hopes, a messed-up life, and a supposed solution that only brought more problems.

"Hahaha…" A bitter laugh escaped him, choked by tears.

The strange sound stirred his two roommates from their sleep.

They glanced over and saw Jinhyuk lying on his bed, laughing in a way that sent chills down their spines—half-mad laughter laced with sobs he could no longer hold back.

"Jinhyuk, is something wrong?" Minho asked.

"Hahahahaha…"

But Jinhyuk just kept laughing.

Minho and Taeyang exchanged glances—a silent agreement passing between them.

Jinhyuk had lost it.

They didn't want to deal with it. Without saying another word, they turned away and went back to sleep.

Not long after, Jinhyuk finally calmed down. He sat up, grabbed a thin jacket, and stepped out into the dorm's front courtyard. The early morning wind bit at his skin. The digital clock on the wall read 2:11 AM. The campus was quiet. Only the sound of insects and rustling leaves filled the air.

He sat on a bench in the garden, hunched over, hands clutching his head.

"I can't even afford to get drunk… My life is a mess right now."

Suddenly, an image flashed in his mind—Kang Han-na. A girl whose life was in far worse shape than his… yet she still chose to live.

The thought hit him like a jolt.

"I can't keep going on like this. I have to start somewhere."

Until now, his life had been propped up by others—from the Yoon family's help to the scholarships that let him study comfortably. But soon, that life would change. Real threats were looming, and he had to be ready to face them.

He pulled out his phone and opened a part-time job app—hoping to find something that would also help him train to become stronger. He scrolled through listings, reading one after another. Then, something caught his eye:

---

"Wanted: Dojo Cleaner & Caretaker

Flexible hours. Daily pay. Housing optional."

---

Jinhyuk blinked. A spark lit up in his eyes.

"Perfect. I can earn money and get free training," he whispered.

He stood up from the bench, staring at his phone like he had just found a lifeline out of the chaos.

He even skipped a little, nearly cheering out loud.

But the smile faded quickly—as Seri's image crashed back into his mind.

That gentle face. The warmth in her smile. Now out of reach.

Jinhyuk let out a long sigh. "Huff… Why am I still thinking about her…"

He looked up at the star-scattered night sky.

"From now on… I won't be a burden. I'll start standing on my own. My life is too big to waste crying over small things. With or without Seri… I'll make something of myself."

He returned to his room with steadier steps. He knew the road ahead would be long and unclear. But tonight, he had made an important decision:

He would fight.

For himself.

---

The afternoon sun beat down harshly. Jinhyuk squinted, wiping sweat from his brow as he hurried along the long sidewalk toward the address from the job listing. He should've arrived in the morning, but after staying up all night, this was the earliest he could manage. The digital clock on his phone read 1:04 PM.

"Late… Hopefully the job's still open," he muttered, picking up his pace.

Soon, he arrived at a large building painted white and gray, with a bold sign that read Shinryu Martial Arts Complex. Even from outside, the place looked different. Not like a traditional dojo focused on one style. It looked modern and professional, with large glass panels showing training in progress inside.

As he stepped through the doors, Jinhyuk was stunned.

The main hall was divided into zones. One area had kids practicing taekwondo, another had teens sparring in karate, and nearby were students of Korean martial arts like hapkido and ssireum. There was even a section labeled International Division, seemingly for foreign combat styles.

But what caught his attention most was a digital sign at the end of the hall:

ADVANCE MARTIAL CLASS – SPECIALIZED ENROLLMENT ONLY

"Real Combat. Real Danger. Real Result."

Jinhyuk frowned. "Advance Martial? Is that a special technique or some secret school?"

But he shook off the curiosity. "Not my business. I'm here to apply."

After talking to the receptionist and filling out a few short forms, he received good news—he was hired as a part-time cleaner starting tomorrow. Flexible hours, access to the staff pantry, and best of all—he could watch training sessions between duties.

Jinhyuk walked out of the dojo, a relieved smile on his face.

"Decent pay. Clean environment. Free martial arts knowledge. This is rare luck."

But just as he turned to leave, he accidentally bumped into a middle school–aged boy—dressed in ragged clothes, carrying a torn backpack, and wearing shoes that looked like they hadn't been changed in months. The boy glanced up briefly, then rushed toward the dojo.

Jinhyuk was about to keep walking when—

THUD!

The dojo doors flew open—the boy was thrown out, crashing to the ground.

A harsh voice echoed from inside, "I told you! Don't come back here!"

Jinhyuk rushed over to help him up. "Are you okay?"

The boy shoved his hand away. "Don't pity me! Those guys inside—they're fake martial artists! Real martial arts don't kick weak people like trash!"

Jinhyuk froze. This kid… his anger was no joke. In his eyes, Jinhyuk saw pain—long buried, now erupting.

Before he could say another word, the boy ran off.

Jinhyuk stood there, puzzled.

Who was that kid? And why was he bold enough to insult a dojo this big?

He scratched his head. "The people around here are... something else."

But the sun was already starting to set. He turned and headed back toward campus, mentally reviewing his next steps. Work started tomorrow. But more urgently—

He had to fix his reputation.

He didn't want to go down in history as "that dropout student with a criminal record." He needed to act.

The sky darkened as he walked the campus paths back to the dorm. His heart was a mix of relief and unease—relieved about the job, anxious about everything else.

But one thing was certain—

He had finally started walking his own path.