Black & Grey

The blanket, precariously draped over the edge of the sofa, slid slightly with a faint movement. As Yoochan caught sight of Jungeol’s outstretched neck and thick trapezius muscles, he involuntarily swallowed dryly.Though he knew Jungeol had tattoos, he hadn’t imagined they were this extensive. Beneath the tightly concealing clothes, almost as if he were hiding them out of obsessive neatness, were black wings, stark as a raven’s, stretching long and curling menacingly around Jungeol’s broad shoulders and nape.Yoochan felt as if his own neck were being squeezed. He tugged at the string of his hoodie to loosen it and instinctively stepped back. At that moment, the blanket covering Jungeol’s left shoulder slid completely to the floor.The left shoulder blade bore a crowned lion. Next to it was David, his face half a skull, exuding an intimidating presence. Along Jungeol’s thickly muscled side, from his armpit down, sharp Chicano lettering was intricately inked.From the base of the carved wings on Jungeol’s trapezius, black-and-gray tattoos filled his entire back as though he were clad in dark armor. Yoochan was struck speechless by the overwhelming sight.As Yoochan stared at the tattoos in a daze, Jungeol moved. With a low, cavernous voice, the muscles near the wings twitched, making the lion, its jaws wide open, appear to roar.As if facing a real beast, Yoochan stifled his breath and crouched. Forgetting his initial intention to wake Jungeol, his hand reached out to the lion’s flowing mane as if entranced.Expecting a rough texture from the lifelike depiction, he instead felt only soft skin and firm muscles. Yoochan’s rough, slightly bent fingers, honed by exercise, traced down the lion’s mane and brushed against a snake coiled around its leg.It was then that Yoochan realized he could no longer hear the quiet rhythm of Jungeol’s breathing.“……”He felt a gaze lock onto him. In the silent stillness, Yoochan squeezed his eyes shut, hoping Jungeol hadn’t noticed him frozen in the act of touching the tattoo.* * *Yoochan frowned as he stood in front of a four-story building on the outskirts of Seoul. A defunct nail salon and a shabby barbershop barely clinging to life came into view.Shoving his hands into his pockets, Yoochan glanced at the rundown barber sign with a disgruntled expression, then straightened his back and looked up. While the first floor was somewhat passable, the second, third, and fourth floors had no visible signs at all. The building was highly suspicious.“Are you sure this is the right place?”“Yep, it’s here. Fourth floor of this building,” answered Eunbit, Yoochan’s girlfriend, her voice confident as she checked her phone.“See? Even the GPS says it’s here.”As Eunbit’s weight suddenly leaned into his arm, Yoochan looked down at her hanging onto him with a playful smirk.“What? Are you scared?”“What?”“Are you getting cold feet now that it’s time to do it?”Eunbit, who had always said muscular guys with tattoos were her type, seemed intent on goading him, perhaps worried he might back out.“Scared? Not a chance. Let’s go, Eunbit.”Feigning bravado, Yoochan straightened his broad shoulders and stepped into the building. Baek Yoochan doesn’t back down, he vowed internally, climbing the stairs with confident strides. Eunbit followed like a little chick, chirping excitedly.“Changhoon oppa’s friend got his done here and posted it on Instagram. It was seriously amazing. The likes went crazy!”“What oppa?”“You know, Changhoon oppa. I’ve mentioned him before—my cousin’s friend’s friend’s friend.”Though the name sounded unfamiliar, Yoochan simply nodded, unable to argue with Eunbit’s innocent enthusiasm, and quickened his pace.Before long, they reached the fourth floor. There was only one entrance. The faded yellow metal door lacked even a sign. Yoochan eyed the dead potted plant, worn-out shoes, and desk near the entrance, then pressed the doorbell.“Just a moment!”Amid the sound of a vacuum cleaner, a voice called out. When no one immediately appeared, Yoochan exchanged a glance with Eunbit and shrugged, noticing a note stuck below the doorbell.Do not squat inside. Please use a chair.Before Yoochan could make sense of the odd message, the door swung open.Standing slightly taller than Eunbit’s 168 cm was a slender woman. Her loose black short-sleeve shirt revealed arms covered in vibrant tattoos. Yoochan’s gaze was momentarily stolen by the ink as the woman extended a hand with a friendly smile.“Welcome! Do you have an appointment?”“No, but we were referred by Changhoon oppa,” Yoochan replied.Eunbit responded cheerfully on behalf of Yoochan.“Oh, Mr. Changhoon…! Please, come in.”The woman, introducing herself as the studio’s coordinator and manager, opened the door wide. As Yoochan entered, holding Eunbit’s hand, his eyebrows furrowed gradually.The tattoo studio was smaller than Yoochan’s own room—barely 20 pyeong in size. There were only three stainless steel beds, and messy black blackout curtains hung here and there like makeshift partitions. Examining the strange artwork and tattoo photos crowding the gray walls, Yoochan nervously licked his dry lips. He started to doubt if skipping his 600,000-won-per-hour private tutoring session was worth it, wondering if he had wandered into a dubious place.“It must’ve been hard to find since we don’t have a signboard yet. We just opened not too long ago. Please have a seat here for a moment.”The manager guided them to a worn-out black leather sofa, then began rummaging through a bookshelf on one side. As Yoochan uneasily looked around, Eunbit, linking arms with him, addressed the manager.“Your sign said ‘beware of the dog,’ but I don’t see any dog?”“They went out to get their rabies shot.”The manager answered kindly, then returned with a thick photo album and an iPad, sitting on the opposite sofa before asking, “So, who’s getting the tattoo?”“My boyfriend.”As Yoochan glanced around uncomfortably, Eunbit quickly spoke up. The manager nodded in understanding.“Do you have a specific tattoo artist in mind?”“I’m not sure about the name, but—”“Oh, wait! I know!” Eunbit swiftly scrolled through her phone’s message history. Finally, she declared, “Cho Jungeol. It’s Cho Jungeol.”“Ah, so you’re here for Jungeol Oppa,” the manager said, her expression becoming a little awkward as she continued. “Jungeol Oppa just finished a session early this morning and only just fell asleep. It might be a while before he wakes up, but I’ll check with him. He usually only takes appointments, though.”“Manager Noona, is there a customer?”A casual voice interrupted, and someone emerged from behind one of the blackout curtains.“Hello!”The man, slightly shorter than Yoochan, had a stockier build with tan skin. His arms bore tattoos even more colorful and intricate than the manager’s. Yoochan glanced at the eagle clutching a red heart with its wings spread on the man’s forearm, then looked up. Was this Cho Jungeol?“Do you have a design in mind?” the man asked confidently as he sat next to the manager.“Well…”Yoochan hesitated, sneaking a glance at Eunbit, who blushed slightly before pulling up a photo on her phone and showing it to the man.“This one, please.”With a playful smile, Eunbit handed over her phone. On the screen was a selfie of her with puffed-up cheeks, her heavy makeup contrasting with her otherwise innocent appearance.“It looks like the screen might’ve swiped to the wrong photo,” the man commented.Eunbit leaned forward, checked the screen, and quickly shook her head, eyes wide. “No, this is the right one.”“That’s the one. I’m here to get my girlfriend’s face tattooed,” Yoochan said confidently. Eunbit’s face lit up with delight.The man’s expression, however, froze momentarily. He exchanged a glance with the manager before carefully replying, “Uh… a tattoo of your girlfriend’s face… You might regret that.”“It’s fine. We won’t regret it.”“Well, I hate to say this, but nine out of ten couples end up regretting it and breaking up,” the manager chimed in, trying to dissuade them.“The other one couple stays together and still regrets it,” the man added.“It’s really okay. We’ve already promised to get married,” Yoochan declared, his tone firm. Eunbit shyly clung to his arm, nodding as if deeply moved.Seeing their unwavering determination, as if they had been together for a decade, the manager couldn’t hide her sour expression as she asked reluctantly, “Oh… so you two have been dating for a long time?”“Tomorrow’s our 100th day together. This tattoo is to celebrate our 100th day.”“…Wow, that’s… impulsive,” the man muttered under his breath before quickly covering his mouth. The manager nudged him with her elbow and forced a cheerful tone.“So, will it be in black-and-gray, or just line art?”“What’s black-and-gray?” Yoochan asked naively.The manager opened her iPad case, showing a portfolio. Both Yoochan and Eunbit let out a soft “Wow.” The images displayed intricate tattoos of lions, tigers, and pets, inked on clients’ backs with photo-like precision in black and gray.“This style uses varying shades of black ink to create realistic, detailed images. It’s called black-and-gray. Alternatively, you can go for something like this—just outline it with minimal detail, which is popular these days. Line art tattoos are easier to cover up later if you change your mind.”It was clear the manager favored the latter option, subtly steering the conversation by sliding past the black-and-gray examples to showcase simpler designs. However, Yoochan didn’t even glance at the portfolio handed to him. Instead, he tightened his grip on Eunbit’s hand and declared, “We’ll go with black-and-gray. As realistic as possible. Completely lifelike.”Eunbit blushed deeply. The manager sighed quietly, then leaned on the table with narrowed eyes.“I recommend keeping it the size of a thumb.”“Life-size. No compromises.”“…Wow, that’s too much.”The man interrupted and waved his hand. As Yoochan thought he needed to be more assertive, he leaned closer to the table. Just then, a deep voice came from somewhere.“Hey, Lee Taeho. Check his ID.”The voice, dull and unremarkable as if half-asleep, made everyone sitting on the sofa look in the same direction. The booming voice seemed to come from the corner of the tattoo shop.Yoochan frowned and leaned his upper body forward. He had missed noticing earlier, but under the stainless steel bed in the corner of the shop, a man as big as Yoochan was lying on the sofa.The man, his face covered by a sky-blue shirt, shifted slightly, revealing his sharp jawline.“They’re just kids,” the new man said.Lee Taeho, the chubby man, looked Yoochan up and down and replied, “Nah, he looks like he’s about to graduate from college.”Yoochan coughed dryly at the casual remark that struck his heart, and as he was coughing, Eunbit gently patted his back with a concerned look. Meanwhile, the man sitting next to the bed lowered his shirt to cover his face completely and said,“Still, check his ID.”Lee Taeho frowned as if he couldn’t imagine that Yoochan might be underage, and he finally asked Yoochan and Eunbit to show their IDs.“ID?” Yoochan’s voice trembled. Eunbit’s fingers, which had been patting his back, tensed up, and Yoochan pulled his chin in, anxious. If they hesitated here, they would definitely figure out that he was a minor.“I left it at home,” Yoochan said, trying to act indifferent while puffing out his chest confidently. Lee Taeho, who had been shaking his leg restlessly, froze and stopped.Lee Taeho looked at Eunbit with suspicion and then turned his gaze back to Yoochan. A man in his mid-twenties, seemingly from the military, seemed completely different from his girlfriend, who clearly looked younger.“You left it at home? What about your girlfriend?”Eunbit nodded. Lee Taeho then tapped the iPad in front of Yoochan and opened a site registration page.“Do the adult verification.”“What?” Yoochan’s pupils shook at the unexpected words. Lee Taeho looked serious, clasping his hands.“According to the rules, you need to bring an ID, but since we just opened the shop and we really need a customer, I’ll let it slide if you do the verification.”Taken by surprise, Yoochan grabbed the iPad, glancing at Eunbit. Eunbit lowered her head and buried her hands between her knees, looking like she had no way out.‘Ah… shit.’Yoochan gritted his teeth. He wanted to leave right away, but Eunbit was next to him. He couldn’t bear for her to see him being chased away. Just thinking about it was embarrassing.Deciding to go with it, Yoochan quickly typed in his number and hit the confirmation button in one motion.“Adult verification completed.”“Ah, you are an adult…” Lee Taeho’s eyes, which had been gleaming with the notification, narrowed as if he had spotted something wrong. The manager, who had been watching the situation from the side, stretched her neck and looked at the first few digits of the resident registration number. She then mumbled in disbelief.“…You’re well over forty. You really look young.”“Thank you…” Yoochan began, but the manager cut him off sharply.“Leave. While I’m being polite.”The manager snapped at Yoochan, who had secretly used his father’s ID number. Yoochan closed his eyes tightly. “Ah, unnie…” Eunbit raised her finger and pleaded.“Please… Just this once! Can’t you let us in? We came on Changhoon Oppa’s recommendation!”“Changhoon’s recommendation doesn’t matter. I said no.”“Please…! Yoochan Oppa’s parents already gave permission!”“Even if you have your parents’ permission, minors can’t get tattoos. If you really want one, go somewhere else.”Of course, the lie about having parental permission was completely unconvincing, but it had no effect on the manager. Grabbing the iPad and album, the manager packed up and prepared to leave, while Eunbit, stomping her feet, pinched Yoochan’s side.“What now? Are we just going to leave, Oppa?”Seeing Eunbit’s signal to do something, Yoochan couldn’t stay still. He jumped up from the sofa and glared down at Taeho and the manager in a defiant manner.“Seriously… these people…”The manager froze while holding the iPad, and Taeho frowned in irritation. Eunbit, standing up, grabbed Yoochan’s shoulder and tried to pull him away. Yoochan looked down at her and said sternly.“Eunbit, wait outside. I’ll handle this.”“Don’t fight, okay?”“No, I’m not fighting. I just want to have a word with them.”“Let’s just go. We can get it done somewhere else, Oppa.”Sensing the situation was getting worse, Eunbit grabbed Yoochan’s arm and dragged him outside. The iron door slammed shut behind them, and Taeho and the manager were left with confused expressions. Yoochan grumbled as he walked away.“Eunbit, why did you stop me? I was about to say something to them.”“Can’t you just beg? If you say it’s your lifelong wish, maybe they’ll soften up and let you in?”“Begging? Baek Yoochan has his pride. Stay here. I’ll figure it out.”“I think they’re going to say no…”With her skeptical response, Yoochan turned around, grabbed Eunbit’s delicate shoulder, and with his eyes wide open, he gently stroked her smooth cheek like handling a precious porcelain doll.“Bit-ah.”“Yeah?”“Oppa, do you believe me or not?”Though it was somewhat cheesy, Eunbit replied with moist eyes.“Of course, I believe you.”“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Got it? No matter how much it costs, I’ll make sure you get that tattoo. I even brought my mom’s credit card. Let’s get a cool tattoo and then go to a restaurant.”Yoochan confidently took out his mother’s credit card from his jacket pocket and said reassuringly. Eunbit nodded, her face full of emotion, and stepped back.“Wait a minute.”Yoochan opened the door roughly, so hard that the wind blew. The manager and Taeho, who were standing in front of the entrance, both looked at Yoochan simultaneously.Once the door slammed shut, Yoochan walked toward the two men, standing tall and with a cocky posture. The atmosphere seemed tense, and Taeho stepped forward in front of the manager. Yoochan took a step forward and raised his chin, speaking firmly.“Please, give me the tattoo.”Taeho, who was slightly shorter than Yoochan, frowned with an uneasy expression and shook his head.“No, you can’t. If Jungeol hyung finds out that we tattooed a minor, we’re dead.”“We can just keep it a secret from Jungeol.”“The one who asked to check the ID was Jungeol hyung. It’s impossible, so please leave.”At those words, Yoochan glanced at the sofa in the corner. The man whose face was covered by a shirt showed no movement. It seemed like he had fallen asleep after working through the night. Sighing softly, Yoochan exhaled. Taeho, who was glaring at Yoochan’s muscular chest, muttered under his breath.“Sigh… Looks like words aren’t going to work.”“What’s that? Oh, never mind. Just leave quietly. If you wake up Jungeol hyung, there’ll be trouble.”Yoochan took the card from his jacket pocket and pressed it against Taeho’s face, who had just shoved him aside.“Fine, I’ll give you five times the amount you’re asking for, in one payment. How about it?”“Five times?”“… Five times?”The manager and Taeho’s eyes trembled at the words Yoochan boldly spoke without even his mother’s permission. They roughly estimated it would be over five hundred. Before the manager could speak, Taeho grabbed Yoochan’s arm with both hands and said,“Customer, how about Old School tattoos instead of Black & Gray?”“Old School? What’s that?”“Lee Taeho. Are you crazy? He’s a minor. If Jungeol hyung wakes up, it’ll be trouble.”“It’s five times the price, what does it matter if he’s a minor?”Even though the manager finally regained his senses, Taeho didn’t stop and continued to push Old School tattoos.“Customer, I’m really good at Old School tattoos. Want to see? This tattoo on my arm is Old School.”Taeho pulled up his T-shirt sleeve to show off the tattoo. As Yoochan looked at the thick lines and bold, bright single-color designs with a deep gaze, the manager interjected firmly,“No, absolutely not. Hurry and leave, customer! Taeho, if you wake up Jungeol hyung…”The manager grabbed Yoochan’s shoulder with both hands and started pushing him towards the door. While Yoochan remained unbudging like a rock, the manager struggled to get him out, but Yoochan easily removed the manager’s hand from his arm and approached Taeho.“Huh?”Seeing Yoochan move toward him without hesitation, Taeho took a step back in surprise. Suddenly, Yoochan disappeared from his line of sight. Taeho looked down in confusion. Yoochan’s muscular forearm, like a snake, had wrapped around Taeho’s leg.“Customer, what are you doing?”Taeho worried that Yoochan might break his leg or try to lift him and throw him off balance, but instead, Yoochan, rather than acting threateningly, tightly held his leg and said in a voice he had never heard before, begging like never before.“Please, just help me once.”“What?”“My girlfriend is waiting outside… Please, just help me this one time, hyung.”The confident attitude Yoochan had was completely gone. Now, hanging onto Taeho’s leg like a koala, he pleaded in a whiny voice.“If I get kicked out like this, what will I look like in front of my girlfriend? Please, just help me this one time. I’ll be loyal to you forever, hyung. Please, please.”“No… I don’t even know how to do Black & Gray…”“Then please ask Jungeol hyung for help.”“I don’t think Jungeol hyung wants a younger brother like you. Taeho, what are you doing! Hurry and drag him out!”The manager, who had been looking confused, shouted, pulling Yoochan by the jacket. Taeho finally snapped back to reality and grabbed Yoochan’s forearm, pulling him toward the entrance. After a few moments of resistance, Yoochan gave up and struggled, mumbling,“Fine, fine… I’ll go. I’ll leave on my own!”With a great force, like a bear, Yoochan was pushed out by Taeho and the manager.Yoochan lowered his T-shirt, which had risen to expose his abs, pretending to be nonchalant. He stood up and gave one last glare at the manager, Taeho, and the man lying asleep with his face covered by a shirt, then walked out confidently.“What did they say? Did they accept it?”Eunbit looked up at Yoochan with expectant eyes, but since he couldn’t say he had been kicked out, Yoochan furrowed his brow and replied,“Now that I look again, their skills seem a bit lacking, don’t you think? Let’s find a better place than this shabby shop, Eunbit.”“Ah…”Eunbit’s previously bright face darkened in an instant.“But Jiho Oppa said he’s the best.”“Who’s Jiho Oppa now, Eunbit?”“He’s a friend of Changhoon Oppa’s friend’s…”As the endless names of acquaintances spilled out of Eunbit’s mouth, Yoochan let out a deep sigh.“I told you, every guy except me is a wolf. Don’t get too close to them.”Seeing Eunbit nod obediently, Yoochan shook his head helplessly. Just then, his phone rang—it was the tutor.“Great. Perfect timing,” he muttered to himself.Yoochan reached for Eunbit’s hand with one hand while attempting to press the call button with the other. At that moment, a man hurrying up the stairs bumped hard into Eunbit’s shoulder.“Ouch!” Eunbit cried out briefly, staggering.Instead of hitting the call button, Yoochan pressed the end button and glared at the man.“Hey!”Yoochan’s voice came out sharp and cutting. The man ignored him and quickened his steps. Yoochan raised his voice further.“Hey, Mister!”The stocky man of medium height glanced briefly at Yoochan and Eunbit before turning his head away without so much as an apology. He stopped in front of what appeared to be a tattoo parlor and reached for the doorbell.Yoochan let out an annoyed sigh, released Eunbit’s hand, and grabbed the back of the man’s collar roughly.Thud.The man fell hard against a chair carelessly left on the landing, his hipbone slamming into it.“What the hell!” the man cursed, jumping up to glare at Yoochan. His expression asked, Who the hell are you?Hands in his pockets, Yoochan straightened his posture and said, “Don’t you know how to apologize?”“Apologize? For what?”The man’s sharp response was full of confusion.“What did I even do?”Yoochan gestured toward Eunbit with his chin.“You bumped into my girlfriend’s shoulder. Right, Eunbit?”“Yeah, it really hurt,” Eunbit said, clutching Yoochan’s jacket tightly. Despite her frightened expression, she glared fiercely at the man, determined to get an apology.“You definitely bumped into me!”“When did I?”The man, looking baffled by the young couple’s audacious attitude, approached with a swagger.“Huh? When did I bump into you? Got any proof?”As he brushed past Yoochan, he lightly nudged Eunbit’s shoulder with his own.“Ouch…!”Eunbit let out a short cry as she stumbled back.The man, oblivious to the change in Yoochan’s expression, continued provocatively, “Was it like this? Huh? Like this? Did I bump you on purpose like this?”The man kept nudging Eunbit’s shoulder, trying to provoke Yoochan further. Yoochan sighed quietly, his gaze fixed on the floor. Just as the man went to push Eunbit’s shoulder again, Yoochan’s large hand shot out, grabbing the man by the neck like a sack.“Ahhh!”Eunbit let out a sound somewhere between a scream and a cheer. Yoochan gestured for her to stay back and strode down the stairs like a hunter dragging his catch.“Let me go, you bastard!”The man struggled, clawing at Yoochan’s wrist, but it was futile. As the man failed to regain his footing, Yoochan dragged him down several flights of stairs in no time.“You could’ve just apologized, but guys like you always have to escalate things,” Yoochan muttered, tripping the man’s leg with his foot and toppling him to the ground.“Not a single day goes by peacefully,” Yoochan said, his expression calm but clearly irritated.He had gotten used to dealing with people like this. Troublemakers seemed drawn to Yoochan like moths to a flame.Since entering middle school, older delinquents had repeatedly tried to assert dominance over Yoochan, summoning him to rooftops or waiting at the back gate after school. Yet Yoochan had never behaved insolently or picked fights first.His friends joked that Yoochan’s face itself attracted trouble—his sharp jawline, almond-shaped eyes, smirking lips, broad shoulders, and relaxed stride made him look perpetually confrontational.Yoochan scoffed at the idea but grudgingly admitted it might be true. After all, there was no way these punks could know that Yoochan didn’t smoke, drink, or associate with the so-called bad crowd. His hobbies were working out at the gym and chatting over macarons at a café with his girlfriend.“Scary now that you’ve been caught, huh? You can feel it, right? My crushing strength that could snap a boar’s tusk? Huh? Doesn’t my aura as a fitness enthusiast scream out at you?”Yoochan shoved the man down onto the landing between the first and second floors.“Dammit…”The man, clutching the back of his neck, cursed under his breath and looked at Yoochan like he was a lunatic. He didn’t charge at him again, realizing this wasn’t an ordinary college kid.Instead, he glared at Eunbit, who had finally caught up, and muttered curses under his breath.“Hey, why are you looking there? Eunbit didn’t even do anything.”Sensing the man’s sinister intent to target Eunbit instead of himself, Yoochan quickly stepped in, blocking the man’s line of sight with his shoulder.“Are you going to apologize to Eunbit or not?”Yoochan asked in his usual arrogant tone, confident he’d win if things escalated. The man seemed sturdy at first glance, but his tight white shirt revealed arms without any definition—clearly just flabby flesh.In contrast, Yoochan was a former junior judo athlete ranked in the world’s top 10. Except against other athletes, he had never lost a one-on-one fight. A simple sweep of the leg, a few well-placed kicks to the man’s flabby body, and Yoochan was certain the guy would surrender in no time.“Hurry up and apologize.”Leaning lazily on one leg, Yoochan spoke in a tone that made it clear he found the whole situation tiresome.“I said, apologize already.”The man clenched his jaw tightly, his pride clearly holding him back, as his eyes darted about nervously. Then, his gaze landed on something. A sneer spread across his thin lips, which Yoochan noticed. Following the man’s line of sight, Yoochan looked toward the first-floor entrance. When he realized why the man was smirking, he let out a small laugh.“You called for backup, huh?”A man smoking a cigarette on the first floor looked up at them with a furrowed brow.“Did you really think I’d be intimidated just because you brought a friend?”Yoochan sneered and began descending the stairs one step at a time. The smoker was also stocky but sported a protruding belly that made it clear he wasn’t accustomed to exercise. Yoochan’s plan was simple: take out Flabby Man with a kick, land a punch to the smoker’s jaw, and win the first round.“Yoochan Oppa…”Eunbit called out in a frightened voice.“It’s fine, Eunbit. I’ll take care of this. If you’re scared, go upstairs.”“No, it’s not that…”Eunbit shook her head, subtly motioning with her eyes. She wasn’t looking at the smoker but at something behind him. Beyond the glass door plastered with flyers, a figure just as burly as Yoochan appeared. The man looked puzzled as he glanced toward the trio on the stairs.“Three?”Sensing the situation, Yoochan nudged Eunbit behind him and kept his eyes sharp for any opening. But his pupils wavered again when he noticed another man standing on the opposite side of the door.“Four. Damn, this might be tough.”If it had just been him, Yoochan might have managed, but Eunbit was there. His lips grew dry.“Kick Flabby down, tell Eunbit to run to the tattoo shop, and then…”As Yoochan swallowed nervously, a fifth man appeared in his field of vision. A small sigh escaped him as he wet his parched lips. From the staircase leading to the basement, yet another figure emerged—a shorter man, but noticeably solid compared to the others.“Six total. Great.”The unease drying Yoochan’s lips now slid down his throat.“You’re screwed today, punk,” Flabby sneered, lunging forward and grabbing Yoochan by the collar, dragging him toward the first floor. Yoochan dug his heels into the middle steps, twisting Flabby’s wrist outward and shoving his elbow forward with all his might.“Argh! My arm!”Flabby screamed as his elbow bent unnaturally, clutching his arm as he crumpled onto the bottom step. Belly Man, shocked, came charging forward, but Yoochan grabbed him, wrapped his arm around the man’s neck, and slammed him to the ground.“Guh…”The impact left Belly Man groaning in pain as his shoulder slammed into the edge of the step. Yoochan sidestepped, freeing himself from the man’s grip, and clenched his fist.To an outsider, Yoochan might have appeared in control, but he knew his luck was running out.The four remaining men, now aware of the situation, began storming up the stairs, cursing loudly. Yoochan locked onto the first man, wrapping his arms around the guy’s back. Driving his knee into the man’s solar plexus, he landed a solid punch to the ribs before two others grabbed his arms.“Oh, crap. I’m done for,” Yoochan thought as he used his pinned fist to deliver one last blow to the man’s cheekbone.* * *Exactly a week after the chaotic brawl, on a rainy Saturday afternoon, an unexpected guest visited the shabby tattoo shop.Taeho and the manager, seated on a worn-out couch eating cold jajangmyeon while waiting for Jungeol to finish his work, bolted to the entrance with excitement. Business had been slow thanks to the dreary weather, and the prospect of a customer had them grinning as they opened the door.Taeho’s grin disappeared when he saw the towering figure standing at the door. Without a word, he slammed it shut with a loud thud.“What are you doing? Why’d you close the door?”The manager, arriving a step late and missing the sight of the guest, asked in confusion. Taeho turned to him with a look of disbelief.“I must’ve been seeing things, right?”“You’re the only one who saw, so how should I know? Just open the door; the customer’s waiting!”The manager shoved Taeho aside and opened the door again. Upon seeing the same face, his expression hardened, and he slammed the door shut, just as Taeho had. The two exchanged meaningful glances.Then, from outside, came a loud knock.“Seriously? Is this how you treat your customers?”A voice full of irritation called out. Taeho turned to the manager, looking anxious.“He doesn’t look like he’s leaving anytime soon.”The manager nodded in agreement.“What’s with his face, though?”“Looks like he’s been in a fight. No wonder he looks so scary—he’s probably one of those gangsters or something.”“Hey, I can hear you! And no, I’m not a gangster! I’m not here to cause trouble! I just need to talk to you about something important!”“Great, he’s got sharp ears too…”