The image of the two fighters covered in blood, the screams of the crazy crowd, the dry sound of the blows echoing in that clandestine ring... it wouldn't leave Jin Taewon's head. Lying on his bed, his eyes fixed on the dark ceiling of his room, he relived every detail. The veins in his neck throbbed and his chest felt like it was about to explode. He couldn't explain it, but he felt something new burning inside him.
He stood up slowly, his body still marked by the bruises from the assaults at school. His hands formed involuntary fists. Jin went to the center of the room and began to imitate the movements he had seen in the fight. Right, left, dodge... knee. To his surprise, his movements were perfect. They flowed naturally, as if they were already part of his body. And faster. More precise.
His blood carried that instinct.
The next morning, Jin put on his school uniform, the bandages hiding part of the marks. He went downstairs without saying a word, had breakfast while his mother watched him in silence. She just hugged him before leaving.
When he arrived at school, the atmosphere was different. The looks that had previously shown contempt and mockery now carried a mixture of surprise and fear. He walked through the hallways without taking his eyes off anyone, and when he entered the classroom, the air seemed heavy.
The bully from the other day was still bandaged, with a broken nose. But the one in front of him now was his older brother — a tall, strong guy, tattooed up to his neck. A second-year gangster, known for being part of a group that extorted students and dominated areas near the school.
— So it's you... — the guy said, approaching. — The kid who knocked my brother down. Today you're going to pay for that.
The other students backed away, forming a circle around them. Jin remained seated, expressionless. The bully from the other day was smirking.
— Now you're screwed — he muttered.
But before the gangster could finish his threat, Jin stood up. A quick, precise jump, and his knee exploded right into the guy's nose. A dry sound echoed through the room. The gangster fell to the floor, screaming in pain, with his hands covering his face, blood gushing.
Everyone was shocked.
The bully tried to run, but Jin advanced like a predator. At that moment, the scene from the ring came to his mind: his father's fighter dodging and delivering a violent cross to his opponent. Jin repeated the movement perfectly. A clean blow, so fast that the bully couldn't even defend himself. He collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
Silence.
Jin's gaze swept the room, everyone backing away. He smiled, not with joy, but with satisfaction. He felt alive. Deep down, he knew he would never be the same again. That dormant side of him was beginning to awaken.
And he liked the feeling.