Will You Teach Me?

Ji-Hoon pressed his foot harder into Jae-Hyun's back, his voice a dangerous hiss. "You ruined my beautiful gift, Jae-Hyun. Now I can't give it to you, so I had to come up with something else."

The other two guys, standing as lookouts, wore malicious grins. Ji-Hoon delivered a series of brutal kicks to Jae-Hyun's ribs, each blow more punishing than the last. Jae-Hyun's thoughts spiraled into self-doubt. Am I really this weak? Am I not going to stand up for myself, even after living a life of being bullied?

He resolved to be different this time around, to change his fate. It starts here, he thought. Standing up for myself.

Just as Ji-Hoon prepared to throw another kick, Jae-Hyun mustered the strength to grab his leg, causing Ji-Hoon to lose balance and almost fall. Seizing the moment, Jae-Hyun scrambled to his feet, his body trembling with pain and adrenaline.

Ji-Hoon laughed maniacally, the sound echoing in the empty street. "The little ant finally decided to do something." He stepped closer, his face inches from Jae-Hyun's. "I dare you. I'll give you one shot at my face."

Ji-Hoon's evil smile twisted his features, practically inviting the punch. This guy is crazy, Jae-Hyun thought, but he was at his breaking point. He was tired of being a loser, tired of not fighting back. He balled up his fist, feeling the adrenaline surge through him.

Summoning all his courage, Jae-Hyun threw a punch. He had never hit anyone in his life, but the anger and frustration guided his fist. As it sailed toward Ji-Hoon's face, Ji-Hoon's smile never wavered. At the last second, Ji-Hoon leaned back, dodging the punch effortlessly.

Ji-Hoon's counterattack was swift and devastating. His fist drove into Jae-Hyun's stomach like a sledgehammer, the force of the blow knocking the wind out of him. Jae-Hyun doubled over in agony, but Ji-Hoon wasn't done. He grabbed Jae-Hyun by the hair, yanking him upright, then delivered a savage punch to his face.

The impact sent Jae-Hyun reeling, his vision blurred with pain. Ji-Hoon's next kick landed on his leg, buckling it and sending him crashing to the ground. Each hit was more brutal than the last, leaving Jae-Hyun's body battered and broken.

As Jae-Hyun lay there, struggling to stay conscious, he heard Ji-Hoon's voice above him, dripping with contempt. "Remember this, Jae-Hyun. You're nothing. And you'll always be nothing."

But even as he slipped into unconsciousness, a flicker of resolve burned in Jae-Hyun's mind. This isn't over, he thought. I will change.

Ji-Hoon stood over Jae-Hyun's battered body, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "Now I'm going to be tired before workouts because of you," he sneered, raising his fist for the finishing blow.

Before he could strike, Jae-Hyun grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and threw it at Ji-Hoon's face. The dirt hit Ji-Hoon's eyes, causing him to stumble back, blinded and cursing. "You little bastard!" Ji-Hoon shouted, struggling to clear his vision. His rage was palpable, his intention to inflict more pain on Jae-Hyun clear.

Seizing the opportunity, Jae-Hyun mustered all the strength he had left and stood up. He rushed at Ji-Hoon, tackling him to the ground. Memories of watching UAC fighters in his past life flooded his mind. He mounted Ji-Hoon, pinning him down, and began raining punches on his face.

Jae-Hyun's heart pounded with adrenaline, each punch more exhilarating than the last. I can do this, he told himself, feeling a rush of empowerment he'd never experienced before.

But in his moment of triumph, he forgot about Ji-Hoon's friends. One of them grabbed him from behind, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. In a swift, brutal motion, Jae-Hyun was slammed into the concrete. The impact drove the air from his lungs, and he spat blood, agony radiating through his body.

Am I going to die? Jae-Hyun thought, panic seizing him. Did my courage really put me in this position? Should I have just let them beat me up? A whirlwind of questions raced through his mind. It was only his first day back in the past, and he was already in a life-threatening situation.

His vision blurred, but he could see Ji-Hoon getting up, his face twisted with rage. Ji-Hoon moved towards him with murderous intent. Jae-Hyun tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond. He felt himself slipping away.

Just before everything went black, a shadowy figure appeared in the distance, walking towards them. Jae-Hyun couldn't make out who it was, and it didn't matter. His consciousness faded, and he succumbed to the darkness.

Slowly, Jae-Hyun's eyes began to open. His body ached all over, and he felt disoriented. The room he found himself in looked like an office, but it certainly wasn't a hospital. Through the window, he could see people sparring on one side and others practicing punches and kicks on sandbags.

"Where am I?" he muttered, confusion seeping into his voice.

A voice from the shadows answered, "I see you finally woke up."

Jae-Hyun squinted as the figure stepped into the light. Recognition hit him like a lightning bolt, sending a shiver down his spine. The man was roughly six foot two, with long, dreaded hair, a scar running down one eye, and dark skin. It was Keem, the foreign exchange student from Canada. Rumors at school painted Keem as a gang member who had been sent here due to his violent past.

Swallowing dryly, Jae-Hyun's heart raced. He half-expected Keem to demand payment for saving him. As Keem got closer, though, a bright smile spread across his face.

"I'm glad you're okay," Keem said warmly. "I saw those guys giving you a beating. I'm not usually one to help others, but I saw you were at least defending yourself, so I decided to step in."

Jae-Hyun blinked in surprise. "Did you beat all three of them up?" he asked.

Keem chuckled. "No. After I punched one of them, they saw me and took off running. I brought you here to my parents' gym and patched up your wounds, but you'll probably still be sore for about a week."

Jae-Hyun looked around the room again, taking in his surroundings. The gym seemed to be a well-equipped training facility. "Thank you," he said, still in shock. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up."

Keem waved a hand dismissively. "Don't mention it. Just focus on healing up. If you need anything while you're recovering, let me know."

Jae-Hyun nodded, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and disbelief. "Why did you help me?" he asked, unable to suppress his curiosity.

Keem's expression turned serious. "I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of a beating. I've been there. It's not easy standing up for yourself, especially when the odds are against you. I saw something in you, a determination. You just need to learn how to channel it properly."

Jae-Hyun felt a spark of hope ignite within him. "Will you teach me?"

Keem smiled again. "Maybe. Let's see how you recover first. Rest up, and we'll talk more later."

As Keem walked away, Jae-Hyun leaned back on the couch, his body still aching but his spirit slightly lifted.

Jae-Hyun wasn't in a rush to go home, so he decided to just rest here longer. He reflected on the events that had just transpired. "I guess you can't just judge someone without knowing the truth first," he said to himself.

He had never met Keem in his previous life. I guess when I do different things, the old timeline changes, he thought.

The idea of changing his fate both excited and terrified him. Meeting Keem, someone he had never crossed paths with before, was proof that his actions could ripple out and create new possibilities. He couldn't help but wonder what other changes might come from his new choices.

Jae-Hyun, he mused, you have a chance to rewrite your story. Don't waste it but I wonder if this will affect anything with Hae-Won.