High school proved to be an interesting experience for Yunho. It probably had a lot to do with his two best friends and their escapades. Especially the taller of the two.

Changmin was still trying to protect him like he did in middle school. As if Yunho’s growth spurt, muscles, and newfound confidence was no match for high school bullies. He kept telling Yunho that he was taller and even if he was slimmer, what he lacked in muscle he made up for in presence. “You’re too nice, Yunho. You’d forgive them before they were properly punished.”

The boy looked from his lunch to his friend. He glanced at Yoochun, who was shaking his head and then went back to his lunch.

Yoochun’s voice drifted past his ears. “Min, that’s just your oversized ego talking. It likes the idea of you protecting someone who could crush you in a fight.” It was slightly muffled due to the food he was talking around, but they both heard it.

“I would never fight Changmin or you.” Yunho was still focused on his lunch, but Yoochun knew that tone anywhere. He and Changmin had spent years separating Yunho’s speech patterns from that tone. The one that seemed to say don’t think of me that way, the one that lacked the confidence that they had built up. The one that only showed up when he was around them.....now.

“Look at me Yunho.” When the boy’s eyes were staring at his he continued. “I know that and Changmin know’s that. I didn’t say that to make you feel bad. I was just stating a fact.” Yunho nodded his head in understanding and then turned to Changmin, who was glaring at Yoochun.

“Min.”

Silence. He seemed to be very upset with Yoochun and was making it known through the glare of the century.

“Min!!!!” Yunho’s scream captured Changmin’s attention and drew the attention of the entire cafeteria. He nodded at the rest of the students in apology and turned back to Changmin. “I can take care of myself. Having you as a friend is enough, I don't need you to fight my battles too." A slow smile was forming on Changmin's face, but Yunho wasn't done. "So eat and Shut Up.” The smile on Changmin’s face quickly evolved into something resembling appallment making him smirk, which heightened the other boys disbelief.

The boy across the table started to sputter. “Wh-Wh-Who are you? And what have you done with my Yunho?" The snickering started at Yoochun's side of the table. Yunho tried to hold it in but a chuckle escaped and from there chaos ensued.

Somehow Yoochun ended up sideways in Yunho’s lap, his small frame shaking with the force of his laughter. Yunho was trying to be still so that Yoochun wouldn’t fall but couldn’t stop laughing either. His hands were gripping the table, knuckles turning white with the force of it, just to keep them both upright. Changmin sat across the table glaring at both of them and muttering under his breath. Which only served to fuel the laughter of the other two.

Then the bell rang interrupting the moment and signaling the end of lunch.

It wasn’t until they were on their way to class that Yunho realized in the aftermath of the laughter, none of them had actually eaten lunch. We’ll just have to grab something on the way home. I wonder if I have any snacks in my bag. Changmin’s going to remember that he’s hungry soon. Lost in his thoughts he didn’t see the person coming around the corner until they collided.

That hurt. What the..  Before he could even finish his thought, he was picked up off the floor and shoved into the wall. The boy, giant, holding him up didn’t look happy. Yunho smiled. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t mean to bump into you.” He hoped his hurried apology would make the situation better, but the boy just growled and slammed him against the wall again.

“I hate freshman.” The look of disgust he was wearing had already convinced Yunho. His head hurt enough from the slam that the vocal confirmation wasn’t really needed. The guy wasn’t in any rush to set him down and Yunho didn’t want to fight. “Jock or not. Bump into me again and you die.” That’s it?

A fist came out of nowhere, no time to duck, nowhere to run, nothing to stop it from connecting with his stomach. He was dropped. He felt the floor when he hit it, but the punches were still coming and kicks had joined them. He didn’t even have time to think about how hard the floor was or wonder how it was possible to punch someone and kick them at the same time. He curled in on himself. Protecting his vital organs from the brunt of the assault.

They left. He didn’t move. He waited. Just in case. After five minutes, he thought it was safe to sit up. He surveyed the damage to the best of his ability. It wasn’t bad. Yoochun and Changmin would notice because he was starting to bruise. Yet, nothing was broken and no bleeding. He had got lucky.

Now, he just needed to move from this spot. They would notice he was missing soon, if they hadn’t already. He couldn’t let them find him on the floor. Yoochun would cry and hug him. Changmin would stand with his hands clenched at his sides. He would be trying to calm himself and it wouldn’t work. Then they would both start lecturing him. They would say that he could totally crush anybody that bullied him and they wished he would fight back. And how It was okay to defend himself, how much they disliked seeing him like this, how he was above all those that dared to lay a hand on him. He really didn’t want to talk about that again.

Up. Up. He leaned against the wall. It was comfortable. It was a lot better than the floor. Not as dirty. He knew he was a mess. Dirt covered one side of the clothes he was wearing. There were shoe prints all over his clothes and body. The places where he had been hit were starting to bruise. His face was slowly turning purple.

Yoochun was going to hover. Like he was his umma. Changmin was going to look at him worry evident in his eyes and get him whatever he wanted. He smiled at the thought. At least he was getting something out of this. As soon as they showed up.

Yeah. He would wait for his two friends, so he could be babied. He was going to lean against this wall until they arrived. He might even take a nap. That’s a better idea. They’d wake him up and he sunk to the floor.

“Changmin.” Yoochun stopped. He glanced behind them just to make sure. Yep, Yunho was definitely missing. The boy he was walking with seemed to be in his own world and their baby was missing. Even though Yunho could take care of himself now, he would always be their baby. The little boy that needed me to hold him while Changmin beatdown his bullies.

He slapped the boy beside him over the head. “Changmin!!!”

He turned with a glare. “Did you just hit me?”

“Yes. Yunho isn’t behind us.”

“What?” The boy turned and sure enough Yunho wasn’t there. He jogged to the corner they had just come around. He wasn’t there either. He started to run back in the direction of the cafeteria. He didn’t bother looking behind him. He knew Yoochun would be following.

The farther they got from where they were when Yoochun had noticed Yunho’s disappearance, the faster they ran. Yoochun would be out of breath soon but this was more important. It was never good when Yunho went missing. Changmin was right. Yunho was too nice therefore making him an easy target for bullies of all ages. Plus, he never fought back.

When Changmin rounded the next corner he stopped and from the way his back stiffened, Yoochun knew he was looking at Yunho.

“Go, Min. We can’t help him over here.” He was wheezing and panting, but managed to get the words out anyway. He stood trying to catch his breath, hands on his knees. When he could breathe moderately well again he moved. He nudged the boy in front of him forward. Changmin started moving, slowly, too slowly for Yoochun. He ducked around him so that he could get to the figure slumped against the wall, sitting on the floor. He could feel tears running down his cheeks as he glanced over Yunho’s body and fell to his knees.

He felt the hand coming up to wipe the tears. He grabbed it and held it. He heard Yunho’s voice and he couldn’t really make out what the boy was saying. The relief, that’s all he wanted to focus on. Yunho was actually awake this time. He felt another presence behind him. A hand landed on his shoulder pulling him up. It slid him to the side and helped the boy up.

They looked good standing beside each other. Yoochun allowed himself to stop and admire the perfection if only for a moment. The next second he was rushing to Yunho’s other side. Helping Changmin walk him towards the front doors of the school and Yoochun’s car.

“Where do you think you’re going? The day hasn’t ended.”

“We’re taking him home.” They didn’t stop.

The teacher’s voice got louder and more threatening. Freshman could not just skip out. They would get in trouble for leaving early.

They didn’t catch any of it because they were already in the parking lot. Yunho was leaning on Changmin while Yoochun opened the door. They laid him down in the back seat. They gave him their jackets to use as a pillow before climbing in the car.

As Yoochun backed out, they saw a teacher at the front doors with the principal pointing at them.

Whatever. It’s not like they would be missed in their last classes. It was Friday. With that thought in mind, he pulled out into the nearly deserted street..