Gwok Jin-Ho couldn't stand it anymore. The sound of their mocking laughter echoed through the empty classroom, the acrid smell of fear hanging in the air as the group crowded around his classmate like vultures—it grated on his nerves to the point where his hands were already clenched into fists. These worthless pieces of trash... He couldn't just watch this anymore.

He got up from his seat, the chair scraping loudly against the linoleum floor, not bothering to hide the storm brewing inside him. His footsteps were heavy, deliberate, as he walked straight up to the group. The moment they noticed him, the smirks on their faces faded, replaced with uneasy glances. They knew Jin-Ho's reputation—everyone did.

"The hell you lot think you're doing?" Jin-Ho growled, his voice low but carrying the weight of a threat that made the temperature in the room seem to drop. His eyes narrowed on the ringleader, a lanky, awkward-looking guy with too much gel in his hair. "What, you think you're hot shit 'cause you can pick on someone who's minding their own business? You're just a sad little virgin who can't even look a girl in the eye without imagining her skirt up. Pathetic."

The other guy, trying to hide behind his friends, stammered something unintelligible, but Jin-Ho cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Shut the fuck up, you greaseball. You've got so much oil on your face, I could fry an egg on it. Seriously, get some soap or something. What, you think anyone's gonna take you seriously when you look like a damn zit?"

The rest of them were visibly shaken now, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot, trying to act tough but failing miserably. Jin-Ho wasn't finished. He pointed to the last guy, who was starting to back away toward the door. "And you—don't think I forgot about you, shit-for-brains. You're always trying to act like the tough guy, but we all know you cried like a little bitch when that dog bit you last week. Wanna see if you can cry harder when I break your nose?"

His fists flexed, the veins in his forearms bulging slightly as he leaned in closer, the scent of his cedarwood cologne mixing with the faint smell of cigarette smoke clinging to his jacket. "I'm not in the mood to throw punches today, but don't think I won't if you keep running your mouths. So unless you wanna find out how fast your teeth can hit the floor, I suggest you fuck off. Now."

Without another word, they scattered like rats, mumbling curses under their breath as they hurried away, the sound of their retreating footsteps echoing down the hallway. Jin-Ho watched them go, his jaw tight as he took deep breaths through his nose, a muscle in his cheek twitching with restrained anger. Good riddance, he thought, his fists finally relaxing as he turned back to his classmate.

He looked down at them, his face still cold as marble, but his eyes held something else—something more conflicted that flickered like a small flame in the darkness. He wasn't good at this shit. Caring. But watching them just sit there and take it, doing nothing—it pissed him off in ways he couldn't explain, like an itch he couldn't scratch no matter how hard he tried.

"You," his voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade slicing through paper. "Stop being a goddamn whiner." He crossed his arms, towering over them with his broad shoulders blocking the harsh fluorescent light from above, casting them in shadow. "I'm not gonna babysit you every time someone decides to be an asshole. You need to stop acting like a pathetic little kid and grow a spine already. The world's not gonna be nice to you just because you want it to be. You wanna survive in this place? You fight for yourself."

His words were harsh, biting enough to leave marks, but beneath the rough edges was something almost... protective. Like when a dog growls at something to scare it away from its owner. Jin-Ho didn't sugarcoat things—he wasn't the type. But in his own way, he was trying to push them to be stronger, even if his methods were as blunt as a sledgehammer.

"Next time someone messes with you," Jin-Ho added, his voice quieter but no less intense, like the calm before a storm, "Don't just sit there and take it. Show them you're not as weak as they think."