When Crystal opened her eyes.
She was tied to a chair, arms bound tightly behind her back.
Across from her, Daniel Park, restrained
And between them, the stalker.
Smiling "You're awake." she said sweetly, tilting her head.
Crystal's eyes hardened immediately "You."
The stalker stepped lightly around the circle of candles, almost like she was dancing "I couldn't let you interfere," she continued "You were trying to seduce him."
Her gaze flicked briefly toward Daniel "My husband."
Crystal's expression hardened "You're insane."
The stalker ignored that completely, she pulled a chair and sat between them, crossing her legs casually.
"We should settle this," she said "Before he wakes up."
Crystal stared at her more carefully now and observing.
"I know you."
That made the stalker pause.
"You were following someone else before," Crystal continued. "You were stalking DG before."
The stalker smiled again "Ah you mean my ex-boyfriend?"
Crystal's brows furrowed "What?"
She leaned forward slightly, her voice turning playful "You seem really interested in my past boyfriends."
Her eyes narrowed faintly "Do you want him too?"
Crystal didn't respond.
The stalker leaned back again, waving her hand dismissively "You can have him," she said casually "I'm already married."
Her fingers gently adjusted the "headdress" resting on her head.
Crystal's eyes shifted to it and froze.
That wasn't lace.
It was "Underwear?" The realization hit instantly.
And the dress uneven stitching.
Handmade.
Crystal's voice lowered "Do you even know what you're doing?"
"You've already kidnapped three people."
The stalker laughed "You all deserved it."
"Do you know how people treated me?" she snapped "Always judging, always looking down on me because of how I look-"
Her expression twisted "And that pig."
"The audacity he had sleeping in my place, acting like he belonged there."
Crystal's gaze hardened "You hate lookism."
The stalker froze.
"But you're exactly the same."
Crystal didn't stop "You only like good-looking guys."
That was it.
Something snapped, the stalker's face twisted with anger as she lunged forward
Taser in hand..
But, the door burst open.
Both girls froze.
Standing there and breathing heavily
Was lil Daniel.
(Flashback)
Earlier.
Daniel frantically dialing a number, the noodle shop owner answering.
"I'm trying to help my friend." Daniel had said desperately.
Then the tone changed instantly "Friend?" the owner replied "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Then he sent the address
And when Daniel arrived, it was his own house.
(Back to Present)
The stalker's eyes widened slightly "How?"
Her grip tightened around the taser "I didn't slap you."
Crystal blinked in confusion "What?"
But Daniel didn't answer, he stepped forward instead.
Determined that he could end this With his original body
But, the stalker unlocked mastery and reacted faster. [A/N: 😂✌️]
A candle flew toward him, Lil Daniel dodged instinctively
And that was the opening she needed.
The taser struck again, Lil Daniel body seized.
Collapsed, unconscious.
Darkness.
Then, light.
Big Daniel's eyes opened again, back in his other body.
Still tied.
Crystal's voice broke through "Stop it!" Tears filled her eyes as she struggled against the ropes.
"Stop hurting him!"
But the stalker didn't stop.
She kept pressing the taser against Daniel's unconscious original body.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Crystal's voice cracked "You're a stalker!"
The word echoed.
The stalker's head snapped toward her.
Eyes wild, she raised the taser again but before she could strike, daniel moved, even while restrained
He shifted his body just enough.
The taser hit him instead.
His body jerked violently.
"Don't," he forced out through clenched teeth "Touch her.."
The stalker stared at him.
Her expression changed.
And she hit him.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Fists slamming into his face, his body, over and over until blood began to stain his clothes.
But big Daniel fidn't resist.
"Apologize," she said finally, breathing unevenly "If you apologize, I'll forgive you."
Daniel's head lowered slightly, blood dripping.
"Fine." But his eyes shifted slightly.
Toward Crystal, almost unnoticeable, his fingers moved, carefully.
Pressing something into her hand
Jay Hong's utility knife.
Crystal's eyes widened..
Her hands trembled as she slowly cut through the rope behind her back.
Then slowly towards the door.
She stood, her hand reached the doorknob.
She stopped, She looked back her eyes hardened.
Before the stalker could react, Crystal moved.
Fast.
Her leg snapped upward.
Thud.
Her kick landed clean against the stalker's head, sending her staggering back, a harsh cough escaped the girl as blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.
She collapsed to one knee, stunned.
Crystal stepped forward, breathing steady despite everything.
"This?" she said coldly "This is nothing compared to what you did to Daniel."
Without hesitation, she reached back and slammed the door shut.
Click, Locked.
"No one's leaving," Crystal continued, her voice low now "So you better get ready,"
Her gaze darkened "to get what you deserve."
The stalker's expression twisted, tears suddenly spilling down her face as she lunged forward desperately.
She grabbed at Crystal, trying to pull her in, but Crystal reacted instantly.
Her body turned, her elbow drove backward
Crack.
Precise strike to the spine.
The stalker's body went limp instantly.
She dropped, unconscious.
Then Crystal picked up the taser from the floor.
Her grip tightened.
"You don't get to hurt people like that."
Crack, the electricity surged through the stalker's body one last time.
---
The Policeman were putting the stalker at car.
Daniel exhaled, his body barely holding together.
"Thanks." His voice was rough.
Crystal didn't look at him immediately.
"Why?" Her voice came out quieter now.
She turned to him "Why did you let me go earlier?"
Daniel blinked slightly "Because you're a girl."
Crystal stared at him, her brows furrowed.
"And her?" She gestured toward the unconscious stalker "She's a girl too."
Daniel froze.
Crystal stepped closer "Stop judging people based on that," she said firmly "Or based on how they look."
Her voice wasn't angry.
----
The staff room was quiet.
Papers shuffled, a teacher sat behind his desk, glasses slightly lowered as he read through a file "You were close." His voice carried a hint of disappointment.
"Just a little longer and you would've become a sophomore (2nd year.) Finished your first year clean."
Across from him, student sat slouched in the chair, one leg stretched out lazily, the other tapping lightly against the floor.
Unbothered, almost bored.
The teacher looked up "And yet here we are."
"A transfer request, because of a fight."
Silence.
A low chuckle "Fight?" the student repeated, amused.
The teacher's expression tightened slightly "You seriously think this is funny?" The student leaned forward slightly, resting his elbow on the desk, his grin widening "It wasn't much of a fight."
Tone Cocky.
Like it didn't matter at all.
The teacher sighed, rubbing his temple "You understand this isn't something we can just ignore, right?"
The teacher closed the file in front of him.
The name printed clearly on the cover: Logan Lee.
"You've caused enough trouble already," the teacher continued "If you transfer again and this happens.."
"Yeah, yeah." Logan waved his hand dismissively, cutting him off mid-sentence.
"I get it." But he didn't look like he cared.
He stood up, stretching his groin "So where am I going this time?"
The teacher studied him for a moment "J-High."
"J-High, huh?" A faint crack, as he rolled his neck "Sounds fun."
The teacher frowned.
But Logan was already walking toward the door, hands in his pockets.
"Try not to cause problems there." the teacher added.
Logan stopped at the door, turned his head slightly.
And smirked "No promises."
Then he left.
J-High was about to get a lot more dangerous..
----
The thud of impact echoed through the room.
And again.
And again.
Hyunjin's fist slammed into the steel each strike leaving behind another dent layered over the dozens already carved into it, the box was now full of dents.
Sweat dripped from his chin, hitting the floor.
Two hours, he'd been at it for two hours straight.
His knuckles were split open again, skin torn, faint traces of blood smeared across the metal, his breathing was rough now, chest rising and falling "That's enough."
He stepped back, shaking out his arms "Today's training, done."
He reached over to the couch and grabbed his phone, unlocking it with a quick swipe.
Notifications, two names stood out immediately.
Zack Lee and Vasco.
He opened Zack's message first.
A math question.
Hyunjin let out a breath "Still the same."
Quickly typing out the answer, he sent it back without much thought.
Then he opened Vasco's message, this one was longer, as he read through it, his expression didn't.
The stalker and what happened to Daniel Park and Crystal Choi.
He leaned back, he typed a short reply to Vasco as well.
Then tossed his phone lightly onto the couch.
His gaze toward the steel box "I couldn't meet Vin Jin or Eli Jang today."
He exhaled "It was only the first day anyway."
He walked over to his desk and sat down, pulling out his notebook "Time for, volume three."
His eyes flicked toward a document lying on the desk, a contract.
Accepted by Naver Web Novel and him.
The royalties were split in 60/40, in his favor.
He picked up his pen and started writing and, his pen name was "Word"
He reconstructing the story from memory, adjusting small details where needed and refining it for this world.
The sound of pen against paper continued.
Training his body for strength.
And now for his influence.