"You little fucker—get your ass up," Jinho barked, his voice slicing through the silence like a blade. The thin plaster walls trembled as his fists slammed against them, each hit echoing like a gunshot across the dorm.
"Huh what the..." Taejin groaned, sitting up groggily, eyes barely open. "The fuck is that noise?"
More pounding. More yelling.
Ah. That Jinho guy.
Taejin rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, wincing at the soreness in his ribs. His body still hadn't recovered from the infirmary beatdown. "What do y'want?" he grumbled, stretching stiffly.
"Do a hundred push-ups." Jinho's voice came flat, laced with boredom.
Taejin blinked. "...Huh? Why?"
"Do a hundred push-ups," Jinho repeated. No change in tone. No explanation.
Taejin paused. "What kind of dumbass command—"
"If you really want to survive in this place," Jinho cut in, "you better learn how to suffer on command."
Taejin scoffed, dragging himself out of bed. "You're full of shit why would i do something like that."
"You told me you want to get into that world of dealing, right? You can't walk into it with what I can only describe as a weak-ass body like yours," Jinho said, deadpan. "You'd get fucking murdered."
"I'm not that weak," Taejin muttered defensively.
"Yeah, yeah. That's what every future dead bastard says before they get annihilated." Jinho's voice came cool and unimpressed. "If you're so sure, just shut up and do the push-ups."
"Alright then," Taejin snapped. He dropped to the cold floor, teeth grit. "Bet."
The first ten were easy—his body still had some fight in it. The next ten made his shoulders burn, but he pushed through. By thirty, his arms shook. Every breath scraped his chest like sandpaper.
He hadn't eaten in two days. His mouth was dry. His stomach growled in protest. But he kept going.
At forty-five, he collapsed. Face against the tile. Chest heaving. Arms dead weight.
"You're pathetic," Jinho said from behind the wall, not missing a beat. "You think stabbing someone once makes you untouchable?"
Taejin clenched his jaw.
"You see—that's the difference between those who reign and those who fold. If you give up now—"
"Shut the fuck up, you bastard!" Taejin snapped, his voice sharp, feral.
He slammed his palms to the ground and started again. One. Two. Three. Fourteen. Nineteen. Twenty-one—
Taejin dropped again, arms trembling, lungs burning.
From his side of the solitary area, Jinho smirked.
"The kid's definitely got the right mentality..." he thought. "Brash. Angry. Reckless. But there's a strong mentality . That can be shaped."
Meanwhile, Taejin lay flat on the floor, heart pounding, fists clenched. He wasn't sure why he cared so much about proving himself to some asshole he'd barely met.
But somewhere deep down, he hated being seen as weak. Hated feeling helpless.
And he'd be damned if he let some loudmouth thug call him pathetic without doing something about it.
[3 hours later]
Taejin's body was a mix of pain and fatigue, sweat dripping down his temples, chest heaving like a caged animal desperate for air. His arms trembled uncontrollably.
From the other side of the wall, Jinho's footsteps echoed closer as he crouched down.
"Not bad," Jinho said gruffly "I expected you to give up but you kept pushing on"
"What's in it for you," Taejin gasped "why do you push me so hard."
Jinho shrugged "Like I said in this place it's survival of the fittest. You need to fight to build your reputation."
Taejin was still breathing heavily, each ragged breath stabbing at his ribs like a knife. The dull ache had sharpened into a burning throb, but he refused to let it slow him down.
Jinho's voice came slower, deliberate.
"Train. Fight. Endure. You push past pain — that's power. And power makes others fear you. Fear is respect's ugly cousin, but it's respect all the same."
Taejin exhaled sharply, the weight of it sinking in.
"Who do I have to fight?" Taejin asked.
There was a brief pause. Then Jinho chuckled low.
"All those who disrespect you"
Taejin's voice cracked "What is the goal here"
Jinho stopped chuckling.
"Right now your easy prey, Sure you have the mindset to improve yourself but actions speak louder than words. Show them you're not one to be messed with. Show them what happens if they look at you wrong. Show them you're not weak. Make them be afraid to speak your name even in hushed whispers"
Taejin's fists clenched tighter against the cold floor, a spark of fire flickering in his chest despite the exhaustion and pain.
"So I fight and hustle?" Taejin asked.
Jinho responded with a single "Yes"
Taejin stared at the ceiling imagining if mother Minjoo found out he was doing this in juvie "She'd lose her mind" he smirked "but I have to survive here, no matter what it takes."
Jinho continued speaking "You need to learn how to kid. Using weapons is fine and all, but what are you going to when there's nothing available. Are you gonna stand there begging your attacker to stop? Are you gonna take the attacks and cry afterwards like a little bitch? Fights are inevitable in here, but the outcome is your choice."
Taejin stood up "How do I fight?"
Jinho yawned "Your style is up to you, use what suits you best and find your rhythm"
He stretched his arms "But remember this, the best thing you can do before a fight is to prepare yourself. That's why your building your body up right now. The second, make them hesitate to throw the first punch, make them fear your retaliation"
Taejin listened "And if they don't hesitate?"
"Then you show them why they should have" Jinho said sharply "Don't back down, no matter what happens"
Taejin rubbed his sore ribs. "I get it now. Train. Fight. Hustle. That's what it takes to survive in this hellhole"
Jinho replied "Exactly. This place doesn't care about your excuses or your past. It only cares if you can hold your ground."
Taejin pushed himself up from the floor, every movement a reminder of how much he still hurt. But inside, something was shifting—something fiercer than the pain.
Jinho opened his mouth again "Find allies but don't trust too easily. In here loyalty is just another word for weakness."