LIVING WITH 13 BOYS : A SEVENTEEN FANFICTION

CHAPTER 3

[AUTHOR'S P.O.V]

As soon as the bell rang, it was finally time to go home. Joanna exited the school, and the first thing she noticed was her cousins getting into two different cars.

She treated them the same way she had asked her cousin to and ignored their presence.

Even though she realized it was all foolish and there was no reason for her to act this way, her trauma prevented her from interacting with them.

Seungkwan eventually noticed her as she stood there evaluating her choices, and their gazes met. He grinned and waved at her, forgetting about their chat.

Panicking, Joanna rushed away from the boys and out of the school grounds. When Seungkwan thought Joanna was approaching them, he greeted her.

"Yo Joa-" Joanna scowled at him, seeing that Seungkwan had forgotten about their conversation, causing Boo to pause, terrified. "-nna..." He softly continued and sighed at the end.

When Hansol saw what had happened, he snickered quietly, patted Seungkwan on the back, and told his cousin, "We can pick her up when we're far from school."

"O-okay."

They got in their car and drove away, following Joanna off the school grounds.

When Hansol observed no student in sight halfway from school, he honked the horn to grab Joanna's attention. He motioned with his hand for Joanna to enter. Before she did, she looked around to make sure no one saw her get into their car.

She sighed as she hopped inside and shut the door. For some inexplicable reason, keeping this kind of secret while evading punishment from those fangirls caused her heart to race uncontrollably.

"Please don't call my name like that at school," she begged.

"Why not? Who cares about those girls? You're our cousin!" exclaimed Seungkwan.

"I endured enough suffering at the school I attended in Los Angeles, and I don't want to suffer any longer,"

Her cousins were aware of her awful circumstances. They've been in touch with Joanna ever since, and she often acts fine when she clearly isn't.

Joshua has also explained her position to them.

Hansol had previously been bullied when he was a child, so he understood how she felt. But Seungkwan can't pretend to understand how Joanna feels because he hasn't gone through what she has.

Nonetheless, he wished to assist her in any way he could. He despises leaving Joanna, or any of his friends or cousins, alone in such a way.

"Then we'll protect you! As cousins, we'll protect you!" argued Seungkwan.

"Will you protect me?"

"Of course! That's what family does!"

"The first time I heard you say that was when we were entering a haunted attraction years ago ; you said you'd protect me and that you were a strong boy, but as soon as we got inside, you were the one who gripped my arm tightly and told me to go first, and when the first jump scare came, you yelled at the man to take me, not you."

Seungkwan flushed with humiliation when he remembered his wimpy self from his early adolescence.

"I felt so safe back then," Joanna remarked sarcastically.

After hearing the story, Hansol couldn't stop laughing. Seungkwan, on the other hand, couldn't help but flush in shame. He started stuttering.

"H-hey, I was still a kid back then!"