Chapter 15: Data War & The Secret Alliance
Morning at Daehan International School
Gevran's footsteps were calm, but his mind was racing. He and a few of his closest friends—Han Jimin, Lino—had started organizing a network called the "Silent Defenders Alliance," an underground movement to record, document, and fight against bullying and injustice at their elite school.
"I've set up a hidden local server in the computer lab," said Lino, handing him a tablet. "And this? A micro camera you can stick onto your uniform button."
"This is wild," muttered Gevran. "We're basically secret agents."
Jimin nodded. "Difference is, we're not saving the world from aliens. We're saving it from humans."
---
Afternoon – Back Bathroom of the Arts Building
"Listen, Min Hyuk," said Gevran sharply, staring at the Student Council President, whose grip on the school was slipping. "I know you bribed the homeroom teacher to stay silent about the students you bullied."
Min Hyuk smirked. "Got proof?"
Gevran opened a folder from his flash drive. "Video. Three minutes. Your voice is crystal clear. And the teacher you bribed… has already been suspended for a week."
Min Hyuk's expression stiffened.
"From now on," Gevran continued, "we play by the rules. Our rules."
---
Evening – Yi Family Residence
Gevran opened the front door and was instantly greeted by chaos.
"HYUNG!!!" shouted Kaeyan, his younger brother who had just come home from middle school.
Behind him was Kasang, his chubby, funny friend who always carried snacks in his bag. "HYUNG, YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!" he yelled, showing Gevran a TikTok of him edited with a baby-face filter that had already gone viral.
"Oh my god… is that my face as a jellybean?" said Gevran in defeat.
Kaeyan burst into uncontrollable laughter. "One million views, Hyung! You're officially a viral oppa!"
Gevran narrowed his eyes. "Wait till I swap your shampoo with chili lotion."
---
Night – Gangnam Avenue Mall
"We need healing time!" shouted Kasang, dragging Gevran into the mall.
Kaeyan grabbed his brother's arm with a mischievous grin. "Relax, we made an itinerary. First, fried chicken. Then bubble tea. Then the arcade. And finally… we buy new clothes for Hyung so he doesn't look like a stressed-out CEO!"
Gevran raised an eyebrow. "Hey! My style is classy."
"Classy from 2005," teased Kaeyan.
At the arcade, they laughed freely while playing the dance machine. In the food court, Gevran lost a game of rock-paper-scissors and had to shout, "I LOVE FRIED CHICKEN!" in public. Embarrassing? Absolutely. But his heart felt light.
---
On the way home
Kaeyan had fallen asleep on Gevran's shoulder in the car. Kasang was still munching on the last churro. Outside the window, the city lights of Seoul sparkled like stars.
Gevran looked at them, a small smile on his lips. In the middle of all the reputation wars and politics, this laughter… was a reminder that the world could still be beautiful.
> "I have a purpose. But I also have a reason to keep going," he thought.
> "And that reason… is sitting right beside me."
---
Late Night – Secret Room in the Daehan Library Basement
Jimin clicked through lines of code on her laptop while Lino monitored the new data stream.
> "Okay," Jimin said, "we've logged twelve cases of suspected bullying in the last two days. Three with video proof, four with text messages, and five… anonymous reports. Looks like the Silent Defenders Alliance is officially working."
Lino adjusted his glasses. "The AI I programmed is starting to detect patterns too. Most cases are concentrated in classes under Council influence."
Gevran crossed his arms. "We're going to expose them. All of them. Not with fists. But with facts."
He turned to a corkboard filled with pinned photos, names, and red thread—classic detective board vibes.
> "Next target… Choi Sun-mi. She's been paying students to keep quiet about an abusive club leader."
---
Midnight – Encrypted Chatroom: "The Hidden Table"
Gevran received an anonymous invitation. The sender called themselves VoxAnon.
> "We've been watching your efforts, Gevran Yi.
You're not the only one fighting from the shadows."
A file dropped into the chat—a list of names, including high-ranking student officials, faculty members, and their dirty secrets.
> "We are the Secret Alliance.
And we've been waiting for someone like you."
Gevran narrowed his eyes. This was either a trap… or the biggest power-up in their fight.
---
The Next Morning – Daehan School Courtyard
Choi Sun-mi stood frozen in the middle of the quad. Students surrounded her, watching as Gevran and Jimin played a new video on a projector screen—clear footage of the abuse happening in her club.
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
> "That's the Literature Club?"
"I knew it… my friend quit last month because of that."
"Gevran really exposed them again."
Choi tried to defend herself.
> "This is all fake! Deepfakes!"
But Lino stepped forward with calm precision.
> "Digital forensics already verified the footage. It's real. And the principal has been notified."
Cheers erupted. Another piece of the corrupt regime had crumbled.
---
Later That Day – Rooftop Garden
Han Jimin tossed her water bottle into the air and caught it. "You realize what you're doing, right? You're building a rebellion. An entire counter-society."
Gevran sat with his legs crossed, eyes scanning the city.
> "We're not rebels," he replied. "We're architects. Building something better."
Jimin smiled, pride in her voice.
> "Then let's build it so good they can never tear it down."
---
Elsewhere – Cain Seo-Jun's Private Tech Lab
Cain stared at a screen showing everything Gevran had done over the last week. His eyes were cold. Calculating.
> "So… Silent Defenders, huh? You think data can save people?"
He turned to his assistant.
> "Activate Mirror Protocol.
Let's see how long he lasts when the truth gets twisted against him."
The screen blinked red.
> [MIRROR PROTOCOL: ACTIVE]
Objective: Frame. Discredit. Control.
---
Night – Yi Residence Garden
Gevran sat on the porch swing with Kaeyan bundled in a hoodie beside him, sleepily holding a mug of hot cocoa.
"Hyung," Kaeyan mumbled, "can I be part of the Silent Defenders too?"
Gevran looked down at his brother's sleepy eyes.
> "You already are. Every time you laugh, every time you stay kind in a cruel world… you're part of it."
Kaeyan smiled faintly, then leaned on him and closed his eyes.
And there, under the moonlight, with the sound of crickets and distant city hums, Gevran whispered to the night:
> "Whatever they throw at me next…
I have something stronger than data.
I have people worth fighting for."
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