Narrator
It was time for Cheol to go. He was now dismissed as a bodyguard and the group as a whole had mixed feelings. Y/n's side was glad, Minji's side wasn't. Especially Minji herself.
"Cheol, wait." She said. "You don't have to go."
"I do though." He replied, packing his belongings. "Majority beat the minority."
"Okay okay, but slow down. This is the last time we'll see each other for a while.. I want to talk." Minji said.
"What's it about? Cheol asked.
"You know I love you, right?" Minji said. "I'll always think about you."
"I know." He said.
"Oh and what about my training?" Minji asked.
"I've taught you the basics." Cheol said. "It's up to you now to get better and stronger. If you still want a teacher then you-"
"Okay, that's enough talking." Minji shushed, leaning in for a deep kiss.
"I want this to last forever." Minji whispered on his lips.
They're interrupted by Hanni yelling from downstairs, "The driver's here! Hurry!"
"I've got to go, see you." Cheol said. "Now that you've started training, never stop. If you stop, you'll die, just like a shark. They must keep moving, even in their sleep."
And just like that, Cheol sped off in a black car.
Haerin's POV
The decision was hard. I thought about it and figured it was the best option. I upset Y/n and that caused Minji to get hurt. I had to make it right.
"Haerin? You okay?" Y/n asked.
"I'm fine. Are you okay? With your dad and me?" I said.
It stung Y/n a little bit, but they kept in control.
"I'm getting over my dad, but what you did with me was not cool." Y/n said.
"I'm sorry," I teared up.
"Oh, come on, don't cry." Y/n said, hugging me.
Minji walks in the room with an unhappy expression on her face. It still swollen and the spot where it was bleeding had turned into a scab.
I was going to talk to her, but remembered the vote we had. I figured it's best if I leave her alone.
She sits down with us.
"I feel empty." She said.
We all just sit there in silence, lost in our own thoughts.
Cheol's POV - a week later
I'd been living in my old place, it was a huge downgrade, but I put up with it. I've still got Haerin's earphones, and I listen to music a lot in them.
After leaving, I returned to school, and people worship me there. It's real weird.
I was walking to school, when a voice stopped me.
"Hey! Sleeping Beauty!" Bangchan said. "How've you been?"
"Bangchan! I haven't seen you in a while." I said.
"I see you're back in school." He said, hinting at my uniform "Anyways, I gotta go. It was great seeing you!"
We wave at each other goodbye and I continue walking.
"Kim Cheol has arrived!!" A student yelled. "We've got you a great seat, want me to take you there?"
"Erm, no thanks." I declined.
I sat down in my own seat, and students came over trying to pamper me.
"Go away." I commanded, and they listened.
I look in the empty seats of Minji, Y/n, Haerin and Danielle. School isn't the same without them.
I put my head on the desk and fall asleep.
After school, 2 familiar faces wait for me outside the gate.
Eunchae and Chaewon. I waddle towards them, with joy overwhelming me.
"Little Cheolie!!" Chaewon said, hugging me. "You hurt your legs?"
"Cheol's alive," Eunchae said. "Man, feels so great to see you again."
Eunchae tried leaning in for a kiss, but I stopped her.
"I can't," I said.
"Bangchan says we should all hang out." Chaewon said, removing the awkwardness.
"We should!" Eunchae said. "Meet you guys at the old spot at 5, okay?"
We agreed and parted ways.
I looked at my old wardrobe that still had some of my clothes, when I realised I was missing something.
My old favourite jacket. It was still at Haerin's.
I put on some of my old clothes and set off.
"Oh my gosh!! Cheol??" Haerin's mother said, absolutely shocked to death. "I-I thought you-"
"Yeah, I know." I said. "I'm just here for my jacket, thats all."
"Come in! Come in!" She ushered. "I haven't gone into my Haerin's room since you died."
"It's no problem," I said. "I'll go get my jacket now."
I open the door to the room and everything was exactly the same before.
The bed was messy from Haerin crying, my bag of stuff in the same spot, and my shirt on Haerin's bed.
I look around to find my jacket and put it on.
Putting on my normal clothes for the first time in months felt somewhat sad. I shrug it off and head out.
"Hey," Bangchan said. "I didn't get to ask about your crutches earlier."
"Basically, I got shot and I'm recovering." I told him.
"Ah, okay." He said, minding his own.
A random guy turns the corner into our meeting spot, and pulls out a knife.
"Drop me everything you've got." He said.
This guy must've lost his mind. I loosen from the crutches but Bangchan stops me.
"Sir, here. Have a nice day alright?" He said, handing him money.
"Wha- thank you!" The guy said, leaving.
"See that? Not everything is to be solved with fists," Bangchan explained.
Chaewon and Eunchae showed up.
"Hey," Chaewon said. "You ready to go?"
We had settled on a karaoke bar. We paid and entered.
We were in the hallways until I saw two specific people. I started losing my temper.
Kang Taehyun and Huh Yunjin.
They shot me a dirty look and whispered to each other before passing us.
"Cheolie, just leave it." Chaewon said.
Everything was going great. We were having fun, when our door suddenly burst open and the music stopped.
"Kim Cheol, today is the day you pay for what you did to Jungwon." Taehyun said.
"Didn't he kick both your asses?" Bangchan genuinely asked.
"Hmph, sure, but look at him now." Yunjin said. "He's a cripple."
Yunjin rushed me, and Eunchae and Chaewon got in the way, same thing with Taehyun and Bangchan.
They started trading smacks, shoves, kicks and punches, but the opposition came out on top.
"Come here," Taehyun ordered, panting. He'd been flipped and thrown around like a toy.
"You clearly haven't learned your lesson," I said, "You two are about to-"
Someone flew threw the door, knocking Taehyun over.
"Haerin?? What are you doing here?" I asked. "What are all of you doing here?"
"No time to talk, get to ass kicking!" Minji ordered.
Yunjin tried to approach me, but I prodded her with my crutches and she stayed away.
"Come on, fight me!" Yunjin said. "Put those away,"
Taehyun then kicks me in the back.
I look at Y/n and shoot them a look that said "You take Yunjin, I'll take Taehyun,"
I put my crutches down and start boxing him. He's a really crappy defender, and could only block his head. Soon he was on the floor rolling.
I look over and see Y/n dropping Yunjin. I felt proud of them for whatever reason. They'd gotten loads stronger since we last fought.
The other members went to help our friends up.
"You okay?" She asked, trying to caress my cheek.
I pulled away and walked over to Minji.
"You've gotten significantly better," I said. "Have you been practicing?"
"Of course I have," Minji answered.
"So, how come you're all here?" I asked.
"We decided that we'd spent the rest of our break back here," Y/n said.
"Nice, all of us are back together," Bangchan said. "Cheol, you seen Yeonjun?"
I told him all about what happened to him.
He was left speechless. I'd react the same way if my best friend turned out like that.
I noticed that Y/n and Minji are closer. Y/n may have become Minji's teacher. Whether they got together or not while I wasn't there, it was good to see the two getting along after they fought.
Haerin walked over to me.
"Hey, Cheolie." She said shyly. "Do you still listen to the playlist we made?"
I was still kinda angry at her for what she did and the sudden switching.
"Listen, if you want those earphones back, I'll give them to you." I said. "But you need to stop coming and talking to-"
"Respectful! Be respectful!!" The others quietly hissed.
"I- you want them back?" I asked, hoping she'd say no.
To be honest, I really enjoy listening to the music and looking at the little stickers on the earphones.
"No, you can keep them, like I said." Haerin responded. "Where are you staying?"
Haerin looked genuinely worried and sorry.
"I'm staying at my old place, if you can remember," I said.
"Oh," she said. "You think...."
I raised my eyebrows, signalling at her to proceed.
"You wanna- do you-"
"You good?" I asked.
She shut her eyes and did her cute thing where she would ball up her fists.
"Do you want to live at my house again?!" She pushed out.
I stayed silent. My breath was taken away from the sudden cuteness.
Haerin opened her eyes and looked at me with her big cat eyes. I started tripping into them and getting lost.
"Cheolie?" She began panicking.
"I'm not really sure, because we broke up and it would be awkward-" I tried to say, but the other members shot me a look of disapproval.
I think Haerin saw this and grabbed me by the hand, dragging me out.
I glanced at Minji. She just nodded at me.
-
"Why've you brought me out here?" I asked. "Our friends are still down there."
"Cheolie." She said in all seriousness. "I'm..."
"What's wrong?" I asked.
She started getting all pink, like the first time we talked. It seemed like she didn't know what to say.
She put her hands on my face and pulled me into a kiss. I tried to signal to her to stop, but she only tightened.
I pushed her away.
"Stop!" I yelled as she flinched. "What the heck's going on with you?"
I wiped my mouth with my sleeve and returned to the rest of the group.
"Cheol? Where's Haerin?" Danielle asked.
I didn't really know what to say, so I just kept quiet.
Yunjin started crying on the floor, and we all turned to look at her.
"Kim Cheol, I'll kill you!!" She sobbed. "Jungwon was our friend!"
Taehyun crawls over to Yunjin.
"You are a selfish little shit, Cheol!" Taehyun cried. "You killed Jungwon, he was way more than just a friend to us!"
My blood starts boiling and my pupils dilate. I begin to feel numb.
"You..."
My breathing started becoming irregular.
Minji tried to calm me down, but Y/n stopped her.
"CHANGHO WAS MY BROTHER!! WE GREW UP TOGETHER!! I LOST MY MOM AS WELL!! ALL BECAUSE YOUR ASSHOLE OF A FRIEND JUNGWON WANTED CHANGHO TO SHARE HIS SCORES!! AND YOU BLAME ME?" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
The two stopped talking.
"YOU KNOW WHAT? JUNGWON WAS A DIRTY GOOD FOR NOTHING. HE DESERVED TO DIE. I'M GLAD I CLEANED HIM OFF THE EARTH!!" I screamed.
"YOU FUCKER!!" Taehyun screams, getting up.
I jam my crutches into his back, and start stomping him. Each stomp hurt my legs more and more, but I didn't give a shit.
"Cheol! Stop it!!" Minji said, holding me still. "Your legs!"
I rest in Minji's arms, sobbing and crying. My legs start to give in and I sit on the floor.
A member of staff walks in, saying, "You guys are making way too much noise, we're going to ask you to leave."
I steady myself and grab my crutches as we all leave.
It was getting quite late, and we start to worry about Haerin.
"I'm going home." Y/n said.
"Same here," Minji added. "Haerin's a lot smarter than you think. She'll find her way back."
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