Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains when I shifted into Daniel's second body.
But I didn't feel the usual calm.
Daniel woke inside the original body with tear-stained eyes.
The night shift at the convenience store had pushed his mother too far again.
Her swollen hands.
Her sleepless face.
Her forced smile when she served cheap triangle kimbap to rude customers.
And today, she fainted.
Not long — only a few minutes — but to Daniel, it felt like the world had collapsed.
When Daniel woke in the second body, I found him sitting silently on the floor, hugging his knees.
I sat beside him.
He spoke first, voice raw.
"…She broke her back raising me. And all I ever did was make her suffer."
The guilt in his voice cut through me.
This Daniel — the real one — was still fragile, still carrying years of insecurity.
I placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Daniel. You can't erase the past. But you can build a future. For her. For yourself."
He swallowed.
"…I want to support her. I want to earn money.
But I don't want to fight for it.
I want to do something honest."
Honest.
A simple word — but powerful.
And exactly the kind of foundation Daniel needed.
I smiled.
"Then let's create something.
A small business.
Something she can be proud of."
Daniel stared in disbelief.
"A business…? Us? We're just students."
"Every CEO started somewhere.
I'll think. You follow.
Together, we'll build something real."
Daniel took a deep breath.
"Let's do it."
Chapter 3 — The Idea That Changes Everything
We began walking through downtown Seoul in the second body.
Observing.
Thinking.
Analyzing.
Daniel followed quietly as I scanned the streets.
"What are you looking for?" he asked.
"Patterns. Needs. Gaps in the market.
Something your mother can operate safely. Something low cost but profitable."
And then—
I saw it.
A group of office workers stood in a 17-minute line for a small street food vendor.
Egg sandwiches.
Simple, cheap, fast.
Daniel blinked.
"A sandwich stand?"
"No," I corrected.
"A home-based pre-order lunch service."
Daniel's eyes widened.
"Mom is amazing at cooking…!"
"She could prepare meals at home, and you deliver them before school.
Low cost. No rent. No debt.
All profit."
Daniel nodded, hope rising in his voice.
"She could rest more… earn more… and not deal with rude customers."
We were on the same wavelength.
But I wasn't finished.
"And we'll keep it under the radar. No big risks, no dangerous exposure. A simple, clean small business."
Daniel clenched his fists with determination.
"I wanna do it.
Let's start a business for Mom."
Chapter 4 — The Information Broker Notices
That night, as I walked alone in the second body, someone stepped out from a dim alleyway.
Kang Soojin.
The information broker.
"Starting a business, are we?" he asked with a sly smile.
I didn't show shock.
"You're following us?"
"I follow interesting people," he corrected.
"And you, Daniel Park… are becoming very interesting."
He glanced at his notebook.
"Lunch delivery business.
Cheap capital.
High effort.
Low risk."
Then he snapped it shut.
"Not bad. But it will attract attention."
I narrowed my eyes.
"From who?"
"Jealous students.
Small-time street vendors.
Ambitious gangs who love free labor."
His tone wasn't mocking.
It was… concerned?
Soojin sighed.
"So I'm going to give you your first free piece of information, Daniel."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"Someone connected to your father is watching you.
If you're building something — even small — they'll notice."
A cold chill ran down my spine.
Daniel's father.
Gapryong Park.
"What do they want?" I asked.
Soojin smirked.
"If I knew that, I'd be rich enough to retire."
He handed me another card.
"Call me if you want to protect what you're building."
Then he disappeared again.
Like smoke.
Chapter 5 — The Shopkeepers' Resistance
Two days later, Daniel's mother cried when we told her the idea.
"You two… want to help me?"
She covered her mouth, overwhelmed.
"I don't deserve—"
"You deserve everything," Daniel said firmly.
We began offering 50 cheap, homemade lunch boxes to office workers nearby.
I handled marketing.
Daniel handled delivery.
Within a week — sold out every day.
But success brings trouble.
On the third morning, a man stepped in front of me and Daniel during delivery.
Middle aged.
Apron.
Greasy smile.
"You kids are ruining my business," he snarled.
"Those office workers used to be my customers!"
Daniel gulped.
"W-we're just trying to—"
He shoved Daniel back.
"Trying to what? Show off? Undercut us? You brats think the world is easy?"
I caught the man's arm calmly.
"Let go," I warned quietly.
But he squeezed harder.
"You little punks—"
I twisted slightly — not enough to break anything, just enough to make him recoil.
The man screamed and dropped to his knees.
"You're hurting the local economy!" he shouted dramatically.
A crowd gathered.
Daniel panicked.
"Wait! We don't want trouble!"
I stepped between them.
In a low voice only the man could hear, I said:
"You don't own the street.
You don't own these customers.
And you won't bully a mother trying to survive."
Fear flickered in his eyes.
He backed away slowly.
"This isn't over, kid!"
Daniel sighed shakily beside me.
"…Crap. Are we in trouble?"
"Not yet," I said.
"But this is only the beginning."
Chapter 6 — The First Obstacle: Jealous Students
The next trouble came from school.
Word spread about Daniel delivering lunchboxes every morning.
And some students didn't like that.
Specifically…
Choi Minho — an arrogant rich kid who couldn't stand someone lower making money.
He cornered Daniel behind the school building.
"So," Minho sneered, "I heard you're a delivery boy now. Do you bark too?"
Daniel flinched.
I approached quietly.
"Minho," I said, "walk away."
He scoffed.
"You think you can talk down to me? I can make sure your little business disappears."
Daniel swallowed hard.
I stepped closer.
"If you touch his family's business…
I'll destroy your reputation so thoroughly that even Zoe won't be able to pretend to like you."
Minho froze.
"…What did you say?"
I leaned in.
"I know what you do behind the gym after class.
The gambling.
The cheating on tests.
The 'favors' you offer girls."
His face turned ghost white.
"You—… how do you—?"
"I see everything."
Minho ran.
And he didn't bother Daniel again.
Chapter 7 — A Threat from the Shadows
That night, when I walked home in the second body, someone was waiting.
The tall man from the rooftop.
Black suit.
Hands clasped behind him.
Eyes cold as frost.
He spoke calmly.
"You've grown too fast, Daniel Park."
My breath tightened.
"Who are you?"
He smiled.
"I'm the one your father sent to observe your progress."
Gapryong's agent.
He stepped closer.
"You're not supposed to build anything.
Not yet.
Not without his permission."
I clenched my fists.
"Tell him I won't live according to his plans."
The man chuckled.
"He expected you to say that."
Then his expression sharpened.
"Your business is small. Weak.
But weakness attracts predators.
When trouble comes — and it will — remember this:"
He leaned in, whispering:
"Your father is watching.
And he's waiting to see if you break."
Then he walked away.
Daniel's business was growing.
But so were the enemies.
And this was only the beginning.
NEXT CHAPTER OPTIONS
Want the next chapter to focus on:
A) The business expanding and entering conflict with a small-time gang
B) More emotional scenes with Daniel and his mother
C) Kang Soojin giving Daniel a critical warning
D) Vasco, Zack, and Jay discovering Daniel's business
E) Gapryong's agent interfering again
F) All of the above combined into a big chapter
Which one should I write next?
A
Got it — the next chapter will focus on the business expanding and entering conflict with a small-time gang, while still keeping the slow-burn, detailed, emotional, and strategic progression.
This will be a big, long chapter and will stay fully aligned with the canon timeline.
1. Growth Brings Shadows
The second body woke early.
The morning air was cold, crisp, and clean—
a strange contrast to the tension heavy in my chest.
Daniel pushed the delivery cart as we walked across the quiet streets, filled with anticipation.
Our small business — Park's Lunchboxes — was gaining traction faster than expected.
On the first day, we sold 17.
On the second, 31.
On the fourth, 50.
And today… we had pre-orders for 73.
It was slow progress by real-world standards, but in Daniel's life, this was monumental.
His mother earned more in two days than in a week at the convenience store.
When she hugged Daniel the previous night, she whispered:
"Thank you… for giving me hope again."
Those words alone solidified Daniel's resolve — and mine.
But success always draws unwanted eyes.
2. The Men in Black Jackets
While Daniel handed a lunchbox to an office worker, I noticed them.
Four men leaning against a wall.
Black jackets.
Flashy hair.
Necks tattooed with the initials "R.K."
They weren't from canon.
A local small-time gang.
Watching.
Smirking.
One of them pointed at us.
Another wrote in a notebook.
Daniel's breath shook.
"Who… who are they?"
"Trouble," I said.
"We'll finish deliveries first."
But the moment we closed the cart and turned to leave—
"Hey! Pretty boy!"
The largest of the four stepped forward.
Buzzcut.
Scar under his left eye.
Gold teeth.
"Park's Lunchboxes, right?"
I didn't respond.
He tapped his foot impatiently.
"You've been selling in our area without permission.
We don't like competition on our turf."
So it was that type.
The petty extortion type.
Daniel's fingers trembled slightly.
I kept my tone calm.
"This is public space. You don't own the sidewalk."
The group laughed.
"Sidewalk? No.
But the idiots who walk on it?
We own them."
Buzzcut leaned in.
"Starting tomorrow, you pay us fifty percent."
Daniel gasped.
"F-fifty?!"
I gently pulled Daniel back.
"No."
Silence.
Buzzcut squinted at me.
"…What did you say, dog?"
I didn't blink.
"You heard me. No."
He cracked his knuckles.
"You think you're tough? You're dead."
His three cronies stepped forward.
Daniel whispered frantically:
"W-we don't have to fight… we can run…"
"We're not fighting," I said softly.
"Stay behind me."
3. The First Clash — but Not the Last
Buzzcut swung first.
A wide hook.
Sloppy.
Predictable.
Slow.
I sidestepped and tapped his wrist lightly — redirecting the punch harmlessly.
He stumbled forward, shock on his face.
"What the—?!"
I didn't attack.
I simply moved with grace and precision.
Another man charged.
I stepped left, hooking his leg, and he tripped over his own feet.
The third tried grabbing my collar.
I leaned back slightly.
He grabbed air, overbalanced, and fell.
Daniel stared in awe.
"You didn't even hit them…"
"No need," I said quietly.
Buzzcut roared in anger.
"You think this is funny?!"
He charged again — reckless.
This time, I placed my palm on his chest and pushed gently.
Gentle to me.
To him, it was like being shoved by a truck.
His back hit the wall with a thud.
The others scrambled up, eyes wide with fear.
"W-who the hell is this guy?!"
Buzzcut pointed shakily.
"This isn't over!
You'll regret crossing R.K.!"
They fled.
Daniel exhaled shakily.
"Oh my god… you handled them like nothing…"
"Small gangs like these exist everywhere," I said.
"They'll be back — with more."
Daniel swallowed.
"So… what do we do?"
"We prepare."
4. They Attack the Wrong Person
That afternoon, while Daniel was in school using his original body, I stayed in the second body — observing the routes, analyzing escape paths, and monitoring the gang's movements.
Then I saw someone running toward our home.
Mrs. Park.
Panting.
Terrified.
Behind her — Buzzcut's gang.
The moment my heart froze was when I realized Daniel's mother had no idea who they were.
She turned down the alley toward our home — their pace faster.
"Found her!" one shouted.
"Grab her! Her son refused to pay!"
My vision turned red.
No one touches her.
I sprinted silently across rooftops — this body's athleticism was absurd — and reached the alley before them.
As they cornered Mrs. Park, Buzzcut grabbed her wrist.
"Listen, lady.
Tell your son he pays fifty percent or you won't be able to work here anymore."
Mrs. Park flinched.
"I-I don't understand…!"
"I understand," I said coldly.
Buzzcut froze.
His men turned.
I stepped out of the shadows, eyes unreadable.
"You made a mistake."
Buzzcut smirked.
"You think you can stop us? We got backup now."
Four more men emerged.
Eight total.
Mrs. Park trembled.
"Daniel… run…"
I gently took her hand and guided her behind me.
"Close your eyes," I said.
"But—"
"Please."
She did.
The fight was short.
One charged.
I sidestepped, elbowed his diaphragm, he collapsed.
Two swung pipes.
I weaved between them; they hit each other.
One tried to grab Mrs. Park — I caught his wrist and twisted lightly.
Snap.
Buzzcut attacked from behind — I grabbed him by the face and slammed him into the ground.
Not too hard.
Just enough.
When the last man whimpered on the ground, I said:
"Tell your boss:
touch her again, and your entire crew disappears."
Buzzcut spat blood, eyes shaking.
"W-who are you…?!"
I leaned down.
"I'm Daniel Park.
Remember that name."
5. A Heavy Consequence
When I turned around, Mrs. Park stared at me — bewildered.
"D… Daniel?"
My heart sank.
She thought this body was her son.
I softened my voice.
"Mom… please be careful.
Some people don't like our business.
But you're safe now."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I-I don't want you fighting… I just want you safe…"
I forced myself to smile gently — something Daniel would do.
"I will be. I promise."
She hugged me tightly.
"Don't scare me like that again…"
I didn't know how to tell her that I wasn't her son.
That her real Daniel was far more fragile, far more sensitive.
But I made a silent vow:
No harm would ever reach her while I existed.
6. Retribution Is Coming
That night, Daniel woke in the second body.
When he saw the bruises on its knuckles, he froze.
"You… fought them, didn't you…?"
I nodded.
"They followed your mother."
Daniel's face turned pale.
"They WHAT?!"
I placed my hands on his shoulders.
"She's safe. I protected her."
Daniel trembled.
"I want to be stronger…
not just in this body…
I want to protect her too."
"You will," I said.
"And I'll help you."
But then—
A faint sound echoed outside.
A metallic object hitting the ground.
We rushed to the window.
A brick lay on the asphalt.
Wrapped in paper.
Daniel picked it up and unfolded it.
Inside was a message:
WE'RE COMING FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
THE STREET IS OURS.
— R.K. GANG
Daniel swallowed hard.
"What do we do now…?"
I smiled calmly.
"We prepare for war."
His eyes widened.
"War…?!"
"Yes," I said.
"But a silent war.
A strategic war.
A war we win without fighting."
Daniel blinked.
"How…?"
I held up my phone.
"We call someone."
"Who?"
The phone rang once.
Twice.
Then the voice answered.
Calm.
Sly.
Almost amused.
"Daniel Park," Kang Soojin said,
"I was wondering when you'd call."