Chapter Text
At a trotting pace, he finished walking the few meters that separated him from the cozy adjoining house that he knew as much as his own. He stood right in front of the great metal gate that he had crossed countless times at any time of the day, but which, despite their closeness, he never dared to cross without being invited by one of the members of that family.
He rang the bell only once and, not receiving an answer, he stood up straight, took a deep breath and placed his hands on both sides of his mouth simulating a megaphone, as he used to do since they were children.
"Kim Byeongkwan!"
As soon as he called out his best friend's name, he leaned out the window with a slice of bread between his teeth and a glass of milk in one hand. With the other, he made a sign that clearly indicated that he should wait a moment, the other responding with an exasperated gesture.
"This can't be possible," he whispered to himself, repeatedly shaking his head.
The door finally opened and a gray-haired young man advanced towards him as he inspected the contents of his backpack to check if he had forgotten anything. As he closed the gate behind him, he was expecting almost out of habit the usual scolding from his childhood friend. Three, two, one...
"Do you want us to be late for our first day of classes? And what about that hair? Did you comb it at least once?”
Sometimes he wondered if his friend was really younger than him.
"Don't worry, we're still on time," he answered, ignoring the last two questions, as he put on one of his favorite lemon-green jackets. "Do you like my fit?"
Byeongkwan's lucky charm had always been to dress in his favorite clothes when stepping on a new place; especially now that they were beginning a new chapter in their lives, they would meet new people and have exciting adventures. Or so he wanted to think.
"Yes, I like your outfit," he pronounced, emphasizing the last word well. "I already told you to speak properly, we are university students now. Do you understand?"
"I understand," he answered in a tired voice, more than used to his friend's attitude.
Yes, his emotion was so evident that he couldn't help but smile slightly even after he had scolded him. It would be hypocritical of him to deny that he, too, was excited because he would finally fulfill his dream of going to the best and most prestigious university in the country. Entering the university world had been one of his most longed-for fantasies since he could remember and found out the meaning of the word 'studying'.
At last they were about to advance when, suddenly, a screeching of tires violated the distinctive silence of the luxurious neighborhood. A reddish sports car passed very close to them with a tattooed man in his sixties at the wheel and a very young girl as co-driver. The two shouted a series of curses in the few seconds that their passage through that street lasted, given the speed at which they were going, until they disappeared into anonymity.
"I don't know about you, but that scared me, Channie."
"Oh, please, people like that will always exist, even in our neighborhood. We are university students now, you cannot be scared by nonsense like that. Do you no longer remember the foursome that bullied us at the beginning of high school?"
"How could I forget...” he murmured in a soft voice, his eyes softening. “It all lasted two weeks, since you offered one of your terrifying lectures to the leader and together with his henchmen they fled in terror.”
They both laughed at that bittersweet memory of those not-so-distant days of their tender adolescence. Since getting into elementary school, they had fought bullies, thus earning the fitting nickname of Dynamite Duo. Truth be told, it was actually the youngest who confronted the other students regardless of their age or how intimidating they looked.
Kang Yuchan appeared to be an ordinary young man, sweet as ice cream on the outside, but if you got in his way —or his best friend Kim Byeongkwan's way— you should be prepared to meet the monster he was hiding inside. It was precisely this contrast in his personality that horrified all those who had ever dared to challenge him in their lives since childhood and, at the same time, the same reason why he captivated his fans and every person who had the joy of meeting him. And no, it was not necessary to use physical force at any time when you had a convincing power as persuasively terrifying as that possessed by the boy.
"From what I see, your dad won't take us."
"No, he had a meeting very early, so he hired a taxi for me, since our driver is on vacation for a few days," he explained while checking on his iPhone how close the vehicle was.
"He says that soon we will have to learn to use the bus, because it is necessary in case of emergencies. I have no idea how to do that, that is why he got me the latest version of Maps that has state-of-the-art satellite radar. So it will be impossible to get lost."
"I feel like your dad is hinting at us to grow up."
"I feel the same way too," he commented with an annoyed grimace. "My mom almost killed him saying we might be kidnapped, but since she is also going to have a lot of meetings these days, she could not take us either. I told her that I can defend myself and defend you, but she insists that a genius like me must not walk unprotected."
Regarding the studies, it was not necessary to elaborate too much; rather, it all summed up in Yuchan being a walking brain. He had always been the top of his class in all subjects, including music and sports. He was the well-behaved genius boy that every parent would be happy and proud to have. As if that were not enough and as a plus to all of the above, the boy was cute. He was not very tall, but he was slender, and his almond-shaped brown eyes lit up when the rays of the sun accompanied him through the passageways. The girls went crazy for him with every step he took, and the boys respected and admired him. There were many envious people, but the boy's fearsome aura was enough for the rest to keep their distance at all times.
However, of course there was also another big unspoken motive for all this fear of the boy.
The Kang family was wealthy. Very wealthy. His father was a handsome and successful hotel businessman who had made a name for himself worldwide in said business, beginning to create his company shortly after graduating from university. Concerning his mother, everything could be summed up in one sentence: reputed IQ 115 prosecutor, and with an enviable face and figure. Likewise, she was the only person in the world who could keep her son at bay without him even daring to complain. From her, precisely, he had inherited such a contrasting personality that had driven his father crazy, who had ended up asking her to marry him a dozen times before obtaining the longed-for yes. His father was the calm in the storm, the necessary mediator in his family of three.
"I do not understand why we would have to take a bus. We have enough money to pay for simple things like taxis."
"Well, my parents are always lecturing me about the value of money: that it doesn't fall from the sky, that it doesn't grow on trees... But in your case, I don't get it. You could buy half the city if you wanted.
"Well yes, that is why I do not understand it either." He shrugged, confused.
Yuchan's life had passed among luxury, travels, and richness. He had never had any kind of financial need. The money came not only from his parents' work, but also of his birth, since his grandparents —both paternal and maternal— had amassed a fortune. For this reason, he had spent his childhood receiving singing, violin, English, horse riding lessons, among other studies. The attractive prosecutor had taken it upon herself to instill in him all possible arts, anticipating the beginning of school, so that he would always be the best, just like her. She would never tolerate a mediocre or conformist child. Finally, her severity had paid off and her only son had got into the most prestigious university in the country in the first place for a Law degree, just like her. Nobody was surprised; in reality, there was no way a genius of his status might fail that exam. The school teachers had summoned his parents to congratulate them and give them all the necessary documents for the immediate enrollment of the young genius.
In the middle of the previous year and, in view of the fact that, like him, all the senior students were preparing to go to the various universities of the country, their teachers had to write a letter of recommendation detailing the abilities and general achievements of each student. Previously, each of them had undergone a psychological interview at the school, just as a necessary formality to complete the series of requirements to submit the final dossier to the institution where the students would have been accepted.
Song Jiyun was a young psychologist who had been hired almost in an emergency, since the previous one had had a home accident. It was precisely she who, after having met and observed Yuchan very closely that last year of high school, was able to talk long and hard with him that time, a calm and sunny morning in June. The session had lasted exactly one hour and thirty-three minutes and, for anyone, everything would have been very normal. Because, please, who wouldn't be proud to interview a future leader of the nation?
But Miss Song was not just anyone. Despite her youth, her analytical skills were extremely insightful and diligent. Thus, she had been the only one to notice the supreme particularity of the young genius that no one ever noticed or, perhaps, did not want to take the time to notice, having been blinded by his dazzling personality and academic achievements.
Kang Yuchan was the most arrogant being she had ever met in her life.
From his gaze to his comments, it was subtle, but there it was. No, the way he gestured when expressing about others was not normal. She was fully aware that she should at least leave a hidden warning, a subtle recommendation, but at the same time, she was sure it wouldn't be fair to taint the spotless record of a star student. It would be dishonorable if both he and his family suffered the consequences of her analysis, so she decided not to include her little discovery. After all, surely university life would teach him lessons that would help him become a better person, wouldn't it?
And she convinced herself that perhaps that omission of hers could not harm a genius like him in the future. However, what she did regret was not telling Kang Yuchan himself. That day she decided not to attach the note she had written, but she did decide to keep it for herself.
Dear Yuchan, I know you're a very loved and admired person, but if you don't improve that attitude of looking down on everyone, you'll end up very hurt or hurt others. You're a good boy, but maybe you're still too young to know that we all need each other in this world. Each of us is important, but none of us is indispensable. One day I know you'll find your true path. Best of luck, little genius.
She hoped, with all the guilt in her heart, that the young genius would never need to read it.
Byeongkwan adjusted the backpack on his back once more and sighed deeply, managing to get his best friend out of his thoughts about the future. Yuchan stroked his hair with his fingers as was his haughty habit and smirked like the manhwa hero he pretended to be. Or was he the antihero?
"No one messes with Kang Yuchan, and that will not change in university."
"I know."
For his part, Kim Byeongkwan was a cheerful and sensitive young man, although a bit clueless. Despite being a year older than Yuchan, he proved to be more childish and, of course, much more empathetic. It was his innocence that attracted people, in addition to his pretty face and silky gray hair that covered part of his forehead, giving a mysterious touch to his small feline eyes, which he sometimes outlined with an orange eyeliner, even though his friend scolded him. Kwan's parents —as Yuchan used to call him when he was in a good mood— were close friends with the Kangs and even worked for them, so they would always joke about being boss and subordinate in the future. Byeongkwan had always been an ocean lover and science subjects were his favorites, so he had chosen to study Biology, motivated to pursue a specialization in Marine Biology after finishing his degree.
"Here's the cab, Channie!"
"Yes, yes, I saw it. Don't yell."
"Today a new life begins for us."
The best friends looked at each other with that eternal complicity before getting in the luxurious car and, between jokes and laughter, they let themselves be carried to their destination for their long-awaited first day of classes.
What they were unaware at that moment was that their Dynamite reign was about to collide with an even more deadly explosive.
✩✩✩✩✩