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The afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the busy streets of Seoul.
Students flooded the sidewalks after school—laughing, chatting, arguing over trivial things.
And then—
Thunk!
“Ah—!”
Yu Dayeon barely had time to react before she collided with something solid—very solid.
She stumbled backward, losing her footing on the pavement. Her knees scraped against the concrete, palms following seconds later.
“O-Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!”
A tall, strikingly handsome boy stood frozen in front of her.
It was Daniel Park, in his second body—broad-shouldered, model-level handsome, and currently looking like someone who had just committed a crime.
“I didn’t see you— I’m really sorry!” he repeated quickly, kneeling down.
Dayeon blinked up at him, stunned more by his looks than the fall.
“It’s okay,” she said softly, trying to sit up. But she winced.
Her knees were lightly scraped, tiny beads of blood forming. Her palms were pink and irritated.
Daniel panicked.
“I— wait— don’t move— I have tissues—!”
He scrambled through his bag, nearly dropping everything in the process. A small first-aid pouch fell out.
“You carry that around?” Dayeon asked, surprised.
Daniel scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “Uh… yeah. Habit.”
He gently cleaned her scrapes, movements careful and respectful.
“I promise I didn’t mean to bump into you,” he said, bowing slightly even while crouched. “Are you okay?”
Dayeon smiled reassuringly. “I’m fine. Really. It was just an accident.”
Daniel looked like he might cry out of guilt anyway.
Once she stood up, testing her legs, he bowed again. “Please get home safely.”
“I will,” she laughed softly.
And that was that.
Or so they thought.
Meanwhile — Yu Residence
The door opened.
Dayeon stepped inside carefully.
“I’m home—”
She didn’t even finish her sentence.
Silence fell.
Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto her scraped knees.
The air shifted.
Yu Ijin stood first.
His eyes lowered to her hands.
A faint blue aura seemed to hum around him.
“…Who did it?”
Dayeon blinked. “Huh?”
Behind him stood several familiar figures—
002 leaned against the wall, arms crossed, unreadable as ever.
004 tilted his head, lips curling into a manic grin.
008 cracked his knuckles gently, worry clear despite his size.
016 quietly observed from the window.
018 adjusted his mask slightly.
Even 032 peeked from the hallway, red eyes narrowing.
Dayeon waved her hands. “No, no, no! It’s not like that!”
Ijin stepped closer.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Tell me his name.”
“Oppa, it was just an accident—”
004 laughed sharply. “Accident? That’s what they always say.”
002’s eyes flicked toward Ijin.
A silent vote.
Unspoken agreement.
Protection first. Questions later.
Thirty Minutes Later — J High School
Daniel was humming softly to himself when—
He felt it.
The air changed.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Like predators entering the territory.
He turned the corner.
And froze.
A group of men stood at the end of the hallway.
They weren’t students.
They weren’t teachers.
At the center stood Ijin.
Daniel instinctively straightened.
“I— can I help you?”
004 stepped forward first, knife twirling between his fingers lazily.
“You tripped her.”
Daniel blinked. “...Tripped who?”
002’s voice cut in—calm, stoic.
“Yu Dayeon.”
Daniel’s blood ran cold.
“I—I didn’t trip her! We bumped into each other! I helped her!”
004 tilted his head. “Helped her bleed?”
“I cleaned her wounds!”
“After pushing her.”
“I didn’t push her!”
Ijin stepped forward.
The hallway seemed to shrink.
Daniel felt sweat form on his back.
“I’m going to ask once,” Ijin said quietly. “Did you hurt my sister?”
Daniel swallowed hard.
“No.”
Silence.
The Numbers watched.
Daniel clenched his fists—not aggressively, but nervously.
“I would never bully someone,” he said, voice firm despite the fear. “I know what that feels like.”
That made 016 glance up.
002 studied him carefully.
004 scoffed.
Ijin stepped closer—close enough that Daniel could see faint scars along his collar.
Daniel didn’t flinch.
“I’m sorry she got hurt,” he said honestly. “But it was my fault too. I should’ve watched where I was going.”
A pause.
Footsteps echoed from behind.
“OPPA!”
Dayeon burst down the hallway, slightly out of breath.
Every head turned.
“Why are you all here?!” she demanded.
004 pointed at Daniel dramatically. “This pretty boy—”
“It was an accident!” she interrupted.
Silence.
Ijin looked at her.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes! He even helped me! He was super nice!”
Daniel nodded vigorously.
002 exhaled slowly.
004 clicked his tongue in disappointment. “So no stabbing?”
008 bonked him lightly on the head.
Ijin closed his eyes briefly.
Then he looked at Daniel.
“…If you ever hurt her,” he said evenly, “it won’t be an accident.”
Daniel nodded so fast it was almost painful.
“Understood.”
002 gave Ijin a small look.
Vote concluded.
The Numbers began dispersing silently like ghosts.
004 muttered, “What a waste of a trip.”
016 disappeared first.
018 followed.
032 gave Daniel one last suspicious stare before leaving.
Finally, Ijin turned to Dayeon.
“Call me next time.”
She pouted. “There won’t be a next time!”
He rested a hand lightly on her head.
Then they left.
Daniel remained frozen in place.
“…What just happened?”
From around the corner, Zack whispered, “Who were those guys?”
Jay adjusted his bag silently.
Vasco cracked his neck. “They felt strong.”
Daniel let out a shaky laugh.
“I think… I just met someone’s overprotective brother.”
Very.
Very overprotective.
And somewhere outside—
004 sighed dramatically.
“Next time, let’s at least break one kneecap before confirming.”
002 gave him a look.
004 straightened.
“…Kidding.”
Probably.