How to Control Anger (1)

"So, you're saying you don't know what favor to ask?"

"Yes..."

After class was over, the girls had gathered in the dorm, chatting animatedly.

Most of their talk was just about loudly discussing male celebrities from TV, but there was one girl who seemed to be deep in thought.

The troubled Kwon Sang-ah was consulting with Sung Chohyang.

"Other than that, didn't he say anything else?"

"No."

Kwon Sang-ah told her about her experience during the after-school cleaning duty.

Previously, when she told Ma Seongjin that she'd help him with anything if he was ever in trouble, she meant it, and she ended up actually helping him out.

In return, Ma Seongjin had said he wanted to do something for her as well.

"What did you say when you heard that?"

"Well... I couldn't answer."

"..."

"I just... couldn't answer and walked out."

At that moment, with two mops in hand, Sang-ah just froze at his words.

All she could do was fidget and open her mouth silently, unable to get a word out.

"Honestly, it was the first time I'd ever heard anything like that from someone. I hardly ever got anything in return in my whole life."

"..."

Sang-ah had little experience asking others for anything.

Born as the daughter of the Hwasan Guildmaster's mistress and treated like a discarded shoe, it wasn't as though she ever had many options.

She'd lived hearing things like, "Don't get ahead of yourself for a Mutamit," so she didn't really know what it meant to have rightful claims.

"The more I think about it, Sang-ah, you're really unusual, you know?"

"Me?"

"You were the representative at our freshman entrance ceremony, remember? You even took the oath."

"..."

"That means you were either pretty famous before you enrolled, or you're a talented newcomer."

It was true that Sang-ah was well-known even before entering the school.

Back in elementary school, her trait had manifested unconsciously and injured several Hunter-turned-teachers.

Because of that, it nearly made the news with her name, but there had been arrangements to keep her identity out of the media.

Still, her classmates all knew about the incident.

Rather than her having sent teachers to the hospital, everyone was more focused on how overwhelming her power was.

The story became twisted and she soon gained the label of "the student even Hunter teachers can't handle".

"That means... Sang-ah, you're definitely ranked in our school's top 10."

"..."

"But despite that, you strangely dislike fighting. If there's ever a possibility of clashing with others, you're the first to lower your head."

There was a chance she might even be stronger than Chohyang herself.

Thinking back to the rumor that she'd severely injured magic power teachers even in elementary school, this all made sense.

"And then, your family is related to the Hwasan Guild, right?"

"..."

"What really happened in the past?"

It was commonly known that Sang-ah was the daughter of one of the four great guild leaders in South Korea.

But for someone from such a grand family, Sang-ah's self-esteem was extremely low.

In these cases, it was safe to suspect a bad family environment.

"It's useless to talk about it. Nothing will ever get solved."

Sang-ah, who had been restless until just now, became tight-lipped.

No matter how much she complained about being treated like an outcast, the authorities and media would always take Hwasan's side.

"There's only one way out. I just have to get stronger than that trash of a brother and... be noticed by my damn father. That's all."

No one knew when that might happen. Her rampaging older brother might be a wild horse, but being an S-rank Hunter was an unquestionable fact.

Could she ever overcome that wall, when she couldn't even control her own rampages?

"So that's why you rent the training hall every night? To stand up to your brother?"

"..."

When Sang-ah didn't reply, Chohyang sat down next to her. While the other students stared at the TV, Chohyang gently wrapped an arm around her junior's shoulder.

There was noise all around in the dorm, but Chohyang's sweet words rang delicately in Sang-ah's ears.

"You're doing great, you know? Even with Seongjin's favor, it's all because you put in effort. It's all turning out well."

She had secretly told Ma Seongjin about Michael's plans that she overheard.

Thinking about it, the only reason she overheard was because she was training late into the night—it was, indeed, the result of effort.

Hearing Chohyang's words, Sang-ah felt a sense of déjà vu. Her only family, her mother on her sickbed, never spared any praise either.

It was a temperature the complete opposite of her family at home, who only ever scolded her.

She could feel that warmth from Chohyang as well.

"So... why don't we go eat meat this Saturday?"

The sudden, cheerful dinner invitation caught Sang-ah off-guard. Still, her mouth started to water at the mention of meat.

"So you do want to eat, huh? I know a really great place. Want to go together?"

"Yes... Honestly, now that you mention it, I'd really like that."

"See? Our Sang-ah drools just at the sight of meat photos."

She could take or leave any other food, but she was always restless in front of meat dishes.

Maybe it was another feature of being a dragon.

"Then before we go eat... don't you kind of know what you want to ask Seongjin?"

"Huh?"

"Your goal is to get stronger, isn't it? And Seongjin... honestly, he's much stronger than you think."

Both of them had sparred with Ma Seongjin at least once.

As strong as they were among the middle schoolers, they couldn't even reach Seongjin's ankles.

Even attacking him together, their chances of winning were slim.

The thing Sang-ah could get from Seongjin was pretty obvious.

****

"So, have you decided what to ask?"

Ma Seongjin, who was suddenly summoned by Sang-ah, found himself sitting on a bench in front of the dorm.

He had originally been watching a music program in the dorm when he got the call, right as he was scolding Choi Sangbaek for throwing a fit because "Unity Girls" weren't on TV.

Embarrassed to have a boy come into the girls' dorm, Sang-ah had insisted he come out.

"So, what is it you want to ask?"

Seongjin smiled, asking Sang-ah, who'd called him out. Chohyang was standing supportively by her side.

'Just be straightforward. Tell him to become your teacher.''Isn't that too much to ask? Won't it bother him?''Be confident! This is about your future, too.'

Chohyang and Sang-ah whispered to each other. Chohyang seemed to be quietly cheering for the restless Sang-ah.

It was almost like a scene from a romance drama, where a shy girl is about to confess with her friend's help.

Confirming this, Seongjin frowned slightly. Is she really about to do that...?

"Are you going to ask or not?"

"I will! So... so..."

So what? What are you going to say? Hurry up, I'm busy. That's what Seongjin's gaze seemed to say. Realizing this, Sang-ah's lips trembled even more.

"So, Seongjin, could you..."

Just say, "teach me".

It would be simple if she said it like that. But after living so timidly all her life, Sang-ah didn't know how to openly ask for something so embarrassing.

"Could you... um, I'm eating meat this Saturday, and I'd like you to come too!"

"...?"

"...?"

The wind blew emptily. Compared to what he'd expected, Seongjin's face showed obvious disappointment.

"Is that it?"

"Uh... yeah. That's it."

"Alright. I'll be going, then."

"...."

And so, Seongjin quietly returned to the dormitory. His retreating figure looked to Sang-ah as if an opportunity she'd barely seized had slipped away like dust.

"Sang-ah..."

"Yes."

"You failed."

Chohyang, who had been watching, could only say bitterly.

****

"Hey, part-timer! Cut the veggies and take care of the customers!"

"Yes..."

At a steakhouse, Michael—wearing a staff uniform—was chopping onions in the kitchen. His eyes watered from the pungent juices.

"Ugh... If I'd known, I would've worn my glasses."

Rubbing his eyes as he worked, Michael Kang ended up snapping in frustration.

Someone raised so pampered at home, Michael instinctively couldn't adapt to this kind of job. But he had no choice.

He was already in trouble for the drug incident, and if they found out about his unpaid meal, he'd really be a criminal.

If his father intervened, maybe he'd dodge expulsion and get a suspension instead.

But if the unpaid meal got out, he'd definitely be expelled.

'But what's the point of school anymore, anyway?'

Michael's reputation had already bottomed out.

Even if he got away with suspension, he couldn't avoid being an outcast after everything he'd done.

He couldn't bully others into submission like before. Expulsion or suspension—either was the worst.

Bzzz—

Just then, his pocket vibrated. He looked at the caller, sighed, and answered.

"Hello?"—Michael, are you working alone right now?"Yeah."—I'm really sorry. The girls snitched on me, so I have to write a reflection essay. Even though it's Saturday, they called me to school!

On the phone was his girlfriend, amy. She was also supposed to work because of their unpaid meal, but her own circumstances kept her away.

—By the way... Michael, are you really getting expelled?"Don't worry, my dad's handling it."—Unbelievable. What did you even do wrong? Why would you, of all people, have drugs?!

Amy was determined to defend Michael, going into full "I refuse to believe my kid would ever do this" parent mode.

"I don't care about the drugs anymore."—What do you mean?"What's really bothering me is..."

BAM—!

"Who the hell eavesdropped and revealed my plan?!"

Unable to hold back his anger, Michael smashed the knife into the onions, pulverizing them. Michael's eyes burned with rage over what happened that day.

"I had this plan to crush that freshman from behind the scenes... There's no way things would've ended up like this unless someone leaked it."

It really had been a secret. Unless someone was monitoring his every move, there was no way it could've gotten out.

—Then you should just confront that freshman."How? You don't realize how much of a monster that kid is because you haven't met him!"—Then just hire someone stronger than that freshman."What...?"—Good thing my family's connections reach the Chinese Shura Guild. I could also call in someone from the high ranks of the Hwasan Guild.

China's largest guild and one of Korea's four most powerful guilds—if their Hunters got involved, they'd outclass Ma Seongjin for sure.

No matter how crazy strong Ma Seongjin was, he was still just a student.

"Sure, but..."

But wouldn't getting such big names involved make things messy? Michael was caught in this dilemma.

"Hey! Part-timer! Did I tell you to stand around and make phone calls?"

A co-worker who had stepped out came back in and shouted at Michael.

"Sorry! I'll call later!"

He hurriedly hung up on Amy and apologized.

It wasn't like a young guy like Michael could really adapt to workplace discipline.

The co-worker, understanding that, just sighed instead of getting mad.

"Don't do that in here. Go serve the customers."

"Yes."

Michael, taking off the apron he wore as a kitchen assistant, headed out to the dining room. But one thought kept circling in his mind.

'If only it weren't for that damn snitch...'

Still cursing internally, he heard the doorbell tinkle as customers walked in.

"Michael?"

A strangely familiar, but unwanted voice made Michael flinch.

Then, when he saw the customers' faces, his whole body froze. The customers, seeing Michael in his server uniform, were equally dumbfounded.

"What are you doing here? And that outfit...?"

Sung Chohyang, Kwon Sang-ah, Ma Seongjin, and Choi Sumin stared in disbelief at Michael serving tables.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=People really don't change.He still hasn't learned his lesson...【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.