hi guys, just updated yesterday so if you haven't read the previous chapter, please do so! enjoy :)

On Monday, Sehun was back in school while Hyejin chose to rest more in the hospital and recover under the watchful eye of the doctor. Seungwan still refused to talk to any of them, while Junmyeon and Jongdae were continuously wary and on the lookout.

However, the sight of a certain someone made the two boys stop in their tracks as they were walking to the classroom. School hadn’t begun yet, and there were only a few people in the area.

Chanyeol was there in all his glory, conversing with the school principal. The principal looked like he was complimenting him every chance he got, which was unsurprising, seeing the very generous donations he had given. As the boys got closer, they could hear glimpses of the conversation.

Chanyeol spoke in his deep timbre, “I feel like having a look around the whole school, maybe see what I can do here and there. I’d like to check on the laboratory renovation progress.”

“Oh, of course. I can accompany you around the whole school-”

“No, I feel like having a student give me a tour around here,” he interrupted, turning his body to face the two boys, as if he had eyes at the back of his head.

“Ah,” the principal was flustered. He caught sight of the two boys as well. “You two! Come over here.”

Begrudgingly, they both walked over and bowed their heads in greetings.

“Jongdae, go give Master Park a tour of the school grounds. Junmyeon just moved here this year so I think you’re better suited for the job,” he ordered. “Give a brief explanation of each place and answer every question in detail. I’ll excuse you from your first class if it takes too long.”

As Jongdae nodded, Chanyeol’s lips curved up into a malicious smirk. “Perfect.”

“I guess I’ll see you in class,” Junmyeon sighed, eyeing Chanyeol warily before taking Jongdae’s bag. It was ridiculous how the principal was allowing Chanyeol in school grounds, up to the point of brown-nosing him despite how the public knew he was being targeted with arson. Being in a place filled with hundreds of students and staff would obviously endanger them if it were the case.

Chanyeol shooed the two people away, insisting on having a student bring him around. The principal sent a warning look towards Jongdae to make sure he would do his best in pleasing the school’s biggest benefactor.

“Over here, Mr Park,” Jongdae gestured to the water fountain. “This is the school’s water fountain with our badge engraved onto the porcelain. It’s complete with a beautiful statue of our school mascot. The state education department donated it to our school for our…”

He trailed off as they went out of earshot. Sneaking a glance, he noticed that Chanyeol had a worried look on his face. He looked distracted, not even realising that Jongdae had stopped talking. It took a few moments of silence before Chanyeol straightened up and replaced his expression with a hard one.

“Go on,” he urged. “Just take me around. Not like you want your principal to find out, right?”

Jongdae sighed. “What do you want? I doubt you’re really here to look around the school. Are you looking for a new place to burn? Were the laboratories and store room not enough?”

“Stop. You very well know why I did those things.”

He rolled his eyes, continuing to walk further into the school. “And guess what? Junmyeon and I are still not going to join your team. If anything, you’re pushing us further.”

Chanyeol let out a deep growl, sounding frustrated. “What’s so bad about joining a team with people like yourself? Think about it. A team of people with powers that can be used for the better. We were made for this!”

“The better isn’t taking down other mafia rings or threatening business owners. And I wasn’t ‘made’ out of my own will. I prefer living my own life, thank you very much. Things were much simpler before all of this happened.”

“Your parents signed the contracts anyway. So even if it wasn’t out of your own will, we had your parents’ consent.”

Jongdae sighed. They had already walked till the school field. “Look, Chanyeol. If you were presenting me with an offer to join a team of people like myself to fight crime instead of your father’s rivals, I would’ve definitely not hesitated to join. But here you are, up to the point of threatening me to join a team, whose main goal is oppression. I have no interest in any of those things, not to mention that it’s plain wrong.”

Chanyeol hesitated. Just like the other day, his mind supplied him with arguments as to why all of this was a bad idea. “My father…”

“Did it ever occur to you that your father might be doing the wrong thing? Are you sure he isn’t just using you?”

He hated the look of pity on Jongdae’s face. It made him sick, like he was some sort of cursed, oblivious child. “My father told me to burn down the cafeteria if you didn’t want to join!”

Jongdae stared as the man shut his eyes, silently berating himself. “Are you serious?! Don’t do it!”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Look at yourself! Are you a psychopath?” he burst out, crackles of lightning bursting from his palms. The sky boomed with thunder. “Because of you, so many people got hurt. It’s a miracle that you didn’t manage to kill anyone yet. Hyejin’s hurt, so is Sehun, and Junmyeon can only take so much.”

The bell rang, signalling the start of class. Neither of them took any notice to the sound. Chanyeol gnawed at his lip, having an internal battle. He was u