Jungwoo was trying to keep his calm and not look scared. However, when Dongho took out a small knife out of his pocket he couldn't act tough anymore. Jungwoo was horrified. He was shaking in fear. Cold sweat was dripping down his entire body as panic took over him. As Dongho was getting closer and closer, Jungwoo was walking backwards, trying to get away. Unluckily for him, he hit a dead end. It was game over for him. Dongho put his knife back and got as close as possible to Jungwoo.
"You're really stupid, Kim Jungwoo. How could you fall so easily into my trap?" asked Dongho, getting even more closer.
Jungwoo gulped as Dongho's shadow covered him as a whole.
"You think you're good enough to work for my dad?" said Dongho, punching Jungwoo in the stomach.
Jungwoo groaned in pain.
"A fag like you could never work for the Lee family. You don't belong there." Dongho punched him in the stomach again.
Dongho punched Jungwoo as if he was a punching bag. Soon enough, Jungwoo would be on the ground, holding his stomach tight because of how bad it hurts.
"You think you covering your stomach will stop me from hitting you only because you're 'hiding' it? I've got some news for you, buddy..." Dongho kicked Jungwoo's face."...you can't stop me."
Jungwoo's whole body ached from the pain. He had bruises all over his body and a black eye. He closed his eyes shut and waited for everything to be over with.
When he noticed that there was a pause he opened one of his eyes to see Dongho take out his knife again. Since last time he took it out he didn't do anything, he thought nothing was gonna happen. Until Dongho got down to his level and put his knife on Jungwoo's cheek and suddenly pressed hard on it and dragged it on his face. Jungwoo yelled out in pain and hoping someone would hear it and come help him. He yelled every time the knife came in contact with his skin.
Haechan's house is dead silent until he heard a sudden loud yell. He thought it must be some kids playing and went back to his game but when the yelling continued he decided to go check it out. He looked out his window and saw nothing but still heard the yell and thought it came from behind some blocks. He put on a hoodie, got his slippers on and went to inspect the loud noise.
The closer he got to the block the louder the screaming got. Haechan gulped as his confidence was sinking down every time the yelling got louder.
He took the corner behind the block and his jaw dropped. His eyes widened as he saw a psychopath hold a knife on someone's throat. To make himself unnoticed, he slowly walked closer to see who the people are and if he knows them. He gasped as he saw that the one on the ground, yelling is his dear friend Jungwoo.
Anger filled his body and and he kicked Dongho in the head with his leg.
"Who the fuck was that?"
Haechan punched Dongho in the nose, giving him a nosebleed. He blocked Dongho's punch and turned his arm the other way around, close to breaking it. However, he let go until he could make any lasting damage on the taller's arm.
Haechan kicked behind Dongho's knees, causing him to fall down. Haechan stomped on Dongho's head a few times until he noticed it was bleeding.
"Name's Lee Haechan. Remember that."
With that, he left Dongho on the floor and ran to his injured friend who was sobbing on the floor. He helped Jungwoo get up because the poor boy's legs are shaking too much from the shock. He hugged Jungwoo tightly and tried to shush him a bit by telling him that it's okay now and that it's over now.
After a while Haechan decided to invite Jungwoo over to his house to try to make him feel a bit better and treat his wounds somehow.
"Hey, let's go to my place since I live in that house there and we could talk there more, okay?"
Jungwoo nodded.
Haechan let go of Jungwoo, hoping that maybe he would be able to walk by himself. However, his whole body is aching and he cannot stand up without help. Haechan sighed and helped Jungwoo walk.
When they got to his house Haechan sat Jungwoo on the couch and wrapped 2 blankets around him. Tears just wouldn't stop flowing out of Jungwoo's eyes and Haechan didn't know what to do anymore. So, he decided to get some help.
"Hello?" said Lucas, from the other line.
"Hi. We have a problem."
"Hm?"
"Jungwoo got beaten up badly. He looks like a mess. Please come over and help me try to make Jungwoo stop crying."
"Holy shit, what? By who?"
"I don't know his name but it's that asshole that always calls everyone fags and stuff like that."
"Lee fucking Dongho. I'll be over in 10."
"Okay."
Haechan knew neither him or Lucas have any basic knowledge of how to treat bruises so he called someone who most probably did.
"Yeah?" said Doyoung.
"Do you know how to treat wounds?"
"Depends on what wounds. Why? Who got hurt and how?"
"Jungwoo got badly beaten up by Dongho a couple of blocks down my house and now Jungwoo's at my house and I don't know how to help him."
"HE WHAT? I AM COMING OVER."
Doyoung hung up.
A few minutes later, there was loud banging on the door. Haechan was a bit scared to open the door 'cause it could either be one of the boys he called or Dongho. He slowly opened the door and saw Lucas' tall figure. He sighed in relief and opened the door wide.
Lucas ran towards Jungwoo and hugged him in the tightest embrace. Jungwoo let out all of his tears o Lucas' shoulder as the taller was shushing him.
"Listen, it's okay now. I am here and nothing will ever hurt you when I'm with you, okay?"
Haechan looked at them with adoration in his eyes. He would've only called Doyoung but his research from a couple of months ago showed that if your soulmate touches you, all the pain you're feeling will go away. This doesn't come with disinfecting the bruises so he also decided to call Doyoung.
A couple of minutes later, Doyoung busted into the house. No knocking, no ringing, no calling. He ran into the house as if it was his own.
"Where's Jungwoo?"
"On the couch there, with Lucas."
Doyoung ran towards the two of them.
"Lucas, could you please move a little so I can see his face?"
Lucas pulled away from Jungwoo, letting Doyoung inspect it.
"That fucking asshole..." whispered Doyoung under his breath. "Okay. Firstly, let's take care of the black eye. Haechan, could you please bring me a towel soaked in cold water?"
Haechan ran towards the kitchen and quickly came back.
Jungwoo pulled away at the contact with the cold towel.
"Listen, you have to stay here so I can help your wounds get better, okay?"
Jungwoo sighed and let Doyoung put the cold towel on his eye. Doyoung pressed down on it and hoped that his friend will be okay.
"Okay. Let me take a look now."
Luckily for Jungwoo, there was no bleeding whatsoever. Doyoung sighed in relief.
"Well, good thing that asshole didn't hurt you bad enough for it to bleed. Now, listen to me, Jungwoo. When you get home, put a cold towel on your eye again for 10-20 minutes and do it regularly for about 2 days. After the 2 days, put a warm-hot one. You need to do exactly as I'm telling you if you want it to heal fast, okay?"
"Okay, thank you. But, Doyoung, how come you know all of this?" asked Jungwoo.
Doyoung stayed silent. His silence was the only answer they needed to realise how fucked up Doyoung's life was.
"Well, at least now you have all of these skills, right?" said Haechan.
"Yeah, I guess. Eveything in life has a purpose. Now let's look at your other bruises."
Luckily, they were just minor cuts, scratches and purple bruises that would heal in like a week.
"Okay. Now that we're done 'healing' Jungwoo, please explain what happened and how." said Haechan.
"Well, yesterday around lunch time I think, I got a text from Lucas to meet up today at 7 PM behind those blocks because he had something to tell me, but I knew something was off but believed it anyway and today when I did come he was a bit late so I started looking around and then someone threw a rock in my head and when I turned around Dongho was there." said Jungwoo, in one breath. He sounded like he was rapping.
Lucas took out his phone to check 'his' conversation with Jungwoo.
"Hyung! These were sent around the time I was trying to find my phone!" said Lucas.
"Holy shit! So Dongho had your phone and faked being you? That fucking bastard..."
"Agh! I'm so stupid. Why did I fall into his trap?"
"It's not your fault, Jungwoo. He literally committed 2 crimes, or actually 3 since I assume he called you a fag at least once. He should be punished!"
"But we have no physical proof that he was the one who beat me up."
Doyoung sighed.
"Wait! What about my job tonight?"
"What job? Anyways, you are so not going. You're gonna call in and say that you're not feeling well." said Doyoung.
"But I need..."
Jungwoo stopped himself when he realised he almost gave himself away.
"...Nevermind. I'll call in sick."
"Now, Jungwoo." said Lucas.
Jungwoo sighed and took out his phone. He dialed the number from his workplace.
"Hello?"
"Uh, hi. I'm sorry but I can't make it tonight. I threw up all day and I really don't feel well at all. I'm sorry."
"Oh, that's okay. Name?"
"Kim Jungwoo."
"Okay. Then we'll call someone else to cover your shift tonight. Take care!"
"Thank you. Goodbye."
Jungwoo sighed. He then got a text from someone and as he checked the name on display he realised he forgot to tell his mom anything.
Mom:
Jungwoo where are you?
Are you okay?
Please respond
Jungwoo:
yes mom, im okay
i went to donghyuck's house with doyoung and xuxi
Mom:
I still don't know who this Xuxi is so you'll have to introduce him to me one day haha
Jungwoo:
got it :))
also, im not going to my night job today 'cause i'm not feeling well
Mom:
What do you mean you're not going?
Doesn'tthat mean you'll get paid less?
Jungwoo:
yeah, like $10 less
Mom:
Are you serious?
How bad are you feeling?
Don't you know how much we need the money?
Are you this selfish?
You can't just take a day off for a simple headache
Jungwoo:
it's not just a simple headache...
Mom:
Well then?
What's so important that you can't go to your job?
Jungwoo:
err... you'll see
Mom:
Fine then
See you then
Jungwoo:
bye
Seen 8:32 PM
"I should probably get going." said Jungwoo. "Thank you all for caring about me and helping me. It means a lot to me."
"You are so not going home by yourself. I vote Lucas going with you." said Doyoung.
"Yup, I strongly agree."
"Okay then. Let's go."
Jungwoo slowly got up. Lucas pit his hand around his shoulders and they started walking.
"Byee!" yelled both of them.
"Bye!"
The whole walk was filled with a very curious Lucas and a very secretive Jungwoo.
"So, what kind of night job do you work?"
"Nothing important, don't worry."
"What? You work as a stripper or something?"
"Yeah, totally." Jungwoo laughed.
"Why do you never tell people about your life?"
"Why would I?"
"You're so annoying." said Lucas, jokingly.
"But that's why you love me, right?"
"Totally."
Their whole talk was like that. Genuine questions with sarcastic answers turning into jokes. That's just how it is. They're really comfortable with each other, as if they've been best friends since they were little kids. If they told you they only met in the last year of middle school you would think they're lying. Even people, mostly girls at school, have speculations that they might be gay and madly in love with each other. Well, they're half right.
Lucas lets go of Jungwoo in front of his door.
"So this is where you live, huh? It's nice."
"Yeah, well I won't be living here for much longer if I keep slacking." whispered Jungwoo to himself.
"What was that?"
"Yeah, it's nice. I really like it."
"I'll get going now. See you tomorrow hopefully and I hope you'll get better."
"Thank you. See ya!"
Lucas turned around and left. Jungwoo slowly opened the door and saw that his mom is waiting for him on the couch with a very angry expression.
"Well? What was so bad that you had to miss wo- Oh my God!"
She quickly got up and walked towards her beaten up son. What was he expecting was love and affection but what he got was a slap.
"So you get into fights and then not dare to go to work? How dare you walk into my house like this with no money to give me? You do realise we're in a financial problem right now and we need money, right?"
"But I can explain-"
"Don't explain anything. Don't talk to me today. I'll be leaving now."
She left and Jungwoo just stood there staring into nothing. His head was so full of thoughts, he didn't know what he was thinking right now.
After he realised what he was doing he snapped back to reality and went in his room.
His whole body ached while he was changing but he did it. He got in his bed and got under his blanket. It's been a while since he got in bed this early. He scrolled through Instagram until his eyes closed shut and he drifted off to dreamland.