Heungsoo pulled the strap on his backpack a little tighter wincing slightly as the strap bit into a bruise he hadn't even know that he had. Seungri High School loomed in the distance making Heungsoo expelled a frustrated sigh. He had decided that morning that Namsoon would not go to school that day because of his injury and because Heungsoo didn't want to be explaining all day why Namsoon was so hopped up on whatever pain killers he and Yi Kyung had found lying around.

"Heungsoo oppa wait up."

Heungsoo froze and hunched over in annoyance. Craning his neck to look behind him, he saw Ha Kyung and Kang Joo skipping towards him. He groaned, he had forgotten about the group of misfits that had come as a Namsoon's package deal. The two frightfully annoying girls reached his side. Ha Kyung linked her arm through his while Kang Joo crossed her own arms and glared at Heungsoo like he had stolen her ice cream or something.

"What do you two nuisances what?"

Ha Kyung giggled.

"You know Heungsoo you had better start getting used to our presence. We have decided that we are going to be around for a very, very long time but alas we are here to walk with one of our besties to school while asking him a question."

Heungsoo bristled at the girls words. He noticed that a few other students were staring in their direction.

"What do you what to know?" he hissed out between clenched teeth.

Kang Joo spoke this time.

"Oh just where the heck Namsoon is. Young Woo told us that Namsoon was cleared of stealing the papers then nothing you idiots just leave us hanging."

Heungsoo shrugged.

"Sorry something came up and Namsoon wasn't feeling well this morning so he decided to stay at home."

"Does it have something to do with what Yi Kyung told you yesterday."

Heungsoo jumped a meter in the air at the disembodied voice. He spun around coming face to face with a nonchalant Young Woo.

"When...How...Where...What..." Heungsoo spluttered out. Young Woo shrugged.

"Sorry about that hyung but I came to tell you the news. Ms. Jung found the stolen exam safely tucked away in her basket."

The girls clapped while Heungsoo shoved his hands deep into his pockets. Young Woo looked directly at Heungsoo, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"So is the real reason Namsoon not coming to school today because of what Yi Kyung said to you yesterday?"

Heungsoo just nodded preparing himself mentally for the barage of questions that would obviously come.

"What did Yi Kyung say?"

"Is Namsoon okay because I swear if he isn't I will blame you."

Heungsoo held up his hands.

"Calm down will you. I will explain everything but lets walk and talk. I don't want to be be late for school again."

Ji Hoon pressed the ear bud into his ear and sat back into his seat on the bus. He smiled slightly as his favourite song played while he slightly swayed his head in time with the music. The bus stopped to let on more passengers and Ji Hoon shifted so that he took up both seats. He hated people sitting next to him on the bus, it always felt so odd to have some stranger sit so close.

The bus finally arrived at Seungri High School and the few students on the bus hurried to get off, not because they were eager to go to school but because the driver was a bit of a sadistic and would pinch them if they were still on the bus by the time he had counted to five.

Ji Hoon secured the strap of his nearly empty bag and started to trudged towards the gate. He knew not to wait for Yi Kyung that morning as the boy had come early for some assessment. Ji Hoon huffed at the thought, he still didn't understand why the other boy was so desperate to get into college and more so why they had to keep it from Jung Ho. He shook his head, he felt like the Yi Kyung he knew and loved was changing into some one he didn't recognise.

He was so into his own world that he screamed as a hand reached out and grabbed him, pulling him into a corner. A hand reached out and ripped the earphones from his ears.

"Shut up moron! Before some one thinks that you are been attacked."

Ji Hoon pulled his face at his attacker, Jung Ho.

"Well it did seem like you were attacking me." 

He stuffed his earphones and his ipod into his bag.

"By the way why did you pull me like that."

Jung Ho shoved his hands into his pocket and shrugged.

"Sorry man. Its just that I really need to talk and you didn't see to see me when I called out."

 Ji Hoon naively smiled.

"That's okay man. Sorry I had my music on really loud. So what did you want to talk about, is everything okay. Do you need money?"

Jung Ho bristled at the concern in the others voice. He could never understand why Ji Hoon and Yi Kyung had this need to constantly worried about him. They were always trying to help him. He reminded himself that he needed answers so taking two deep breaths to calm himself, he smiled back at Ji Hoon.

"No, No I alright with all that at the moment. No you see I want to talk about Yi Kyung.I am worried about him you see. Lately I feel like he has been pulling away from me...from the group. You two are my best friends and so I want to know what is going on in your lives."

He smiled sadly. He hoped that Ji Hoon would accept the lie and if the other boy's sad look was anything to go by, then he had. Jung Ho had to keep in the sadistic smile that he felt brewing. He couldn't believe how stupid Ji Hoon could be at times. Yi Kyung would have seen right through the lie, he knew that Jung Ho had never cared about them and he never would.

"Well you can't tell Yi Kyung that I told you this but I have been feeling the same. I feel like he is becoming a different person, he has been keeping secrets and doing things that he would never have done at the beginning of the year. A while back I found booklets and applications in his room. He wants to go to college and get a job. He said that he wanted to get us away from a bad life, he said that he would need a college degree and a job to look after us."

Jung Ho suddenly stopped Ji Hoon's little tirade.

"What do you mean us? Why would he look after you?"

Ji Hoon's eyes widened as he realised what he had just said. He stumbled backwards after catching the look on Jung Ho's face.

"He wouldn't I mean because we would probably end up being roommates for a while. Come on Jung Ho, I didn't mean anything by it, just forget I said anything."

Jung Ho wrapped his fingers around Ji Hoon's collar and pulled him forward. Snarling into the other boy's face he said.

"Are you a Namsoon. Are you a , a freak? Because if you are I will make your life a living hell."

Ji Hoon shook his head. The look on Jung Ho's face terrified him. It was a look that he had only seen once before. It was the look of pure hatred. Ji Hoon panicked and said the first thing that came to mind.

"No I'm not...but Yi Kyung is. He has a crush on me but I told him we can only be friends."

Jung Ho let go of Ji Hoon's shirt and took a step back. His face had relaxed into one of thoughtfulness. He suddenly smiled and smoothed out the crease he had made on Ji Hoon's shirt.

"Sorry about that man. Listen Yi Kyung is a traitor and a freak. He warned Heungsoo about the little accident I had planned for Namsoon and now I find out he like boys. Soon he will learn what it means to be disloyal to me but listen I don't want you to end up like him."

Ji Hoon's heart was racing.

"Wait, what are you going to do with him?"

Jung Ho smirked as he squeezed Ji Hoon's shoulder.

"Well lets just say once the gang find out about him. Well he won't be very welcome any more not to mention he will have me as an enemy. But listen you may want to break away from any associations you have with him. It would be dangerous for you and if you are not careful then you may get labeled a traitorous too."

Ji Hoon gave a nervous smile and shook his head. His couldn't think straight, he had just outed Yi Kyung, some one who he cared a lot about while making him sound like some ert. He knew that he should try to rectify the situation. Lie and tell Jung Ho that he had just being silly and that Yi Kyung wasn't a traitor but he couldn't find the courage to speak.

"Ji Hoonie!"

He turned at the sound of his name been called and his eyes widened at the sight of Yi Kyung. The boy had no idea that he was now on Jung Ho's list of people he wanted to kill. 

"What does that want." he heard Jung Ho whisper behind him.

Yi Kyung stopped in front of Ji Hoon and shot him a warm smile before he narrowed his eyes, ever so slightly in Jung Ho's direction.

"Hey."

Ji Hoon grimaced waiting for the fight to begin but Jung Ho's response confused him.

"Hey Kyungie. You're early today. You don't usually crawl out of bed until late afternoon."

Yi Kyung smiled, his eyes crinkling in amusement yet the tension in his shoulders did not leave.

"Yeah my neighbour had another fight with his wife and woke me up. So I thought that I might as well come into school early."

Jung Ho gave a small laugh.

"Well I have to go pee. I'll meet you guys inside..."

He placed his hand on Ji Hoon's shoulder

"And..." his eyes flickered over to Yi Kyung before coming back to Ji Hoon 

"Don't forget what I said."

A thin ray of  mid-morning sunlight filtered in through the curtained window and landed straight across the sleeping Namsoon's eyes. He struggled into consciousness and stretched out his weary body. He recognised the deep ache in his muscles as the after effects of a fight and as he further stretched he felt a sharp pain flare up across his side. The memories of the day before suddenly came crashing back and Namsoon groaned.

He sat up slowly clutching at the wound on his side. He smacked his lips together, grimacing at the taste in his mouth. It tasted of dried blood and unwashed teeth. 

He shifted, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. With his free hand he reached over to his bedside table and grabbed his cell phone. He unlocked it and was shocked at the time displayed on the screen.

12.45

He noticed that he had five messages on his phone. He opened them up one by one and read them.

The first was from Heungsoo.

Hey 

Don't worry about coming into school today, I have told the teachers that you have a stomach ache. I thought It would be best if I let you sleep.

I made you some ramen (as that is the only thing you had in your cupboard) and their are some pain killers on the table. TAKE THEM!

Also don't do anything to strenuous those stitches need to stay in place.

Love you

The next three messages were from his friends wishing him good health. The last one was from Ms. Jung telling him that to get better soon and to remember to do his homework.

He rolled his eyes at the last message. He never did homework and he show as hell wasn't going to start now. He slowly made his way to the bathroom so as to relieve himself and perhaps clean up a bit.

He went about his business trying desperately to avoid looking in the mirror. He could tell from the certain aches and pains that he probably looked really bad. He stepped out of the shower and carefully dried himself of noting the blossoming bruises on his body along with the stitched up gash on his side. Finally he made eye contact with the mirror and was pleasantly surprised at how normal his face looked. He had a slight bruise on his jaw, coloured in purple and ringed in yellow and then there was a small gash across his eyebrow but it was an old injury that would open up every now and then.

All in all he looked okay. He stomached suddenly grumbled, signally that it was time for that ramen that had been so lovingly prepared. As he sat and slurped up his noodles, he thought back to the events of the previous day. The whole thing had been a set up. Jung Ho hated him so much that he was willing to go to such lengths to prove that he was the alpha dog. Namsoon shuddered at the thought that had Heungsoo not pitched up when he had then Namsoon would most probably have been killed.

He remembered the pain of the sharp blade as it had entered his side and he vowed never to get stabbed again. Which brought him to the fact that some one had stitched him up last night. He frowned, he had been on the verge of unconsciousness when Heungsoo had dragged him from the bus, He remembered calling some one and reciting the words that Heungsoo had shouted in his ear.

It had been a boy that he was sure of. He brow crinkled further in concentration, he actually now remembered a boy sitting next to him, his hands dotted with red.

It couldn't have been Minki or Young Woo, he may not know his friends as well as he should but he was sure that neither of them could stitch anything together. Minki would have fainted at the sight of the blood and Young Woo had failed the stitching course when they had been forced to do home ed.

Suddenly a memory came through, blurred and hazy around the edges but he could make out the face of the boy. It was Yi Kyung and in the background he could make out the blurry figures of Heungsoo and Ji Hoon.

He chuckled. Either he had gone mad or his enemies minions had swopped sides. His laughter stopped as he picked up the pain killers and the little note underneath it.

Hey listen we kinda ran out of human pain killers so Ji Hoon offered the ones that the vet gave his cat when he got neutered. It is all the same stuff but if you feel sick or whatever just call a doctor or Heungsoo. Oh and sorry about the crappy job I did with the stitches but hey at least your intestines won't fall out.

Yi Kyung

Namsoon shook his head and let out a frustrated sigh. At times like this he wish he had a responsible adult around.

Hello lovely readers. Sorry for the super loooooong time it took for me to update but alas...life. Hehe anywho hope you enjoy this chapter. I know it is a bit short and focuses more on Ji Hoon but hey who doesn't like some gut wrenching drama?

P.S I have no idea if they have Home Ed in S. Korea but I needed that little line for the story so let's just say it was a one time thing.

Thank you for been such great readers love you all!!!!!!!!!!