Cherreads

Chapter 3 - Chapter 3:

The next morning, the smell of seaweed soup and grilled croaker drifted into Soon Hae's room. She groaned, rolled over, and found her stepbrother already standing in the doorway.

He was only twelve, hair still sticking up from sleep, holding his neatly packed schoolbag. "Noona, you're gonna make me late."

She yawned. "School doesn't start for another twenty minutes."

"I want to get there early."

"You're such a teacher's pet."

"Better than being a market disaster," he shot back with a smirk.

Her jaw dropped. "You heard about that?!"

He grinned. "Everyone in the market was talking about how some girl yelled at a boxer."

Heat crawled up her neck. "I didn't know he was a boxer! And for the record, he bumped into me."

Her stepbrother just laughed, heading for the kitchen. "If you see him again, tell him my noona can beat him up."

---

By the time she dropped him off at school and reached the laundry shop, Mrs. Kim was already waiting outside, hands on her hips.

"You're late."

Soon Hae threw her arms up. "I had to walk my stepbrother!"

Mrs. Kim shook her head. "One day you'll learn the world doesn't wait for you."

Inside, the morning rush had already started. Tourists from the nearby harbor had dropped off clothes from their fishing charters, and the air smelled of detergent and seawater. Soon Hae threw herself into sorting, humming under her breath.

The bell over the door jingled.

She looked up and nearly dropped an armful of shirts.

It was him again. No mask this time, but the same gym bag over his shoulder. His T-shirt was stretched over lean muscle, his hair damp as if he'd just showered.

He nodded at Mrs. Kim, then glanced at Soon Hae. "Morning, market girl."

She narrowed her eyes. "Morning, bell destroyer."

He smirked, dropped off his bag, and leaned on the counter. "So you work here every day?"

"Why? Planning to avoid this place now?"

"Actually," he said, "my coach wants me to pick up and drop off our team's laundry from now on. So I guess I'll be seeing you… a lot."

Her stomach did an odd flip. "Great," she said flatly. "Can't wait."

Mrs. Kim frowned. "Team? What team?"

He smiled faintly. "Iron Tiger Boxing Academy."

The words made Soon Hae's pulse skip. "Wait ... you're one of them?"

He tilted his head, studying her. "One of who?"

"The five fighters on the poster."

He laughed softly. "Those guys? No, I'm not one of the 'Famous Five.' I just train there. But…" His gaze held hers for a second longer than necessary. "…I fight."

Before she could respond, he turned and left, the doorbell jingling behind him.

---

That night, after finishing her shift, Soon Hae walked home slower than usual. The moon hung low over the harbor, reflecting off the water like spilled silver.

She passed by Iron Tiger's gate again and this time, the sound of rapid punches against pads echoed into the street.

She stopped.

Inside, under the harsh white lights, the "Famous Five" were training. Shen Rubai's jabs were lightning fast. Wei Sheng's footwork looked like dancing. Lu han's punches made the pads pop like gunshots. Guan Zhu Tong's hooks were sharp and precise, and Li Li Shan's uppercuts could probably break a wall.

Her breath caught.

And standing at the far end of the gym, watching them with quiet focus… was the laundry shop stranger.

---

On getting home she gets the most shocking news of her life.

Tears blurred Soon Hae's vision as she sat curled on the thin mattress in her cramped room. The envelope that had once held her monthly allowance now lay empty on the floor, crumpled from her clenched fists. All gone, swallowed up for his school fees. Her stepbrother.

From the kitchen, her stepmother's voice sliced through the walls like a whip.

> "Stop sulking and get out here! The customers won't serve themselves!"

Soon Hae wiped at her cheeks, smearing the dampness across her skin. Her stomach still twisted with the injustice of it, but there was no point in arguing. She slipped on the stained apron hanging by the door and pushed herself into the dimly lit dining area.

The evening crowd buzzed with chatter and clinking bowls, but her eyes caught on one table immediately.

A man sat there alone. His posture was straight, deliberate, and he wore a mask not the cheap paper kind for colds, but a crafted, porcelain like mask that covered the upper half of his face. It was painted in shades of silver and black, giving him an otherworldly presence.

His jawline, what little she could see of it, looked carved, almost unreal. Demi-like something out of a fantasy tale. The longer she looked, the more her mind went crazy.

Her mouth parted slightly. She didn't notice herself staring until her tongue brushed the corner of her lip, and a small drop of saliva threatened to spill. She quickly swallowed and looked down, heat rushing to her ears.

"Miss," the masked man said, voice smooth and deep enough to vibrate in her bones.

She nearly dropped her notepad.. after taking his order he left while everyone drooled over his divine structure...

More Chapters