The newly formed gang operates out of Young-bum’s house, with half of the boys stealing food from the markets while the other half perform at the train station for won. This new system sustains them all for several months. The boys also begin to drink sool more. Sungju enjoys the newfound freedom of not having an adult around to tell them what to do, but this freedom also means that they often get drunk and rarely shower.

Eventually, Young-bum suspects Chulho of stealing from the group, and Sungju secretly follows Chulho to see if this is true. While trailing him, Sungju catches Chulho visiting what appears to be a brothel. Sungju suspects something is amiss but isn’t sure what. After a few days, Sungju’s rage overtakes him, and he confronts Chulho about stealing food from the market without sharing with the gang. The boys agree that they cannot fight one another and that their unity must remain paramount. Chulho finally admits that he’d been approached by the woman who runs the brothel because she wants the gang to help her “sell” her “nightflowers” to customers. The boys reminisce about the