A Few Years Later...
Finally... after being stuck in that room for three whole weeks, I'm free, thought the young man. He stepped out wearing nothing but jockeys, his toned body visible, jet-black hair hanging messily over his face. Yawning, he dragged his feet toward the bathroom, leaving behind a dark, cluttered room.
---
The Kitchen
Michelle, wearing a white apron, moved gracefully around the kitchen. Scrambled eggs sizzled in the pan alongside crispy bacon. Suddenly, her phone lit up with a call—an unnamed violin piece played as the ringtone. She answered.
"Hello, Mich. What's up?" said a mysterious voice.
"Lis will be transferring starting today," she replied calmly.
"What the hell happened this time?" the voice snapped.
Ignoring the question, Michelle asked, "Can you tighten your security?"
There was silence on the line. Then, "...You want to tighten security? An explanation would help."
Before the conversation could continue, footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Lisa entered the kitchen. His black hair was tied into a bun, and he wore baggy black sweatpants, a white button-up shirt, the red-and-black school tie, and an oversized hoodie.
Michelle quickly ended the call.
"Hey, Michelle. Who was that on the phone just now?" Lisa asked, heading for the counter.
"Just an old friend," she replied with a warm smile.
The scent of sizzling breakfast hit him, making his stomach growl. He plopped down on the oak barstool.
Michelle placed two plates on the black marble island and slid one toward him.
"So," she began, dragging a chair over, "back to school. Exciting, right?"
Mouth full, Lisa responded, "Huh? Oh, yay. As long as I can leave that shitty room."
"Was that supposed to sound cool?" she teased.
He ignored her and kept eating, muffling a chuckle behind a mouthful of eggs.
"Swallow before talking," she warned with a laugh.
After finishing, Lisa placed his plate in the sink. As Michelle stood, he stepped toward her, and they embraced.
"Good luck," she whispered softly.
---
The Journey Begins
Lisa walked under the blazing sun, the narrow road stretching ahead toward his new school. His eyes were glued to his phone, chatting with his only real friend. Suddenly, a familiar tune from a favorite band began to play—his ringtone.
The screen flashed with an unknown number.
He answered. "Hello? Who is this?"
A loud, awkward sigh came through. "It's me, you dummy... Kyle."
Lisa's s heart sank.
"Why are you calling from a different number?"
"I wanted to tell you... I'm moving away."
Lisa froze mid-step. "...You're just gonna up and leave?"
"I'm already gone. My dad got a new job—nothing I could do. I hope we see each other again, man."
"..."
"Lisa?"
Silence.
Kyle sighed and hung up.
Lisa stood still for a moment, then forced himself forward. His phone buzzed with more messages, but he ignored them, letting music drown out the noise in his head.
As the school came into view across the street, he barely noticed its imposing structure. One man stood out—a flashy figure in a black suit with gelled black hair.
Lisa half-smiled as he approached.
"Well, Lisa, good to see you," the man said.
"You too, sir."
They stood alone in front of a fountain shaped like a stallion spewing water. The school loomed behind them like a fortress.
"Shall we?" the principal asked.
Lisa followed him into the towering building.
Inside, the shuffle of thousands of feet echoed through the hall. Lockers lined the walls, red bricks stood out oddly, and chandeliers dimly lit the twisting hallways. Students paused to stare, whispering to one another. Lisa kept his head down.
---
The Principal's Office
The door closed behind them, and the smell of cigarettes hit him like a wave.
The principal walked around a long brown leather couch, the table between it and its twin holding an ashtray and a record player. Cigarette butts filled the tray.
Lisa sat and sank into the soft cushions.
"Feeling better?" the principal asked.
Lisa scoffed. "What do you think?"
The man shrugged and opened a drawer, pulling out a pack.
"Michelle asked me to tighten security. Since the last incident happened on school grounds..."
He lit a cigarette, then added, "So, I got you a new 'special' friend. Ta-da."
A boy walked in—around Lisa's age—with hazelnut eyes, an oversized black shirt, blue sneakers, and a cap with bold lettering.
"What's so special about him?" Lisa asked, eyeing the boy. "He looks as normal as me."
"This is Cha-woo. He's going to be your new friend. Like it?"
Cha-woo plopped onto the opposite couch.
"Call me Cha" he said casually. "What about you?"
Lisa hesitated. 'Wow... that sounded so cool. Wait—say something!'
"Uh... Hey. I'm Lisa."
The principal chuckled behind a fake cough. "Okay, now that we've introduced ourselves—go hang out. Shoo!"
"Whatever," Cha-woo said, standing. "Let's go, Lisa."
Lisa nodded, following Cha out through a maze of halls and glass doors that opened to the school's massive courtyard. The sun and a light breeze greeted them.
Mike shielded his eyes and stared at the bright blue sky. 'Finally…'
"Yo! You coming?" Cha called out.
Mike caught up, noticing students staring again.
Then, they stopped.
A massive oak tree towered nearby, its limbs spreading like a god's arms, shading a chunk of the field. About ten students stood underneath it.
Suddenly, everything went dark.
He looked up, startled.
A giant of a student now stood in front of them.
"Cha-woo... why don't you move so I can have a crack at the new kid?" the big guy growled.
Cha-woo didn't flinch. "Beat it, or I'll beat you."
The giant laughed. "You're getting cocky. Maybe it's time I humbled you again—as your hyeong ."
//hyeong - older brother//
Something shifted in Cha-woo. His energy changed.
"You gonna move—or should—"
But then a voice interrupted.
A tall, mop-haired student approached with dark, wet-looking hair, dressed formally in the school uniform. He stepped in front of the big guy.
"Leave. Now. Or I'll make you regret it," he said coldly.
The threat worked. The big guy backed off with a glare of vengeance.
"So, Cha-woo, who's the kid you're protecting?" the newcomer asked.
The others from the tree had gathered around.
"The principal paired us up because I'm so special," Cha-woo replied with a smirk.
The formal guy stepped forward. "I'm Jake Denver. Welcome to the 'Psychopathlives Club'," he added in a creepy voice.
Lisa extended his hand. "I'm Lisa—"
A girl suddenly appeared inches from his face, nearly touching lips.
He froze, completely out of his element.
"You look miserable," she said softly. "You can trust us. We're not going to hurt you. Try smiling a little."
Was he really that miserable-looking?
He turned, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked away.
"Hey, get back here!" Cha called after him.
"Wait—where's Steven?" someone muttered.
Too late.
A dirty blond guy intercepted him. "Stop. You don't just walk off like that."
Without warning, he punched Lisa in the gut.
Air left his lungs. His breakfast threatened to resurface.
He bent over, eyes bulging in pain and fury.
"If you walk away from us again," Steven said, "I'll do worse than just punch you."
Lisa looked up at him, breath ragged. 'What kind of freak show is this...?'