𝗬𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗘 ─ 𝗬𝗔𝗡𝗚 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗪𝗢𝗡

IX. Three Steps Ahead

She had to do something.

Without much thinking due to little time left to react, she ran as quickly as she could - standing right in front of Jungwon.

And then she realized it. She would be the one to get punched instead.

"Oh no." she thought to herself

Minji flinched hardly - as if she saw her life flash before her eyes.

As the fist of the bully was about to hit Minji's face, thankfully one of the bully's friends stopped him from doing something so stupid again. 

"Oh my god."  Minji said with a huge sigh of relief.

Jungwon saw the attempt to punch him and the possibility of Minji getting punched. He was supposed to feel furious at the bully, but instead he was mostly shocked that Minji did that.

Although on Minji's end, she was just acting on instinct, Jungwon was shocked that she was willing to take the hit for him.

He was shocked that she would sacrifice herself.

The bully leader pulled his arm away from his friend's grip, scoffing at his friend for preventing him in getting his revenge.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Minji asked Jungwon. 

She was very concerned for him, after all, she was his 'sort-of' friend.

"I'm okay. They can't hurt me, even if they tried." Jungwon replied to Minji.

He continued to fix the mess the scenario made - the plate and utensils on the floor to be exact.

"Just leave the food on the floor, the cleaners will be here to help clean it up." Minji told Jungwon.

He smiled, nodding at her.

As they waited for someone to help them clean up the mess, Jungwon was curious about Minji's action earlier

"Hey, why did you run to block the punch?"

"Oh, uhm....well, I don't really know. My body acted on it's own I guess."

"Yeah, but why did you help me?"

"What do you mean?"

"You just met me, why take the punch for me?"

"Well, I know you and although we haven't talked a lot, I would consider you as my friend. Or at least soon to be friend" Minji said with a smile on her face.

Jungwon widened his eyes a little bit - amazed by her mindset. He thought she was joking when she said she really wanted to be friends with him, guess he was wrong.

"Hey, do you still have money to buy food? Or at least some snacks with you that you can eat?" Minji asked with much concern.

Jungwon checked his wallet - it was empty. And as far as he remembers, he doesn't have any snacks inside his bag back at the classroom.

"No and no."

"Well then, would you like to come join me? I can share some of my food with you, and my friends would most likely share theirs with you too!"

Jungwon was hesitant. He was unsure if there are really people who would share their meal with a stranger - and he was also unsure if he would fit in with a group of people he barely knows.

"No thank you, your friends don't know me and I wouldn't want to interrupt your hang-out."

"But that's one more reason you should come! You could make new friends! Don't you want at least a few?"

"I guess..."

"Great! Then let's go!" Minji said as she dragged Jungwon.

But when all seemed finished, the bullies stopped Minji and Jungwon in their tracks.

"You." the leader of the bully group said as he pointed at Jungwon.

Minji was irritated. Was this guy not done yet? Has he not learned his lesson?

Meanwhile, Jungwon raised one of his eyebrows, waiting for the boy to finish his sentence.

"You're lucky the principal came. You would've been beaten to a pulp if it weren't for her." he said.

"Oh please, it was part of my plan all along." Jungwon responded with a smirk.

Both Minji and the group of bullies looked at him weirdly, confused by what he said.

"The moment your girlfriend came to me, I already saw you at the door."

The bullies were silent, so was Minji.

"From the window, I also saw the principal walking outside." he added.

"I asked you to leave me alone the first time, but you didn't listen. So I kept you in place. It was easy to make you stay considering how easy it is to anger you. I just had to cage you long enough until she arrived. Smart, isn't it?" Jungwon said with a laugh.

"You thought you could beat me by strength and number, but I was simply three steps ahead of you, fool." 

"You little-" the bully said as he tried getting close to Jungwon. But once again, his friends stopped him.

Jungwon amazed Minji. This was the exact reason Minji is so interested in being close with him. His mysterious yet sophisticated aura is the one that attracts her.

"Let's go Minji." Jungwon told her. She responded with a nod and they continued walking, him following Minji.

"Oh and by the way, I'm terribly sorry you lost your little athlete gig. But hey, at least you have time for other things now, I suggest you taking anger management class."

Minji dropped her jaw, unable to keep herself from laughing because of Jungwon's savage comments.

"Maybe next time, don't try and cross me, hmm." he smiled

"You stupid freak! I lost a lot of things because of you!" the bully shout, anger seen in his eyes.

Jungwon laughed once more. He loves it when he sees his enemy in defeat.

"Don't take it personally, you were simply outclassed."