Chapter Text
The first practice with the new players was strangely tense — mostly because of Go Hyeontak. He was incredibly cold and distant, and Humin felt that coldness more acutely than anyone.
Hyeontak didn't back down on the court. He wasn't afraid to get physical, didn't give up his position, played rough but within the rules. Humin, on the other hand, stayed calm. He didn't pay Hyeontak any special attention, didn't look for him on the court — he just did his job: led the game, distributed passes, found open spaces.
Minhyeok noticed that Hyeontak was deliberately going body-to-body with Humin.
"What's his problem with you?" Minhyeok asked during a quick break. Humin took a gulp of water, frowning slightly.
"How should I know? Maybe he's gunning for my spot?"
Minhyeok smirked.
"A bit early for that, don't you think? He's already the first rookie to make the team. Kind of cocky, don't you agree?"
Humin shot Hyeontak a sideways glance. He was staring somewhere out the window above the court, breathing heavily.
"He's not a rookie."
Minhyeok snorted, scraping the wooden floor with his toe, then suddenly slapped the captain on the shoulder.
"Well, let's see how long he lasts."
"Don't."
Minhyeok gave him a questioning look.
"Don't what?"
"He'll last," Humin didn't take his eyes off the newcomer, and this time he answered just as grimly. "I can see that he will."
───
When practice ended and the team started to disperse, Hyeontak approached Humin for the first time on his own. Not out of politeness — more like to set the record straight.
"You're not bad," he said.
"You sound surprised," Humin replied.
Hyeontak didn't explain. He just gave him a long, appraising look.
"I heard you got into fights with your classmates," he finally said. "And about that guy..."
He trailed off. Humin gave him a heavy look. He was starting to feel irritated.
"What?"
"Nothing," Hyeontak said flatly. "I just thought you were like them. Pretending to be a good person while bullying kids."
"Do I really come across as that kind of person?" Humin interrupted.
"Honestly... yes," he said, and simply walked away. Humin watched him go, gripping his towel in his fist.
Sion came up quietly behind him.
"Did he get to you?"
"No," Humin lied.
"You're lying," Sion smirked. "But it's okay. He just doesn't know you yet. Once he does, he'll change his mind."
"He's weird," Minhyeok said, joining them. They watched Hyeontak walk away. "Basketball is a team sport, but he's a loner."
"He's good, though."
"Being good isn't enough. You have to be a team player," Minhyeok snorted. "I don't like him. He looks down on us like we're a bunch of losers."
He headed toward the exit without looking back. Sion sighed tiredly and looked at Humin's face, which had grown darker than a storm cloud.
"Don't worry about it. If it comes to that, we'll kick him out."
Baku couldn't help but chuckle. Sion rarely let himself be dismissive of anyone — only those who touched his friends.
Sion stepped forward and turned around.
"Are you coming?"
"I'll stay a little longer," Humin replied. Sion nodded and left without further questions.
Humin sprawled on the floor, staring blankly ahead. The thought that he came across as a jerk to people who didn't know him made him sick.
"I need to stop getting into fights," he thought, slumping. "Rumors spread faster than fire, and no one cares that I was standing up for someone. But what about Baekjin?"
"I taught him how to fight. He can defend himself," he tried to convince himself, though he saw no proof of his own words.
"Damn it!"
He ruffled his hair in frustration. The floor was cold against his feet, and sitting there was uncomfortable overall. Humin got up and left the gym.
He knew nothing was over. He and Baekjin were still targets for Bong and his crew, and now possibly for Lee Wonshik's gang too. And there was still Ju Yeonjun from the shelter, poisoning his friend's life. He needed to deal with him too.
Humin sighed heavily, his head hanging low, and didn't notice the shadow that loomed before him.
"Are you Baku?" a monotone voice said. Humin looked up sharply. In front of him stood an incredibly tall guy — clearly an upperclassman — with bleached blonde hair tied in a bun. He had a long, gaunt face, toned arms, but legs like two sticks.
"And who's asking?"
Humin couldn't help it: the guy looked too much like a school bully. The guy chuckled.
"Do you know Han Bong?"
"I wish I didn't."
The guy chuckled again, lowering his head.
"You're funny," he said, looking at Baku with something metallic in his eyes. "Not scared at all?"
Baku rolled his eyes and exhaled loudly.
"Another idiot..."
"What?!" the bleached-haired guy blinked in surprise. His eyes widened. Baku gave him a weary look.
"Why do you all keep coming at me? Back off. I'm not in the mood," he spat and walked past, as if the stranger wasn't worth his attention. But then he was grabbed by the shoulder and spun around roughly. The stranger's eyes blazed with fire.
"Do you have a death wish, you idiot?!"
The guy shoved Baku against the wall, pinning him with an elbow to the chest, looming dangerously over him. Baku didn't show any fear outwardly, and he was actually pretty calm — he'd had a rough day.
Baku made a sharp jerk with his knee and struck the opponent in the groin. The guy recoiled, clutching himself, and Baku finished him off with a punch to the face.
"What's with the wandering hands, huh? I said I'm not in the mood."
The guy straightened up abruptly, as if he'd been faking the pain. Baku stepped back. The hallway filled with hoarse laughter. The guy stood with his back to him, lazily rolling his shoulders.
"What a feisty little brat."
He turned slowly, fixing Baku with a murderous stare. Baku froze, paralyzed. The guy's lips stretched into a grin that sent a chill down Baku's spine.
"Damn, Bong's got some bold kids here! Or is it just you with a death wish?" the guy stepped closer with each word. "But don't worry. Daddy's gonna set things straight here — since you dumb kids don't know how to behave."
Baku spread his legs wide for balance.
"Think you're all grown up? That's funny," he snorted, staring firmly into the bleached-haired guy's eyes. He knew he could take him. The guy was a head taller, but with a skinny, bow-legged build. Baku smirked to himself.
"Does the name Lee Wonshik ring a bell?" the guy asked proudly, jutting out his chin. Baku almost laughed in his face.
"Is that the idiot that idiot Bong keeps threatening people with? So you're his daddy?"
The guy bared his teeth.
"You think you're funny?"
"The whole school thinks so," Baku said casually, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Well, except for the ones with no sense of humor."
The guy took a final step, ending up nose-to-nose with Baku. Baku darted to the side, not letting himself get pinned against the wall again. Wonshik smirked, shaking his head. He adjusted his bun casually.
"Is it normal for you to intimidate kids?" Baku spat, backing away from his opponent. "Can't handle people your own age?"
Wonshik suddenly lunged at Baku and tackled him to the ground. He hadn't expected that speed — he started fighting back. Wonshik squeezed his neck with one hand, pressing him hard into the floor, and used the other to block all his attacks. Baku choked and struggled, but somehow Wonshik had him completely immobilized.
"This is what your friend did, right?"
He pressed his second hand to his neck and sat on his hips, adding his weight. Humin's face turned red. Wonshik laughed venomously.
"It can't... be... How is he... so fast..."
Baku was about to lose consciousness when Wonshik released his neck and stood up. Baku took a sharp breath, as if grasping for life at the last moment, and coughed. Wonshik stood over him, smirking. Baku looked up at him with wide, reddened eyes.
"Calmed down?" Wonshik looked away indifferently and sighed. "Step out of line again, and your friend will take your place. Got it? Baku."
His voice was completely devoid of emotion.
Humin was still coughing. Wonshik had squeezed his throat too hard — red fingerprints were already visible.
"Do you understand me, Baku?" Wonshik demanded. Baku looked up with hatred in his eyes and nodded. He wanted to attack again and could have, but thoughts of Baekjin held him back. He couldn't act recklessly and risk him.
"Baekjin-ah, why did you have to get involved?"
Humin slowly got up from his hands and knees, rubbing his neck, and winced in pain. Wonshik laughed loudly, scuffed his foot, and shoved his hands in his pockets.
"I just came to say hi, and you're rude. Not cool, little one."
He walked past Baku slowly, smiling almost amiably.
"Annyeong!"
Wonshik waved and disappeared around the corner. Baku finally exhaled. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and leaned heavily on his knees.
"No big deal. He's probably seventeen. And he caught me off guard. He's fast, sure, but I'm still stronger. I'll deal with this bastard."
He touched his neck absently, hissing in pain. Sion came running around the corner.
"Where were you? I've been waiting forever! You know how much I hate—" he stopped mid-sentence, "—waiting."
Humin turned to him slowly.
"What the hell happened?! What are those marks on your neck?" Sion was next to him in two steps. "Who did this?"
"Did you see him?"
"No... See who?"
Sion reached for his neck and immediately pulled back.
"Those are going to bruise. Let's go to the nurse's office."
He grabbed Humin's wrist and pulled him along, but he pulled free.
"I'll take care of it at home."
"Suit yourself," Sion shrugged, clicking his tongue. "Stubborn. So who was it? Bong?"
Humin shook his head sharply.
"Lee Wonshik."
"Is that the upperclassman from Eunjang?" Sion muttered in shock, looking around as if Wonshik might be lurking nearby. "Bong actually set him on you. What a coward!"
Baku rubbed his neck, grimacing. Sion grabbed his wrist.
"Don't rub it! I said, let's go to the nurse's office. Did he squeeze your neck that hard?"
He dragged him down the hallway and finally pushed him into the nurse's office. Surprisingly, the nurse was there and treated the bruises without any questions.
Humin went to the locker room to change, but stopped in front of the mirror. The bruises on his neck were starting to turn purple.
"What am I going to tell Baekjin?... He'll lose it."
"Baekjin?" Sion suddenly said, making Baku jump. "You two are close, aren't you?"
Sion blinked rapidly. Humin stared at him in surprise.
"Actually, why am I asking? He's your best friend. Minhyeok's still salty about it... He thought he was your best friend."
He looked at Baku with curiosity.
"None of my business, but... why him? You never even paid attention to him before."
Humin looked away awkwardly, remembering the night before when he couldn't sleep because of thoughts of Baekjin.
"He turned out to be a great guy. I regret not talking to him sooner. He's kind and understanding, and we have a lot in common."
Sion's eyes widened in surprise. He moved closer to Humin.
"Really? What could you possibly have in common?"
"Sion-ah," Humin snorted without malice, leaning forward. "Minhyeok I get, but you? Did he put you up to this?"
Sion rolled his eyes and shoved Baku in the shoulder. He chuckled.
"You're annoying."
They were silent for a while. Humin changed clothes. Sion thought, then finally said:
"We've been talking about this for a while. Your friendship with Baekjin turned the whole school upside down. First you beat up Bong's crew. Then you got chummy with the top student, and everything went crazy..."
Sion paused.
"You've changed."
"Changed?" Humin frowned. Sion laughed awkwardly.
"You've gotten... more serious."
"What?!" Baku shoved Sion in the chest without thinking. He staggered and shoved back.
"What are you swinging at, Baku-you-idiot? I won't stand for that!"
They waved their hands at each other, laughing.
Sion quickly stepped back, exhaling contentedly. Humin sat back down on the bench.
"You said Baekjin would lose it. What did you mean?"
Humin began to suspect that his friend was trying to get all the details. He exhaled slowly through his nose.
"When he sees the bruises," he said, pulling down his hoodie collar without thinking. Sion raised an eyebrow with a sly smirk.
"Why? Does he care about you?"
"Shut up," Baku muttered under his friend's laughter.
"I'll tell you why Hyeontak's acting that way. Those rumors reached him. Maybe he's homophobic?"
Baku shot him a death glare.
"Okay. I was joking," Sion waved him off. "I hope Hyeontak didn't believe those idiots."
Humin tossed his stuff into his backpack and put it on.
"Enough talking. Let's go get some ramen. I'm so stressed after that twig that I could eat three bowls."
"That twig took you down."
"Shut up."
Sion laughed. Humin grumbled all the way to the school exit.
"These idiots are so annoying! It's unbearable! Where's their anthill? I'm ready to go there and tear it apart!"
"The locker room at Eunjang Stadium."
"What?!"
Humin stopped abruptly, staring at his friend with a stunned expression. Sion turned around. His face had become unreadable.
"Their anthill. The place where all the scumbags from three schools gather, led by the Eunjang gang. The strongest gang in Yeongdeungpo, led by Lee Wonshik. They offer easy money to kids — they get into debt, can't pay, and they're taken: beaten, or dragged into the gang if the debt's too big."
"How do you know that?!" Baku shouted hysterically. Sion covered his mouth.
"Quiet, will you?" he lowered his hand when he was sure Baku wouldn't keep yelling. "I know. An old friend tried to drag me into that mess. I don't understand how anyone could fall for it, putting their future on the line. Or their life."
Baku absorbed every word in silence, then snapped:
"Why didn't you tell me?!"
"What for?" Sion shrugged. Bitterness rose in Humin's throat. "What can we, as students, do? Better not to think about it."
Baku's vision blurred. He stood still until it cleared.
"We need to gather evidence and go to the police!"
"Baku," Sion's tone grew noticeably colder. "You already knew that. You said it yourself. That it's a system. That we can't do anything."
His gaze grew so heavy that Humin couldn't meet his eyes.
"Do you change your mind that quickly? Or do you have some brilliant idea for catching teenage criminals?"
Baku's heart raced. He pouted childishly. His eyes flashed.
"You're changing your mind too! You said we need to stick together and not stay silent!"
"I haven't changed my mind. I still believe that. But this isn't what you were suggesting before. Gathering evidence, going to the police... That's dangerous, Baku. We have high school ahead of us, college, our whole lives! Those bastards are out of their minds — they could leave us crippled! Best case scenario. Worst case — dead. It's time to accept that the police don't care. They won't bother with any of this. We'd have to risk our own lives! Do you want that? I don't. I still plan to become an architect and start a family with Shin Jiin. I'm not going to risk everything for a good cause. Sorry, Humin."
After that, they were silent for a long time. Humin's heart felt like it had fallen through his entire body. He had nothing to say. He just stood there, staring blankly ahead.
"Humin. I'm not saying I won't do anything," Sion said, almost as if apologizing. "I'm not going back on my word. I won't ignore the problem, I'll stand up for people if I have to. But I'm not going to the anthill."
"I understand."
Humin's voice came out hoarse. His head dropped heavily to his chest. His fists clenched involuntarily. He felt despair — pure and boundless. He couldn't do anything.
He was just an ordinary fourteen-year-old, barely managing his studies, trying to live with his alcoholic father, playing basketball, throwing punches because he didn't know how else to solve problems. He was helpless.
His best friend was constantly being beaten at school, beaten at the shelter, and he couldn't stop it. To do that, he would have to take him away, far away. But he couldn't do that, could he? He couldn't just drop everything and leave with someone close, going nowhere. This was his home, his life, his friends. He couldn't imagine life without them, even when he thought they didn't understand him — not like Baekjin did — but they were still his friends.
He needed to find another way.