Work Text:
Han Jaeha was carefully wiping the blood off the spiked knuckles from the last fight when Ji Eunhyung caught him in the act.
With a look of disdain, Eunhyung remarked, "If we fight again without you using that weapon, I will win."
"I disagree, and I won't fight you." Jaeha shrugged, "I'm simply conserving my strength for the next battle. Ji Eunhyung, I have no intention of fighting you, nor do I care about beating a loser again."
Eunhyung smirked and pointed to Jaeha's shin. "Or maybe you're just nursing an injury?"
Han Jaeha and Ji Eunhyung, despite their similarities, were quite different. Besides being the executive and advisor for West Gangbuk High's gang, Ji Eunhyung was a bona fide nerd, always buried in books, constantly seen carrying around study materials. He often spoke with an air of intellect, frequently adjusting his glasses in a way that was almost irritating.
On the other hand, Han Jaeha was a streetwise fighter, though his academic performance wasn't shabby. He was never far from the top of the class, often placing second or third. Even during exams, their gang's clueless leader, Kim Sohyun, would call him for help. Calling Han Jaeha the brain of Southern Gangbuk was no exaggeration. Now, with Ji Eunhyung joining them as No. 9, along with the self-proclaimed military strategist Jang Jihyeok at No. 11, there was plenty of intellectual muscle to share the advisory burden.
Eunhyung sat down next to Jaeha on the stone bench, examining the spiked knuckles.
"May I?"
"Sure."
He started putting it on, one spike at a time, like donning rings. They fit snugly on his fingers.
Suddenly, he thrust his fist close to Jaeha's face. His handsome, scholarly face was inches from Jaeha's as he whispered, "Winning by any means necessary..."
He then removed the knuckles, muttering to himself about needing to buy new weapons next time.
"A knuckle duster, huh? Sounds interesting."
Late afternoon, after a strategic meeting about handling the higher-ranking executives at North Gangbuk High, ranks 10 to 7, Ji Eunhyung unexpectedly invited him, the infamous ex-Taekwondo player Han Jaeha, to a Kudo dojo for a sparring match.
As they walked together, the sun casting long shadows, the two boys naturally started chatting. Jaeha glanced at his new companion—were they friends, allies, or was Eunhyung more of a subordinate? He couldn't quite decide. The way Ji Eunhyung carried himself, with his calm demeanor and intellectual aura, felt out of place in the rough world of school gangs.
"Why does a guy like you get mixed up in this kind of life?" Jaeha asked, genuinely curious. "You look like you're from a well-off family. You’ve got a bright future ahead of you, don’t you?"
Eunhyung adjusted his glasses and smiled faintly. "I don't really know," he replied thoughtfully. "Maybe it’s because I wanted to be a strategist but never found the right environment in the academic world. Or perhaps, it’s just a desire to use my brain to build something... like power."
Jaeha smirked, shaking his head. "You're a strange one, Eunhyung. Most people use their brains to stay out of trouble, not dive headfirst into it."
Eunhyung chuckled, a soft sound that barely reached his lips. "And what about you, Han Jaeha? You're smart enough to avoid this mess, yet here you are. Why?"
Jaeha shrugged, his gaze drifting to the horizon. "I guess I like the thrill. The challenge. The money. And, well, it’s kind of fun to outsmart everyone, isn’t it?"
Eunhyung nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "True. There’s a certain satisfaction in being a step ahead, in seeing the moves before they happen."
They continued their walk in comfortable silence for a moment before Jaeha pointed to a convenience store up ahead. "Let’s grab some snacks. I’m starving, and who knows how long we’ll be at the dojo."
Inside the store, they wandered through the aisles, grabbing a variety of snacks—chips, energy drinks, and a few packs of instant noodles. Jaeha, with a mischievous grin, tossed a pack of 3X spicy Buldak ramen into the basket. "Bet you can't handle the heat," he teased.
Eunhyung raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You'd be surprised. I might not look like it, but I can handle a lot more than you'd think."
As Jaeha approached the counter to pay for his snacks, he suddenly recognized a familiar face. It took him a moment, but then the memory clicked—he had seen this person years ago at several children's Taekwondo tournaments. There was one year when his master fell ill, and this boy's father had stepped in as the coach. The boy's face was still just as pretty as Jaeha remembered.
"...Seong Taehoon?"
Taehoon whipped around, his eyes searching. "Who is it? Do I know you?" he asked, squinting a bit. Then recognition dawned on him, and he grinned. "Wait, are you... Han Jaeha?"
At the same time, a young man wearing glasses and a blue uniform sweater approached the counter, arms full of snacks and holding two ice creams. He beamed at Taehoon. "Hey, I found your favorite ice cream, but there was only one left. The rest are the flavors you don’t like."
Just then, Eunhyung joined the line behind Jaeha, carrying a few more items. Jaeha couldn’t help but smirk at the scene unfolding before him. Taehoon and the newcomer, evidently named Ji Yeonwoo, were engrossed in a heated debate over the ice cream flavors. Despite Taehoon's sharp words, his gaze softened every time he looked at Yeonwoo, though his mouth kept spewing playful curses.
It felt oddly familiar...
Jaeha glanced over at the new guy, then back at Ji Eunhyung. The resemblance was uncanny—the same kind of V-neck sweater, similar hairstyle, glasses, and even a well-built physique.
Taehoon noticed Jaeha’s intrigued expression and grinned. "Oh, right, where are my manners? Han Jaeha, this is Ji Yeonwoo, my friend and..." He paused for dramatic effect, draping an arm around Yeonwoo's shoulders. "My eternal (ice cream) rival."
Ji Yeonwoo chuckled and offered Jaeha a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you, Han Jaeha. A friend of Taehoon's?"
"More like an old acquaintance," Jaeha replied casually. "We used to see each other at Taekwondo tournaments."
Yeonwoo nodded, then his eyes drifted past Jaeha, landing on someone else. A look of surprise flashed across his face. "Ji Eunhyung?"
Eunhyung looked up from the magazine he was browsing. "Cousin? What are you doing here?"
Yeonwoo's face lit up with recognition. "Oh my God, Eunhyung! I didn't expect to see you here!" He turned to Taehoon and gestured toward Eunhyung. "This is my younger cousin, Ji Eunhyung."
Taehoon raised an amused eyebrow, looking between the two Ji boys. "So you're telling me, this nerd here," he pointed at Eunhyung, "is related to my dweeb Yeonwoo?"
Eunhyung smiled politely, while Yeonwoo laughed, a warm, easy sound. "Yeah, we're cousins. We don’t see each other often, but it’s always nice to catch up."
Han Jaeha watched the interaction, a mix of amusement and curiosity on his face. He glanced at Ji Eunhyung, who seemed more relaxed than usual, perhaps due to the presence of family. It was fascinating to see another side of the calm, strategic Eunhyung, who was usually so composed and aloof.
How interesting!
The four of them walked together, with Yeonwoo and Eunhyung leading the way, catching up on lost time. Behind them, Jaeha and Taehoon trailed, engaged in their own conversation.
Jaeha smirked, looking at Taehoon. "Never thought your nerd was my nerd's cousin. And you, hanging out with a dweeb now? How did that happen?"
Taehoon shrugged. "Saved him from his piece-of-shit abusive dad. And you? How'd you meet your four-eyed friend?"
Jaeha chuckled, a hint of pride in his voice. "Saved him from getting punished by a shitty boss."
"Reminds me of how you used to break all the rules in those tournaments, bullying your fellow students..." Taehoon laughed. "So? You're still the same? Still want to be a thug?"
Jaeha shot back, grinning good-naturedly. "And you? Still into extorting money and stealing shoes from school kids?"
"Nah, gave that up. Now I go after real criminals and gangsters."
Up ahead, Ji Eunhyung, curious about his cousin's friend, commented, "Yeonwoo, your friend really has... a similar vibe to Han Jaeha. I bet he's quite the ladies' man."
Yeonwoo chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, you could say that. It's exhausting sometimes."
Eunhyung noticed the wrap around Yeonwoo's knuckles. "And you've been training Kyokushin Karate again?"
Yeonwoo looked down at his hands, flexing them slightly. "Yeah, getting away from my family's control has been liberating. Gives me a clearer mind. And you're still into Kudo, right?"
Eunhyung nodded. "I am. There's still so much to learn, many mysteries to unravel."
Yeonwoo smiled warmly. "Well, keep at it."
As they reached a fork in the road, the four of them prepared to part ways. Taehoon wrapped an arm around Yeonwoo's shoulders, leaning in to whisper something that made Yeonwoo laugh softly. It was a gentle, familiar gesture that spoke volumes of their close friendship.
Meanwhile, Eunhyung turned to Jaeha who was dazed out, and pressed a cold soda can against his cheek, making him flinch. "Han Jaeha, you helped me see things clearly and brought me to this side. Consider this a thank you gift." There was a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips.
Eunhyung raised his hand, and for a moment, Jaeha thought he was going to throw an arm around his shoulder. Instead, Eunhyung gently patted him on the back. With a nod towards the opposite direction, where the dojo was located, he started to walk away quickly.
Jaeha stood there for a moment, watching Eunhyung's retreating figure. With a quick glance at the bag of snacks in his hand, he muttered a curse under his breath and hurried to catch up, his footsteps echoing on the quiet street in the Gangbuk neighborhood.