Strolling down the hallway of his new school, Jongin thanks the lord that he’d decided to come early so that he could try and attempt to learn his way around – or at least where his classrooms were situated – because this school is big.

Large empty classrooms on either side of the seemingly unending hallway, with the occasional bag-rack or row of student lockers against the dreary grey walls greeted him as he walked past, his black leather conventional lace-up shoes thumping against the slick white floors.

Taking out the barely legible map that he was given by the not-so-helpful receptionist, Jongin frowned trying to figure out how to get to his homeroom from his current position – of which he only had a vague idea.

Turning left at the next t-intersection, he heard the distinct sound of voices, and feeling relieved that he had found someone who could point him in the right direction; he hastened towards the noise. But what he saw wasn’t what he was expecting.

A couple of tall, muscular and strong-looking boys, dressed as typical jocks with their football jerseys and shorts, had shoved another boy against the lockers, throwing a heavy punch in his direction as the young male whimpered and wept.

“HEY! Get off him!” shouted Jongin, rushing onto the scene, before he grabbed one of the bullies and yanked him away from their victim.

“Who the hell are you?” snarled the other, letting the weeping boy go as he turned to lend a helping hand to his friend.

“It doesn’t matter,” Jongin growled back, adopting an offensive stance, fists up and all. “Leave him alone.”

“Fine…have the freak,” sniggered the taller of the two after a while, upper lip curling in disgust as he stared at Jongin condescendingly. “C’mon, let’s leave this two losers…for now.”

Glaring at their backs with contempt as they headed off down the hallway, Jongin’s expression softened as he actually took notice of the boy he’d just rescued from his tormentors. He…was beautiful, to say the least.

Soft brown locks sprouted from the top of his head, though slightly messy from being pushed into the lockers, and his side-swept fringe obscured his eyes from view. His face was of alabaster pale skin, though marred with cuts and bruises from rough punches, adorned with rosy lips, which were trembling as teardrops trickled down his cheeks.

“Don’t cry,” he murmured, squatting down in front of the sobbing boy as he sat, slumped against the lockers. “They won’t hurt you anymore.”

“W-Why would you help me?” the exquisite boy sniffled, wiping his runny nose on his sleeve, before finally looking up and showing Jongin his gorgeous brown eyes.

“Because bystanders are as bad as the bullies if they don’t help,” Jongin sighed, gently helping the shaking boy to his feet. “And because someone as pretty as you doesn’t deserve to be in pain.”

The tears kept falling from his wide eyes, as his cheeks flushed pink from the unexpected compliment. Biting his lip shyly, he gazed up at Jongin, glistening eyes staring at him in adoration.

“Thank you,” he whispered softly, taking Jongin’s offered arm and allowing himself to be led down the opposite end of the hallway to where the bullies had gone. “I-I’m Sehun, by the way.”

“You’re welcome, Sehun,” smiled Jongin, thinking that the other’s slight lisp was nothing short of endearing. “Now…would some milk tea stop your tears? There’s a café on the campus that’s open, and we have a while before homeroom.”

“That sounds perfectly lovely,” Sehun replied, his voice quivering in delight from the kindness that this stranger was performing for him.

And as he felt a strong arm snake around his slim waist and pull him close as they headed to the coffee shop, Sehun found himself smiling, really smiling, as he was pressed up against Jongin’s side. And feeling the comforting warmth radiating off his new acquaintance, Sehun had never felt that safe in his entire life.

Story Prompt: Timid Sehun gets picked on at school or in the training rooms and starts crying. Jongin notices and handles the bullies and gets Sehun to stop crying by buying him milk tea.