Episode

Taehyung's POV:

Bang! Bang!

The sound of gunfire caught my attention as I smoked in the alley of the bar where I worked. I threw a large garbage bag into the trash can as I noticed a few feet away, five or six men lunging at someone who was lying helpless on the ground. They were pûnching and kicking, hitting him relentlessly.

I tightened my grip on my backpack as I walked away, took a drag on my cigarette, and exhaled the smoke as if I hadn't seen anything. I was used to seeing this kind of scene, in that dark alley, where only the staff and delivery men were allowed to pass.

"You're a tough piece of sh!t!" The words came from the lips of one of the attackers. I pretended nothing was happening as I concentrated on locking the back door. My part-time job as a bartender had just ended and I was planning on going home right away.

At times like that, customers had started to leave, some waiting for taxis, others randomly choosing a girl to take home.

And some, instead, were engaged in a fight just like the one behind me.

I am not a bad person, but I don't want to interfere in anyone's business. I don't want to be dragged into someone else's mess. You can insult me, say and do whatever you want for not helping, but I don't care.

For all I know, that man who is being beaten might have done something bad, that's why they are beating him.

"Let me go!"

I looked back at the poor boy who was slumped in the mud, he stood up and tried to fight his way through. I threw the cigarette but on the ground and stepped on it as I stretched lazily, preparing to walk away quietly and go home. I was starting to climb down when someone grabbed me by the shirt.

"Help..."

His voice was hoarse and my attention was drawn to the university logo on the back of his uniform. As I turned to look at the face of the man who was holding my arm, I noticed that his nose and mouth were blëëding. I was shocked when I looked closely at his bruised face. Even though he was bruised and covered in bløød, he looked so divinely beautiful, cute too and seemed younger than I thought.

"Hey! Come here!" One of the id!ots came toward us and pulled the boy's collar. I looked at the bunny boy crying for help and could see his desperation. I felt someone pulling him away, so I dragged him toward me.

"Chill, bro." I said in a calm voice.

I looked at his face, he had a big mustache and was definitely much older than me. Why did they bûlly kid? Looking at the boy I was holding by the arm, we were the same age, judging by the expensive clothes, he must have been a rich boy. Then I suddenly thought of something brilliant. I snatched it from the man's grip and placed it behind me. I looked at the group of b@st@rds in front of me and noticed that they were all looking at me with anger in their eyes.

"If you don't want to get hurt, don't interfere in our business and give that boy back to me." The gangs one said

I hesitated a bit before answering.

"What if I don't?"

"I told you to let him go!" He screamed.

I was silent for a moment, thinking that it was none of my business and that my brother was waiting for me at home. My subconscious began to hesitate as the broken face of the boy behind me flashed in my mind. It was true that I was selfish most of the time, I didn't usually help damsels in distress just to avoid confrontations like this. However, I usually didn't get anything out of helping others.

"If you help me... I'll pay you a large sum of money." The boy whispered in my ear. Did he really think he could make his way through money? How could he be so bold as to lure me with money.

"How much?"

Yes... he was right, money could buy me especially at a time like that, when I needed it most.

"Is fifty thousand enough?"

With that, I put down my backpack, clenched my fists and cracked my knuckles, then stretched my neck and back muscles.

That amount was enough for my brother's tuition, of course I would help him.

"Deal. If you go back on your word, I'll k*ll you."

I said before I saw one of the gangs pick up a stick to try to hit me in the head, but my reflexes were better than all of them put together. I kicked the man in the jaw and knocked him out. One down.

Another charged forward, but my feet were quicker as I delivered a flying kick aimed at his stomach. The others followed suit, but none of them could get a hand on the boy.

Being a martial arts champion since high school, I had knocked down many opponents. I used all my knowledge and skills to protect that person behind me.

Now, I was the target, some of them took turns punching me, some of them hit me right in the face and I couldn't help but smile as I felt the metallic taste of bløød on my lips.

It won't be enough to bring me down, you sons of b*tches!

I managed to fight back and the punches and kicks started raining down, one after the other. When finally all the gangs fell to the ground grunting, I grabbed my backpack and grabbed the bløødy boy who was sitting by the garbage can clutching his stomach. I dragged him by the hand and ran towards my motorbike. I looked back and saw those men chasing us.

"Where are we going?" he asked, still holding his abdomen.

"I don't know." I replied, taking his hands to wrap around my waist as I reluctantly watched the id!ots run toward us. I made sure he held on tight, I couldn't afford to let him fall before he could even pay for my services.

I started the engine and sped off. Looking in the rearview mirror I noticed that some of them were still chasing us but when I turned onto the strange main road, I managed to lose them. I accelerated without looking back, they could get in the car and follow us if I didn't go far enough.

"Thank you." I heard the voice behind my ear that sent shivers down my spine. I could feel his head heavy on my shoulder, he must have been badly hurt.

"Don't thank me yet." I said, looking back through the side mirror. I sighed in relief once I was sure no one was chasing us yet.

"They won't follow us anymore. Thanks again," said the tall figure behind my back, his head and body completely resting against me.

I was afraid he might faint, so I took his hands with my left, to make sure his grip was firm, fearing he might fall.

"Hold me tight or I might die." His voice suddenly became clearer and deeper. The raspy tone was gone. I could feel his fingers tightening on the hem of my shirt.

"Thank you," he said again.

"Fifty thousand." I replied, looking at his face through the side mirror.

He nodded in pain and sat down better behind me.

"Let's go to my house, then I can give you the money."

I thought about it for a while. What if this guy is a drûg dealer? Or a mafia? I'll be dead before I can even get my hands on the money.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm not tricking you into k!ll!ng you."

As if he had heard my thoughts, the boy spoke and looked straight into the side mirror, then smiled.

"Maybe?"

"Do I look like a cr!m!nal to you?"

"What if you were a relative of some cr!m!mal or some b@st@rd like the ones before?"

"Hahahaha." He laughed with a pained expression.

I'll be damned. I finally told him I would stop at a gas station where he could get a cab home. I made sure the gas station had an ATM so he could withdraw money and reimburse me.

"My phone is lost, including my wallet."

"Yah! Liar, how could you føøl me? I should probably beat you to dëath right here." I said, glaring at the guy who happened to still be sitting in my backseat.

"You can take it, this is worth more than fifty thousand." He smiled as he took off his watch.

"How do I know it's not fake?"

"Then give it back to me.

I checked the watch, even though it was dirty, I could see that it was well made and could sell for a hundred thousand.

"Okay, you can come down now, but if you tricked me, I'll come after you and bëat you to a pulp."

"Wait a minute, can I borrow your phone? Let me call my dad."

Ok, now you can call me completely paranoid, but what would have happened if he had stolen my phone?

But judging by his hunched figure and labored breathing, I wondered if he had ever even managed to get away from me.

"Such a nuisance," I said before handing him the phone.

He pressed a few numbers and there was an answer on the other end of the line. He had indeed called his father.

He asked someone to pick him up from where we were.

I looked at him softly as he made that call, there was a strong urge inside me to take him to the nearest hospital. I couldn't let him breathe like a dy!ng cow like that. The bløød gushing from his head seems incessant.

What if I told him I would take him to the hospital and in the meantime I added another 30 thousand? Will he accept?

"Thanks again even if you are grëëdy for money."

I pretended not to care what he said because a person has to do what he needs to do to survive.

"We're in the same school, what's your name?"

"How do you know?"

"Your shirt."

I realized I was wearing my school uniform, my best work clothes, which was now blood red.

"What is your name?"

He was breathing so hard it was hard for him to speak. I just wanted to tell him to save his breathing and strength until his escort arrived.

"Why? Are you waiting for them to come and bëat me up?" I raised my eyebrows.

"No, can you just tell me your name?" He kept asking.

"Why? So you can write it on the wall and glorify me?"

"If you don't want to tell me, I'll take back the watch. Then you have to come with me to my house to get the money."

"Beak, my name is Beak." A lie

He stared at me for a long time before turning and walking away from me, half-wobbly. I wondered who he was and what he was doing with those gangs, but in the end I just shrugged. It was none of my business anymore.

Once I put my helmet on, I went back home.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***