Next installment...

He shoved hard at the heavy doors, stepping into the bright sunlight that scorched his skin at the same time it muted the colors around him. Other students streamed past, filling the steps of the school, flowing around his slow gait. The day had dragged just like it always did. The classroom seemed to pull an hour into three and the breaks caused a tightness in his chest even as he sat still and alone in the classroom.

It had been bad enough trying to drag himself through the long school day, but he also kept running into Sae-Hee. Sae-Hee had been a girl who lived in his neighborhood when he was a child. His mother and her mother had been good friends, so Shi-Woon had been left in her slightly older care for most of his elementary school life. She had been like a caring older sister, but as she had entered high school a rift formed between them. Now, Shi-Woon was trying to stop her from noticing his pathetic lifestyle. He rarely saw her around school, and when he did, he kept it brief.

But today it felt like he was running into her every time he stepped outside his classroom. Worse yet, there was this look of worry on her face that made Shi-Woon nervous. It seemed like she was going to try to talk to him more.

He couldn't allow that. Chang-Ho was unpredictable and if the boy saw Sae-Hee talking to Shi-Woon, Shi-Woon didn't know what would happen. Shi-Woon just hoped that she would stay out of trouble and away from him.

Another weird encounter of the day was that the man that he had met behind the school was actually a new substitute teacher. Mr. Chun-Woo Han was taking over his English class for Ms. Kim, since she was on pregnancy leave. At first, Shi-Woon had been intimidated by the sheer presence that seemed to fill the room by their new teacher. But then just as soon as the gravity of his appearance covered the room, it had blown away like a puff of smoke, leaving behind a man who didn't care about seeming authoritative, keeping control of the class, or even teaching. Shi-Woon's classmates had easily pegged the man for being an easy teacher, and had joked and talked while the man stood at the front of the room doing his best to sound like the most boring teacher around as he literally droned through a text that had been assigned to the class.

Though Shi-Woon thought that he should be relaxed, now that he realized that this stranger was just a new teacher, something about him caused Shi-Woon to feel uneasy.

Shi-Woon trudged out the gate, seeing a few boys in his school uniform leaning in the shade. He didn't dare turn his head, in case they were who he thought they were, but just the glimpse, the idea of who they could be was enough to make him want to run. Shi-Woon wanted to run from the place, get to a safe location, get to his home and lock the dangerous outside away.

But he was too tired to do that. He was too tired to put in so much energy, even if it could have saved his life.

Shi-Woon continued to plod along the emptying sidewalk, his backpack seemed to weigh him down. The sun seemed to add to the weight, the heat settling into his shirt, pooling into the leather of his shoes, and the pull of his slacks. It was an oppressive, cloying heat.

Shi-Woon hated it.

He hated how it caused his chest to be sticky. He hated how his backpack pulled at his shoulders. He hated how his feet burned with each small step he took. He hated how uncomfortable he was, like he would never feel right in his own skin again. The feeling grew and festered in his chest, as he trudged his way past dirty convenience stores and vapid shopping malls. As he scowled past parks filled with screaming children, and over congested crosswalks where no one could find their own personal space.

It grew and was suppressed, in equal measure until he thought he was going to pop. Until he saw the door his small apartment complex. Then the feeling evaporated from his chest as a cold yearning shoved its way into the vacant spot.

She should be home still. Today was her day off. They were going to have dinner together. And then…

Shi-Woon's heart fluttered as he opened the door, stepping into the complex and making his way to his home. It increased with each step until it seemed to be hammering as he opened the door. Maybe… maybe this time…

He opened the door and entered into the cool hallway. The light from the kitchen poured in and hope flickered to life.

She stood by the counter leaning against it, her fingers curled around a mug of hot coffee.

She glanced up as he entered the room. Her black hair was pulled back into a loose pony-tail, her glasses perched on her nose. Her teal scrubs glowed ominously in the overhead light.

The hope died in that green glow.

"Oh, you're home. How was school?" She turned, placing her empty mug in the sink.

Shi-Woon shrugged listlessly, standing in the doorway, watching as his mother moved around the small room.

"It looks like I'm being called in again. I think it's going to be another late one." She continued, walking to her room to grab her jacket. Shi-woon followed after her like some puppy. He stood in the doorway of her room, watching her search to and fro for her jacket. "I left you some money for dinner. There should be about 30,000 won on the table. Be careful when you go out tonight. I've heard that there has been an increase in muggings lately,"

"Mom," Shi-Woon broke through her chatter, making her look up from where she was grabbing her coat off the floor. "Mom," He repeated gathering up his courage. "I want to switch schools."

His mother sighed to herself, shaking her head in a bit of disbelief and annoyance.

"Shi-Woon, I don't have time for this…" She walked past him and out of the room. Shi-Woon followed behind as she entered the kitchen and moved towards the hallway and the door. "Look, we'll talk about this later,"

Shi-Woon watched as she walked out the door, leaving him in the freezing kitchen, alone.

'Later.' That's what she had said yesterday. And the week before that.

Shi-Woon picked up the money left on the table, carefully inserting it into his wallet. With this and his money for lunch tomorrow, he should be able to get the 60,000 won.

He sat down at the kitchen table, pulling out his homework. The nice thing about not having any friends was that at least he never got behind on any of his homework.

Shi-Woon stared at the rows of ramen that covered the shelves at his local convenience store. It was rather comforting that the flavors never changed, that he could always have the same meal when he was feeling so tired. And ramen tended to be cheap. So cheap that he could get 4 meals out of 10,000 won. It might even last him 'til the weekend.

Shi-Woon grabbed a miso ramen, having a craving for something salty. He glanced longingly at a couple of Chupa Chups but reminded himself that he didn't have the money for even a small luxury.

The high schooler paid and took his meal outside, sloughing along and passed a small alleyway.

Hearing a clang from his left, he glanced down the narrow area, seeing with interest that Mr. Chun-Woo was standing by the wall of the alleyway. Surrounded by several large and dangerous looking men.

Shi-Woon backed up on instinct, feeling the threat of violence that pumped off of the group of adults. Hiding himself around a corner, he glanced around cautiously, trying to see if anyone had noticed his passing. But the men seemed pretty focused on Shi-Woon's new teacher, and Chun-Woo seeded pretty focused on the three men who looked like they were ready to seriously injure him.

"We'll tell you one more time! You either pay up or pay with blood! You owe the club 75000 won, and we are not going away empty handed!" A tall but thin man barked at Chun-Woo as he stood before a bear of a man who seemed to be the local "enforcer". There was a third scrawnier man, but the scar that crossed his neck showed that he was far from a pushover.

Chun-Woo leaned back against the wall, as if he was standing next to a bar, waiting for a date. The smirk that curled his lips didn't help with his air of impudence.

"Come on, guys!" Chun-Woo spread his hands as if he were a magician setting up a trick. "They kept giving me drinks. How was I supposed to know that they needed to be paid for?" Chun-Wo shot them a disarming grin. "I just thought they liked me!"

The man with the giant shoulders muscled forward, glaring down at the younger man. "It's a host club. Everyone knows that you pay for your drinks."

"Pay the man, asshole or we'll make it so that you never go into a host club again," the short man snarled his glower pulled his scar taut against his face.

"I don't have any money," Shun-Woo shrugged, but a calculated look flicked into his eyes. "And even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you losers."

Shi-Woon gaped at the scene. Should he do something? This was about to become a crime, right? Maybe he should…

Shi-Woon grabbed his phone from his pocket, fumbling to get the screen unlocked.

"That's it!" The taller man barked, crossing his arms to watch the show. "Jun, give this idiot some incentive."

Shi-Woon clicked on his phone app, trying to force his fumbling fingers to dial the police emergency number.

"Oi, Oi." Chun-Woo rubbed the back of his head as the large man ambled forward. " You don't want to get into this." He warned, casually.

Jun swung his arm. Shi-Woon grimaced at the strength behind the attack and shut his eyes tightly. He knew how much a punch like that hurt, and he didn't want to see what it would do to his new teacher.

There was a low grunt and then a sharp yell. Shi-Woon opened an eye to see the damage.

Jun was holding his head, staggered against the opposite wall. The other two men had stepped back in shock, both of their eyes locked on Chun-Woo. Chun-Woo stood still relaxed, his hands tucked into his back pockets.

" I told you. You don't want to get-"

The scrawny man lunged forward cutting Chun-Woo off with a wild swing.

Chun-Woo dipped and twisted, like a serpent, his head ducking under the arm, and his leg pulling up to nail the smaller man in the stomach. Chun-Woo stepped away, hands still in his pockets, as the scarred man tried not to vomit.

Shi-Woon heard a harsh beep as his phone started recording.

"You little-!" The bear recovered, reaching out to grab onto the asshole who had just punched him.

He grabbed air.

It was like there was an after image, a mirage of Chun-Woo standing in place before the enforcer. And now there were two people. –There should be more. He was able to do more.- One who was getting mauled by Jun, and another who stood calmly behind the large man.

Shi-Woon felt his hands start to tremble, and his vision started to swim. He watched without breathing, as Chun-Woo slowly took his arms out of his pockets as Jun spun to face him, confusion written on the poor man's face.

-"Don't be so hasty, I didn't say ''start" yet."-

"My turn."

It was 60 seconds of total power. It felt like it was over before Shi-Woon could breathe. It was over before Shi-woon could breathe. He could only stand there in awe and an aching craving, as his new substitute teacher took his world apart.

It ended with Chun-Woo standing still among three motionless bodies, slowly inspecting his jacket. When Chun-Woo turned towards the exit of the alley, Shi-Woon stumbled back and walked away briskly, barely thinking of where he was going.

He walked with purpose, something he had learned the hard way in middle school. He crossed streets and avoided collisisons storming up the stairs to his apartment and entering into its sanctuary.

He couldn't think, see, hear, feel. He just moved. Moved through the kitchen, down the hallway, -down a dark cavern- and into his small bedroom, closing and locking the door behind him.

With his back to the only entrance, Shi-Woon took a breath. He stumbled to the bed, dropping the forgotten bag of ramen to the floor. Falling into a -stiff board of a- bed

He collapsed on his bed and stared at the ceiling, unseeing.

He couldn't think. There were no thoughts in his clouded mind. Only visceral reactions and a humming anticipation.

Shi-Woon pulled his phone up to his face, staring at the single movie that was saved to his file. He slowly sat up, his eyes locked on his screen.

Shi-Woon slowly pressed the video tab, watching with rapt attention as Chun-Woo fought against those three men. His eyes followed the smooth kicks, watched as Chun-Woo used a wall to twist over one of the man's punches to kick another to the ground. –It was called the Lion's barrage.- It brought back this… feeling. Like a dream or déjà vu.—"Don't you want to know what real power is like?"-Like Shi-Woon knew what that power felt like, knew how that flexibility that kick, that strike would stretch his muscles or force his body to flex.—"Oh man! I almost had that!-

Shi-Woon's eyes went out of focus as he tried to chase down where that feeling came from. Where that memory was hidden away.

Black eyes. Or green eyes. Piercing. Or were they pleading. Shifting red. Purple. Incredible pain. Loneliness. A shock of silver. Black crossing red. Stars and moons and yin and yang. A beast. Made out of multiple beasts. And wind. Lightening. …Fire.

It felt like that dream in the desert. Was it a dream? How could he have a dream about something he'd never seen? Something he could never even imagine? And yet. It felt familiar. Like a daily occurrence. Unremarkable. Ordinary.

There was a sudden silence as the video ended. Shi-Woon stared at his phone screen, the screen cap of the video had Chun-Woo frozen in mid-kick, the speed blowing his jacket back from his body, tightening around his shaped torso. His hair was pulled back from his face allowing Shi-Woon to see the bloodthirsty grin that was stretched there. His eyes were obscured but Shi-Woon knew how they would shine. -How they would be filled with superiority and greed. A greed for domination.-

The video played again at a tap of a finger, restarting from the beginning. The light from the phone lit up Shi-Woon's eyes in the dark bedroom.

Shi-Woon stumbled his way into his class, almost arriving late. He had overslept his alarm, but the dark smudges under his eyes showed that he hadn't gotten much sleep, even with the extra hour his body had leeched. He had been up 'til pre-dawn watching the video he had saved on his phone. He had only gone to bed when his phone had shut off as its power was drained. Shi-Woon had plugged it in before laying in complete darkness, thinking about what he had seen until his memories turned into a dream.

The brunette didn't even notice the uncertain glances of his peers as he slid into his seat. The glare of Chang-Ho felt natural, and Shi-Woon could only blink back in a sleep-deprived daze.

He felt weird. Not only did he feel like a weight was slowly crushing his brain, but he felt like everything was so much louder. The colors were brighter, the noises sharper, and he felt more. He felt more energy. More anger at the bus driver who always tried to miss his stop. More happiness at the brush of sun against his skin. More… everything.

The ringing of the starting bell was biting, shocking Shi-Woon into focus.

-"Good morning class. Today we'll be learning…"-

Shi-Woon looked to the front of the room, but there was no one there. He glanced around for the voice. Who had said that? It had sounded so… kind.

The door at the front of the room screeched open as Mr. Wooseong stomped into the classroom. His balding head was covered in sweat like it was most days, and his usually smiling mouth was pulled into a scowl. The class perked up. It was rare that Mr. Wooseong was ever upset about anything.

"Yesterday, I was informed that one of my students was being bullied." The teacher sneered, his eyes locking on Shi-Woon.

Shi-Woon felt his stomach flip at the look. Such anger, -and disgust, what did he ever do to—deserve that?

"Shi-Woon, I don't like when other teachers get involved with my class. If you have a problem speak up and say it like a man."

Shi-Woon curled inwards. Who told him!?

"Come on, just stand up and say who you're having a problem with!" Mr. Wooseong yelled out, irritation in his stance and in his voice.

Shi-Woon grit his teeth. If he said anything Chang-Ho would gut him. Couldn't this idiot understand that?

"If you don't say anything you're just going to remain weak!"

He wasn't weak! He was going through hell!

"It wasn't my fault that you didn't come forward with your problems. How could I know there was an issue unless you said something!"

He was drowning in hell, and apparently it was also his fault for being there!

"You're a loser!"

He wasn't a loser.

-Deadlast!—

Mr. Wooseong moved towards Shi-Woon's seat. "If you don't say anything now you are going to remain the loser that you always were!"

"Whatever old man! Why should I care what you say anyways. You're not better than me!" Shi-Woon snapped back, pointing at Mr. Wooseong with an imposing finger.

He froze, unable to believe what had just came out of his mouth.

He met Mr. Wooseong's flabbergasted look with one of his own.

Wooseong's eyes began to narrow.

Oh look... more foreshadowing...

*Chupa-Chups are a type of lollipop. One of the Breaker covers had Shi-Woon holding a gattling gun and sucking on a lollipop. It's one of my favorite pictures. He really looks good as a 1920s gangster…

BOOM! I've finished it! Someone praise me!

"Good job…"

Why thank you!

"But… you're a day late."

…No I'm not. I said, around Wednesday. That means Tuesdays and Thursdays count… So there.

"…right…"

Either way, thanks for reading. Hope to see you again in two weeks!