# Chapter 14
“Is this not a dream?”
“Why?”
“The Apex of Devil faction ranked #2, Gu Haejin, and the Apex of Choigang faction ranked #3, Oh Eundo… walking together?”
“You idiot, say something that makes sense. The School Gang Association members hate each other, so how could Apexes be together? Especially the Devil Apex who’s most wary of other Apexes? Are you cross-eyed?”
“I thought I was going crazy too… but no, look over there. That’s definitely them!”
“That’s impossib… Holy shit.”
Two first-year middle school boys, fresh green sprouts dreaming of becoming future gang members, were shocked to see two people walking not far from them as they were leaving an arcade.
The Thousand-Year Prince, Gu Haejin, Apex of Devil faction ranked #2.
The Warrior of Blood Fragrance, Oh Eundo, Apex of Choigang faction ranked #3.
The wannabes of all Korean teenagers.
Two of the four emperors who made their hearts pound and controlled them at will were walking side by side, radiating an unapproachable aura, looking perfectly f.r.i.e.n.d.l.y!
Oh my, I need to capture this!
The boys simultaneously pulled out their phones. They started clicking pictures, capturing the sacred image of the two Apexes. This was a sensational photo opportunity. To witness the rare sight of one Apex socializing with another! Wasn’t this tremendous luck? It felt like they had used up their entire 14 years’ worth of fortune at once. This photo would surely create enormous waves in the hierarchy.
Even while frantically taking photos, the two boys still had disbelieving expressions.
To think the Devil Apex would be the subject of such a photo. He was a lofty queen who shone alone and didn’t treat other Apexes as human beings. He was an extraordinary man who looked down on everyone, including the #1 ranked Apex. In some ways, he was even more frightening than Kim Pyeonghwa, the Apex ranked #1. And now that Devil Apex was treating the Choigang Apex like a human and even walking with him!
The boys thought:
This will definitely break the all-time record views in the “History of School Gang Association” (HoSGA)!
***
Fuck.
My current mood was very. Extremely unpleasant.
It was because of the embarrassingly awkward whispers that followed whenever Oh Eundo and I walked together. Setting aside the already known and painfully sad fact that not only Gu Haejin, whom I’m possessing, but all four individuals bound by the name of the Four Apexes were worshipped by all school children in South Korea, why was I feeling so damn annoyed? When I thought about it, these weren’t just whispers.
No, why on earth are they making “swooning” sounds when they see me?!
“Kuk. My popularity remains as strong as ever.”
This psycho.
I made a disgusted face as I watched Oh Eundo pridefully push back his bangs with one hand, genuinely pleased.
“You’re crazy.”
“Want to die? Ah, shit…! How did I end up like this with this bastard?”
“A certain someone brought this upon himself by apologizing first.”
“Fuck. I never said I’d buy you a meal!”
“So you don’t want to?”
He asked with an innocent smile.
Suddenly Oh Eundo stopped in his tracks. Huh? He looked at me with a complicated expression as if displeased, then resumed walking while cursing.
“…Ah, seriously. Gu Haejin, what are you plotting?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You usually ignore everyone, including me, like they’re beneath you. Why are you suddenly being so nice and acting weird today?”
“……”
“It’s not like your personality changed overnight.”
At Oh Eundo’s words, I kept quiet for a moment.
He’s unexpectedly perceptive. It’s not that my personality changed, it’s just that an entirely new person has possessed this body…
Fuck. I seriously wonder about this too. If I’ve committed any sin, it’s only that I share the same name as this guy and have ruined my life because of it. I’m sorry, but I’m a victim too, you know? Who would’ve thought I’d suddenly be forced to act like a school gang member? Damn it! I wailed internally.
Though grumbling, Oh Eundo actively led the way, saying he knew a good place. Honestly, when I suggested buying him a meal, it was half-joke, half-serious, so I thought we’d just go to a simple Kimbap Heaven or something. But to my surprise, he was trying to enter what looked like an expensive and elegant restaurant.
I grabbed Oh Eundo’s collar in alarm.
“Hey. Where are you going?”
“We’re going in here, obviously?”
“There’s no need for something so expensive. What business do high school students have at a restaurant?”
“What are you talking about? I don’t eat outside unless it’s a place like this.”
What’s with that obnoxious statement just now?
He was looking at me strangely, as if what he said was perfectly normal.
Suddenly I remembered one fact—despite his demeanor, Oh Eundo was portrayed in the novel as a precious young master from a wealthy family. True to the absurd nature of the novel, among the four Apexes who were all silver-spooned, Oh Eundo was the richest. Have you ever seen such an unfair world? Some people can’t even find jobs and are unemployed, while these guys who only know how to fight dirty have both looks and wealth. And the author gave the elite Four Apexes, who excel at fighting, only one flaw.
They all have equally terrible personalities.
Finally following Oh Eundo into the restaurant, I was amazed by the incredible luxury inside. This was literally the embodiment of extravagance! I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable amid the interior that screamed luxury and the people elegantly cutting their food while flaunting all kinds of luxury brands.
Fuck. It’s like a different world without me.
“The course meal featuring red sea bream is the most delicious here. Shall we go with that?”
“Y-Yeah….”
You seem so unfamiliar.
Unlike me, who sat awkwardly in my chair, Oh Eundo ordered the course meal from the staff with familiarity. He even carefully unfolded the napkin from the table and placed it on his lap. Wow… is this what being upper class is about?
By the looks of it, we were the only students here. Everyone else was dressed formally and elegantly, while the two of us were in school uniforms, making us feel like aliens who shouldn’t be here. Yet Oh Eundo was acting more naturally than anyone else.
Feeling self-conscious, I fidgeted with my cheeks when Oh Eundo spoke.
“But Gu Haejin, do you really not know? Or are you pretending not to know?”
What’s this noise about now?
“Your statement about quitting as Apex at the School Gang Grand Assembly. It seems your Number Two somehow smoothed things over afterward, but do you know how much your words were distorted, enough for me to invade your territory because I misunderstood?”
“No, I don’t know?”
“I can’t believe the protagonist of the incident doesn’t understand the seriousness of the situation. Can Devil still be called a rank #2 gang? The School Gang Grand Assembly is a large-scale gathering where all gangs from across the country meet, so it’s an event that not only the participants but all four major gang associations watch with interest!”
Bang! Oh Eundo suddenly slammed the table, becoming excited.
Wow, fuck. Is he crazy? This isn’t anger management disorder, but why is this a point to get angry about? Suddenly, all eyes in the quiet restaurant turned toward us.
Ah, this bloodthirsty bastard, seriously.
“Let me ask you one thing.”
“What, damn it!”
“Aren’t you embarrassed saying words like ‘gang,’ ‘rank,’ and ‘apex’ with your own mouth?”
This was something I really wanted to ask the characters here. Just hearing these terms makes my whole body break out in cringe-induced hives, gives me goosebumps, makes my hands and feet want to disappear, and makes me want to vanish immediately. Honestly, when they call out these titles, I seriously feel the urge to bury my face in the ground and die.
Am I really the only one who feels this way?
Oh Eundo frowned openly as if I had said something absurd.
“Embarrassed? That’s nonsense. Being the Apex of Choigang gang association is the reason I breathe right now!”
…Wow.
That was a brilliantly absurd statement rivaling “Music is the only drug God permits.” If you’re so proud, why not write in your future job application, “As an Apex leading a nationwide school gang during my teens, it was the reason I breathed”? As a job seeker myself, I dare predict: fuck. You’d be instantly rejected. Totally rejected! Waaaah!
Clearly I’m the normal one, but here I felt like the abnormal one.
Feeling like a loser, I was swallowing my frustration when the food started coming out one by one. The appetizer, meant to stimulate our appetites, was red sea bream carpaccio. As they say, what looks good tastes good—true to a high-end restaurant, even the appetizer had beautiful plating.
“Wow. Awesome.”
“Try it. It’s my recommendation.”
“Okay. I’ll enjoy it, Oh Eundo.”
After expressing gratitude to the person treating me to this expensive meal, I picked up my chopsticks and put a piece of sea bream into my mouth.
Wow. Insane. It melted.
I was amazed at how it melted softly in my mouth as soon as I chewed. Plus, there was a refreshing taste of lemon juice lingering in my mouth. Next came mushroom soup garnished with bell peppers. After scooping up some soup with a spoon, I opened my eyes wide.
This taste cannot be compared to the soups I occasionally bought at convenience stores! Honestly, I didn’t expect much from the soup, thinking all soups taste the same, but I never imagined it would be this delicious.
Oh Eundo smirks at my honest reaction.
“The main dish is sea bream steak. This is the climax.”
Oh Eundo’s confident words made my heart race. Although I’m not particularly fond of sea bream, the appetizer I just had matched my taste perfectly. Naturally, my expectations for the sea bream steak rose infinitely. After scraping the bottom of my soup bowl clean, I waited for the main dish with excitement. Oh Eundo was still leisurely tasting his soup.
“Here’s your main course. Enjoy your meal.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
Yay!
The beautiful staff member brought out the long-awaited sea bream steak. I barely managed to restrain myself from cheering out loud by covering my mouth. Aaahhh! The visual is insane! I swallowed hard at the sight of the perfectly grilled sea bream, glistening with just the right amount of oil.
Damn, amazing. For a moment, I thought I was in heaven as the aroma wafted up, despite there being no special sauce. Oh Eundo subtly began to provide an explanation.
“This is grilled moist with sage and shallots to remove the fishy smell, and it’s marinated in olive oil. You’ll taste a unique flavor.”
It was an explanation worthy of a professional chef, but I was already captivated by the appearance of the sea bream steak, so I just nodded and said “Mmm!” as if I understood.
Ha, why am I so nervous?
With a tense expression, I carefully picked up my fork and knife. And the moment I poked it once with my fork…
“Hoo-hoo-hoo. To think I’d meet my beloved Thousand-Year Prince here…”
Along with a scratchy metallic voice, I felt an unpleasantly cold, sharp sensation on the nape of my neck. I stiffly turned only my eyeballs to look beside me.
A menacing jackknife that seemed ready to slice my carotid artery at any moment.
What the f…?
“Haa… Devil’s Apex Gu. Hae. Jin?”
Yes, here.
Another.
Psycho!
My face immediately soured.
Pretending to be kind and friendly on the outside but actually having a personality darker and gloomier than anyone else… the Apex of the final rank #4 gang association, Coup d’état.
“Nice to meet you. I am the Guardian of Darkness, Jang Seoldam ^-^”
CRASH!!
The table in front of me was destroyed. It began to collapse as if in slow motion.
Ah, no… this can’t be. My sea bream steak… I hadn’t even touched it yet… My sea bream stea-… CRASH-BANG-CLATTER!! …Hnnnngaaaaaaaah!
You bastaaaaaaard!
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
