“Look who’s here?” Aron sauntered into the classroom together with his friends who had smug looks on their faces.

Junhong lifted his head from the desk and found Aron standing before him, smiling like he was greeting someone he hadn’t seen for a long time.

Junhong blinked and scooted closer to the window, averting his gaze. The other two stood beside him, commenting on Junhong’s hair. Not that his hair was weird. His hair was perfectly black, nothing unusual.

“What are you doing here all alone, twig?” Aron bent down to meet Junhong’s eyes. Junhong looked away and kept his mouth shut. “You know it’s P.E right now. Are you ditching class?”

Junhong glanced at him for a second but then looked down at the desk, his hands on his lap. It wasn’t that he wanted to ditch class. He’d forgotten to bring his tracksuit so the P.E teacher had dismissed him.

“Yaa, I don’t think he can talk.” JR nudged Aron in the elbow and laughed.

“Maybe there’s a button to make him talk,” Baekho prodded Junhong’s shoulder, causing Junhong to flinch in response.

It had been almost two weeks since Junhong transferred to this school and he didn’t like it at all. The students were harsh to him and some of the girls flirted with him but he didn’t like them doing that because the boys would send him piercing glares whenever one of the girls tried talking to him. Some even threw rude remarks about him being mute and weird which had greatly affected Junhong’s self esteem.

The school was a hell in disguise. 

Junhong didn’t want to go to school. He hated it. He wanted to run away from that place. He wanted to hide somewhere else where no one would find him.

He just wanted to wait for Yongguk to come and get him.

“Are you retarded or something?” Aron pushed Junhong’s head. “Can you talk or not? Why aren’t you answering me? Did your tongue get cut off?”

“This twig is no fun,” JR folded his arms and looked at Baekho. “What do you think, Baekho? Shouldn’t we do something to make it fun?”

“Rooftop?” Baekho smirked.

Junhong stared at them blankly, blinking repeatedly. He didn’t know what they were planning but judging by the looks on their faces, Junhong knew he wouldn’t like it even a tad bit. He could sense pure malevolence weighing down the atmosphere.

“To the rooftop we go!” Aron exclaimed as he grabbed Junhong by the arm, dragging him out of his seat.

Junhong fought back, pulling his arm away from the bully but the other two took his legs and then the next thing Junhong knew, he was at the rooftop.

The moment they reached there, the three of them dropped him on the ground. Aron bent down in front of Junhong and poked his forehead.

“Let’s play a game, twig.” Aron rubbed his hands together, grimaced at the cold weather and then looked down at him again. “We throw you a punch or a kick and you return them with words.”

“Nice one,” JR patted Aron on the shoulder and chuckled as he bent down beside him. “I really wanna hear him talk. Hey, twig; you’re not mute, are you?”

Junhong dragged himself away from them and eyed the door that led back to the school building. If he were fast enough, maybe he could sprint and escape from them. Baekho noticed him looking at the door and started laughing.

“You’re thinking of running away?” he raised his eyebrows.

Junhong stared at him for a moment, his breath stuck in his throat.

“So what do you want, twig? A punch or a kick?” Aron asked him, his arms folded.

“Let’s just give h-Yaa!” JR yelled when Junhong shoved him away and sprinted towards the door.

Junhong was only a step away from the door when someone crushed into him—causing Junhong to graze his cheek on the rough, cemented ground— and pinned him down. When Junhong rolled to lie on his back, he realized that Baekho had caught him. He didn’t even notice him running after him.

Junhong tried squirming out of his grip but Baekho was far stronger than him. Baekho was a masculine guy while Junhong was just a thin boy.

Well, Junhong would’ve fought harder but he refused to do so.

He’d made a promise to Yongguk that he wouldn’t use violence as solution. He would never break that promise. He didn't want to disappoint his brother.

Hyung, please come back and take me with you.

Before Junhong could recover from his fall, Aron walked up to him and started kicking him—straight to his gut. Junhong winced in pain and curled himself in fetal position, crawling towards the door only to be dragged away once again.

This time JR and Baekho joined in. They kicked, punched and even spat at him; their menacing laughter resonated throughout the rooftop. Junhong could only slam his eyes shut and pray that everything would end soon.   

♦

Junhong stood behind a tree and stared at Himchan from across the street. Himchan had just gotten back from the convenience store and now he was in front of his house, locking the door of his car.

Junhong had been watching him for almost two weeks. Everyday, after he was finished with school, he would unconsciously follow Himchan from the convenience store and back to his house. It had become his daily routine. Junhong didn’t know why he did that.

He just felt like watching him— watching the murderer living his life peacefully.

Breathing, smiling and conversing with the neighbors.

His life was perfect while Junhong’s was that of hell.

It wasn’t fair.

Why did Himchan get to live happily after killing someone? Why did Junhong have to suffer more after losing the one he dearly loved?

It was drizzling.

Himchan held his see-through umbrella above his head and made his way towards the front door. He delved into the pocket of his beige coat and produced a key. Then he unlocked the door after fumbling with the key with much difficulty since he was carrying the umbrella in one hand and the other carrying his briefcase.

Junhong took a step closer but only to stand in front of the tree.

He could see Himchan bending down at the doorway, dropping the umbrella and the briefcase on the carpeted floor. He was smiling at something. When Junhong strained his eyes, he could see that Himchan was a white cat.

Himchan cuddled the cat in his arms and started talking to it. Junhong couldn’t listen to what he was saying because he was too far away and all he could hear at the time was the drizzle coming down from the dark sky.

After petting the cat with pure affection, Himchan released it from his embrace and let it walk along the hallway. Then he turned around to close the door.

But he stopped.

His eyes met Junhong’s.

Junhong stood still, his hands once again trembling—not from the cold but from the anger he’d kept hidden inside for a long time.

Junhong dragged his legs slowly and painfully, making his way towards Himchan. The pain was still there. The bullies did a pretty good job in beating him up. If only Junhong hadn’t made that promise, he would’ve choked them to death mercilessly.

Himchan kept his eyes on Junhong, noticing that the boy was limping. Junhong continued walking despite the searing pain that was threatening to take him down any minute.

Himchan gasped in surprise when he realized that Junhong was covered with cuts and bruises.

“Hey, what happened?” ignoring the light rain, Himchan rushed to Junhong and stared at him worriedly. “Kid, are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

Junhong only stared at him blankly, his hands still trembling.

“Can you hear me?” Himchan asked, creasing his forehead.

Junhong stepped closer until they were only an inch away from each other. Himchan blinked but Junhong didn’t.

Then Junhong reached out his hands to the man.

Bring my brother back to me.

The next thing Junhong knew, he was falling to the ground.

But the murderer caught him.