Chapter 1: My Mom Tells Me to Shower, So Obviously I'm a Warrior
Look, I didn't ask to be a martial arts prodigy. Especially not one living under an alias in a place where the girls are strong enough to bench-press me and my sense of dignity.
But life has a weird way of roundhouse-kicking you into destiny.
The sun had barely cracked over the edge of the city when I finished the last set of push-ups. My arms were trembling like overcooked ramen noodles, and sweat poured off me like I'd lost a sparring match with a fire hydrant. I stood, muscles aching and my hair clinging to my forehead, and dumped a full bucket of cold water over my head.
Refreshingly painful. Like ice cream for your soul. If your soul had nerve endings.
Then I heard the best sound of the morning.
"Jae Gu, come in and eat breakfast!" my mom—Song Sun Mi, world champion in the sport of Worrying—called from the kitchen.
I grinned. Yeah, that voice was home.
I wrapped a towel around my neck and headed inside. Before I knew it, I had my arms around her in a spontaneous bear hug.
"Eugh, you sweaty octopus!" she shrieked, elbowing me gently. "You trying to ferment me like kimchi? Go take a shower!"
I laughed. "Just glad to see you smiling, eomma."
Her face softened. For a second, something flickered in her eyes—something like pride and fear holding hands at a crossroads—but she covered it up like a pro.
"Go on, stinky. Before the house smells like a gym locker."
Ten minutes later, I stepped out of the washroom, hair damp, dressed in the clean uniform of a guy about to walk into a lion's den known as Wild's High School. You know, the elite all-girls fighting school that recently opened enrollment to boys. Specifically, to one boy.
Me.
Back at the table, my siblings were still in their morning zombie modes. Jae Hyung was awake and chipper—because he's six and built from sugar and caffeine. Jae Som, twelve, was the opposite. Think cat-dragged-out-of-bed energy.
"Hyung!" Jae Hyung gasped, eyes wide like I'd just descended from the clouds with a glowing sword. "Did you already finish training?"
I nodded, grinning. "Yep."
"You're like a superhero!"
Jae Som mumbled through a yawn, "Only if superheroes smell like Tiger Balm and stubbornness."
"Thanks for the support, sis," I said, plopping down at the table. She rolled her eyes but smirked. That's her way of saying she cares.
Mom served up rice, eggs, seaweed, and love. The good stuff.
As we ate, she looked at me the way moms do when they're worried but trying not to nag. "Lee… Are you ready? Wild's High is different. These girls aren't just normal fighters. They're trained. Aggressive. Tall. Possibly built with steel."
"I know," I said, my heart doing little backflips in my chest. "That's why I want to go. I finally get to test myself."
She sighed. "Just don't push too hard. You already carry so much."
I reached over and squeezed her hand. "I'll be okay. I promise."
"Hyung's gonna be the strongest fighter in the whole world!" Jae Hyung declared.
Jae Som smirked. "He already is. Emotionally, at least."
I laughed. "Well, we'll see about that. But if I break anything at school, let's agree it was self-defense."
And just like that, breakfast became one of those rare golden moments. The kind you don't notice until you look back and realize it was the last time everything felt safe.
Because Wild's High?
It was going to change everything.
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Let me tell you something they never mention in martial arts manga: cold water showers hit harder than any black belt punch. Especially when it's barely 7 a.m., and you've already drop-kicked your way through 300 pushups.
I was halfway through towel-drying my face when I heard my little brother's voice echo through the kitchen.
"Hyung, are you really gonna join the fights?!" Jae Hyung asked, his mouth full of rice and hero worship.
I walked in just in time to dodge the flying splash of miso soup. Jae Hyung's eyes were practically sparkling. Kid looked at me like I was the final boss of a fighting game.
Beside him, Jae Som raised an eyebrow like the skeptical anime character who knew the protagonist was hiding some epic power. "You've been training forever, but you've never actually fought in an official match," she said, voice flat. "You could totally take down those flashy idiots on the highlight reels."
"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," I said, smirking as I sipped my tea. (Because yes, I'm that guy now. The stoic martial artist with a tea addiction. It's a vibe.)
Jae Hyung leaned forward, practically bouncing in his chair. "Come on! You've got Ki! You fight like some anime protagonist who's holding back until episode twenty!"
Okay, not gonna lie. That was kind of a sick compliment.
Truth is, my little bro wasn't wrong. While the rest of Wild's High was busy flexing in the mirror and throwing flashy combos on Instagram, I'd been fighting in the shadows. Literally. Masked up and storming the criminal underworld like a budget superhero.
The thugs called me the Green Flash—which, I admit, sounds like either a really fast ninja or a radioactive traffic light.
Either way, it worked. The bad guys were scared. The money I took from them? That helped pay the bills, fix the roof, and get Mom some new shoes that didn't squeak with every step. It wasn't exactly legal… but neither was poverty, if you ask me.
But now, I was thinking about stepping into the real spotlight. The world of official street fighting. Where the crowds cheer, the cameras flash, and your opponents don't disappear into alleys when you win.
I leaned forward, tapping the table with two fingers. "Yeah. I'm joining soon."
Jae Hyung's spoon dropped into his bowl. "NO. WAY."
Jae Som actually smiled, which meant she was either proud or plotting my assassination. "About time. Why now?"
I flexed my hands, cracking my knuckles. "Because I'm ready. The Ki, the technique… even this weird world. I've figured it out. It's time I stop hiding and start testing what I've become."
From across the table, Mom—Sun Mi—set down her teacup with a sigh. Classic Mom look: half worry, half pride, all love.
"I knew this day would come," she said. Her eyes locked onto mine. "You've always been different, Jae Gu. Stronger. Quieter. Stubborn like your father."
Oof. Low blow. But fair.
She leaned forward. "Just promise me one thing."
I nodded. "Name it."
She squeezed her cup like it was holding back her feelings. "Don't let fighting change who you are."
I met her eyes. In that moment, I wasn't the Green Flash, or the transfer student at Wild's High, or the reincarnated taijutsu genius from another universe.
I was her son.
"I promise, eomma," I said softly. "I fight to protect, not to destroy."
That got a real smile out of her.
"Cool," Jae Hyung said, way too casually for someone who just witnessed a deep family moment. "Because once you go viral, I'm gonna start a fan club."
"And sell merch," Jae Som added. "We're calling it 'Lee-gendary.'"
I groaned. "You've been waiting to say that, haven't you?"
She grinned. "Maybe."
As laughter filled the kitchen, I looked around at my family—my reason for getting stronger. I wasn't just fighting for glory or revenge. I was fighting to protect this.
But soon… the world of street fighting was going to learn the name Song Jae Gu.
And they better be ready. Because the Green Flash wasn't holding back anymore.
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Walking to Wild's High felt kind of like heading to Olympus—if Olympus had dress codes, battle tournaments, and more teenage drama than a season of The Bachelor.
I stretched my arms and took a deep breath. The morning air smelled like fresh dew and questionable life decisions. Still, things were going well. Training? Solid. Family? Safe. Heroic street-fighting career? About to launch. All I had to do was keep my head down and not attract unnecessary attention.
Naturally, that's when the limo showed up.
A real, honest-to-Kami limousine. Shiny black, expensive enough to feed a village for a year, and absolutely radiating the kind of rich-person energy that made my wallet shiver in fear.
"Wow," I muttered. "Somebody's allergic to public transport."
The car door opened and out stepped a girl who looked like she belonged on the cover of a royal decree: platinum-blonde hair, posture so perfect it gave my spine anxiety, and the kind of don't-mess-with-me energy that could make demons back off.
Then came her companion—tall, red hair, fire in her eyes, and a grin like she knew your internet search history.
I don't know what happened next. One second I was minding my own business. The next, my legs were like, "Hey! Let's make a scene!"
Boom. I teleported in front of them. Not literally. But fast enough that the limo driver flinched and clutched his steering wheel like it was holy.
"May I know your name?" I asked, all cool and smooth—except for the part where I sounded like a drama club extra auditioning for a romance role.
Queen Ice Princess didn't even blink. "You're blocking my way."
Savage.
I stepped aside but kept my gaze locked, because apparently my brain was on vacation and had left my mouth in charge. "My apologies."
The redhead snorted. "Queen's as cruel as ever. Give it up, Romeo. She's way out of your league."
That's when I should've laughed it off and walked away like a normal person. But noooo. My pride and my mouth teamed up to ruin my day.
"I wasn't asking for her name," I said.
Redhead blinked. "Wait, what?"
I straightened up, slammed my fist over my heart, and dropped the most ridiculous line I've ever said. "It is you whose name I seek. Your beauty has captured my heart at first glance. I, Song Jae Gu, declare my undying love for you!"
Cue silence.
Queen blinked. Redhead stared. The limo driver made a noise like he was trying not to choke on his own shock. Somewhere, a bird cawed like, "Dude, seriously?"
Then, the universe betrayed me.
"I accept," said Redhead.
And just like that, she grabbed my wrist and started dragging me down the path toward the school like this was a rom-com and I was the flustered protagonist.
"Whoa, whoa, time out!" I yelped. "Shouldn't we exchange names first? Maybe a cup of coffee? A mutual agreement not to file restraining orders?"
She just grinned like a cat who'd caught a particularly entertaining mouse. "Too late, lover boy. You confessed. I accepted. That's binding."
That's when I realized: I had no idea what I was doing.
Why am I like this? I asked myself for the third time that day.
Behind us, Queen watched with her arms crossed and that same blank expression… except now, there was a faint smirk on her lips.
'He moves like a fighter,' she thought, probably. 'Interesting.'
The limo driver blinked. "Uh, Miss Queen, should I…?"
She climbed back into the limo like this was all beneath her—but that little smirk? Yeah, that was dangerous.
As for me? I was being dragged off by my "new girlfriend" while trying to figure out how to un-confess my fake feelings.
Welcome to Wild's High.
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So there I was—walking to school with a redhead clinging to my arm like we were in some kind of K-drama—except instead of slow-mo flower petals and romantic music, my brain was just screaming, WHAT IS HAPPENING.
Moon Young Lee, apparently deciding we were now inseparable, looked up at me with a smirk that screamed danger in the best way possible.
"My name's Moon Young Lee," she said, like she hadn't just kidnapped me with a public proposal. "Song Jae Gu, did you really mean what you said? You think I'm better looking than Queen?"
Oh boy.
That was the kind of question with no safe answer, like Do these jeans make me look fat? or Can I borrow your laptop real quick?
But hey—I live dangerously.
I turned to her with my best "earnest hero" expression. "Yes. The moment I saw you, I couldn't see anything else."
She blinked, then tilted her head with a curious little smile.
"And," I added quickly, "maybe we should start as friends. You know, take it slow? Like normal people?"
That earned me a genuine laugh. Not a giggle. A real, from-the-gut, you're ridiculous but I kinda like it laugh.
"You're a real sweet talker, you know that?" she said, giving my arm a gentle squeeze. "But don't worry—I don't mind waiting."
I smiled, surprised at how comfortable I felt. I'd had girls show interest before. Some were shy. Some were intense. One tried to stab me once. Long story.
But Moon Young? She had fire. Strength. She reminded me of someone from my past. Sakura. Pink hair, iron will, fists that could level mountains. The resemblance wasn't exact, but close enough to set off a few nostalgic alarm bells in my heart.
Moon Young's hair was red instead of pink, but her confidence? That was all too familiar.
"I'll help you around school," she offered. "If you need anything, I'm your girl."
I raised an eyebrow. "That so? You talk like you're hot stuff around here."
"Oh, I am," she said without missing a beat.
I grinned. "Then how about a match after class? I've been dying to stretch my muscles against someone who won't cry after one punch."
Her eyes lit up like someone had handed her front-row tickets to a gladiator match. "You're really challenging me?"
"Definitely," I said, my voice practically vibrating with excitement. "I came to this school to fight strong people. No point hiding it."
Her grip on my arm tightened for a moment, as if testing me, then she let go and stepped back—just enough to strike a mini-hero pose.
"After school," she said. "The ring. Try not to embarrass yourself."
I gave her a salute. "Only if you promise not to fall for me after I win."
She rolled her eyes and walked ahead, tossing a final smirk over her shoulder. "You wish."
I watched her go, already imagining the clash. This girl was fire. And I was more than ready to burn.
This school might actually be fun.