No More Thug Life, I’m Playing Music

Episode 44: Group Training (1)

There’s a hidden café in the corner of the neighborhood that I frequent.
It’s small, with a limited menu, but I prefer it here.

The coffee?
Honestly, I can’t tell the difference.

There’s only one reason I come here: the café owner’s music choices.
While most nearby cafés play pop or jazz, this one sticks to classical music—carefully curated, outstanding pieces.

“Hey, kid.”
The café owner, sporting an impressive beard, approached me.

“Here’s something on the house.”
He placed a slice of cake on my table.

“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. If anything, I should be thanking you.”
His cheerful laugh brought a smile to my face as well.

After he walked away, I took a sip of my coffee. At the same time, the group of female students filling the café mimicked me, sipping their drinks.

“What a pain….”
Their stares felt like they might bore a hole through my face.

Buzz

My phone, resting on the table, vibrated with an incoming call.
The caller ID displayed: Professor Han Gwangsook.
I waited through three rings before answering.

“Yes, Mother.”

—”W-What? Mother?”

Hearing her surprise, I smoothly continued with my prepared explanation.

“Oh no, my apologies. I must have let it slip because I think of you like a mother figure.”

—”Oh my, you really are something….”

Through the phone, I could hear Professor Han’s pleasant laugh.

—”Have you left yet?”

“I haven’t left yet.”

—”Huh? Why not?”

“One of the students hasn’t shown up yet.”

—”Really? And you’re just going to wait? What are you planning to do?”

“I’m planning to catch a ride with my uncle.”

—”Alright then, that works.”

“Thank you again for helping us out. Thanks to you, we’ll travel comfortably.”

—”Nonsense. How could I not help when it’s for our dear Seojoon?”

“As expected, no one can match you, Professor.”

—”Haha, alright. Let me know if anything comes up.”

The call ended.

“Hanshin Resort, huh….”

This time, the group retreat was at Hanshin Resort in Gangneung, one of the finest resorts in the country.
Originally, we were supposed to go to a more budget-friendly retreat center nearby. But upon hearing about this, Professor Han had intervened.

Thanks to her, we managed to secure several luxury rooms and a small seminar hall at a fraction of the cost. Considering that even meals were covered, it was practically free.

I owed her a lot this time as well.

“Now then, I suppose it’s time to start looking.”

That was the end of my brief relaxation.
Picking up my phone, I dialed Ducheol’s number.

****

At ‘Forehead Fitness,’ located on the third floor of a bustling building, the scene was lively.
The lower floors housed a PC café and a convenience store, so students frequently crowded the area.

In front of the building’s entrance stood a row of bicycles, over a dozen neatly lined up.

Standing near them was a group of nervous middle school students who looked like they’d gotten into trouble.

Moments later, Ma Ducheol came down the stairs, carrying a large box.

As soon as they spotted him, the students bowed deeply and shouted,
“Hello, sir!”

“You’re all here?”
Ma Ducheol set the box down beside him.

“Yes, sir! Everyone’s accounted for!”

These kids were local troublemakers who had recently been caught smoking on the building’s stairs by Ducheol and given a stern lecture.

“See? Isn’t riding bicycles so much cleaner than scooters? No smell, no blocking the entrance. Right?”

“Yes, sir!”

One of the students glanced at a pink scooter blocking the entrance and accidentally made eye contact with Ducheol.

“What are you looking at?”

“N-Nothing, sir!”

“Get a grip. Alright, everyone gather around.”

Ma Ducheol opened the box he had set on the ground, revealing a pile of fitness center flyers.

Prominently displayed on the flyers was a photo of Ma Ducheol’s muscular physique.

“NO DRUGS! 100% NATURAL!”

His burly figure had the students gulping nervously.

“Take a stack each and start handing them out.”

“Yes, sir!”

After distributing the flyers, Ducheol pulled out a thick envelope.

“Who’s the leader here?”

“That would be me!”

A large, stocky student with thinning hair raised his hand confidently.

“You look sharp and responsible.”

“Thank you, sir!”

Handing him the envelope, Ducheol instructed,
“Take this upstairs and wait there.”

“Huh?”

“Until your friends come back, you and I will work out together.”

The student was effectively being held as collateral against any mischief.

“Understood!”

The boy headed upstairs to the gym while Ducheol pulled out his phone.
Using a photo of Eom Deokgu that Jung Seojoon had sent him, he showed it to the students.

“Go around the neighborhood. If you spot this guy, call me immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Whoever finds him first gets 200,000 won.”
—”Whoa!”
“Alright, disperse.”
—”Disperse!”

The students hopped on their bikes and scattered in every direction.
Ma Ducheol nodded in satisfaction.
When it comes to finding someone in the neighborhood, these kids are unmatched—they know all the hidden spots and shady corners.

“Alright, let’s get moving.”
Stretching with a satisfied groan, Ma Ducheol headed back toward the gym.

****

“Here, huh?”

I looked up at the sign above me.
“Angel Love – Karaoke.”
This was next to the study café Junsoo often visited, and every time I saw that sign, it made me frown.

Who sets up a place like this in an area full of students?
The neighborhood was surrounded by cram schools and study cafés. How does a karaoke place like this even stay in business?

“Are you sure?”
I asked the student on the bike.

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Which room?”

“Room? Oh, you mean the room number? I’m not sure, but you’ll know when you go upstairs. There’s a big crowd of girls outside it.”

“Girls? Hah, he’s really living it up in the middle of the day. Was he with anyone else?”

“He was alone.”

“How much has he had to drink?”

“Drinking? There?”

The student looked confused.

“You didn’t see inside the room?”

“Uh… no.”

“Anyway, thanks.”

“Sure.”

Leaving the boy behind, I climbed the stairs.

—”Did you see that guy earlier?”
—”Yeah, his singing was amazing. He’s so tall, too.”

The chattering girls coming down the stairs made me shake my head in disbelief.
What kind of karaoke owner lets minors in so freely?

I decided I’d handle my business and report this place to the police afterward.

Moments later.
“Oh… it’s a coin karaoke place.”

I’d misunderstood.
At the entrance, I spotted the small word “Coin” written between “Angel Love” and “Karaoke.”

“Who names these places like this….”
Clicking my tongue, I pushed open the door.

A cacophony of terrible singing assaulted my ears from every direction.
Even plugging my ears wouldn’t block it all out.
Fighting the urge to turn around and leave, I stepped further inside.

—Murmur murmur.

Just as the student said, a group of girls was gathered in front of one room.
Amid the noise, I caught snippets of their conversation.

—”Wow… those high notes are insane.”
—”He could be a professional singer.”
—”His technique is really unusual, though….”
—”Right? I saw a video on YouTube where they said former opera singers sound like that.”

Were they talking about Eom Deokgu?
Just how good is his singing?

Driven by curiosity, I approached the group, but just then, the door burst open.
Eom Deokgu stepped out, wearing baggy shorts and a stretched-out T-shirt, looking annoyed.

“Get lost, damn it!”
At his shout, the girls quickly dispersed.

“Damn noisy brats.”
As he turned to go back inside, our eyes met.

“Ugh… what now?”

“Follow me. Let’s talk outside.”

“Why should I?”

“Now.”

As I stepped closer, Deokgu raised his fist.

Honestly, with how often he does this, I’m starting to think he enjoys getting hit.
For a brief moment, the stares of the surrounding students bore into us.

Suddenly, a loud voice called from behind me.

“Eom Deokgu!”

Turning around, I saw two large men.
Dressed head-to-toe in black—black pants, black shirts, black jackets—they didn’t look like regular folks.

Gangsters?
But their clean-cut appearance made me doubt it.

“Ah, shit! Again?!”
Deokgu spun around and bolted for the back door.

He didn’t get far.
At the rear exit, another pair of large men stood waiting.

Judging by their neat, professional demeanor, I concluded they weren’t gangsters but part of a private security team.

It reminded me that Deokgu was the son of a high-ranking government official.

“Deokgu, you know this kind of behavior won’t do!”

“Screw you!”

Deokgu swung his fist.
The man effortlessly dodged and tapped him lightly on the chest.

“If you keep this up, we’ll have no choice but to use force!”

“Dammit….”

Even someone like Deokgu, who ruled over kids his age, was no match for professionals.

Scowling, Deokgu turned to me and shouted,
“Hey! Help me out here!”

I answered firmly,
“Nope.”

“…….”

Troublesome things are the worst.
I had no desire to get involved in someone else’s family affairs.

But.
“If you promise to follow me quietly, I might consider helping you.”
There are always exceptions.

****

Eom Deokgu thought.
Was that a dream?

His mind was foggy, his body sluggish—much like waking from a deep sleep.
It felt like he had just had a bizarre dream.

In the dream, he had been at the coin karaoke.
Then he had run into that persistent Jung Seojoon and, not long after, even more persistent men sent by his father.

If they caught him this time, he’d be stuck at home all summer break.
In desperation, he had asked Jung Seojoon for help and, thanks to him, managed to escape the karaoke.

No matter how desperate, asking him for help….
He must have been truly cornered.

After running for what felt like forever, he followed Seojoon into a building.
He was climbing the stairs when suddenly, everything went black—like someone had struck him hard on the nape of his neck.

The last thing he remembered was seeing the entrance to a gym called “Forehead Fitness.”

Wait a second… why does my neck feel so stiff?

It was then that a deep voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Looks like the kid’s awake.”

Eom Deokgu’s eyes flew open.
“What the hell!”

He bolted upright and scanned his surroundings.
He was in a moving car.

Deokgu was in the backseat, and the voice had come from the bald, burly man in the driver’s seat.

“Who are you?!”

“Watch your mouth, kid,” Ma Ducheol said, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

“…You’re that thug from before?”

Turning to get his bearings, Deokgu spotted Jung Seojoon sitting in the passenger seat.
Seojoon was watching a piano performance on his phone, headphones on.

“Jung Seojoon!”
Deokgu kicked the back of the passenger seat.

Sigh.
With an exasperated sigh, Seojoon took off his headphones and turned slightly toward him.

“This punk! What kind of manners are those!” Ma Ducheol growled, glancing back with a scowl.

“What’s your problem?”

“Ha! This isn’t gonna work, is it?”

As Ma Ducheol’s voice grew sharper, Seojoon raised a hand to calm him.
“Uncle, that’s enough. Just focus on the road, okay? Safety first, remember?”

“Ah, right, right.”
At Seojoon’s reminder, Ma Ducheol firmly gripped the wheel with both hands again.

Seojoon turned toward Deokgu, a faint smirk on his face.
“We’re almost there. Just be patient.”

“What is this? Where are we going?”

“Camp.”

“Camp? Oh….”
The events from earlier began to come back to Deokgu.
The promise he’d made to follow if Seojoon helped him escape included.

“Did you really have to drag me here like this? It feels like I’ve been kidnapped.”
Deokgu alternated glaring at Ma Ducheol and Seojoon, then suddenly smirked as if realizing something.

“Ah~ I get it now. You’re a thug’s son, huh? No wonder you’re such a good fighter. I bet you learned it early on. Wow, I really messed with the wrong guy.”

“Hah.”
Ma Ducheol let out a short, disbelieving laugh and shook his head.

Seojoon chuckled, glancing back at Deokgu.
“This guy is my manager. And I apologize for the method, but it was obvious you wouldn’t come willingly.”

“…….”
Deokgu flinched.
He had absolutely no intention of coming along in the first place.
Unwilling to admit it, he deflected with sarcasm.

“Manager? Oh, are you a celebrity? Wow, how did I not notice?”

“Hah, this kid….”

“Never mind that. Where are we?”

“Gangneung Hanshin Resort.”

As Seojoon answered, the distant darkness began to glow with light.

Between the pitch-black mountains and the dark sea, a massive and majestic structure stood tall.
Its brilliant lights sparkled like a lighthouse on the night sea, drawing every gaze toward it.

“Wow, that’s pretty fancy,” Ma Ducheol muttered to himself.
“But what’s with all the tour buses?”

Deokgu, wondering the same, squinted to read a banner hanging from one of the buses.
“‘Han’ Chamber presents: ‘Han’ Music Camp.”

Before long, they arrived at one of the four buildings of Hanshin Resort.
All three of them glanced up at the banner hanging at the entrance.

“Welcome, aspiring musicians from all over the country!”

“What’s this now?” Deokgu muttered, puzzled.

Seojoon’s quiet murmur reached his ears.
“…Looks like the professor decided to make things interesting.”

His voice was a peculiar mix of amusement and irritation.