Chapter Text
Since James had left Byul with Lasol, she had eaten little or nothing. Most of the time, the kitten slept curled up in a corner or stared out the window as if she was waiting for James’ return.
The sight was heartbreaking. It was as if Byul sensed that something was wrong.
Lasol felt the same way.
It had been two days since James had brought the kitten to her. James had called in sick at school to excuse his absence, but he had told Lasol a different story. He also didn't respond to her messages, which made her worry about him worse. Neither Oliver, Ara nor Miyoung had heard from him or been able to reach him.
It was almost as if he had planned his disappearance or seen it coming. It was somehow unsettling.
In addition, Byul’s state bothered her.
Lasol took the note that James had left and searched for a certain name and phone number. It took a while, but finally, someone answered. A deep, annoyed-sounding voice was to be heard as if the person on the other end of the line couldn't believe they were being disturbed so late at night. "Who is that?"
The gruff manner was intimidating even through the phone. The voice belonged to a man, as expected, but it was much louder and harsher than she had expected. Overcoming herself, Lasol greeted him and said: "I'm a friend of James Lee. My name is Lasol. He gave me your phone number since I'm looking after your cat, Byul."
Silence.
Then she heard the dark voice soften just a touch. "Why do you have Byul?"
"James said he had to take care of something but hasn't answered his phone for two days. He called in sick at school and brought Byul to me the night before. I..." Lasol just started talking. She didn't even know this guy, but if he was a friend of James, then it was his business. “...I just wanted to know if you heard anything from James?”
“...No.”
Lasol sighed.
This guy really wasn't very talkative. “Well, I just wanted to ask if you know something. If he contacts you, please tell him to call me. I'm worried. He was weird when he left Byul with me.”
“He didn't tell me anything.”
“Oh.” She looked a little helplessly at Byul, who was curled up on the floor. Her long fluffy tail was wrapped around her body. “Byul is also worried and misses him.”
There was silence for a moment. Lasol played nervously with one of her strands of hair, her gaze still fixed on Byul.
“I will try to contact him,” said Seokdu, “I will call you back later.”
“Thank you.” She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
If James was just at home with a fever, she wanted to know if she could help him in any way. Even if it was just to bring him soup and medicine. She knew he lived alone and was far away from his home and family. Lasol couldn't even imagine being sick without her mother caring for her and spoiling her with healthy food.
But even after Seokdu hung up, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.
**********
His opponent just launched himself forward with his right arm swinging around in a giant roundhouse strike. With ease, Gongseob sidestepped and ducked under his arm, bounced up, and spun around for a counterattack.
Gongseob's punch was faster. The bigger fighter took it in the mouth, spat blood, and stumped back. It was impressive that he was still standing. His head must be roaring with pain while Gongseob used his chance and moved back, eyeing the damage he had done.
The guy was breathing heavier than Gongseob, bloody and battered now. Gongseob, on the other hand, hadn’t even started to sweat. His body was still too cold, not heating up. None of the fights that night had excited him at all. The thrill was gone. His opponents had become too weak - no, the fighting outside of the ring had just made him too powerful. The fight club wasn't the same anymore. It couldn't be compared to him fighting side by side with James, whenever Gongseob has caused some chaos or whenever some idiot taught James was an easy target after they got dumped by their ladies for a chance with Gongseob or James.
“Come on, you bitch. Is that all you got?”
That guy wasn't a bad fighter. He was way heavier and taller than Gongseob. It was said that the guy won often after his first punch landed. But he lacked finesse. He was all muscles and strength but he missed the high speed you needed to survive on the street.
He came at Gongseob once more, with no hesitation, even when their difference in power and skill was apparent. The same exact move followed.
How boring.
This was enough. Gongseob had played long enough with him.
Gongseob skilfully dodged the blow and struck back. He hit his opponent in the jaw, knocking him out cold. He had lost interest in this fight. Now it was just a waste of time.
The crowd cheered.
Others cursed as their bets vanished into thin air and shouted insults at Gongseob. With a big grin, he gave them the middle finger. The circle of people that had surrounded the fighters split in two. The noisy crowd made way for the winner while the unconscious fighter was dragged out of the ring.
Gongseob didn't waste another look at the loser. Instead, he went to the members of his circle, who greeted him grinning and cheering. One of them handed him a water bottle which was half full. It didn’t take long until Gongseob had emptied the bottle.
"That was a new record, boss."
"Mhm." Gongseob just hummed and wiped his mouth with his hand. The fight might have been boring, but Gongseob was susceptible to flattery and his boys knew that. His mood improved on the spot.
“If you keep winning, it'll be hard to make money from betting, boss.”
“The prize money for the winner isn't bad either.” Gongseob carelessly dropped the empty plastic bottle and then rummaged in his jacket pocket for his smartphone.
Frowning, he checked his messages. Even while fighting, he couldn’t getJames out of his head. It was ridiculous and Gongseob refused to call the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach a guilty conscience. Still, he hoped to finally get a text message back from James.
But there was none.
The illegal street fights took place in the basem*nt of an old, abandoned building. The signal here was crap. That was probably the reason why James hasn’t called him back.
"I'll be right back."
His men just nodded, their attention was already drawn to the next fighters. The fights for the evening were far from over. Normally he would stay to take a look at his future opponents, but he was sure that none of the participants could keep up with him. Instead, he had to deal with more important problems.
Gongseob left the basem*nt via the graffiti-covered staircase and walked through the empty corridors and rooms of the abandoned building. His footsteps resounded throughout the air. It was almost eerily quiet. From a distance he could hear the dull shouts of the crowd, encouraging the new fighters.
Still no new messages nor a missed call.
Was James mad at him?
Normally he called back as soon as he could, but Gongseob had never waited that long for James’ answer.
As promised, Gongseob had called James back the next day, but James hadn’t answered the phone. At first, he didn't think anything of it, but then James didn't respond to any of his messages or calls in the following days.
Eventually, Gongseob’s texts weren’t even delivered anymore.
The boxer stared at his smartphone, annoyed. He felt like one of his girls was mad at him and ignoring him. But then he knew (most of the time at least) what the problem was and how to make it right.
"Naw," he muttered, "that can't be. Why would he be mad at me?"
Even though he said that he couldn't shake off the strange feeling.
Gongseob checked James' Ingstagram profile, but he hadn't posted any photos for three days. The last photo was of his cat sleeping peacefully on his favorite black sweater. James’ last Ingstagram story Gongseob had seen was two days ago.
James usually posted at least one story a day. A photo of his food when he was out with friends. Photos of Byul or videos of him playing with her. Photos of himself in his club’s room or selfies showing off his outfits. The content varied, but the number of photos had a pattern. James' account was never as quiet as it was at the moment.
Was he sick? Had something happened?
Gongseob chewed on his lip. He scrolled through the photos on James' account until he couldn't stand it anymore. James hadn't checked his messages on Ingstagram either, but there were other ways to get what he wanted.
He clicked on a selfie that showed James with a pretty brunette. They were both smiling, wearing the same school uniform and holding bubble tea in their hands. A few cherry blossoms were caught in their hair while the sun was illuminating them from behind.
He had hoped that his first contact with her would be different, but maybe James' classmate could help him.
**********
His last memories were vague, somehow blurry and messy. James remembered visiting Lasol. Then he skipped school the next day to put his plans into action. Everything had gone well until they dragged him into the damn van.
It was rare that he made a mistake.
Sure, he had noticed that he was being followed and he had a hunch why, but the attack had happened faster than he expected. In addition, they had drugged him. How unfair.
Under other circ*mstances, he would have gotten rid of his pursuers as planned.
His eyelids were trembling. His whole body felt so weak and exhausted. He didn't know if it was the narcotic or if his body had finally just given up.
“Boss.”
There were several voices. But in his condition, it was hard to understand every word or tell the voices apart.
He only saw blurry colors and outlines.
“Is he still sleeping? We need the password for his phone. I can’t contact that f*cker without it.”
James closed his eyes.
“Sorry, boss. I guess, the dosage was too high. He's smaller and lighter than we thought.”
“Well…” He heard footsteps close to his ear, then a rustling. Warm fingers touched his face and turned it back and forth as if someone was examining him. “That pushover is even weaker than I thought.”
“I didn't expect much from some kid from that posh school. If he …”
He was too tired. It was hard to stay awake. His body was screaming for rest, for sleep, and in the end, his exhaustion won.
Some more hours of sleep wouldn't kill him, right?
**********
After James told him that Taesoo couldn't pay him with illegally obtained money, Taesoo decided to look for a part-time job. This not only gave him another source of income but also allowed him to spend his time wisely and stay away from home.
It wasn't easy to find something. In the beginning, he had worked in a warehouse, on construction sites, or at the port, which turned out to be good strength and endurance training. But these jobs were usually only available when someone needed a helping hand on site and that also meant illegal work. In addition, the physical work in the evening or at night exhausted him too much. As a result, he had fallen asleep in class pretty often. In addition, the turf wars didn't just stop and Taesoo used his free time to train.
It was a lot.
Since he was suddenly more occupied and exhausted, his school became more peaceful. Suddenly he stopped looking for fights to let out his frustration and only fought in school when someone was rude or provoked him. Perhaps this was also due to James' influence, who was the only one who listened to Taesoo and reprimanded him when his first reaction was to punch someone. Taesoo would never admit it, but James' presence calmed him down and the tutoring sessions had become a fixed anchor point in his troubled life.
When Taesoo became calmer, attended classes regularly, and even stuied hard, the teachers seemed relieved and the class atmosphere improved. Suddenly his classmates dared to speak to him and before Taesoo knew it, he was saving a few of them from bullies. This brought him a new kind of recognition that had nothing to do with fear. It reminded him of how he had originally started fighting to protect his little brother.
This new situation wasn't a bad.
Then one of his classmates, one of the guys he had saved, told him about a job his big brother was doing that paid quite a bit of money. But since said brother was now going to college and moving out of home, a position became available - and so it happened that said big brother introduced Taesoo to his former workplace.
It was a job as a bouncer for a popular club in the heart of the city.
Club Regius was one of the best nightclubs, appearing in almost every travel guide for the nightlife in Ansan. The area itself was in the hands of a pre-generation gangster, which is why Taesoo had initially hesitated to take the job. Not because he was afraid, but because he couldn't use any more stress at the moment.
On the first evening, he had been familiarized with his work. Wearing a black suit was new but not bad. At first, he thought the clothes didn’t suit him but they went surprisingly well with his looks. Taesoo even took a selfie, thinking about sending it to James but he decided against it since it was work-related.
The first evenings went pretty well and without much action. It was an easy job but not comparable to his illegal activities which were more lucrative. He needed the extra money for the private lesson but that didn’t mean he stopped with his other activities completely. His circle was a big help and they benefited from their business too. In the meantime, Taesoo was trying to come up with an alternative idea to make money - something that James wouldn't oppose.
It was his fourth evening in the club when a tumult happened. Taesoo had just been on his way to the back exit for a smoke break when a fight broke out in the middle of the dance floor. A drunk guest started screaming. Another guest was supported by others, blood streaming over his face. His nose looked broken while his presumable girlfriend was crying and trying to stop the bleeding with a tissue.
A security guard tried to stop the drunk guest but the troublemaker was stronger than he looked. With a sudden Muay Thai kick he overpowered the security guard and sent him to the ground.
Screaming like a madman, the thug stepped closer to the poor woman who got caught in the fight - or was she the trigger of this incident?
Taesoo didn’t hear much but it seemed like she was the ex of the drunkard and visited the club with her new lover. Whatever the problem was, Taesoo didn’t give a f*ck about the reason for the fight.
However, he would end it.
Before the drunk could hit her, Taesoo grabbed his wrist and stepped between him and the frightened woman.
“How embarrassing.” Taesoo snorted and squeezed. The troublemaker made a painful sound before he threw a kick. Taesoo didn’t even flinch when his head was hit. Unimpressed, he stared down at the smaller man, who slowly seemed to realize that he had f*cked up.
Not far from the fight, a blond man was leaning against the bar. In his hand, he held a glass filled with cognac. The liquid moved slightly as he swirled the glass. The color was red like the blood that stained the dance floor after a single punch had taken out the drunk troublemaker. “Not bad. Who is that new lad?”
The man he was talking to followed his gaze. His outfit was less eye-catching than the one of his boss; he was wearing a black suit with fitting glasses. “I think that’s Hobin Kim’s replacement. He’s here for a work trial.”
“And his name?” asked the blond man, taking a swig of his cognac. On his wrist, he wore a black and gold Cartier watch. The light made the material shimmer.
“Mhm …” The man next to him checked his phone, “I think his name was Taesoo Ma.”
“Ma?”
The man put his half-empty glass back on the counter. The bartender immediately rushed over to them, but the blond just waved him off. Something else had caught his interest.
“Sir.” Alarmed, the man with glasses looked up. “Don’t forget you have a poker game with Mister Sim and Mister Lee tonight. We have to leave soon. Mister Sim hates it when you’re too late. And Mister Tom-”
“It doesn’t take long.”
With these words, his boss grabbed his coat and disappeared into the crowd.
With an intense look, Taesoo stared at the display of his smartphone while he stubbed out his cigar on the asphalt with his other hand. After the fight, he had retreated behind the club to smoke and check his messages.
He still had no answer from James.
Had he found out what Taesoo had done? Was he angry? Or was this James’ way of telling him that Taesoo had screwed up and would no longer teach him since Taesoo had broken one of the rules?
“Hey.” A deep, smoky voice interrupted his thoughts. When he looked up, he saw a tall man in a black suit with a white shirt and a dark gray Louis Vuitton tie. His broad shoulders seemed even broader thanks to the black fur coat he was wearing. His two-block haircut was styled to the sides while individual hair strands fell in front of his forehead. His hair was white-blond and accentuated his pale skin. The man's face was sharply cut, with high cheekbones and cold eyes, creating attractive features. The signs of age were visible in the small wrinkles around his almond-shaped eyes and the corners of his mouth.
"Don't loiter on the ground, boy."
Leaving the remains of the cigar in the dirt, Taesoo stood up. Not because an old man had reprimanded him, but because this position was a disadvantage for a possible fight. His experiences on the street had taught him to always be on alert.
The stranger did not miss his suspicious look. "You're the new bouncer. You handled the situation well.”
“I’ve some experiences with troublemakers.”
“I could see that.” The man smiled a little. “It was very interesting. And a little familiar.”
Taesoo tensed. His hand clenched into a fist as the stranger’s next words confirmed his premonition:
“I think I know your father, boy.”
Taesoo snorted. “Well, that’s f*cked up. Nothing good happens by knowing that geezer.”
To his surprise, the old man answered with a laugh; it was a deep noise that echoed off the walls of the back alley. “That’s true. You must have your quick wit from your mother.”
Taesoo looked up at him with his lips pressed together. Normally he would have struck long ago, but in the back of his mind, he heard James’s admonishing voice telling him to show respect to the older generation. And not to let everything always end in a fistfight.
“You did a good job back in the club for a newcomer.” The man reached under his coat to pull out a slim, gold cigarette case. It was just as elegantly decorated as the buttons on his jacket. Just like the suit, it looked like it had been custom-made.
“Thank you, sir,” Taesoo said stiffly. Had he piqued the interest of a pre-gen gangster? Nothing good ever came from that.
Moreover, Taesoo was not in the mood for a fight.
The man gave him a thin smile, but Taesoo didn’t notice. He stared at the man’s right hand, which was missing its ring finger.
“A souvenir of Elite,” said the old gangster when he caught Taesoo’s eye. “But I guess I’ve still survived the years better than your drunkard of a father.”
“...You know a lot about me, but I don’t even know your name.”
“I’m Yujun Jin.” He calmly opened the cigar box and took out a cigar, which he then offered to Taesoo. He had never seen the brand before, but he was sure it was an expensive cigar brand. None of the cheap ones his father smoked. And not the mild brand that Taesoo had started smoking because it was good and cheap. “I’m the owner of this club - and a couple more.”
Taesoo’s eyes widened, but before he could say anything, Yujun Jin continued: “Go ahead. You look like you need one - and someone who will listen.”
Taesoo hesitantly took the cigar and fished his cigar cutter out of his pocket to cut off the top. Then he did the same for his new boss, who seemed very pleased with his initiative. “So?”
“I’m worried,” Taesoo then admitted, as he lit the senior’s cigar and then his own. “My friend isn’t answering me and he missed our meeting today. That has never happened before.”
“Is he a fighter like you?”
Taesoo immediately nodded before taking a drag on the cigar. The taste filled his mouth and overwhelmed his taste buds. It tasted like coffee, somehow almost creamy but the aroma was refined by a note of red pepper and a slight sweetness that he couldn’t pinpoint. Taesoo wasn’t an experienced cigar smoker yet, so it was hard for him to detect all the different parts of the aroma but he liked the taste straightaway.
“He is strong and fast but…”
“... that doesn't mean he's invincible,” Yujun Jin finished his sentence, holding his cigar with his intact hand.
“It wasn't long ago that he got into serious trouble. He attracts problems and strong fighters almost magically.” With his free hand, Taesoo ran his hand through his hair. “It’s stressing me out. I'm behaving weirdly when it comes to him.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
When asked, Taesoo paused and frowned. The last few weeks flashed before his mind's eye. His changed grades and his new situation at school were one thing, another was how relaxed and calm he felt around James. Even studying with him was fun and gave him new courage and comfort. Even better were the moments they spent together - whether they went to an arcade or an internet cafe, ate together in a restaurant or just lay next to each other on the lawn and enjoyed nature.
Taesoo found it difficult to open up or talk to someone about his feelings and his family. But that wasn't the case when he was with James. James didn't judge him. He just listened to him and was there for him. And when he needed it, he offered help or advice. Taesoo couldn't tell him how much that meant to him and how much these little conversations helped him ... but it made him want to be there for James and support him as James had done for him. Somehow, he wanted to pay him back.
"No, he helped me a lot." Taesoo stared at his scarred knuckles. "More than he knows. And he never asks for something in return."
"Sounds like you found a good friend." A small smile graced Yujun Jin's stern features. It made him seem softer and younger than he was. "Someone like that is hard to find - maybe it's even a friendship that can last decades."
Taesoo raised his gaze to the night sky. Hidden from the clouds, he made out the outline of the full moon.
It would be nice to have such a relationship with James. It was the first time in his life that someone who wasn't part of his family had become important to him.
“Let an old man who has experienced a lot give you a tip: trust your instincts.”
With these words, the old gangster turned away to go back into the club. He stopped in the open door one last time. The music got louder. The neon lights played around the gangster’s broad shoulders and colored the ends of his black fur. He still held the cigar in his hand. “If you are a true man, then you should stand up for your friends and don’t waste your time here.”
Then the door slammed shut behind him, leaving Taesoo speechless. He clenched his hand into a fist.
The old man was right.
He had hesitated for too long. He had to talk to James.
**********
It was the third cigarette in an hour and yet smoking couldn't calm Jichang's nerves. The argument with his father from this morning was still preying on his mind. His father’s recent text messages had made it worse.
"f*ck."
Why was everything so complicated?
Why couldn't he have a normal day like any other teenager?
Jichang had spent the last few days taking care of a pre-gen gangster and doing his duties at the family company. He also had to deal with that annoying bastard who had reappeared in his city.
Everything he wanted was a moment of peace.
Cigarette still in hand, Jichang walked in the shadows of the school building. At this time of day, it was quiet and calm behind the C building, the perfect place to hide and smoke.
However, his feet led him to a certain place and before Jichang knew it, he was standing in front of the window of the Classical Music Club room. He had come here so often in the last few weeks that his body had moved by itself. Every time he had listened to James playing the piano - and each time it had given him peace and relief.
But this time the room was empty. James Lee was not sitting at the piano like he usually did at this time, lost in his music. There was no James who, as usual, greeted Jichang with a smile as soon as he noticed him.
Only an empty room was waiting for him.
Jichang frowned.
This was...unusual. James Lee was a creature of habit. At least when it came to studying and practicing. He was conscientious and hardworking. He never skipped school or his his duties.
Jichang took a quick drag of his cigarette and blew the smoke against the closed window. Then he reached for his smartphone. He hesitated when he found James' name in his contact list. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other since their fight at the club. Jichang didn't see the point in contacting him first. James had been the one who had fooled him and used him.
Before he would forgive him, it was up to James to apologize.
But he could make it a little easier for his junior. Jichang wrote him a short text message, asking why James wasn't in the Classical Music Club room and telling him they needed to talk.
When he saw that the message was sent but not received, Jichang frowned. Did James turn his phone off? Was he ignoring him? Did he want Jichang to come crawling back first?
The mere thought made the anger flare up again.
Annoyed, Jichang checked when James had last been online; in the same moment, the anger disappeared as quickly as it had come and was overlaid with another feeling that sat heavily on his chest.
Three days. That's how long it had been since James had been online.
The cigarette fell from his hand and ended up crushed under his shoe. Jichang's jaw clenched as his hand clutched his phone tightly.
**********
The music stopped abruptly. Oliver and Lasol paused in the middle of the dance they were practicing. When they turned around, they saw Jichang Kwak turning off the speaker that was connected to Lasol's phone.
“Please excuse the interruption. I'm looking for James.”
Lasol and Oliver exchanged a glance.
“Sorry. We don't know where he is. James hasn't come to school for 4 days.” Oliver's chest rose and fell rapidly. Sweat glistened on his forehead.
His answer caused the older student to frown. An uncomfortable silence followed, broken only by the heavy breathing of the two dancers.
“Is he ill?”
“We don't know,” answered Lasol and went to her bag to take a sip from her water bottle. “He isn't answering our messages … Nobody knows what's going on. He told me a different story than the school. The teachers think he's ill.”
“Then he's probably just ill.” Jichang sighed and adjusted his glasses. “If he was in trouble he had contacted me.”
“Oh right, you and James are pretty close.” Oliver smiled gently. “James always talks well about you.”
This seemed to surprise the senior. “He talks about me?”
“Of course!” Lasol handed Oliver the water bottle, who began to drink greedily. “You helped him so much in his first weeks here. He enjoys his conversations with you, especially about books and music.”
The senior just stared at her, his lips slightly parted and his eyebrows raised.
His face made Lasol giggle. “Why are you so surprised? You’re spending time with him after school pretty often - you wouldn't do that if you don't like each other's company.”
“Didn't you go to this art exhibition in Samcheong-dong with him? James was talking about it for the whole day when we went out for coffee.” Oliver gave her back the water bottle. “He had a lot of fun but I didn't get half of what he was talking about.”
Adjusting his glasses, Jichang nodded. A small smile crossed his striking features. “Well, James has a good eye for art.”
Clearing her throat, Lasol brought the subject back to James. “We're all worried about him. Something is wrong. Even if he was sick, he would have contacted us by now.”
Before Jichang could reply, the door behind him was pushed open. The others flinched in surprise while Jichang turned around and frowned at the sight of the newcomer.
Taesoo Ma.
The fighter from Ansan entered, one hand casually buried in his pocket. When he noticed Jichang, he frowned before deciding to ignore the White Viper.
“Hey, you there. You're friends with James, right? Where is he?”
Oliver looked nervous from Taesoo to Jichang, while Lasol's face brightened up. “Oh, aren't you the guy from the school festival?”
Taesoo nodded, his posture relaxed a little. “Nice to meet you. You're Lasol, right?”
“What do you want?” Jichang interrupted the other fighter. He couldn't stand being ignored.
“I'm looking for James. Where is he?”
“Did I not make myself clear enough last time? You have no business in my school or with James.”
“He can do whatever he wants. You can't order him around like one of your lackeys.” The tendons in Taesoo's neck stood out as he returned Jichang's gaze.
Lasol sighed, trying to stop the argument she interjected: “Aren't you both here because you're worried about James? Don’t you have anything better to do than fighting?”
Before either of them could reply, they were distracted by a clearing of the throat.
A tall figure stood in the doorway. This time it was someone Lasol had been expecting. He had sent her a selfie so she could recognize him. It was an unmistakable face, but she hadn't expected how tall he was.
“Oh, hello!” she waved at him, “Seokdu, right? Sorry for the mess. We have some unexpected visitors. Can you wait outside?”
After Seokdu had bowed in greeting in Lasol's direction, he straightened up to his full height again and looked suspiciously at the two quarrelers.
“It looks like I'm not the only one here because of James,” said Seokdu without changing his expression.
“Seokdu Wang.” To Lasol's surprise, James’ tutee already knew the newcomer. The senior didn't seem enthusiastic either, as soon as he heard the name.
“Why is someone like you here? No, how do you even know James Lee?” asked Jichang in a sharp tone.
Seokdu stared at Jichang, his expression unreadable, but then he deigned to answer:
“James and I have a lovely cat together.”
“Are you kidding me?” Jichang frowned. Lasol had never seen the senior so irritated before.
“Oh no, it's true. I’m taking care of Byul right now for them,” Lasol interjected. ”She’s lovely but I'm sure she wants to go back home. I told Seokdu about it and he wanted to meet me today to talk about James.”
“I'm worried,” the huge guy just said.
Still stunned, the senior massaged his forehead. He seemed to be searching for the right words when another male voice joined the conversation: “Woah, this is a funny little meeting. What are you idiots doing here?”
The voice was coming from a surprising place. In the open window sat a young man with dreadlocks and orange sunglasses. Lasol noticed him from Ingstagram. It was the guy who had contacted her. First, she had thought it was another guy trying to flirt with her or planned the “I know your friend” method to slide into her DMs. But he had seemed really worried about James, so she had invited him here today too. But he was later than planned.
Next to her, Oliver jumped like a scared cat when he finally noticed the new guy. He stepped closer to Lasol as if to protect her, and she couldn't blame him. The newcomer was smaller than the others and didn't seem quite as threatening, but he had an aura that promised chaos and problems.
The guy grinned in a way she could only describe as co*cky and provoking.
“Why are you coming through the window?”, she asked before anyone else could react.
“I like big entrances.” Gongseob slid into the room, ignoring the suspicious and annoyed looks.
Lasol stared at him. “... You got lost and didn't find the entrance, didn't you?”
Gongseob's face turned a shade redder. Before he could think of an excuse, Taesoo stepped up to him and stared down at the smaller man. “What the hell are you doing here, Gongseob Ji?”
“Why are you greeting someone who is taking care of your baby brother so impolitely? You should kiss my shoes, you big oaf.”
“Oh! So you also know each other!” Lasol ignored the hostility in the air and clapped her hands together. She tried to see this situation as positively as possible.
Oliver gave her a worried look. The tension in the air made it difficult for him to breathe. He couldn't believe how little survival instinct Lasol had - was he the only one who thought they were in danger?
“I'm glad you all are here - even when it wasn't planned.”
The men looked at her in surprise, remembering why they were here.
“... so you all couldn't reach James,” Jichang stated.
“He missed our weekly private lesson.” Taesoo had clenched his hands into fists. “That has never happened before.”
“Can we be sure that they didn't hurt James?” Oliver whispered to Lasol, “They look like they would beat people up for fun - besides our senior, of course.”
She nudged him admonishingly. “They're James friends. Don't be silly.”
Thankfully, no one seemed upset by Oliver's comment. The four were too busy staring at each other hostilely and questioning their presence at SC High.
“Maybe it really is just a family matter or he's sick and his phone is off.” Jichang took out his smartphone and dialed James' number again, hoping that their shared worry was unnecessary.
Then, someone picked up on the other end. A triumphant look appeared in Jichang's eyes as a relieved smile crossed his lips. "James, finally. You shouldn't waste my time like that and-"
"White Viper."
Jichang's smile faded. His body froze as he watched his reaction in the large mirror. The satisfaction had vanished from his face, instead, he felt hot, then cold as he recognized the voice.
"Your timing is great," said the man, his voice having a scratchy tone, "I just wanted to call you."
"Insu Kim." Jichang's tone became sharp as he clenched his hand into a fist. "What are you doing with this phone?"
At the unfamiliar name, confusion appeared on the others' faces before their expressions changed to worry and alarm. Taesoo immediately stepped closer, as if trying to hear what they were talking about. Jichang signaled him to wait and put the phone call on speaker - at this moment, he didn't care about his reputation, no matter what his two juniors would hear about him.
"Pfff, are you worried about its owner? How cute."
A laugh followed. The last time he had heard it, Jichang had almost lost an eye when the bastard had thrown a dart at him. Insu Kim was the top dog in the Songpa district. The f*cker loved sick games, especially when he could hurt friends and family members of his enemies - in Jichang's case, that had never been possible since his family lived far away in the province, while his father was well protected by his position and bodyguards. Aside from his circle members, Jichang was not close to anyone.
It was Insu’s style to look for a weak victim to hurt his opponents and play with them. Blackmail and kidnapping were his business, but that wasn’t why he was after James.
“This is between you and me. James has nothing to do with our conflict.”
“Do I look like I f*cking care, you arrogant asshole?”
Jichang pressed his lips together. His jaw tensed and the tendons in his neck stood out. “If you’ve harmed a hair on his head-”
“He’s still fine.” Insu clicked his tongue.
“I want to talk with him.”
“That’s not possible. Your little junior is sleeping again - I guess it’s the aftermath after knocking him out with drugs.”
Frightened, Lasol gasped for air and put her hands over her mouth. Oliver’s face turned ashen and stared at the senior with wide eyes. The faces of the other fighters became hard and dark. Taesoo clenched his hands into fists while Gongseob's eyes narrowed and he rubbed the back of his neck. Seokdu's furrowed his scarred forehead as he returned Jichang's gaze.
A tense silence spread through the room.
Jichang closed his eyes.
This was his fault. Once again, James had been dragged into his problems. He had hoped that James could take care of himself because he was strong - but against the superior majority of opponents and tricks like drugs, even the fast and intelligent fighter was powerless.
"You want me, not him." Jichang struggled to get the words out. "I'll do what you want, but don't drag any innocent people into our fight.”
There was no need to convince Insu that James meant nothing to him. He wouldn't believe him. He had probably been watching Jichang for a while and that's how he became aware of James. Before their argument, they had spent time together regularly.
"I'll send you the address. Come here so we can end it - without your circle. If I see your people, I'll have him taken away. I'm not interested in some little model student but I know some people who would like a new toy. He’s probably worth a lot of money. Oh and cutting off some of his fingers and sending them to you would be very entertaining, don't you think?" At these words, Jichang felt his shoulders tense.
At the same time, memories of the strip club came back.
James' nervous face when the old man had grabbed his face and threatened him. His panicked voice and sobs when he had asked Jichang for help. His empty, sad look when Jichang had left him. His broken smile -
“I heard he likes to play the piano for you. Wouldn’t it be a shame if he can’t do this anymore?”
“Enough.” Jichang exhaled sharply. “I’m coming. Without my circle.”
Without another word, Insu hung up.
“Oh my God,” Lasol exclaimed, tears in her eyes as she clung to Oliver’s arm. The two were normal students. They weren’t used to fighting or bloodshed. This situation must have frightened and shocked them, but Oliver still stepped forward. His voice trembled as he addressed the senior. “I don’t know what your relationship with these people is but please, we must do something to save James.”
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen to him.” His smartphone lit up as he received an address from James’ phone. He knew this place. It wasn’ Insu’s old base but he had often used it to hide his victims. Searching the warehouses alone would take too much time. In addition, they would wait for him while every fight would slow him down and endanger James.
Jichang turned around and looked into the faces of the other gen 1 fighters. He didn't even need to ask. He could see the answer on their faces.
He would fulfill Insu's demand.
The White Viper would come without his men.
Insu Kim was well prepared but he had done a big mistake by choosing James as his next victim. Now the leaders of 4 circles who were after his head.
The bastard had picked a fight with the wrong people.
**********
After reaching the warehouse complex, they dealt with the first guards and incapacitate them. Since there were only four of them, they didn't stand out as much as if Jichang had appeared with a large number of men.
"And now?" asked Gongseob, sitting on one of Insu Kim's men who had lost consciousness.
Jichang cleaned his handblade with a handkerchief. "I think it will be best if we split up. There are three warehouses. I'm sure any of us can take on Insu Kim, but it would be better to move in groups of two since he won't be alone. He has about fifty men on his side."
"Minus those weaklings," Taesoo chimed in, not even glancing at the defeated gangsters.
"We should stay careful. I heard the One Man Circle has appeared in this area and fought people to claim this territory as his own." He could tell by their faces that they had all heard about the outstanding fighter who took out the most powerful gangs on his own.
“Is he really that strong?” Taesoo sounded interested and as if wanted to take on the mysterious opponent. They just didn’t have time for that. They were here to save James, but of course, someone who was only thinking about fighting couldn’t concentrate on the essentials. Jichang didn’t understand why James was spending his time with an uncultivated hulk like Taesoo Ma.
“Who cares? I could beat his ass in seconds,” Gongseob added and stood up to stretch.
“We should take this problem seriously.” The White Viper’s tone became sterner. He felt like he was babysitting a bunch of violent children. “Since Insu Kim is back in his old territory, there is a chance that this One Man Circle is working with him or is even one of his men. I heard the One Man Circle beat up Baekhyun Sim’s student. As a freshman, I had a standoff with that guy. And Insu Kim is almost as strong as I am. Since he's back he has probably earned enough power to go against me.”
“I doubt so.” Seokdu frowned. “He's using cowardly methods to put you off your stride.”
“He knows he can’t win against me.” Jichang looked at the warehouses with cold, merciless eyes. “That's why it's possible that the One Man Circle is on his side. Insu Kim probably has something up his sleeve besides holding James hostage. There were rumors about the guy being Insu Kim's underling - and it would fit why the One Man Circle is mostly targeting the gangs around my school and way home.”
“Do you have any useful information about the One Man Circle?” asked Taesoo, massaging the ankles of his right hand.
“Not really. He’s a mystery.” Jichang sighed. “I have looked for him since I was worried that James would get caught in my mess and my fight with Insu Kim. All I know is that The One Man Circle is fast and strong - strong enough to mess with the king candidates and pre-gen gangsters. He's wearing a brown school uniform that nobody has ever seen around town. He's probably from the countryside and an unimportant school - I guess that Insu Kim found him when he went into hiding and recruited him.”
Gongseob rolled his shoulders and jumped up and down as if he was trying to warm up. “Are your sources trustworthy?” “More or less. I asked some of the guys who had fought the One Man Circle before. Like the Neon circle, the Diablos, the Jung-gu gang and the Jae Won circle but nobody knows his name. I even asked the leader of the Death circle since that asshole got beaten up by the One Man Circle and kicked out of his territory but he kept quiet because he suddenly owed the One Man Circle a favor. These guys only told me about his uniform and fighting skills. Most of them couldn't even take a good look at his face before they were knocked out.”
“Who?” Seokdu frowned. “The name of this one circle sounds somehow familiar.”
“You wouldn't know them. They are minor gangs in Seoul. They have been pretty quiet since they got defeated.”
Jichang took a deep breath. It was time to focus on the next step if they wanted to achieve anything.
“First, we will check the warehouses on the right and left side. Then the last one, at the other end of the property. Even if James isn't there, we can probably take out a few of Insu Kim's men and prevent them from stabbing us in the back or informing Insu Kim of our arrival," Jichang explained before letting go of the bloody handkerchief. It landed on a battered face, which had a few teeth missing thanks to Seokdu. "The bastard is expecting me, but we still have the element of surprise on our side. We need to move quickly so that he doesn't hurt James or get rid of him."
"Hey." With a frown and clenched fists, Taesoo stepped closer to Jichang. "Who made you the boss?" "I know Insu Kim." Jichang withstood Taesoo's gaze unimpressed. “If anyone knows what they’re doing, it’s me.”
“Isn’t it your fault that James is in this situation in the first place?”
Taesoo's words were like a knife. They cut deep.
He was right. It was Jichang's fault that things had come to this. This only happened to James to harm Jichang. When he thought about how scared James must be right now ... and no one knew better than Jichang that Insu Kim's words were not empty threats. If Insu KIm even scratched one of James' fingers, the White Viper would rip out each of Inu’s fingers and beat him into a coma.
A deep clearing of the throat distracted the two squabblers. Seokdu crossed his arms over his chest while staring at them, almost warningly. "We don't have time for this."
"Yeah, the rhinoceros is right," Gongseob came to his aid. "Let's go with Jichang's plan. The snake is famous for his strategies. You can beat the sh*t out of each other when we have James back."
Taesoo gritted his teeth and looked away. He didn't seem happy, but Jichang didn't care. "I will go with Gongseob. Seokdu and Taesoo are the second team. When you find something useful or James call or text us."
His suggestion was met with surprised looks. Gongseob raised an eyebrow while Seokdu and Taesoo stared sullenly at each other.
It was already a miracle that they were working together, but Jichang had divided the teams based on the least possible damage. From what he had seen, Gongseob and Taesoo would only provoke each other and then go for each other's throats. Besides, Jichang didn't want to deal with the useless thug from Ansan any longer.
They parted ways; Gongseob and Jichang went to the right warehouse while Seokdu and Taesoo went to the left without saying a word. But Jichang soon regretted the choice of partner. Gongseob simply stormed ahead. He was as fast and impetuous as the rumors said. And even louder and more vulgar than Jichang had expected.
When Gongseob pissed on one of the defeated gangsters, Jichang wished he had chosen Seokdu instead. The fighter from Suwon was at least calm and had basic manners.
At least they were making progress. They had searched the entire warehouse and taken out about ten men. Among them were a few of Insu Kim's strongest fighters.
"Are you done?" asked Jichang, visibly annoyed.
Gongseob chuckled and zipped up his pants. "What? Got intimidated by my big dick energy?"
“I swear to god, when we are done I'll-” Taking a deep breath, Jichang struggled to control himself. He was the only responsible person in this group of maniacs. For James' sake, he needed to control his anger and keep a clear head.
“I don't understand how James can stand your immature and disgusting behavior and language. He has too much class for spending time with people like you.”
“People like me?” Gongseob raised an eyebrow.
“Restless, idiotic, and dangerous teenagers who don't know their place.” The dislike and anger were evident in Jichang's voice. In the end, he couldn't control himself either.
“You know James is also just a teenager, right?”
Jichang snorted. “Just a teenager? He's a genius. He's basically the dream child of every parent.”
“No.” Gongseob stopped. Then he looked at Jichang as if Jichang was an idiot. Never before had anyone dared to look at Jichang like that - apart from his father.
“Hey, what the f*ck is James doing when he's around you? Why do you think he's so much better than me?”
“What's with that question all of a sudden?” Jichang crossed his arms over his chest. They didn't have time for this. They had to get to the next warehouse. He wouldn't allow Taesoo to arrive before him and ruin their mission.
“Answer me.”
“James works hard, is the best student of his year, and wins every possible competition. He's intelligent and skilled in so many areas. It's impressive. Sometimes he even plays the piano for me.” Sometimes Jichang even fell asleep on the couch while listening to James. These moments had been an oasis of rest and comfort for Jichang which he had missed dearly since his argument with James. “We go out to eat afterward or visit exhibitions and museums.”
“Wow.” With a groan, Gongseob pushed his tinted sunglasses onto his head to look the White Viper straight in the eyes. “You freaking boring loser.”
“Excuse me?” asked Jichang, the tendons on his long neck protruding.
This team formation had been a mistake.
“Of course, you can't relate, Gongseob Ji. You lack a sense of beauty and culture. I don't know why James is tolerating you but ..” Jichang stepped closer to Gongseob until they were almost touching each other. With narrow snake eyes, he stared down at the smaller man, who returned his gaze. “... you're the same as Taesoo. Don't loiter around James. You’re not good company for him. You’re puny thugs and wannabe gangsters - if you really like James you shouldn't interfere with his education. He has to concentrate on school and his competitions. Don't endanger his scholarship by distracting him and stealing his time.”
With that, Jichang turned away, sure he had won the argument, but Gongseob's next words made him pause. “You are a bigger idiot and asshole than I thought.”
Jichang narrowed his eyes.
“James is fun. He's charismatic. I know James seems so mature and so talented - sure, I'm also wondering why such a model student wants to hang out with me. But that's exactly the point.”
Jichang slowly turned to him, frowning. Normally he would have objected, but Gongseob's serious face surprised him.
“He's just a teenager, someone so talented, someone with all these competitions on his plate ... f*ck, can't you see how exhausting that must be? He has always to be perfect. James' brain must be working non-stop - someone like him is overthinking everything. He can never take a break. He always has to be the best, doesn't he?”
In his mind's eye, Jichang saw his father, yelling at him for every little mistake. No breaks. Being always perfect and being too mature for his age was something very familiar to the White Viper. That's why he felt close to James. They were similar. With him he could be himself and find understanding... and even peace.
Jichang knew how exhausting all these could be. But when James did it, it seemed so easy. He never showed exhaustion or struggled with his responsibilities.
“When he's around me he can just be a normal teenager,” Gongseob continued, “He doesn't have to be perfect. He can let go, sing karaoke, party the whole night, drink, and have fun. There is no responsibility, and no competition - when we are together he can relax, play video games and just enjoy life. You hold James up to the same standards you have to follow - but James isn’t you.”
Jichang looked away.
He had never even thought about this possibility. In the end, James was the youngest of them, even when he already seemed so independent.
Suddenly he remembered James' shaking voice on the phone. The panic, the quiet crying when he had asked for help - what if that hadn't been a lie? What if that idiot from Daegu was right, and Jichang had witnessed a side of James that had only been visible in the cracks of a perfect mask?
Alone the thought was enough to make Jichang feel like sh*t.
In the meantime, the other two had effortlessly infiltrated the second warehouse. None of their opponents' blows had been able to stop them. The two of them didn't even glance at their defeated opponents as they fought their way through the building like bulldozers.
Taesoo punched some guy in the stomach. “James always thinks of others first. That's the problem. He doesn't look out for himself.”
Seokdu grumbled in agreement before knocking out his last opponent with a headbutt. “Since I'm vegan, it's difficult to find good places to eat but he always puts my diet first. Not even my father cares if I can eat vegan at home or not when he brings me with him to business meetings. I often just starve and eat later.”
“That's rough, buddy”, said Taesoo who couldn't even imagine living without meat. A nose broke under his next punch.
“Sometimes James cooks for me. He even came up with vegan variations of dishes I’ve never tried before.”
“Mhm, his food is delicious. He brings me a lunch box every time we are studying.” Inevitably, a small smile appeared on Taesoo's face.
“I tried to return the favor but it didn't go well. He didn't seem to like the restaurant I chose.” With his lips pressed together, Seokdu stared at his black dress shoes. Seokdu's face didn't show many emotions, but Taesoo had a vague idea of what was going on inside his head. The fighter from Ansan wasn't good at understanding or controlling his emotions either, but he could sense that Seokdu felt the same way he did with James.
“Sometimes I think, James needs to control and handle everything alone,” said Taesoo, brushing his hair back. He hadn't even broken a sweat, but the fighting had caused his headband to slip back slightly.
By now they had completely conquered and searched the warehouse. There was no sign of James. Only thugs had been present who had attacked the intruders - and immediately regretted their decision.
“That's another reason why I wanted to invite him. But ... it went horribly. He only had a salad and the atmosphere was weird.”
“Really?” Taesoo looked at Seokdu in surprise and wiped his hands on his gray pants. “When I go out with James, he loves to eat. For someone so small, he can eat a lot. He has a sweet tooth, so I always have some candy with me when I meet him.” A smile briefly crossed Taesoo's face. “His eyes always light up when I give him lollipops. The one with strawberry flavor is his favorite. You can distract him easily with it.”
In these moments, James always looked like a cat whose pupils got bigger at the sight of candy. It was kinda cute and funny.
Seokdu remained silent for a moment.
“Then it was my mistake. He didn't even want dessert.”
They both found it surprisingly easy to talk to each other. Maybe it was because they both knew James and had a common topic. This wasn't bad. Seokdu wasn't annoying like Gongseob and not an arrogant asshole like Jichang. Now, Taesoo regretted that he had listened to all the bad rumors about the fighter from Suwon. If James liked Seokdu so much they raised a kitten together, Seokdu had to be a good guy.
Taesoo patted the big guy on the back. “James is too polite to say anything. He doesn't want people to worry about him “
Seokdu sighed. “He was once hurt but he didn't show it all. I only found out by accident.”
“That's why we have to look out for him. He's a magnet for trouble.” At his words, Seokdu nodded in agreement.
“He needs to be more selfish,” said both of them at the same time. They blinked, surprised, and then Taesoo laughed. Seokdu allowed himself a grin.
“But first,” Taesoo looked at the exit, “We need to save him.”
Seokdu nodded in agreement before texting Jichang.
Now all that was left was one warehouse, filled with enemies and hopefully James Lee.
**********
The last warehouse was frighteningly quiet.
Nobody stopped them, nor did anyone seem to have alarmed Insu Kim. That was in their best interests, but Jichang had a bad feeling.
What if they were too late? What if it was a trap?
Jichang took a deep breath. His nerves were frayed and his argument with Gongseob had made it worse. Even though Insu Kim and this mysterious One man Circle had joined forces and were waiting for them with their men, they were no match for the four powerful circle leaders.
“Let’s go,” the White Viper said before Taesoo opened the door to the warehouse with a blow. The old door was ripped off its hinges and landed on the floor with a loud noise. It would alarm the people inside the hall - but at the moment Jichang didn’t care. If their enemies were focusing on them, it would buy James more time. The four entered the shabby warehouse without any problems. There was no attack, nor were they greeted by shouts.
They all stopped, surprised by the sight in front of them.
James sat on a mountain of motionless bodies stacked on top of each other. He wore a school uniform that none of them had ever seen. His posture was casual, completely relaxed as he sat on top of the bodies. He tapped his lips with a red lollipop as if he was thinking about something.
When James heard the sound of the door he turned his head towards them.
"What the f*ck," Gongseob muttered, saying what they were all thinking.
James hopped down from the pile of bodies and walked towards them, frowning at their sight.
"What are you doing here?" he asked without wasting any time. He didn't seem thrilled to see them, though. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at their dirty and bloddy clothes.
"We plan to save you!" Gongseob pointed to the gangsters lying on the ground. James followed the gesture and snorted.
“Do I look like a damsel in distress?” James raised an eyebrow, pretty unimpressed. “And that doesn’t explain my question. What are you doing here? You don’t owe me anything, nor is this any of your business.”
It was Seokdu who stepped forward and then took James’ face in both hands, turning his head left and right, checking him for injuries. Too surprised to know how to react, James remained silent “... you seem fine.”
“Of course.” James pulled his head back, irritated by Seokdu’s behavior. “I can take care of myself. Why are you guys so weird?”
No one seemed to want to answer his question. Instead, he became the target of questions.
“What the f*ck happened?” asked Gongseob, waving his arms.
“Did you eat?” asked Seokdu.
Taesoo crossed his arms over his bare chest, which was smeared with blood and had a few red spots that would soon become bruises. “Do you feel weird? Do you want to go to the hospital? They drugged you-”
“What are you wearing?” Jichang looked down at him, ignoring the other fighters’ questions as well as James’ annoyed face.
“It’s my old school uniform.”
“I can see that.” His senior’s voice became sharper, more impatient, while the snake eyes looked down at him. “But why are you wearing it and fighting gangsters alone?”
“I don’t think that’s important now.” Seokdu looked around, towering next to James like a protective pillar. “We should go before that One Man Circle shows up.”
“Don’t worry about a ghost.” Gongseob rolled his eyes and picked his ear. “These are just some ridiculous rumors. Not even Jichang has met that guy until now and Seoul is his turf.”
Taesoo nodded in agreement. “Someone so strong would have already appeared to fight a king candidate. And if he hasn’t fought Jichang, he's probably a coward or weaker than the rumors say.”
“It’s me.”
The four of them looked at James. He saw confusion in their faces and he realized that despite all the rumors and chatter, they hadn’t put two and two together. Jichang was the exception. He looked at James as if he was waiting for confirmation.
James was a little insulted. How weak did they think he was?
Sighing, James pointed at himself.
“I’m the one they call One Man Circle.”
“What?”
“You heard me.” The red lollipop touched his lips shortly before he continued to talk. “I guess they gave me the name after I started beating up the circles in my area. Then I destroyed every circle that was on my way to school - they kept bothering me for some reason. I didn’t have to do anything around SC High because it’s Jichang’s territory.”
Gongseob stared at him with his mouth wide open before he could reply. “Wait, if you are the One Man Circle, how could they catch you?”
“Weren't they after Jichang?” Seokdu added.
James narrowed his eyes at them, then he sighed. “They didn’t catch me. I played the bait and let myself get kidnapped to find their base and destroy them. They were annoying me and that’s why I took a break from school. This has nothing to do with Jichang. How you see, everything worked just fine.”
“So, you didn’t need our help at all?” Strangely, Taesoo sounded … disappointed? Angry? James wasn’t sure. And why should he care? Taesoo hadn’t cared about James’ feelings either.
“No. And I wouldn’t have asked any of you for help.”
At that point, Gongseob had the nerve to look indignant. “Why not?”
“Why should I?” James was slowly losing patience. He didn’t understand why they were all here, or why they were making such a scene. For some reason they all looked disappointed and hurt. James felt like he had kicked a bunch of puppies!
At that moment, realization flashed across Jichang’s face. Frowning, Jichang looked at him. “James … what are we for you?”
Now completely confused, James looked first at him, then at the others. Why did this suddenly feel like an interrogation?
“You’re all strong guys. You’re impressive and I liked to fight with you - or against you.” Taesoo, Seokdu and Gongseob then looked satisfied. Almost flattered, as if he had given them the best compliment they had ever received. Only Jichang didn’t seem happy with his answer.
“No. What are we personally for you?” Jichang adjusted his glasses. “Say it with one or two words.”
Jichang mercilessly returned James' annoyed look. After a moment, James admitted defeat. He sighed before answering spontaneously. He started with Jichang.
“Sunbaenim,” he said, pointing his finger at the White Viper.
Then he pointed at Gongseob. “Funny gremlin.”
Gongseob then grinned, visibly amused. After hearing the description for Seokdu, Gongseob laughed out loud.
“Co-cat-parent.”
Seokdu's lips twitched briefly as if he wanted to smile, but instead, he gave Gongseob a dirty look.
In the end, James looked at Taesoo. “My tutee.”
At first, Taesoo seemed satisfied with the answer, but then his smile froze.
“Now, tell me what you think about Lasol and Oliver.”
This game was getting more and more stupid. James sighed. “My classmates. I don’t understand what you want-”
“You don’t see us as friends, do you?”
After these words, an icy silence followed. James felt the other kings’ gazes on his skin while he looked at Jichang’s grave face, confused by his statement.
“You asshole.” Gongseob stepped forward and tried to grab James by the collar, but James slapped his hand away and backed away from them. He didn’t like to be surrounded by so many strong fighters. Especially when he felt the mood shifting. Anger was in the air.
James felt attacked.
“I’m the asshole? I’m just doing what you all told me to do!”
When they saw his outburst, they froze. Gongseob even took a step back, as if he was afraid that James would punch him. “You all set boundaries and made it plain that you don’t want to get involved with me.”
James glared at Gongseob. “You told me that I’m nobody important to you. You just like to party with me but when I tried to ask for help, no, when I just wanted to talk to you because I had nobody left, you couldn't even spare five minutes for me.”
As he said this, Gongseob seemed to remember the phone call. He turned pale and at least had enough decency to look guilty.
“And you!” James pointed the lollipop at Seokdu. “You only use me as a babysitter for the cat you always wanted but couldn't have! You don't want to spend time with me besides that. You don't even take me seriously. When I was worried about getting followed, you said that's impossible and I'm unimportant - why should anyone be interested in me?!”
The giant pulled his head between his shoulders when James's anger suddenly hit him. He seemed to realize why James hadn't asked him for help. He would surely have dismissed James's concern as a figment of his imagination again instead of taking his worries seriously.
Then he turned to Taesoo. James’ voice trembled. He hated it, but he wasn't done with them yet. “And you only need me as a tutor. You don’t want to be around me at all. You think I’m annoying.”
His breathing was getting faster. He hadn’t lost his composure once during the fight against his kidnappers but these four were driving him mad with their strange behavior.
Why was everyone acting as if he was suddenly the problem?
James clenched his jaw tightly before looking up at Jichang. He stepped closer to his senior, the look in his dark gray eyes hard and accusatory. “I know you only took care of me because of school. I know I’m just a burden to you - and I’m just a little manipulator in your eyes.” He tapped Jichang’s chest hard with his finger, without breaking eye contact. He wouldn’t let Jichang put him down again. “I did what you wanted, made no trouble, and stayed out of your business. And the one time, I asked for help, you told me to never do it again.”
Jichang bit his lower lip. Guilt flickered across his face.
When he was finished, James was shaking all over. He didn't understand why this situation upset him so much. He was used to being disappointed. He was used to being alone.
"So what gives you all the right to be mad at me?"
"James, I-" Seokdu suddenly reached out his hand to James, but James's warning look made him lower his hand before he could touch him. The giant kept his distance from him, but he dared to continue:
"I'm sorry. I'm thankful that you are taking care of Byul but that's not the only reason why I visit you in Seoul." Seokdu rubbed his scarred forehead as if it would help him stay calm. "I... I like to be around you. I just didn't want to admit it and used the cat as an excuse. I don't have many friends in Suwon. More enemies than friends, to be honest. And… I’m a bit insecure and shy about these things.”
These words surprised James. The fighter from Suwon usually didn't talk so much and even now he could see that Seokdu found it difficult to talk about his feelings.
“Same here,” Gongseob interjected. “Okay, I'm not insecure or shy at all but …” The boxer sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Then it seemed like he couldn’t find the right words and fell silent again.
In the meantime, Seokdu carried on with his explanation.
“I was angry but not at you.” Seokdu nervously played with his striped tie. “You didn't seem to like the restaurant I chose. I was angry that I messed up again … you always pick a good place for me. I wanted to do the same for you.”
“I'm sorry,” James mumbled when he realized the misunderstanding, “The place was so expensive, I couldn't relax or -”
“I know. That's why I was planning to invite you. I wanted to pay you back.”
Embarrassed, James tapped his lower lip with the lollipop. “To be honest, I felt like a burden. I don't like to own someone.”
“You don't owe me anything.”
The sugar cracked as James bit into the red candy. “Yeah … but that's normally not the case. When someone suddenly does something for me, they always want something from me in return. Nothing is free in this world.”
An awkward silence followed. The others exchanged glances. James pressed his lips together. It was as if they were judging him.
At that moment, the four understood that even someone who seemed as perfect as James Lee had his invisible scars. And equipped with their own insecurities, they had unknowingly and unintentionally caused those very scars to bleed again.
“I'm tired... I'm tired of being exploited.” James looked away. That was a sore spot. He didn't want to talk about it. This was one of the reasons why he had fled to Seoul.
“f*ck!”
The loud outburst made James flinch. He automatically looked at Gongseob, who avoided eye contact.
“The awful phone conversation was a stupid misunderstanding! The reception was bad, it was loud and there was this hot chick- I mean, it wasn’t a good time.” Gongseob scratched his cheek. “And I told you that I would call you back. I did that numerous times.”
Struggling with his pride and conscience, Gongseob let out a groan and continued to avoid James' searching gaze. “I was an asshole. I didn't mean it like that. You know I don't think much when I'm talking. And I’m not just using you to have a good time in Seoul - I mean, you’re the reason why I travel f*cking 5 hours to Seoul! I like to hang out with you. I thought it was the same for you and that you needed some breaks ... from school and all these competitions. That doesn’t mean I don’t take you or your problems seriously. It’s just my way to look out for a friend.”
Did Gongseob just apologize to him?
Was he hallucinating?
James could hardly believe what he was hearing.
“I beat him up,” Taesoo said suddenly. It just burst out of him, as if he could no longer keep the secret to himself. Gongseob flipped him off for the interruption, but Taesoo didn't even notice. He was too focused on James.
Confused, James looked from Gongseob to Taesoo. "Uh?"
Taesoo clenched his hands into fists. Shortly afterward, he bit his lower lip before he continued to talk. “That f*cker who brought you in the strip club. I beat him up.”
“What? When did you do that?”
Taesoo looked away, his cheeks slightly flushed. “ After you told me about that whole mess. I looked the whole night for him - until I found him in a private club. He was talking about paying you back by sending the photos to your school and posting them online. There … were some photos from the changing rooms too.”
At these words, James turned pale. If anyone had seen these photos, then …
Out of the corner of his eye, James saw Jichang's face twist. Even Seokdu and Gongseob looked surprised, then disgusted.
“Don't worry. I deleted everything and took his phone.” Taesoo rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding his gaze now too. “I didn't plan to tell you because of the rules. You said when I behave like a thug in Seoul you will stop tutoring me.”
“Wow, what are you? His guard dog?” Gongseob raised an eyebrow, slightly amused, and received an annoyed look from Taesoo.
There was a cracking sound as James bite on the remaining candy. He chewed for a moment, sorting out his thoughts, before taking the lollipop out of his mouth to answer. “I thought you don’t give a f*ck about me.”
“Would I be here if I didn’t give a f*ck about you?!”
James took a step back in surprise. Then his gaze flicked from Taesoo to the other fighters, who were all looking at him seriously.
“We are here because we are your friends.” Putting a hand on James’ shoulder, Jichang spoke calmly and urgently. “Friends look after each other. You could have told us to help you - and I understand why you didn’t ask for my help but … you don’t have to fight alone.”
One Man Circle.
James Lee couldn’t have received a more fitting title.
James Lee was alone. He had always been alone.
He didn’t need help. He didn’t need comrades. Others were too weak. Or a weak point for him. That was something he couldn’t afford.
James Lee had always fought alone.
He didn’t need anyone.
“Stop.” Suddenly Jichang’s grip tightened. “You’re overthinking again.”
“Come on.” Gongseob nudged James with a grin. “Give us another chance.”
James pressed his lips together. He hadn’t had any real friends since elementary school. Even his best friend had betrayed him in middle school and over time he had become estranged from so-called ‘friends’. He had gotten along well with most of his classmates, but being the star student had come with a price. It had been almost impossible to maintain friendships when his life had only consisted of school, training, and competitions. Others had only tried to take advantage of him or suck up to him.
James closed his eyes with a sigh.
They were here to save him. Nobody had ever cared so much about him to do something like that.
“Just…let’s leave.” A small smile appeared on James' face. “I’m sorry for screaming at you.”
“It’s okay.” Taesoo shrugged and gave the beaten-up gangsters one last look. He seemed a bit impressed.
**********
After they left the warehouse, the others insisted on going out to eat. James was still tired, but he didn’t want to say no. He had barely eaten anything since his kidnapping. His kidnappers had only given him a sandwich or onigiri to eat.
To say, that James was hungry was an understatement.
In the end, they chose a good barbecue restaurant that Jichang liked to visit with his circle. They were greeted warmly and taken to a free table, even though the restaurant was crowded at this time.
The place was fine for Seokdu too. The smell didn’t bother him and he ordered bibimbap without egg, while Taesoo immediately took over grilling the meat. James was worried about Seokdu’s diet, but Seokdu assured him that it was fine and that he often accompanied his father or his circle to a barbecue restaurant. Even though Seokdu didn't eat meat, he could still enjoy the atmosphere.
James was just happy that he didn’t need to lift a finger and nibbled on the side dishes that the waiter brought. It wasn't long before their place was filled with the smell of roasted meat, making his mouth water.
They all sat around a table with a grill built into the middle. James could feel the heat on his skin while he relaxed. The few Korean barbecue restaurants in his hometown didn't have built-in grills and provided their customers with portable stoves instead. In middle school, he had gone there with classmates a few times but he had often felt out of place. But now, the atmosphere was very different.
It was like he was around like-minded people. People who had been ready to fight and save him, just because he had been important to them. The thought made him smile.
The conversations weren't forced but flowed naturally over time. They talked about their circles, their schools, and anything else that came to mind. Seokdu stayed pretty quiet but grilled mushrooms on his own side of the grill and enjoyed his spicy radish salad. James didn't miss that Seokdu didn't touch the kimchi, as it usually contained salted seafood. Nevertheless, Seokdu's eyes would occasionally dart longingly to the kimchi.
James chewed thoughtfully on a piece of the steamed egg soufflé. He hadn't made kimchi for a while. Usually he only made as much kimchi as he needed, as he didn't have much space in his small fridge. It would be nice to have a kimchi fridge, but James didn't have the space or money for one. But if he could give some of the kimchi to Seokdu, it wouldn't be wasted. He just had to change the recipe a little and then Seokdu could eat it too.
“Here.” Taesoo gave him the first fried pieces of meat.
It was bulgogi, thin slices of sirloin, marinated in a mixture of sugar, pepper, sesame oil, garlic, matsutake and soy sauce. The sugar added a sweet taste and James liked to eat it with the rice and kimchi that came as side dishes.
“Hey,” complained Gongseob, “I want some meat too.”
“Then take some and grill it yourself,” Taesoo replied, putting more bulgogi on James’ plate.
“Asshole!”
“I don’t f*cking care.”
James chuckled. He felt warm and relaxed, while he watched the others fight for silly and petty reasons. Thanks to the warm food and a good, long rest his mood was much better.
“Stupid dog,” cursed Gongseob as Taesoo put steak on the grill. Jichang just sighed at the childish behavior of the two and grabbed the tongs to grill his own meat.
“We are in the middle of a restaurant. Please behave.” The White Viper sighed before he took a sip of his soju.
When James grabbed an alcohol bottle to pour himself a drink, his senior stared silently at him, but then Jichang decided he couldn’t reprimand James for something he also did. Instead, Jichang turned his attention back to the two squabblers. “You can’t behave like thugs here. Or we will get kicked out.”
“Pff you’ve enough influence here that they’ll turn a blind eye to whatever we do,” Gongseob replied snidely. He had given up the battle against Taesoo and started grilling pork galbi himself.
“Jichang is right.” Even Seokdu spoke up. Rice stuck to the corner of his mouth.
“Oh, come on!” The boxer waved the barbecue tong in the air as he looked at the others in annoyance. “We’re all thugs. Just because you two f*ckers have a better family background than me and Ansan’s dog-” “ I’m not a dog, you manwhor*.” “-you can’t behave like you’re better than us.”
“Gongseob isn’t wrong.” James drained his second glass of strawberry soju that someone had ordered for him. “Nobody of you is a law-abiding citizen. You all are rising gangsters with your own circles and businesses.”
After his words, they all looked at him in surprise, but this time no one could argue. They hadn’t told him much about their illegal businesses, or at most hinted at it, but James had done enough research to know what was going on.
“I don’t want to be friends with gangsters.” James sighed. His index finger rubbed the rim of his glass. “I don’t want to get involved in something illegal.”
Then, confident and ambitious, James put a hand on his chest. Maybe it was the liquor talking, but he felt too good to keep quiet: “When I become a famous idol or actor one day, I can’t be friends with gangsters. I still want to be your friends but I also don’t want to hide my friendship in front of the whole world.”
The others fell silent.
Jichang seemed thoughtful, sipping a glass of soju. Even without his illegal business, he would be fine. After all, he would take over the family business one day. Whatever his reasons was for fighting as the White Wiper in Seoul, it wasn’t a lack of money.
The boxer grumbled. “If you have an idea how I can make legal money, let me know.”
“I’m sure we will find a way!” James said with more enthusiasm than either of them had expected. “I’ll think about it. Everything I touch turns to gold. Together we will be successful in finding a solution for your financial problems.”
Too stunned to reply, Gongseob just stuffed a piece of fried chicken into his mouth.
Beside him, Seokdu rubbed his hands. “My staffing agency is doing a lot of stuff … but-”
“If you don’t do illegal business with your circle, you can still make a lot of money and you don’t have to worry about the police.” James gave him his best business smile. “You’ve already a great base for your company, you just have to change some things and find a better way. I can help you with that if you want.”
“I’ve already stopped.” Taesoo looked sideways at James as if he was waiting for praise. “I’ve started a new job as a bouncer. The boss is a pre-gen gangster but he’s okay. Maybe I will stay there. I want to learn more about clubs. And the boss seems to like me. If I do a good job, I can maybe ask him to teach me about his business and create connections. I want to make money - but not illegal anymore.”
Part of him wanted to point out to Taesoo that he was still under 19 and couldn’t work in a bar or club because of the Youth Protection Act. On the other hand, Taesoo worked outside the club and ensured safety, so James turned a blind eye to this flaw. Besides, they were all drinking and regularly involved in gang fights - but that was a different matter. This was about his friends’ professional future. It was better to get back on track as soon as possible.
With a gentle smile, James patted Taesoo on the head. “Good job. You’re a good boy.”
Across the table, Gongseob made a gagging noise. To Gongseob, it looked like Taesoo was wagging his tail like a dog but Gongseob kept the remark to himself. Taesoo was probably not someone who received positive reinforcement or praise from others. Gongseob had at least his grandmother who hadn't completely given up on him yet.
"You all did a good job today." On his way back, James had noticed that the four had destroyed the rest of the circle. Even though they often argued, they had fought well together to save him. That was almost a miracle, considering the rival and hostile relationships between all the gangs and cities.
The thought turned into a sudden idea. James started to smile.
"What do you guys think about an alliance?"
"An alliance?" asked Jichang before emptying his glass.
“You're all from big cities and when you become kings, there will be even more people who want to challenge you and get what belongs to you. It will be exhausting to protect everything alone.” James' index finger drew a circle on the tabletop. “But what if you can help each other? It would not only be good in an emergency situation but also save you a lot of future trouble - when it gets around that some of the most powerful fighters are allies, it will be a deterrent and strengthen your rule. Of course, there would be no leader in the alliance. You all would be equal.”
“And what about you?” asked Gongseob.
James’ excitement immediately calmed down. He lowered his gaze. “It would be nice if I could be part of it. I'm strong even when I don't have a circle or a business yet. Well, I’m working on something … but at the moment I don’t have much to offer for the alliance.”
“You're more than enough.” At Jichang's words, James looked up in surprise. The others looked at him seriously or almost gently, as if they wanted to agree with Jichang.
The dark shadow immediately disappeared from James' face. It was replaced with a warm smile.
"Oh, then this makes me the youngest of the alliance, right?" A vivid light appeared in James' eyes. "It's my first time being the maknae."
"Pff, that doesn’t sound so bad. I would join an alliance." Gongseob grinned.
Jichang allowed himself a small smile, but the expression on his face was thoughtful as if he was already planning the next step. "We could even do business together."
Seokdu just nodded in agreement and then reached for his glass of soju but the first to raise his glass to toast was Taesoo.
“To the alliance”, said Taesoo.
James laughed and followed suit.
“To the alliance,” the others joined in before their glasses clinked together. The alcohol splashed over their hands while James smiled and was filled with a pleasant warmth.
He hoped this evening would never end.
**************************************************
