9. A Dangerous Man
I t is a bright Monday morning, and the sunlight brushes against Yunho’s skin, flooding his senses with a warmth so far removed from the isolation he had endured.
This is precisely why Yunho opts to walk to his desired destination rather than use his new car. Nothing compares to the lingering fragrance of summer air, blended with hints of citrus and other exotic aromas unique to this season.
On his way to school, Yunho stumbles upon Taehwan at the bus stop. He watches the redhead from behind the post.
Okay, it’s more like stalking, actually.
Taehwan is wearing a disheveled turquoise sweatshirt and dirty pants, and he looks as if he just emerged from an underground canal. With this specific style, Taehwan seems more like a homeless man than a chaebol heir.
With a furry brown dog cradled in one arm and his phone in the other, Taehwan’s voice sounds stern and unyielding. “He needs to learn a lesson, bro. Now go beat him to a pulp,” he says, the command hanging in the air. “If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be here looking like a bum.”
“Seriously,” Yunho hisses under his breath, scowling. “Is he really going to orchestrate Wooju’s assault?”
“If he dies, don’t worry too much. I’ll pay for his funeral. You know what I mean, right? Okay, bye,” Taehwan adds before ending the call and shoving his phone into his pocket. “Aish. What a hassle.”
All right. Yunho hates Wooju, but this is too much. How much Wooju wronged him in the past can’t justify his complacency if he decides to do nothing about this. He can think of other, less potentially fatal, ways to dole out his revenge later. For now, he has to figure out how to stop this madness. Unthinkingly, he jumps in front of Taehwan and musters up the courage to bark, “Hey, you!”
Taehwan jumps. In reflex, the redhead pulls the puppy closer to his chest, covering its ears protectively.
“Hey? Hey, you !” Taehwan barks back. “What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you shouting at me in public?”
Yunho braces himself, his insides hardening.
“If you or your friends dare lay a finger on Jo Wooju, you’re dead. I won’t ever forgive you. I’ll kill you—” Yunho pauses, wondering why he’s so triggered.
Taehwan snaps him back to reality with a confused growl, “Who the hell is Jo Wooju?”
“The guy you slashed with a cutter!” Yunho exclaims.
Taehwan blinks, then gasps as soon as he recalls the event. “Oh, that guy! The one who got me suspended?” He snorts. “First of all, that was not intentional. I just wanted to scare you because you’re so annoying. It’s not my fault he decided to jump in. I wasn’t actually going to stab anyone. Besides, what makes you think I would even touch him when you’re the one I hate with every fiber in my body?”
“Huh?” Yunho stares, feeling lost and puzzled.
“You know what?” Taehwan’s face contorts into anger. He lifts himself from the bench and says menacingly, “Go away. Just looking at you makes me?—”
“Hold on,” Yunho cuts him off, ignoring Taehwan’s attempts to shoo him. “Who were you talking about on the phone earlier, then? You told your guys to beat someone up and that you wouldn’t mind holding a funeral for them!”
Taehwan narrows his gaze at Yunho, his previously aggressive demeanor fading into suspicion. “What’s with you?” he asks, his voice laced with skepticism. “Have you been eavesdropping on me?”
“No!” Yunho retorts, but his uneasiness about this whole dilemma is tragically apparent. “I just happened to overhear. You speak quite loudly.”
“Bro. You’re creeping me out.” Taehwan’s suspicion lingers as his puppy whines in his arms. “Do I really have to explain myself to you?”
Yunho nods.
“Fine,” Taehwan says through gritted teeth, glancing down at his puppy, then back at Yunho. “That Piccolo guy on the street tried stealing my Momo, so I chased after him, took my Momo back, and told my guys to handle the rest. And what I really meant was for them to bring that guy to the police. The funeral was a joke that only those with a sense of humor like mine would understand.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t worry, it wouldn’t be Piccolo’s first time.”
“Piccolo guy?” Yunho’s eyes dart back and forth from Momo to Taehwan. “And this is Momo?”
“The homeless guy, Piccolo. And yes, this is Momo, you idiot. Stop looking at her. She doesn’t like you very much,” Taehwan hisses, turning away from Yunho as Bus 707 draws closer to the curb. “There’s my ride back.”
“Wait—” Yunho pleads, attempting to keep Taehwan around. He still has more questions swimming in his brain, such as... Wasn’t Taehwan supposed to be the spoiled heir of the Han family? Not some awkward dog lover waiting for a bus ride?
“Just go away, dickhead,” Taehwan retorts, flipping Yunho off before hopping into the bus.
Following a typical day at school, Yunho went straight to the mall to buy himself a suit. After changing into one, he heads over to the closest bar—the Sevenly Outdoor Grill & Bar —and parades inside as though he’s of legal age. He orders four bottles of soju with barbeque and japchae.
As he draws himself closer to the grill, Yunho inhales the smoky aroma of barbeque beef brisket and pork belly. He drinks and eats simultaneously, aiming to banish today’s memories as he dips each piece of meat into the hot sauce and other seasonings. As usual, it’s been an uneventful day.
Except for that one encounter with Taehwan, all he did was daydream, stare at Wooju from afar, and finally realize he’s practically stuck in a stalemate. In 2014, of all places.
No acting manager or talent scout running after him.
It’s okay. I don’t need them.
No football team.
I never liked sports.
No Jo Wooju, no motivation, no new friends except Sangheon, and no answers—just more questions.
“I’m here to change my future, not his future,” Yunho tries to remind himself as he chugs the whole bottle of soju in one swift motion. “I’m here to act, not study.”
“Hey you!” someone calls out from the entrance, snagging everyone’s attention from their food.
Yunho looks up, feeling a tad sluggish, but still aware of what’s happening around him. Kind of.
A slim teenager in Choomin High’s uniform walks over to his table and stands before him, nostrils flaring and curls tumbling forward.
“I heard you had this guy spy on me,” the boy mutters, pointing an accusatory finger at the taller boy next to him. “Why is that? What did I ever do to you?”
“I did?” Yunho rubs his eyes.
Yunho recognizes Sangheon first, whose back is slightly arched on purpose as if to make himself appear small. The boy snarling next to Sangheon is Jang Jihoon, chin up and arms folded over his chest.
“So.” Yunho meets Sangheon’s pleading gaze. “What did you find out about Jihoon?”
“Well, nothing much, really.” Sangheon scratches the back of his head uncomfortably. “Ah, but he’s really good at reading people!”
“Who cares about that? Did you read him ?” Yunho asks.
“Hello, I’m right here!” Jihoon’s sudden outburst commands Yunho’s attention. “Why did you ask this weirdo to spy on me? Do you hate me that much?”
Yunho sucks in a breath. He’s about to tell Jihoon that he has no knowledge about the whole spying issue (despite having an inclination toward it), but Sangheon covers Yunho’s mouth before he can say a word and mouths a “ save me pleas e” in a hushed tone, leaving Yunho with no option.
What are friends for?
After removing Sangheon’s hand from his lips, Yunho says, faltering slightly, “Well, I guess that’s what happened. But no, I don’t... particularly hate you.”
“You’re lying,” Jihoon mutters, his eyes scrutinizing as he leans toward Yunho with a devilish smirk. “Look at you. Your eyes are wavering.”
Yunho stiffens. “I’m not lying.” Just a little bit?
“Is it because of the rumors? Was it bothering you so much to the point that you resorted to switching seats with Hana?” Jihoon’s brow quirks as he pulls himself back and smirks. “Let me just make things clear here, Ri Yunho.”
What’s with this guy? He’s making me nervous. Yunho gulps as the tension becomes staggering, his shoulders sagging.
“I, Jang Jihoon, did not frame my father, nor did I manipulate anyone into framing someone innocent,” Jihoon announces. This time, he looks serious and hurt. A total character reversal from earlier. “My father’s in jail because he deserves to be, and for your information, honesty and integrity are very important to me. It’s wise not to make such assumptions before getting to know people, Yunho.”
To conclude his proclamation, Jihoon growls, “I’m warning you.” Before anyone can respond, he storms out of the bar, leaving his two classmates in awe.
Following a brief silence, Sangheon plants himself beside Yunho, steals a piece of brisket, and shoves it into his own mouth. “What do you think? Isn’t he cool?”
Yunho rolls his eyes. “Don’t be too excited. He called you a weirdo, and just a few days ago, you called him the devil incarnate behind his back.”
“That’s because I didn’t know him yet, but now I have an idea.” Sangheon’s lips curve upwards, his cheeks flushing pink. “He’s a tsundere . Just my type.”
“Your type?” Yunho echoes in disbelief.
“Yep,” Sangheon nonchalantly says as he props his chin in his hand. “You have a problem with that, top student?”
“No.” Yunho wags his head from side to side and takes another swig of alcohol. “But I do have a problem with you spying on someone and blaming it on me. How did you guys even find me here?”
Sangheon grins. “Well, you know,” he tries to explain. “I needed a Plan B just in case you couldn’t help me with my school work. Initially, I wasn’t going to tell him about you, but then, as we were casually walking, I spotted you by chance . How serendipitous. I thought, ‘You know what? Let’s have Yunho handle this boy,’ and now here we are. You’re an angel in disguise, Yunho. My tsundere muse was about to bite me for not saying a word.”
“Aish. Why don’t you just quit school?” Yunho jeers, his voice dripping with scorn. “I think that would be beneficial for everyone. Besides, you hate studying.”
“You’ll miss me, though,” Sangheon croons and gives Yunho a wink. “You don’t have any other friends.”
“Shut up,” mutters Yunho. “I’m going to get drunk tonight. Just go home and don’t bother me.”
“Get drunk? Are you even nineteen?” Sangheon sizes him up and gasps when he realizes what Yunho’s wearing.
“Does it matter?” Yunho tilts his head. “I’m a fucking businessman tonight.”
“Well, well, well. All by yourself when I’m right here?” Sangheon pouts. “Shouldn’t I be the one getting drunk now that I’m no longer a part of the football team?”
Yunho quickly turns and asks, “You quit?”
“Of course I did!” Sangheon exclaims. “Taehwan and I fought because of you. I defended your ass, and it broke his ego, so he started calling me weak and useless.”
“Wait, that was the reason?” Yunho shifts in his seat, his brows furrowing. “How about last time?”
Previously—before all the time traveling—when Yunho and Sangheon weren’t friends and didn’t care about each other enough to defend one another yet, Taehwan and Sangheon still fought, even without him getting involved.
Sangheon looks puzzled. “Last time? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Yunho shakes his head, sighs, and takes another sip of his drink. “I must be really drunk.”