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1. A Hooligan with a Story <1>
Incheon.
In the middle of Guwol-dong Rodeo Street, a group of men stood in a circle talking in hushed voices.
Each and every one of them seemed to be as big as a bear. They wore mountain hiking and golf apparel, as if they were trying to look like the stereotypical thug.
Amongst these giants, there was one relatively small man in gym clothes. While he looked small compared to the giants, he was by no means actually small.
This group of men naturally stood out, but the street was so crowded that no one really paid much attention to them.
Handing over a picture, a man with side parted hair spoke to the man in gym clothes.
“It’s this guy. Name’s Hyungsoo Kim. He’s chugging alcohol by the window of that bar over there.”
The man in gym clothes stared at the picture.
“How much does he owe?”
“22 million”
“You’re giving me 300,000 won for taking care of a guy who took off with 22 million?”
“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
“I never said I didn’t want to.”
“Can you?”
“Can’t be too hard.”
“You have to get it done now.”
“…at the bar?”
“This bastard bashed Minsoo’s head with a soju bottle and beat him up so much that he got 4 weeks. He has no fear. Screw him up.”
The man in gym clothes chewed on his lips as if he wasn’t pleased.
“What if the cops come?”
“Run.”
“What if I get caught?”
“Why’re you asking? It was all you.”
“……”
“Kid, just finish it in 10 minutes and you’ll be fine. What’s the problem? If you get caught we’re here for you. Just say that you acted alone. Since you’re in high school and it’s your first offense, you’ll get off with a warning.”
Surprisingly, the man in gym clothes was a high schooler. He let out a big sigh and nodded his head.
“Anyways, you’ll give me the money once it’s done, right?”
“How many times do I have to tell you? Do you think I’d really want to pinch off your snot-ridden money?”
“Fine, I’ll go.”
“I believe in you, Changgong.”
Side part patted the student, Changgong Lee, on the shoulder. Changgong put on a mask and hat, and even pulled his hood over his head for good measure.
“Changgong, wait.”
A young-looking guy amid the thugs approached Changgong to wrap his hand in bandages. It was Dongwoo Choi, his senior in high school by three years.
“You’ll break your hands if you’re not careful.”
“……”
“Try not to get hurt.”
“Thank you.”
Changgong said his thanks and headed towards the two-floor bar, Pirates.
“Welcome. For how many?”
A man who looked like the manager greeted Changgong.
“My party’s inside.”
Changgong blurted out an excuse and went inside, scanning the window seats as he walked.
‘Is it that dude?’
Changgong’s eyes quickly landed on a guy who matched the picture. He had his shoulder length hair parted right in the middle as if he was Jesus.
Cocky bastard. That guy ran off with thug money but still had the gall to drink without a care with women in his arms.
I guess it makes sense since it’s the same guy who bashed a thug’s head in with a soju bottle.
Changgong approached Hyungsoo Kim and stood in front of him.
“What the? Who’re you?”
“You Hyungsoo Kim?”
“Yeah, and?”
Slap!
With no warning, Changgong slapped Hyungsoo across his face.
A woman who had been sitting with Hyungsoo let out a shrill scream. Not caring, Changgong held onto Hyungsoo’s face and punched him repeatedly. You have to destroy these types of guys right from the beginning.
“Who the hell is this bastard!”
A guy who had been sitting in the corner seat got onto the table. Changgong kicked the table over as if he had been waiting. The guy lost his balance and banged his chin on the table.
Changgong dragged the guy by his hair and kneed him in the face before dragging him out to the aisle where he kicked him like a madman.
The guy who had been sitting at the corner on the other side went into action. He held a soju bottle by the neck and struck down towards Changgong’s head.
Crash!
Changgong hit away the guy’s hand with a roundhouse kick. The soju bottle broke, shredding up the guy’s hand. While he yelled in pain, Changgong grabbed him by the collar and belt and smashed him head first into the table.
With that, 3 men were knocked out.
It had happened so fast that no one had the chance to stop or interfere with the fight.
One of the women shrieked with all her might.
“Shut up before I make you.”
Changgong raised his hand as if to slap her, and the woman flinched, quickly closing her mouth. Changgong resumed beating on Hyungsoo.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Hyungsoo wound his body up like a bug in rhythm to Changgong’s punches. He let out pathetic whimpers, but Changgong punched him five more times before stopping.
“Why would you be getting hit?”
Changgong asked.
“Because of m-money.”
“That’s right. You’re a month passed the deadline. You think we’re doing this for fun?”
“I’m sorry…… I’ll pay it all back.”
“When?”
Hyungsoo hesitated. Not waiting a second, Changgong gave him a hard slap across the face.
“When, you bitch?”
“I-I’ll pay you by the end of this month.”
“By next week. It’s 22 million.”
“What? The principal was 16! Where will I get that kind of money!”
“We’re including the medical fees for our man you almost did in.”
-Fuck, get out of the way before I break everything down!
At that moment, there seemed to be a struggle by the entrance before five healthy men swarmed in.
“Hey, you!”
“Come here, you fucker!”
The men suddenly came towards Changgong while spitting out curses.
“……What is this? You’re coming to hit me?”
Changgong slowly backed away.
“You’re dead you bastard.”
The woman who had been cowering away in the corner spoke as she glared at Changgong. So you contacted some of your friends, I see. Bitch.
“I’ll take care of you later.”
Changgong ran off to a narrow aisle. Here, he would be able to fight the men one at a time. Two at most.
As expected, the five men charged at Changgong one by one.
The first man threw a punch. Changgong dodged it with a slight movement of his head and struck the man right in the nose.
Whack!
From behind the man who had just fallen over, the second guy came at Changgong with a drop kick. Changgong reached his arm between the man’s two stretched out legs and twisted his balls.
“Argh!”
With one hand still grasping onto the balls, he grabbed the man’s collar with his other hand and threw him backwards.
Smack! One guy kicked Changgong’s back at that instant.
Changgong rolled forward once, grabbed the budaejjigae pan from the table in front of him, and threw the contents into the face of the man rushing towards him. Changgong whacked the yelping man in the head with the pan, then kneed him in the face as he fell to his knees.
With that, only two were left.
Two were nothing to be afraid of. Without waiting, Changgong drove into one the men and slammed his face with his forehead.
The last man kicked at Changgong from behind the man falling with blood spurting out of his nose.  Changgong quickly grabbed onto his leg and split the man’s legs abruptly before kicking the collapsing man in the face like a soccer ball. Teeth like corn flew in the air amongst blood.
That was the end.
Even the music stopped. There was only silence in the bar with easily 100 people.
Half had fainted while half moaned in pain. He had crushed 8 men instantly.
Changgong dusted off his hat that had fallen to the floor and walked towards the woman who had cursed at him before. Then, he harshly took her phone and checked her texts.
-Helpmetheresafighthere
-What are you talking about
-Acrzybastadshittingevyonehesgoingtokillhyungsoo
-Where are you
-Pirateshurry
Changgong chuckled. She must have been in a real hurry to type this gibberish.
“You wrote that I’m a crazy bastard here, huh?”
“P-please don’t hurt me.”
Changgong swiftly raised his hand.
“Ah!”
“……forget it.”
Changgong brought his hand back down. A man can’t go around hitting frightened women now, could he.
“Hey, when will you pay it back by?”
He looked at Hyungsoo Kim as he spoke.
“I’ll get it ready by next week……”
“Okay, it’s by next week, you hear me?”
Changgong gave Hyungsoo a few friendly slaps to the face before walking out the bar and down the stairs.
It was then.
-Crrrrr!
Sounds of walki-talkies and hurried footsteps echoed from the bottom of the stairs.
Cops.
Changgong came face to face with the police who had been rushing up the stairs. Both sides were surprised and froze for a second before Changgong turned around and quickly ran back up the stairs.
“He’s running!”
“Get him!”
“Block the walkways!”
Changgong went back into the bar Pirates.
A hoard of police chased after him.
“Stop!”
The police spread out into the various aisles and closed in on Changgong. In this situation where he would easily be caught, Changgong jumped across the tables and went into the restroom, locking the door behind him.
Bam! Bam!
“Open the door!”
The police roughly slammed at the door.
‘Wow……! Shit. I’m fucked……!’
How’d they come so fast? It had only taken around 10 minutes.
That wasn’t what was important right now.
Changgong leaned into the door with his back and quickly called the thug.
Ring ring ring ……
“Please, please……!”
-Your call has been forwarded to an automated voice messaging system……
“Ignored?”
It hadn’t been 10 seconds since the ringtone and it went over to the voice message. This bitch. He hung up and called again. Ignored again. Called again. Until he answers.
Finally, the thug answered the call.
“Hello? Hey, it’s me, Changgong……”
-Hey you crazy bastard! You can’t call me!”
The thug shouted at Changgong immediately after picking up.
“It’s nothing big actually. I finished up within 10 minutes, but the cops already came. I’m in the restroom with the door locked right now, but I think I’m going to get caught.”
-I’m going to go crazy here. Are you fucking stupid?
“Huh?”
-If you call us we’re going to get pulled in to, you fucker!
Changgong had nothing to say.
And then, he became infuriated.
He was doing all this for them, and instead of worrying for him, they give him this kind of treatment? The hell is this?
“Hey, you’re going a bit far there, don’t you think? You can’t do this. You said you’d have my back.”
-You. What did I say before? I told you to take all the blame if you get caught, didn’t I? I told you that I’d get you out after.
“Those were only words. If I knew I was going to get caught would I work? How are you going to get me out, anyways?”
-You think you’d understand if I told you? Just shut up and do as I tell you.
“I asked how you’re going to fix this.”
-Is something wrong with your head? You’ve gotten so cocky because I was a little nice to you, huh?
The thug’s tone was domineering. It was obvious that he had no plans to help.
“Fuck this shit.”
-……What? What did you just say?
“This is fucking shit! Fuck! It’s the last job so you’re just going to cut me off, is that it?”
-This bitch has gone off the rails.
“You’re the one who tipped the cops, right?”
-What?
“It hadn’t even been 10 minutes before they came en masse. If they weren’t tipped beforehand how would they have come already?”
-Why would I report you?
The thug’s voice wavered awkwardly. It was ridiculous. Did he think I was fucking stupid?
“So you’re going pull one over me like this? You’ll see. I’m not going down alone.”
-Hey, what are you trying to say?
“Take it as you’d like.”
If I get caught, I’d reveal everyone involved. There’s nothing to fear since it’s come to this.
The thug hesitated, as if he was caught off guard. The police banged on the door and threatened Changgong even then.
-What’s wrong, kid? I told you that I’d fix everything, so you should just lay back. Did I ever bully you before? I wired you the money on time……
“I don’t care about that, just tell me how. What am I supposed to do now?”
-Changgong, just calm down……
“I said I don’t care so hurry up and tell me! The cops are going to break in!”
-First, take out the sim card from your phone and destroy it. I’ll pay you for the phone later.
“Then?”
-Run as fast as you can.
“What?”
-Kid, I’m not joking. If we get caught up in all this, how would we help you? Run as far as you can, and if you get caught, tell them that a simple argument turned into a fight.
“What if those bastards all snitch?”
-They can’t. I guarantee you. I’ll even bet my two balls.
Instead of providing some useful information, he went on about his balls that weren’t even worth two eggs.
But whining would not come up with answers. He could just act crazy and reveal everything if things went wrong.
“I told you. I won’t go down alone.”
-I heard you.
Bam! Bam!
The slamming on the door got more aggressive.
“I’m going to have to go out.”
Changgong hung up the phone, took out the sim card, and broke it. Then, he crushed the phone with his feet and threw his body into the window.
“I’m leaving! I’m leaving!”