“What the hell happened to you?” Seungcheol hissed, lifting Jihoon’s chin quite harshly, inspecting the big cut on his lips and the bluish black bruise on his left cheek.

“It’s nothing.” Jihoon mumbled.

“I just tripped.” He simply lied. How can he tell Seungcheol that a 19-year-old man studying at a well-known university was still being bullied?

Yup. Bullied.

He wouldn’t and couldn’t tell Seungcheol. He still got some pride and dignity left.

Seungcheol murmured something under his breath, his face contorted in anger and disbelief. Jihoon screamed as Seungcheol pressed cotton with alcohol against his fresh wounds.

“The hell Cheol!” Jihoon whined, trying but failing to hide the tears escaping his eyes due to the pain.

“You’re not telling me the truth Jihoon.” Seungcheol glowered at him blankly, his ministrations turned soft as he rubbed the cotton against Jihoon’s wounds. Jihoon groaned here and there.

“I am telling you the truth! I tripped when I was- “

“Who did this to you? Who are they?” Seungcheol put down the cotton as he eyed hardly and demandingly at Jihoon’s brown orbs. Jihoon looked away, fiddling at the end of his torn and dirty uniform.

“What are you talking about?” he whispered as inaudible as possible. Seungcheol stood up, sighing as he observed the smaller man fiddling at his uniform.

He knew the truth. The bullying.

When Jihoon came crashing at the Aces’ dorm in an ungodly time aka late at night he immediately knew that something was off and he was left speechless once he opened the door and Jihoon’s helpless figure was standing in front of him, cuts and bruises on his tired and tensed face were visible and his uniform was torn and dirty. The guy looked like he went to hell and fought his way out, literally. The smaller guy relaxing when he saw Seungcheol examining him, mixture of confusion and concerned were on the elder’s face.

Once he let Jihoon sit on the sofa at the living room, he instantaneously texted Seungkwan on what happened to Jihoon and was shaken when he knew what transpired. Jihoon was bullied and it turned out that he was being bullied for a long time now. And the worst, its physical bullying and by the baffled looked on Jihoon’s face it’s also an emotional one. Seungcheol would love to bury those bullies alive, 17 feet on the ground.

He can’t believe it, how come that this great guy with hair as pink as a cotton candy, with skin as white as snow, who wore the most beautiful smile he ever saw, with eyes shining like diamonds and dimples that looked so cute got that kind of treatment? This guy was wonderful and super talented though a bit moody and sassy, he can live with that and as far as he knew, all people were sassy and moody.

Jihoon doesn’t deserve this. Jihoon’s perfect.

“You knew?” Seungcheol was woken from his thoughts when Jihoon nervously asked. Seungcheol nodded and heard Jihoon sighed.

“I’m sorry.” Jihoon started to sob, Seungcheol dashed in front of the sobbing Jihoon who’s still trying to hide his pain, Seungcheol knelt in front of him and cupped smaller’s face.

“I’m sorry. I tried you know? All the coldness, the sass, and the other things I did just to make them stop. But I guess those didn’t work.” Jihoon laughed bitterly.

“I tried so hard Cheol. I tried.” He continued to sob as Seungcheol hold onto him.

“Shhh. Hush Jihoonie. You’ve done so good. It’s just there are people who are such douchebags and are very narrow minded. Please Jihoonie, hang on in there. You’re so strong.” Seungcheol kissed Jihoon’s eye.

“I’m sorry if I can’t protect you. I’m sorry if I can’t be there whenever you need me, whenever you need someone to help you. I’m sorry if I can’t hold you whenever you want me to. I’m sorry if I can’t give you my full attention because of my idol life. I’m sorry if I can’t give you enough time because of my crazy schedule. I’m sorry if I can’t be your knight in shining armor.” He kissed Jihoon’s nose causing the younger to stop from crying.

“But if you’ll allow me, I can be all that you need tonight.” Seungcheol studied Jihoon who was now blushing. Seungcheol seemed to be distracted at Jihoon’s lips. Jihoon was about to answer when Seungcheol in.

“You know what, just don’t mind that. I changed my mind.” Seungcheol examined Jihoon’s face expressionlessly, Jihoon looked upset because of the sudden change of attitude from the taller.

“if you’ll allow me- “ Seungcheol held Jihoon’s gaze.

“I can be the one you need not only for tonight but for the rest of your life, and beyond eternity.” Seungcheol smiled, leaning as his lips touched Jihoon’s. Jihoon’s eyes widened but he eventually melted to the kiss, closing his eyes as Seungcheol gently kissed him. The kiss was soft and tender as if Jihoon was a very fragile thing that might break if Seungcheol will go further, as if Seungcheol was kissing a very delicate flower that needed to be cherished and protected. Seungcheol whispering sweet nothings at Jihoon’s lips as they parted to get some oxygen and leaning again and again to pecked at the younger’s lips.

They had been dating for three months now and this was their first kiss. Jihoon’s not into skinship which Seungcheol was very fond of doing, but Seungcheol doesn’t mind, he likes the guy. No, screw that. He loves the guy and he respects Jihoon and if Jihoon wanted it slow then slow they go. But Jihoon was also wrapped around Seungcheol’s finger that if he can, Jihoon tried to do all for Seungcheol, they compromised.

That’s love. It’s all about respecting each other and compromising.

Seungcheol stood up, hugging Jihoon’s head, Jihoon smiled as he wrapped his arms around Seungcheol’s waist, as if all the pain he was feeling a while ago magically vanished into thin air.

“I’ll protect you Hoonie.”

“I love you.” Jihoon groaned at the cheesiness of the older, hiding his red face into Seungcheol’s waist. Seungcheol was very vocal about how he felt about the younger, though Jihoon doesn’t admit it, he like that attitude of Seungcheol.

Seungcheol chuckled.

Unknown to Jihoon, Seungcheol thought of a way to avenged for Jihoon and to put a stop to all this bullying.

**

Jihoon kept on tapping his pen against his desk. Their professor lecturing though Jihoon had muted the voice in his head.

The bell suddenly rang signaling an announcement. The voice behind the microphone cleared his throat.

“Good day fellow Pledisians. This is your Student Council president, Shin Soohyun talking. We will be conducting a snap election due to the sudden dropping out of three of our representatives namely Kim Eli, Kim Jaeseop and Shin Dong Ho due to personal reasons. I’m hoping for all of your cooperation. That’s all. Thank you. Have a great day everyone.”

The announcement was ended with a whirring sound. The students whispering theories on the reasons on why the sudden departure of the three representatives who were a big part of Jihoon’s life. Of course they’re a big part of his life. They bullied him every day or every other day or every time they had the chance.

Why did they suddenly-

“Oh .” Jihoon’s eyes widened when realization dawned on him. That can’t be. No, that’s impossible right? How can that be? He doesn’t even know those three.

He glanced at the back row of the class room where Seungkwan was sitting. He was sitting in in this class for advanced learning according to him. Seungkwan was in his second year while Jihoon’s in his fourth. Jihoon squinted at Seungkwan which made the latter chuckled tensely, Seungkwan exited the room.

‘I smell something fishy’, Jihoon thought to himself as he scrutinized the leaving back of Seungkwan.

“What the did you do Choi Seungcheol?” he sighed, staring outside the window.

He smiled as he no longer has to think about the bullies who tormented him for so long now, his knight in shining armor had saved him.