"Would I! Just, call the police! Mmph mmph."
Chaheun, who had been staring at Chae Seojun spacily, shouted urgently, and Chae Seojun, seeming to have grasped the situation, narrowed his eyes and stepped into the storage without hesitation.
"Uh, uh, Seojun, that's not--Argh!"
Chae Seojun started by kicking the guy right in front. The male student who took a hit to the thigh rolled on the floor, groaning while clutching his leg.
Chae Seojun approached that student and kicked the same spot again.
"Yah. I have one motto in life."
"Argh!"
"Women, elderly, children, and Omegas. Don't even tickle them with a flower."
I feel like I know this, but strangely I can't understand what he's saying. While Chaheun was internally weighing it, Chae Seojun frowned that quite pretty-looking face and glared at the other students around.
"You want to get beaten to death?"
After that, it was unbearable to watch.
One guy screamed and ran the moment Chae Seojun stepped in, and Chae Seojun beat down all five students without taking a single hit. The sound of hitting people was that harsh, and when hitting Park Hongim, there was even a snapping sound.
Chae Seojun then approached, grabbed Min Haseong on top, and punched him right in the cheek.
Hearing the scream, Chae Seojun dug at his ear once and raised his fist again.
"Ah, this fucking piece of shit. Guys like you shame Alphas. Because of shady bastards like you, dating gets fucking hard."
Chae Seojun hit him one more time and, still not satisfied, went to kick the fallen figure, and Chaheun hurriedly sat up and shouted.
"Yah yah, stop, stop!"
"What? You said this wasn't a play?"
"You hit him one more time and even self-defense won't apply. You're a former athlete, right?"
Honestly he was worried even now it was a stretch to call self-defense given how badly he'd been beaten. At this level, this side would probably get community service level punishment.
"..."
Chae Seojun blinked and nodded.
"So stop there. If a school violence committee opens wrong, you'll take the blame."
"..."
Watching Seo Chaheun worry about the school violence committee in this situation, Chae Seojun seemed to lose words.
Chae Seojun left the sprawled guys in the storage, untied Chaheun's ropes, and stepped out of the storage. Only after leaving the musty-smelling storage did Chaheun let out a breath of relief.
That was a bit dizzying.
Only now did he register what he'd almost gone through.
Ah. Chae Seojun.
Spotting the male student staring fixedly at him, Chaheun spoke first.
"You, that time at the start of the semester, that kid, right?"
"Yeah, I approached hyung because I was interested, got dumped. You said you don't like Alphas? Ah, was it because of guys like those?"
"Huh?"
"If you'd been harassed by guys like that, makes sense. Anyway, running after someone who doesn't want you looks fucking pathetic. Do you know that was my first time getting dumped? How do I get dumped with this face."
"Uh, yeah."
At Chaheun's dazed reply, Chae Seojun's nose twitched, and he took an ecstatic breath.
"Ah, fuck, the scent's fucking good. Hah."
"Uh... yeah?"
At Chaheun's hesitant reply and slight step back, Chae Seojun smirked.
"What's with the look. I won't eat you, don't be scared. Born an Alpha, I have pride. I don't cling to an Omega who doesn't want me."
"..."
Absurd but funny guy. While Chaheun stood blankly in disbelief, thinking he should first contact the teachers and starting to move,
"Yah! Seo Chaheun!"
From far away, Kang Ihyeon was calling him while running with a bamboo sword. A big guy with a weapon in one hand looked a bit menacing.
"Wow, Ihyeon."
"Boyfriend? You don't like Alphas so you're dating a Beta?"
"...No."
Adding to the chaos was oblivious Chae Seojun.
The reason Kang Ihyeon came was more dramatic than expected.
Those idiots had apparently openly discussed and planned this behind the school building, and a passing student overheard.
But telling a teacher was scary, and worried about possible retaliation, after much deliberation, the student had finally told Kang Ihyeon.
Considerable lack of trust in teachers at this school...
Thinking about it, maybe because it was in a manhwa. In a manhwa, naturally students had to resolve things themselves. It'd be less fun if teachers intervened.
Damn it.
Trying to rationalize somehow only made him irritated. Wasn't this exactly why Baek Yugyeong couldn't resolve his problems later? A very reasonable suspicion started to form.
Anyway so that student had run to Kang Ihyeon and told him, and Kang Ihyeon had been in Gymnasium 2, surprised enough that he hadn't even put down the bamboo sword before running.
Kang Ihyeon tossed the bamboo sword casually somewhere and went into the storage to check on the students groaning inside.
But is Kang Ihyeon being friends with me that well-known?
Why specifically tell Kang Ihyeon? Sure, as kendo team captain he'd be strong physically, but he'd never actually seen him practice, so he didn't know how good he really was.
Deep in that thought, Chae Seojun clung to him again beside him.
"Hyung, so seriously, no thoughts about a boyfriend? I'm really confident I could be good."
You just said you wouldn't cling.
And good at what nagged at him.
"What, what would you be good at?"
"Whatever you ask, obviously. Playing cute, being funny. I could be seriously fucking entertaining. Younger guys not your thing?"
"Ah, that kind of thing."
Compared to what he'd imagined, the very wholesome answer had Chaheun clearing his throat.
"...Did you imagine something else just now?"
"No."
"You did, you did. Why, mind changing a bit? Well, when I came to save sunbae just now I was fucking cool."
At the sudden self-praise, Chaheun briefly lost words. Chae Seojun stepped a bit closer. And Ihyeon, who'd come back at some point, blocked in front of Chaheun.
"Wow. So there's a white knight already? Am I the villain then?"
At Chae Seojun's smooth line with hands raised, Chaheun quietly took his side.
"Ihyeon, that kid saved me."
"Yeah. I know."
Ihyeon answered Chaheun flatly, then stared at Chae Seojun again.
"Yah, second-year. He turned you down, so back off."
"Fair enough. I'll back off. By the way, sunbae, you're Kang Ihyeon-sunbae, right?"
"You know me?"
"Hard not to. You're super popular. Sometimes the girls in my class talk about you like crazy."
Chaheun looked at Ihyeon at the mysterious words.
Kang Ihyeon among third-years is basically a sleeping bear?
There weren't even friends in class close to him, and if anything most kids kept some distance since Kang Ihyeon was in athletics. With his size and only sleeping in class, there was no chance to get close.
"Ah, but you have a nasty temper. Anyway, Kang Ihyeon-sunbae, you were a national team pick."
A nasty temper?
Where?
The more he dug, the more new content came out. He'd been friends for almost a month and knew nothing about Kang Ihyeon. Kang Ihyeon was a national team pick?
Every time he went to the gym he saw him coaching the kids. He'd just assumed it was because he was captain.
What, "not particularly outstanding" was bullshit.
If national team pick wasn't outstanding, who was.
"Enough chit-chat, go your way. Aren't those bastards your friends?"
...Kang Ihyeon does seem a bit new today. He'd only seen him joking and giggling, but now, sensitively frowning and speaking curtly, he looked pretty fierce. Was this why he had a rumor of having a nasty temper?
"Those bastards just tag along to hang out sometimes, not friends. Ah, but I did hang out with them, so not entirely wrong."
Chae Seojun's face darkened. Chae Seojun, who had been smirking and joking, seemed to hesitate, cleanly composed his face, and bowed deeply to Chaheun.
"Sunbae, I'm sorry. Now that I think about it, I do know those bastards."
"You're not their parent, what's your fault."
Even if they were acquaintances or close, being able to beat them without hesitation when the situation changed showed a solid, upright student.
"No. I'll go get a teacher first."
While Chae Seojun stepped away for a moment, Kang Ihyeon turned around.
"...Why?"
He asked because the gaze felt heavy, but Ihyeon silently examined Chaheun.
...?
If he'd come from Gymnasium 2, he must've been mid-practice, but still wearing his uniform shirt, apparently hot, Ihyeon rolled up his sleeves and let out a sigh. Sweeping back his slightly wavy black hair as if frustrated, from the rolled-up sleeves, well-toned arm muscles showed.
Only now, his physique was definitely big. Maybe because he'd been in the spring uniform he didn't realize. Funny thought at this moment, but he shouldn't fight Kang Ihyeon.
That moment was when he clearly understood why the witness student went to Kang Ihyeon.
"Seo Chaheun. This won't do."
"Huh? What?"
"You're going home with me from now on."
