PROJECT WEB | J.JK

PART FIVE

"Alright, focus," you laugh, throwing a pillow at Jeongguk to create a divide so that he can't keep distracting you. "If we don't get at least the fifth question finished by tonight, you'll feel my wrath."

"Your wrath?" he raises his eyebrows and presses his lips in an attempt not to laugh at you. "You mean you'll just get annoyed and sulk silently?"

Gasping dramatically, you place a hand on your chest. "How dare you," you state, waggling an accusing finger at him. "The day you see my fiery wrath will be a day you regret you ever crossed me."

"Sorry, sorry. I'm sorry I every doubted you, Oh Mighty One," you both burst into a fit of giggles when he bows down on his bed in a worship position.

"Okay, okay, back to work now," you say, pointedly ignoring Jeongguk's muttering of how boring it is.

This always happens when you study together. Apart, you're both hardworking and dedicated, but whenever you're paired for an assignment, as best friends you distract each other too much.

"So, for this question, how about I—"

Jeongguk stops abruptly when his phone rings with a notification. Hurriedly checking what it is, Jeongguk starts to get up, packing away his things.

"Jeongguk, again? Seriously?" you fold your arms, disappointed. This wasn't the first time he'd done this in the past week and you were starting to feel like he didn't have time for you anymore

"Y/n, I am so, so sorry. I have to leave, but I'll make it up to you tomorrow and get my half of the work done, I swear," he gives you one last apologetic look, lingering at the doorway for a second and then disappearing out the door.

Falling back on his bed, you stare at the ceiling for a minute. Stop being so affected by his absence, you chide yourself, you can't expect him to be next to you 24/7. He's just busy.

But a nagging voice in the back of your mind tells you that maybe he's keeping something from you. Maybe he's hiding something. Wanting to distract yourself from these thoughts again, you get back to doing some of the assignment.

After about 15 minutes, your phone buzzes and you have a news notification. Frowning, you click it to read that the local electronics store had just experienced an attempted robbery. Continuing to scroll, you read that yet again, Spider-Man saved the night. He was beginning to earn quite a reputation in the town, you note with a vaguely impressed nod.

Then, realising you aren't going to be getting any more work done, you sigh and get off the bed to pack your textbooks away.

Once you've left Jeongguk's apartment, it's dark outside and the only thing accompanying you on the streets are the lampposts and flickering lights of store fronts.

Crossing your arms uncomfortably as you walk, you internally curse Jeongguk for having to leave at such a time when he'd normally walk you home. He was like a safety blanket whenever he was beside you and you felt weird not having that same comfort as you walked through the shortcut the two of you always took to your apartment.

"Hey, sweetheart," someone whistles from beside you and your hands begin to clam up as you start to regret taking the shortcut tonight. "What's a pretty thing like you doing out here this late at night?"

If you weren't scared out of your wits at the taller, heavier looking man who held a glass bottle in his hand, you probably would have made it clear that you aren't a 'thing'.

But instead, you clutch the hem of your shirt and mutter out a "Nothing."

"You're a shy one, huh?" he leers, moving too close for comfort and your heart almost leaps out of your chest.

"Please, I'm just waiting for a friend. He's going to be here any second now," you try to stop your voice from shaking as you make up an excuse to leave.

Looking back at the empty streets, he gives you a sleazy grin and corners you against the wall. "Doesn't look like there's anyone for now. Just you and me—"

"Sorry, I'm late to the party," your head whips sideways the source of the voice to see Spider-Man leaning against the wall beside you.

Where did he even come from?

"Get out of here, Spider-Boy, this is none of your business," the man scowls, his hand coming up to drunkenly grab at your shoulder and you squeeze your eyes shut to block it out.

"Really? Spider-Boy? I-it's Spider-Ma-" he says, throwing his hands up in a mild frustration. "Hey, how about this? I'll give you one more try to get my name right. If you do, maybe I'll give you a chance to run free! How's that sound?" he offers and you think he sounds way too cheerful to be in such a situation.

"Fuck off, Spider-Kid," he spits, swaying slightly from being intoxicated.

"You know what, you were so close, dude," he shakes his head, and then suddenly shoots out a web to pull away his bottle of alcohol before flinging onto the wall where he clings. "But I wasn't going to let you go free anyways. Now get your hand away from her, or I'll forget I'm your friendlyneighbourhood Spider-Man."

All traces of humour fade from his otherwise flippant demeanour and you feel tiny and intimidated in his presence.

"What are you going to do about it, Spider-Man," he stumbles over his words, but still manages to make them sound mocking.

"Ding, ding, ding, we got a winner!" he whoops, leaping from the wall and somehow webbing the guy's hand to the all beside you whilst also sticking a perfect landing right in front of you.

"T-thanks, Spider-Man," you exhale, slightly shaken as you step away from the man and a little closer to the superhero.

"It was no problem, ma'am. You're safe now," he coughs, seemingly trying to make his muffled voice a little deeper. "And as for you," he says, turning to the struggling man, "that'll dissolve in about two hours so have fun being stuck to the wall."

"Get this shit off of me before I—"

"No can do," Spider-Man chirps, webbing his mouth to reduce his complaints to muffled protests. "Hey, how 'bout I walk you home?"

"It's okay, Spider-Man," you shake your head fervently, not wanting to waste his time. "I can get there myself."

"Bet I'll get you there quicker," he folds his arms, turning up his chin in a sort of challenge. "You ever flown by web before?"