park beomi p.o.v
ugh, i went through so much trouble just to get seojun's helmet back.
i left the helmet full of candy on his desk. i began walking away but suddenly remembered.
oh, yeah! i almost forgot to leave the note.
i placed the note on top of the pile of candy. but then an evil thought hit me.
yum. i took one of the candies for myself. with that, i left the classroom, before seojun could arrive.
on my way out, i nearly bumped into suho. after apologizing, i turned the other way.
crap. seojun was coming right our way. i groaned and rushed past suho.
from the other end of the hallway i watched seojun go into the classroom. satisfied, i left to go look for my friends.
...
i sat down at the lunch table, leaving a seat between me and jugyeong, in case sua or sujin wanted to sit with her. soon sua, taehoon and sujin arrived an sat across from us. i shrugged it off.
as we were peacefully enjoying our meals i heard some harsh words that caught my attention.
"hey, lee suho. after killing a friend you must be happy."
i flinched as han seojun shoved suho's plate out of his hands and onto the floor. now everyone's attention was on the two.
we watched as he strolled over to our table and sat between jugyeong and i.
"is this about the helmet?"
he looked at me, "no," he turned to jugyeong, "i want to eat with you."
suho stormed to us, "han seojun!"
suho gripped seojun's collar. everyone awed, in a weird dismayed and amazed way. seojun stood up to suho's level.
"this bastard, really."
very suddenly, seojun threw a punch. suho slid across the floor. i stood up, wanting to help but being too shocked to actually interfere.
suho pulled himself up and was ready to punch seojun back. i jumped forward, grabbing suho's forearm.
"no, suho, don't!"
my head was spinning. i hadn't expected anything like this. i wanted it to stop.
"hit me." seojun said, almost in a mocking way. "i said to hit me."
my grip around suho's arm tightened.
"hey!"
the dean rushed into the lunchroom, "what are you guys doing over there? are you not going to seperate?!"
all the students went back to whatever they were doing before the fight. the dean pulled suho, seojun and i out of the lunchroom.
in the teacher's office, we were being reprimanded.
"han seojun, what kind of kid are you, huh? you were running around trying to become an idol, then threw that away. are you trying to become a gangster now? how dare you, a student, throw fists at a sacred school?"
a student totally added himself into the conversation, talking about how scared he supposedly was. the dean kicked him out of the office and continued.
"what if the school violence committee holds a meeting? do you want to be expelled?"
"i started the fight first."
is suho trying to defend seojun? in my opinion, seojun totally started the fight.
"suho, what are you protecting this kid for?"
oh, i see. the dean is absolutely biased.
"good going for someone who took a leave of absence from school because of his sick mother. how could she not get sick when her son goes around acting like this?"
i looked down, feeling really sorry for seojun.
"and you, park beomi, i appreciate you trying to interfere. but look, did it help? no. next time just mind your business."
before he could continue, the principal walked in yelling, "hey, since suho wants to be so generous and forgiving, let's just settle things out. we don't need to make a commotion to hold a disciplinary committee against school violence. don't you think?"
the principal walked over to seojun, "stop it!"
he turned back to suho, "our suho, you have a math competition tomorrow. you must control your condition well, go on back to your class."
he looked at me, "back to class."
i followed suho but my attention remained on seojun. i could still hear the principal and dean yelling at him. they're awful.
"suho, are you okay?"
he looked at me for a second but turned back around.
"i'm sorry i intruded. i was really frightened. i guess my instincts kicked in."
"okay."
i still felt really bad about everything. the argument, suho getting injured, seojun being practically persecuted by the staff.
at least it's over now.
i noticed some students staring at me as they whispered, "i heard the top two fought because of her."
"a love triangle?"
"no way. i heard they fought because of im jugyeong. she's so much prettier and the two were looking at her. park beomi just jumped in because she was jealous."
"pretty girls always have drama."
"so cool."
these students are so shallow to think it was 'so cool'. the fight wasn't even over dumb romance or anything of the sort.
i walked into the classroom mindlessly and sat next to suho. everyone continued staring at us. some were peskering jugyeong about it.
i hope this end soon.
i got up and left to the bathroom. i really could use a breather.
students continued whispering their rumors in the halls and even the bathroom.
what else is there to expect?
i shook my hands in the air to help them dry as i exited the bathroom.
i heard a commotion outside one of the windows and peered out. seojun and suho were holding each one of kim chorong's wrists. other boys were standing around.
wow. they do not take a break. more problems. not for me, though. there is no way i am getting involved again.
"hey, you jerks!"
ai. the dean's yells are starting to give me anxiety.
i rushed out of there.
...
i fidgeted with the little bottle of healing ointment as i sat around the corner of the basketball court entrance.
i heard the door open and a variety of male voices. it was chorong and his friends. they left quickly.
about a minute later, i watched seojun also leave. he looked angry.
i waited for him to leave then finally stood up and entered the court.
suho was cleaning the floor by himself despite the punishment being for all the others, as well.
"lee suho. i'm sorry for being nosy but i brought you something. i was going to wait until you finished but everyone left so i decided to come now."
he dropped the mop and walked slowly toward me.
he looks upset.
i handed the ointment to him, "have you ever put this on yourself? it's really not that difficult."
he just stared at it.
i sighed, "come here."
he's like a kid.
i motioned for him to sit on the bleachers and he followed. i popped off the lid and squeezed a small amount on my finger.
"uf, that looks painful. hold still, now."
hesitantly, i placed a hand the side of his cheek to hold his face up. with my pointer finger, i dabbed the gel on his bottom lip.
"um, i know it's not my place to say this but... i don't think you should be fighting seojun. i know it isn't only up to you and i also know that you didn't start it today, but still. i don't know what caused the tension between you two in the first place, and i'm not gonna ask, but you shouldn't pounce at each other whenever you want to. you each have different point of views. you may hate him for something he isn't even aware of, and vice versa. it might just be a huge misunderstanding."
i finished with the ointment and sat down next to suho.
"i may not know you well, but i'm sure you're a good person. you don't have bad intentions, only a good heart that's misunderstood. people call you cold because that's what they want to see and what they want to believe. you're not a cold person, lee suho. i strongly believe so."
"why are you telling me this?"
i stayed silent for a second.
"sometimes i wish someone would remind me about my good qualities. someone who didn't listen to the nasty rumors. i figure i could be that person for someone else. it's what i'd like. but i'm sorry, i shouldn't have said anything."
i placed the ointment bottle on suho's lap and began walking to the door. suho grabbed my wrist, pulling me back.
confused, i turned to look at him. he avoided my eyes but i noticed that he was blushing softly. it was cute.
"thank you."
"it's what friends do."
he smiled and i felt a strange satisfaction.
i did that, i made someone smile. i like that a lot.
...
jugyeong and i were walking toward the school when a motorcycle, coming out of seemingly nowhere, scared us. jugyeong pulled her lipgloss and mirror away from her face.
"goodness. that's so dangerous!"
"tell me about it."
seojun stopped right in front of us and removed his helmet.
"hey, im jugyeong."
"me? what?"
"are you dating lee suho?"
"n-no."
"really?"
"not in a -. we're not."
"i can see you aren't. park beomi."
i cocked my head to the side.
"are you dating lee suho?"
"wouldn't you like to know, weather boy."
he looked confused but continued, "are you?"
i pretended to think about it, "nah."
i turned back to jugyeong and gasped. she had lipgloss stained under her nose. it looked like a nosebleed.
i pointed at it and she looked in her hand mirror. her eyes widened and she rushed to clean it.
...
math is so boring. i feel like time slowed down by a million.
"what's the limiting value of constant function 7 when x goes over 6? of course it's 7."
the teacher stopped writing on the board and looked around the classroom.
"it's because the constant function's value remains at 7."
i yawned.
"who will come out and solve the next question?"
all the students pretended to be busy.
"i shouldn't have asked. our math geniuses su and su, come out and solve number 1 and 2. and... one of our transfer students."
if i were a dog, my ears would've perked up and my tail would have frozen.
"im jugyeong. come up and and solve number 3."
everyone sighed. the three walked up to the board. suho was first to finish.
the teacher praised him and pressured him about a math competition. it was obvious favoritism.
sujin finished as well but received no remarks. jugyeong remained standing there. she had done no work.
"jugyeong? what good is looking at it when you've got a different question?"
jugyeong looked away from suho's work.
she chuckled sheepishly, "you're right."
seojun straight up chortled at jugyeong. our teacher called him out.
"it looks like seojun is confident. han seojun, come out and solve this instead of jugyeong."
seojun pretended to fall asleep.
"that won't work. come out."
he stood up, annoyed, and walked to the front of the class. everyone laughed at him.
jugyeong cheered quietly, "yes!"
...
jugyeong complained to sua, sujin and i about being bad at math. i popped another chip into my mouth as we continued walking.
"i won't get into college for sure."
"do you want to come to my math academy? all the kids good at math like sujin and lee suho attend to study there. you too, beomi."
"should we?"
"sure."
"my mom did tell me to look into math academies."
"come, come. we do a study group after and we'll let you both in, too."
jugyeong and i thanked them for the invitation.
"hey, lee suho. do you want to join our study group? we have one spot open."
suho didn't even look up from the book he was reading, "i don't want to."
"you should join so my mom will stop nagging."
"just tell her i'm in."
he stood up.
"you want me to lie? why don't you just join?"
he walked away.
"gosh, acting so difficult."
it's weird. he seems so cold right now. but i've seen him be nice. maybe he's bipolar.
i continued eating as the girls talked about jugyeong's upcoming blind date.
...
jugyeong and i rode the bus together everyday. today was no different. other than the fact that suho came today.
he sat next to me.
"why... why are you..."
"comic book store."
"you read more comics than i expected. how can you manage being first place in the entire school even after that?"
i suddenly remembered something. i pulled out a chocolate bar from my bag. i reached my hand over to give it to him.
"good luck with your math contest tomorrow."
"i don't like sweets."
i shrugged, "your loss."
i began pulling away but suho snatched the candy from my hands and put it in his blazer. i smiled proudly.
"oh, for the contest, all the best math whizzes around the country are showing up, right? what kind of questions do you have to solve? is it similar to mock exams? do they ask about sets like the sum of sets or intersection?"
i giggled at jugyeong's curiosity.
"sets are all you know in math, right?"
"hey, sets... i learned that when i was in tenth grade!"
"equation formula of a circle, then."
"i'm just a little lacking in math."
these two are so entertaining.
"who comes after king sejong the great?"
"hey! if you ambush me with unrelated questions, even for things i know, i can't remember because my brain gets fried."
suho and i looked at each other, amused.
"you don't know, do you?"
jugyeong's phone rang.
ji woo hyeon. her date!
"oh, i got a text from the guy i'll have a blind-date with!"
"open it, open it!"
we both smiled excitedly. suho just watched.
"what date when you don't even study?"
"this is a study of life," she typed a message, "and you never know. if things go well, maybe a boyfriend who goes to hankuk university will teach me. i get a boyfriend, and my scores go up..."
"when you put it like that, i think i should get a boyfriend, too!" i teased, knowing it bothered suho for some reason.
"you should! we could go on double dates!"
suho sighed. jugyeong read her date's texts.
"do people meet up for blind dates at night usually?"
"no, what if he's a creep! maybe in the afternoon."
suho agreed with me, "in the daytime. when it's really bright out."
"oh, i see."
"you're dying of happiness."
"what do you mean?"
i snarked at suho, "let her. at least she's enjoying her youth. actually going out and doing something enjoyable. meanwhile, others never have fun."
jugyeong nodded in agreement, "besides, this is all because you and seojun fought in front of me. because strange rumors got started."
"if you don't want to do it, just do it then."
"it's not that i don't want to do it, but it makes me feel nervous. to be honest... it's my first meeting a boy outside alone."
"but aren't you meeting me outside."
i chuckled, "not on dates, silly."
the bus made a sudden stop. i flew forward. i braced myself to hit the seat in front of me, but, instead, my face landed of a soft surfance.
i pulled myself back up, "hey! how can you grab my face like a pumpkin that's rolling away? i'm a person with eyes, nose, and mouth, too!
jugyeong giggled at us before looking back at her phone, "wow! i really wanted to see this movie!"
i looked at her phone and exclaimed, "aw, lucky! i want to go on a date to see a movie i like!"
we were so caught up on jugyeong's blind date that we didn't immediately notice the guy who sat between suho and i.
suho got up and jogged to get off the bus.
"hey, you said you were going to the comic book store!"
he ignored us and continued leaving anyway.
"good luck with your contest tomorrow!"
...
after leaving the bus with jugyeong, i dropped my things off at home and changed quickly. i hopped on a different bus. one that took me to the hospital.
i rushed through the halls i knew so well.
almost there, i hope it's not too late.
unexpectedly, i bumped into someone and nearly fell back.
"ow," i held my head in pain, "i'm sorry."
"oh! seojun apologize, you bumped into this poor girl."
huh? seojun? han seojun?!
i looked up and gasped when i saw that indeed it was seojun. his eyes widened, "what are you doing here?"
"it's a public hospital, am i not allowed here?"
"no. i mean, yes."
"you guys know each other?"
"yes, mom. she's park beomi, from school."
mom?? oh, that's right. i heard something about seojun's mom being ill.
"nice to meet you ma'am." i bowed.
"ah, i didn't know you had such a pretty friend, seojun. you never tell me anything."
i giggled as seojun looked embarrassed.
"that's not true!"
the two continued squabbling.
"i'm sorry, i have to go. it was really nice to meet you. see you around seojun."
i walked past them after saying goodbye. i turned back and noticed seojun also looking back at me.
i smirked and blew a kiss at him. his mother turned around, curious. i smiled innocently and waved. seojun was annoyed.
finally, i arrived at my destination. room 124.
"hey, nanny!"
"mimi! how nice to see you! i was just about to go to sleep."
"i know! that's why i came as fast as i could after school..."
...
i messaged jugyeong, asking if i could sleepover tonight.
after my visit to the hospital i felt really lonely at my house. it's so quiet ever since nanny was taken to the hospital. i don't like it.
i slung my backpack over my shoulder as i walked to jugyeong's mom's spa. jugyeong told me to meet her there.
i entered and was surprised by many things.
"seojun! again?"
his mom looked happy to see me, "park beomi!"
she turned to the others in the room, "i just met her earlier today! she's in the same class as our kids!"
jugyeong's mom joined in, "yes, she's jugyeong's friend!"
heheh, parents love me.
i walked over to jugyeong and whispered, "what's up with your face?"
"aish, seojun came in and i was barefaced. i panicked so i put on a face mask to cover it."
"ahh, so smart. but funny."
she smacked my arm and i laughed.
the mom's continued talking. i helped jugyeong lay down to let her mask dry. seojun came near us and started taking pictures of jugyeong.
i tried taking his phone away, "what are you doing? stop that."
he turned his phone to me and flashed a photo.
"hey! stop it!" i tried taking seojun's phone from him.
jugyeong got up and seojun and i froze.
"mom, i'm going home."
"do you want to make the neighbors faint in the middle of the might? go and wash it off!"
damn, what is she going to do? she's gonna have to put on makeup again.
i turned, ready to follow jugyeong so i could help, but seojun took yet another picture of me. we continued fighting for the phone.
eventually, i got ahold of his phone but he stretched his arm even higher. i started tipping forward.
instinctively, i grabbed onto seojun's hoodie. he wrapped his free hand around my waist.
we fell to the ground. i laid still, too defeated to move.
"you guys alright?"
"yup."
i finally found the energy to sit up. i looked down at seojun. we just stared at each other. i felt myself grow red and noticed seojun also reddening.
"sorry."
"what... is happening..."
"im ju!"
i rushed up and dusted myself.
i reached out my hand to help seojun up, "we, uh, we fell and, well, actually it's my fault. no, it was his 'cause, because he took a picture and, and i was only defendi-"
"whatever, let's go."
i started walking but was pulled back. i looked at seojun and he pointed at our hands.
"ah! sorry."
i let go of his hand and followed jugyeong. their moms noticed us.
"you girls must be popular since you're pretty." jugyeong and i smiled awkwardly. "but if you're in the same class, you must be close to seojun."
i looked down, trying not to laugh.
"no. not especially."
they laughed.
"they can become close from now on! like they say these days, mfd and mfd. since we've met, come to our house tomorrow, son. i'll cook something delicious for you."
"well, i have to study tomorrow."
"i heard she's going on a blind-date."
huh? what a snitch!
"what's a young girl going out on a blind-date for? that's why you were making all that fuss for a mace mask, huh?"
seojun's mom defended jugyeong, "why? when can she go on dates of not at her age? it would be nice if seojun had a girlfriend, too. he's always riding his bike... although, he doesn't ride it these days."
"he rides it every day!" jugyeong ratted him out. "he rides it really fa-"
seojun covered her mouth with his hand, "hey!"
might as well join in myself.
"i nearly got run over, once."
"how could you? you made a promise!"
"but how can i not when i have it? it's a waste of bus fare."
"han seojun, this is not going to work! jugyeong, beomi, let me ask you for a favor. please don't let him ride his bike. if you see him riding it, let me know right away."
i nodded eagerly.
"mom, why would you ask them to do that?"
"why? so you can break your promise again?"
seojun looked at jugyeong and i frustratedly.
"you can do that for me, right?"
"and take care of our seojun? definitely."
"of course. just trust us."
seojun shouldered us but we remained serious.
jugyeong and i began leaving and prepared to go to her house. seojun came out almost right after us.
"hey, you! i won't leave you alone if you tell my mom useless stuff!"
"wh- what? the bike? that's a promise we made with your mom, so we can't promise-"
"also."
"also? what do you mean?"
i joined in, "you being beaten up by those punks before..."
"what?"
"if it's not that... then... oh! there was almost a school violence committee because of lee suho!"
"we won't tell her. of course we won't... right, beomi?"
"right. we're very good at keeping secrets."
he left, looking at his phone.
...
i watched jugyeong do her makeup for her blind-date. she was watching a video by selena, her favorite online makeup artist.
"i wish i could help you with that."
"it's fine. your moral support is more than enough!"
"what should i say when i greet him? 'i heard a lot about you, oppa.'"
"oppa? isn't it too much, overboard?"
"'mr. woohyeon?' that's a little strange. what should i call him?"
we laughed at all the strange ways to greet him as jugyeong continued getting ready.
she finally finished everything but was still missing an outfit. she opened her closet and we were hit with the realization that she had nothing to wear.
"you can borrow something of mine but it's all at home. it could take really long to go over there and change."
"hmm. i have an idea!"
i followed her, tiptoeing to her sister's room. i waited outside as she looked through her sister's closet.
"everything looks the same."
"what's the box up top?"
she pulled down a hot pink box that laid on top of the closet. her sister started moving and even spoke.
"im ju, hurry!"
she opened the box and looked at me excitedly. we rushed back into the room with the box.
jugyeong was completely ready to go. i wished her luck as she left on the bus. i began walking back into her house but ran back out and called for a taxi.
jugyeong doesn't know but i will keep an eye on her. i've heard a lot of stories of blind dates gone wrong. who knows what can happen to her.
i arrived at the café they agreed to meet up at.
he looks normal. just like his picture. maybe a little older, though.
i watched them drink their beverages.
so far, so good.
once they finished, i followed them into the movie theater. i made sure to sit in the rows up higher.
i looked for a good seat when i noticed a familiar face, hiding behind a bucket of popcorn.
"lee suho."
he flinched and looked up at me.
"what are you doing here? shouldn't you be at your math contest?"
"i don't want to talk about that."
"okay-" i sat down next to him- "you don't happen to be following jugyeong, right?"
he looked surprised, "no. no. no- "
"i am."
we laughed sympathetically at each other but quieted down as the movie began. i watched jugyeong and woohyeon, they seemed fine.
everything is fine.
until suho shot up and jumped over multiple rows of seats.
"no!" i tried not to be too loud.
he pulled a random couple apart as they were kissing.
is he some type of theater kissing police?
i rushed to save him.
"i'm sorry. my boyfriend... he, uh, he has a mental illness. does this every time." i chuckled.
the couple left. they were very annoyed. i looked down and saw jugyeong looking our way. i dragged suho down, under the seats.
"don't do that ever again!"
"sorry."
i laughed softly as we crawled out.
we stood outside the theater, waiting for jugyeong. she came out looking happy.
suho and i hid when she walked our way. i felt proud of her as she left.
"what are we doing? how pathetic. what's wrong with us?"
i shushed suho and continued watching.
why is he still here?
a girl arrived and pulled woohyeon into a hug, "tada! darling."
who the hell...
they walked into the theater, holding hands.
suho and i just watched.
"what a jerk! i have to convince jugyeong to dump him!"
i turned to suho but he was walking back into the theater.
"suho?"
"i'm going to the bathroom."
"uhh, okay. i'll wait for you here."
i felt my phone ring. sua and jugyeong were texting about jugyeong's date. she sounded so happy in her texts.
if only she knew.
...
i left my bag in my locker. i forgot it at jugyeong's house yesterday and asked her to bring it to me today.
i walked back into the classroom and sat with the girls.
"i got a message after i texted you... he's... a bit weird."
"why? what'd he say? show me."
sua read the message out loud, "'i take back the words that i miss you. to be honest, i have a girlfriend. i'm trash that i was trying to have an affair with you. i apologize.' what's with him?"
i was surprised, "so he was honest?! good, he was a jerk!"
they looked at me strangely, "not that i met him."
i looked back at suho, he was looking at me. i winked and he smiled, looking away.
"did you get dumped?"
the boys in the class laughed at seojun's comment.
"how can you get rejected instantly?"
i stood up, "hey! for your information, jugyeong has so many men falling at her feet, she can't even keep count. he is just one lost man. but you... how many girls do you have?"
we walked toward each other and ended up staring each other down.
"you better shut- "
the teacher came in and i dashed to my seat. i looked at him once more and stuck my tongue out. he did so too. i realized how childish we were acting and laughed.
just another jerk.
...
i was strolling through the school yard, just playing games on my phone, when someone yelled for me.
jugyeong was running my way and seojun was chasing her.
she threw some keys at me and hurled behind me.
"don't give him the keys."
i threw the keys in my pocket right as seojun caught up.
"where are they?"
"what?"
"my keys, give it to me while i'm being nice."
"why should i?"
he grabbed my wrist, "give it. i saw everything."
someone else grabbed my other wrist.
what? suho? the heck?
"what's with you?"
"what are you doing?"
they stared at each other with so much hatred.
if this was a movie, there would be tense background music.
"stop!" i pulled my hands out of their grips, "you guys are going to fight again, right? no, i will not permit it!"
i pulled out seojun's keys and gave them to him, "here. now, seperate! you go that way, you go that way, and we'll go this way. shoo!"
i pushed seojun to the left and suho to the right. i dragged jugyeong away.
this is foolish.
...
"our tutor is a good teacher. you should pay attention."
"will i get out of math abandonment?"
sujin consoled jugyeong, "hey, you can do it too. don't give up. both you and i."
"okay."
"right, kang su. should we let my friend who goes to sinhwa boys high join our study group?"
taehoon was jealous, "ah, sinhwa boys high? what kind of friend is he? now i have billions of question marks dancing around in my brain!"
sua hit him playfully.
"why should we invite someone we don't know?"
"so jugyeong can flirt. or even beomi," she started singing, "dating is a necessity. marriage is a choice. amor fati!"
we entered the building but were surprised.
"suho?" i was a little pleased to see him.
"what are you doing? you said you don't do study groups."
"i said i don't want to, but never said i wouldn't do it."
"wow. our study group has both the school's first and second ranks. we're totally the avengers."
i chuckled, "i guess your male friend won't be joining, sua."
i sat down at the table and pulled out my books. the others followed.
...
"guys! to commemorate our first study group-"
"coin karoake?"
"okay!"
"you had this planned, right?"
"let's go! yay!"
i hooked onto jugyeong's arm and skipped with them. i noticed someone missing.
i turned around and saw sujin and suho talking. i waved at them to hurry up.
i wasn't the type to sing so i just sat and watched the others. suho remained serious, also just watching.
i danced from were i was seated.
how fun.
i was enjoying myself when i felt something on my lap. i looked down and saw a pillow on my lap. i looked at suho, the only person who could've put it there, but he looked directly ahead.
oops, my skirt must've risen. how embarrassing.
after a while of singing, jugyeong excused herself to use the restroom. she was taking an absurd amount of time so i went out to look for her.
the bathrooms were empty. i asked the worker at the entrance if he had seen a girl of her description. he pointed outside.
i saw her and seojun talking. she pulled him around a corner. i was about to walk after them but a hand pulled me back.
"where are you going?"
i looked up at suho, "jugyeong..."
"lead the way."
i grabbed suho's hand and pulled him to the alley. suddenly, jugyeong and seojun ran past us, a group of boys followed.
they're the same boys who tried to beat up seojun last time! they're gonna hurt them!
my hand slipped right out of suho's as i ran after them.
"park beomi!"
i didn't stop for suho. i just ran and ran.
the boys reached an end. i thought they cornered jugyeong and seojun but they weren't visible.
suho arrived right after. he grabbed me and began walking away, but we were stopped.
"what's this? these two go to saebom high. what's up with you? why'd you follow us?"
i gulped. i wanted to hide behind suho but i couldn't let them know i was afraid.
suho tried to walk away again, but this time they circled us.
"where are you going? han seojun's friends? or... his minions?"
relax, i need to relax. i just need to find a way to distract them or something.
the guy who seemed like the leader came closer to me, "this lovely girl. maybe his girlfriend?"
suho stood between us. the guy chuckled.
"oh, i guess she's your girlfriend."
suho grabbed my hand, "move."
"if you call han seojun over, i'll let you and your girl go."
"why should i?"
"wouldn't he come out if a friend called him? is that not so?"
"he won't answer my phone call."
"then we can just check. take their phones."
okay. no more relaxing. panic.
someone pulled me away from suho. he held my arms back as another boy handled me.
"just a sec."
i tried to shake them off but was too weak.
"please." i cried out, trying to sound brave.
suho firmly grabbed onto a wandering hand.
"you grabbed me?"
the guy tried to punch him but suho caught his fist.
"are you not letting go?"
"let her go." suho motioned them to free me.
they laughed, "seriously..."
suho shoved him to the ground and walked my way. before he could reach me, someone launched at him.
before i knew it, a fight had broken out.
flashbacks. please, no. don't give me flashbacks.
i started crying, i couldn't control myself anymore. i became weak, falling to the floor.
"please, don't."
my feeble voice was nothing among the noise they were making.
"take her phone, quick!"
the boy's hands ambled every inch of my body, especially the parts that shouldn't be touched.
i kicked my feet in the air, sobbing for help.
"hey, hey, hold him, hold him!"
"i grabbed him!"
"grab her! don't let her go. she may be small, but she is dangerous. like a small virus, waiting to spread."
"no, please. i didn't do it. i swear!"
she hit me.
"please, don't!"
she hit me again, "you just love causing problems, huh? well, here you go."
she threw me to the ground.
"fight them. let's see how strong you are, now."
"please... no... mother..."
i hid under my arms and sobbed.
it was silent now. but i know they are trying to trick me. they will wait for me to stand back up to attack.
that's what they did last time.
a sudden force pulled at my arms, trying to uncover my face.
"no!"
"beomi."
i looked up. lee suho was kneeled in front of me.
i jumped to his arms. he patted my back.
"they're gone."
embarrassed, i pulled away, "thank you... oh. your lips, again."
i touched his bleeding wound but he jerked away.
"sorry."
"let's go."
...
my legs swung back and forth as i sat on the familiar bench. i turned to look at suho. he was serious, as usual.
suho and i watched as seojun's motorbike drove past us and stopped nearby.
jugyeong and seojun got off. i watched quietly as i was shocked and confused.
"thanks."
"if you're thankful, delete the picture."
"im jugyeong."
suho walked to them. i didn't know what to do so i just stood farther away.
"it's you again, lee suho?"
"why did you give her a ride?"
"then what about you? why are you waiting for her?"
"okay, guys. how about going to your respective homes now? it's late you should go over there..."
i heard some shuffling nearby and turned my attention to it. it was jugyeong's sister, struggling to walk.
she reached me and threw herself on top.
"ow!"
suho and seojun hurried to me and pulled her off.
"unni!"
"what's this? who is this pair of pretty boys?" she clapped joyfully, "did i die? have i gone to heaven?"
"unni!" jugyeong tried to hold her up but stumbled.
"let's go. i'll make sure you debut."
she was so harsh, she pulled the boys down with her weight. i didn't know whether to laugh or feel bad.
"unni. i'm going crazy. it's me, wake up!" jugyeong moved away, pulling me with her. "if you throw up, i'm killing you."
"let's go to your house."
the boys carried her on their shoulders as jugyeong and i followed. it seemed like we were almost done with her.
i mean, we were already at the door. we just needed to open it.
too late.
huigyeong threw up on suho's arm. seojun and i looked away. it was too gross to watch.
we eyed each other, avoiding the scene behind us. the smell itself was awful.
jugyeong took off suho's sweater and ran in with it, "i'm so sorry. i'll have it dry-cleaned. no, i'll set it on fire and buy and give you a new one. i'm so sorry. goodbye!"
"yikes." i was speechless.
suho looked horrified. can you blame him?
the three of us walked back to where we left seojun's motorcycle.
"hey, lee suho."
uh oh. please, please, please, don't fight.
"do you like im jugyeong?"
"you really shouldn't be riding your motorbike..." i whispered.
they totally ignored me.
"what?"
"you don't like her?"
"you promised your mom you wouldn't. i even told her i'd snitch..."
suho sighed, "what about you, then? why do you keep hanging around her?"
"am i like a ghost or something?"
"do you like im jugyeong?"
"i guess i died..." i continued talking as if anyone was listening.
seojun laughed and walked closer to suho, "i'm thinking i should."
"wow. i really am dead. i'll go jump off a bridge then..."
i walked off and found my way home.
i'd like to forget this afternoon ever happened. this one and many others. too bad memories don't work that way. too bad.