The next day.
The cafeteria was noisy, trays clattering, students talking over each other.
Hyunjin sat at the table, eyes quietly observing everything around him.
Then, a familiar figure approached.
Daniel Park, he sat across him.
Then Hyunjin spoke "Rough day?"
Daniel gave a small, awkward laugh "You could say that."
"You already know, don't you?" Then Hyunjin nodded.
Big Daniel leaned back exhaling "If Crystal wasn't there, I don't know what could have happened.."
Hyunjin looked at him "Overthinking is the biggest waste of human energy, trust yourself more man."
"Daniel Park, you know what your biggest flaw is?" Hyunjin said.
"Ah, I don't know?" Big Daniel looked at him with innocence.
Hyunjin put his hand on his face "You think of yourself as weak because you 'think.' Your mind is your biggest flaw, you think uncontrollably."
"Things that might happen don't happen, and that puts a limitation on your body and makes you weak, your will is incomplete make that will complete, and no one can stop you."
Hyunjin stood up and put his hand on Daniel's shoulder "People will talk no matter what you do, you play it safe they'll call you boring, you take risks they'll call you crazy, you win, they'll find a reason you don't deserve it, so really, what's the point in trying to please anyone? They don't live your life, they don't feel your pain, they don't carry your dreams, opinions are cheap when they're not the ones doing the work."
"So stop performing for approval and start living yourself, do the thing that makes sense to your mind, say what you mean, move how you want because the moment you stop giving a fuck about their noise, you finally starting to hearing your own voice."
"Remember, always trust yourself because strength does not come from physical capacity, but from an indomitable will." With that, Hyunjin left the cafeteria.
Daniel Park blinked and looked at the sky "Am I that predictable? I met with him only three times."
...
Later that day.
Hyunjin stood in the hallway, face-to-face with Vin Jin.
The air between them felt.. heavy.
Vin's gaze was almost challenging "You have nerve to talk back huh?" Vin said, voice low.
Hyunjin looked at him.
Vin stepped closer "You've been acting real confident.
"You said something I don't like It so I answered."
"If you've got a problem," Hyunjin said calmly then got closer, There was a glint in his eyes "Say it clearly."
But then, Vin clicked his tongue "Tch."
"Not worth it." He walked away.
Hyunjin watched him go "What a Waste."
Not long after he met Eli Jang.
He just looked.. tired
Their eyes met briefly.
There was no words.
Hyunjin did the same, and they went their ways.
Bell rang.
Last day of the first year.
Students were already talking about plans, trips.
Two weeks holiday.
Hyunjin as he walked home, hands in his pockets, his thoughts moved "Two weeks."
A smile appeared "That's enough."
Enough to grow stronger and close the gap or maybe even surpass it them in strength.
And Logan Lee will transfer here.
...
Hyunjin sat in his room, leaning back as he went over everything.
Connections in his phone "Mira Kim, Zoe Park, Daniel, Zack, Jace Park, Jay Hong."
They had Natural relation with him, except Vasco.
"Vin Jin."
"That almost turned into a fight, I would have won because of his black glasses, but when Vin Jin took his glasses off, would I be able to win? Well I'm not sure of that."
"And I haven't met Mary Kim and Crystal Choi yet."
His gaze moved to his laptop "First chapter's up."
"Good."
He closed the laptop and laid back down on bed, his eyes slowly shut.
----
(Three days later)
The steel box stood in front of Hyunjin, 600 kilograms of solid metal, now riddled with holes.
Hyunjin's knuckles were torn open, dried blood staining his hands, his breathing was uneven his red eyes, half-lidded, barely focused.
"I.. I don't even know how long I've been training.." he muttered, voice hoarse "Is it day or night?"
The day after J-High, he had started training.
And he never stopped.
No food, only water.
When he finally reached for his phone, his fingers trembling, the screen lit up
20+ messages.
His eyes widened slightly "Three days?"A laugh escaped his lips.
"I trained for three days and didn't even notice.." His gaze dropped to his hands, shaking faintly.
"Ah.. I feel tired and hungry-" His body gave out, he collapsed onto the floor.
Next Day
Hyunjin's eyes slowly opened, He pushed himself up, letting out a long yawn "How long did I sleep?"
He grabbed his phone again, messages at the screen.
Zack: 3 messages
Daniel: 5 messages
Zoe: 2 messages
Vasco: 10 messages
Hyunjin blinked, then chuckled "Vasco, you really spammed me, huh."
He scrolled through.
Vasco's messages started casual
"Come to the base."
"We're hanging out."
"Are you okay?"
"Where are you??"
"Answer me!"
Hyunjin smiled faintly.
Daniel, Zack, and Zoe had all invited him out too.
Without thinking much, Hyunjin started replying.
...
After a long shower, Hyunjin sat on the couch, finally eating a proper meal.
It was already past noon.
"I slept more than 15 hours no wonder I feel like this.."
He stretched his arms "But I feel stronger," His eyes narrowed "Way stronger."
A grin formed on his face "My adaptation, it's honestly broken."
He leaned back, thinking "If I fought Vin Jin and Eli Jang together right now.."
"I'd win."
"If they go all out, maybe I'd struggle a bit."
His grin widened "But I'd still win or at worst, draw."
His thoughts drifted."When I first started Lookism I thought the strongest were Big Daniel, Zack, Vasco.."
"Then Johan showed up."
"Then Eli's backstory, training under Gun."
"For a while, Eli felt like the strongest among them."
His eyes narrowed "But then came Cheonliang arc.."
"Vin Jin, he who could've wiped out the entire 2nd generation in first 200 chapters.. but fell out.."
"Glasses, out of shape, slacking off." Hyunjin stood up, rolling his shoulders.
The air around him felt different now.
"Anyway." He clenched his fist.
"Let's continue the training."
"Two days from now, on Friday, I'm going to hang out with them."
----
The plot will be the same until chapter 28, afterward, it will take a big turn.
And give me a crew name.