# Chapter 1 —

Rain hammered against the windows of Hanrim High School like bullets.

Inside Class 2–7, students screamed over each other, chairs scraped the floor, and somebody in the back was gambling with stolen lunch money.

At the very last desk near the window sat Kang Minho.

Invisible.

Not because people couldn’t see him.

Because nobody wanted to.

Minho kept his hood low while quietly sketching in a worn notebook. Lines of ink formed faces, alleyways, fists, broken smiles.

The kind of things he saw every day.

“Oi.”

A sneaker slammed onto his desk.

The classroom instantly quieted.

Everyone turned toward the owner of the voice.

Jang Taesung.

Second-year.

Six-foot-two.

Captain of Hanrim High’s unofficial gang.

A monster wrapped in a school uniform.

Taesung cracked his neck and stared down at Minho.

“You deaf?”

Minho slowly looked up.

“What?”

The class collectively inhaled.

Nobody answered Taesung like that.

Taesung grinned.

Then punched Minho straight in the face.

CRACK.

Minho’s chair crashed sideways.

Girls gasped.

Someone laughed nervously.

Nobody moved.

Blood dripped from Minho’s lip onto the floor.

Taesung crouched beside him.

“You think you’re better than people because you sit quietly?”

Minho wiped his mouth without replying.

That irritated Taesung more.

He grabbed Minho by the collar.

“You got money today?”

Minho stared at him silently for a second before pulling a few crumpled bills from his pocket.

Taesung snatched them.

“See? That wasn’t hard.”

The gang members behind him laughed as they walked out of the classroom.

Only after they disappeared did the noise return.

Like nothing happened.

Like it never mattered.

Minho slowly fixed his broken chair.

A girl approached his desk carefully.

Yoo Serin.

Top student.

Beautiful.

Way too kind for this school.

She placed a small pack of tissues on his desk.

“You’re bleeding.”

“I know.”

“You should go to the nurse.”

“She’s scared of Taesung too.”

Serin frowned.

Minho avoided eye contact.

Girls like her belonged in bright places.

People like him belonged in the dark.

Still…

She stayed.

“You draw really well,” she said softly, glancing at his notebook.

Minho quickly closed it.

“It’s nothing.”

“I saw it.”

Her eyes curved slightly.

“The rooftop sketch was beautiful.”

For the first time that day, Minho froze.

Nobody had ever complimented his drawings before.

Not once.

Serin smiled gently before returning to her seat.

And somehow…

That hurt more than getting punched.

Because kindness was dangerous.

Especially in Hanrim High.

---

After school, the rain became worse.

Minho walked alone through the narrow alleyways behind the station, hands buried in his pockets.

Neon signs reflected across puddles.

Motorcycles roared past.

Somewhere nearby, people were fighting.

Normal evening.

His phone buzzed.

Unknown Number.

He ignored it.

Buzz.

Again.

Annoyed, Minho answered.

“…Hello?”

A deep voice spoke.

“You’re Kang Minho?”

“…Who’s asking?”

“I heard you fought three middle schoolers outside Mirae Arcade last month.”

Minho stopped walking.

“How do you know that?”

“You dropped one with a single punch.”

The voice chuckled.

“You fight better than rumors say.”

Minho’s expression darkened.

“I don’t fight.”

“Good answer.”

Silence.

Then—

“Come to Black Dragon Gym tonight.”

“…Why?”

“Because Hanrim is about to go to war.”

The call ended.

Minho stared at the phone.

Thunder exploded across the sky.

At the end of the alley, several figures appeared wearing Hanrim High uniforms.

Taesung stood in the center.

Cracking his knuckles.

“Well, look who’s here.”

Minho sighed quietly.

Of course.

His peaceful day wasn’t over yet.

Taesung stepped forward with a grin.

“I heard you were talking to Serin today.”

The boys behind him laughed.

Minho’s eyes turned cold.

Taesung noticed.

And smiled wider.

“Oh?”

He rolled his shoulders.

“So the stray dog does know how to growl.”

Rain poured harder.

The alley became silent.

Then—

Minho slowly removed his hoodie.

And for the first time…

Taesung realized the skinny quiet kid wasn’t skinny at all.

Scars covered his arms.

Old scars.

The kind only fighters carried.

Minho raised his eyes.

Empty.

Sharp.

Dangerous.

“You should leave,” he said quietly.

Taesung laughed.

Then swung first.

But before his punch could land—

Minho moved.

FAST.

To

o fast.

A single step.

A single punch.

BOOM.

Taesung’s body slammed into the alley wall hard enough to crack it.

Everyone froze.

Rain dripped from Minho’s black hair as he stared at the terrified gang members.

And somewhere deep inside Hanrim City…

A storm finally began.

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