I Became the Sickly Eldest Son - Chapter 14
Chapter 14
‘It’s quiet.’
From the second day of school, I could feel the drastic change in my status. Ju-kyung, who had been at the top of the invisible caste system, had somehow become an untouchable outcast. I don’t know if it’s because rumors spread that he was beaten up by delinquents or if he’s being treated as a failure due to a failed manifestation, but all the kids in the class who used to stick to Ju-kyung ignored him. They didn’t even look at him.
However, Ju-kyung was rather pleased with the reactions that were spot on without an inch of error.
‘These little brats only learned bad things… But it seems my school’s reputation has easily fallen. There won’t be any more annoying people getting involved with me.’
Feeling inwardly satisfied, he left the classroom. He did so knowing that class would start soon. A few kids sitting around exchanged glances, but that was it, no one asked where he was going.
‘I’ll have to kill time until Woo-dam gets out of school.’
With that thought, Ju-kyung headed to the rooftop. He had no more will to burn himself with studying, and he couldn’t leave early leaving his brother behind, so he made that decision.
How long has it been since he leisurely looked at the sky?
‘It’s so blue.’
Somehow, it makes the heart feel carefree too. You might think he’s making a fuss over just the sky, but good things are good. The clouds are pretty, the weather is clear, just right to enjoy a moment of happiness. Just as he was contemplating taking a nap like this,
“How much is it this time?”
The rooftop door opened with a commotion.
“Damn~ I want to go watch too.”
“Kaaaak, ptooey!”
Guess I’m out of luck. Ju-kyung sat up. Fortunately, he’s at an angle that can’t be seen from over there, so there’s no worry of being caught. More importantly, isn’t it class time right now? These kids with not even their brains dried yet are already playing hooky.
‘…I’m not one to talk either, am I?’
Ju-kyung meekly closed his mumbling lips. Hmm, I guess it’s better to just attend class next time. Come to think of it, it seems like behavior that would be embarrassing to show my brothers. It’s probably not a good example. Woo-dam must be diligently taking classes too.
“Yang Woo-dam will make a ton of money today.”
Yeah, diligently making a ton of money… huh? Ju-kyung flinched. His drowsy mind became extremely sensitive.
‘What did you just say?’
* * *
‘He’s got some guts too. I wouldn’t even think of going to a place like a fight club.’
The form of lightly jumping over the roof isn’t ordinary.
‘Dammit!’
Unbelievable. No, hard to believe. Could it be a person with the same name? My brother, who should be quietly taking classes suddenly in a fight club?
But when he went to check his class to make sure, his brother wasn’t there. Ju-kyung left the school with a stiff expression. While thinking the kids must have misunderstood, it couldn’t be, he has a bad feeling. And bad premonitions are usually correct.
‘This way!’
The place he arrived at following the presence was the next town over, and an old abandoned building at that. Ju-kyung pulled on the tightly closed door. Clank! Bang! It doesn’t budge at all.
‘There must be a lot of jerks here, huh?’
The facial features gather at the center of the face. Anger and anxiety rapidly grew in size.
‘Let my brother out, right now.’
The veins bulge on the back of the hand gripping the doorknob. Alright. Let’s break it. The moment he was about to pull with force to smash it,
[Push]
Kiiik…Â Because I pushed, it opened smoothly.
“Ahem!”
Ju-kyung fake coughed.
“My eyes have been blurry these days… The letters are small.”
He mutters while furtively glancing around. It must have been quite embarrassing as his steps going in are fast.
‘98% of the citizens of Korea experience not being able to distinguish between push and pull, not just me.’
He grumbled and made excuses diligently in his head. No one was listening, but he insisted.
‘Oh, unexpectedly spacious.’
Meanwhile, not forgetting what to do, he looked around diligently and a wide and clean interior came into view, contrary to the enclosed exterior. Ju-kyung sighed with his arms crossed. For now, the priority should be finding Woo-dam.
Fortunately, that was simple. Because he could hear a faint noise with his sensitive ears.
“Five steps to the left… Diagonally twice.”
Ju-kyung, who stood at the exact spot, raised his leg. He intended to smash the floor like this. Then it would be a free pass to where Woo-dam is…Â I guess I shouldn’t.
“Ah.”
He moved his lips like a fool. He also politely lowers his leg.
‘I’m not going to catch a criminal right now. Are you going to hurt Woo-dam too?’
He had no choice but to find another route down to the basement. If only Woo-dam’s safety is secured, he would pierce through directly, damn it. In the end, Ju-kyung was able to find the emergency stairs and go down only after wandering for a while. How shifty are these bastards that they hid it so well?
Then, after lightly subduing two gatekeepers, he carefully entered. As he passed through the long corridor, a light that grew stronger and stronger came into view. As a bonus, music that strikes the eardrums.Â
‘This is insane.’
Ju-kyung chuckled. You guys should consider yourselves lucky that I didn’t come as a member of the crackdown team.
‘It’s difficult to hide my identity without Eve.’
He mumbled and put on the stolen hoodie inside out. And soon he clicked his tongue at the revealed sight. Purple lighting that dizzies the eyes, hazy fog, noisy conversation, naked people…
It wasn’t much different from an ordinary club, but the problem was the huge iron cage placed in the middle. At a glance, it looked like a dogfighting ring. Humans intoxicated with alcohol and drugs each wave tickets and scream.
“You must win unconditionally!”
“I bet everything on you! Damn it, if you’re going to lose, you might as well die!”
Does Woo-dam like this kind of thing? …Well, the younger they are, the more vulnerable they are to stimulation. But from now on, I’ll have to guide him to watch UFC fighting sports in person. This place was too bad for children’s emotions and education.
Ju-kyung moved his steps without hesitation and explored here and there. But strangely, he couldn’t see his brother. It was the moment when impatience was about to rise again.
“Now, now, now! Before the excitement dies down, let’s go!”
“Woooooaaaah!”
A man appeared holding a microphone. At his words, people let out enthusiastic cheers.
“…”
Ju-kyung also froze.Â
‘Why is that bastard there?’
The reason for the surprise was simple. Go Sinji. B-class ability user. The man holding the microphone was one of the members of Aolus led by Woo-dam in the distant future.
A creepy feeling ran through his whole body. Amidst the pouring cheers, only Ju-kyung is still. His ears feel clogged as if he’s underwater. Gulp, the sound of swallowing saliva was particularly loud. His breathing quickens.
‘Why… you…’
‘…Long time no see, hyung.’
A sticky pool of blood gathers on the floor. On top of it, a coldly frozen corpse floated. A gaunt, dried-up body with a pierced heart. …Nausea rises. A pitch-black shadow was cast on the face wearing a hood.
“I thought too soft-heartedly.”
A husky voice flowed out as if scratching the vocal cords. I thought it would be fine if my siblings, father, and I changed. Foolishly. I was too confident against fate.
“I should have eliminated all the seeds that would become the root of evil.”
That’s right. I should have prevented them from coming near my siblings. Even if they haven’t committed a crime punishable by death right away, even if they may be living ordinarily, it doesn’t matter. I will kill all the Aolus members except my siblings. It was a declaration that he would slaughter people who might live as good people to the end, treating them merely as potential risk factors.
Therefore, Go Sinji, you must die here today. As Ju-kyung was walking closer to the iron cage, cracking his finger joints, he suddenly stopped.
“Now~ our rookie! The newcomer who is winning through round 2! Yang! U! Dam!”
Because his brother walked out smiling with a lively beat.
Ju-kyung’s cool face changed like a cream bun that was slapped. If it were an entertainment show, a crow would probably be passing over his head. Caw, caw… In the heated atmosphere, only Ju-kyung is an isolated island.
‘N-not a spectator…’
He blinks his bean-sized eyes and opens his mouth wide in shock.
‘A player…?!’
I think I’m going to faint.
‘Ah, damn it. Mother.’
Ju-kyung stopped while praying.
‘But whose mother should I look for? Our mother? Woo-dam’s mother?’
In the meantime, he didn’t want to look for his father, Shin Tae-kyung.
“Haa, that little bastard.”
At some point, ‘my brother’ became ‘that little bastard‘. It’s understandable. Because he was grinning from ear to ear without knowing his hyung’s burning insides. The swollen eyes and burst lips already proved that he had several fistfights.
Ju-kyung finally realized that he had misunderstood. He briefly, very briefly suspected that he might have been pushed by bullying kids, but seeing the confidently raised corners of his mouth, IÂ get it.
‘He’s enjoying it.’
Then those injuries were also from this club? Damn it. If you’re short on allowance, why are you doing this kind of crap instead of telling me?
Whether he was frustrated or not, the situation flowed quickly.