Kim Daniel.
He was Yu Jisung’s classmate since elementary school, but their relationship had never been anything close to normal.
From the very beginning, Daniel had made it known that Jisung was his number-one target and what followed wasn’t just bullying. It was relentless and deliberate mistreatment.
All through elementary school and into the first few months of middle school, Jisung endured it all. The humiliations and emotional torture came so regularly that he had stopped expecting anything different.
But after a life threatening episode, his foster parents finally stepped in and transferred him to a new school.
He thought that would be the end of it.
But somehow, he and Daniel ended up in the same high school. Same building, same classroom, same everything, as though the universe had decided their story wasn’t finished yet and wanted one more shot at writing a different ending.
But it never got one.
High school was quadruple everything that came before. And even years after, the damage never fully healed. The sound of that voice, the sight of that face, it still did something to Jisung that he had never quite found the words for.
He just knew he dreaded it. Every single time.
****
The now loud footsteps approached at an unhurried pace.
Soon, a shadow stretched across the ground in front of Jisung and his whole body went stiff.
"Jisung-ah." The voice chuckled lightly, sounding amused. "You’ve gotten bolder I see."
A hand landed lightly on Jisung’s shoulder. "I call your name... and you don’t even bother to turn around, hm?"
He swallowed. For a brief moment, it felt like nothing was going to happen.
"What is this? You can’t speak?!" The voice barked out. "Look at this guy. Yah... Jisung-ah! It’s me Daniel. Kim Daniel. You don’t remember?"
Before he could respond or move a muscle, a hand grabbed a fistful of his hair. Pain exploded across his scalp as his head was jerked backward.
"Agh!"
Jisung let out a small cry, as low as a whisper.
Daniel leaned closer, smiling as if greeting an old friend. "Haha. I knew you haven’t lost your voice. Just yet."
Daniel winked and mouthed something to his friends, about six of them that stood behind himself and Jisung. They all burst out in an uncontrollable laughter. Jisung tried to pull away from the grip but it was a terrible mistake.
Daniel pulled him closer. "Why? You want to die?"
Jisung couldn’t answer. A fist slammed into his stomach. The pain was felt all the way to his spine. He was about to fold over when Daniel yanked him upright by the hair again.
"Argh!" He choked out.
"You’ve always been pathetic and proud, you know that?"
A slap cracked across his face.
"You can’t even say hi to your old friends?"
Another slap.
"You still can’t talk."
Jisung swallowed. "I... I’m..."
A punch landed, knocking the air out of him completely. But the grip on his hair never released. He did his best to protect his face as several more hits followed, coming at him from all directions. He didn’t care who it was, he just wanted it to end.
Finally the grip loosened and he let out a small cry.
As he was folding forward, someone’s knee came up and connected with his face. He flew sideways and landed hard on the floor a few meters away, palm scraping against the rough ground and leaving a bruise.
Everyone watching the scene gasped loudly, pointing and whispering to one another. But nobody moved.
Jisung just lay there, face burning as old memories from highschool resurfaced. Tears gathered slowly in his eyes and he hated it. He hated that this exact thing happened before just as he remembered and yet again he couldn’t do anything about it. He clenched his jaw and tried to pull himself up.
Before he could, someone’s boots settled onto the back of his bruised hand.
It was Daniel’s.
His palms were bleeding and his bones protested. He bit his lower lip as pain tore through his arm. He summoned courage. "Please, Danie—"
Daniel tilted his head. "What was that?" He leaned closer. "Oh, this?"
He pressed his foot down harder, erupting in a sudden laugh. "You’re still a loser Jisung. You haven’t changed a day since highschool."
The bleeding was getting worse as they rubbed harder against the rough ground, but those words hurt even more.
They didn’t hurt because they were mean, they hurt because they were true. And he hated it. He hadn’t changed a day since highschool.
He let out a small cry but as he looked up, Daniel was saying something to someone else like he wasn’t right there and people around were giggling.
God, this was so humiliating. This had always been the hardest part for Jisung. Being treated like he was just a side character.
But what could he do. Somewhere along the journey of their relationship from elementary to high school, he had stopped believing he was allowed to do anything else.
He just lay there, face pressed to the ground, trying his best to hold back the sobs that were forcing their way out of his throat.
Slowly, the pressure on the back of his hand released and he felt a slight relief.
Daniel squatted in front of him with a smirk on his face. He reached out and ruffled Jisung’s hair almost affectionately before shoving his head to the side.
"Jisung-ah. You know we’re friends right? Why do you try to hide from me?"
Silence.
"Why are you not answering? Weren’t you crying just now?" He chuckled.
Still no answer from Jisung.
Daniel grabbed his hair, pulling his face upward and a slap cracked across his cheek. "Pathetic loser."
Daniel stared down at Jisung, laughing loudly at a joke made by his friends.
"Aha! That reminds me." Daniel began. "I need a favour. And as friends, you wouldn’t mind eh?"
The moment he heard those words, Jisung knew the exact reason why he really wanted to run the moment his eyes sprang open.
He knew this story.
He had lived this story.
This was the part where Daniel took his tag, number 34, and handed over his, number 20 in exchange.
This was the exact moment that led to Jisung’s death, in a Trial... that wasn’t his.
It was rumored that the first 20 Trials were deadly. And even though it was a rumor, everyone was scared to death.
Jisung got the tag number 20 from Daniel after being bullied just like this and indeed, he died in his Trial.
No wonder Daniel wanted to make an exchange. He always got what he wanted. He was that kind of smart.
’I thought this time would be different.’ he thought quietly. ’I guess this is just how my story goes after all.’
Ding!
That familiar sound rang in his ear.
[The Criteria Has Been Met]
[You Have Unlocked A Unique Ability]
The message came through while Daniel was still talking.
But as he stared at it, something shifted inside him. And he knew. This was it... the answer he had been waiting for.
[Massive Adaptability To Any Situation Lv.0 (Muscle Memory): Activated]
[Goal Recognized: Prevent tag exchange. Defeat Kim Daniel]
’’’
Author’s Note: If you’re enjoying the novel, don’t forget to add it to your library and show some support. It really helps!
’’’