Underneath

Plot: Kun believes that WinWin is a good person underneath his bad reputation.

Genre(s): university!au, gang!au, fluff, romance, slight angst.

Author's Note: You guys' comments encouraged me to quickly finish this one-shot! Thanks for the upvotes as well! Sadly, this isn't entirely proofreaded.

Disclaimer(s): Picture and characters belong to rightful owner.

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Kun shivers as he walks home thanks to the cold air. Sadly, there are no bus rides at this late hour, but Kun didn’t mind. He loves walking on the streets with the fresh and cool air hitting his pale skin every step he takes. It never fails to relieve his mind after a long, stressful day of classes and endless school work.

“Hey, cutie. Do you want me to accompany you?”

Kun stops in his tracks as a buff man blocks his way. He glances up briefly only to cringe at the stench of alcohol that reeks off of the man.

“No, thank you.” Kun stutters as he walks past the drunk man, who grabs his wrist and yanks him back rather harshly making him whimper in pain.

“Why are you leaving so quickly, cutie? Just stay here and have fun with me.” The drunk man laughs, making Kun cringe at his alcoholic breath.

“Please let me go, sir. I have to go home.” Kun pleads, trying his best to remain calm as he struggles against the man’s grip.

“What an innocent cutie.” The man smirks as he scans Kun from head to toe with a disgustingly lustful gaze. “I’m definitely going to have fun with you.”

“From what I saw, he doesn’t want to have fun with you.” A boy with a deep voice says.

Kun and the drunk man look to the side to see a blond boy sitting up from the grass of the public park and stretching as if he just woke up from a nap. He immediately recognizes the blond boy as a fellow student from the same school, because he remembers passing by him a few times in the hallways.

“Mind your own business, kid. This cutie is my boyfriend.” The drunk man snickers as the blond boy gets up and dusts himself. Meanwhile, Kun stands frozen in fear. He never got into a situation like this, so he doesn’t know what to do. The blond boy glances at Kun briefly, then directs his emotionless stare at the drunk man.

“You’re a liar.” The blond boy says casually making the drunk man laugh as if the boy just said a funny joke.

“How would you know if I’m lying, kid? You know nothing about me.”

“You’re right. I know nothing about you,” The boy suddenly smirks making Kun nearly blush, because the boy looks so hot. “But I’m sure you know the consequences of touching my boyfriend.”

Kun gapes in shock. Did the boy just called him his boyfriend even though they’re strangers?! However, Kun wants to slap himself for not realizing it earlier. The boy obviously said it to save him from the drunk man.

“Oh! This is the cliche saving-my-boyfriend kind of deal, huh?” The drunk man chuckles before he glares coldly at the blond boy. “Let me tell you something, kid. I’m a well-known professional wrestler, and I’m sure you’ll end up in the hospital with broken bones.”

The drunk man’s venomous threat makes Kun shivers in fear for the blond boy, who’s tall, skinny, and looks like he can’t even hurt a fly. It didn’t even help that the blond boy doesn’t look intimidated at all.

“Let me tell you something, sir.” The blond boy says as if he’s mocking the drunk man. “I’m well-known as WinWin, and I’m sure you stand no chance against the entire NCT gang.”

The drunk man freezes as his eyes widens in shock and fear. However, Kun’s more surprised that the drunk man releases him and kneels down to him.

“Please forgive me! I didn’t know you’re WinWin’s boyfriend! I never knew you have connections with NCT! I’m so sorry! I won’t do it again!” The drunk man begs desperately for forgiveness as if his life is on the line.

“I forgive you, sir.” Kun says, pitying the drunk man.

“Thank you! You’re so kind! I won’t forget your kindness! Thank you!” The drunk man sincerely thanks Kun.

“Get lost.” WinWin says and the drunk man runs away after thanking WinWin for sparing him.

Kun stares at WinWin, who bends down to pick up his backpack and dusts the grass off of it.

“Thank you.” Kun sincerely says after a few seconds of awkward silence.

“It’s nothing.” WinWin shrugs as he throws his backpack over his shoulder.

“Um, who’s NCT?” Kun asks cautiously and gulps when WinWin looks at him over his shoulder. “Sorry for asking. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want.”

Kun could feel his cheeks heating up in embarrassment against the cold wind as WinWin continues to stare at him without uttering a word.

“Where do you live?” WinWin asks, finally breaking the silence after a few seconds.

“Huh?” Kun blinks. He did not expect this kind of response at all.

“Where do you live?” WinWin repeats. “I’m walking you home.”

“Oh, it’s fine. I can walk on my own.”

“From what I saw, a cutie like you can’t walk alone without running into trouble.” WinWin says, already walking ahead nonchalantly.

Kun pouts at the comment, but he couldn’t get over the fact that WinWin called him a cutie. It sounds more pleasant hearing it come out of WinWin’s mouth. Kun nearly slaps himself for thinking such ridiculous thoughts.

“Are you coming or should I carry you?”

Kun looks up to see WinWin staring at him while leaning his back against a tree, obviously waiting for him. He ignores his warm cheeks and starts walking, because he gets a feeling that WinWin is too stubborn to give up.

“What’s your name?” WinWin asks as they continue walking.

“Qian Kun. Your name’s WinWin, right?”

“It’s a nickname.” WinWin shrugs.

“What’s your real name?”

“Dong Sicheng, but just stick with WinWin.”

“Okay,” Kun looks forward only to stop in his tracks, and points at his house. “We’re here.”

WinWin stops in his tracks, and looks at Kun’s house as if he’s trying to memorize every detail.

“Thank you again.” Kun says, smiling to show his gratitude.

“It’s nothing.” WinWin shrugs and directs his gaze at Kun. “Don’t walk alone again.”

“I told you I’ll be fine-” Kun immediately cuts himself off when he sees WinWin’s serious look. “Okay, I won’t.”

“Good.” WinWin nods his head as he turns around, and walks away.

Kun could only watch him awkwardly, but he waits until the blond boy is out of his sight to enter his house.

♏♑♏♑

Kun frowns as he walks home after the end of classes. He had asked his friends and some classmates about WinWin for the last few days. To be honest, Kun didn’t expect to hear so many negative things about the blond boy.

“WinWin’s dangerous, Kun. You should never go near him.” Doyoung, his best friend, told him seriously during lunch. “You’ll regret it.”

“WinWin? Heard that kid is part of some gang called NCT.” Johnny, a fellow classmate, told him during Science when they were working on a lab project together.

“You don’t know?! NCT is the most dangerous gang in South Korea! It’s no surprise everyone is scared of them! You should be careful, buddy!” Ten, another fellow classmate, told him during Korean when they were working on a worksheet together.

The list goes on and on about different people telling Kun the same thing about WinWin. Kun sighs as he remembers their words that were basically saying that WinWin is a bad person. To him, WinWin doesn’t look like a bad person. Even though WinWin said it himself that he’s part of NCT, the blond boy saved Kun from the drunk man and walked him home to make sure he’s safe. A bad person wouldn’t do that, right?

“What did I say about walking alone?”

Kun stops in his tracks, and looks to his right to see WinWin laying down the grass with his head on his backpack. WinWin’s eyes are closed, but it’s obvious that he wasn’t sleeping. Kun sighs at his question as he sits down besides the younger.

“It’s still daytime.” Kun pouts as he hugs his knees against his chest to warm himself up.

“It doesn’t matter. Trouble likes to approach you when you least expect it.” WinWin says as he sits up and stretches.

“Why do you always sleep here?” Kun asks, looking at WinWin.

“It’s nice and peaceful.” WinWin shrugs as he glances at Kun briefly. He takes off his jacket, and puts it on Kun’s shoulder.

“It’s fine. I’m not cold-”

“Stop lying. You’re shaking.”

“You’re not cold?” Kun asks in concern, looking down at WinWin’s thin t-shirt with his lips pursed.

“You need it more than me.” WinWin shrugs as he looks up at the clear, blue sky.

Both of them remain silent for a while. WinWin only staring up at the sky while Kun stares at the grass.

“WinWin?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you tell me more about your gangster life?” Kun didn’t know where he got the courage to ask that question.

“After hearing all about me from other people, you’re still not scared of me?” WinWin stares at Kun intently, making the shorter gulp at his intense stare.

“No,” Kun shakes his head. “You’re not a bad person.”

“How are you so sure that a gangster, like me, isn’t a bad person?” WinWin chuckles darkly as if he’s thinking about his dark past making Kun frown slightly.

“Your personality.” Kun replies, making WinWin look at him in confusion. “What you are doesn’t determine whether you’re a good or a bad person. It’s your personality that counts.”

“You have no idea how many terrible things I’ve done. How can you say that when you don’t even know me?” WinWin asks seriously, his dark gaze penetrating through Kun’s soul.

“You showed me your true self that day when you saved me from that drunk man, and walked me home to make sure I was safe. You also gave me your jacket, so I wouldn’t freeze. Tell me. Would a bad person do that?”

WinWin remains silent as he just stares at Kun intently. Kun didn’t bother to say anything either as he stares into WinWin’s dark eyes.

“I’m dangerous, Kun. You should avoid me like those other people.”

“I’m not scared.” Kun says bravely.

“Kun, you don’t know how dangerous I am. You getting involved with me is asking for the enemies to hurt you.” WinWin pauses and Kun could see the pain in his dark gaze. “I don’t want an innocent person like you to get hurt, because of me.”

Kun widens his eyes in surprise. He really didn’t expect to hear that from WinWin, who looks so vulnerable like he lost an innocent, loved one. Kun silently watches WinWin, who closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as if he’s trying to calm himself down.

“It’s getting late. I’ll walk you home.” WinWin says as he gets up with his backpack in one hand.

Kun gets up as well as WinWin dusts his backpack, and the two start walking silently. Kun thought back to what WinWin said, and how hurt the younger looked when he warned him. He must have gone through a lot, Kun concludes while frowning.

“We’re here.” WinWin announces, making Kun come back to reality.

“Your jacket.” Kun says as he proceeds to take off WinWin’s jacket, but WinWin waves him off.

“You can have it.” Without waiting for Kun to say anything, WinWin walks away nonchalantly.

“WinWin!” Kun calls out to the said blond boy, who stop in his tracks and look at him over his shoulder. “I still believe you’re a good person, and no one can make me stop believing that. Not even you.”

“You’re so stubborn, Kun.” WinWin sighs as a tiny, genuine smile appears on his lips. “Looks like I have no choice but to protect you.”

Kun smiles as he watches WinWin walk away. He can’t help but feel happy that WinWin decides to stop pushing him away. Kun knows that his entire life is going to change starting tomorrow, but he’s ready to face it. No matter what obstacles comes in his way, he’ll never abandon WinWin. After all, Kun believes that WinWin is a good person underneath his bad reputation.

♏♑ THE END ♏♑