They stood before me, with Minjae leading his group like a king enjoying his power. Anxiety still gnawed at me, I wondered if they had realized who the man in the video really was.
"Judging by his appearance," one of them said mockingly, "isn't he like Ian? Even his back looks the same, weak and pathetic."
The others chuckled and nodded in agreement. "Impossible," another said. "The guy on the train is a hero. Ian? He's a loser who can't even defend himself."
Their insults hit hard, fueling a restrained anger within me. My hands clenched at my sides, struggling to suppress the urge to strike back. I knew that fighting them now would only drag me deeper. They were cowards, always relying on numbers rather than skill.
I briefly imagined myself landing a decisive punch to their faces, but instead, I said calmly, "What do you want?"
Their laughter erupted, full of derision, as one of them punched my shoulder with moderate force.
Minjae raised his hand, halting his men, and stepped forward to take control of the situation. His gaze was like a dagger, radiating a dominance that made me sick.
"He's asking what we want, Min," one of them muttered.
Minjae shot his follower a sharp glare. "MINJAE! Don't ever shorten my name!" he snapped angrily. "How many times must I say I hate being called that?"
His voice echoed through the corridor, making his loyal followers tense. Their confident expressions vanished, replaced with unmistakable fear.
"S-sorry," the one who spoke stammered, like a child scolded in front of the class.
Once Minjae's anger subsided, their attention returned to me. Without warning, Minjae placed his hand on my head, stroking it slowly, as if I were a pet.
"You've really been obedient," he said mockingly, a crooked smile on his face. "Since our last lesson, you haven't dared to do anything. So today, I'll let you go. Leave before I change my mind."
Though anger boiled inside me, I held back. Being treated like a pet made me furious, but opposing him now would only make things worse. Slowly, I decided to walk away, ignoring their snickering behind me. Yet, I felt relieved, my identity as the train hero remained intact.
"Jia, I'm sorry for what happened to you."
My steps halted at the top of the stairs. My breath caught. The name I had just heard—Jia—was the person I secretly liked. Curiosity gripped me, and I decided to eavesdrop.
"Thank you," Jia's gentle voice replied. "I'm fine now."
"I heard a man bravely stopped a criminal on the train. He protected all the passengers from being held hostage. People must be very grateful to him," said the woman with Jia.
"I think so too," Jia replied briefly.
"Yes, right? I'm grateful too, because you weren't hurt. Everyone is amazed, wondering who he is. In the video, only his back is shown."
Hearing their conversation, a thin smile crept onto my face. A surge of pride welled up. So this is what it feels like to be talked about by others, even if silently from behind the scenes.
"You were there too. What do you think he looks like? I'm curious too. Is he handsome?"
That question made my mind race. What would Jia answer? Would she think I was handsome? Or would I fail to capture her attention entirely?
"Hmm, I think he… is fairly handsome," Jia finally said.
"Fairly?" Her friend chuckled. "Come on, Jia… What's your standard of handsome? Don't tell me it's someone like Minjae."
I almost laughed at the mention of that name. But the next moment, their steps brought them directly in front of me.
Jia's eyes widened fully when she saw me. I froze, caught red-handed.
"What's wrong, Jia?" Her friend turned, confused by Jia's reaction.
"N-nothing," Jia replied quickly, her voice nervous.
I continued walking, and as I passed behind Jia, I said softly, "It's not polite to talk about someone behind their back." I smiled faintly to myself.
"Why is he acting like we were talking about him? Weird," Jia's friend muttered before I was completely out of sight.
I kept walking until I was far from them. My heart itched to punch the wall, Jia's words—calling me 'fairly handsome'—kept echoing in my mind.
"Disgusting," a voice said, making me turn.
Remy stood behind me, expression flat but with a trace of annoyance.
"You haven't told me anything. How could you be so cruel as a friend? Am I the only one who considered you a friend all this time?"
I exhaled deeply, feeling slightly guilty. "We haven't met much lately."
"At least you could have contacted me like before."
I glanced around, realizing the corridor wasn't the right place to explain. Without thinking, I looped an arm around Remy's neck and pulled him along.
"Stop acting like a sulking lover," I half-laughed. "You know I don't forget my friends. We can sit at the café near campus, and I'll tell you everything from start to finish there."
Remy thought for a moment before replying, "Don't you have classes today?"
I immediately released him. "Ah, true! I came to campus to study!"
"Go before you get another warning letter."
"But I'm determined to tell you what happened yesterday."
Remy squinted, a mocking expression on his face. "We can do it after your lessons end."
"Is that so, my friend?" I said, smiling faintly.
Remy narrowed his eyes. "Disgusting. You smile like a worm in heat when you call me 'friend.' Do you need me to escort you to the hospital, Ian?"
I smiled wider. "No worm can smile like this. It's just because I'm so happy right now."
Because Jia said I was 'fairly handsome.'
"Then I'll see you again after classes," I said, waving and walking away lightly.
After lessons ended, as promised, I recounted everything to Remy on the way home. He was shocked, worried, but ultimately shared in the joy of my first outing with Jia.
"Get out of here!" a loud male voice interrupted. A big man was chasing a woman away, the tension around them thick. They seemed like a couple in a serious conflict.
"That woman… doesn't she look like your roommate?" Remy asked hesitantly.
I looked closer. By her outfit, I began to recognize her. She looked like Mina when she left home that morning.
"That does look like Mina," I said. "But what is she doing in front of a nightclub?"