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leweebdepoche · 2 years ago

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What the hell is going on ??? (Part 1)

Gray exited the underground and merged into the surrounding crowd. Heading towards the meeting place he had set with Jiwoo and Subin, he watched the activity of the people filling the street with a sort of satisfied nostalgia. Since the episode of his abduction, he had been enjoying each day much more intensely. The realisation that it didn't take much to go from being alive to dead had put some things into perspective for him. After all, life was only lived when you were alive. Once dead, it was impossible to be happy, sad, laugh or cry. So it was better not to waste time when you were alive and to live your life to the fullest, that was the conclusion Gray had come to. And he intended to put it into practice!

He was drawn out of his reverie by Subin who was gesturing to him and shouting his name. Gray smiled and sighed. He loved Subin, but she did take some getting used to. She was quite a phenomenon.

-Gray! How are you?" she said, nearly choking him in a warm embrace.

Gray tapped her arm to indicate that he needed air and she released the poor boy, who coughed up his lungs before answering.

-I'm... fine," he said.

She smiled at him with all her teeth. Gray looked around for Jiwoo, who was supposed to be waiting with Subin.

-Oh, Jiwoo went to the bathroom," Subin said, noticing the young man's questioning eyes. "He seemed to be in a hurry, he ate something at lunch that wasn't very..."

-Okay, okay, we'll wait for him there then!" Gray cut her off a little abruptly, not wanting to know more about the unfortunate state of his friend's intestines.

Subin insisted on continuing her description but Gray cut her off again, changing the subject completely to divert her attention. They discussed everything and anything to pass the time until their friend returned. That's when they saw Jiwoo's little light brown head coming towards them in the crowd. And a big green head. A big green head? Gray looked more carefully before exclaiming:

-Gerard?!"

The latter waved his hand.

-I bumped into him on my way here, so I asked him to join us," Jiwoo explained.

-Hi Gerard," Subin said in her usual cheerful way.

Gerard smiled back.

-Hey, you should really think about cutting your hair! It's too confusing to talk to you without seeing your eyes," Subin said with her natural frankness. "And you can't see a damn thing! Isn't it a pain in the ass to have that clump of hair in front of your eyes all the time?

Gray tensed. Subin this idiot! There was an implicit rule in the Eunsang High group that you never talk about Gerard's haircut. And Subin had just put her foot down.

-We were planning to go to the bookstore with Subin and Jiwoo, and then hang out at the arcade, do you want to join us?" Gray said, ignoring the girl's comment.

-I'm fine with that," Gerard replied, ignoring Subin as well.

She was about to protest when Jiwoo led the way with a cheerful "LET'S GO!", cutting the young woman off and she followed the three boys in protest, but none of them listened. Seeing how determined they were not to let her continue on the subject, she resigned herself and simply joined their discussion as they headed for the bookshop.

The boys did their quick shopping while Subin waited outside. She didn't care about books at all! Gerard was checking out when a group of guys approached Subin, laughing a little loudly. At first she didn't pay any attention, but she looked up when they called her names in a vulgar manner. She glared at them and said nothing.

-Hey, aren't you one of Big Ben's group and stuff?" one of them began, ogling her from head to toe. "We saw you hanging out with them last time, hehehe.

"When we got out of the hospital maybe?" said Subin, who didn't respond to their provocation.

-Hey, we're talking to you! Didn't they teach you to answer when you're asked a question? Where did you get your education, you grumpy bitch?

This time Subin was annoyed. At first, she had decided to let it go if they got out of there in a minute, but now they had pissed her off.

-And what if I am ?" she replied, her tone more defiant than ever.

-Come with us, we'll teach you some manners! That's no way to talk to a guy, you bitch!

Subin allowed herself to be dragged away so that she was not in the middle of the street. She could deal with them quickly and be back before the boys knew anything. She might worry Jiwoo if she did anything dangerous in broad daylight, in a crowded street.

Gerard, who had just finished giving the cashier his change, rushed out the door when he saw Subin being dragged into an adjacent street. Without warning the others, he rushed after her, hoping not to be too late. He turned into the street where Subin had disappeared with the group of guys and stopped dead. One of the guys was on the ground, unconscious. His nose was bleeding profusely. Another one was threatening her, shaking with a piece of wood, while the third was pinned against the wall by Subin's hand, which was holding him by the neck. Resisting as best he could, he couldn't seem to get out of her grip and was panting to keep his breathing steady.

Subin looked enraged. Mouth agape, Gerard watched her throw the man to the floor. Approaching the man threatening her with the stick, she disarmed him with a flick of her wrist as he lunged at her in a desperate attempt to get out alive if not with honour. To lose in a close fight with a woman, what an infinite shame for a man of his kind. For him, women were stepped on as if they were the steps of a staircase leading to personal satisfaction. Unlucky for him, he had come across one of those women who did not let herself be put down easily by the misplaced supremacy of men.

Taking a step back, Subin hit the high schooler in the head with a royally delivered kick. The man rolled to the ground and spat out some blood from his cheek, which had split open from the impact. He shakily got up and pleaded with Subin, who was about to give him a final blow, to let them go. Subin stopped in front of the pathetic look on his attacker's face. She almost felt sorry for him.

Then the man she had thrown to the ground stood up and walked towards her from behind, an empty bottle picked up from the ground in his hand.

-BEWARE!" Gerard barely had time to shout when Subin had already turned around, and with a gesture stopped the boy's hands from going down on her head while placing a violent knee strike in his parts. The man dropped to the floor with a groan, clutching his knees to protect his poor, crushed balls.

-Get out of here," she ordered. "And don't let me see you again!

The two thugs did not hesitate. They picked up their still unconscious friend and slipped away. Subin sighed and shook her head, then gave a victorious smile to Gerard who was standing there with his arms out. He couldn't believe what he'd just seen, and couldn't help but think the young woman was too cool. He was filled with a total admiration that made his cheeks turn pink.

-What's up spruce, were you worried about me?" laughed Subin. "Ooooh you're so sweet! But you know, you don't have to worry too much, I'm doing fine on my own! If you ever get bullied, you can call me and I'll come and beat the crap out of them for you hahaha!"

Subin gave her the sly smile she was so good at. Gerard, who didn't really understand what was happening to him, nodded, obediently. He then took out his phone and handed it to Subin, who looked at him in surprise.

-You said you'd beat the shit out of anyone who messed with me..." he began. "I need your number so I can call you the day it happens.

Subin looked at him with round eyes. It sounded so absurd, and yet Gerard seemed so sure of himself that she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

-Haha seriously! What would you guys do without us, huh? She said as she took the phone that the highschooler was handing her.

She entered her number and sent herself a message. "Spruce." She laughed and registered the contact under this name, which she found perfectly suited to the character. She had hesitated between that and "the big green pole", but it was too long. She gave him back his phone and they walked towards the bookshop while chatting.

-But seriously, you should cut your hair! It's too confusing not to see your eyes!

-....I'll think about it," Gerard replied sulkily.

-What, you have a complex about your eyes? Do you think they ruin your charm?"

-....we can say that," Gerard continued, obedient but reluctant to give the answers the young woman expected.

He could no longer refuse Subin anything. Ever since he had seen her in action in that dirty alley where those guys had dragged her, he had been completely under her spell. He couldn't help but think she was super cool! And again, that was a weak word. The admiration he felt for her was close to something he was discovering at the same time and had never felt before.

-Hahaha seriously man? You have to get over that or you'll never find a girlfriend! Or boyfriend for that matter, whatever!" she chided him. "And then these days, people don't pay that much attention to looks - except if you have warts, then it gets complicated but hey - if it's just your eyes it's fine! You can wear contacts or something like that.

Not really paying attention to what she was saying, Gerard looked at her, nodding stupidly at each of her suggestions until they joined Jiwoo and Gray, whom they'd left behind in the bookstore.

-Where have you been?" Gray questioned them, his arms full of the comics he'd just bought. "We've been looking all over for you, we were getting worried!

-I've been beating the shit out of misogynistic morons," replied Subin proudly.

-Ooooh well done Subin! I hope you castrated them too," exclaimed Jiwoo.

-Of course I did! They crawled away hahahaha," she rubbed her nose.

Gerard looked at them, wondering if he was the only one who found all this a bit extreme. He tried to look to Gray for support but Gray smiled and nodded, silently approving of Subin's action. Gerard gave up and resigned himself. After all, those three bastards had it coming, and he was fairly certain that the world would be better off if bastards like them could no longer reproduce themselves.... But that was another debate!

The group of friends made their way to the arcade, chatting energetically. They changed their minds as they passed a poster of "Robot's Slayer", an anime that Jiwoo and Subin were eager to see. Merely following happily behind, Gray and Gerard found themselves in the cinema with the two overexcited friends. They left the theatre as they had entered. Gray and Gerard, as passive as ever, lingered to listen to the impassioned comments of a Jiwoo and a Subin on the verge of tears.

-And then! I was sure he was going to kill her! Why did he have to die first, the jerk? All that suspense for this, frankly, what a disappointment!" cried Subin, releasing her frustration without restraint.

Gray patted her on the shoulder as he listened, the remaining popcorn in his other hand. Gerard continued to help himself without adding anything either. He could see that Jiwoo was holding back as best he could, so he wanted to avoid adding to the mix and having two big emotional people to deal with at the same time. Finally finding themselves at the crossroads of their respective roads, the four friends said their goodbyes, then parted ways. With Gerard and Subin gone, Jiwoo was about to leave when Gray grabbed him by the sleeve.

-Jiwoo, do you have time this weekend?" he asked.

Jiwoo nodded.

-Could you come to my place? I'd like to talk about the... waking... if you don't mind. And since I come to your house all the time, I thought you could come visit me for a change..." he said hesitantly. "There won't be anyone at home, my parents will be away for the weekend. It's safe, we can talk in peace."

He knew it wasn't a great idea but he hoped his friend would come to his house for once. He didn't want to impose on him any more than he already was...

Jiwoo seemed to think it over, then smiled at his friend.

-I'll talk to Sir Kayden about it and let you know! But that's a good idea, thanks for the invitation! I'm curious to see what your house looks like!

Gray thanked his friend with a smile.

-I will! We keep in touch!

He waved to his friend, and headed for the underground himself once Jiwoo had disappeared into the night, which was already well underway. Gray was about to enter the underground entrance when he noticed a strange person watching him from the top of the underground entrance, facing the stairs. Wrapped in a black sweatshirt with the hood pulled down over his head, the man straightened up and left a few seconds after Gray had raised his head to look at him.

Gray walked down a few steps, stopped, and then suddenly turned around. His curiosity had been piqued. He was sure that the man had been staring at him and not at the people around him who were speeding in and out of the subway.

Climbing the steps four at a time, he set off in the direction in which he had seen the man disappear. He quickened his pace, crossing the wide avenue to find himself in a maze of streets that became smaller and smaller. At each change of direction, the man stopped, as if waiting for him. Gray was more wary than ever. "It smells like a trap..." he thought.

He continued on until he found himself in front of a restaurant that didn't look like much. He pushed open the glass door, through which one could only see the interior in large blurred spots, so dirty was it, and entered. An old lady behind a counter crowded with all sorts of objects barely looked up to greet him. Gray walked slowly between the low tables where empty soju bottles and chunks of cooked and cooled meat still lay, inspecting the place carefully. Then he noticed the door to the inner courtyard open. He stepped forward, and went out.

Just as he was fully inside the courtyard, the door slammed shut behind him. He turned around suddenly and found himself face to face with the man in the hood. Placing his bag on the ground, he adopted a fighting stance, ready to respond to the assault.

But the assault did not come immediately. His assailant began to circle him slowly. Gray followed suit, and they almost made a semicircle before stopping. A thin thread of cool air blew against the high school student's face, which felt like a sharp blade pressed against his cheek. A few seconds later, the man lunged at him.

Gray dodged and turned quickly to kick the man in the knee. Taken by surprise, the man put a knee in the ground but got up quickly, not allowing Gray to hit him in the temples as he had planned to do. Sending his fist in an arc towards Gray's face, the latter narrowly avoided it and placed his hands on either side of the arm to block it and turn it around. The man got out of the way just before Gray had time to dislocate his collarbone with a sharp blow.

Cautiously, he stepped back to put some distance between them. He seemed to know how Gray fought. This was going to be more complicated. He didn't seem to be making the mistake of underestimating the high schooler, which made it more complicated for him. Realizing that he had no room for error, Gray concentrated as hard as he could. He had no choice but to be serious.

His attacker threw himself on him again, and this time it was a succession of blows that Gray had to deal with. He used his agility and his capacity of reflection and observation to avoid the maximum of blow and to carry out with address and precision painful blows to his opponent. A violent elbow in the nose, another in the jugular which made the man in the hood suffocate, a blow in the lower stomach well placed. Gray could not avoid all the attacks and had taken at least three blows in the ribs. On the plus side, his attacker didn't seem very original and was always aiming for either his torso or his head.

As he parried the blows, Gray wondered who his attacker was and why he was after him. Union members would never behave like this. So he wasn't one of Donald's henchmen. An awakened one perhaps? But then why wasn't he using his powers to attack him? It didn't make sense! No, he definitely had no idea who was attacking him or why. It was very unsettling.

Finally having time to analyse his surroundings between attacks from his opponent, Gray seized the opportunity when he saw a drinks tray still full of ice cubes lying behind it. Swinging his arm forward in a very long movement, he forced the hooded man backwards, and inevitably into the bin. Surprised by the coldness that seized his foot instantly, he could not parry Gray's double attack, which hit him in the temples with a kick, then in the stomach with a powerful right. Finally, giving a quick kick in the tank, he made him lose his balance and his attacker fell forward, destabilized by the previous attacks.

Without giving him time to recover his senses, he crushed his hand to the ground with all his weight. Seizing a bucket filled with the water of the melted ice cubes which had been used a little earlier in the evening, and after having withdrawn the hood of a sharp gesture, he emptied the contents of it on the head of his attacker who howled with the contact of the icy water on his skin. Gray leapt away, seeing the man trying to grab him by the ankle.

Losing his patience, the man took a syringe from his pocket and prepared it for use. Gray sensed that the situation was becoming dangerous. He lunged for the door, hoping to get away before the attack, but the man had anticipated his action and thrown himself forward, coming between him and the door.

Gray stopped at the last moment and tried to back away, but the man grabbed him by the arm and knocked him to the ground. Now pinned to the floor, Gray tried everything he could to keep the needle from digging into the tender skin, but nothing helped. The man had the upper hand, and none of his tricks worked. He swore inwardly as the needle came dangerously close to his shoulder.

"NO!" he thought. You mustn't! Whatever was in that syringe, he didn't want to be pricked. But nothing could be done. He struggled like hell, but he couldn't fight it any longer and lost hope when he felt the sharp pain of the needle penetrating his muscle and releasing its contents, like an icy spike sinking into his body.

Feeling his eyes grow heavy with fatigue, he couldn't resist the sleep that invaded him for long and fell into a deep artificial sleep.

TO BE CONTINUED