I Hate the Way You Say My Name | YiZhan

Chapter 21

Wang Yibo's mood was getting worse as he saw the terrible sight of the president's locker. It was vandalized with slut, fucking bitch, gross, fag, all such vulgar words displayed at anyone who would happen to pass by. Xiao Zhan pursed his lips for a while and steps closer to his locker, he drags his finger at the metallic door and sighs in relief, "Ah, it's not permanent marker."

"Seungyoun, could you please request a bucket of water and a piece of cloth and soap at the janitor's station?" The president said rather calmly and Seungyoun doesn't know what to say but nods his head in agreement.

"Pres, do you have any idea who could do this to you?" Wang Yibo asked as he stood beside Xiao Zhan. "I seriously have no idea, that guy..." He paused as he gave the vice president a knowing look. "It's impossible to be him. He can't just expose himself out in the open."

Wang Yibo hums in agreement, right, the president has a point. So it must be someone working with that person. "I think we need to investigate on who is the person who did this-"

"There's no need, it's okay," Xiao Zhan said quickly, trying to dismiss the matter. The vice president was even angrier but controlled himself. Will the president just let the asshole play dirty tricks on him?

"We should do something about this," the vice president suggested as he glared at the vulgar words on the locker door. "I'm sure things will turn out for the better later. Also, where's Seungyoun? He's taking so long," Xiao Zhan coughs, trying to divert the topic. Wang Yibo furrowed his eyebrows and couldn't help but sigh.

"Pres, it's not that I want to stick my nose where it doesn't belong, but this matter is serious. This is bullying and I can't tolerate that and you can't either," Wang Yibo said as he faced Xiao Zhan with the obvious frustration in his voice. "I can tolerate, the rumors will die down soon," the president reasoned out and the younger frowned at his words.

"You'll just let those people bully you?"

"They're not physically harming me, so it's alright."

"How is that alright? Look at your locker and now your reputation is being ruined," Yibo said frustratingly as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It's fine, it's not a real problem. I can handle this-"

"Zhan-ge!" Wang Yibo raised his voice as he grabbed the president on both of his shoulders. Others started whispering and as they stopped to look at the scene before them. "Stop trying to do things on your own!" Xiao Zhan looked away as he slowly removes Wang Yibo's hands. "Well, stop being so caring like you're a friend of mine!"

Wang Yibo was taken a back with the other man's words. He bites his lower lip as he silently cursed under his breath. "Right, we're not friends, we're just enemies that work on the same organization," Yibo spat out those words as he angrily walks away.

"What are you looking at?" His voice echoed at the hallway as his figure became smaller at the distance. Xiao Zhan sighed and damn it, he'd gone too far again. Wang Yibo was only trying to help but he just doesn't want to drag other people on his own mess.

After standing dumbly for a couple minutes, Seungyoun finally arrived with a bucket full of clean water in one hand and the other with two brown pieces of cloth and a soap.

"Where's Yibo?"

"Ah, about that, another argument," he whispered."Oh, well, he'll just cool off," Seungyoun said trying to lighten the mood as he placed the bucket down and gave the other cloth to the president.

"Hopefully he will," Xiao Zhan muttered as he rolled up his sleeves and dips the cloth at the bucket.

"Well, uh, Zhan-ge, Yibo's just worried for you," Seungyoun started as he wipes the locker. "He doesn't need to be worried."

"Pres, everyone is worried for you. You've helped us a lot and it's our turn to help you, too."

"I really appreciate it but I can really handle this myself," Xiao Zhan said with a bit of force and Seungyoun sighed. "I've experienced worse..." He mumbled and Seungyoun paused for a while.

"Will you wait for the time that you can't handle it anymore?" Xiao Zhan came to an abrupt stop on cleaning his locker and couldn't help but look at the junior. "That won't happen."

"How are you so sure? Zhan-ge, just because you're president, doesn't mean you have to burden it all," he reasoned out. The president didn't say anything anymore as he averted his gaze and heaves a long sigh.

"Sometimes I think you and Wang Yibo are like twins when it comes to attitude but at the same time so opposite."

Seungyoun chuckled and smiled, "Yibo's my bestfriend, of course we have similarities."

"Zhan-ge," Seungyoun immediately froze on his spot and didn't bother to turn around. "Ah, Wooseok, what are you doing here?" Xiao Zhan asked as he stood up and faced Wooseok. The said man stole a glance at Seungyoun who has his back turned and gave his upperclassman a smile. "Ah, I'll finish cleaning up for you. Meng noona is waiting for you."

"Really? What for? And are you sure? It's not a good sight," Xiao Zhan gave a dry chuckle. "I'm sorry that those awful things are happening to you, let me at them if we find who it is! And of course! Plus," he stops in mid-sentence, "I have something to discuss with Seungyoun."

Hearing his name, the said man couldn't help but flinch. "Oh, okay, thank you, Wooseok. I'll treat you to ice cream next time!"

"Zhan-ge, I'm not a kid anymore," the president just chuckled as he went on his way.

An awkward silence filled the atmosphere between the two. Wooseok bends down a bit as he started cleaning the locker and Seungyoun wasn't saying anything. "You were absent last Friday," the shorter male said without looking at the other.

Seungyoun gave an awkward laugh, "Ah, I was sick," he lied and continued scrubbing the metallic locker. "Really? You kinda look okay to me?"

"Well I'm not okay-" As Seungyoun faced him, his words died down and coudn't mutter anything anymore. He was lost in Wooseok's stare. "About what you said last week, I've already thought of an answer-"

"Don't say it," Seungyoun whispered as he tightly gripped the cloth. "I'm sorry but things like these need to be said. I've also been thinking hard about it on what to say."

The taller pursed his lips as he looks away from Wooseok. He heaves a sigh and gave a dry chuckle, "You're right." The silence filled them once more and Seungyoun waited for the other man to speak, bracing himself for the worst.

"I like you, too," just after those words left Wooseok's lips, he was suddenly engulfed into a warm embrace. "S-Seungyoun!The bucket you idiot!" They stumbled backwards and ended up hitting the pail of water which was now splattered on the floor. The shorter male hears a snicker as the hug gets a bit more tighter. He sighs softly and gave Seungyoun's back a pat. "My pants are wet," Wooseok complained but all he heard were snickers from the other. "I can carry you," Seungyoun suggested but earned a soft slap from Wooseok, "My legs are fine! I can walk you know."

Seungyoun laughs and catching the shorter male off guard with a kiss on the cheek. "Who told you to do that!" Wooseok exclaimed as the heat rose from his face in embarrassment. "No one, you're just so adorable, Wooseok. I like you so much."

• • •

"Things are going according to plan," the man chuckled as he clapped his hands. "Look how everyone reacted on seeing the president being tied up and blind folded?"

"His face wasn't really clear at the pictures though? You should ask for a clearer copy from that guy," the other man said. "Since the only parts were exposed were his chest and the cut part of the blind fold, people won't fully believe that it's him."

"Who cares about that now? Rumors are already spreading like wildfire and why isn't the school papers released yet? That's the biggest issue here. I thought you aready persuaded the other journalists?" The man angrily said.

"We got short on paper, maybe by this Wednesday, the new issue of campus newspaper will be out."

"Well that better be! I can't wait to see President Xiao Zhan's downfall."

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Sorry for the typos and please do point it out!