Chapter 9

Ga-Min sat in the study group room, his head resting against the back of the chair. His knuckles were raw, and bruises lined his face, a fresh cut on his lip still bleeding slightly.

I frowned as I walked over with the medical kit,"Let me see," I said, grabbing his wrist and examining his hand.

He flinched slightly but let me clean the wounds.

"What happened this time?" I asked, my tone laced with irritation.

"Han-Wool's guys," Ga-Min muttered. "I fought some of them."

I sighed. "Ga-Min, seriously? You can't keep doing this."

"I had a reason," he said, meeting my eyes.

I raised an eyebrow. "And that reason is?"

He hesitated, then exhaled. "One of Han-Wool's guys, Suncheol. He's different. I've been watching him for a while, and he actually wants to study. But he's stuck under Han-Wool's control."

I dabbed antiseptic on his cuts, making him wince. "And you think you can save him?"

"He needs to be saved," Ga-Min said firmly. "Because right now, Han-Wool is using him as a scapegoat for something serious."

The study group members, who had been quietly listening, straightened up at his words.

"What do you mean?" Ji-Woo asked.

Ga-Min leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Suncheol is being forced to take the fall for a murder. They're making him admit to it, but it doesn't make sense. I saw him the night it happened—he was at the hospital with his grandfather."

The room fell into silence.

"How do we know you're right?" Se-Hyun asked skeptically.

Ga-Min's jaw tightened. "Because I saw it with my own eyes. I trust what I saw."

I glanced at the others. Some hesitated, but in the end, Ga-Min was our leader. And if he was convinced, we had to trust him.

"We have to help him," I said. "If we don't, he'll be trapped."

That night, we made our move.

The location was an old warehouse on the outskirts of town, a place Han-Wool's gang frequently used. The air was thick with dust and the distant hum of flickering lights overhead.

"Stay quiet," Ga-Min whispered as we slipped inside, keeping low.

Han-Wool was here.

He stood near the back, talking to Min-Hwan. But we didn't have time to focus on them. We had to find Suncheol.

As we moved deeper, a shadow emerged from behind a stack of crates. One of Suncheol's friends.

"You're here for him, right?" he whispered.

"Where is he?" I asked.

The boy hesitated before whispering, "Locked in the back room. But listen—one of the guys in there? He's the real criminal. And he still has the weapon."

Ga-Min and I exchanged looks.

"If we can get the weapon, we can clear Suncheol's name," I murmured.

Ga-Min nodded. "Then we split up. I'll get Suncheol, you find the weapon."

He hesitated but relented. "Be careful."

I gave him a sharp look. "I'll be fine."

I moved quickly, navigating the maze-like corridors until I found a man rummaging through a drawer. He was big, built like a tank, and completely unaware of my presence.

I had to be fast.

I struck the back of his head with a swift kick, sending him crashing into the table. Before he could react, I grabbed the weapon—a bloodied knife wrapped in cloth.

But before I could make my escape, another thug appeared, blocking my exit.

"You shouldn't be here," he sneered.

I barely dodged his first attack, his fist grazing my shoulder. He was fast. But I was faster.

I countered with a sharp elbow to his ribs, making him grunt. But he wasn't down yet. He grabbed my wrist, twisting it painfully.

I gasped, struggling against his grip.

"Not bad," he smirked. "But not good enough."

Pain shot through my arm, but I gritted my teeth. I wasn't going down like this. Using my other hand, I grabbed a metal pipe from the ground and slammed it against his ribs.

He let go with a grunt, giving me the chance to sprint toward the exit.

My vision blurred, my body weakened from the fight, but I kept running.

Then, just as I staggered forward, arms caught me.

Ga-Min.

"You're late," I muttered, my voice weak.

"You're reckless," he shot back, glaring down at me before his gaze shifted to the weapon in my hand.

"You got it?"

I nodded. "Now let's finish this."

Ga-Min set me down gently before turning to face the remaining gang members. His fists clenched. "I'll handle this."

And he did.

Even injured, he fought them off one by one, his movements sharp, precise, and brutal. Within minutes, the last guy collapsed.

Sirens wailed in the distance. The police were coming.

I smiled weakly. "Looks like we won."

Ga-Min sighed, shaking his head. "You're insane."

"But effective," I shot back.

He rolled his eyes, helping me to my feet as we watched the chaos unfold.

Suncheol was free.

Despite everything, a few days after the incident Suncheol didn't look relieved. His eyes were red, his hands trembling.

"My grandpa..." he whispered.

My chest tightened. I knew what that meant.

His grandfather had passed.

I placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Suncheol clenched his fists, his expression filled with grief. "Before he died, he told me to live a good life. To be better."

He looked up at us, determination shining through his sorrow.

"I will."

For the first time since we met him, he looked free.

And this time, his life was about to change for the better.