Hedonist // Lee Haechan

1.8 dior bag

Aera approached the boy in the halls as if she did it everyday. The impending interaction between them spared the interest of many people around them. The atmosphere was already tense as she reached where Jeno and Haechan were standing. Jeno's gaze hardening as his eyes landed onto Aera.

He had learnt from what haechan said to the group yesterday, Aera was a red flag. In no way, shape or form should they interact with someone like her again, that was the initial order from doyoung, second in command to the mafia leader who went into hiding as soon as he heard the news. everyone was tense. they were told to not return to HQ until further notice in fear that they may be followed. it was a risk sending mark, jeno and haechan into college itself but everyone tended to their daily duties as normal so they didn't attract further unwanted attention.

"what do you want?" haechan asked as his gaze fixed onto hers, it wasn't as warm and inviting as it was before.

"i washed your shirt" she said sighing at his attitude as she handed the dior shopping bag with his now blood free black shirt back to him. the sound of whispers got even louder at the sentence, jeno was getting even more agitated as the attention for the three grew.

"thanks" haechan said showing the bag into his locker, wanting to leave the presence of her immediately. he exchanged a glance with jeno before they both started to walk off.

"why did you leave like that yesterday?" her honey voice rung in his ears like medicine, healing his cold exterior but he put up a front, jeno would kill him if he didn't.

"none of your business" haechan stated not bothered to turn around

"did you atleast get the wound checked out?" she asked and haechan sighed at her pressing questions.

"i said i'll take care of it. stay out of it" he said turning around to face her with his jaw clenched.

"she just asked a simple question" jaemin said from behind her, he knew aera wasn't the type to care about someone she just met a few days ago. but he knew the guilt she was feeling, and haechan's coldness wasn't helping her get over it either.

"listen strawberry shortcake" haechan said angrily as his eyes set on the pink haired boy who defended her. he body was close to strolling towards him in anger but jeno held haechan back, not wanting to cause a scene again.

"take your girlfriend and go, don't you have other things to worry about?" Jeno said before dragging haechan along with him away from the two. aera sighed at the tense encounter and turned to jaemin.

"when am i going to give him this?" aera asked opening her hand and reminding jaemin of the black stoned ring she found on the floor of the lecture hall this morning.

"keep it until he stops being an asshole to you" jaemin said out of pure anger making aera sigh. she put the ring into her jacket pocket and linked her arm around jaemin's.

"loosen up nana, being angry doesn't suit you" she said looking up at him and his facial features softened at her motherly eyes.

"does this suit nana instead?" he asked doing his infamous aegyo which only made aera cringe but she covered it up to give him a witty comeback

"aww aren't you just the cutest little strawberry shortcake" she cooed, her melodious laughter filling up the quicklu emptying hallways as his cute expression turned into a glare upon hearing the words.

"do you have a death wish?" he asked and she shrugged before waving to him as she began to walk to her class.

"see you later"

"alligator"

_______________________________________________________________

"oi twink, get your ass over here!" the boy said from across the classroom to jisung during recess time. school was one of jisung's biggest nightmares. one of the main reasons he never wanted to go was purely because of bullying.

"yah! are you ignoring?!" the buff boy travelled from across the room and slammed his hand on jisung's table, making all the other students look over at the scene, each of them knew what was going on but yet did nothing in the last 2 years to change it. The bullying got heightened as his fellow students found out the real reason why his mother died, because she had an affair with one of the mafia members. it was a truth that only jisung knew. his dad knew as well but didn't believe it. both jisung and his dad acted carefully around Aera, she would be devastated if she found out the real reason. Aera loved her mom, she loved the love their mom had for the family even more. if aera ever found out that she was having an affair, it would be ugly.

"I'M TALKING TO YOU!" the boy shouted, grabbing jisung by the collar and forning him to stand up from his chair and onto his feet. jisung's eyes cowered away from the death stare he was earning.

"i'm sorry" jisung breathed out, not fully knowing what he was sorry for, but he grew accustomed to saying it since the latter would hurt him more if he said otherwise.

"look at me when i'm speaking to you freak!" the boy said shaking jisung by the collar. the migraine that was shooting up his head now exelled in pain.

"ah stop it!" jisung exclaimed unable to endure the torture

"what did you say? stop it?" the boy asked grabbing a fistful of jisung's hair making him wince

"fucking loser... meet me at the alley beside the corner store after school...or else.." the boy warned, pushing jisung back onto his seat roughly making his nearly fall over. jisung sighed and blinked away the tears that were pooling in his eyes.

as the school day progressed, like a lamb being led to slaughter, jisung made his way to the location he was forced to go to. he knew several beatings were coming his way, and that's exactly what happened. as the school's ruling gang of 5 muscular teenage boys formed, the ganged up on jisung's more petite frame. punching, kicking, shoving and all around just giving him hell. jisung couldn't help but clench his teeth quiet and endure the pain until it ended. if he made a sound like he did the first time, he would be going home with more than a few bruises.

which is why jisung was scared seeing the bloody cotton balls and tissues across the bathroom floor. the last time this happened the boys had threatened to hurt his sister. jisung had to protect her.

as his vision slowly started to blur with tears, he noticed a tall and lean figure appearing behind the boys. next thing he heard were gasps before feet were padding against the ground and running away from him.

"hey kid, you okay?" the voice said. the figure was now bending down to where jisung laid on the ground. Jisung groaned as the unknown figure grazed his hand over the bruise on his face.

Being the aware of how scared the other kids were, jisung backed up away from the man.

"Hey hey, I'm not gonna hurt you" the voice said calmly and jisung rubbed his teary eyes to look up at the man who was dressed in a black suit.

"Can you stand?" The man said extending a hand to jisung and helping him stand up on his own two feet. As soon as jisung was able to rise to his stature he scanned the man who looked at him with a worried expression.

"Wh-who are you sir?" Jisung asked politely

"Call me Doyoung"