1) A Twisted Knot
The man’s first impression could be defined with exactly one word.
Goblin.
There were several reasons for that.
First, the man’s sharp features played a part. That didn’t mean his face looked vicious or unpleasant.
Thick, neatly shaped eyebrows; eyes that slanted upward at the ends with a sleek shape, revealing the whites on three sides; beneath a high, sharply raised nose bridge rested slightly thin lips set with delicate precision; and finally, a well-defined, angular jaw completed an impression that made the man difficult to approach.
In short, the man possessed the kind of appearance that could easily be described as that of a handsome man.
And there was another reason Kang-woo thought he seemed like a goblin.
The man carried a dark, shadowy atmosphere about him. Black clothes, black hair, and even black eyes. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that everything about him—from head to toe—was entirely black.
On top of that, the intimidating presence created by his massive build, which looked close to 190 centimeters tall, doubled the pressure he gave off.
Despite the peak of autumn weather, the man wore a short-sleeved T-shirt, proudly revealing his broad shoulders. Muscles wrapped tightly around his entire body, standing out even with the smallest movement.
Lastly, the pitch-black tattoos embedded here and there across his body made his already striking impression even more intense.
On one thick forearm sat a goblin with glaring eyes, staring straight ahead with a chilling expression. On the opposite arm, a large dragon with fierce eyes coiled around his muscular limb.
In a way, it was an image that reflected his profession perfectly.
Maybe he has more tattoos like that in places you can’t see.
Thinking that to himself, Kang-woo glanced sideways at the thick fingers resting on the table. It was strange to imagine those large, rough hands performing delicate work—engraving letters, drawings, or patterns into other people’s skin.
After tearing his gaze away from the man’s fingers, Kang-woo slowly looked around.
Usually, when people thought of a tattoo shop, they imagined a dark, gloomy space. But this place gave off an unexpectedly tidy and cozy atmosphere.
All the furniture was coordinated in soft beige or brown tones.
And this warm interior didn’t suit the man very well. Well, judging anything based solely on someone’s appearance was meaningless in the first place—but that was Kang-woo’s first impression of him.
“Hyung said not to meddle in what I do.”
Kyung-wook, sitting beside him, frowned deeply while adjusting his grip on his phone. The person he was arguing with was obviously his older brother, “Baek Gu.”
The brothers were famously on bad terms, their personalities and tastes completely opposite.
“Ah, fuck. I said I’ll handle it myself. Why the hell do you talk so damn much?”
It looked like the call might drag on. Speaking in an irritated tone, he abruptly stood up and pushed the glass door open as he left.
Ding.
The clear sound of the bell rang out. His voice faded as he moved farther away down the stairs. Before he realized it, Kang-woo was left alone inside the quiet shop with the owner.
Silence took over the space between them.
Even though Kyung-wook had stepped out for a moment, nothing had really changed. Just like Kang-woo, the shop owner didn’t seem like the type to casually start a conversation.
Kang-woo observed the situation indifferently, like a bystander.
To begin with, coming here hadn’t been his choice. Everything had been Kyung-wook’s decision. From time to time, Kyung-wook demanded things from Kang-woo whose intentions were impossible to understand.
Today’s visit was exactly one of those cases.
“Kang-woo, wanna try getting a tattoo?”
During a break between classes at school, Kyung-wook—who had been staring straight at him from the seat beside him—said it casually.
The tone might have sounded like a suggestion. But it had clearly been an order. Proof of that was the fact that, only a few days later, Kang-woo had ended up here with him.
Kang-woo’s opinion had never mattered to Kyung-wook in the first place. Just as someone in a superior position had no need to consider the circumstances of someone beneath them, Kyung-wook had no reason to listen to anything Kang-woo said. Even if Kang-woo gathered his courage and tried refusing, nothing changed. It only made things harder for him physically.
So Kang-woo had followed him here without resistance—and now he simply remained where he was, saying nothing.
He felt someone’s gaze brushing against his cheek. Turning his head, he looked at the man. Like beasts studying one another, the two silently stared at each other.
In truth, from the very beginning, the man’s gaze had hardly left Kang-woo. The scrutinizing look swept over him persistently.
Suddenly, the man broke the silence and moved. Without warning, his hand reached out and rudely lifted Kang-woo’s shirt without permission. Instinctively, Kang-woo jumped to his feet and stepped back.
“What are you doing?”
Unlike his startled heart, his voice remained flat. But even though he’d moved away, it was already too late. The man asked in a dull voice,
“Do you get beaten?”
The words were thrown out bluntly. It wasn’t an appropriate thing to say to a customer, but that wasn’t what bothered Kang-woo. Straightening his clothes, Kang-woo instinctively went on guard.
“I just got hurt a little.”
He brushed it off out of habit. Of course, the man didn’t seem to believe him. He must have seen the marks left in the places that had been hidden.
Kang-woo had experienced this kind of reaction many times before. Someone noticing another person’s misfortune—but responding with vague discomfort and mild indifference. A lukewarm attitude that said they had no intention of getting deeply involved in something troublesome. If he gave a vague excuse and brushed it aside, the interest would disappear soon enough.
The scenario always played out exactly as expected. It had never failed. But this time was different.
“Who was it?”
The question that followed felt unfamiliar. Startled, Kang-woo asked back,
“…What?”
“Who was it? The bastard who hit you.”
He couldn’t answer. The moment he opened his mouth, he had no idea what might happen next—and that frightened him. But it seemed the man had already gotten his answer through the silence.
“That guy?”
The sharp eyes gestured toward outside.
“The one who came with you?”
The gaze that returned to Kang-woo remained indifferent.
“The one who beat you. That bastard, right?”
He asked again in a confident tone. Kang-woo pressed his lips tightly together.
“Looks like it’s been happening regularly. The bruises are all different colors.”
Sharp eyes. To notice even that in such a short moment.
He had been hit right where it hurt—but every question the man asked was one Kang-woo couldn’t answer. Even if he told him the truth, it wouldn’t change anything. From painful experience, Kang-woo had learned one clear lesson: vague intervention only made the situation worse.
“Coming here probably wasn’t your choice either.”
Once again, Kang-woo remained silent. But the man continued pressing him.
“Be honest. You don’t want to get a tattoo, do you?”
Of course he didn’t. Kang-woo had never been interested in tattoos or anything like that in the first place. But whether he wanted one or not, he was going to get one soon. Because Kyung-wook had told him to. And Kang-woo didn’t have the right to refuse. If Kyung-wook told him to do something, he had to obey quietly.
Within the silence, the man seemed to have already found his answer. He let out an annoyed sigh, his expression sour. Once again, the other person clearly looked like someone who had just gotten dragged into something troublesome.
Ding.
At that moment, the clear sound of the bell rang again.
Kyung-wook, who had apparently finished his call sooner than expected, returned to the shop looking noticeably relieved. Unaware of the subtle tension between the two, he sat down in front of the man as if to wrap up what they had started earlier.
“So, about the desi—”
“Get out.”
The man cut him off with a single blunt word.
Kang-woo stared at him in shock, while Kyung-wook raised the end of his sentence, his face showing suspicion—as if he wondered whether he had heard wrong.
“…What?”
“You’re minors.”
With his arms crossed, the man stated it as a fact. He didn’t seem to have the slightest doubt about his judgment.
“I have no intention of serving you. Leave.”
The order to leave came again. Silence briefly settled between the three of them.
Kyung-wook’s gaze slowly turned toward Kang-woo. The cold look made Kang-woo’s heart drop for a moment. Whatever conclusion Kyung-wook had jumped to, he let out a dry laugh before speaking in a falsely polite tone.
“No, I think you’ve misunderstood. We’re both adults.”
“ID.”
The man ordered shortly.
Kyung-wook tightened his jaw and rummaged through his pocket, pulling out his wallet. But the man shook his head and pointed at Kang-woo.
“Not you. Him.”
Both the man’s and Kyung-wook’s gazes landed on Kang-woo at the same time. His mouth went dry.
What should I do?
As Kang-woo hesitated awkwardly, Kyung-wook could do nothing but watch with a scowl. Kang-woo let out a deep sigh inwardly.
“I didn’t bring it.”
“Leave.”
The man was firm. He didn’t leave even the slightest room for argument.
Beside him, Kyung-wook let out an irritated groan. He clearly wanted to argue immediately, but it seemed he couldn’t come up with any suitable way to turn the situation around. Which made sense—whether Kang-woo pulled out an ID from his pocket or not, the result would be the same.
Kang-woo felt slightly dazed.
Officially, the reason they were being kicked out was because they were minors. But he could tell. That wasn’t the real reason the man was throwing them out. The proof was the cold stare fixed on Kyung-wook.
Kyung-wook must have felt it too. That hostile energy directed squarely at him. Even though the man was merely looking at him quietly, his presence dominated the entire space. Kang-woo wasn’t even the one receiving that gaze, yet he felt himself shrinking anyway.
“Got anything else to say?”
With his arms still crossed, the man stared at Kyung-wook.
If you don’t, then get out of my sight.
The unspoken warning was clear.
Kyung-wook breathed heavily through his nose. His emotions had clearly shifted from confusion to anger.
“This is how you treat customers here? Do you even know who recommended this place to us today—”
His words were suddenly cut in half. At the same time, the scent of pheromones thickened in the air.
Kyung-wook released a scent so strong it felt like he intended to suffocate everyone in the room.
Kang-woo barely managed to suppress the urge to cover his nose. Normally, at this point, anyone—adult or minor—would shrink back under that pressure. But the man was different.
“No matter who recommended you, what does that have to do with me? Right now, the only thing that matters to me is that you two are minors—and that I have no intention of taking minors as customers today.”
“Ha.”
“Don’t make me repeat myself. Get out before I report both of you to the police for obstructing business.”
