Chapter 55:
Han Ho-cheol was quite a troublemaker during his high school days. His handsome yet gentle appearance and outgoing personality made it easy for him to make friends. His sociability naturally led him to befriend those known as delinquents. In fact, he got along better with such kids. His slightly meek appearance gave him a certain charisma among tougher friends.
Thus, he spent a lot of time with such friends during high school. That's probably why he could gather so many people even after graduation. It took some effort, but it was worth it.
"Hey, so when is he coming?"
As he was organizing his thoughts, one of the delinquents asked Ho-cheol.
"…He'll be here soon. He said he would pass by this way."
He answered vaguely and looked around. The five women he had gathered were huddled in the alleyway. They were from the same high school and were quite notorious.
They seemed bored waiting, chewing on cotton candy to pass the time. Every time someone exhaled, the smoke scattered messily. The smoke from the five of them created quite a spectacle, enough to fill the small alleyway with fog.
"Ugh, look at the haze in front. Cut it out, you brats."
"Hey, you quit first, you idiot~"
While two friends were bickering, Ho-cheol looked down at the ground. It was littered with cigarette butts and thick phlegm, showing no regard for the efforts of sanitation workers.
Normally, this would seem dirty and delinquent, but Ho-cheol was quite satisfied with the scene. Every little detail added to the atmosphere.
Atmosphere is quite important. It can somewhat manipulate people's psychology depending on how it's set. Just by making the surrounding air heavy, the other person can feel intimidated. Psychologically unstable, their imagination can be limited to darker thoughts.
In other words, it can unconsciously make people scared.
Like how a tour guide's angry expression can make students hand over the alcohol hidden in their bags without the hassle of checking them.
He knew the importance of such an atmosphere very well and preferred to use it rather than be subjected to it.
Ho-cheol lightly reviewed his plan until Lee Se-won arrived. Actually, there wasn't much to the plan. First, when Lee Se-won arrived, he would lightly threaten him. He intended to intimidate and scare him psychologically.
Logically, no man wouldn't be scared when surrounded by five delinquent women.
Then, he would take the frightened Lee Se-won to a nearby construction site. That was Ho-cheol's first step.
*Can't educate him here.*
Through Eunbyeol, he could get information, but conversely, it created a time limit because of Eunbyeol. If he dragged out the time here, Eunbyeol would eventually arrive. Then, he wouldn't be able to torment Lee Se-won anymore.
She would try to protect Lee Se-won once she confirmed the situation. If things escalated, Eunbyeol might even turn hostile towards him.
*That can't happen.*
Originally, the goal was to take down Lee Se-won and get close to Eunbyeol, so hostility was out of the question.
Thus, he needed to move locations.
At the construction site, he would threaten and coerce Lee Se-won, making up a new story.
Se-won had coincidentally taken a different route home that day.
Han Ho-cheol had waited diligently but since Lee Se-won didn't come, he eventually went home.
They would tell Eunbyeol that they had agreed on this story.
Of course, the reality was entirely different, but what could they do? If both parties said so, Eunbyeol would reluctantly accept it.
Thus, Lee Se-won would naturally fall out of her favor, and he would take his place. It was a simple yet sure plan.
Of course, there was the problem of coercing Lee Se-won into lying, but...
*It's fine.*
Fortunately, he was confident in that. He had honed his skills in tormenting others during high school. He had once disciplined his juniors and even torn apart a pervert's notebook.
Such experiences would be enough to educate one person.
"Hey, what's that? Someone's watching us."
It had been a while since they were waiting. Yura, wearing fluorescent hot pants, spoke up.
Yura's gaze was directed towards the corner at the end of the alley.
Ho-cheol followed her gaze and saw Lee Se-won peeking from the corner of the alley.
Instantly, their eyes met. Two deep, black pupils stared at each other.
Seeing him, Ho-cheol grinned. Finally, the execution of the plan.
Ho-cheol called him lightly first.
"Hey, what are you doing there? Come over here~"
---
Hearing Ho-cheol's call, Se-won sighed lightly.
"Ah, I got caught."
He thought he had hidden well. Maybe it was because he was staring too blatantly.
He had been wondering why Han Ho-cheol was there, but their eyes met in the end.
From his perspective, it was a regrettable mistake. He had intended to casually pretend it was a coincidence and pass by, but he had been caught watching.
It was a bit embarrassing. Embarrassment was important.
"What are you doing? Not coming in?"
As he was momentarily lost in thought, Ho-cheol spoke again.
Seeing that, Se-won hesitated for a moment before stepping into the alley.
He wondered why Han Ho-cheol was there, but he decided to accept it roughly.
(Is he an accomplice?)
According to the rumor, there was a friend who helped prepare this play. Actually, he had only delivered the information, but most of the plan was made by that friend.
It seemed that the friend was Han Ho-cheol. It was unexpected, but he could accept it.
Thus, Se-won could enter the alley without any suspicion.
In fact, his mind was like this at the moment.
(Hehe, I'm looking forward to it.)
Being able to see women in revealing clothes up close!
Being able to see that deep cleavage right in front of his eyes!
That alone was reason enough to enter. It was like upgrading from 480p to 1080p resolution, there was no reason to refuse.
And originally, Se-won thought of this situation as purely a play, so he didn't have much resistance.
"Oh."
As he stepped inside, a short exclamation came out from among the women.
To them, who had only heard that they would beat up someone but didn't know who it would be, Se-won was quite an unexpected presence.
They looked at Se-won's face and body alternately, as if evaluating him.
Some of them even whispered their impressions to Han Ho-cheol.
"Oh, what's this? He's quite handsome, isn't he?"
"Hey! You should have told us this earlier."
Hearing that, Han Ho-cheol clicked his tongue inwardly.
(Tsk.)
Anyway, women, as soon as they see a somewhat handsome face, they start sending goodwill. It was quite annoying that a person he disliked was receiving goodwill. So, he grabbed Se-won's arm and pulled him inside.
"Ah."
Then, the formation changed in an instant.
The women, who had been leaning against the wall, began to form a circle around Se-won. As if he couldn't get out of there, a small prison made of people was formed in an instant.
Since the alley was narrow, it was easy to surround him from all sides.
Han Ho-cheol looked at that sight and smiled slightly. Now the retreat was blocked.
The thick phlegm and cigarette butts on the ground created a delinquent atmosphere, and the surrounding women created a sense of pressure.
No one could remain calm in such an atmosphere.
Look, that guy is so scared that he's making such groaning sounds.
"Ah, ah. You guys. What. Suddenly. Why. Blocking the way?"
...For some reason, his words were very awkward, but that didn't matter. Han Ho-cheol stepped forward in front of him and spoke.
"Hello, hyung. I didn't expect to see you here, did I?"
"Ah, yeah. Me neither. What's going on?"
At his greeting, Se-won asked. Hearing that question, Han Ho-cheol laughed in disbelief.
What's going on, you ask...
Han Ho-cheol took a puff of his cigarette before answering.
'Suck... Phew' As he repeated the breath, gray smoke rose into the air.
After looking at the smoke for a moment, Ho-cheol turned his expression cold and spoke.
"What's going on, you ask? Obviously, I'm here to fuck you up, you bastard."
It was his original voice, not the bright and cheerful tone he usually used. A voice tone and intonation that could give the listener a chilling sense of tension.
With each syllable falling to the ground, the atmosphere seemed to become sharper.
(Oh.)
Even Se-won couldn't help but be a little surprised at the sudden change in attitude. He didn't expect to be cursed at so abruptly.
Until now, Se-won had only thought that things were going interestingly.
(It's working.)
Han Ho-cheol mistook that appearance for being scared. And gaining momentum from that, Han Ho-cheol added more to his words.
Anyway, since they were going to match their stories from now on, he decided to speak frankly.
"I'll be honest. I really hate you."
"Ah."
"So, I seduced Eunbyeol a bit and found out the way to your house, hyung. I did this on purpose to fuck you up."
"Ah."
Listening with interest, Se-won suddenly noticed something was off.
"...Huh?"
Wait, why is Eunbyeol involved here?
No, I know Eunbyeol is involved, but isn't that information not supposed to be revealed?
For a moment, confusion swirled in his mind.
(Ah, now that I think about it.)
There was something slightly strange.
According to the rumor, Se-won was supposed to be caught by street thugs while walking. Eunbyeol knew that and told Se-won as it was.
There was no chance of any confusion in their communication.
But now, for some reason, as soon as he entered the alley, he was being told information about Eunbyeol.
The street thugs were the same, but instead of it being a coincidence, he was being told that he had been waiting on purpose.
A clearly tangled situation.
For a moment, Se-won drew a grim assumption in his mind.
And he unconsciously asked it out loud.
"Is this not a play, but for real?"
"What? Pfft!"
Hearing that, Han Ho-cheol burst into laughter in disbelief. He thought that Se-won's words were a kind of escape from reality, a delusion drawn by a person cornered to the extreme.
Han Ho-cheol didn't even slightly think that Se-won would have heard the plan from Eunbyeol.
He thought.
(Now is the timing.)
The timing to further psychologically intimidate the frightened Se-won.
The best opportunity to corner a person who is already cornered. To shatter the imaginary path he is thinking of.
Thinking so, he swung his hand hard towards Se-won's cheek.
*Slap!*
A sharp sound echoed through the alley. Ho-cheol's palm tingled slightly, and Se-won's head tilted slightly to the side. He must have hit him quite hard, as Se-won's cheek gradually turned red.
Ho-cheol looked at that and spoke as coldly as possible.
"Does this look like a play to you?"
For a moment, Se-won's eyes trembled. His pupils repeatedly dilated and contracted.
His black, gem-like eyes were vibrating slightly from side to side.
Ho-cheol watched that sight and continued with his next words.
"Follow me if you don't want to get hit more."
(So that I can comfortably torment you.)
He hid such subtext and tried to create the most threatening atmosphere possible.
As if he would really beat him up if he didn't follow, he made the surrounding delinquents take a step forward.
Direct violence was the best device to induce fear. Having superior atmosphere and psychological position, Han Ho-cheol was sure that he would follow.
But.
"I don't want to."
What came out of Se-won's mouth was a clear refusal.
And with that.
"You fucking bastard."
A harsh curse that didn't suit his situation at all.
---
Translated by ReversalNovel.web.id
Comments (0)