Jerry Kwon

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They all stood outside the house.

Gabryoung, calm and grounded.Baekho — tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in black, the kind of man who always stood half a step behind out of respect, not weakness.And next to him, Jerry — a cocky kid with his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face.

Jake stood near the porch, arms crossed and clearly uninterested. Hyunwoo stayed quietly by the door, eyes flicking between the adults.

Gabryoung gestured toward the boy.

"This is Jerry. Baekho's son."

Jake gave a side glance. "So?"

Gabryoung ignored the tone. He looked to Hyunwoo and Jake both.

"I'd like him to grow up alongside you two. Learn together."

That's when Baekho stepped forward — hands behind his back, posture straight.

His voice was calm. Respectful. But there was a quiet edge to it — not defiance, but concern.

"Boss..."He glanced briefly at Gabryoung."You know I'll follow whatever you decide. Always have. But are you sure about this?"

Gabryoung turned to him with a small smile.

"Say what's on your mind, Baekho."

Baekho hesitated, then exhaled slowly.

"Jerry... he's rough. Stubborn. Like I was, back then. He needs structure. Discipline. If he serves under your sons, it'll straighten him out. Give him something to aim toward."

Gabryoung nodded thoughtfully. But there was warmth in his voice when he responded.

"I get it. But I don't want him to be 'under' them. I want him to stand with them."

Baekho's brows furrowed slightly.

"I understand the intent, sir. But if there's no hierarchy between them, kids like Jerry — kids like Jake — they'll clash. It could get ugly."

Gabryoung chuckled lightly, voice gentle.

"Then let it get ugly."He looked at the boys."Sometimes it's in the fights that we really learn what kind of men they'll become."

Baekho was quiet for a moment, then dipped his head.

"...If that's your will, I'll trust it. I just hope they don't kill each other first."

Gabryoung patted his old friend's shoulder.

"That's what I'm here for."

Meanwhile, Jerry scoffed quietly at the conversation and muttered under his breath:

"Doesn't matter who's 'equal' or not. I'll still come out on top."

Jake narrowed his eyes.

Hyunwoo sighed quietly.

"Yeah. This is gonna be chaos."

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Later that afternoon...

The sun hung low in the sky, casting golden light across the backyard. A wide patch of dirt and grass behind the house served as a makeshift training ground. Gabryoung stood at a distance with Baekho, watching silently with arms crossed.

Jake, Hyunwoo, and Jerry were supposed to "get to know each other."

So far?

Not great.

Jake was leaning against a tree, arms crossed, visibly irritated.Hyunwoo stood nearby, hands in his pockets, quiet and observant.Jerry? He was pacing back and forth in front of them, full of energy and attitude.

"So, let me get this straight. You two are supposed to be the sons of Gabryoung Kim?"

Jerry smirked, voice full of sarcasm.

"You don't look that scary. Especially you."He pointed at Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo blinked."...Cool."

Jake narrowed his eyes."Got a problem?"

"No problem. Just surprised. I thought someone with a dad like yours would've already beaten me up by now."

He grinned."But here you are. Standing around like you're scared of breaking a nail."

Hyunwoo muttered under his breath, "And here you are, talking like you're in a shounen anime."

Jerry spun toward him.

"What was that?"

"I said you talk a lot. Might want to save your breath before you get dropped by Jake."

Hyunwoo said with a straight face, eventhough. Jerry's body look bigger than his, he still doesn't feel any pressure. Of course since this guy is just a kid, Hyunwoo can handle him easily.

Jerry smirked with satisfaction."Hah! I like you. You've got some nerve."

He turned back to Jake."But you? Still not impressed."

Jake finally stepped forward. His smile was tight, his eyes sharp.

"You trying to start something?"

In return, Jerry grinned."Not trying. Definitely starting."

A tense silence.

Gabryoung and Baekho didn't interfere.

Hyunwoo looked between them, sighing again.

"...Of course. This is how boys bond."

Jerry dropped into a casual stance.

"Come on, Big Brother Jake. Show me what makes you legendary."

Jake cracked his neck.

"I'm not legendary."

Then he stepped forward, slow and cold.

"But I'm gonna enjoy shutting you up."

Hyunwoo stepped back as the air got heavier.

"This is fine. Just a light spar. They won't kill each other... right?"

The tension cracked like a whip as Jake stepped forward.Jerry didn't wait.

He rushed in first — fast. Faster than anyone expected.

Hyunwoo's eyes widened as Jerry's elbow struck first, Jake barely dodging before a knee followed through. The hits were sloppy, but powerful — the kind of brawling instinct that couldn't be taught.

Jake fought back, but something was off.

His stance was good. Timing, sharp. But his focus wasn't there. It was like he was holding back — or worse, distracted.

Behind his sharp eyes and practiced stance, something was bothering him — something that had been building ever since Gabryoung showed up.

He didn't like seeing that man again.

Jake didn't hate his father exactly... but he didn't admire him the way others did either. Not after what he done to his moth mother.

To the world, Gabryoung Kim was a legend — the "Legendary Fist," the man everyone wanted to follow. But to Jake, he was the man who was never there. A shadow more than a father. A symbol more than a parent.

So when Gabryoung appeared with that gentle smile, acting like nothing was wrong...

Jake couldn't focus.

In less than a minute, Jerry swept his leg behind Jake's knee and slammed him to the ground.

"Tch."Jake hit the dirt hard, panting.

Jerry stepped back, grinning."That's it? Seriously? You're the one I was supposed to respect?"

He looked at Baekho and Gabryoung across the yard, then back at Jake with a sneer.

"If this is your son, Gabryoung, I'm starting to think all that 'legend' stuff is just a bedtime story."

Hyunwoo's fists clenched. His jaw tightened.He took a step forward. He doesn't know why he felt very angry when he see Jake condition.

"Hey—"

But Jake raised a hand without looking at him.

"Don't."

He sat up slowly, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. His eyes weren't angry. Just... steady.

"You're strong, Jerry. For a street punk."He gave a small, breathless laugh.

"But you think winning a fight means you're better than someone?"

Jerry blinked. The grin faltered just slightly.

Jake stared at him

"I've lost more fights than you've started. But I never stayed down. I never quit."He stood fully now, bruised but straight.

"If strength is all you care about, you'll never be more than a tool. But if you fight for something... really fight—"

He glanced at Gabryoung.

"—then even losing can make you stronger than the guy who won."

Jerry just stood there. Still. Like the words hit harder than any punch Jake had thrown.

Baekho glanced sideways at Gabryoung.

"...That sounds familiar."

Gabryoung smiled faintly, arms folded.

"It should. That's what I told you when you lost to me the first time."

Jerry looked down at Jake again — and for the first time, the arrogance in his face faded into something else.

Respect.

"...You're weird, man," Jerry muttered.

"But maybe... not as lame as I thought."

Jake smirked faintly.

"Takes one to know one."

Hyunwoo let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Damn," He whispered, eyes narrowing with a smile.

"He really is our father's son."

Jerry turned toward Hyunwoo, a cocky glint still in his eye.

"So, how about you then?" he said, cracking his knuckles. "Wanna test who's stronger?"

Hyunwoo didn't move.Didn't blink.He just stared, arms loose at his sides, expression unreadable.

After a few seconds of silence, he spoke — voice calm, almost cold.

"...Did you not hear what Jake just said?"

Jerry blinked, a little thrown off.

Hyunwoo stepped forward — just one step — but it shifted the energy completely.

"Strength doesn't prove anything," he said. "Not if you're just swinging your fists with nothing behind them."

He tilted his head slightly, watching Jerry.

"You beat Jake, sure. But you didn't win."

Jerry's smile twitched.

Hyunwoo didn't stop.

"You don't want a fight. You want validation. You want someone to tell you you're worth something."A pause."But I'm not here to make you feel better."

That shut Jerry up.

For a long second, there was only the breeze and the sound of someone shifting their weight — Baekho, probably.

"You talk a lot for someone who hasn't fought yet," Jerry muttered.

Hyunwoo's gaze sharpened.

"And you fight a lot for someone who hasn't learned anything."

Jake let out a low chuckle behind them.

Baekho gave a grunt — hard to tell if it was amusement or approval.

Gabryoung stood watching it all, arms crossed, a small smile on his lips.

He leaned toward Baekho.

"Hyunwoo's sharp," he said. "He sees through people."

Baekho replied quietly, "Or cuts through them. With words."