Kai strolled into class the next day, frowning a little when he saw that Jaemin’s seat was empty. *School is starting soon, where is she?*

Kai had his eyes fixed on the door, waiting for Jaemin to appear.

The first bell went off, signalling the start of lessons. Kai shook his head while turning towards the window. *Maybe she is late.*

The teacher came into the class soon and got started with his lesson for the day. Jaemin was still nowhere to be seen. Kai started panicking, worried that something might happen to her.

Kai glanced back at SooJung and saw that she was also looking at the door with her brows furrowed.

Kai sighed and sank deeper into his chair, folding his arms across his chest. *Trust her to tell me not to ditch when she’s probably the one ditching right now.*

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and he glanced towards the direction of the door immediately. There Jaemin was, standing by the door with a sheepish smile on her face. Kai’s eyes fleeted towards the bunch of female students sitting by the front rows when he heard them snickering.

He saw one of them pointing towards her lips before doubling over in laughter. Kai directed his attention back to Jaemin who was making her way towards her seat with her head hung low. He caught sight of a small plaster on the corner of her lips and her bottom lip was bleeding.

Jaemin walked past Kai without greeting him. She slid into her seat, ignoring the gazes from SooJung.

She sighed softly and prepared herself mentally for the interrogation she was going to receive later on.

**

“What the hell happened to you last night?! God I should have insisted on walking you home.” Kai barked. Jaemin winced at his loud voice and stared at the ground.

“Yah.” Kai nudged her. “Look at me.” Jaemin lifted her head up and glanced at Kai obediently. Kai inched closer towards her and his brows furrowed when he saw the injuries on her face.

Jaemin chuckled and pressed her finger on the middle of his furrowed brows, smoothing them out. She retracted her hand instantly when Kai was glaring at her.

“What exactly happened to you last night?” Kai asked, in a softer voice this time round. Jaemin grinned sheepishly and she rubbed the back of her neck. “I... Tripped over my leg and fell?”

Kai narrowed his eyes at Jaemin. “Do you honestly think that I’m going to believe that?”

Jaemin nodded a little too quickly. “Yes because it’s the truth.”

Kai sighed and brushed his fingers through his brown locks. “Seriously, Yoon Jaemin?”

“I’m really fine, alright? Quit worrying about me. Why is everyone so worried about me? What about you, Kim Jongin, are you fine?” Jaemin retorted.

Kai blinked. “I am. Why will I not be?”

Jaemin snorted. “Right, as if, I can sense that there’s something off about you.”

 “There’s nothing off about me, Jaemin.” Kai growled, angry that she wasn’t telling him the truth. “We should get back to class.” Kai muttered before turning away from Jaemin and making his way back to class.

Jaemin glanced at him, confused. *Is he... angry?* She shrugged and started walking back to class.

**

Jaemin stared into space while standing behind the cashier. She had to work every Monday to Thursday, at the cafe she met Kai and Kris yesterday.

“Jaemin! You are free to head home! Take care of yourself alright, you look a little pale!” MiYoon’s voice snapped her out of her trance.

Jaemin made her way into the employees’ room to change back into her uniform. She slipped her arms into her backpack and made her way towards the door. “Goodbye, MiYoon!” She shouted before heading out of the cafe.

During the entire journey home, Jaemin had her head hung low with a little frown playing on her lips. *Is Kai still angry with me?*

She sighed as she kicked a pebble that was in her way. She lifted her head up and saw that her house was right in front. She brightened up a little, glad that she can finally rest after a long day.

But her hopes were dashed when her hair was pulled back roughly. She was flung against the cement wall and she crumbled down onto the ground, wincing.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay away from Kai oppa?” *It’s them... Again.* Jaemin sighed mentally as she lifted her head up.

She was pulled up from the ground by the collar of her blouse. “What? Are you mute?” The girl, known as Hyunmi, smirked.

She slapped Jaemin across the cheek and pushed her against the wall. “Open your mouth and speak, you fool.” She slapped Jaemin again but harder this time round.

Jaemin saw her raising her hand up and she closed her eyes, preparing for the impact. After a few seconds, it never came. Instead, she heard a familiar voice.

“Don’t you dare lay another finger on her.” Jaemin opened her eyes and Kai was holding onto Hyunmi’s wrist while glaring at her.

Kai flung away Hyunmi’s wrist like it was a piece of trash. “Get out of my sight. NOW.” He roared and Hyunmi released her grip on Jaemin’s collar immediately. She scurried away with her underdogs.

Kai grabbed Jaemin’s wrist and dragged her towards her house. He let go of Jaemin’s wrist when the both of them were in front of her apartment and motioned towards the door. Jaemin fumbled through her bag and took her keys out, unlocking the front door.

She stepped into her house with Kai behind her. She traced her fingers along the wall and she flipped the switch for the lights when she found it.

“Where’s your first aid kit?” Kai asked in a low voice. Jaemin pointed towards the cabinet beside her bed and Kai brushed past her, heading to grab the first aid kit.

Jaemin bit her lower lip and chided herself mentally when she tasted blood. She walked over to the couch and plopped down. Kai sat beside her and opened the first aid kit, taking out a plaster and antiseptics.

He moistened a cotton pad with antiseptics and dabbed it on the corner of Jaemin’s lips with a little too much force. Jaemin hissed at the stinging effect of the antiseptics. Kai gently tore away the plaster that covered her old wound.

He cleansed the wound with antiseptics before replacing it with a new plaster. He glanced at the wound on the bottom of Jaemin’s lips which was still bleeding.

He wiped away the blood with a tissue and threw it in the trashcan along with the piece of cotton pad. “Don’t bite it.” He said while getting up from the couch.

Jaemin watched as he placed the first aid kit back in the cabinet and grabbed his bag from the couch. He walked towards the door and slipped on his shoes. “Lock the door.” That was all that he said before he went out of Jaemin’s house.

Jaemin sighed and trudged towards the door, locking it. *He’s definitely angry with me.*

~~

“Is that kid angry with you?” Kris asked after he caught sight of the death glares Kai was sending over to Jaemin. Jaemin glanced at Kai briefly before looking back to Kris.

“Yeah, he is.” Jaemin frowned.

“Did you lie to him?” Kris pushed Jaemin’s forehead back with his finger. Jaemin swatted his hand away. “Well, I did, sort of.”

Kris sighed and shook his head, causing Jaemin to look up at him curiously. “He hates being lied to.”

Jaemin grimaced. “Wow, thanks, giant.” Jaemin handed Kris his cup of ice cappuccino. “There you go. Now go away, giant.”

Kris snorted and grabbed the cup from Jaemin, heading towards Kai’s table. Jaemin sighed softly before attending to the new customer standing in front of the cash register.

It was Tuesday and Jaemin headed to work as per normal. Kai didn’t even speak to Jaemin during the whole day in school.

“So what did she do to deserve your wrath?” Kris chuckled. Kai shot a glare at Kris before sighing. “She lied to me.”

Kris snickered. “I knew it. But, Jaemin doesn’t lie for nothing. I understand that better than anyone else. I knew her since she was 7.”

Kai messed up his brown locks, vexed. “That’s why I’m angry, Kris! She lied because she didn’t want me to worry about her.”

Kris shook his head while taking a sip of his iced cappuccino. “Typical Jaemin. She’s the kind of girl that hates worrying others, Kai. She would gladly get herself killed in order to protect someone who is important to her. I’m serious.”

Kai groaned in frustration.

“Just cut her some slack, would you? She’s suffering from the cold treatment you are giving her.” Kris lightly punched Kai in his shoulder. “I’m leaving first, I have classes later on. See you around, Kai!”

Kai nodded and waved at Kris. He glanced at Jaemin who was busy taking the orders of the customers. *You are an idiot from head to toe.*

Kai leaned against the railings outside the cafe, waiting for Jaemin.

“What’s so nice about the floor that you can’t stop staring at?”

“Aren’t you angry with me?” Jaemin mumbled with her eyes still glued onto the floor.

“I am but I decided to forgive you if you promised that you will never ever lie to me again.” Kai narrowed his eyes at Jaemin.

Jaemin’s head snapped up instantly and a large grin was on her face. Her eyes were curled into crescents. “I won’t ever lie to you again.”

Kai chuckled and nudged her. “Stop smiling like that please, it’s creeping me out.”

Jaemin stuck her tongue out, ignoring what he had just said. *You are an idiot that I really feel like protecting.* Kai thought as he glanced at Jaemin who was still smiling like a fool. 

Just a short update! 

I have a lot of spare time on hand since I skipped school. Whoops. 

I love you all, my dear subbies~~