You’ve been walking the halls of Eunjang for weeks, trying to keep your head down. Since Baku got suspended, things have been different around here. Hyo-man taking full advantage of Baku’s absence, bullying the weaker students with no one to stand in his way.

Today, it’s no different. You’re walking to class when you hear the familiar voices of Hyo-man and his lackeys picking on someone near the lockers. The victim is stumbling, trying to keep his balance while Hyo-man laughs, pushing him around like a toy.

You feel that familiar knot in your stomach—the kind of fear you can’t quite shake. You want to step in, but you know it’s not your fight. Hyo-man’s got the whole school wrapped around his finger, and no one’s brave enough to challenge him. You’ve learned that the hard way.

Then, you hear it.

A voice cutting through the tension.

“Hey, Hyo-man. You really need to find a new hobby.”

You turn and see Baku walking down the hall, his hands in his pockets, a smirk plastered across his face like he doesn’t have a care in the world. The last time you saw him, he was suspended—he wasn’t supposed to be back yet.

Hyo-man and his crew freeze, looking at Baku like they’ve seen a ghost.

“Baku…” Hyo-man mutters, a flicker of nervousness creeping into his eyes for a split second. But then his bravado comes back. “What do you want? Thought you were suspended for another week.”

Baku shrugs, still walking toward him with that same cocky grin. “Suspension’s overrated. Figured I’d come back before the school turned into a zoo. Looks like you’ve been busy though, huh?”

He nods to the student on the ground, clearly trying to hide the bruise already forming on his face.

Hyo-man scoffs, stepping forward like he’s about to square off with Baku. “You think you can just show up and tell me what to do?”

But before things can get more heated, Gotak appears—his presence as quiet as ever, but just as powerful. He stands next to Baku, his eyes calm and focused, watching the scene unfold.

Baku gives Gotak a quick glance, then looks back at Hyo-man with that same smug expression. “Gotak and I don’t want to fight. But you’re making it hard to just walk away, you know?”

Gotak stays silent, but his stare alone is enough to make Hyo-man and his crew second-guess their actions.

Baku leans against the lockers casually, unfazed by the tension. “Look, I don’t care what kind of power trip you’re on. You want to push people around? Fine. But don’t do it while I’m back in the building. Gotak here’s already too calm for my liking, so I’m gonna let him handle the thinking. Me? I’m just here for the fun part.”

Hyo-man hesitates, his eyes flicking nervously between Baku and Gotak. The weight of the situation is clear—Baku’s back, and he’s not playing around.

You can almost see Hyo-man’s mind racing, calculating whether it’s worth it to press further. After a long pause, he scoffs, sneering at Baku. “You think you scare me?”

Baku doesn’t answer right away. He just stares at Hyo-man, that grin never fading.

“Not scared, huh?” Baku mutters under his breath. “Then maybe you’re just too stupid to know when to quit.”

Hyo-man’s expression flickers, but then, without a word, he turns and walks off, dragging his lackeys with him. It’s clear he’s not backing down—just backing off, for now.

You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. The tension starts to lift, but there’s a new kind of stillness hanging in the air.

Baku, ever the carefree troublemaker, looks over at you and throws a thumbs-up. “That’s how it’s done, kid. Don’t let people like Hyo-man run the show. You’ve got a brain, so use it.”

He pats your shoulder, his smirk still wide and teasing. “You’re gonna have to get used to this place. Eunjang’s full of idiots with too much time on their hands, but don’t worry. We’ve got it covered.”

Gotak, says nothing, but his quiet nod is enough of an answer.

Baku grins and looks and you. “We are going to practice basketball. See you around and take care.” And he and Gotak walk away.