I'm not a bad boy anymore.
Taking Risks [Oneshot]
I sipped my drink, leaning against the bar, watching my friends amusedly as they danced along to a remix version of Kara's Step.
"Aren't you going to dance with us, Tiff?" May shouted.
I shook my head and just raised up my drink to them.
"Dance for me." I smiled and Kina, another friend of mine, made a face.
"Buzzkill!"
"Thanks!" I smirked.
I looked around, everyone was either dancing, drinking, or talking and laughing with their friends.
"Hey. What are you drinking?" A guy I didn't recognize walked up to me.
"No thanks." I mumbled, knowing where this is going.
"Oh, come on. It's a cosmo right? I'll buy you one...then maybe you and I could go back to my place later."
The guy actually placed his hand on my back to rub it.
I shrugged him away.
"Please don't touch me."
"Oh come on, babe. No girl can resi--"
"Baby! So this is where you went off! I miss you already! How could you leave me there?" Another guy draped an arm around me.
I tried to look up to see his face but he held me down firmly. His touch though, didn't leave me disgusted and shuddering like the first one did.
No. This guy's touch was protective and assuring.
"This guy isn't bothering you, is he?"
Mr. backed off, I wasn't sure why though.
"Fine, fine. She isn't that pretty anyway..."
My protector took his arm off me and grabbed the 's collar.
"Say that again about my girl and I'll break your face."
staggered back, obviously tipsy.
"Woah, dude...can't take a joke?" He clumsily went off.
"Are you okay?" My protector finally faced me, giving me a full view of his face.
A very, very handsome face, in fact.
Why does he seem so familiar though?
Those eyes...
He looked at me wonderingly, making me realize that I haven't answered his question yet.
"Oh. I'm...uh...I'm okay. Thank..." I tilted my head, trying to remember where I last saw this guy.
"...you." I finally mumbled, still not being able to place him.
"Come on." He smiled nicely.
"You can do better than that, Tiffany."
My eyes widened. HOW THE HECK DID HE KNOW MY NAME?!
"Wow." He pouted. "You really don't remember? After I pretended to be your boyfriend and all just to get rid of that guy??"
I still didn't say anything, I was pretty much shocked by how this gorgeous guy knew me.
"It's me. Remember? Back in middle school...you gave me your lunch, which turned out to be chicken and I ate it all and you cried, telling our teacher all your lunch is now gone when all you wanted me to do was to take a piece."
I flushed red. Oh my god. No freaking way.
This handsome guy right here? This protector of mine?
And my first ever heartbreak?
Lee...
"Jinki."
"Onew."
We both said at the same time.
"Right. Onew." I breathed and hugged him.
"Oh my god! How are you? It's been ages!"
"It has." He agreed, hugging me back and laughing.
"You're still the same, Tiff. Still the same pretty but forgetful girl."
"I'm sorry." I laughed. "It's just that...look at you!" I shook my head, still not believing my first crush is right here.
As I took a quick up and down onceover at him, a thought flew to my mind: that it was so right that he's my first crush.
I mean, really! Those sparkling eyes, that cute, adorable smile, his baby face, he even has a nice built for someone who loves chicken so much!
"It's fine." He said dismissively, still laughing.
"I was surprised that you called me Jinki instead of Onew though." He tilted his head to the side and I blushed.
"D-did I?" I stammered a little, remembering why I refused to call him Onew like everyone else.
How I branded him as My Jinki infront of my friends, that he was Onew whenever he was being funny, being our class president, being a charismatic person.
But that he was Jinki when he was being kind, gentle, and helpful...something I have seen him do on a daily basis since we were classmates.
Also the main reason why I liked him so much.
How he stayed behind to help some of our classmates clean the room even though he wasn't the cleaner for that day, how he would take the blame for anyone just to protect us from the strict teachers, how he would pack extra lunch to give to our classmates who left theirs at home, how he would scold us for not doing our homework but let us copy his later anyway,
how he chased me after school just to give to me that one plastic bag of lollipops that he bought because I got mad at him for eating my whole chicken lunch...
I can't believe I would see him again.
Or that my heart would still threaten to stop at his smiles.
The club's music changed to a slow one.
He glanced up towards the dj booth then turned to me, a smile tugging at his lips as he bowed to me gallantly.
"Can you fulfill one of my lifelong wishes?"
"And what's that?" I crossed my arms, fighting back a smile.
"That I'll be able to dance with you tonight." His eyes sparkled and he offered his hand to me.
I shook my head and took it. "You still have a way with words, Jinki." I smiled ruefully.
"The truth always sounds nice." He said mildly, leading me to the dance floor and holding my waist.
I encircled my arms around his neck and he hugged me tighter, making me lean closer to him to get a whiff of his perfume, it was subtle and light but it smells wonderful.
Or maybe it's because he was the one who's wearing it?
He swayed me gently with surprisingly precise steps.
Something I never would've expected from the clumsiest guy I've ever met.
"Don't you ever marvel at how things work?" He murmured in my ear.
"Like what?"
"Like when you suddenly turn into a good dancer...just because you have the right partner."
I blushed at that.
"You're acting like this is prom, Jinki."
"It would've been. I should've asked you to be my date back in sixth grade." He mumbled.
"Well...why didn't you?" I asked, leaning my cheeks on his shoulder.
"I thought you were going with Jonghyun." He mumbled again.
"I mean, he seemed like he likes you and he was one of my bestfriends...I didn't want to get in the way."
"Jonghyun never asked me to the prom." I was surprised at this revelation.
"No?" He seemed equally surprised.
"Darn..."
"You should learn to take risks, Onew." I said lightly, hoping to turn this thing into a joke.
He didn't say anything but he did stopped swaying us and looked at me in the eyes seriously.
"I'm sorry then."
I smacked his arm playfully.
"I was just kidding, Jinki."
He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.
I leaned my head on his chest. "Can we just dance again?" I asked, a little uncomfortable with the awkwardness.
"You need to make up for not asking me back at sixth grade." I joked.
He finally laughed and held me tighter.
"Does that mean I get to hold you the whole night?"
"Jinki..."
"Quick! Quick! Let's go!" Some of the people around us hurried out, elbowing us on the way.
"Hey! Ow!" I grimaced as one stepped on my foot.
Onew quickly put an arm around me. "Are you okay?" He glanced around worriedly.
"Yeah. What's going on?" I frowned.
"They've got weapons this time!" I heard one said and a lot more people scampered around for the exit.
The music was abruptly put into a halt and Onew tugged at my arm, a troubled look on his face.
"Come on, let's go!"
"Where?" I asked. "It's pouring hard outside! What's going on anyway??"
"Well, here's a pretty one." A guy I didn't know stopped Onew and me from reaching the exits.
I looked around, a group of guys, about 5-8 of them, dressed seedily in black and chains were scattered around the club.
Some of the people looked scared. Some were lucky enough to get out.
Onew stepped infront of me.
"Not her." His voice had an edge to it.
"Onew~" The guy cooed. "Is she the one at last?" He looked at me, his eyes glittering.
"The one we had to watch everytime we come here? The one you waited for but never had the guts to talk to?" The guy smirked.
Onew's grip on me tightened and I became confused. What is that dude talking about?
"She's pretty." Another guy, obviously a gangster as well, came nearer to look at my face.
"Ah. But gorgeous up close. I can see why you like her, Onew. But is she a reason enough to leave us?" He looked at Onew briefly then at me again, holding up his hand to caress the side of my cheek.
I flinched from his touch and Onew slapped his hand away.
"You. Don't. Even. Touch. Her." He said evenly, his eyes held two strong emotions that I've never seen on him before--anger and danger.
"Why not?" The guy smirked.
"You have to share her with us! After all, we watched her with you everytime she came in with her friends."
"Shut up." Onew growled and took my hand.
"Let's go." He said gruffly and led the way out.
The rain's still pouring hard and we were soaked immediately.
Someone suddenly stopped us though, with a hand to Onew's shoulder and him being turned around.
It was them. Again. They had followed us.
Onew shrugged the guy's arm off and landed a punch on that guy's jaw.
"I told you to stop it, didn't I?" Onew looked angry.
The guy stood up and wiped his mouth. "So this is what it comes down to, huh? What happened to bros befores hoes?" He smirked.
"Leave her out of this!" Onew pulled me behind him.
"How could we?! She was the reason why you left us, hyung!" Another guy shouted, looking frustrated.
"It wasn't her, okay?! It was you guys! I can't stomach what you're doing anymore! Hurting people for fun, stealing from them, scaring them to death--what pleasure do you get from that?!" He demanded.
"Seeing our enemies hurt is pleasure enough." The guy growled and raised his hand, as if into a signal.
Almost immediately, the group encircled us and I shook hard, both from the coldness of the rain and fear.
What is going to happen to us? To Jinki, especially?
"On the count of three, I want you to run to that car, okay?" He pushed something cold into my palms and I realized that they were keys. Car keys.
"Open the car, get inside, and drive. Just drive away from here. You know how to drive, right? Tiffany?" He asked hurriedly and lowly.
I nodded, still afraid.
"Good. We'll meet infront of 7/11. Until then, just drive. I'll go there after this. I promise." He squeezed my hand.
"B-but...what about you?" I was afraid of what they're going to do to him.
"I'll be fine, I promise. Just go. On three. Okay?" He whispered.
"One...two..." He suddenly shoved me out of the circle and proceeded to kick the guy infront of us in the chest.
The guy flew, coughing violently.
"Tiffany! THE CAR! GET IN THE CAR!" He shouted but I couldn't move, because one of the guys had a metal rod, ready to smack Onew with it.
"Jinki!" I shouted, terrified. "Behind you!"
They beat him.
I watch as they took turns punching, kicking, and beating him with the rod.
I cried loudly, rushing to him but he kept on shouting my name the whole while.
"TIFFANY! THE CAR! GET IN THE CAR--DRIVE! TIFF--" Another kick landed on his gut and he doubled over.
"Stop! STOP IT PLEASE!" I was crying hard in this pouring rain and went infront of Onew to block the attacks.
But Onew even managed to push me off behind him, still acting as a shield.
"Lay one finger on her and I swear, I'll snap your head off." Onew growled weakly but still his voice had an edge to it, assuring you that he meant every word.
The guy he had kicked a while ago went infront again and raised his hand again in a signal, instantly, everyone dropped down off their fight mode.
He kicked Onew one last time in the head and Onew groaned, doubling over, finally blacking out.
"Jinki!" I screamed, crying.
"Fine. We'll lay off. Just for this time. Just because you used to be with us." He looked at Onew then at me again, crouching down.
"You know why we did this?" He asked but I didn't answer.
"This guy was one of us before. He stood in the background whenever we beat someone up, he would be the one who'd get us out of trouble infront of the police, he was the one who said he'll stick with us through thick and thin." He smirked, but his eyes looked empty.
"Until YOU came along. Until he noticed you one time we went into that freaking cursed club." He spat out the words angrily.
"Then he suddenly became different. He suddenly wanted us to change. He didn't tolerate any fight, he wanted to 'straighten us'." He smiled emptily.
"All because he saw you again. Because he wanted to be that guy he used to be when you guys were just kids." He laughed darkly.
"We didn't change so quickly. He had to leave us. For you. Because you might not give him a chance if you ever knew he was associated with someone like us. Right? Tiffany?!" He said my name so angrily.
"Being inlove with the daughter of the town's chief of police has its disadvantages, don't you think?" He stared hard at me.
"A bad boy...a rebel...a gangster inlove with the daughter of the man who's supposed to keep things in order around here." He laughed hollowly.
"It will never work out. Onew will find his way back to us." He grabbed my face roughly.
"Make sure you don't do anything you'll regret." He muttered darkly before standing up and going off with his gang.
All the while, I was still shaking, silent tears falling down on my face, watching them go off.
After I was certain that they won't come back anymore, I tried to stand up so that I can hoist Onew up on his car at least.
It was hopeless, I was shivering in the rain, I was afraid, and I couldn't move Onew's battered body.
Until two guys, obviously Onew's dongsaengs from that group, came back.
They wordlessly helped me lift up Onew and placed him on the car, and even turned up the heater.
"There." The guy with the large eyes looked unhappy as he looked at his hyung sprawled out like that, bruises everywhere on his body.
The other guy, who looked so young, looked more troubled.
"I'm sorry this had to happen, noona..." He whispered and pressed something into my hands.
They were medicines of some sort. I turned it over and saw that they were painkillers but I still have my doubts.
"Don't worry, they're safe. I won't give anything that would harm Onew hyung..." He whispered, looking more young that he actually really is.
"Let's go, Taemin. We might get caught." The big-eyed tall guy pulled Taemin away from the car.
"I'm sorry, hyung..." was what I last heard before they disappeared, running into the pouring rain.
--
I drove the car and headed to the nearest pharmacy, I couldn't bring Onew to the hospital as I remembered those guys warning to me:
Make sure you don't do anything you'll regret...
I shuddered, the bruises on Onew's face was clearly from a fight and right now, as my father had often told me, a gangster group is their target. Apparently, they have been creating trouble around town for some time now.
They would easily connect Onew to those guys and what would happen then?
I can't let Onew get in trouble...
So I just tried to nurse him, fixing him up inside the car since it was still pouring hard outside.
Ointments here, bandages there, alcohol here, band-aids there...
Onew's eyes finally fluttered open and he blinked, obviously trying to place me and himself being inside his car. Specifically in the backseat.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly.
"What happened? Where are they? Are you hurt?" He asked, looking at me carefully and sitting up.
"Wait. Don't move so much..." I cautioned him and he groaned, as his beatings still took their effect on his body.
"Drink this first, okay?" I gave him the painkillers that Taemin kid handed to me and he looked at them for a long time.
"Did...Taemin give this?"
I gave a silent nod.
He blinked, looking a little sad.
"Taemin was incharge of the medicines. This was his favorite brand of painkillers. He would always say that they're stronger than the others, would really kill the pain right off."
"Jinki..." I whispered.
"Rest, okay? You're full of bruises..." I was worried for him, afraid even, that he suffered internal damage.
I glanced outside. It was still pouring hard. The car clock was blinking at 2AM.
That's when I noticed Onew staring at me, I didn't recognize the emotion that his eyes were reflecting.
I looked away, his stares were unnerving.
"Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" I asked instead, still not looking at him.
But he didn't say anything so I took a glance at him and saw that he was still staring at me at that same intense way.
"I...Uh...W-We can just make up some story about where you got those bruises. I can convince my dad--"
"Tiffany..."
He suddenly sat up, cutting me off midsentence, and pressed his lips to mine.
I was shocked at first but the warmth his body gave off became a great contrast to the rain's coldness awhile ago that I melted into him almost immediately.
"I told you to go to the car on three, didn't I?"
He said after he pulled away.
I just looked at him, still surprised and tingling from the kiss.
"Why didn't you go?"
"I was afraid...I just knew they would do something to you." I finally found my voice.
He didn't say anything, instead, he just kissed me again, a little more forcefully this time.
"Then I told you to get inside, right?" He whispered when he pulled away, still holding me close.
"Jinki..."
"So why didn't you?" His stares were still so intense. I have never seen him like that, at all.
"I told you! I was scared! I was worried--"
He only ended up kissing me again but this time, I was the one who pulled away.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to kiss you for every mistake you did." He whispered, cupping my face.
My mouth dropped open. Every mistake?...that I did?
"Then...I asked you to drive around until you get to 7/11, right?" He continued softly.
"Did you do any of that?"
I shook my head and placed a hand gently on his bruised cheek, but even a simple gesture like that made him grimace.
"Sorry." I said as I matched his stares, and this time, I was the one who kissed him first.
"I'm going to punish you too." I murmured into the kiss.
"For what?" He asked, a smile lighting his face as he touched his forehead to mine.
"I wasn't done punishing you for not asking me to the prom." I gave him a grin and encircled my arms around his neck.
"Also...for not talking to me much. Back in sixth grade. Up until now! You were watching me in the club?? And you didn't even approach me once?" I made a face and let go of him.
"I told you to take risks."
He smiled after I finished ranting.
"Is that it? And I did take a risk you know, tonight." He said, pulling me close again.
I thought of his own gang beating him up because of me.
"Yeah..." I sighed. "I guess you did. Your gang--"
"Not that." He whispered.
"Then what?" I looked up at him, wondering what other risk he was talking about.
"When I decided to say hello to you tonight."
I smiled and pushed the hair out of his eyes.
"And you know what's more?" He whispered, planting small kisses on my ear down to my neck.
"What?" I asked, breathless.
"I have a long list of mistakes you did." His eyes glittered in the dark as he stared up at me.
"Starting in middle school."
I laughed.
"And you remember them all?"
He nodded, a playful smile appeared on his lips as he gently pushes me down on the backseat.
"Are you ready to be punished?"
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