E is for Endurance

“Move!”

JongUp ran forward and caught Kae before she slammed into the wall. He sighed in relief to see that she wasn’t hurt, but became worried again after noticing the pained look on her face.

“Thank you, Uppie…” she quietly spoke as he helped her up. He shot a glare at the group of girls that didn’t even bother looking back after pushing Kae.

“Do they always do this?” JongUp asked her, concerned as she picked up the papers she had been holding. His question went unanswered as she counted the papers in her hands and frantically searched for one that she was missing. Realizing he probably wasn’t getting a proper response until after Kae had found the paper was she looking for, he got on the ground to help her find the last piece of paper. He watched her gasp out in relief when she found it, crawling forward to grab it only to reel back in surprise when a foot deliberately stomped down and twisted, crunching the paper up. While Kae didn’t bother looking up at the one responsible, JongUp did. His teeth clenched in anger as he was about to tell the girl off when Kae pulled the foot up and took the paper out, doing her best to straighten it out while walking away, mumbling that the teacher might be upset that it was in such a condition. His eyes flashed with pity as he watched her leave.

Why were they acting this way with her?

~

“Noona! What happened?” JunHong gasped out as he rushed forward, away from his friends, and gently patted her head to get all the white chalk off her head.

Rather than answering, she just stared at the floor while JunHong paused, noticing the clear imprint of two chalk erasers on the top of her head. He looked down at Kae, worry evident in his voice as he spoke.

“Noona…are you being bullied?”

She didn’t respond. He softly told her to close her eyes. Kae did as she was told. Her face scrunched as she flinched in surprise when JunHong blew on her face to get the chalk off her visage. When she opened her eyes again, she saw JunHong’s sad expression as he rubbed the rest of the chalk off her chin.

“Hongie…”

His eyes met hers.

“…please don’t tell Jae…”

“But…noona…”

“…please…?”

He bit his lower lip as he nodded reluctantly.

JunHong felt his heart clench at Kae’s thankful, bright face at his agreement.

How long have they been picking on her like this?

~

“Ah! I got it!” HimChan exclaimed as he snapped his finger and pointed YongGuk. “Host club!”

He received a look of disgust and disapproval from the older male. Unfortunately, it went unnoticed as HimChan stopped in the middle of the road to pose. YongGuk stared in absolute awe as HimChan cupped his chin with his thumb and index finger in a V-shape while smirking, one foot propped on a fire hydrant.

“With our dashing good looks, we could make a fortune.”

“I swear to God, I will punch you in the face right now if you don’t get off that fire hydrant and come over here,” YongGuk threatened with a glare, earning him a pout from HimChan.

“Well, I don’t see you coming up with any good ideas!” he complained as his brain continued cycling through some ideas for what the lot of them could do now that they retired from the assassin work. They never really planned for the future since they were too busy training constantly to stay alive. While the two of them had dreams at one point, the youngest two never even had a chance to consider what they wanted to be when they grew up. The oldest two agreed that it would be too much for them to freeload under TS, so they would have to find a stable job, one that would preferably be low key and one that could support the younger ones through school. Until then, the two oldest were trying to find some part-time jobs here and there to get them started. The twins were going to join them later in the job search, starting at home since DaeHyun was still injured. While HimChan didn’t approve that the two of them weren’t going back to school, YongGuk managed to convince HimChan that if it’s something they didn’t want, forcing it wouldn’t be any good for anyone. The umma of the group grudgingly conceded.

“We’ll have to check to see how much money we’ve saved up. I guess we should stop by the bank first,” YongGuk mumbled as he marked up the newspaper he had in his hands.

“Yah, is this all you have?”

“Don’t your parents give you more than that?”

“Are you that poor?”

“Aish…this is why I hate you poor kids. It’s almost not worth it to take money from you…”

The two of them exchanged a brief look before rushing to the group of voices evidently bullying some poor kid out of their pocket change.

“Kae!” HimChan exclaimed in shock, immediately recognizing the little girl trapped in the corner of the group of girls picking on her. He dashed forward, forcibly pushing his way past them to the younger girl. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her and gently whispered that everything was going to be okay, Channie-oppa was there. His heart beat rapidly when she clung onto his sleeve and whimpered out.

“…Channie...oppa…”

“Kae, it’s okay…where’s Jae? He sh-”

Her eyes widened at YoungJae’s name and shook her head in fear. The girls had ran off by now with just one glare from YongGuk, his fiery aura enough to scare them all away without a single word or sound.

“Don’t tell Jae! Please don’t tell Jae!” she gasped out, shaking HimChan’s arm desperately. “J-Jae will hate me! Please don’t ever tell Jae, Channie-oppa!”

Her screams were becoming hysterical as YongGuk crouched down and patted Kae on the head.

“Kae…can you please tell us what’s been going on? To be honest…JongUppie and JunHongie have been worried about you as well…but we didn’t think it was this serious…that was a lot of people to be picking on you at once…” YongGuk asked softly as he soothingly her head to calm her down. Her breaths slowly steady so she was no longer hyperventilating.

“My baby Kae…please tell us…oh my gosh…do you have any idea how terrified Channie-oppa was seeing my precious Kae being surrounded by all those girls?” HimChan whined cutely in an attempt to coax the story out of her with a little humor, though the look in his eyes was proof that he had been awfully concerned. But she merely shook her head while burying her face in HimChan’s chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. YongGuk and HimChan exchanged a look, both of them lost as to what to do. HimChan glanced down helplessly as he placed his arm under her legs and cradled her in his arms, promising that everything would be okay.

He wished he could keep that promise…but he was unsure how to without telling YoungJae what they saw.

YongGuk glared holes into the wall in front of him.

This was completely unacceptable, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let this continue without repercussions.

If they couldn’t go to YoungJae, he would take this into his own hands.

~

“Kae?”

“Hmm?”

“Why don’t you wait for me?” YoungJae asked quietly as he held her hand. “I have some work to do…but it shouldn’t take long…”

She smiled, “Don’t worry, Jae. I’ll be okay.”

He bit his lip. “At least…get JongUppie or JunHongie to walk home with you then…”

She looked down briefly before throwing her head up and nodding in agreement.

“Okay, I’ll go find Uppie.”

He smiled back in relief, leaving a kiss on her forehead and ruffling her head. “Good girl. I’ll see you at home, okay?”

She nodded again and waved, watching him go back into the classroom. The smile on her face didn’t leave until after YoungJae had disappeared from her sight. Quickly, she made her way out of the school, not even bothering to try and find JongUp like she said she would. Just as she was about to make it to the exit of the building, a leg stuck out to trip her, causing her to fall on the floor. A roar of laughter surrounded her as she silently picked herself up off of the floor.

“Yah, yah, where you going in such a hurry, Kim KaeYeon?” one of the girls demanded, jabbed her in the forehead. Kae remained quiet, knowing it was less satisfying for them when she didn’t respond at all.

“Aren’t we friends, hmm? Or are you too good for us because you’re friends with that super nerd, Yoo YoungJae?”

“Super nerd or not, he’s hot!”

“Do you really think someone of that standard would actually like you if you act all cute around him?”

“I bet you’re just a charity case to him.”

She just let them poke and stab her with their fingers and words. It didn’t bother her. She didn’t care. She knew after this was over, she could go home and help HimChan with dinner while waiting for YoungJae to come home. HimChan was nice; he let her cut up vegetables as long as she was careful and didn’t hurt herself. She could wait for YoungJae at home. She just wanted to go home.

As long as she was quiet, they would stop, she convinced herself every time.

“Yah! Are you mute?!” one of the girls screamed in anger, raising her hand to strike Kae. She merely closed her eyes to wait for the impact.

But it never came.

She felt a hand squeeze her shoulder supportively. Her eyes darted up in surprise to find DaeHyun there. On her other side was DaeHee, who had a vice grip on the girl that was about to strike Kae. Her eyes were flaming in anger as her grip began to hurt the stick of a girl, causing her victim to scream in pain.

“Does it amuse you? Is it fun to see someone weaker than you in pain? Are your lives that pitiful that this is the only joy you can find in the world? Shall I deal it back to you in 10-fold?” DaeHee growled out menacingly as she dug her nails in.

“Let go! You’ll break my wrist!” the human stick panicked.

“Ah? Just your wrist? I was going for your whole arm, you little ,” DaeHee responded with a bright, innocent smile, reveling in the look of terror in the girl’s eyes.

“S-Stop…” Kae stuttered out, receiving DaeHee’s stare. The younger girl flinched and looked down. With a sigh, DaeHee threw the girl back into the rest of her group.

“You raise even one finger at Kae, and I promise I’ll break every single one of your fingers, one by one,” DaeHee growled as DaeHyun held Kae up. The twins simultaneously shot one last laser glare at the girls before walking Kae home.

Neither one of them said anything on the way back. They didn’t ask if Kae was okay. They didn’t tell her to tell YoungJae. They didn’t say a single thing until they got home.

“Thank you…Hyunnie…Hee…” she finally muttered out when they got home. DaeHee breathed deeply a few times.

“DaeHee…” DaeHyun called out, but his twin whipped around and gritted her teeth.

“How long has this been happening?” DaeHee questioned angrily. “That idiot Yoo YoungJae… is he blind?!”

Kae twitched when DaeHyun’s hand pushed her hair back to examine her forehead.

“Did you get hurt?” he looked her in the eyes, his own shimmering in concern. Kae shook her head, not even reacting despite the slight pain she got when DaeHyun lightly touched the bruise that had formed from their jabbing fingers. She was scared of the fuming DaeHee behind DaeHyun.

“When I get my hands on them…”

“Don’t…don’t tell Jae…”

“Why?” DaeHyun finally asked the question that had been on everyone’s mind. “Something like this…YoungJae should be the first to know…”

“Jae…Jae will hate me…”

“That’s ridiculous,” DaeHee countered harshly, not noticing Kae flinch at her tone. “That kid would tear out his own intestines and jump off a cliff before he could hate you.”

But still, Kae kept quiet and bit her lip in worry.

The twins shared a concerned glance.

“We won’t tell YoungJae as long as you promise you’ll stick with one of us anywhere you go. Whether it’s JunHong or JongUp or YoungJae at school…or me or DaeHee or HimChan-hyung or YongGuk-hyung anywhere else…got it?” DaeHyun compromised.

Slowly, Kae nodded her head.

“Good girl.”

~

Hyung, can you help me with my math homework?

YoungJae took his eyes off the large book in front of him to look at the text he just received from JongUp. Quietly, he answered back before going back to reading.

Sure, I’m in the library, come on over.

Buzz. Again, he glanced quickly at his phone and made an unhappy face at his phone.

I…promised a few classmates that you could help them too and there’s too many of us to work in the library quietly. Can you please come up to my classroom?

Sighing, YoungJae shook his head before answering.

Yah, you little twerp, you know I’ve been busy.

With a sneer, he placed his phone down, only for it to go off a few seconds later.

Hyung…please…

Sigh of defeat.

Aish, seriously, JongUppie…

Hyung jjang! b' 'd

He couldn’t help but smile at the cute emoji the younger one sent him. JongUp never usually asked for YoungJae’s help especially when he knows YoungJae has his own work to do, so the older one really couldn’t turn down the request. He returned the books to their rightful place so he could find them later before leaving to go find JongUp. He should be upstairs on the…

“Do you think you’re special?”

“Did you hire those two the other day to make us back off?”

“Aren’t you too much? That almost broke my wrist! Look at this bruise!”

“Yah! Explain yourself, Kim KaeYeon!”

YoungJae turned the corner to find Kae standing with her head down in front of an angry crowd of girls. Without any hesitation, he charged forward and wrapped his arm around Kae’s waist, pulling her away. He stepped in front of her with his back turned to the girls. But rather than confronting the girls, he checked Kae over thoroughly for any injuries. When he finished, he grabbed her hands and stared her straight in her eyes with pained eyes.

“Are you okay?”

Kae nodded rapidly.

YoungJae was surprised…by the fear in her eyes staring right back at him. As if…she was scared of him for some reason.

“What happened? How long has this been going on?” he questioned softly as he brushed the hair out of her face, completely ignoring the girls, who were currently unsure of how to react to the situation at hand.

“N-Nothing…Kae…is fine…” she answered ambiguously, turning her eyes to the ground and avoiding his probing questions. She looked up when he squeezed her hands.

“Kae…please tell me…Jae is…really sad right now…seeing Kae like this…does it hurt? Is Kae hurt?” he said gently.

“Aish, what a crybaby. Attention seeker,” cursed one of the girls quietly.

They flinched at the fiery glare YoungJae shot them over his shoulder, his back still turned to them as he made himself the barrier between Kae and the girls. His eyes were like lasers, burning holes into the girls. His voice was low and calm yet each word he spoke weighted heavily on them.

“If you girls don’t give us some privacy right now and stay the away from Kae, I will broadcast all of your most private matters on the internet. Your cell phone, your computer, everything, I will not hesitate to hack them and reveal all of your darkest secrets, spread it all over the school, ruin any of your chances to get into respectable schools, jobs, boyfriends. You don’t believe me? Are you willing to risk it? I’m not a tech geek for nothing. Get the out of here before I lose my temper. One word. From any of you. I will blow. Leave. Now.”

They shot each other wary glances. Despite not believing him, they weren’t willing to risk it. Regardless of what they did, once things get on the internet, there was no erasing it. And to be honest, the glare they received from YoungJae was more terrifying than any of the threats they received in the last few days from the other B.A.P boys.

And so they left without a sound or fight.

Kae stared in amazement at the dispersing crowd.

“J-Jae…”

Silence.

“…is…Jae mad at…Kae?” she asked timidly.

“How long…have they been picking on you?” he repeated in a whisper. “JongUp knows, doesn’t he? JunHong, too? Does everyone know? Does everyone know except me?”

She nibbled on her bottom lip in worry.

“…you used to always come to me…if you were hurting…” He looked down at the ground. “Do you not trust me to protect you anymore? Have you lost your faith in me?”

Kae shook her head and hugged YoungJae. His arms naturally wrapped around her back.

“No!”

“Then why am I the last to know?”

Silence.

“Kae…if you don’t tell me, who will you tell?”

Silence.

“Kae, look at me.”

Slowly, her eyes moved up his body to his face.

He smiled at her.

“No matter what happened, I won’t let you go through it alone anymore because Kae is important to Jae.”

Tears filled her eyes as YoungJae watched as her strong exterior began to crumble.

“Jae…Jae won’t hate me?”

YoungJae reeled back in genuine surprise.

“Kae…why would you ever think something like that? Of course not…I could never hate you.”

And she broke down, burying her face into his chest as tears streamed out endlessly.

“They…they told Kae that Jae just took care of Kae out of pity…and that Jae didn’t care about Kae…I…I didn’t care about their empty words…but…but they also said that it’s Kae’s fault Jae came to such an average school…that…Kae is ruining Jaes and that I was…I was weighting Jae down…that Jae is avoiding Kae…because he was annoyed…Kae began wondering if that’s why Jae stays after school to work in the library all the time…and tells Kae to go home first…and I began to believe their words…Kae really is a bother…she weighs Jae down…Jae would hate Kae if she bothered him…”

He stared at her in shock at her confession.

“Kae…”

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry…Kae is sorry…please don’t hate Kae…please don’t hate me…I’m sorry for not telling you…don’t hate me…I’m sorry to bother you…”

He hugged her tightly, muffling her cries.

“Kae…promise me…no matter what happens in the future that you’ll talk to me first about it…no matter what…because Kae is very important to me,” he whispered quietly as her cries began to subside. “I won’t ever leave you alone again. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you.”

As the two of them continued to have their moment, JongUp and JunHong smiled at each other from around the corner and exchanged a high five. He pulled out his cell phone and sent out another text message.

Mission success, Leader.

=====================================================================

/is not fond of how this chapter ended I apologize/

~Kira :3

P.S. HimChan…;_____; It’s so good to see you…

http://baptrans.tumblr.com/post/44431265223/130303-twitter-himchan

P.P.S. skyblaze208 is absolutely incredible for nominating this story for B.A.P Annual Fanfic Awards. ;_____; I have no interest in winning award or anything of that sort, I'm so incredibly flattered that you enjoy my story enough to nominate it. I sincerely thank you! ^ ^ Check out the on-going contest here: https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/390254