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Let me set you free

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Jackson girl just lets out a mocking girly laugh, their leader, Jaebum, following him. They look like fcking hyenas. 

But worry not, for I am a fcking golden lion.

"Laugh all you want. I hope you choke to death, ," I huff, sending them winks.

Jaebum suddenly – thank you, Lord – chokes in his laugh after hearing me. s sympathetically pat his back as he coughs hard and I laugh at the horrible sight. 

Serves him right.

Jinyoung shoots me a glare.

"You better leave our territory now if you don't wanna get bloody," he spits.

Baekhyun slightly pulls my hand, muttering something like "let's go now, Park".

"I'd love to," I say and fake a sigh, then smirk again. I wink at Jinyoung. "But what good is a fight without blood, yeah?"

Totally pissed off by me now, Yugyeom, Mark, and Youngjae storm their way towards me, their knuckles already forming fists. Jackson girl just cheers at their back like the girl he is, and Jinyoung just watches like a hawk.

I quickly let go of Baekhyun's hand and push him to the side, yelling, "Run!"

But as he is getting on his pace, BamBam beats him to it and punches his stomach straight, him groaning and falling on the floor after. Fck!

I'm about to run to him and help his but fcking Mark just grabs my shirt fast. I let the momentum bring my body to him so that I can kick his groin and I do. He shrieks in pain as he lets his body fall on the cold, hard floor. 

I smile to myself because I think I may have broken his into pieces.

Angered by his comrade's downfall, Youngjae strikes me with his fist to which I just duck under, causing him to miss a blow. I swiftly yank his right foot down so he topples down and lands his on Mark, both a groaning mess now. 

But Yugyeom won't let me be happy too fast because he kicks my side that causes me to fall on my . He lifts his right leg to probably kick my face but I'm already pulling it now so that he falls on his two friends instead.

As I am standing up, loud footsteps come ringing into my ears. And before I even see it coming, Suho-hyung and the others are already here.

Backup!

I smile at him, but he shakes his head at me. I gulp. Not good.

My members then start beating up GOT7's asses, Lay-hyung screaming insults like "how dare your wrinkled, ugly-face asses touch my giant baby Chanyeolie! Y'all should be ashamed. This is child abuse!"

I just bury my face in my hands. This is just one of the perks of being one of the juniors in your group of friends.

I suddenly remember about Baekhyun so I turn around. Seeing him being cornered by BamBam not far from me, I dash to them lighting-fast and land a flying kick to BamBam's cheek, throwing him into a corner. Noticing Baekhyun's shaking body and terrified expression, I move close to him and touch his arm lightly. His face is now red and bruised with a slight cut on his cheek. 

Well, fck Bambam!

"Hey, it's okay," I calmly say, lightly patting Baekhyun's wounded cheek.

He lets out a small whimper.

"S-sorry," I apologize and stops touching it.

I don't know why, but I'm finding all the cuts and bruises on him so mesmerizing as the last streaks of the sun's rays shine at his face. The dark reds and violets of his wounds and bruises have complimented with the light yellow and orange rays of the sun. And his white shirt is not helping at all. It makes him glow even more.

I find myself gasping a little at the sight of him.

He looks so perfect just standing there.

He tries to smile a bit, his gray hair creating a dream-like color in my sight as it collides with the yellow rays.

And, damn, does he look beautiful and unworldly.

Celestial. 

Heavenly.

"Ethereal," I suddenly blurt out without even thinking, still staring at him like he's the most interesting thing in the world.

He looks befuddled for a moment, gawking at me.

"What?" he asks and scratches his nape.

Searching for white lies to cover up my shameless act, I gulp.

I can't just tell him that he looks ethereal just now.

What will he think of me?

"I mean, that's the word we're gonna be discussing for English tomorrow," I tell him, looking away from his gaze, clearing my parched throat.

I hear him hum.

"Ethereal," I repeat the word, just watching the retreating sun above. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

--

*BAEKHYUN

Staring at the doe-eyed boy in front of me, I wonder at how the clouds have casted shadows on him that have highlighted his shining ear piercings and pretty pink lips as they curve into a small grin.

"Yeah..." I find myself saying as I marvel at Chanyeol's perfection. "It's beautiful."

Realizing I sound like a total creep, I slap myself to awake my senses and wish to finally wake up because I'm just dreaming, right?

But I only end up wincing in pain from the damn self-slapping.

"Are you okay, Baekhyun?" he asks me because he probably has heard my groaning, concern obvious in his tone.

I don't know why, but when he touches my shoulder again, my heart beats damn fast. Like, supersonic-fast. And, I don't know, I just somehow feel jittering movements in my stomach. 

I can only nod at him.

"Y-yeah," I mutter, almost sputtering nonsense because damn heart, please stop being all jumpy! This is just Chanyeol you're talking to and not the president of North Korea, jeez.

He heaves out a long breath. "Can you walk?"

I try stepping a foot but I only end up staggering back. I shake my head at him. "Nope. C-can you... help me walk then?"

I mentally kill myself because of my shamelessness.

His left eye twitches and I can hear him internally groaning.

Forget it. He will not help me. He is not supposed to help a loser like me because it just does not work that way.

I mean, c'mon, let's face it! He's a bad boy, I'm a loser.

Boys like him should not associate with boys like me.

There are rules.

And rules are there to be followed.

Just when I am losing my hope in him, he suddenly perks up and slings his arm around my waist to support me.

Shocked, I whip my head to look at him but it only ends up with my nose touching his.

I gasp and look away, sputtering apologies to which he just chuckles at.

"It's fine," he says and puts his hand over my head to ruffle my already messy hair. "Now, c'mon. I'll take you home, Baekhyun."

"It's Baekhyun-hyung to you," I complain but he only laughs loud.

Brat.

--

We rode a cab, and he told me to give him my number because, "For school purposes, Baekhyun," he said. So I gave him mine. He promised to text me the details of our assignment for tomorrow so I'm quite expectant.

I'm currently lazing out in the couch now, sticking an ice bag into my hurt cheek. Damn BamBam just knows how to punch so well. I think he dabs well, too.

The white walls of the living room must be mocking me because I just feel so small and alone.

It's now 6:02 p.m. and I can't find Seulgi anywhere, not even in her snack room. Where could that brat be?

But after minutes of rummaging my thoughts of possible places she could've gone to, her annoying voice from outside stops me.

The door slamming wide open, I see her standing at the doorway with shopping bags in her hands.

"BaekBaek~" she singsongs as she enters inside. "Which color do you think Oh Sehun a.k.a. Demigod will like me wearing for tomorrow; this yello-- oh my gosh! What happened to your ugly face??" She gawks at me.

Jeez, Seulgi. As if I haven't been hurt enough.

And, what? Have I heard her right? Oh Sehun a.k.a. Demigod?

What happened to her crush on The Golden Man Park Chanyeol then? 

"You look even uglier, oppa!" she screams in horror.

I just deadpan. "Geez, thanks. You really are the best sister anyone could ever have."

She giggles and winks at me. "I know, right? Anyways, what happened to your ugly face?"

Best sister in the world, really.

She drops her shopping bags and sits beside me.

"This is nothing, Seul. Just got my face bumped into the hard wall as I was cleaning the sink earlier," I lie. It's better that she knows nothing.

She huffs like a kid and crosses her arms. "Alrighty."

I then smirk at her and lift my eyebrow. 

It's payback time. 

"So what did you say just then? Oh Sehun, huh?" I .

Her face immediately turns crimson and she gasps while hitting my arms.

So it's true then. She has a new crush.

"Yah!" she exclaims and covers her blushing face. "Don't be too loud. Someone might hear!"

I just laugh my off. "No one will. It's just us two here, remember?"

"Still~"

"Unless you include the girl in white behind you, then that makes us three!"

"WAAAAHHHH!!"

I quickly dash upstairs to go to my room, leaving Seulgi downstairs screaming and cursing at me.

"I will sue you, Byun Baekhyun!" I hear her yell.

Laughing to myself, I plop down on my bed face-first and wince at the pain. I forgot that I'm hurt. Stupid me.

I roll on my back and stare at the ceiling to count the glow-in-the-dark star stickers stuck to it. I'm on my fourteenth count when my phone vibrates, indicating a message. I shoot my hand out to get it from the top of the bedside table and open it.

You have a new message!

This must be from Chanyeol then.

I open the message and read it.

Received: 6:25 p.m.
Yo >

Lol. Is this really him?

I type a reply and send it afterwards.

Sent: 6:26 p.m.
Good evening, Park?>

Then the recipient replies.

Received: 6:27 p.m.
Yes :) >

I find myself giggling because lol. Chanyeol has sent me a smiley.

Sent: 6:28 p.m.
I'm calling >

I put him on my contacts first then dial him. It doesn't take long for him to pick up.

"Hey..." his groggy voice answers.

Is something wrong?

"Are you sick?" I ask.

"Nah. Just got a cold. It will be gone by tomorrow morning, for sure."

He's got a cold?

"OK then. I hope you get better ASAP."

"Hmm."

"Are you sure you're fine? Would you like to do the homework tomorrow?"

"No! I mean, no, I don't want to. Let's just finish this tonight."

"Okay then. So here's the plan: we both say and express our own opinions of that beautiful word, okay? Ethereal. It already gives off that certain spark from how it's just pronounced. "

"Yep. But hey, I've thought about this just now. How about we just tell it right at English class tomorrow? Like, surprise me. And I'll surprise you, too."

Huh? Where is he going now?

"Stop sugarcoating, Park. Just admit it already that you haven't had thought of a single word because of your damn cold."

"Ha-ha. Wrong. I've had, Byun."

Great. Now he's calling me by my surname, too.

"Stop lying, Park."

"Aish. Fine. Why do you know me so well? Who the fck are you?"

I chuckle.

"I'm just your fcking trash, you know?"

He laughs on the other line.

"Got a point there. But hey, Baekhyun."

"Hm?"

"Can you... sing for me?"

My jaw drops, mouth gaping open.

Is this really The bad boy Golden Man Park Chanyeol I'm talking to and not a fricking baby? 

"Why would I? Knowing you so talented and smart and all that, you'd probably laugh at me."

And it's true. He sings so well he'd probably laugh at my singing.

"I won't. I promise."

"F-fine... But only the first stanza and the chorus, OK?"

When he doesn't answer, I start to sing a song that reminds me so much of him... and me.

(I'm in the deep end, cannonball jump
Thinkin' of your love
And my heart beats like a drum
Not feeling guilty
'cause the water's just right
Ohhh, it might be wrong, might be the time of your life.)

I think of all the silly events that have Chanyeol and I bumping into each other, and I can only roll my eyes and internally laugh.

(So jump on in with me
Let me set you free
I'll make you feel like you're dreaming.)

And then flashbacks of Seulgi pushing me to his locker to give him daily gifts unfold right in my mind. 

(Try try try
To follow the rules
I break everyone of them with boys like you
My oh my, doing what I always do
Yeah I'm crossing every line to get to boys like you.)

I then think of earlier: of how he fought with those boys just to protect me, of how gentle his touch was, of how he looked into my eyes like I was a marvelous sight, of how he melted my heart the moment I stared at him and his perfection even when he was just standing under the sunset.

(Boys like you, you, tripping, freaking falling over boys like you.)

I stop singing. And as if on cue, he snores loudly. How cute.

Chuckling, I wish him a good night and even dare say his secret nickname that he wants me to forget but I couldn't... and I wouldn't.

"Good night and sweet dreams, Loey."

Then I end the call.

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