The Cat hides its Claws

Myohan didn’t like any of it. The bully was laughing at Myohan’s lack of emotion, but he wouldn’t blink an eye even if he tortured him so. Between Miho who didn’t cry for his friend’s death and him who didn’t feel guilty for making fun of it, who was the evil one? The answer was obvious.

“You just didn’t like Miho from the beginning. So you started bullying him, using anything you could for it. Am I wrong?”

“What are you talking about? Do you know how he used to behave?”

“And what does it have to do with you?”

The bully frowned. Myohan went on without giving him time to counter.

“Whether he weeps over his friend’s death or not, what does it have to do with you?”

“That’s…”

He looked dumbstruck. But Myohan didn’t think he was wrong. Even if Miho was really a cold-blooded person who didn’t feel sorrow when his loved ones died, it had nothing to do with the bully. It wasn’t a good excuse for bullying him, and he had no right to say such insults.

“You can cry as much as you want. Why are you messing with him when he has nothing to do with you?”

Tears couldn’t be the only way of expressing sorrow. Myohan didn’t know what Miho had been like at the time. However, after examining him for a few days, he knew that the boy had emotions and was just not good at expressing them. The bully was stupid enough not to realize even that simple fact, and Myohan sneered at him for that.

“Just admit you want to bully him. Don’t try to justify it with stupid reasons.”

He just wanted to bully Miho. He could bring out all kinds of reasons to justify his acts, but what he was doing was just plain wrong. Excluding Miho from their classmates, destroying his gym clothes, saying all kinds of insults… Whatever he thought as he did all that didn’t matter at all.

“You should have at least come up with a plausible reason. Why did you bring up his parents?”

What Myohan hated the most was that he kept mentioning Miho’s parents. He cursed and smiled coldly.

“You’re making this orphan really mad.”

“What the…”

“You must have gotten great family discipline, right?”

Myohan smiled and knocked the bully’s cheek. He knew talking more would only tire him. He couldn’t expect the bully to realize his wrongdoings and repent. He angrily raised a hand, but Myohan looked into his eyes with hardened face.

“What, you want to hit me?”

“You…!”

But he couldn’t strike Myohan. He knew what Myohan was up to. He could hear faint sounds from behind the wall, where O Shin and Jagyeom were hiding. They were muttering among themselves.

“You can’t, can you?”

Myohan was really good at provoking. As he had done with Myo Cheong’s bullies, he well knew which expression hurt their ego and which words made them snap. As soon as he sneered again, the bully started to turn red with rage.

“Oh, words are all you’ve got, aren’t they?”

What he said to make fun of others had to be what would humiliate him the most. Myohan shrugged and sighed, trying to sound to pitiful.

“I really feel bad for your parents. They must have rejoiced when you came along, not knowing what kind of scumbag you’d turn out to be.”

“What did you say?”

Myohan was using the same plan again of doing his best to piss the bully off so that he would hit him. It was almost the same, but there was one big difference.

“Oh, no, I take it back.”

Back then, Myo Cheong had been there to knock out the bullies, but now there was no one to stop this bully.

“They’re your parents. They must be no better than…”

He didn’t even get to finish the sentence. He was hit by a fist and he staggered back. Oh, shit, I bit my tongue.

“Hey!”

Miho got surprised and took a step forward. Myohan was standing in front of him and he hadn’t been able to stop it. He got angry, but Myohan stopped him.

The metallic taste of blood spread in his mouth. He had clenched his teeth, which was good, but he ended up biting his tongue as he had been in the middle of talking. He spit out blood and grinned. It was good that the bully was so stupid. He looked down at Myohan with disgust.

“You think I’m the one who’s got words only? You’re too weak and can’t even punch me properly.”

“Can’t you see what’s going on here?”

Myohan rubbed his cheek as he said that. It already felt hot and he knew it would be swollen by tomorrow. He could also expect a severe bruise. It was going to be something worth looking at.

“You just hit me.”

“What?”

The bully scowled. He didn’t know what Myohan was talking about. But then, he saw O Shin and Jagyeom come up behind the wall, and a few more familiar faces. Myohan smiled widely, showing his teeth. You just hit me.

“When there were… so many eyes watching.”

“Myohan! Are you okay?”

Sinsul quickly came. The bully stepped back. Jagyeom, O Shin, Sinsul, even Jino, Myo Cheong, and Sajun. Even Miho was surprised to see them all.

“Oh, shit, he’s a complete maniac!”

“What should we do!”

Myo Cheong walked up with a frown. He was ready to jump up on the bully any moment, but Jino grabbed him and looked at Myohan pleadingly. The bully looked at them, but then he fixed his gaze on Jagyeom. He had been looking away, and he sighed.

“….Pathetic idiot.”

“Hey, Jagyeom, oh, shit, didn’t you all hear what he said?”

Wow, you really think you get to say that? Myohan said so with a smirk. The bully got even madder and pointed at his own cheek, but it looked perfectly fine now. He didn’t know that and yelled, “I didn’t start it! You slapped me first!”

“Did I?” Myohan asked back innocently. He thought about it, looked back at Miho, and asked, “Did I hit him?”

The boy looked guilty. He was clearly thinking Myohan had got the punch because of him. Myohan gave him an assuring smile, and he slowly said, “…No, I didn’t see it.”

The bully now looked like he was going crazy. He thought it was strange of Myohan to provoke him like that, but this must have been he was after.

He didn’t know how the boys knew each other, but they were clearly not on his side. He fumed in rage, and then he yelled, “You think the teachers would believe you? My mom…”

“Hey, friend,”

Sorry for interrupting, but… Sajun put a hand on Myohan’s shoulder as he spoke. But Myohan easily slipped away and pushed his hand. He sighed in disappointment.

“Your family isn’t the only rich family in this school.”

“What the…”

Now he could say nothing. He looked down at Myohan’s now red and ugly cheek and clenched his teeth. This wasn’t good. With that many witnesses, there wasn’t a thing he could do.

“You have nothing to say, do you?”

Myohan was still grinning. He gritted his teeth and glared at him, but Myohan didn’t care at all. He licked the inside of his cheek and learned he didn’t have any serious wounds. He asked, “Oh, do you think it’s unfair?”

“You!”

Myohan suddenly grabbed him with both hands. He angrily looked into his eyes, but then he froze.

“I’m asking you a question.”

Myohan’s narrow pupils were now dangerously cold. His light-colored eyes were now shimmering, ready to devour him. The bully couldn’t even breathe. He staggered backward. Of course, Myohan didn’t let him go.

He looked so different. He was only holding his collar, but he felt like he was being strangled. Myohan slowly spoke, his look deadly enough to kill the boy at any time.

“You know…”

“Stop…”

“I wish I could kill you right now, right here.”

He couldn’t say nothing. His confidence was long gone and his face was turning blue. He was just so pathetic.

“See ya.”

Myohan dropped him. Well, he wasn’t thinking that would be the end, but he knew he had to be content with it for the day. He had to let everyone know he had been hit by him and have him punished him for that.

Myo Cheong was still angry and said they had to beat them up right before he died, but Myohan just ignored him.