Chapter XLVIII – Fear

Your eyes are dangerous. . . Didn’t that girl Moon from Cyber Shark say something similar to that? I wonder what she’d think if she saw me right now.

It was a full moon that night. The night that Arthur, Max, and Tjay sought revenge against those who harmed their friend.

Looking at them, I can tell how frustrated they feel. . .

Max led the way to the place where Tae and his older brother, another well-known bastard, hang out commonly. It was an underground club that worked Friday to Sunday, and during the off days, it served as a hangout spot for West High wannabe gangsters. Apparently, Max went there at least once but refrained from talking about it.

Still. . . We’re not the same.

Arthur kept seeing vivid scenes of Don being beaten up, meanwhile his sister was forced to watch helplessly, not knowing if she’d be harmed.

No matter where I go or what I do, trouble always exists. Have I been cursed with misfortune? Does the universe hate me so much that it wishes to force my hand to act again?

All these thoughts were useless as the three approached the entrance. There was a bouncer stationed outside.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the bouncer said, standing roughly around two meters in height.

A normal person would be scared facing off such a giant. He was bald and covered in tattoos as well, a bit on the chubby side.

“We’re going in to talk to a few friends of ours,” Max said calmly.

“I don’t think so. . .” he responded crossing his arms.

I’ve avoided it, but aren’t the heavens misunderstanding me a bit? I’ve taken countless lives already. I’m not afraid of doing so again.

Arthur formed a fist that caught the bouncer’s attention.

Irene. . . What would you think if you knew who I really was? Would you think I’m crazy?

“Get out of here before you get hurt,” the bouncer warned while keeping an eye on Arthur.

While the idea that you’d think I’m crazy would devastate me, the thought that you might end up being afraid of the real me mortifies me. . . I boldly claimed I wanted love in this life, yet I didn’t even think of what that meant.

“Just let us in. . .” Tjay said taking out his wallet.

“Fuck off!” the bouncer yelled.

His penetrating voice interrupted Arthur’s thoughts. Before anyone even realized it, Arthur stepped into range and delivered a devastating Qi empowered punch to the bouncer’s stomach. The vibrations passing through his body, while not fatal, were enough to make him collapse to the ground.

Both of them remained speechless as they looked into Arthur’s darkened eyes. His expression remained merciless.

“Lead the way,” Arthur whispered, slowly turning his head towards Max.

Max nodded and opened the doors which revealed a spiral staircase leading down.

I wanted to forget my past and focus on myself, the current Arthur. However, no matter how much I try to do so, the reality is that I am Andras as well. To deny my past experiences would be to deny my existence. Yet unfairly, I was reincarnated in a world where that existence cannot be easily accepted.

Arthur sighed as the three descended.

I’m not avoiding accepting your feelings because I don’t like you, or because I’m blind to your affection. . . If anything, I question if what I feel for you is more than simple affection and attraction, dare I say a form of love that I’ve yet to understand. Irene, I hold you dearly in my heart. Yet I could never tell you these words. I’m afraid that if I do, and we do fall in love. . . You’d grow to hate and fear me if you learned the truth.

They say that our actions are what defines us, not just our past. However, if I were to not tell you the truth, then that would make it all a massive lie. The love you’d feel for me would be based on a person I’ve made you believe I am, and not who I truly was. The man you’d grow to love would be nothing but a liar. I cannot accept that, nor can I tell you the truth. . .

Loud music surrounded them. This was the first time Arthur stepped foot into a club, as he stood in the middle of the dance floor. To their flank was the bar behind which were countless drinks that Arthur didn’t know the name of.

The design was simple. Vast open space in the center, with multiple tables and seats spread out along the walls, giving enough room for a large crowd to gather and dance their heart out. The smell, lights, and music vividly painted a picture of what a night out looked like.

“How’d you get in here?” a familiar voice stole Arthur’s attention.

While their interaction was brief, Tae’s annoying voice was memorable.

Arthur was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even realize that the three now stood in front of a dozen or so students, along with a few younger adults in their early twenties. They weren’t all men either, as a few girls sat next to them.

The table was swarmed with alcohol and drugs, as Arthur watched one of them snort a line. The man’s entire body shivered as he opened his mouth wide and raised his hands in the air joyfully.

“Tae. . .” Max mumbled.

“Doesn’t matter I guess,” Tae acted cockily. “Hyung, these are the bastards I’ve told you about.”

Getting up from his seat, surrounded by two Korean beauties, Tae’s older brother approached the three. It was clear that Tae was trying to imitate both his style and attitude.

“Why are three little piglets crashing my-” Tae’s brother started his speech but was interrupted by Arthur who got up in his face.

Their height was identical including their fitness which Arthur had been working on diligently.

“Do you have a death wish?” he asked looking into Arthur’s grey eyes.

Due to the sheer difference in numbers, the three were surrounded. It wasn’t exactly an ideal situation, but Tjay was on the crazy side when it came to fighting, and Max felt somewhat reassured knowing he was with the two of them.

“Tae, fight me one on one like a man!” Max yelled out forming fists.

“You three are insane,” Tae said snapping his fingers.

Simultaneously everyone got up, getting slowly ready for a fight.

“Coward. . .” Tjay gritted his teeth. “I’ll bash your head in for what you did to our friend.”

Arthur and Tae’s brother kept staring into each other’s eyes menacingly.

“I want you to pummel your little brother right in front of me,” Arthur whispered, tilting his head slightly. “Otherwise I might accidentally kill him myself.”

“Do you know who the fuck I am?” Tae’s brother gritted his teeth frustrated. “You must have more than one loose screw in your head.”

“So is that a no?”

Before he even had a chance to respond, Arthur threw a right hook to his stomach and an uppercut with an open hand to the jaw. He refrained from using Qi, as the force of those strikes alone was enough to drop him to the ground.

“Bastard!” Tae yelled out as he rushed forward starting what would end up being a prolonged brawl.

While his brother was still in the fight, Arthur took his time lashing out with open hand strikes at everyone that approached him. Tjay on the other hand went ham as he fought multiple guys at the same time. Unlike Arthur though, he wasn’t a martial artist who could avoid getting hit so easily.

Max was the least battle-tested person out of the three, but he too knew how to stand his ground, exchanging hands with Tae on equal footing.

The fight was a complete mess. Tables being broken, bottles thrown, blood staining the dance floor, and violent roars echoed as all of it was being live-streamed by one of the girls who were at first laughing, believing her friends were winning. But it soon became painfully obvious that that wasn’t the case.

Arthur finally unleashed his wrath. However, instead of delivering fatal blows or those that would maim, he decided to leave an unseen mark that would last for a few days. While each of his countless strikes felt somewhat painless, they were slowly draining away at everyone’s stamina. Empowered by Qi, Arthur utilized a vicious technique that would send vibrations through their bodies. While not fatal, they were intended to cause great discomfort and pain until they finally subsided in a few days. Common symptoms were fever, vomiting, occasional nose bleeds, and massive headaches.

With the fight coming to an end, the live stream was brought to an early end.

With the doctor leaving Don’s place, the girls were left anxiously awaiting their return while sitting around in the living room. Don was given strong painkillers which made him fall asleep rather quickly. The story they went with when informing Don’s father was that he fell down the stairs, luckily not breaking any major bones apart from smashing his nose.

While he was skeptical at first, Ari sold it by saying it was her fault since she was the one who slipped. Don was portrayed as a hero who grabbed her last second, saving her from falling at his own expense. Her tears which were filled with real guilt sold the story. His father even tried to console her, saying that Don should be proud of himself for helping her.

What the boys didn’t know, but the girls learned was that Don’s father was a highly traditional military man coming from a long line of successors. The fact that his son, Dang Dong-Sun, wasn’t going to follow in his footsteps haunted him. Don tried his best to prove himself, but his father’s disapproval left him lacking any confidence. To prove himself a man who can take responsibility for himself, he was allowed to move to Seoul to live on his own.

“What a mess. . .” Irene whispered as she looked at Sophie and Ari who were sitting next to each other, both looking dreadful.

“Do you think they’ll be alright?” Ari asked while looking at the ground.

“Of course they will. . . Don’t underestimate Oppa,” Sophie reassured her as she glanced out the window, looking at the full moon.

“Yeah. . . You’re right,” Irene said, heading for the kitchen. Alone, she poured herself a glass and splashed a bit of water on her face before letting out a sigh. “Please stay safe. . . ” she whispered to herself thinking about all three of them.

Almost half an hour passed. No phone call, no messages, no nothing. . .

“They’re okay,” Sophie said confidently, maintaining her composure and keeping faithful to her belief in Arthur that he’d keep his word.

Their hearts skipped a beat as the doorbell rang repeatedly.

Irene took the initiative and rushed to the door. Peeking through the spyhole, she smiled.

“It’s them!” Irene’s words brought comfort to the two as they collapsed back on the couch.

Opening up, Irene saw Max holding Tjay who had received the worst beating out of the three.

“Looks like it wasn’t that easy. . .” Irene sighed giving them a soft smile as she helped them in.

Max’s uniform was a bit torn and wet while having multiple smaller cuts from shattered glass and scratches during grappling. Tjay was for the most part only bruised, but what did him in was being hit by a bar stool from behind. Meanwhile, Arthur appeared as if he had someone spill a drink on him, with no visible injuries.

The truth was that the opponents they faced weren’t skilled enough to land a hit on him, regardless of their numbers.

“Oppa!” Sophie rushed into a hug.

“Don’t, I’m wet. . .” Arthur said but it was too late.

Ari rushed to the bathroom to get something to clean up Max’s wounds.

“How’s Don?” Tjay asked, making Max avert his gaze.

“He’s doing alright. . .” Sophie said while looking over Arthur for any injuries.

“At least we got them. . .” Max mumbled.

“How far did you go?” Irene gripped Arthur’s shirt from behind, averting her gaze.

She wasn’t too happy that the guys had to fight, but as long as it was to protect their own, she understood. Irene withheld making any unnecessary comments.

“They’ll survive. . .” Arthur whispered, thinking back to their conditions. “Don’t worry, we didn’t do anything we’d regret later in life. . .”

“I know. . .” she said leaning her forehead against his back. “I’m just worried about you. . .”

With Ari returning, Sophie joined her to help out.

“Ouch!” Max cried out in pain as Ari and Sophie cleaned up his wounds.

His cries were the first thing that made everyone chuckle.

Arthur recalled what the final moments of the fight looked like.

The girls ran away, afraid that they might be next after all the guys were beaten. Tae was the last one standing as Max kept on hitting him repeatedly, letting out his frustration that Don was beaten because of his words. Still, he held back just enough to not cause serious damage. Tjay on the other hand handled more than a few on his own, with some of his punches making guys drop instantly.

Looking at Irene, Arthur found it difficult to speak up.

“Art. . .” she whispered, saddened knowing he was troubled. Before he could do anything, she embraced him with a tight hug. “It’s okay. . .”

That’s right. . . I don’t want to lose you. . .

Chapter End.

Thank you for reading.