.

As long as she was a human being, she wouldn’t evaporate into the air… With that thought in mind, I opened every door around me.

However, I couldn’t check inside the small storage space, men’s bathroom, locker rooms, and shower rooms. Scratching my head in bewilderment, I finally gave up searching for the little girl and just turned around.

I murmured, “Who was that little girl?”

Why did she say that I shouldn’t be here? It sounded like…

Feeling leery, I repeated her words in my head and stopped by at the bathroom. When I returned to the actual gym, Eun Hyung was still standing firmly on the stage and kicking away a boy who tried to attack him.

It seemed to be a while after the rematch, but the game was still ongoing. I switched my gaze to Jung Yohan’s side. Only a couple of his boys, who had been surrounding him like a barricade, were left now.

‘Maybe, the game will end soon,’ I mumbled.

At that moment, when the host helped the collapsed boy to go down the stage, Jung Yohan finally raised himself from his seat.

He stood up from the mattress where he had been perching on. It was just a simple move, but Jung Yohan absorbed every attention to him.

The air in the gym changed. Looking down at Jung Yohan coming close to him, Eun Hyung on the stage revealed a sharp grin on his face for the first time, which made him look like a different person.

I swallowed my breath.

The boring rehearsal came to end, at last; it was showtime. If this was a game, Jung Yohan would be the final boss, or the last episode if this was a TV drama.

Thinking that way, I became nervous and looked beside me. Yeo Ryung and Ban Hwee Hyul came into view. Yeo Ryung looked unusually stiff, whereas Ban Hwee Hyul looked nonchalant even in this situation. My eyes then reached an empty seat.

Blinking swiftly, I slowly asked, “Where’s Jooin?”

That was when Yeo Ryung turned her head to look at me with widened eyes. She tossed me a question, “Eh? Really… He said that you’re taking longer, so he went outside to bring you back.”

“Are you sure? I didn’t see him,” I replied, scratching my cheek.

I understood and appreciated his effort to go find me in the hallway since this place was full of threatening-looking people. However, was that the only reason he missed this historical moment? Then, I felt too sorry for him.

The moment I tried to take out my phone, Jooin came inside just in time through the open door all the way back in the audience seat.

“Ah, Jooin…!”

I was about to call his name in delight, but the look on his face made me flinch. What was wrong with him?

Within the short period of time looking around for me, his facial expression completely changed as if he had encountered a ghost. He looked perplexed and confused but not frightened. Instead, he seemed to be mad and annoyed.

Since Jooin seldom showed negative feelings, I became worried about his unusual behavior. Waiting for him to get closer to us, I soon called his name.

“Jooin?”

That was when Jooin directed his eyes on me as if he just woke up from sleep. He responded, “Uh, yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Ah, anyway, what took you so long? You made me worry, so I went outside to search for you.”

Sorry, I answered shortly. He showed me a cute little smile then diverted his gaze onto the stage, switching to his usual look.

“Wow, what’s going on? Jung Yohan finally came forward!” he gently exclaimed.

I looked at him with mixed feelings but turned my head to the stage after him.

As if we weren’t the only people considering this the main event of this year’s Ranking Battle, the contenders on the first floor and also the entire audience became quiet.

Only Jooin and I were distracted for a second; everyone didn’t even blink but just paid all their attention to the stage where Eun Hyung and Jung Yohan were standing.

Eun Hyung had proved enough through the previous fights that he was a competitive fighter to defend his Number one title. Among the crowds watching him, perhaps some were thinking that Eun Hyung would defeat Jung Yohan.

As if he also felt the same, the look in Jung Yohan’s eyes fixed on Eun Hyung didn’t show any more signs of mocking or sneers.

Eun Hyung showed a swiveling smile to Jung Yohan as he did so far to other contenders. Still, his grin looked too exemplary.

“Now you get it? Unlike you, not everyone is interested in showing off their power.”

The flow of conversation utterly changed as well. Earlier, Jung Yohan mocked Eun Hyung unilaterally, but this time, Eun Hyung seemed to be teaching Jung Yohan a lesson.

Jung Yohan gasped as if he was stirred up just by a word.

“Shut up!” he replied.

“I hope this is a chance for you to learn that everyone desires different things.”

“I said SHUT THE F*** UP!” shouted Jung Yohan, stamping his feet. His attitude was so hostile that the tense air around him seemed to be torn into pieces.

Feeling nervous, I wrapped my arms.

Lifting his head back, Jung Yohan screamed as if he was having a seizure.

“SHUT UP! SHUT YOUR FU*KING MOUTH!! Don’t you dare to teach me! You haven’t defeated me yet, but why you trying to act like that?!!!”

“Hmm…”

Eun Hyung closed his mouth with a slight grin in bewilderment. Jung Yohan scowled at him with glaring eyes then soon turned his head.

He was looking at none other than this side, the audience seat, especially the place where Ban Hwee Hyul was sitting on. The fact that Ban Hwee Hyul was here seemed to have distracted him, or else, Jung Yohan could have not pointed out Ban Hwee Hyul’s location in this huge space exactly.

However, Ban Hwee Hyul just tilted his head in wonder. Scowling at his reaction, Jung Yohan turned his head back to Eun Hyung and screamed again.

“You should have not come here! My contender was not you, but you suddenly intervened…!” Jung Yohan continued, clenching his fist, “… Ruined my plan… and made all my efforts come to nothing! You messed up all my struggles and time I spent to fight against Ban Hwee Hyul on an equal level!!”

While the entire space was enveloped by a deafening silence, I swallowed my breath. Jung Yohan, who had been showing an indifferent attitude, was now revealing all his underlying emotions.

He pretended to be brave and confident about Ban Hwee Hyul also acted as if he had forgotten everything, but no. Everything was intentional.

He still had a grudge against Ban Hwee Hyul deeply engraved in mind.

Eun Hyung smiled and kept his mouth shut at Jung Yohan’s confession.

“Hmm…”

No matter how angry he felt for the things Jung Yohan did, Eun Hyung was a person full of empathy and compassion toward others. Right now, he would have understood Jung Yohan’s troubled mind and be feeling pathetic about him.

That was when the host tried to read their minds and intervened in the situation.

“Um, sorry to interrupt, but…”

Jung Yohan lifted his head abruptly and directed his eyes on the host. The boy then took a few steps back hesitatingly and slipped with a shriek.

Just in time, Eun Hyung stretched out his hand and grabbed his waist.

“Be careful,” he warned gently.

I exclaimed in my thoughts how cool and terrific Eun Hyung was even in this tense situation.

The host blushed for a second but soon continued speaking, clearing his throat, “… Um, uh, we should proceed with the match as soon as possible.” He added, “… We still have a lot of games left… If things go like this, this battle will take forever…”

The host carefully uttered, observing the look on Jung Yohan’s face. It made Jung Yohan quickly calm down

Now he looked relaxed as he used to be when I first saw him. Lifting his fist, he declared with no hesitation, “Let’s get it started.”

The host became perplexed by Jung Yohan’s sudden announcement. As he looked at Eun Hyung, Eun Hyung also nodded.

The match quickly began after the two boys’ agreement.

As soon as the host raised his hand and put it down vertically, Jung Yohan lowered his body and sprang out at Eun Hyung like an arrow. His eyes that burned with anger were now frigidly cold.

On the other hand, Eun Hyung didn’t show any good ready positions so far. As if I was touching my phone while studying, he engaged in every match naturally, which even looked like a flow of water.

He also stood still this time, putting his hands down on both sides. Jung Yohan quickly threw his fist; however, Eun Hyung defended the initial attack so smoothly without any signs of surprise.