# Chapter 91
Those who momentarily lost their wits watching us run without looking back began running as soon as someone shouted to catch us. However, that group was already close to us, and because my running was slow, we couldn’t put enough distance between us.
Even though we hadn’t run that far, Kwon Dojin, who was holding my arm and guiding me, clicked his tongue as he looked back.
“We’re going to get caught soon.”
“So, should we fight?”
“What if Habin gets taken hostage again? Didn’t you say you didn’t want to fight in the first place? Is there no other way?”
“I wouldn’t know since I’ve never had a reason to resolve things any other way until now.”
It was truly killing me to run when I never did it normally. While my heart was beating loudly—thump-thump—making me disoriented, Kwon Dojin and Baek Han were casually having a conversation.
“It can’t be helped.”
I didn’t know what couldn’t be helped, but when Baek Han showed an expression as if he’d made up his mind about something, Kwon Dojin couldn’t hide his uneasiness.
“Let’s fight with our backs to a wall. We’ll trap Lee Habin between the wall and us.”
“That’s so unlike what you usually…”
“If you don’t like it, suggest something else. Do you have any other ideas? Do you?”
I shook my head at Baek Han who was provoking Kwon Dojin while swaggering. I wanted to scold them for wanting to fight even in this situation, but it was hard enough just to breathe steadily.
“How are you going to find a dead end? From what I can see, Habin won’t be able to run much longer.”
I kept nodding at Kwon Dojin’s words, who knew my stamina better than anyone. Truthfully, I was already dying from exhaustion, but I couldn’t bring myself to stop, so I was forcing myself to run. Baek Han looked at me with eyes full of things to say, but he seemed to give up and quickly surveyed the surroundings.
“Let’s go into that alley. And Lee Habin, you need to exercise more.”
“I’m, *gasp*, too busy, studying!”
I snapped at the suggestion to exercise, which I’d heard who knows how many times already. As a student, I’d been told to study before, but I’d never been nagged about exercising.
Besides, I prided myself on having the average stamina of a test-taking student, so it felt unfair. It just seemed like I was weak because Kwon Dojin and Baek Han, my comparison group, had insanely good stamina!
“That’s all excuses—I mean. You really are busy studying, huh?”
Baek Han changed his words midway. His easy agreement made me feel proud that I must be doing well enough for others to notice, but that feeling only lasted a moment. My heart felt like it was about to burst thanks to Kwon Dojin who pushed my back, urging me to run faster as I gradually fell behind.
“Rest here.”
Whether it was because Baek Han had good eyes, the alley we turned into happened to be a dead end. Baek Han stopped first and faced the group that followed us, while Kwon Dojin pushed me to the inside.
I grabbed Kwon Dojin’s sleeve as he tried to go straight to where Baek Han was. He turned around and tilted his head questioningly. Even though I was out of breath, I held it in and barely managed to speak.
“Don’t, *wheeze*, get hurt, again.”
Kwon Dojin, who seemed surprised, opened his eyes wide before curving his eye corners prettily and smiling.
“Okay. I’ll finish this quickly.”
“If you want to finish quickly, just take it easy! Those guys are frozen stiff because of you!”
When I turned my head at Baek Han’s irritated voice, I saw people who had indeed frozen stiff, just as he said.
“Who, who is that?”
“Is that really the same cold Kwon Dojin? I think this is the first time I’ve seen him smile-“
“Is someone wearing a Kwon Dojin mask?”
“Maybe this is just a dream… Hey, slap me once.”
After the first person broke free from their frozen state, others who denied reality started appearing all around. Some even asked to be hit to check if they were dreaming.
“This is reality, you idiots! Snap out of it!”
Baek Han shouted irritably and then directly kicked the shin of the person who had asked to be slapped. With a thud and a brutal sound, the person clutched where he was hit and whimpered. Looking at that, it seemed like he was properly hit, and I felt the pain just from watching.
“What exactly do they think of you to react like that?”
I couldn’t understand what about Kwon Dojin’s appearance they had seen to cause such a reaction. He was just his usual self.
“I wonder. I’m curious how they view me.”
Kwon Dojin, standing askew, stuck his hands into his pants pockets. Baek Han was sighing while holding his forehead beside him. Judging by his expression, he seemed to be lamenting how the situation had turned out.
“Anyway, aren’t you going to fight? If you’re not going to fight, why did you chase us?”
The dazed group hesitated at Baek Han’s sharp attitude. Seeing them exchanging glances with each other, it looked like they were waiting for someone to take the lead.
“Just…”
“Just what.”
“Just…?”
“What?”
“Huh?”
I shook my ears, wondering if I’d heard wrong. But seeing that not only me but also Baek Han and Kwon Dojin were frowning with displeasure, I must have heard correctly.
“Just? Juuuust? Are you kidding me?!”
He was angry, but it didn’t seem too severe. More precisely, his attitude was closer to irritation than anger. Honestly, I also felt annoyed when I heard that answer, but thanks to Baek Han, I felt like laughing. Of course, I bit my lips firmly to hold it in.
“No, it’s just that when we see you, somehow it feels like we should chase you…”
“What kind of nonsense is that? Do you chase Ji Haecheon this way too? Huh? What about Ahn Ji Yu? Sunwoo Hyun!”
“Ji Haecheon is different. He doesn’t show any mercy.”
“If you mess with Ahn Ji Yu, Sunwoo Hyun will retaliate from behind. His fists have no—”
Baek Han grabbed the back of his neck due to these timid but definitive responses. Kwon Dojin also seemed at a loss for words, as if this reason was unexpected.
“I wondered why so many bastards were especially coming after Kwon Dojin and me, and that’s the reason?”
“What kind of behavior is this.”
Kwon Dojin, exhaling with exasperation, turned around and approached me. Looking at the current atmosphere, it didn’t seem like a fight would break out.
I patted Kwon Dojin’s back as he watched Baek Han who was going wild with indignation. Naturally leaning his body toward me, he rested his cheek on the top of my head.
“I think I shouldn’t go easy on them anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because Habin is here too. I’m fine, but Habin is in danger.”
“Ah.”
It’s true we often got separated due to the fights that happened when we were always together.
Still, I don’t think that could be the only reason. Kwon Dojin’s expression was very poor right now, making it difficult to believe this decision was solely for my sake.
Unlike Kwon Dojin, who tried to hide his emotions and forced a smile, Baek Han was fully displaying his feelings while raging wildly. Looking at him, I thought Kwon Dojin probably felt similar.
“And I can’t beat these guys up either.”
“Maybe it’s that attitude that makes kids easily come at you…?”
“What?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
Even though I had murmured quietly, Baek Han heard it and turned to look at me sharply. His gaze was so fierce that I pretended not to know anything.
Despite being blatantly called easy targets, Baek Han still didn’t resort to violence first. If the other side doesn’t try to fight, he wouldn’t initiate a fight either. Of course, it wasn’t just Baek Han; Kwon Dojin showed similar behavior patterns.
Being ranked 2nd and 5th while not throwing the first punch and not crossing the line during fights might have made them seem easy. Wait a minute. Didn’t Kwon Dojin say that Baek Han couldn’t control his strength when fighting?
I heard that today, so my memory shouldn’t be wrong— How exactly do Ji Haecheon, Ahn Ji Yu, and Sunwoo Hyun deal with troublemakers that makes Kwon Dojin and Baek Han seem better?
“What’s wrong? Your face has turned pale.”
“Just thinking it’s pretty fierce.”
More precisely, it was because cruel images came to mind, but I glossed over it.
Kwon Dojin, who noticed the change keenly even though we weren’t facing each other, cupped my cheek. I raised my head following his careful, lifting hand, and saw a face full of worry and concern.
“Should we end this quickly then?”
“Yeah…, that would be good.”
While the current situation couldn’t exactly be called fierce, it wouldn’t be bad for this drawn-out confrontation to end. After hearing my answer, Kwon Dojin moved to stand as if shielding me.
“A moment.”
At the quiet but forceful word, not only Baek Han but also the others who had been showing awkward attitudes turned to look at Kwon Dojin.
“If you don’t have any business, shall we go our separate ways? If you do, let’s finish it now.”
Baek Han frowned at Kwon Dojin’s words but didn’t object. Instead of adding anything, he stepped back with his arms crossed as if saying “do as you please.” Kwon Dojin glanced at Baek Han and then stopped paying attention to him.
The group, suddenly left to deal with the prickly Kwon Dojin, were busy poking each other awkwardly.
“Decide quickly. I’m getting bored.”
He urged an answer with a nod of his head. At that, the hesitating group quickly stepped back. It seems they didn’t have any intentions like grudges or revenge when they chased us.
While it was good that things would end without violence, it was also disappointing that all that running until I was out of breath had been meaningless.
“Wait.”
Kwon Dojin, who had been watching the group retreat without turning their backs, suddenly stopped them. Not only me but also those who were about to disappear flinched at this unexpected action.
“Why, why are you doing this?”
“Your words are short.”
“Why are you doing this, sir…?”
I thought this might not be an issue worth addressing, but in any case, the person who immediately changed their attitude to be polite at Kwon Dojin’s single word bowed their head deeply.
“Tell the students who came for the field trip today. If they mess with us unnecessarily, we won’t go easy on them.”
“But… we don’t have a contact network.”
“Well, do I need to worry about that too?”
Looking at Kwon Dojin who was firmly drawing the line with a “figure it out yourself” attitude, one word came to mind.
‘Boss.’ In this moment, he was the perfect boss.
