Go Woo-chan

At the school gate, Hwang Jae-jung and Kim Jun-woo crossed paths. Amid the hustle and bustle of students who had just finished their classes, their encounter felt like a long-awaited moment, one that had been anticipated for quite some time.

Ryu Ji-ho, with a bright smile lighting up his face, immediately greeted Kim Jun-woo. His expression radiated an uncontainable joy as he extended his hand warmly.

"It's been so long, hasn't it? How long has it been since we last met?" he asked, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.

"Yes, it has," Kim Jun-woo responded, a bit taken aback, while accepting the offered hand. Their hands clasped, and Ji-ho shook Jun-woo's hand with a sincere, heartfelt energy.

Kim Jun-woo, dressed head to toe in designer clothes, exuded an air of authority. With his background as the only son of a wealthy family that ran several large businesses in Incheon, Jun-woo was not only known as a member of the photography club but also as the proud owner of three expensive cameras. His three older sisters doted on him endlessly, making him a figure of respect at school.

"Don't you want to give Jun-woo a hug?" Ryu Ji-ho teased Hwang Jae-jung, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"You're crazy, what nonsense is that?" Hwang Jae-jung retorted curtly, his voice laced with disbelief. He could only stare at Ryu Ji-ho with a puzzled expression, completely at a loss for words. In the midst of it all, he felt like the only one who didn't understand the joke.

"Jun-woo, let's get going!" Ryu Ji-ho said casually, draping an arm over Jun-woo's shoulder, leading them away from the scene. Hwang Jae-jung watched their retreating backs with a suspicious look, his mind swirling with a strange, unexplainable feeling.

"Aren't you coming?" Go Woo-chan asked, having just passed by Hwang Jae-jung, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Don't you feel like something's off?" Hwang Jae-jung asked, his tone tinged with suspicion.

"Off? What do you mean?" Go Woo-chan responded, clearly confused by his friend's question.

"Ji-ho, don't you think he's acting weird today?"

"No, I didn't notice anything," Go Woo-chan replied simply.

"Am I the only one who feels something's weird?" Hwang Jae-jung muttered to himself, scratching his head as he finally decided to follow his friends from a distance.

The downhill path leading to Dongincheon was crowded with Shinpogo High School students who had just been released. Ryu Ji-ho and his friends blended into the throng, walking down the hill with a relaxed pace, savoring the rare moments of being together.

'After all this time, we're finally together again,' Ryu Ji-ho thought, feeling a warm sense of contentment. Even though they didn't always have a clear reason to meet, just being in each other's presence was enough. Friends who you can meet without needing a reason—this, he mused, was the true meaning of friendship.

As they walked, Ryu Ji-ho observed each of his friends, feeling a deep sense of gratitude for the bond they shared.

In the crowd of students, various characters stood out. Some were prominent, others more inconspicuous. Some appeared kind-hearted, while others had a tougher exterior. There were diligent students, and there were those who slacked off. Among them were the children of wealthy families, and those from more modest backgrounds. Each person carried their own story.

Ryu Ji-ho paused in his thoughts, reflecting on his life's journey and that of his friends.

'What more could be lost? You don't have to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth to have a beautiful life. There are still plenty of opportunities to achieve success. It all depends on our efforts. With hard work, we can live a remarkable life without feeling envious of anyone,' he thought, a small smile playing on his lips. Ryu Ji-ho knew that with his friends by his side, anything was possible.

Ryu Ji-ho couldn't help but smile as he pondered just how drastically someone could change.

"Tsk, you! Do I look funny to you, you jerk?"

A student with the look of a delinquent, approaching from the opposite direction, suddenly hurled an insult at Ryu Ji-ho.

Ryu Ji-ho let out a long sigh, feeling his moment of happiness abruptly shattered. He shook his head, weariness washing over him.

"What? Damn it, do you think you're that funny?"

The delinquent glared at Ryu Ji-ho with a face full of anger. His name was Park Gwang-ryul, one of the top five fighters in the second year at Shinpo High, notorious for being the most unruly student in the school.

Trailing behind Park Gwang-ryul were five of his loyal followers, walking with an arrogant swagger, as if they were his shadow. The first thing Park Gwang-ryul had done upon entering Shinpo High was to assemble a crew. Some he had subdued with sheer brute force, others he controlled with money. Through these means, he steadily expanded his loyal following.

Now, no other group at Shinpo High could rival the sheer number of his followers. But in the end, they were nothing more than an ordinary gang of school delinquents.

"Come with me. If you try to run, you'll regret it."

Park Gwang-ryul's threat hung in the air, and his followers began to circle around Ryu Ji-ho and his friends.

"Let's head to that alley."

Park Gwang-ryul and his gang herded them into an alley. The other students who witnessed the scene pretended not to see anything and continued on their way, as if this were an everyday occurrence.

The alley was tucked away, hidden from plain sight. What would happen next was all too predictable—they were about to be shaken down.

From the pockets of Kim Jun-woo and Hwang Jae-jung, Park Gwang-ryul's cronies pulled out five thousand won. Ryu Ji-ho could only turn out his empty pockets, proving that he truly had nothing to give.