There was still a bit of time left and I haven't eaten yet, so I made my way to the cafeteria.
Info guy followed me, looking at me with newfound awe and respect as he finally glimpsed more into just how much of a force I truly was.
"Boss, forgive me for being so doubting of your capabilities. With how easy you solved Ryu, I don't think there's anything we have to watch out for. The only thing is, I don't know if we'll be able to solve Park Heejun by today."
I didn't stop my stride, finally arriving in the cafeteria.
Most of the tables were filled, but there were some empty spots. A lot of people liked simply eating in the classroom instead, so that left more room for me.
"Don't worry about who we can and can't solve. You just keep doing your job, which is telling me what I want to know."
He nodded submissively as I got in line. It was short, with most people already eating at the tables.
"Of course, boss. We'll also have to start rounding up the guys, making sure they're in line. It'll be better to start discipline as soon as possible, to make sure the collection at the end of the month is done without any problems."
Collection? Ah, I see. They extort the weak, and a portion of it is given to the top dogs of each year.
"How much."
Info guy took out his hands, counting with his fingers.
"It depends on how many classes you take over before then, but around three hundred thousand won. The upperclassmen get a cut too, though, so its around a hundred thousand won in reality."
He smirked.
"For us, though, we don't have to worry about that."
I finally got my lunch, a standard bento, and made my way toward one of the empty tables.
I felt eyes watching me, news about my achievements so far already spreading like wildfire. I sat down, info guy taking the seat in front of me.
I only got to eat one bite, however, before a shadow loomed over me out of nowhere.
"You the first year that's been making a ruckus?"
I took a second bite. The food was pretty good. Info guy looked between me and whoever loomed over me with slight apprehension as I continued eating.
I took a third bite.
Then a fourth.
BANG
"ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTION, KID!!"
The stranger's patience finally wore out, his fist slamming on top of the table. I lifted my bento at the last second, saving my food from being thrown out of its container.
I took a fifth bite and finally looked up, getting a good look at whoever thought they could interrupt me eating.
It was a tall, slightly muscular kid with dreads for hair. A third year.
"I'm going to break your face against this table."
The off-brand dread head clenched his fists with anger.
"You first years got no fucking respect for your seniors, huh?! I'd like to see you try, you little fuck."
One of his hands reached for my head and I swatted it away with my free hand, the other still holding onto my bento.
Suddenly, one of my legs lashed out from underneath the table, kicking him right in his kneecap and bending his leg in the wrong direction. He screamed and started falling backwards, the ones in the cafeteria who ignored the noise so far turning in our direction.
I reached my free hand out and grabbed the front of his shirt before he fell, pulling him toward me. His eyes were wet with tears and anger as his leg was still dangling, his mouth letting out pain-filled cries.
I let him go for a split second before catching the back of his head with the same hand, pulling his head back by his dreads and then slamming his face into the edge of the table. His nose poured out blood, breaking on impact, and his eyes began to blur as his mind was slowly losing consciousness.
This time I let him fall, his body crashing on the ground as he laid sprawled on his back, blood strewn everywhere.
I took another bite of my food.
I continued to eat in peace, but it didn't last long. Info guy didn't say anything, simply bracing himself for what was about to happen. He knew what this entailed but he didn't move from his seat, even though his own bento was left untouched.
Good. If he left, he would lose any opportunity he had to be by my side.
When I finally finished my food, we were surrounded on all sides by third years.
They menacingly glared at us, cutting off our retreats. I droned out their threats and taunting remarks as I waited for the important one to arrive. I didn't feel like listening to people who didn't matter. As they made way for a tall, muscular third year smoking a cigarette, I knew that he finally showed up.
He was wearing a tank top that barely fit his muscular frame, gangster tattoos adorning his arms and chest. His hair had a military buzz cut, and he had a mean look on his face similar to a drill sergeant. He inhaled a puff of smoke before he stopped infront of me and blew it into my face.
I didn't flinch.
"So you're the first year that's been acting crazy on the first day. Romeo, right."
He pronounced my name thick with a Korean accent. He must've failed his English classes.
He took another drawl of his cigarette before speaking again.
"I admire your heart. You got what it takes to make it big in Incheon."
His eyes narrowed.
"But you have to do it in moderation."
He stuck the butt of the cigarette into my bento, the ash getting over the little that was left of my food.
"I was gonna congratulate you and get you settled in, but you touched one of my boys. Now, I'm gonna teach you a lesson. I can't have anyone thinking they can disrespect their seniors and get away with it, you see."
I looked at him with an amused look on my face.
"Seniors?"
I got out of my seat unhurriedly before standing face to face with him. He was two heads taller than me.
"Let's go to the rooftop, and I'll show you and your little fan club just how I respect my seniors."
I smirked mockingly.
"Unless you'd rather get your face smashed in, in front of everyone in the cafeteria."
His nose flared with anger before he suppressed it forcefully with a grin that promised pain.
"Let's see how much longer you can keep that arrogance, kid. Follow me."
As he led the way to the rooftop, the rest of the students steered out of the way.
"Is that Lee Hyeon and the foreigner?"
"I heard he crippled a third year in the cafeteria, the third years are going to make an example out of him."
"Yea, the first years have been way too crazy this year. They need to be put in place, or they won't take us seriously."
The tattooed third year kicked open the door to the rooftop and I followed him out of the staircase. It was a windy day, with grey clouds blotting out the sun. Info guy stood behind me, the rest of the third years blocking the door to the stairway and making a circle around us.
I smiled.
People just liked making things easier for me, didn't they.
.
.
.
"Heejun-nim, the third years took the foreigner to the rooftop! I heard he smashed a third year's face in at the cafeteria!"
Park Heejun looked over incredulously at one of his lackeys that rushed into the classroom. His conversation with Daegun was interrupted, but he didn't make a fuss about it — the information was too important.
"What?!"
News had been circling back and forth about the mess that the crazy foreigner's been making since this morning. He was a monster that was out for blood, going class by class and seeking out the top dogs of the first years.
He was prepared to be next after he heard Ryu was sent to the infirmary with a broken rib, but he didn't think the foreigner was crazy enough to even attack the third years.
Still, it wasn't too crazy. It seemed that foreigners had a mind of their own, but Hyeon should be able to teach him a lesson and knock some sense into him. He was the top dog of the school for a reason, with him handling his own even against high schoolers.
He schooled his surprised expression before waving off his exasperated lackey.
"Nevermind, the crazy foreigner'll be snuffed out soon enough by Hyeon-seonbae. If he tries making trouble here afterwards, I'll smash his face in myself until he goes back to whatever country he came crawling out from."
"What if he ends up beating the third years, Heejun."
Heejun turned to his only real friend in the school, Kwon Daegun. He was known as a loser since he used to be bullied, but he's been relentlessly training to get stronger and get to the same level as the one who protected him from being bullied.
Heejun's face frowned in contemplation.
"If he does, then he'll be a bigger threat than I thought."