Pushing the door open, you sat in your spot on the basketball court, playing with the dust bunnies while you waited anxiously for the class to start. Watching the students file in one by one, you kept your eyes down once you saw the popular group of girls emerge from the locker room, being one of the last students to take their seats on the hardwood.

“We are going to run the mile today!” The gym teacher called loudly once he stepped foot in the gym from the hallways. Allowing his voice to echo, a low groaning whine rose from the students as the teacher lifted his hand up and slipped the whistle from around his neck between his lips before blowing.

The class rose to their feet and slowly moved out of the gym to line up. Going in two groups, the gym teacher blew his whistle sending the first group off, mostly consisting of boys. Once the first group had left, then the second group took their positions on the line.

Slowly bringing your toes up to the line, you glanced down at your shoelaces to make sure that they were tied before you heard the loud whistle. Taking off at a jog, you took it at your pace, watching girls pass you, you kept at your pace.

“Can’t you run any faster?” One of the popular girls questioned as she glided past you, almost as if she was floating on air. Without a reply from you, she laughed and took off, catching up to the popular boys and happily laughing and chatting with them.

The three laps around the school seemed to never end, your pace slowing as you lifted your arms above your head to increase your lung capacity in hopes of relieving your aching knees and muscles from the pain you were enduring.

Bringing yourself down to a walk, you tried to breath nice and deep while others continued to pass you. One worded comments were whispered to you as they passed, glancing over their shoulder once they passed, you secretly wished that they would trip and fall causing their image to be tainted like how they were taining yours.

Yongguk stepped out into the sunshine, watching everyone run he settled down on the side of the building, his back pressed up against the brick exterior while he placed his backpack between his legs. Taking in the warmth of the sun, he watched the runners for a little moment.

Your eyes fixated on the new surrounding as you recognized the backpack that usually leaned up against the other leg on your desk. Picking up your jog again, you felt the pain in your chest and your knees build again yet you wanted to impress him with your endurance. Keeping your eyes off of him, one of the popular girls ran past you, cutting you off as her foot caught yours in the process. Throwing your arms out to try and rebalance yourself, she continued to run as you slowly tumbled to the concrete.

Closing your eyes, you felt the rough rock cut your skin, a heat radiating from the cuts. Slowly opening your eyes, your rapid breath was evident while you couldn’t help but try and stand back up.

Yongguk watched you fall and then tumble on the concrete, quickly springing to his feet, he ran over to you and wrapped his hands around your arms to try and help you.

“Are you okay?” His voice quickly came over you, obviously laced with concern.

Turning your hands over, you saw your flesh mangled as blood began to pool in your palms. Seeing rocks stuck in the wounds, you shook your head up and down, hearing the words of the girls replay in your head.

Yongguk knelt down and inspected your knees. Seeing them just as bad if not worse, he rose back to his feet as his hand rested on your shoulder.

“Don’t try running anymore, you will only bleed more” He told you as he handed you a bandana that hung from his back pocket, wrapping it around your left palm to try and stop the bleeding, he tightened the knot as you winced and let out a soft whine.

“Sorry” He whispered before he slowly stood to his feet. “May I walk you back, so that you don’t get into any more trouble without me around?”

“I can manage but if you feel so inclined to join me, I’m not going to stop you” You told him while your cheeks blushing at his offer.

“Shall we?” Grabbing his backpack, he lifted it up onto his shoulders before walking with you the rest of the way around the course to finish the mile run.

Bringing you back into class, he opened the door for you with a smile. Letting you enter first, you could feel the eyes of the girls burn into you as you walked around the perimeter of the gym with Yongguk. The two of you heard the music play over the speakers while they threw balls at one another to dodge.

One of the popular girls acquired a soft ball and smirked as she thought it would be funny to throw it at you while the most popular boy in school walked next to you. Winding her arm back, she stepped into her throw as the ball soared into the air as something caught your attention, looking over and in the direction of the ball. Widening your eyes and allowing your jaw to drop, your body tensed as you gasped seeing the ball soar towards you. Hearing your gasp Yongguk looked over at you then in the direction you were looking, seeing the ball within seconds of impact, he grabbed your arm and pushed you up against the padded section of the wall, his arms on either side of you as his back felt one ball hit his back.

Bracing for the impact, you curled up against the wall as you heard the impact and slowly opened your eyes afterwards, seeing his beautiful chocolate colored eyes peering into yours.

Loud yellings were heard from the girls as they gathered several more balls and began throwing them at Yongguk, trying to get to you. Hearing hit after hit, you saw slight pain behind those eyes as you shook your head.

“You don’t have to do this… those are for me, not you” You told him as his body moved under each hit, yet he continued to keep you protected.

“You don’t deserve this, if anyone does it is me” He told you as his voice was slightly altered by each impact.

A loud whistle blew calling all of the students to attention.

“Hit the showers!” The elderly teacher called after he turned off the music. “Yongguk and _______ can I see you over here please?”

Everyone filed into the gender separate locker rooms, with the girls whispering between one another as they looked back over at you. Yongguk slowly let go of the wall on either side of you as he backed up.

“I’m sorry if I scared you” He looked down at you seeing the fear behind your eyes.

“You didn’t, I appreciated the gesture” You told him as you looked up into his eyes while a small smile curled on his lips.

“I’m glad I could help” He whispered softly as he rested his hand on your back letting you walk, more like limp, over to the gym teacher.

Walking at your pace, he made himself available to you if you needed someone to help steady you. Making it over to the teacher without any assistance, the teacher was busy picking up the balls as Yongguk took the mesh bag from his grasp.

“Thank you, Yongguk” The gym teacher expressed his gratitude before he turned his attention to you while Yongguk cleaned up all of the balls creating privacy between your conversation with the teacher but still staying close enough to you if anything were to happen.

“I didn’t see you finish the mile run” The gym teacher folded his arms across your chest as you nodded.

“I finished it, just slower than everyone else” You told him as you began to twirl your fingers around the fabric of your shirt.

“Why would that be?” The gym teacher probed knowing that there was a story behind this.

“The popular girls tripped me, I fell to the ground and it took me awhile to get back up” You told the teacher, showing him your battered body from the fall.

“Who are the girls?” The gym teacher inquired

“Every girl in the class” You told him honestly, not knowing a single girl that hasn’t tried something while in P.E. class.

“I doubt that everyone would do that” The gym teacher tried to reason with you as Yongguk’s head perked up hearing the teacher’s remarks.

“You don’t know them like I do, sir. Girls treat girls differently than guys treat guys” You tried to explain. “Especially when they don’t like you.”

“I am sure you are just exploiting this. Those girls are nice if you get to know them” The gym teacher patted your arm as you dropped your head, still seeing the blood slowly run down your leg.

“Why don’t you give them a shot? You might come to find that you like them.” The gym teacher suggested as Yongguk listened in while he picked up the last ball in the gym.

“That isn’t going to happen,sir” You tried to be polite but dropped your eyes trying to avoid any further questions.

“I can arrange for you guys to be in more groups together so that you can get to know one another more” The teacher offered as Yongguk hissed and trotted over, interjecting into the conversation.

“I am sure that she is grateful for that offer, but she will be in my group.” Yongguk patted his chest handing the mesh bag back over to the teacher.

“You aren’t even in this class” The teacher chuckled

“Have you seen the schedule change lately?” Yongguk tilted his head with a smile, “If she can’t be with my group then she is going to drop the class.”

“Alright, if you want her in your group that badly” The gym teacher chuckled finding it cute as you looked up at him.

“Go get changed out of your gym clothes” The teacher smiled as he happily smiled at the two of you as Yongguk wrapped his arm around you and helped you over to the girls locker room.

“I’ll wait out right here” Yongguk told you as he opened the door, pausing you looked back up at him.

“Why did you do that?” You questioned with a puzzled look

“To protect you, now go change so we can take you to the nurse and get you cleaned up.” Yongguk gave you a sweet and warm smile as you nodded and slowly entered into the girl’s locker room.

Yongguk stood outside as he watched girls pass him, shooting him glances time after time, he just gave them a smile and a slight bow trying to be polite and civil with them.

Waiting a few more minutes, you slowly emerged from behind the heavy door as you carried your backpack in your hand.

“All set?” He questioned as you nodded, lifting your backpack onto your shoulders, you bobbled a bit with the added weight as Yongguk placed his hands on your arms to steady you. “Maybe I should carry your backpack, just until we get to the nurse?”

Wanting to do it on your own, you tried to take a step but your injured knee buckle as you nodded, handing him your backpack, he lifted it onto one shoulder while his backpack hung off of his other shoulder. The two of you began to walk through the halls, as he kept you closest to the wall and him closer to everyone else. Turning off to the nurse's’ office, he opened the door for you as you limped inside.

“Hello” The elderly nurse smiled at you as you smiled and bowed to her as she watched you limp to her desk. “Let’s get you on a bed sweetie.”

With her arm wrapped around you, she guided you to a bed and helped you sit down as she pulled up a chair and grabbed her clipboard. Asking you questions, you answered them to the best of your abilities as Yongguk took a seat on the bed next to you with both backpacks resting against the bedside table between the beds.

“Who is this handsome fellow?” She questioned as she smiled at Yongguk.

“I’m a friend, ma’am” He smiled at her before looking at you, not wanting to say something to make you uncomfortable.

“She is lucky to have such a handsome friend like you” The elderly lady sang with a smile causing you to laugh lightly.

Giving her all of the information she needed, she looked over the notes before deciding that she needed to clean it and see the damage that was done.

“We will just be a moment” She stood up and pulled the curtain around your bed as you changed out of your pants and laid a blanket over your lower half, just exposing your knee.

Pulling back the curtains, she smiled as she walked over to the cabinets and gathered cleaning supplies before coming back over to you. Wheeling her chair over to you, she began with just a basic cleaning of the scrapes and cuts that you sustained before working on the deeper wounds.

Hissing lightly at the pain, Yongguk held his breath every time you vocalized that you were in some pain. Whining when she poured cleaning alcohol in your wound, you gripped the sheets as a painful moan spilled from your lips. Without a second thought, Yongguk reached out and held your hand in his letting you squeeze it as much as you would like.

Minutes ticked by as a half an hour passed before she was done. Taping some of your wounds closed before wrapping it with gauze.

“I’ll be right back” She whispered as she stood up and disposed of all of the used materials.

“Good job” Yongguk brushed his thumb over your hand as you looked over at him.

“Aren’t you missing class?” You questioned knowing he has already gone up and beyond the call of duty.

“Yeah… but you are more important, besides what is missing one class” He replied, his words soft and kind as you nodded.

After you were cleared to leave the nurse's’ office, the bell rang to signify the end of the school day.

“Do you need a ride home?” Yongguk questioned as he lifted both backpacks on his shoulders while you stood up on your feet.