»»——⍟——««
Rushed footsteps echoed through the hallways, causing the other classes to look out their glassed windows to see what was all the commotion about that's disturbing their classes. But Im Yohan gave no fucks as he only focuses on his speed and carefulness of not dropping his injured classmate that's he's carrying on his back while he rushes his way to the infirmary, accompanied by his teacher and two other classmates. He can feel the adrenaline and anxiety already beginning to bubble in his chest, already feeling himself slowly getting out of breath as sweat begins to form on his forehead and goosebumps start to erupt on his skin, feeling Hyeonju's hot breath wafting over his neck.
Though Yohan slightly slows down his pace upon feeling Hyeonju attempt to pry himself away from his touch, making Ms. Park and the two girls panic at the sight as they worry that she might fall to the floor. But the male only tightens his grip on the girl's legs, ensuring that she won't fall and possibly injure herself even more before continuing on with his quick pace. He can hear both Onjo and Isak telling each other to hold onto Hyeonju in case she slips from his grasp. They didn't even notice that the bloodied girl was beginning to twitch as she deeply inhaled the mouthwatering scent of the blood flowing through the boy's body. As she was about to take a bite of his neck, his deep baritone suddenly echoed through her ears.
"It's alright, Hyeonju-ah. We're almost there. I promise that I'll treat you to that new cafe that you've been wanting to go to after you recover." Yohan reassures the girl on his back, sighing in relief once he felt her arms wrapped around his neck and slumping onto his back.
After a while, they have finally reached the infirmary as Ms. Park hurries Yohan to lay Hyeonju onto the bed while the school nurse immediately stops what was previously doing to help them out. The teenager carefully lays the bloodied girl down as both Isak and Onjo help her get onto the bed so that the nurse can quickly check on her condition. They watch as the school nurse carefully checks the student's temperature, only to find out that it was too low for an average human to have. Yohan can catch a glimpse of the thermometer and sees that it was only 29°C.
"Hold this down so that she doesn't kick it off." The nurse suggested towards the students, who quickly complied. But as soon as they do so, Hyeonju begins thrashing around the bed as snarls escape her bloody lips.
"Please call an ambulance. I'll try to sedate her so that I can clean her wounds." The nurse looks at Ms. Park, who hurriedly fishes out her phone while the three students try to hold down Hyeonju to prevent her from violently moving around the bed. The teacher whispers reassurances towards her student, in an attempt to calm her down while she busies herself with calling the police and an ambulance.
"I'm too hot. It feels so hot." Hyeonju growls, trying to kick off the blanket that was being forced to cover her to heat up her body as her temperature is slowly dropping.
"Don't worry, Hyeonju. Help is on the way." Ms. Park tells the girl while fixing the comforts and the blankets to cover her up while they wait for the ambulance to arrive or at least for the nurse to come back with a sedative in her hand.
"The science teacher gave me a strange shot." Hyeonju tells them, her eyes slowly shifting into a burgundy color as it threatens to roll back to her head. They could only look at her in confusion as their teacher continued to question her on what kind of shot the science teacher gave her. "He tried to kill me." The girl only replies, ignoring the continuous questions that her teacher was asking her.
Kim Hyeonju then turns towards Yohan, who was staring at her with pity-filled eyes and a worried expression plastered on his face. As much as her humanity was flattered that he was finally starting to take notice of her after months of desperately trying, the girl can't deny that the monstrosity slowly beginning to take over her senses was starting to grow feral at the scent of the boy's blood.
Noticing her intense gaze on him, Yohan gave her a small smile to comfort her. "What's wrong, Hyeonju? How do you feel?" He quizzically asks.
"I'm gonna kill you." As soon as those words tumble out of Hyeonju's mouth, Yohan becomes frozen on the spot as his eyes widen in shock upon hearing her sudden threat. "I'll fucking kill you and then eat your flesh and organs! I'm gonna fucking kill you!" She suddenly screams and begins to violently thrash around the bed, trying to escape herself from their grasps. She quickly turns her head towards Onjo and snaps at her, almost biting her hand but luckily she managed to pull away just in time and only received a small scratch.
Even though Yohan was creeped out by Hyeonju's sudden threats towards him, he tightens his grip onto her limbs as his left hand pushes her head back down onto the bed, placing his hand over her bloody forehead so that he wouldn't get bit by her. "Onjo-ah! Are you okay?" He worriedly asks the startled girl in front of him, seeing her cradle her hand to her chest. Onjo only silently nods her head, reassuring him that she wasn't hurt.
The school nurse finally approaches them with a sedative and an injection in her hands as she tells them once again to hold her down while she gives Hyeonju the shot. But the girl kept violently thrashing on the bed and attempted to bite everyone who was trying to pin her down and even managed to bite the nurse on her wrist while she was injecting her the sedative. After a few minutes, the medicine finally kicked in and soon the injured teenager finally calmed down as she slumped back to the bed unconscious. Everyone in the room was now able to breathe in relief but were still traumatized by what just happened.
Ms. Park hugs her students in means of comforting them before asking them to return back to their classroom and wait for her return. But both Onjo and Yohan declined her request, claiming that they'll just wait until the ambulance comes so that they can help them assist Hyeonju onto the vehicle. Isak, on the other hand, gladly agrees to go back to their classroom as she feels her energy was drained tenth fold after witnessing what just happened. Giving her best friend a brief hug of reassurance and nodding her head towards the cold teenager, she makes her way out of the infirmary and rushes back to her class to report the terrifying events of today.
»»——⍟——««
Meanwhile back in the classroom of class 2-5, the students all scrambled to their group of friends to talk about what they think happened to their classmate when she went missing and all the gossip about the recent weird behavior of their science teacher. There was no denying that all of them were slightly fazed by the sight of Kim Hyeonju all wounded and bloody as they couldn't help but fear that their teacher might be some sort of criminal because of what he did to the girl.
"It's kinda strange that she was gone all day and now she's all bloody and talking about our science teacher." Seo Hyoryung couldn't help but gossip to her classmates, recalling the incident that just happened a few moments ago involving Kim Hyeonju. Sitting beside and in front of her were her friends, Kim Jimin and Lee Nayeon, who both only nod their head at her words.
"Maybe she got hurt and then came back here to find help." Jimin theorizes, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Then it must be true." Nayeon furrows her eyebrows as she rests her chin onto her clasped hands while her friends stare at her in confusion, wondering if she knows or has heard something that they haven't yet discovered. She then started to relay the news of how the science teacher's son who was rumored to had ran away from home actually committed suicide instead, which instantly made both girls in front of her claim that it may just be false news that's been spreading throughout campus. Though the girl in the pink sweater insisted that maybe the teacher is seeking revenge by going after the students who bullied his son. But of course, Jimin didn't dare believe a word she was saying.
On the other side of the room, the boys sat in a circle as they converse amongst themselves on what they think might have happened to Hyeonju.
"Maybe Mr. Lee made Hyeonju film porn." Daesu suggested, which only made his friends roll their eyes as they ridiculed him for being such a pervert at times like this. But of course, the big guy only defends himself claiming that it might be true while his classmates only disagree with what he has to say about the situation.
But everyone's conversation soon came to a halt upon seeing Isak enter the classroom, wearing a grim expression on her face. She quietly sits down onto her seat, watching as her classmates scramble to their feet so that they sit near her and hear what went on in the infirmary.
"What happened?
"How is she?"
"Is Hyeonju okay?"
But before Isak could even start telling them what had happened in the infirmary, Cheongsan instantly butted into the conversation as he asked her why Onjo and Yohan didn't come back with her. Though the girl only replied that they decided to stay there for a little longer until the ambulance arrives to pick up Hyeonju and drive her to the hospital. "Hyeonju kept trying to bite us. She even managed to scratch Onjo but good thing, it wasn't that bad. It was really scary." Isak tells her classmates, who only looked at her with wide eyes upon hearing the news.
"Her temperature was too low but she kept saying that she feels hot. She tried biting us when we covered her with blankets." The girl added, feeling herself shiver uncomfortably as she recalls what happened earlier.
"Maybe she has rabies?" Wujin suggested but that idea was soon shot down by his classmates.
"But Hyeonju had this strange smell. Kinda like the science teacher." Isak continues her story.
"Like a rotting corpse." Nayeon stated as the girl in front of her only confirmed her suspicions. The students intently listen as Isak tells them the teacher has given Hyeonju some sort of shot that may be the cause of why she was acting that way. Upon hearing this, they then started panicking claiming that they should report this to the police but Isak only reassures them Ms. Park will handle the situation.
"Hyeonju also threatened Yohan." Isak added once more, which made everyone gasp in shock and began asking her tons of questions about what happened to the ice king. They couldn't help but worry for his sake especially after hearing the violent outburst of Hyeonju by trying to bite everyone. "She told him that she was gonna kill him. And then eat his flesh and organs! We were all shocked when we heard it. I couldn't imagine how he must've felt after hearing it." The students were visibly bothered upon hearing this, pitying the teenager who got threatened despite him trying to help her.
"Is he okay?" Suhyeok immediately asks with a concerned voice while Isak only shrugs her shoulders, only mumbling that Yohan must be quite traumatized after the incident. He soon meets eyes with Cheongsan as they share a knowing glance before running out of the room, in search of their friends to check if they're alright.
»»——⍟——««
Im Yohan couldn't help but wince in pain as he silently watches as Nam Soju carefully disinfects and cleans up his busted lip that he got from the fight earlier this morning. He would've refused the man's offer of helping him clean and tend his wounds but after seeing Onjo's warning look sent his way, the teenager immediately complies like a puppy. So now, he's quietly watching as the father of his classmate patches his wounds and gives him a cold compress to soothe down the swelling of his cheek and lips. He politely bows his head in thanks, appreciating the help that he gave him despite not asking to.
"Call me right away if anything happens." Soju reminds his daughter as he fixes the bandage around the girl's wrist where she was scratched by Hyeonju earlier. Onjo merely nods her head in understatement before reminding her father to be safe while he's on the job. The man nods his head before turning towards Im Yohan, who was gently applying the cold compress onto his swollen lips, laying a hand onto the teenager's shoulders.
"Please look after Onjo, would you?" The man says to the teenager, who only widens his eyes and nods his head in agreement, voicing out his promise of looking after his daughter in case anything happens. Yohan was quite surprised at the sudden favor of the man but complied nonetheless as he always tries to look after his classmates as best as he could.
Soju smiles at him as he ruffles the teenager's hair in thanks before excusing himself to bid goodbye to the teachers and quickly gets into the ambulance so that they can drive Hyeonju to the hospital for immediate medical attention. Both teenagers along with their teacher and the school nurse silently watch as the vehicle soon drives away from school camps, making the four of them sigh in relief that the injured girl will finally be alright in the hospital.
"Thanks for helping. The two of you should head back in and please refrain from telling anyone about this, okay?" Ms. Park turns towards her students, smiling at them in gratitude for helping out despite being freaked out by the situation before ushering them inside while she heads to the office to report what had happened to the other faculty members.
"Are you okay?" Yohan softly asks as both he and Onjo climb up the stairs to head back to their classroom together. He can clearly tell that the girl beside him was still freaked out by what happened so he couldn't help but worry over her. But his worries soon diminished after seeing her timidly smiling up at him, reassuring him that she was fine. The sight instantly made his heart flutter in response causing him to swallow nervously as he only awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, an anxious chuckle escaping his lips. Though upon remembering that she had something to say to him over lunch later, he figured that maybe now is the best time to ask what it might be about.
Im Yohan stops in his tracks before grabbing a hold of Onjo's hand, which startled her at the sudden touch but soon melted at his warmth as she turned to look at him. Both of them couldn't help but feel flustered upon noticing the somewhat intimate tension in the air around them, though neither of them chose to speak about it nor decided to let go of each other's hands, instead they only tightened their grips as if they didn't wanna let go.
"I was wondering why you wanted to meet me at the rooftop later. I might be busy later so maybe you can tell me now?" Yohan quizzically asks before looking into Onjo's eyes, noticing that she had somehow untied her ponytail and brushing it onto her left shoulder as she stares at him with soft eyes. His heart, once again, flutters in adoration at the sight before he mindlessly tucks a strand of her hair behind her left ear, which causes the girl to deeply blushed underneath his soft and almost loving gaze. Though upon hearing his words, he timidly watches as she peers through the hallways to check if they were both alone so that she can freely talk her thoughts towards him. She then reaches into the pockets of her jacket with her free hand before dropping something onto his hand that she was holding with her other one. Looking down onto his palm, the teenager sees the familiar rectangular fabric embroidered with the girl's name.
Nam Onjo gave Im Yohan her name tag as a means of asking him out on a date.
Yohan was surprised at the sudden turn of events as he could only widen his eyes, his gaze flitting back and forth towards the girl in front of him and then the name tag settled on the palm of his hand. "You want to go out with me?" He lowly mumbles, raising an eyebrow at her and watches as she only nods her head in reply.
"Aren't you and Cheongsan a couple?" He asks upon remembering the rumors of the two childhood friends' somewhat close relationship to each other and how they're actually dating one another.
"No, we're not." Onjo quickly replies, startling the teenager in front of her due to her sudden loud voice of disagreement to what he just said. She then started to explain that the two of them are just really close friends who happened to live at each other's next door ever since they were little. She nervously watches as Yohan nods his head, trying to process the situation that he was currently in.
As much as Yohan was flattered that she had the courage and guts to ask him out in a somewhat cliche yet romantic way, he still can't deny that the voices in his head kept screaming at him that he isn't worthy of such affection from someone as gentle as her. Screeching voices that reminded him of his trauma of how no one will ever stay by his side and love him and the demons he hides inside. He couldn't help but nervously gulp upon remembering the suffering and terror he had induced with the verbal and physical abuse from a young age. Every hit that would bruise his skin, every beating that would break his bones, every cut that would make him bleed, every insult that would make him cry and break his spirit.
"You bastard! No one will ever love a scum like you!"
"Just like your mother, what a worthless piece of shit!'
"Why would anyone love a monster like you?"
"Once they see your demons, son. I bet that they'll leave you too."
But before Yohan could open his mouth to ask the girl before him what she saw in him that had somehow captured her attention, he instantly sees both Cheongsan and Suhyeok run down the stairs to check on the two of them. Quickly pocketing the name tag in his pockets, he watches as Cheongsan worriedly checks on Onjo after hearing that she got hurt while trying to hold down Hyeonju earlier. But Onjo only snaps at him after ruining her moment with the boy she was trying to confess her feelings to before marching upstairs to get back to their classroom, leaving a somewhat awkward tension within the three teenagers left by the stairs.
"You okay? We heard about what happened." Suhyeok asks Yohan, referring to the threats that Hyeonju had spat at him earlier in the infirmary. Both him and Cheongsan look over to him with a worried glance before sighing in relief to themselves once they have reassured that he wasn't hurt physically, well aside from the busted lip that he got from the fight with the bullies.
Yohan only pursues his lips before nodding his head in response, reassuring both of his classmates by giving them a gentle pat on their heads and begins to walk up the stairs to head back to the classroom. As much as he wanted to stay a little longer and chat with them about what went on in the infirmary, his mind was already tired of socializing for today and was practically begging to slip into his ice king headspace to regain back his energy by not talking for the rest of the day. But before he could do so, he feels someone grabbing a hold of his arm which causes him to pause in his tracks. Turning back, he sees that Suhyeok was the one holding onto him with a somewhat flustered expression on his face.
"Do you want to eat lunch with us later?" He nervously asks the stone-faced teenager, his voice slightly shaky due to his nervousness. Both he and Cheongsan looked at him with longing expressions, wanting to be able to spend some time with him today. Though it soon diminishes after seeing Yohan shake his head no in reply, claiming that he wanted to be alone for a while after what just happened, making the two of them nod their heads in understatement. But just then, a brilliant idea flashes through Cheongsan's head as he grabs a hold of Yohan's other free hand.
"Then maybe you can hang out with us after school? My family restaurant just opened and my mom wanted me to invite a few friends over to taste her chicken." Cheongsan invited the teenager out.
"Sure. I'm not doing anything after school anyways. I'll see you guys then." Yohan flashes them a small smile in reassurance, timidly accepting his invitation to hang out with his other classmates after classes are over. He then carries on his way back to the room, lazily waving goodbye at the two teenagers, who were only looking at each other in pure joy before doing a small dance to celebrate their victory of asking the ice king to hang out.
But little do they know, their plans would be put on hold for now as unfortunate events will soon come later on.