Chapter 6

The tension in the air was palpable. The red-haired guy who had been trying to join the study group, had been taken by the goons. Ga-Min, Ji-Woo, Geon-Yeob, and I were gearing up for the confrontation. The plan was simple: we had to rescue Lee Joon.

We followed Geon-Yeob's directions to the location where Lee Joon had been taken. As we approached the dilapidated building, we could hear muffled voices and the sounds of scuffling.

Inside, Lee Joon was slumped against the wall, bloodied and bruised. There were three other guys standing around him, clearly relishing the sight of his pain. As we barged in, the atmosphere shifted. The air grew heavy, and the tension was unbearable. They turned to face us, their eyes narrowing, clearly sizing us up.

"You're here for this loser?" one of the goons sneered.

Without another word, the fight erupted. The goons were no match for us. They came at us in a flurry of punches, but we were quick, and our combined strength took them down one by one. It didn't take long before they were all on the ground, groaning in defeat.

I knelt beside Lee Joon, who was barely conscious. "You're coming with us," I told him, helping him up. He winced, but he didn't argue.

Once we were back at school, we created a chat room for the group, officially welcoming him. The notifications from the chat room flooded my phone, and I couldn't help but smile at the sudden influx of messages.

Study Group Chat

Ga-Min: "Welcome to the team, Lee Joon! You officially have a spot in the study group now."

He-Woo: "Aww, I'm so glad we saved him, I can't wait to start studying together!"

Lee Joon: "Thanks guys, I owe you all one!"

Me: "Yeah, don't get too cocky. You still have to prove you're actually good at studying."

Se-Hyun: "How are we gonna fit all of us in one group chat though? It's gonna be chaotic lol."

Ji-Woo: "I can't believe we actually have a study group now. We need to make sure we don't go too crazy."

Me: "We're not here just to study. I'm here to get justice, you guys better keep up."

Ga-Min: "Don't worry. I have faith we can handle both studying and... justice."

Me: "As long as you keep me safe, we're good."

I laughed quietly to myself as I lay on my bed that night, reading through the messages. The study group was starting to feel real, and it was nice to be part of something where I wasn't alone. There was a sense of camaraderie, even if it was a little chaotic. However a message popped up from someone unknown which caught my attention.

"It's done."

I smirked, feeling a surge of satisfaction. The challenge had just begun.

"Did you hear? The app crashed!"

"No one can log in! What's going on?"

"Who's responsible for this?"

On one sunny day, the school had problem. It wasn't just a minor issue—this was Han-Wool's app. The one he'd created. The one that determined the status of every student here. If it was crashing, it meant something big was happening.

The classroom fell into an uneasy silence as the door swung open. Han-Wool walked in, his presence commanding attention like a storm on the horizon. Students whispered amongst themselves, unsure of what this sudden visit meant. No one had ever seen him come to a class before, let alone walk into mine.

I remained seated, unfazed, my eyes locked on his as he made his way to the front of the room. There was no need to look around at the others—their shocked faces were obvious. Everyone knew who he was, and for the first time, I felt their eyes on me, as if they were trying to read the unspoken connection between us.

"Come with me," Han-Wool said, his voice smooth but firm, directed straight at me.

I didn't stand immediately. Instead, I met his eyes, assessing him for a brief moment. "And if I don't?"

He smirked, a cold glint in his eye. "I like it better when you're obedient, Hera. It'll be easier for you."

I could feel the tension in the air as the students watched us, but I didn't care. I stood up, not showing any hesitation, and followed him as he walked out of the room. His footsteps echoed in the hallway, and again, the students parted like waves before him. They made way for him, but I didn't flinch. I wasn't about to let them or him make me feel small.

We reached the door of a private lounge, and Han-Wool pushed it open, walking inside without waiting for me to catch up. I stepped in after him, scanning the space quickly. The room was cozy but had an air of authority.

His friend—the one with the bucket hat—was standing in the corner, arms crossed, eyeing me with suspicion. I didn't look away, but I could feel the hostility coming from him.

Han-Wool turned to face me, his gaze hardening. "So, Hera," he started, his voice colder than before, "I heard something interesting today. The app, the one that's been causing chaos, crashing and all that? It seems to have been tampered with. And I think you know more about it than you're letting on."

I raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "What app? I don't know anything about any app."

Han-Wool's eyes narrowed, studying me closely. There was no mistaking the suspicion in his gaze. "Don't play dumb," he said sharply. "The app that controls the rankings here—the one that just crashed and left everyone in chaos. You're behind it, aren't you?"

I couldn't help but smirk internally. He was clearly rattled, and it felt satisfying. But I kept my expression neutral, the picture of innocence.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said, shrugging nonchalantly. "If the app is crashing, maybe it's just... faulty? I mean, isn't it always? Besides, it could've been anyone."

Han-Wool stepped closer, his gaze never leaving mine. "Don't think I'm stupid, Hera," he muttered under his breath. "I know it was you. I know you're trying to disrupt my plans."

I didn't break my gaze. "I told you, I don't know anything about it," I repeated, maintaining my calm composure.

For a brief moment, Han-Wool studied me, his eyes narrowing, and then a small, dangerous smile crept onto his lips. "You're a good liar," he said softly. "But you won't be able to hide forever."

His bucket-hat-wearing friend stepped forward, his presence suddenly menacing. "Maybe we can get it out of you, though," he sneered, cracking his knuckles.

I felt the tension in the room rise, but before anything could happen, the door slammed open, and Ga-Min walked in, his expression set in a hard line. He assessed the situation with a glance, his eyes flicking between me, Han-Wool, and the bucket-hat guy.

"What's going on here?" Ga-Min's voice was steady, but there was an edge to it that suggested he wasn't here for a peaceful conversation.

Han-Wool looked at him, clearly not pleased with the interruption. "This doesn't concern you," he said dismissively.

Ga-Min didn't budge. "It does when you're trying to intimidate Hera."

The bucket-hat guy took a step forward, but Ga-Min didn't flinch. "Stay out of it," the friend growled, clearly underestimating him.

But Ga-Min wasn't backing down. He stood his ground, stepping in front of me protectively. "If you want to pick on someone, you'll have to go through me first."

The tension between them was thick enough to cut with a knife, and for a moment, I could feel the air crackling with the unspoken challenge.

"You think you can protect her? Is that your role now?"

Ga-Min didn't answer directly, but his posture was enough. He wasn't intimidated by Han-Wool, not in the slightest.

Then, in a swift motion, the bucket-hat friend lunged at Ga-Min, but he was no match for him. In seconds, Ga-Min had the guy pinned to the wall, his strength overwhelming.

"Leave her alone," Ga-Min ordered, his voice firm.

Han-Wool observed silently, his eyes flashing with something I couldn't quite place. I could see the tension between them—the unease growing as Ga-Min held the upper hand.

Finally, with a snarl, the friend yanked himself free, stumbling away from Ga-Min's grip. "This isn't over," he spat, glaring at both of us.

Without another word, he stormed out, leaving Han-Wool and me standing in the room together again.

For a long moment, the silence stretched between us. Han-Wool didn't speak at first, but I could feel his eyes burning into me, as if waiting for me to crack.

"You're lucky he showed up," Han-Wool said softly, his voice strangely calm now, though still tinged with warning. "But remember, Hera, you can't run from this forever. You're tied to me."

I didn't answer him. Instead, I simply turned to leave, my footsteps echoing in the quiet room. As I reached the door, I couldn't resist a small smirk, glancing back at Han-Wool over my shoulder.

"I'm not afraid of you," I said, my voice steady. "You're not the one in control anymore."

And with that, I walked out, leaving him behind, his words hanging in the air like a challenge I was more than ready to accept.