Chapter 4
Ryu POV
I'm standing here with Gray and Eugene, waiting in the late afternoon sun for Gogo to arrive. He's supposed to bring us to the pool hall—Big Ben's excuse to meet me after the little "incident" with Colton and his crew.
I noticed them watching from the pool hall window after the fight ended—Ben, Gogo, and some guy leaning in the shadows. Didn't care much then. I do now.
"Hey!" Gogo's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. He jogs up, flashing that overly friendly grin. "You guys ready for some serious pool action?" he asks, miming a shot with an invisible cue stick.
"Yup," we all say in sync, even Eugene, though his voice wavers a bit.
"Cool. Let's go."
The walk takes about seven minutes. Gogo keeps the mood light, tossing jokes around, trying to gauge how much tension's really simmering beneath the surface. Turns out, it's a lot. The moment he points across a narrow bridge to a third-story window and says, "That's the place," the mood shifts.
We all feel it.
Gogo stops short at the base of the stairs and turns to me. "I know we just met, but… let's not fight in there, okay? Just pool. Chill vibes."
I raise an eyebrow. "You think I'm some kind of battle maniac? Relax. I know how to behave."
As I pass him, I can feel how tense they are behind me. Gray's jaw tightens. Eugene starts fumbling with something in his backpack—probably that speaker I gave him.
At the top of the stairs, Gogo says he'll go in first and do the introductions. He opens the door and steps inside.
The moment I walk in, my eyes meet Ben Park's.
The air freezes. The tension's thicker than day-old jello. Gogo, Eugene, Gerard, even Gray—all of them stop breathing for a second.
Ben stands up. He doesn't say a word. Just walks straight up to me, the floor creaking under his boots. He doesn't blink. Doesn't break eye contact.
I do the same.
It's like two apex predators circling. Neither of us sees fear—just raw strength, sizing the other up.
"Ben Park," he says.
"Ryu Baeksan," I reply.
We shake hands, our grips firm enough to break bones. No words needed. We've shelved the inevitable fight for another time.
Everyone else exhales at once, the tension breaking like a snapped rubber band. Eugene slips the speaker back into his bag. Crisis averted.
"Let's play some damn pool!" I announce.
Scene change – later at the pool hall
I didn't expect pool to be this humbling.
Ben and I? Dead last.
Gerard and Gray? Freaking pool sharks. Gogo and Eugene weren't that much better than us, but enough to rub salt in the wound. They teased us mercilessly.
"They must've cheated," Ben grumbles.
"No way they beat me fair and square," I mutter.
We're sore losers. Big time.
Gray checks the time and says, "I've gotta go. Cram school."
Eugene grabs his bag. "I'll walk with you. I need to get home anyway."
"Same. Got gym," says Gogo, stretching his arms.
Gerard looks at me. "Would you be open to hanging out again?"
"Sure. Anything but pool," I reply, still salty.
"Had fun. See you next time," Gerard says, leaving with Gogo.
Gray hesitates at the door. "You guys coming?"
"We just need to talk," Ben and I say in sync.
Gray doesn't like it, but he nods. "If you say so. See you tomorrow."
The door closes.
Ben's casual air vanishes.
"You planning on joining the Union?" he asks. His voice isn't friendly anymore. It's Big Ben talking now.
"The Union? Never heard of 'em."
"They're a gang made up of all the schools in Yeongdeungpo… except Eunjang."
"Lemme guess—you don't like them."
"I despise them."
"Why should I care?" I ask.
Ben's eyes sharpen. "Because they want Eunjang under their control. Look, I don't care much about school politics, but if they take Eunjang, my peaceful life is over. And with the way people are talking about you lately… seems like you want to be top dog. That puts you on a crash course with them."
I smirk. "If they threaten me or my friends, I'll put them down. Simple as that."
"You don't get it," Ben snaps. "They've got five schools. Each with someone as strong as me—maybe stronger."
I laugh. "You're judging me off the Colton fight? Then you're dumber than most."
Ben clenches his fists, but I'm not done.
"You might be a lion on a hill, king of your jungle—but I've fought real monsters. If they're like you, then I'm not worried."
I turn away, done with the conversation. "You just sit there and wait. I'll handle your little Union problem."
Scene Change – Late night, Phillip Kim's apartment
A sleek, modern place. Clean. Cold. Deceptively quiet.
Phillip Kim reclines on his leather couch, phone pressed to his ear. He's smiling, but his eyes dart constantly—paranoid. Always calculating.
"...So, you met him?" Phillip asks.
Jimmy Bae's voice crackles through the speaker. "Not yet. Helmet confirmed their hangout location though. The new kid, Ryu, and the one with gray hair. Gray Yeon."
Phillip chuckles softly. "Gray Yeon? Seriously? These names keep getting weirder."
Jimmy isn't laughing.
"You sure these are the ones?" Phillip asks.
"Helmet's sure. He was part of the crew that got humiliated. They made a mess of Colton."
"Then do something about it," Phillip says sharply.
"I don't take orders from you," Jimmy growls.
"No," Phillip replies. "But we want the same thing."
There's silence. The truce between two snakes—tense, temporary.
"You want Big Ben. I want Eunjang. If these two gain notoriety, people will start questioning me."
Jimmy exhales slowly. "And I will find Ben Park. Crush him. And anyone who backs him."
"So we help each other," Phillip says. "You keep the strong ones distracted, and I make sure your name climbs the ladder."
"You better not screw me, Phillip."
"Don't worry" Phillip replies "ill send some guys for some support. That way you can make Ben Park beg for mercy"
The call ends.
Phillip stares at his reflection in the darkened TV screen, his fake confidence finally cracking for just a second.
Then he exhales, stands, and starts texting his cronies.
He may be weak—but the web he's spun is strong. And as long as no one sees through him, he'll stay powerful.