RED STRING REWRITTEN

2

Tae: “Sometimes you act like it.”

Fourth playfully shoved him.

Fourth: “Yah… I handled my first day, okay? Even made a couple of friends.”

Tae: “Really? That’s good. See? I told you you’d be fine.”

Fourth nodded, but his tone grew softer.

Fourth: “…Still nervous though. There’s this one guy… he kept staring at me. Felt weird.”

Tae frowned.

Tae: “What guy?”

Fourth: “Don’t know his name. But… it wasn’t a friendly look.”

Tae leaned back, eyes narrowing slightly.

Tae: “If he bothers you, tell me. I’ll take care of it.”

Fourth: (half-smiling) “You’re scary when you say that.”

Tae: “Good. Now, go wash up. I’ll make us something light to eat before bed.”

Fourth: “Already ate…”

Tae: “Then I’ll eat alone. But you’re keeping me company.”

Fourth: (standing up) “Fine. Only because I missed you a little.”

Tae smirked.

Tae: “Knew it.”

They headed to the kitchen together, the earlier loneliness fading into the warmth of shared company.

Second Day

Morning – College Courtyard

The winter sun peeked over the campus buildings, casting long shadows across the basketball court. Gemini stood under the same tree as yesterday, his hands shoved in his pockets, his sharp eyes scanning the arriving students. Joong and Pond approached, both wearing sly smiles.

Gemini: (bored) “So? Did you find out?”

Pond: “Oh, we found out plenty, bro.”

Joong: “The new boy’s name is Fourth kim. First-year law student. Lives off-campus in a small rented house.”

Gemini raised an eyebrow.

Gemini: “Alone?”

Pond: “Not exactly. Lives with his older brother — Kim Taehyung. They moved to Seoul a few months ago. No parents here.”

Joong: “Taehyung works part-time at a small café. They’re not well-off. Probably scraping by to pay rent and tuition.”

Gemini smirked faintly.

Gemini: “Poor boy… cute face, no money, no backup. Easy target.”

Pond: “And get this — Taehyung drops him at college every morning, then works all day. Fourth spends most of his day here, goes home alone, cooks for himself. Basically, he’s unprotected.”

Gemini: “Unprotected… I like the sound of that.”

Joong exchanged a glance with Pond.

Joong: “Gem, what exactly are you planning?”

Gemini leaned against the tree, tilting his head slightly, eyes locked on the far side of the courtyard where Fourth stood with Dunk and Phuwin.

Gemini: “You know what happens when someone tries to take something that’s mine.”

Pond: “He didn’t take anything yet. Pahn just—”

Gemini: (cutting him off, voice cold) “Doesn’t matter. He’s already in my way. I want him shaken… I want him questioning why he even came here.”