After The Lecture ~ Minsung

05 Ring

'grades got you respect. Wins got you fear. Only one kept you alive'

He felt it. Minho could feel how the atmosphere changed. Not only in his lectures but at the university as a whole. Students were whispering, even some teachers were. Only his favorite student didn't change. Jisung was still sitting in the first row, he looked like he didn't pay any attention to the lecture, but when Minho asked him a question, he answered effortlessly

"Is it really such a big deal?" He was eating his lunch with Chan and Changbin again that day.

"It's an exciting event. Before Stray Kids got accepted into this university, there were some fights, but it wasn't so popular, we didn't have many good fighters. Even in their first year, it wasn't a great success. But after they won the tournament, they became famous not only for their academic achievements"

"How could they win? Isn't there only one winner?"

"There should be," Changbin admitted, stirring his shake "But the rules said that the winner has to kill his opponent."

Minho held his breath when he realized where it was going.

"Did they... kill their friend?"

"Oh, no. That's not it." Chan tried to laugh, even though it didn't light up the conversation. "Hyunjin was supposed to fight with Seungmin. He was close to losing it, he was lying all bloody and almost unconscious on the ground. Everyone thought Seungmin would kill Hyunjin, but he didn't. They made another show. Seungmin kissed Hyunjin, refusing to kill the boy he announced he loves."

"Since then, these two are together. The audience was so flattered and overwhelmed that it didn't matter that there wasn't any true winner."

"Wow," he gasped, stopping eating his lunch for a while. "How do you know it?"

"We've been working here for a while, and you know. We're not very old, we went to a few of their fights."

"Is there any chance that you could help me get there? I think I didn't ask you last time. I'm not into supporting illegal stuff, more like a one-time thing, but you know..."

"I know. It's something you just want to see once. So you can understand it's true."

"Yeah," he answered, unsure, not very happy that he had to admit it.

"I can help you. I can still ask around and find out where the fight is. Getting you a fake student ID will be harder, but you're not old, so it won't be suspicious."

"Thank you, Chan, for everything."

📖

Jisung was wrapping his fists with bandages. His friend hasn't spoken to him since he told Hyunjin he'll fight. He knew it wasn't the end of their friendship, but it still hurt. He believed they'd come. To at least drag his body if he faints.

He heard all the people behind the material provisionally separating the ring from the backroom. His opponent was on the other side of the ring, which was just a floor section with a few mattresses and links that were borders between the audience and the fighters.

There was a smell of alcohol in the air, probably left after the previous group gathered in that old cellar or just some of the students were there drunk.

Jisung heard the host shouting his lungs out, he didn't even hear his name, but he knew it was time to go. His way was also separated from the audience, but he still felt some hands rubbing against his torso and shoulders.

He wished he could just cut off from all the noise. It was impossible, it hit him even harder when he stepped into the ring. His opponent was a fourth-year student, he knew by sight, not name, and he didn't want to know his name. It became harder when he knew the name of the person he had to knock unconscious.

His eyes found Felix in the crowd. His bright hair was standing out in the crowd, with Hyunjin and Seungmin standing next to him. Jeongin probably was somewhere in here too, but showing up with the three would bring too much attention to the youngest.

There was no time to smile at them, the fight began, and a fist flew in his direction.

On the other side, Minho was trying to see something, pushing through the crowd. He had his face buried deep in the hood, with a black mask. Chan was standing somewhere further in the crowd, far behind Minho.

He managed to get close enough to see something. He saw that a few people recognized him but didn't pay more attention to it. People were pushing into the ring, the ropes tightened under their weight.

He saw the blood and Jisung sitting on his opponent. He looked completely different from what Minho was seeing when they were meeting at the gym. His bare chest was all sweaty and stained with blood. He looked nothing like the student in baggy clothes sitting in the first row.

Jisung was punching the boy's face, trying to break his nose and make him give up before he faints. He was now turned completely different than at the beginning.

The fight didn't go as easily as he expected, and soon he was the one being punched. He succeeded in pushing away his opponent and standing back on his own feet. The world was spinning, he was almost sure he'd end up on the floor shortly after. There were no rounds in this game, just pure violence until one person cannot anymore.

He was looking at the second fighter when he noticed the face behind. From many students shouting and cheering, Minho was standing still, not doing anything, just watching.

Why was he here?

Jisung knew that this lecturer was different from the others. He didn't have much time to develop the thought because he was attacked again.

They felt a fresh air and light coming in, which was unusual.

"Everybody stop!"

People started to run in every possible direction, just as far from the man who stepped into the cellar. Minho didn't know where to run, where were the exits located, And he had no chance to find Chan in the crowd. He just noticed Jisung lying on the ring, covered in blood.

He ran to the boy, helping him stand up.

"Let him go." Felix used the coolest tone and deepest voice he had ever heard.

He felt a gun pointed to the back of his head.

Hi

(Not the ending, dare I say a cliffhanger...?)

Sorry I'm a day late but I am currently in Paris, spent 20 hours in a bus straight, didn't sleep at all and the window in our room isn't working😭😭...

Paris, rn I'm not delighted, even a bit, I hope it gets better tmr

See ya

Morpho