It had been weeks since the tournament. Mikey's body ached, but his confidence had grown. The hallways buzzed with whispers as a new student strode through, tall, muscular, and radiating danger.
"That's Kang Morales," someone muttered. "He just transferred… and they say he's insane at fighting."
Mikey first met Kang in the gym. The boy was effortlessly strong, moving with the confidence of someone who'd been fighting seriously for years.
"Hey, you must be Mikey," Kang said, extending a hand with a grin. "Heard you're the guy who's tough enough to hold his own in the tournament."
Mikey shook his hand cautiously, not sure what to make of him. "Yeah… I guess so."
[Building the "Friendship"]
Over the next few days, Kang hung around Mikey. They sparred in the gym after classes, throwing punches, kicks, and practicing counters. Kang laughed when Mikey landed a solid combination.
"Not bad," Kang said, slapping Mikey on the back. "You've got potential. I could teach you a few tricks, if you want."
They joked about classes, teachers, and their favorite moves in martial arts. Kang even shared some tips for improving Mikey's Taekwondo strikes, making Mikey think he'd finally found a true friend—a partner who could push him to get stronger.
"You're not bad for a tournament guy," Kang said one afternoon, smirking. "Keep training like this and maybe you'll be able to challenge someone like me."
Mikey smiled, genuinely feeling a sense of camaraderie. Maybe this transfer wasn't so bad…
[The Bully Revealed]
That sense of trust shattered in an instant. Later that day, Mikey was walking down the hallway when he noticed a smaller student accidentally bump into Kang.
Kang's eyes narrowed—not in surprise, but with a cold, predatory focus. Without a word, he slammed the boy against the lockers.
"What are you doing?!" Mikey shouted.
Kang's expression stayed casual, almost like he was chatting with Mikey normally. "Oh, him? He bumped into me. Little accidents happen all the time, right?"
But Mikey's eyes widened as he saw the reality: Kang grabbed the boy by the throat, pressing him against the cold metal, and his other hand rained brutal punches on the kid's ribs and stomach. Blood trickled from the boy's mouth.
"You're lucky I like to take my time," Kang said, looking at Mikey with that same calm, almost sociopathic grin.