Perfected Abnormality - Windbreaker

Chapter 2

"And the winner of this year's Science Quiz Bee is… Kurt Jo!"

Thunderous applause erupted from the crowd, louder than ever before. But why?

The answer was simple—they were in awe.

Many had come out of curiosity. Some were there to support different participants. But no one, not a single soul, had expected this outcome.

Kurt Jo had obliterated all expectations. He didn't just win—he dominated. Every question was answered the moment it was asked. He left no room for competition, crushing every round with absurd ease. The difficulty of the questions? Irrelevant. Even the judges struggled to keep up, yet this one kid breezed through it all—bored out of his mind.

Yawning. Yawning through a national-level contest.

By the time the final round ended, the audience had already accepted a simple fact: unless Kurt Jo was banned, he had no competition.

"Let's welcome this year's champion!"

Kurt stepped onto the stage, his smile betraying his excitement. This feeling—this euphoria—was something he had never experienced before. He reached the host's side and took the microphone, flashing a polite grin.

"Congratulations on your incredible victory! Your performance was truly spectacular. Do you have anything you'd like to say to the audience?"

Kurt cleared his throat and scanned the crowd. "First of all, I'd like to thank my mother for bringing me here today and my family for their support. Thank you"

The audience clapped once more, impressed not just by his intellect but also by his maturity. Despite his young age, the way he carried himself was anything but childlike.

The host smiled. "Such a humble and grateful young man! Tell me, how did you feel about the contest? Were any of the questions challenging? Was there a moment where you had to stop and really think?"

Kurt paused for a second, glancing around. Then, with a completely straight face, he answered—

"Did I need to?"

And with that, he casually handed the microphone back.

Silence.

The host stood there, stunned. The audience was momentarily frozen. Then—laughter. Chuckles turned into full-blown laughter as the crowd erupted in amusement.

Meanwhile, Kurt felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

His mother's face, which had been glowing with pride just moments ago, had suddenly darkened—contorting from bliss into pure wrath.

'Oh, crap.'

Realizing his mistake, Kurt hurriedly stepped down from the stage, but it was too late.

"Hey, brat. Get over here…" His mother's low, dangerous voice called out.

Kurt scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Ehehe… Uh, yes, Mom?"

She grabbed his wrist, her grip tight. "Don't pull that again next time! We have an image to maintain!"

Despite her scolding, they made their way out, thanking the people who congratulated him along the way. As they approached their car, something caught Kurt's eye—

A familiar figure stood next to his father, laughing loudly in the park.

Kurt's eyes widened in surprise before a genuine smile crossed his face.

"Mom, I didn't know Uncle came," he said, before sprinting toward the man he hadn't seen in a long time.

Mahon Jo—a powerhouse in the world of cycling. A national team member, a multiple-time Asian champion. His name carried weight, his achievements undeniable.

Yet, in front of his family, he was nothing more than a goofy uncle.

His face lit up as he spotted his nephew running toward him. "Kid!" he called out, arms wide open, ready for a heartfelt reunion.

BAM!

Mahon almost choked as Kurt kicked his leg.

"What the hell was that for?!" Mahon winced, rubbing his leg. Despite Kurt's small frame, the impact hurt.

Kurt simply grinned. "Uncle, how've you been?"

Mahon shot a look at his brother and pointed at Kurt in disbelief. "How did he turn into this? I swear he was adorable just a year ago."

Kurt's dad just shrugged. Even I don't know.

Shaking his head, Mahon turned to Jay and smiled before ruffling his hair. "This one is much better," he muttered, clearly favoring the younger sibling.

Then, as if remembering something, Mahon walked to the back of his car. Moments later, he returned with a bike.

It was a sleek, high-performance model—clearly not meant for an average 13-year-old. The size alone made that obvious. But to Kurt? It was perfect.

"Congratulations on winning the competition," Mahon said, handing the bike over. "Here, this is for you."

Kurt's eyes gleamed, but before he could say anything, a chilling presence loomed behind him.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

His mother.

She stormed forward, face red with fury. "Giving a bike to a 13-year-old?! I won't allow this!"

Mahon barely had time to react before she launched into a full-blown rant about how cycling could be dangerous and how it might interfere with Kurt's studies.

"W-Wait, calm down," Mahon stammered, trying to reason with her. "It's not like this will get in the way of his—"

"Absolutely NOT!"

Kurt's dad, wisely sensing incoming danger, turned on his heels.

"Come on, Jay, Kay," he muttered, ushering the younger brothers into the car. This was a battle he had no intention of joining.

Meanwhile, Kurt, watching the argument unfold, smirked.

Windbreaker is all about this, right?

His eyes drifted to the bike. Without hesitation, he hopped on and started pedaling.

The wind rushed against his face—a thrilling, invigorating sensation. He pushed harder, his speed increasing rapidly. Faster, faster—until his family was nothing but a blur behind him.

It wasn't until several minutes later that they realized—

"…Wait. Where did that brat go?!"

His mother's anger instantly turned into panic as she frantically looked around.

Mahon, on the other hand, simply smiled, his gaze following the distant figure speeding toward them.

And in that moment, something clicked.

"I guess I'll be staying here longer than expected," he murmured.

.

.

.

A Few Months Later

Mahon Jo stood at the entrance of the house, his bags packed and his bike ready. He would be leaving soon—returning overseas to train for the upcoming tournament. Yet, as he stared at the place he had called home for the past few months, a wave of nostalgia hit him.

His stay had been... interesting. And the reason for that?

Kurt.

That kid was a monster.

Not in the literal sense, but in a way that made Mahon question if he was even human. A genius beyond reason. His body and mind worked together in perfect harmony, as if they existed for the sole purpose of evolving him into something greater.

Mahon had tested him in every way possible—physical training, endurance drills, even random games of skill and chance.

Kurt aced them all.

At first, Mahon thought the kid just had an abnormal amount of energy—typical for children. But when he saw Kurt keeping up with a world-class athlete's training schedule without breaking a sweat, the truth became undeniable.

And cycling?

Mahon had introduced Kurt to the sport with the hope that he'd learn a thing or two. Instead, the boy absorbed everything effortlessly. It was almost boring to him. Yet, despite that, his expression was one of pure bliss every time he rode.

Mahon had included Jay in their training sessions, but there was no competition. If Kurt's physical prowess was scary, his unnatural abilities were outright terrifying.

Where else could you find a kid who got a royal flush every single time in poker?

Mahon had thought it was just dumb luck at first—until it kept happening.

Then, they played dice.

Kurt always rolled a six. Every. Single. Time. No matter how many dice were thrown, the result was the same.

It wasn't calculation. It wasn't cheating. It was just… natural.

Even luck was on his side.

Mahon let out a sigh. "Although I'm sad to leave… it's also a relief," he muttered to himself, recalling the constant nagging of his sister-in-law.

She had repeatedly insisted that cycling was a distraction—that it would interfere with Kurt's studies.

Unfortunately for her, reality had other plans.

Kurt never studied, yet he still perfected every single test she threw at him.

Mahon took one last look at the house before stepping onto his pedals.

"I'll look forward to what kind of monster you become, brat."

And with that, he was gone.

At the window, Kurt watched his uncle disappear down the street. He shook his head with a small smile before turning away.

He headed downstairs, grabbing his bike. "Mom, I'm going for a ride. I'll be back before dark."

His mother shot him a sharp glare. "Your bike again?! I swear, I'm going to get rid of that thing one of these days."

Her words were harsh, but her actions were the opposite—she simply waved him off dismissively.

Across the room, Jay looked at his mother hopefully.

She didn't even wait for him to speak. "Not for you, young man. Study first."

Jay slumped in his seat, defeated. Meanwhile, his mother turned to Kurt's father, irritation clear in her voice.

"Honey, what is wrong with your brother?! Giving bikes to our children, knowing it'll ruin their focus!"

Kurt tuned them out as he took off.

The wind rushed past his face as he pedaled.

He had long since mastered balance, riding with no hands, even climbing uphill without holding the handlebars. But more than that, there was something about cycling that made him feel... alive.

This world is so unreal.

But when he was riding—when the wind pressed against his skin, when the ground blurred beneath his wheels—it felt real.

He kept pedaling, aimlessly, until something caught his eye.

A small park.

A group of kids—his age—occupied it. Among them, three familiar faces stood out.

Kurt slowed to a stop. His lips curled into a small smile.

"Right... there was a scene like this."

And with that, he turned toward the park.

Meanwhile, at the park…

A red-haired boy lay curled on the ground, his body aching from repeated kicks.

"Stop it!" he yelled, his voice hoarse. But his pleas only fueled their amusement.

"Mad dog, you freak of nature."

Hwangyeon Choi sneered as he stomped down harder, pressing his shoe into the boy's ribs. "How the hell did you even end up with red hair? Are you even human?"

The other kids laughed, their taunts echoing through the park.

This was routine.

Every time they saw this freak, they would break him. That was just how things worked. Kids like them—normal kids—had a natural instinct to reject those who were different. And Vinny Hong, with his unnatural red hair and crimson eyes, was an obvious target.

At first, Vinny used to fight back.

Then, he stopped.

What was the point? He had long accepted that this world wasn't kind to people like him.

Hwangyeon raised his foot again, aiming for another satisfying kick—

THUD!

A spinning wheel slammed into his face.

"Agh—!" Hwangyeon was sent flying backward, crashing onto the dirt.

His hands shot up to his face, his nose throbbing in pain. "W-What the hell?!" he shrieked, feeling warm blood trickling down his lips.

Vinny, stunned, looked up.

Standing over him was a newcomer.

A boy with messy black hair, sharp eyebrows, and a smirk so irritating that even Vinny felt annoyed.

Hwangyeon scrambled back to his feet, his face twisted with fury. "Who the fuck are you?!" he barked, eyes flashing.

The black-haired boy ignored him.

Instead, he turned to Vinny and gestured toward the fallen bully.

"Oi, red-hair. Look. This is what rules the world." His fingers curled into a fist. "If you have this, you won't suffer."

And with that, he turned back to Hwangyeon.

The bike clattered to the ground as he stepped forward. Before anyone could react—

CRACK.

A single punch landed, and the sound of breaking bone followed.

Hwangyeon's head snapped backward. He staggered, then collapsed onto his knees, clutching his face as a wet, sickening squelch filled the air.

Kurt flinched.

Not out of regret, but because he felt something crack beneath his knuckles.

'Shit…' he thought, staring at the mangled mess that used to be Hwangyeon's nose.

The other bullies went pale. Some of them gagged. One turned and threw up in the grass.

Kurt, on the other hand, remained unfazed. He simply dusted off his hands and looked back at Vinny.

"That's how it is," he said coolly. "If you want them to stop—carry yourself."

Before Vinny could respond—

"You bastard! What the hell did you do?!"

A furious voice rang out across the park.

Both Kurt and Vinny turned to see a brown-haired boy running toward them, his face filled with urgency. He immediately knelt beside Hwangyeon, panic in his eyes.

Minu Yun had arrived.

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