PAYBACK BOOK 1.

Chapter 6.

The situation was similar to putting on boxing gloves and fighting an ugly person. The last thing I heard was that people would be spreading rumours if I gave in to these three guys. This would all pass quietly, but if I refuse, someone with a loose tongue might spread rumours that ruin my reputation so badly that I won't even be able to dream of getting sponsors. Perhaps the person being manipulated by Myungshin is focusing on the latter point. The point is, enduring being punched in a boxing ring isn't difficult, but this time it was a different story.

 

Going a little further, actually. I could do this for those people who value me as little as a piece of meat. Anyway, I have no dignity left to struggle to preserve. Or to put it more clearly, I don't feel worth anything at all. The money is for paying off debts. I'm just a body that has to work, and now I'm just a body that has to keep moving to seek revenge. Just crawling up to that high table and sucking that smelly dick, how hard can that be? Except...

 

"Is he a new member from Dream? He looks pretty ordinary. What do you think of him?"

 

"I don't know. I don't care about looks. If they're good with their tongue and mouth, even if this prostitute's face looks like a bear's, it doesn't matter. Ah, first time..."

 

"President Park, huh? Haha! Don't judge me just because I'm a man. Give it a try. It's no match for the strength women use. I'll win hands down!"

 

The man in the middle unbuckled his belt with a click and explained something to the bald man to his left, but my gaze wasn't in that direction. I was looking towards a blind spot up on the ceiling. It wasn't until I came in that I realised there was a security camera. And whenever I think of the person who looked at that camera, their face never fades from my mind. I wonder why I even thought of that lunatic. What's certain is that I have a feeling that if I choose to suck on any of these three, some annoying problems will follow. Meanwhile, he thought about the room where Myungshin had been secretly filmed, scanning the ceiling for any possible camera locations. As he stared intently at the ceiling, he heard a scream.

 

"Hey, what are you doing! You're here, hurry up and get to work and then get out of here!" 

 

The man in the middle shouted. I felt like he was the one with the foul mouth. As soon as I bowed my head, there was some complaining and cursing, but my mind was racing with various guesses. Are there security cameras in every room? If I'm lucky, this room has a camera and that lunatic is watching the situation right now...

 

Given his personality, he'd probably watch. There's no reason for him to help me like a prince on a white horse. At least if he could catch me...

 

"I'd like to get some payment for being here, you know. I mean, I even paid to get into your room." 

 

I looked up at a corner of the ceiling, muttering to myself, then turned back to the man sitting in the middle. "It seems you've misunderstood something."

 

"What's the misunderstanding? Aren't you the new kid who just joined Cream?"

 

"yes"

 

"What are you rambling about?! It's like you're playing games to try to get away. If you're going to annoy me, leave, and I'll make sure you have no place in this industry at all..."

 

"I'm already in the industry."

 

I interrupted him first, then deliberately struck a pose and lowered my gaze. I saw this club even had rooms prepared for guests; it might be similar to others as well. This means they won't touch any of the trainees under their care without the owner's permission. I feel like the moral principles that are considered wicked in the entertainment industry might apply here as well.

 

"And there's also a sponsor taking care of things. I'm here to meet that person today."

 

Luckily, I think I was right, because the man in the middle looked visibly stunned.

 

"Huh? I've never heard of that... Who is it? You're not lying, are you?"

 

"If you're well-versed in this field, you shouldn't ask who it is," he said decisively, his lips pressed together in a straight line.

 

"That person is extremely shy, so they don't like it when people mention their name. Even so, they're very observant of their own belongings. But if..."

 

I looked up at the ceiling, where there was probably a camera.

 

"If he doesn't favour someone, even his own famous products can be ruthlessly discarded. That's why he helped me so much..."

 

"What does it matter? Even if I try to sabotage his products."

 

I hope I'm not just rambling to the ceiling. I wouldn't have said that if I didn't know he probably had a reason to help me, and I expect my next words would probably provoke him. I think he'd react to something. I remember him saying his secret was being a good liar, right? I shouldn't have laughed at him then.

 

"Do you know how heartbroken I am that he pretended to help me in front of me, but in reality, he was only doing it for Kanda?" 

 

When I lowered my head, the three tipsy people frowned, their eyes filled with lust, wondering what nonsense I was talking about. So I explained it.

 

"Let's just say, if you touch someone who's already taken, bad rumours will spread, and none of you will be able to stay in this business," I said. They seemed to understand. The two men at each end of the table exchanged uneasy glances, but the suspicious man in the middle wasn't entirely convinced.

 

"I clearly heard him say that we should have fun with the new kid. He didn't mention any sponsors." 

 

It was Myungshin who said we should have fun with the new kid, right?

 

"Do you think I've only met new kids like you once or twice? You're lying, aren't you?" He glared at me with sharp eyes. If I had relaxed my tension or shown any signs of panic, I would have been caught. The look in his eyes...Even while drunk, it was aggressive, revealing that the other person was more formidable than I thought. How much longer can I tolerate this? If I persist, everything will surely fall apart. Isn't dragging this out unnecessarily just making things more frustrating? I worried without realising it. As I stood there silently, the other person, watching me, smirked.

 

"You don't know what happens to those who lie to me, do you? You seem unfamiliar with this world..."

 

Suddenly, the sound of a door opening from behind interrupted the man. I turned and saw the club manager's pleased face through the open doorway.

 

"Ah, so you're here. I've been looking for you for a while. The director has been waiting for you since earlier," he smiled gently the moment their eyes met. I wanted to watch the old man's eyes widen in disbelief, but the club manager was about to leave, so I hurried to catch up and not let him get away. Only when the door closed did I unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

 

We're past the most critical point, but there's an even bigger crisis ahead. I'm not afraid of that lunatic, I feel uneasy in a way I can't explain. Finally, I opened the door. I hesitated before finally going inside, but the first words that came out of his mouth were something I didn't expect.

 

"What kind of bribe did you give the club manager?"

 

The tension spreading throughout my body vanished completely when I heard that ridiculous question.

 

"Never bribed."

 

He narrowed his eyes halfway, as if he didn't believe what I said. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I added...

 

"If there were a bribe to be offered, I would have used it myself."

 

Then he mumbled, "That's right," nodding, but a lingering trace of doubt remained on his face.

 

"Then why did that old man, who only focuses on his own work, suddenly decide to tell me?"

 

"Did you say that?"

 

"They said you arrived, and they were kind enough to write down the room number you went into in the note."

 

"He probably thought I came to see you."

 

"I heard you came with another group, didn't you? The club manager isn't an idiot. He knows that if he came into my room without being called, he'd be beheaded."

 

"..."

 

"Hmm, but that's strange."

 

That's right, I think it's a little strange. I remember giving the hundred won to the club manager, feeling slightly bewildered. Or maybe that old man is gradually paying off his debt?

 

"Ten won each, huh?" I was seriously wondering before I heard his question.

 

"I see you've read all of these already." He, sitting precariously on the back of the sofa, pointed at what he was holding in his hand. It was the script I read yesterday, the one I enjoyed the day before. Actually, yesterday I also heard the club manager say he wasn't coming, so there was no need for me to come anyway. But, being cocky and determined to read the entire script, I dragged my weary body here and read it to the end. I nodded slightly, puzzled, because I thought he would ask about what happened in the room just now.

 

"um"

 

"How was it?"

 

"irritable"

 

"Again?"

 

He smiled at the corner of his mouth, a smile I hadn't seen in a long time, but his eyes didn't smile along with it. To me, it didn't look like a smile at all.

 

"When my dad came out at the end, he showed up in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the end, he happened to run into a wealthy condo owner who was desperate for money. Isn't that a bit too ironic?"

 

“Really”

 

He nodded and said, "That's right," in a tone of agreement, but then brought up a rather dull scene from a movie script.

 

"But if it weren't for the father, the protagonist's daughter would have just died from her illness. And if the protagonist tried to earn money and ended up doing bad things, as suggested. If the villain intended it, the movie would turn into a tragedy."

 

"That's the truth."

 

"Yeah, that's why people don't like there to be any truth in a story, even if it's just a two-hour movie," he said curtly, carelessly tossing the script onto the floor.

 

"Or do you like the fact that you're sucking off a guy in that room?"

 

I stared at him as he quietly changed the subject before getting straight to the important point.

 

"Let me tell you beforehand, I don't intend to thank you."

 

He smirked again.

 

"I know. If you hadn't looked at the camera and signalled for help, I wouldn't have gotten you out. But on the other hand, I am the one who helped you. If I weren't here, you would have done what they asked without caring about the consequences."

 

His familiar, slow, indifferent tone sounded as if he were describing an object. I realised I was right. The reason he helped wasn't that he wanted me or was interested in me. Even though I had looked at the ceiling camera and said those words to provoke him, meeting him in person made me genuinely curious.

 

"Aren't you the same? Because you're ready to destroy the company's products without caring about anything," he rolled his eyes as if he had just realised that.

 

"Ah, that's right. I really enjoyed it when you were staring at the ceiling and talking about that. You might not believe it, but you're the first person who's ever entertained me this much in recent years."

 

"Why? Because you thought I was stupid, but it turns out I'm not?"

 

"Something like that. I thought you almost fell in love with me, so that I couldn't think otherwise. But no, I didn't." 

 

What nonsense is he talking about? I wanted to tell him what he'd done to me in the past. He tilted his head in confusion, as if observing all of his behaviour…

It was a passionate declaration of love.

 

"Moreover, even I, who am 'shy,' am treating you with genuine sincerity."

 

Yeah, the first punch you threw at me had a salty, genuine feel to it, but retaliating would have been a waste of breath. When he said "shy," his eyes looked a little scared, probably really annoyed that I had earlier looked at the hidden camera and described him as shy.

 

"Anyway, you wanted Myungshin to be ruined, didn't you?" But the answer I got from him was unexpected.

 

"Whether Myungshin is ruined or not, I don't care."

 

"Huh? But he's a good commodity..."

 

"That means the issue isn't about Song Myungshin ."

 

He stared at me silently, then glanced at the script that had been tossed on the floor.

 

"Shall I tell you something interesting? Originally, the director wrote a manuscript based on what you said, but nobody wanted to invest. The first investor...I went and dug it up, so I changed the ending however I liked, resulting in this mess. That's why the movie is a complete disaster."

 

I frowned at the sudden change in topic before glancing at the floor as he did. So this is a movie that's already been released, huh? Just looking at the title in the script, I couldn't remember at all. Suddenly, he circled back to the original topic.

 

"No matter how fun the original is, if investors interfere with the filmmaking process, it's a problem, isn't it?" I thought I was very lucky not to be stupid, so I got the answer while looking into his cold, emotionless eyes. Otherwise, I would have been branded as a slow-witted idiot. And it would definitely irritate his eyes, even though I don't know why he should care about that.

 

"...The sponsor...the person you're targeting is Myungshin's sponsor, isn't he?" 

 

He smiled broadly, but in my eyes, he looked incredibly angry.

 

"That old man really drives me crazy."

 

The next day, when I saw the blonde guy and the nice-faced guy after class, I thought they would both pretend that what had happened the day before was over.

 

"You're not angry, are you?"

 

I turned to look at the kind-faced man, before the blond-haired man standing beside him gave a sly smile through his eyes.

 

"Oh, I was just joking around and didn't tell you. But you probably guessed, didn't you?" I looked at the two of them alternately and nodded, indicating that it was all right.

 

"Yesterday I saw that there were no problems, and it seemed like you would do well."

 

The blond-haired man immediately asked, curious. The person next to him was equally curious. It seemed they hadn't heard from Myungshin yet. 

 

"If they knew I left..."

They must be really surprised. I didn't know that happened, but I'd rather they hear it directly from Myungshin.

 

"Yes, it came out well, no problems. It wasn't too bad," said the kind-faced man who disliked men, frowning slightly, in contrast to the blond-haired man who smiled awkwardly.

 

"Luckily, I didn't feel any resistance."

 

"Yes, I was lucky too. Perhaps my luck was as big as Song Yoohan's."

 

After I said the name for the second time, one of them put on the same stern expression as yesterday. So it really was you, huh? Confirmed, the fun was over. I turned around, ignoring the piercing gaze that had been fixed on me for a while, but the ugly guy approached me anyway. He stood close to me and yelled, as if waiting for me to turn around.

 

"Don't you dare skip action class next week, understand?"

 

He blurted out clues through body language that even an idiot would know what he was planning that day. I thought about him, probably trying to figure it out in his own way.

He nodded first.

 

"Just you wait."

 

He was yelling so loudly that his face turned bright red.

 

"Damn it! Come here, you little brat! Because I've prepared something you've probably been waiting for." 

 

I turned around just like that, but I waited expectantly as he spoke. Yes, I hope you've prepared something valuable enough to surprise me. I don't know if it's because I'm back in school after many years, but time has flown by, even though it's just an acting class. Maybe it's because the roles I'm playing are so peaceful. 

 

The next day, at Alice's bar, I got some good news from the club manager: he's gone to work outside, and we won't see each other for a while. The manager looked at me as if he regretted something, but it was good news for me. I was so overjoyed by the good news that I completely forgot to ask why he helped me. Each day passed peacefully, something I hadn't experienced in a long time. 

 

(Regarding the bruises...)

The bruises from being punched by that ugly guy gradually faded, and it was already the day of the action class he'd told me to attend. That day, the manager suddenly announced a last-minute location change, and I was driven out of the company. Before we left, he turned to look at me with a curious and questioning expression.

 

"By the way, what is all of that?"

 

He probably found it strange that my bag was making an unusually loud rustling sound. I told him it was nothing, then checked it with my hand to see what was inside. A few things were left out before I closed the bag. Inside were hand wraps, cooling spray, and boxing shoes...

 

Looks like they're incredibly rich. That was my feeling as I walked inside. I didn't think a company would rent a boxing gym for an action class today, especially for trainees. Four new, unknown individuals aren't worth spending that much money. But if it were a personal loan, the company probably wouldn't mind.

 

I walked up to the grumpy-looking guy who had so kindly prepared everything and was waiting for me. It would have been nice to feign a little surprise in front of him, but I was so busy suppressing my laughter, which kept threatening to escape, that I'd completely abandoned all the acting skills I'd learned in class. The first to speak was the instructor, who looked very worried. He seemed stressed because the boxing class, which was supposed to be only light moves, had escalated into something much bigger.

 

"Ahem, Mr Lee Taemin, well, this..."

 

“You're well-prepared. You must have been well-informed, since last time I said the place was terrible," I remarked. As soon as I gave credit to the instructor, he cleared his throat again and averted his gaze, as if uncomfortable with the fact that the ugly guy was the one who borrowed the entire venue.

 

"Uh, Mr Lee Taemin, you don't need to know about that. And I've already prepared the real ring..." He stopped speaking and glanced at the ugly man who was staring intently at me.

 

"How about we have a real fight this time?" All eyes were fixed on me, the implied meaning being, 'Fight that cockroach again.' The three unrelated people stepped back to watch from a distance. It was like everyone was waiting for me to say something, but I just put my bag down on the floor.

 

Thud

I gazed at the floor lingeringly and silently. After a long while, I looked up.

 

"Is this coercion?"

 

The instructor glanced at the unattractive man again and nodded vaguely.

 

"Well, I had to do it because it's part of the class..."

 

"What if I get injured? I don't want to fight."

 

Then the ugly man couldn't stand it anymore and started mocking him.

 

"You coward! Afraid you'll get beaten to a pulp like last time, huh?"

 

I opened my mouth and spoke to the trainer, ignoring him.

 

"If it's just a lighthearted fight, that's fine. But if we really get into a fight, there's a high risk of injury. So I'm not going to do it. I refuse."

 

"I don't want to get injured enough to be fired from the company."

 

"Hey! If you're so worried about that, you could avoid getting fired!"

 

This time, the guy with the ugly face answered. I glanced at him before asking the instructor again.

 

"Will you guarantee, instructor, that if we actually fight and someone gets injured, I won't be punished?" the scrawny guy asked, feeling uneasy. The instructor finally frowned and nodded.

 

"Yes, if we actually got into a fight and got injured..." He glanced at me and asked, "Even if you got injured, you wouldn't sue the company or anything like that, would you? Is that right?"

 

I pretended to gaze at the air for a moment, as if deep in thought, before nodding.

 

"Okay, if there's nothing wrong, I don't care. But other people don't know about this," I pointed to the phone in the instructor's pocket.

 

"Please record a video as evidence."

 

The instructor looked hesitant before the unattractive guy stepped forward and said he'd take the picture himself, while he cautiously pulled out his expensive phone.

 

"Kind-hearted," I said, pointing out the other three to the instructor.

 

"Are we all going to punch each other?"

 

I was sent to a cramped, stuffy bathroom because the changing rooms were too crowded. I changed my clothes, tied my borrowed boxing shoes tightly, and then sat on the toilet seat with the lid down to wrap the last layer of bandages around his hands, carefully and meticulously covering the most important knuckles, when the door suddenly burst open, and a handsome man walked in.

 

"Hey, if you're finished, hurry up and leave..."

 

He, standing in the half-open doorway, froze. I looked up at him, wrapping my hands in a gesture as if to signal him to continue, but he seemed to slow down. He frowned and spoke haltingly.

 

"...Did you study boxing?"

 

I rose from my seat, fully clothed in my boxing gloves. Suddenly, he flinched slightly and recoiled a little.

 

"I didn't go to school."

 

"But you seem quite familiar with wrapping your hands..."

 

"It's just tying your hands together; even kids can do it."

 

I interrupted him and opened the door wide to go outside, before hearing his footsteps following softly behind me. After putting on the headguard provided by the boxing gym, I entered the ring, and the ugly guy followed as if he'd been waiting for me.

 

"You bastard, you're dead as a doornail today!"

 

He whispered as he whined past me, but my attention was on the trainer standing in the centre of the ring as the referee.

 

"This is my first boxing class. May I choose my first opponent?"

 

Of course, that ugly-faced guy immediately objected to me.

 

"You've come this far, and you're still thinking of running away?!"

 

"You've waited this long already. Can't you wait just a few more minutes?" After making eye contact with the first person and saying that, I pointed to one of the three men who were clinging to the ropes and watching from outside the ring.

 

"Mr"

 

The handsome man who was being targeted froze and stepped back. He probably realised he was the target of intense scrutiny, so he stopped and looked around before meeting a pair of eyes. The ugly man gave him orders as if it were perfectly normal.

 

"Hey, you bastard! Deal with him first. I'm the one who has to kill him, so please go easy on him for now," the ugly-faced man muttered as he walked away from the arena. The handsome man showed no intention of moving from his position easily, even after the ugly-faced man had left.

 

Outside the ropes, under some commotion, he put on his headguard and walked towards me. He paused, maintaining a short distance, and stared at me with a worried expression, as if he wanted to say something, but didn't. The instructor was busy making us spar and explaining the competition; there wasn't an opportunity to speak.

 

I took a quick step forward, using the agility of my boxing boots, and immediately landed a punch to his stomach.

 

Thump!

"Cough!"

 

He curled up like a shrimp, his face tilted back as he stared at me with a look of utter shock. He didn't stare for long before I grabbed his shoulder, which was about to make him stumble, and swung my right arm at him.

 

Control! Control! Thump! Thump!

My punches rained down on his unprotected solar plexus, making him an easy target.

 

Bang

He fell to the ground with a loud thud, the same way I released my grip on his shoulder. The moment I stepped back, his entire body tumbled to the ground. The surroundings were eerily silent, as if time had stopped for a moment. I gazed down at the motionless body for a while, then used my foot to turn it over. White foam oozed from his mouth, staining my headguard. I saw his eyelids closed, motionless, confirming he was unconscious. I slowly lifted my head and spat the mouthguard onto my glove, then walked past the motionless instructor and glanced at the three people clinging to the ropes, his gaze sweeping over their stunned faces before settling on one in particular.

 

"Next, Danay."

 

My voice, not very loud, filled the area as if it were the only sound in the world, then suddenly fell silent. Clearly, my silence had changed. The situation at hand has already happened. That will be a while longer. The kind-faced man who had been targeted took a deep breath. His face, pale with shock, turned to look in both directions before he finally spoke.

 

"W-you mean me?"

 

I nodded slightly and shifted my gaze to the unattractive man nearby. The moment our eyes met, he flinched and gripped the rope tightly.

 

"You wait for the other one."

 

"Huh?...W-what? Ah...uh...um..." He avoided eye contact and raised his voice, trying to hide his shock.

 

"I want to take down... You pathetic losers who attack before the opponent can even react. Don't get beaten up first!" 

 

Even though he shouted, he couldn't hide his tense expression. That was enough for me. If I could see one person fall and then run away, I wouldn't mind. That would have ruined the fun, but the obstacle was the instructor who ran to the fallen man's side. He shook the unconscious body, calling his name repeatedly. Finally, seeing that he wasn't waking up, he looked up at me.

 

"W-what...Mr. Lee Taemin, what is this?"

 

I stared indifferently at the limp, lifeless body.

 

"The floor will be back on in five minutes."

 

"No, what are you talking about...?"

 

"What are you doing? Why don't you hurry and take him to get a cold compress?"

 

When I urged him on by nodding towards the side of the ring, he jumped in surprise and quickly scrambled to drag the unconscious man away. Once the ring was empty again, I needed to hurry up, because the other person didn't intend to move.

 

"Can't you see that class is already over?"

 

The kind-faced man swallowed hard again and gave me a trembling smile.

 

"I was so shocked. You just punched me like that out of nowhere..."

 

"I admit, we're just pathetic guys who strike before the other side can react," I repeated the words the ugly guy had said, looking at him as if to confirm it with my own eyes. I saw his hand gripping the rope even tighter before I turned away.

His gaze returned to its original position, and he spoke in a low voice to the kind-faced person.

 

"Aren't you going to attend the class?"

 

His body responded to my commands, even though his face remained pale and he hesitated to get into the rope. He turned to look at the others, but there was no one there.

 

He said, "You don't have to go in," but finally walked awkwardly towards me, maintaining a safe distance, and asked, his look full of suspicion.

 

"Have you ever trained in boxing before?"

 

"No, please wear a headguard."

 

"Uh, this...."

 

He gave a weak smile as he looked at the headguard in his hand.

 

"This isn't a formal match, just some light practice. Do we really need to..."

 

"If you want to eat a chicken bone, you can have it that way."

 

I grumbled in annoyance. He must have heard my soft complaint, because he put on his headguard with a serious expression. I watched him as I put on my mouthguard. I approached slowly, raising my hands. I knew they'd had a few boxing classes together before I arrived. Nevertheless, the actors were clearly familiar with boxing stances, as their face-to-face confrontation and raised guard weren't awkward at all, even without any boxing skills.

 

The other party was taking their time, but we'll see what happens soon enough. I signalled for him to begin by extending my left arm and lightly punching his glove. The moment our gloves touched, he recoiled a step. Unlike my first opponent, I didn't immediately jump in to attack. Even so, I didn't intend to wait too long, as class time was running out, so I should act quickly. It's better to finish before someone tries to escape. 

 

I took a couple of steps back and stared him in the face, then crouched down slightly and took a step forward. I swung my foot diagonally and shifted my body closer to the other person. In an instant, I was standing directly in front of him as he stepped back. He swung his fist. In a moment of panic, I raised my left arm to shield my face and used my right arm to attack the open side of his body.

 

Thump!

The moment his body swayed, I lowered my head and moved closer. He took a few steps back, but I was faster. No, he was the one who was too slow. The moment I saw an opening to attack, like a crystal-clear photograph in the eyes, my arm moved ahead. I withdrew my fist from his trembling body, which was leaning against the ropes, but I continued to unleash a barrage of punches, preventing him from collapsing and forcing him to stand. His legs were still bent. If there were a referee, they would have separated them. Right now, there's no sign of the trainer because he's probably busy supervising the first person who fell. So, I used my shoulder to support the kind-faced person and punched them hard on the side. Frankly, it was against the rules, but it was the only way I could punch him, because even I can't land a punch on someone who's down. 

 

I felt his body, pressed so close to mine, trembling as if about to have a seizure. His eyes were half-closed for a long time, and saliva that he couldn't swallow dripped from his gaping mouth, revealing his white mouthguard, every time he moaned...

 

"...Cough!"

 

A groan escaped his throat as he took the final heavy punch. His body, which had already swayed violently between the force of my punch and the recoil, now regained its composure. The rope had given out, and he shifted his entire weight onto me. That's when I let go of his arm and stepped back.

 

Thump, splat!

He didn't lose consciousness like the first person; he slumped to his knees, face down on the ground, trembling as if drenched in winter rain, making it difficult to breathe. I took a step back, tapped the ground with my front foot, then spat out my mouthguard and began counting down, replacing the rhythm I'd used with my foot.

 

"...four, three, two, one"

 

".."

 

"Knockdown"

 

I announced the results in place of the judges. He probably didn't hear my kind words, so he just clutched his stomach where he'd been punched and curled up like a baby. Even so, I didn't care, because he probably could hear what I was about to say. I glanced at the large clock on the wall and added briefly.

 

"Get out, if you don't want to be forced into a second round."

 

I guessed correctly. He, panting heavily and trembling, twitched and shifted like a hurried rabbit, one arm still clutching his stomach, which had been slowly…With his other arm, he pushed off the ground, moving as if crawling out of the ring. I glanced at the time again and then looked at the two remaining fighters. Both of their faces were so pale they looked like plaster statues. They were so stiff that if their eyes hadn't been trembling, one might believe they were sculptures.

 

They were gone, and the moment our eyes met, they both recoiled in unison, like twins. When they saw me fighting the first guy, they probably thought it was a coincidence, but when they saw the second one, they probably wondered why everyone was beaten up so badly. As I walked towards them, the ugly guy was the first to ask, in his current state. He was stunned and frozen in place.

 

"Y-you...you definitely studied it, didn't you? You studied boxing, but you intentionally lied to deceive us..."

 

"I told you I didn't go to school."

 

"Then...why is that happening...?"

 

He swallowed hard again, glancing at the kind-faced man who was still moaning beside the ring.

 

"Y-You're kidding! You took down two guys who were practically invincible without ever having boxed before?!"

 

"Who says I've never boxed?"

 

"What? But you said with your whole mouth that you've never learned boxing..."

 

"I'm saying I've never studied boxing, but that doesn't mean I've never stood in the ring."

 

I interrupted him and turned away, feeling his vacant gaze, still not understanding the meaning of my words, fixed on me. The ugly man gripped the rope tightly with both hands, and probably not believing a truth different from his own, I was still a little surprised that even though he was terrified, he didn't run away. Even though I  might not have the sanity to do something like that anymore. I turned to emphasise to the other person, who I didn't expect to run away so clearly.

 

"It's better not to think about escaping."

 

The blond-haired man looked like he was planning to run away, unlike the ugly-faced man, whose face was visibly tense and twitching. As they approached the blond-haired man, the other person tried to back away after a few more steps.

 

"I told you not to run away, you bastard!"

 

The blond-haired man with one hand gripping a pole and a rope looked me directly in the eyes. Seeing the fear reflected in his eyes, I smiled. For the first time that day, a smile played on the corner of his mouth. He froze, more startled than when I'd warned him not to run away again. "Surprised, aren't you, that I smiled when I looked at you?" I explained the reason to him.

 

"I'm the type who saves the best things for last."

 

Suddenly, a wave of shock spread across his face. His mouth parted slightly, as if about to say something, but no sound escaped. He came out, I glanced at his lips, then turned my back. He looked like he was about to ask why he was the last one, but then he probably remembered the reason, or maybe he was stuck on something and couldn't ask—probably thinking about what he did to me on Myungshin's orders. 

 

Myungshin used to beg to watch horror movies with him at the cinema. The movies had sudden, deafening sound effects, ear-piercing screams, and lots of blood splashing everywhere. Still, because I knew those things weren't real, there was no reason to be shocked or startled like everyone else, and no reason to cover my eyes during those gruesome scenes either. Of course, it was a very long two hours for me. What I remember most is what Myungshin said after the movie ended.

 

"Being the last one standing isn't a happy ending. What are we living for? When people are constantly terrified, deep down, they're probably all shattered."

 

Although the blond-haired man isn't like the last man standing in a horror movie, he's probably the most stressed of the four and likely wondering whether I actually knew his secret. I turned around, saw the ugly guy walking straight to the centre of the ring. He went in by himself without me having to rush him. That was even more surprising than him not running away. It was so unexpected that I had to reassess him.

 

"Hey, what kind of person are you?"

 

The man donned his headguard and spoke in a low voice. He shadow-boxed a couple of times before awkwardly adjusting the headguard's lock.

 

"I'm an acting trainee."

 

"Who asked about that? This is..."

 

I heard the curse word "Damn it" again, before the voice softened to a whisper and reached my ears.

 

"How did you learn to box?"

 

I was half-expecting the ugly guy to run outside. The guy in front of me now has a pale face with fear, but he hasn't given up on the idea of ​​punching me hard enough to show off his unexpected fighting spirit. Even so, I don't feel guilty about aiming for a different kind of wound than the two before. I intend to throw a real punch that will make the last remaining spectator tremble. While putting on my mouthguard, I heard another question.

 

"What do you mean by 'I used to... stand in the ring'?" I muttered to myself, just as loud as his whisper.

 

"Well, as I said, we've had a few sparring sessions together."

 

"...How long?"

 

I put on my mouthguard and replied to him.

 

"Five years"

 

I dodged and swung a punch at a part of the body I'd never attacked the two before. The guy who got punched squarely in the face staggered back before retreating. After taking such a big step, he's probably dizzy. I walked towards him slowly, waiting for him to compose himself, then deliberately glanced at the blond-haired guy before extending my arm and aiming at his head. Seeing the guy's terrified expression as he met my gaze, I smirked. You wait, because you're going to be the next one to get your face smashed in.

 

The third match ended too quickly and was boring. The only difference was that the ugly guy's face was covered in nosebleeds and wounds. Although he didn't pass out, he was half-conscious and in a dazed state until the trainer came running over and shouted something.

 

Of course, the instructor would have said something to me. Especially with my battered, bloody face, he was yelling that I had almost become a murderer. I even wondered if I should show him the video evidence to shut him up. But the person who ended the situation was unexpected—a handsome man I didn't know had gotten his hair cut off, who walked in from outside.

 

"Please stop. It's noisy. We're the ones who said we were going to fight each other."

 

"But his face was so badly battered, and blood was flowing..."

 

The handsome man approached the ring, still clutching his injured area. He then looked down at the unattractive man, whom the trainer was supporting, with a furrowed brow.

 

"Hoy"

 

From what I heard next, the unattractive man, staring blankly into the air, ignored the call before rolling his eyes. His vacant expression instantly changed after that.

 

"What should we do? Your face is a mess, like a rag."

 

Blurred eyes—with a murderous glint at the word "rag."

 

"That bastard...again!"

 

He lifted his body and tried to curse. As soon as he opened his mouth, he groaned before falling back down. He was probably in pain from the torn wound.

 

"I won't let you get away with this...damn...I'll get you back...That guy will never have a place in the business again..."

 

"I told you your face is as tattered as a rag."

 

The person with the sharp features emphasised the point, while the person with the unattractive face seemed equally confused about why they needed to repeat themselves, frowning as their face began to show signs of frustration.

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

"If your face is like a rag, you have to fix it."

 

He said words I didn't understand, but it seemed the ugly guy did. He even forgot the pain and suddenly jumped up, his eyes wide.

 

"Fix the face... Ah... that's right, I've fixed it... Oh!"

 

He raised his hands to cover his face again and groaned in pain, but strangely, there was a hint of laughter mixed in.

 

"Heh heh, with this much, my father probably can't object, right? Ah, ah, wow, I need to schedule a doctor's appointment and get a complete makeover right now! Argh!" He groaned, a mix of dizziness and pain, neither laughing nor crying. He glanced up at me and spoke to the instructor with a smug expression, as if he were the winner.

 

"It's our fault for yelling like idiots and saying we'd get beaten up. The drill instructor zipped us shut. The drill instructor froze, his face showing shock and was unable to complain any further. Since the person who was the biggest problem had admitted it, everyone else seemed to have given up and lost interest. Then, the handsome man who had helped me so much approached me slowly. He gripped the ropes of the ring and scanned the surroundings, as if assessing the situation upon seeing the last remaining opponent, a playful smile spreading across his lips.

 

"You're quite the character."

 

The handsome man spoke to me while staring at the blond-haired man standing diagonally opposite him outside the ring.

 

"So that guy was the last one? How do you know he's the worst?" I was too lazy to answer, so I just stared at him silently before he rolled his eyes at me.

 

"Do you know what the second month's word I was going to give you is?"

 

"..."

 

"Watch out for him. After he comes in..."

 

He spoke softly and averted his gaze, his eyes fixed on the kind-faced man who was still slumped on the floor.

 

"It affected everything."

 

Although the handsome man didn't explain who was affected, I had a hunch. I pictured the bitter face of the kind-faced man who once said he had to deal with men during that period. The fourth point, and when the name "Song Yoo-han " was mentioned in front of the two of them at Alice's maze, he suddenly frowned. Even if he forced himself to choose a path that involved sleeping with men, the feelings inside him seemed not to disappear. Because of that, Song Yoo-han, who had successfully secured male sponsors, would likely be an unacceptable obstacle for him. There's no way he would take orders from someone like Song Yoo-han and cause childish trouble.

 

Conversely, the blond-haired person showed no particular expression at the mention of the name 'Song Yoohan,' other than simply avoiding eye contact, no matter how skilled they were at expressing emotions. However, the eyes don't lie, so someone hiding something will instinctively avoid eye contact.

 

I was a little taken aback when I found out the blond-haired guy was Myungshin's errand boy. Between the two, the kind-looking one seemed more in control, and it wasn't easy for the blond-haired guy to manipulate the other without holding the upper hand. I used to scoff at his childish tactics, but it turned out he wasn't dull-witted at all. In fact, I had to reconsider my opinion of him. So I have no intention of holding back. Maybe the blond guy is racking his brain while the ugly guy is being slowly beaten. Ah, he'll talk. What words came out of his mouth? As I walked towards the blond-haired person, I heard a whisper behind me.

 

"I've paid off the debt."

 

I glanced back and continued walking, and the handsome man added softly, "Thank you for sparing my face."

 

Thanks to whoever knocked you unconscious. I found it quite amusing as I walked up to the blond guy; he even gritted his teeth. He spoke with a pale face, as if he were waiting for something.

 

"You'd better not touch me."

 

I gave the other person a questioning look, as if to say, "Go ahead and try talking."

 

"It seems you already know who's behind me, so we shouldn't get involved any further. If we agree to end it here in this cage, I'll tell you the story of  Brother Yoo-han, and listen carefully..."

 

"Is that what you call me, Yoo Han?"

 

I feigned ignorance, and his breathing seemed to catch before his eyes narrowed suddenly.

 

"You know everything already, don't you? Ah, so you're testing me, huh? You want me to say everything with my own mouth, is that it?"

 

"I don't know what you're talking about. What do I know?"

 

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

 

"..."

 

"If you have nothing to say, put on your gloves."

 

"..."

 

"Or if you don't want to fight, why don't you just run away? If you're gone, the other three who are serious about attending the class will be overjoyed," I pointed to the remaining people standing together next to the ugly guy outside the ring. The blond-haired guy was loudly proclaiming that the rumours about Cream had spread everywhere in just a few hours.

 

It was late, and he could have ignored the rumours of being a coward, but even a blonde would likely feel uneasy about turning those three into cuts.

 

"Can't you understand what I'm saying? I told you to put on your gloves!"

 

"My own work."

 

"About what"

 

"...About your voice recorder, and about lying to that guy that you insulted him... Well, I've confessed everything. Are you satisfied now?"

 

"I should have told you I don't understand what you're talking about. Just because you caused all this trouble, does that mean I should stop beating you up here?"

 

"Why can't I understand anything you're saying? Write it down on a piece of paper for me."

 

I glared at him, speaking in an irritated tone, and he pursed his lips tightly before whispering something almost inaudible.

 

"If you agree to stop here, I'll tell you why Yoo-Han ordered me to get rid of you from this industry..."

 

"It's not necessary."

 

When I interrupted abruptly, he frowned slightly, as if startled.

 

"Did you notice that Yoo-han is harassing you because of your manager?"

 

"Uh-huh."

 

"..."

 

"If you want to negotiate, at least tell me something that I don't know."

 

He swallowed again and again, his Adam's apple twitching. I rolled my eyes, watching his movements with a weary expression while pressuring him.

 

"Do you want to be dragged into the ring?"

 

"He changed the orders."

 

The blond-haired man spoke nervously, then lowered his voice when he noticed others staring in their direction.

 

"Brother Yoo Han knows everything. He heard you escaped from Alice's maze because of a sponsor. So he told me to find out who your sponsor is. Rather than obstructing and then slaughtering the boss."

 

"And then what?"

 

It wasn't a big deal. When I acted annoyed, he flinched slightly and explained further.

 

"That means I've been following you for days. You didn't notice, did you? Because I was afraid you'd find out, I told someone else to. What's interesting is you."

 

"You would sneak in and out of Alice's maze regularly every day, and not through the front door, but the back door of the club instead."

 

"Does your sponsor go there every day?"

 

I was deep in thought for a while and didn't reply. Actually, I haven't even assessed whether Alice's Labyrinth is truly influential yet. How big a shock was it? He probably thought I was keeping quiet because I was shocked, so he spoke sarcastically in a slightly more relaxed tone.

 

"Or do you work there?"

 

I glanced up and met the mocking smile on his face before the blond-haired man whispered. 

 

"I heard that a lot of people work there while trying to debut in the entertainment industry. Or maybe you're a waiter there? Hmm, if you had a sponsor, you'd never take a bus back and forth like that. But anyway, that's not important. What's important is whether I report it that way? You'd be a little happier if Yoo-han knew you were just a waiter. He might look down on you and ignore you altogether. You don't like that either, do you? If you want to make it in this industry, you need to get your rising star thwarted first..."

 

"I don't care."

I tilted my head, looking surprised at him.

 

"I don't care about sabotaging rising stars. The more you sabotage them, the happier I am." I walked closer to him, who was stunned for a moment, then grabbed his shoulder and pulled him closer with a loud thud.

 

"Go tell Song Yoo-han that my sponsor is an amazing 'man'," I smirked at the guy who was standing face-to-face with me, separated by a rope.

 

"Go tell them that, and I'll spare your face."