Ulsan didn't change much.
That was the funny thing about it.
Cities grew taller, louder, and more crowded. Seoul swallowed itself in concrete and ambition. Busan roared like a beast that never slept. Even the smaller districts evolved, shifting faces and banners as time dragged everything forward, whether they wanted to move or not.
But Ulsan?
Ulsan stayed stubborn.
The docks still smelled like rust and salt. The streets still cracked in the same places. The wind still carried the sound of metal screaming against metal from the shipyards, and every night the city exhaled like an old animal settling into sleep.
I liked that.
I was stretched out on the roof of an abandoned warehouse near the harbor, arms behind my head, staring at the clouds drifting lazily across the sky. They looked slow today. Heavy. Like they had somewhere to be but didn't really care if they got there.
That was me most days.
People thought kings sat on thrones.
Truth was, I preferred rooftops.
"Man," I muttered, squinting at the sun. "These clouds look like fried eggs."
I laughed to myself, the sound echoing off corrugated steel and space. No one laughed with me. No one ever did. Ulsan knew better than to interrupt me when I was enjoying absolutely nothing.
Then I felt it.
That familiar itch at the base of my skull.
Not danger. Not killing intent.
Presence.
I rolled onto my side and glanced toward the stairwell door without standing up. Didn't need to. Ten seconds ticked forward in my mind, a faint shimmer of possibility lining itself up like chess pieces.
Old man.Heavy footsteps.Cough.Annoyance.
"…Figures," I sighed.
The door creaked open a moment later.
Footsteps climbed the stairs—slow, deliberate, carrying the weight of years that had refused to sit quietly on a man's shoulders. I stayed where I was, sprawled like a lazy cat in the sun.
"Y'know," I said without looking, "if you're here to lecture me, you should at least bring snacks."
A dry chuckle answered me.
"Still lying around like a corpse, I see."
That voice.
I finally sat up, pushing myself to my feet and turning toward him.
Gapryong Kim stood there with his hands in his coat pockets, shoulders broader than most men even now, posture still proud despite the subtle sag that age had started to carve into him. His hair was grayer than the last time I'd seen him, lines deeper around his eyes.
The strongest man in Korea.
And damn.
He looked old.
I stared at him for a long second… then burst out laughing.
"Oh my god," I said, clutching my stomach. "Teach, you look like you lost a fight to a calendar."
His eyebrow twitched.
"Watch your mouth."
"What?" I grinned, stepping closer. "Time is finally getting revenge on you? You used to scare the hell outta people. Now you scare retirement homes."
He sighed. Deep. Tired.
"Still an idiot," he muttered.
"Still breathing," I shot back. "So what brings you all the way to Ulsan? Miss me?"
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked out over the city—the harbor cranes, the rusted ships, the long stretch of road leading into the heart of Ulsan.
"This place," he said quietly. "It never bowed."
"Yeah," I said, leaning against the railing. "It's got good knees."
That got another small chuckle out of him.
Then his expression shifted.
Subtle.Heavy.
"Dalyoung Oh is dead."
The words hit the air and just… sat there.
I blinked once.
Twice.
Then I sighed.
"…Well," I said, scratching the back of my head, "he was a weirdo."
Gapryong looked at me sideways.
"That's all you have to say?"
"What?" I shrugged. "You want me to cry? Guy had dead eyes and talked like he was auditioning for a cult. I respect the hustle, but still."
I walked a few steps, stretching my back, the wind tugging at my blond hair.
"How'd he go?"
"Another in Busan," Gapryong replied. "Killed him. He's been sent to prison."
That made me stop.
I turned slowly, eyebrows lifting.
"…Huh."
That was interesting.
"I heard Dalyoung had a follower running around," I said, tapping my chin. "Challenging the other kings, stirring up trouble is that the one?"
Gapryong's lips pressed into a thin line.
"A follower?" he repeated. "No. A dog, maybe. But yes. That is the one."
I nodded slowly.
"Well," I said after a moment, "if he's in prison, then I guess justice has been served."
Gapryong let out a sigh that sounded heavier than it should have.
"The people loved him," he said. "They tried to fight for him before he was taken."
I snorted.
"Must've been a very good person then."
That earned me a sharp look.
"Not everything is a joke, Bouya."
"Didn't say it was," I replied calmly. "Just saying, people love all kinds of idiots. Look at me."
That shut him up for a second.
We stood there like that, side by side, watching the city breathe.
Time passed.
Minutes.Maybe hours.
We talked.
About things that didn't matter.
About things that did.
He asked about Ulsan. I told him it was still ugly, still loud, still mine. I asked about the rest of the country. He told me stories—of fallen kings, rising monsters, kids with dangerous eyes, and too much ambition.
I listened.
Cracked jokes.
Let the old man talk.
Eventually, the sun dipped lower, painting the docks in orange and gold.
Gapryong finally straightened with a grunt, hands pressing against his knees as he stood fully upright.
"My time may come soon," he said quietly.
My body reacted before my brain did.
A twitch ran through my fingers.
I frowned.
"…Age is a cruel enemy, teach," I said after a moment. "Maybe you should stop smoking so you don't die."
He froze.
Slowly turned.
His eye twitched.
The next thing I knew—
CLANG.
A metal can smacked me right in the forehead.
"HEY!" I barked, staggering back a step. "What the hell was that for?!"
"Disrespect," he snapped.
Before I could complain further, he stepped closer and reached up, ruffling my hair like I was still some punk kid who hadn't grown seven inches and learned how to fold cities.
I froze.
Just stood there.
He smiled.
Soft.Proud.
"Be a good kid, Bouya," he said. "And always protect."
Then he turned.
And walked away.
I watched him go until the stairwell door closed behind him.
The wind picked up.
The city kept breathing.
I sighed.
"…Tch," I muttered. "Old man."
But I didn't laugh this time.
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It's been months since the last i heard from old man Gap. I was eating some noodles before I heard the TV being blasted on loud, making me twitch. I didn't give it a second thought until i heard the words.
Politician Gapryong Kim has been found Dead.
I stopped and froze before looking at the tv shaking before trying to stand
SMASH
I looked, seeing that I had dropped my food onto the floor
'HEY DONT WASTE FOOD,' I heard the lady at the counter shout
but i couldnt get my focus off the screen. I closed my eyes, letting out a heavy sigh 'Old man, guess grudges still linger even after youve left' i muttered before looking at the lady
'Sorry ill clean it up, miss,' I said as I asked to use their mop, wiping the mess and picking up the shards of glass with a heavy sigh.