That morning…
Tap tap tap!
Roby's footsteps echoed down the school hallway. His hair was a mess, his tie crooked, and his backpack barely hanging onto one shoulder.
A few students turned their heads as he passed by.
"Is that the new American kid again?"
"Doesn't he ever wake up on time?"
Roby didn't care. He glanced at a window and casually ran his hand through his hair.
Same cocky style, but this morning… he was clearly in a rush.
—FLASHBACK: THE NIGHT BEFORE—
"Karaoke night! My treat!"
Uncle Jong-woo yelled as he pulled Roby into a small karaoke place near their apartment.
"Uncle... seriously? I'm not in the mood to sing."
"Don't be a fake cool guy. Your face is American, but your soul is still Korean!"
Roby just sat in the corner, still hugging Ji-hoon's old diary inside his bag.
But when his favorite rock song came on…
"Wait… is that... my song!?"
He shot up, yanked the mic from his uncle, and shouted:
"LET'S GOOOOO!"
It turned chaotic. Two college students next door even started headbanging at the window.
—BACK TO PRESENT—
Roby burst into the classroom, panting slightly. He slid into his usual seat.
Right beside him—Lucas.
Without turning his head, Roby pulled out his notebook and casually muttered:
"I saw you last night…"
Lucas stiffened slightly, but kept his eyes forward.
"You saw me where?"
Roby leaned back, faking a yawn as he peeked sideways at him.
"In front of the ramen place. You were standing with... the seven motorbike guys."
Lucas didn't reply.
Roby gave a slow, mischievous smile, then looked straight ahead.
But every now and then… his eyes flicked to the back corner of the classroom. Three empty desks.
Still unoccupied.
But his gut told him something.
"Those guys… whoever owned those desks...
They're the ones Ji-hoon mentioned in his diary."
He drummed his fingers quietly on the desk.
"One of them's supposed to be violent.
Another one almost got expelled last semester.
And they show up only when they feel like it…"
Roby glanced sideways at Lucas again.
Lucas stayed silent.
But his hand… was gripping his pencil a little too tight.
"Better play dumb for now…"
"Let them think I'm just some goofy rock-singing foreigner."
Roby grinned wide…
Then yawned—loudly.
"Ugh… Uncle had me singing till 1 AM.
Doesn't understand the concept of 'just one song.'"
Heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Thud... Thud... Thud...
Three boys walked side by side. Not running. Not talking. Just walking — but their presence alone was enough to make the entire hallway part like the sea.
Students on both sides quickly stepped aside.
Some lowered their heads.
Some suddenly found their phones very interesting.
Others just… held their breath.
These three weren't ordinary students.
They were:
Han Ji-seok – Silver-dyed buzz cut, a faint scar under his right eye. Silent type. Rumor has it he once hospitalized a senior during a school fight.
Oh Tae-yang – Always chewing gum. Wears a leather jacket even when it's hot. Lazy eyes, like he doesn't care about the world.
Seo Min-gyu – The youngest, but the most manipulative. A charming face he uses like a weapon.
And that morning...
They walked into Roby's classroom.
The door creaked open.
All heads turned.
Roby, who had been doodling something in his notebook, glanced up.
Lucas lowered his head immediately, pretending to be deep in his notes.
Without a word, the three walked to the three empty desks at the back — the very seats Roby had always been curious about.
Han Ji-seok took the back corner. He didn't look at anyone.
Tae-yang took the middle. His eyes scanned the room and then... landed on Roby.
He smirked.
Not a friendly smile.
A testing one.
Roby, of course, smirked right back.
That same cocky, street-smart grin that screamed "I'm not scared of you."
Across the aisle, Nam Do-yoon quickly glanced at Roby. His face looked tense — like he was trying to send a silent warning.
A glance that said:
"Don't look at them too long."
Roby caught the message. But he stayed calm. He looked forward and thought to himself:
> "Finally decided to sit down, huh?
Guess your seats weren't so cold after all."
And echoing faintly in his mind, the words from Ji-hoon's diary:
> "They don't want me to speak up…"
Suddenly, Oh Tae-yang stood up.
His seat screeched back as he walked slowly toward Lucas, still chewing his gum with that familiar bored look on his face.
Every eye in class followed him—silent.
Lucas froze.
He didn't look up. He didn't move.
But his hand stopped mid-sentence on his notebook.
Tae-yang stopped right next to him.
Leaning in close, he whispered—but loud enough for everyone to hear:
"I told you… stop getting close to outsiders."
The class went dead quiet.
Tae-yang grabbed Lucas's collar slowly—not yanking, not loud. Just enough to make it clear: "I own you."
Roby, two seats away, cracked his neck.
Crkkk!
The class flinched at the sound.
Tae-yang turned his head.
Lucas looked at Roby with slight panic in his eyes.
Roby stood up.
Calmly. No dramatic gesture. Just... stood.
His cocky smirk was gone now, replaced with a cold stare.
"Bro," Roby said, voice casual,
"your hand's starting to look gross holding my friend like that."
Tae-yang narrowed his eyes.
"You talking to me?"
"Nah. I'm talking to that coat hanger pretending to be scary."
Roby pointed at Tae-yang's head.
Seo Min-gyu chuckled quietly.
Leaning back, enjoying the show.
Han Ji-seok?
He didn't smile. Didn't move.
Just stared at Roby—not like a bully... but like a fighter assessing a worthy opponent.
Tae-yang let go of Lucas.
He turned to Roby now, steps slow, fists loose.
"You think you're funny, foreigner?"
Roby loosened the top button of his shirt, still calm.
"Name's Roby.
Transfer from Jersey.
Ramen lover.
Failed anger management student."
A few students chuckled under their breath.
"I don't like people touching my friends," Roby added, eyes serious now.
"Lucas may be quiet, but if he ever spoke up, you wouldn't survive the truth."
Tae-yang flinched at the words.
He took a breath to say something—
"Enough."
Mr. Choi stood at the door.
Everyone scrambled back to their seats.
Tae-yang sneered but walked away.
Roby sat down slowly.
Lucas was still a bit shaken.
Mr. Choi gave Roby a glance.
Something like, "I saw what you just did."
Nam Do-yoon, a few seats over, stared at Roby silently.
His eyes said:
"I told you not to draw their attention so soon…"