After Hyunsoo couldn’t get any words out of , Joy looked at Jungkook in anger and shouted, “Do you like her? Or does she like you?”

Jungkook looked at Joy with a blank face expression, and then completely ignoring her, turned to Hyejin and Tiffany. “Who told you that Jinyoung confessed to her?”

They continued to laugh. They knew they had taken Jungkook and Hyunsoo by surprise; Joy was a bonus for them, even though Hyunsoo would have thought they had told Joy, seeing as she’s another one of Hyejin’s sidekicks.

“Lots of people know. I’m surprised you didn’t even realise.” Tiffany laughed, keeping her gaze at Hyunsoo.

“What did you say to Jinyoung then? We’re all dying to know what happened afterwards,” Hyejin said, she too was watching Hyunsoo, even when Jungkook was talking.

“It’s none of your business what she did,” Jungkook fired up. For the first time then, he showed some emotion.

“Oh, we also know how you walked her home after feeling jealous!” And they burst out laughing again, “Were you really spying on them?”

It was horrible for Hyunsoo. She was stood there staring down at her feet, while feeling everyone’s eyes on her alone. She felt as if there was a knot in her stomach that was tightening itself. Joy was in too much of a shock to say more than she already had; being ignored by Jungkook made her usually act like that. Hyunsoo could tell however, that once Hyejin and Tiffany were done with their taunting, Joy would start up next. Jungkook, on the other hand, seemed to be feeling the same shock as Hyunsoo was, though it was added with a bit of annoyance and betrayal. He knew only one person who could have started this. He, Hyunsoo and Jinyoung wouldn’t have gone around telling just anyone what had happened that day… but Jungkook felt that he’d made a mistake confiding in his best friend.

“Jungkook, did you confess after Jinyoung did? Hoping she’d take you instead?” Tiffany giggled.

Jungkook felt the urge to punch her, wanting to rearrange her face into a bruised unrecognisable whoever. As soon as that thought hit him, he realised. Seohyun… she was part of their gang. The girl he punched.

“So this is your idea of a revenge…” Jungkook said mainly in his head, but then continued louder so everyone could hear, “You guys are just pathetic peasants! Just because I punched your hyena in middle school, you want to try hurting Hyunsoo? How is she even involved?” Jungkook was slightly surprised at what he was saying suddenly, especially since Hyunsoo was now finally looking up and gaping at him, but he didn’t care anymore.

“You know exactly why she’s involved. You punched Seohyun because of Hyunsoo. You made her cry because of Hyunsoo. You broke her heart because of Hyunsoo!” Hyejin shouted the last part, “They are my friends” – she gestured towards Tiffany and Joy, and obviously including Seohyun – “and if you hurt them, then I’ll hurt whatever matters to you.”

Hyunsoo, having made all the connections in her head, started looking around at everyone in turn, as if seeing them for the first time. She had tried her best to forget her past, and seeing it come back to her like a boomerang was… almost overwhelming. She felt however, and she wasn’t planning on admitting this to anyone ever, glad that Jungkook was with her, just like middle school. She wasn’t alone facing the… peasants or hyenas, as Jungkook had called them. Though that feeling slowly went down the drain when Jungkook started talking, and she started hating him all over again.

“Firstly, Hyunsoo doesn’t matter to me, and keep that in your thick head. Secondly, I don’t care what I did or didn’t do, but I want to know how you found out.” Jungkook spoke very quickly, trying to get it all out before he could stop himself, and feeling secretly hopeful that it wasn’t whom he thought it was.

“Well, it was hard to find the source of all the gossip. We had to know for sure of course-” Tiffany started.

“Shut up!” Hyejin hissed, “Why would we even tell you? And why do you care who-” She stopped for a moment and started smiling. “Fine, I’ll tell you. It was Hoseok.”

Hyejin said it so suddenly that even Hyunsoo felt a pang of sympathy for Jungkook. Again, it was drowned out when he swore a colourful sentence and left to go to the river for the rest of the activity. Jungkook had never felt as hurt as he was feeling then. He couldn’t believe Hoseok would do this to him. He was his best friend, or so he was thought he was.

Hyejin and Tiffany did a high five when Jungkook left, and followed behind him. When Hyunsoo went to follow as well, Joy started walking by Hyunsoo’s side and looked at her in obvious jealousy and anger.

“You better stay away from Jungkook. You might not want to admit it, but I can see that you clearly like him. He is mine.”

Hyunsoo frowned. “What about all the stuff that he did to Seohyun? And just now…”

“I don’t care! My love for Jungkook will never change!”

Hyunsoo thought Joy sounded a bit Jungkook obsessed, but didn’t voice it out. “I don’t like Jungkook, so don’t worry.”

“I’ll keep watching any move you make with him. You will pay if you hurt or love him.” Then she stalked off to walk with Hyejin and Tiffany.

Hyunsoo thought about what Joy had said for the rest of the activities, and realised that what Joy had said didn’t make sense and wasn’t really possible to do. Jungkook was closely intertwined into Hyunsoo’s life, whether she liked it or not. She didn’t love him, and she couldn’t not hurt him. He embarrasses her, mocks her, smirks at her, ignores her and she was supposed so sit still?

Jungkook was the first person – she had to admit this and get it into her head – that made her forget her self-consciousness and her lack of confidence. In a bad way, she continuously repeated to herself.

It turned out later, that the short drama that Hyejin and Tiffany caused, didn’t affect the group much, as they had returned second to last. At least they didn’t have to do another challenge. However, when she looked around at the other groups, she realised that Jimin’s group was still not here. Hyunsoo felt her stomach turn over in a backflip, feeling the same fear Jimin must be feeling of finding himself last.

“Hyunsoo!” Jinyoung called, walking over to her, “I was nervous that you might be coming last… we heard what was about to happen to the last group. It’s pretty bad.”

“What is it?” asked Hyunsoo curiously.

“Let’s just say that the teacher here thinks we’ve come on ‘I’m a student get me out of here’. All these tasks…” he grimaced, “And then the last place punishment challenge… there’s insects involved.”

Hyunsoo suddenly didn’t want to know anymore. And as if on cue, Jimin’s group ran into view.

“Please tell me we’re not last!” screamed Jimin, to which Hyunsoo looked away in empathy. Jimin understood and fell on his knees dramatically.

The teacher walked towards the group that had come last and gave them all a pat on the shoulder, as if showing how sorry he felt for them.

“The last group can come with me,” he turned to look at the rest of the groups, “And the rest of you, go to the village and wander around, enjoy and eat well.”

Hyunsoo looked at Jimin. He looked like he was about to burst into tears. His group wasn’t that great either for him. He had Heechul, Donghae, Eunhyuk and Lay. Hyunsoo waved and quickly walked away with Jinyoung, before she felt even more sorry for Jimin.