Crush On Mr. Lead Goon
Smultronstället
A few days had passed since the pool incident and, thankfully there were no mentions of it save for the soft snickering from Yongguk’s goons every time Junhong walked past. He ignored them for the most part, which probably pissed them off, so they decided to get him back in little ways throughout the following days. One day he’d gotten tripped in the lunchroom and had to wear his smelly gym clothes the rest of the day and another day they decided to push him in front of the gym teacher when he asked for a volunteer only for one to feign tripping and pulling his shorts down to reveal his underwear to the whole class.
Today however, it’d been quiet - Junhong couldn’t help but worry what they had up their sleeves. He’d gotten through even lunch without anything from them - even the snickering and odd gestures in the hallway. It’s almost as though they’d given up because he gave them no reaction (hell, at this point, nothing could beat the pool prank, they were just using old tricks anyhow). But he knew better than to get used to it - they were probably pooling their resources together to do an even meaner prank soon.
He’d gotten so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t even noticed that the bell had already rang for the next class and he was slowly getting left behind at his locker. When he finally came to his senses, it was because someone, a very familiar someone, knocked into him, causing all of his books to fall out of his arms, scattering across the floor, one even sliding a good three feet away from him. He growled out and got down on his knees to gather his books, heaving a deep sigh and questioning ‘why me’ under his breath.
—
Yongguk bopped his head to the steady beat of the hip-hop music drifting from the headphones currently covering his ears, letting his feet guide him to the usual hideout he used for skipping classes. He normally didn’t skip his history class as it was a subject he found oddly interesting, but his mood wasn’t exactly the best right then because of his idiotic ‘friends’ and their need to be incredibly… idiotic. So, today, he decided it was best for everyone involved if he skipped class and listened to music to cool off.
Walking through the now empty hall, Yongguk let the music take him over, drifting from side to side and gesturing with his arms to convey the words being sung. At one point, he wasn’t sure when, he bumped into a very solid something and nearly tripped over himself in the process. He caught himself before his face could meet the floor and, musical reverie broken, promptly turned around to see just what it was he’d bumped into.
He quickly discovered that it was not a what but a who and he immediately recognized said who as the freshman his friends had added to their list of favorite students to pick on and humiliate. He watched as the boy bent down to pick up his scattered schoolbooks while grumbling to himself. He was oh so tempted to leave right then but seeing as it had been his fault that he’d dropped everything in the first place, decided that he should help him.
It had nothing to do with him feeling guilty because he didn’t feel guilty about anything. Bang Yongguk was simply a man of morals and principles.
Picking up a book that had slid way out of the boy’s reach, Yongguk moved closer to the freshman and bent down to finish helping him. “Here…” He murmured, holding out a couple of slim notebooks and some papers to the younger.
Junhong huffed softly, ready to stand up and snap at the person who knocked into him only to see the person crouch down and begin helping him. He blinked in awe and chanced a look up, his eyes widening upon seeing who it was. ‘Yongguk…’ To say he was shocked would be an understatement - he had to literally pinch himself to make sure this was even real. The leader of the goons who’d been so relentlessly teasing him had not only bumped into him and knocked his books out of his arms, but helped him pick them up!
He was sure Yongguk was thinking he was a little weirdo because he didn’t accept the books the guy held out to him at first, instead he blinked, opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish out of water. He coughed suddenly and took the books, nodding his head some, “Ah.. thanks…” He murmured, setting them on top of the stack he’d made already. He grabbed up the few extra papers that fell out and stood, his books back in his arms as they were before. “Thank you, sunbaenim…” He bowed his head politely.
Yongguk made no comment about the freshman’s shocked staring regarding the fact that he was helping pick up his stuff even though he was sorely tempted to tell him it would help to take a picture so it would last longer. When the boy finally took his books and stood, he dusted off the knees of his uniform slacks as he stood up himself, observing him with a raised brow as he bowed and thanked him. He thought about not saying anything to the voiced gratitude but that little nagging voice in the back of his head reminded him to at least say something because it was his own fault this had happened in the first place and that he should be grateful he was getting any thanks at all after what his friends had done to the boy.
“You’re welcome…” He grunted softly to the freshman, maneuvering his headphones back onto his ears and turning back around to head in the direction of his hiding place. Despite his best attempts, he couldn’t stop his arm as it raised of its own accord and waved a lazy goodbye at the boy behind him. ‘I’m getting too soft...’ He grumbled inwardly as he forced his arm back down and turned the corner.
Junhong only thought he was shocked with the guy, but it seemed that wasn’t enough. He stood in awe as he had an inner struggle with himself before he uttered a “welcome”, though it sounded a bit reluctant. Junhong had thought he had all the goons and their leader figured out, but perhaps he didn’t know as much as he thought he did. He blinked and nodded as Yongguk put his headphones back on his ears before turning and walking away again. Junhong tilted his head and watched him leave, raising an eyebrow at the wave, which looked a little awkward and was gone a bit too soon.
He hid a small smile, turning back to his locker and fixing his books up properly before locking it up and heading in the opposite direction to his class. He couldn’t help but feel a little bit lighter in his steps and he didn’t even mind the tardy slip he was sure to get. Bring on detention if need be - he was making a bit of headway with Yongguk, even if it was only the first step. Soon, perhaps, he wouldn’t be bullied.
—
“Wait, what?!” Jongup squawked rather loudly at his younger friend later that day in the practice room of their dance club, eyes as wide as saucers. While they worked on stretching for the rigorous practice soon to come, Junhong had been recounting how’d he’d almost gotten detention because of the brief exchange he’d had in the hallway earlier, but all thoughts of stretching were quickly forgotten upon hearing the name ‘Yongguk’ leave the other’s lips.
“Quiet, Jongup!” The instructor snapped, eyes narrowed on the sophomore.
“Sorry seonsaengnim…” Said boy muttered apologetically, blushing brightly and quickly moving one arm over his chest, holding it in place with his other as he stretched it. He waited until the instructor’s attention was elsewhere before looking at Junhong once more. “You mean to tell me that Bang Yongguk, leader of the bully brigade and all-around sadist, actually helped you in the hallway and spoke to you and you came away alive and completely unharmed?” He hissed quietly at the other boy, obviously still trying to wrap his head around the whole thing.
When the other boy merely nodded, Jongup’s eyes began twinkling with something akin to amazement, “Wow… you’ve got to tell me your secret, Junhong-ah.”
After the instructor snapped at Jongup and sent a nasty look his own way, Junhong couldn’t help but snicker. He mimicked Jongup’s stretching before moving onto his legs, rubbing down his knee and shin. “I don’t have a secret though!” He responded, frowning, “If I do, then I don’t know about it - I was in shock the whole time, I think he thought I was a complete idiot or something.” He closed his eyes and gave a pout while rubbing circles around his ankle when he hit a particularly sore spot that he’d somehow managed to not know about until now. When that leg was done, he did the same with his other one, opening his eyes and staring at the floor in front of him.
The two boys fell into a silence after a few minutes before Junhong spoke up, his voice soft so the teacher didn’t hear, “Yah, hyung… why do you think he was being so nice anyways? I mean, if he’s the leader, surely he tells his goons what to do, right?” He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Jongup questioningly. Now that he thought about it, aside from being constantly bullied and made fun of by the goon squad, he knew nothing about them (Yongguk’s name being revealed was a fluke in the first place).
Jongup shrugged one-sidedly, a small hum leaving his throat as he finished up his last stretch before straightening up. “You would think so…” He started, a thoughtful frown making its appearance on his lips. “But in all the encounters I’ve had with the resident bullies, I don’t think he ever said a word. He just stood off to the side and watched. Like… he didn’t intend to help them but he wasn’t going to stop what they were doing either…” He nodded, shrugging once more.
“Hana noona told me once that she went to middle school with Yongguk and how he used to get into all sorts of trouble. She said that even though she was in a different grade than him, she still knew who he was because he was so prideful of the trouble he caused and fights he got into.” He rolled his eyes at that but continued, “She said that she heard he was nice when he wanted to be and that he even started a food fight one time when these guys tripped a girl and caused her to get food all over her clothes, but she was never sure if it was out of sympathy for the girl or just because he wanted to start a fight of some sort.” He explained, eyebrows furrowing suddenly.
“Yah… why are you so worried about it anyway, Junhong-ah?” Jongup questioned, scrutinizing the other boy for a moment before his eyes widened. “Don’t tell me that…. that you have a crush on Bang Yongguk?!” He whispered sharply, keeping his voice as quiet as possible.
Junhong nodded his head some as Jongup explained, hiding a smirk at the mental image of a middle school aged Yongguk pridefully boasting about his misdemeanors around school. While the image was in the forefront of his mind, he almost missed Jongup’s whispered words, but as soon as they’d processed in his mind, he turned wide eyes to his friend. “What!?” He practically shouted, causing his teacher to give him a firm look and a “SH!”. He lowered his head apologetically and then turned a stare to Jongup. “I do not like him! How could you even think that!?” He hissed, swatting at his friend, hoping he’d stop with the surprised look on his face.
Deciding the only way to get out of being scrutinized further (and possibly teased), Junhong decided to change subjects, but before he got a chance to, class started - effectively saving him, although Jongup still gave him a curious look every now and then, which he shrugged off quickly. How could he have a crush on Mr. Lead Goon anyways? It was impossible - they’d barely said two words to each other and Jongup was forgetting the little fact that Yongguk liked to bully the living hell out of them both!
‘Then again… Jongup did mention that he’d never actively participated… ARGH what am I thinking!?’ He groaned under his breath at his own thoughts and decided to put himself into his dancing rather than think further on the whole subject of Yongguk.
An hour and a half later saw the two boys leaving their dance class, muscles sore and sweat dripping from their soaked hair. It had been yet another exhausting session but Jongup and Junhong had had too much fun to even begin to complain. Dancing was the one thing at school that the two of them looked forward to after all.
The walk down the hallway that would lead them to the entrance of the school was a quiet one, the two of them lost in their own thoughts while simultaneously trying to recover from the intense dancing they’d just done. It didn’t last for long though as Jongup’s thoughts eventually led him to their earlier conversation and his younger friend’s possible crush on one Bang Yongguk.
“So…” Jongup started casually, glancing briefly at Junhong before continuing, “About Yongguk… are you sure--” He paused in his question at the ‘don’t even start’ look the freshman had suddenly pinned him with, shivering involuntarily and looking down at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in world.
“I-I mean… did I tell you about the party my parents are forcing me to go to at the end of the week?” Jongup asked then, hating how he had stammered ever so slightly. He couldn’t help it though; babyface or not, Choi Junhong was scary when he wanted to be.
Junhong gave a heavy sigh, grateful for his friend listening to him this time - he really wasn’t in the mood to be asked about Yongguk again. He was having a hard enough time dealing with the fact that he may, in the smallest way possible of course, have a crush on the leader of the bullies. He couldn’t imagine anyone liking the guy - he was so quiet all the time, how could someone carry on a conversation with a stiff-necked guy like that? He grunted at his own thoughts, questioning why he was even thinking about it in the first place...
He blinked when Jongup mentioned a party, successfully bringing him out of his thoughts. He scrunched his face a bit unpleasantly and looked at Jongup. “A party… with your parents?” He scoffed softly and wiped at his damp hair again. “That sounds more than a little boring… What kind of party is it anyways?”
Jongup was more than happy when Junhong switched subjects without trying to bite his head off in the process for his previous question, a grimace appearing on his face still because the subject of the party was a less than desirable one. “It’s going to be completely boring.” He corrected his younger friend, shrugging one-sidedly then.
“I’m not entirely sure what type of party it’s supposed to be - all I really understood from my dad was that it was a reunion of sorts with his old army buddies.” Jongup explained, a morose sigh leaving his lips. “I tried to get out of it by pulling the ‘you and mom haven’t gone out on an adults only night in forever’ trick but dad’s insistent on everyone meeting his best friend and my brother didn’t help by saying he wanted to meet the man dad always tells us stories about.” He buried his face into his towel in a sad attempt to smother himself. He couldn’t help but think that this was just going to wind up being a waste of time - his and everyone else’s.
As he listened to exactly what the party entailed, Junhong groaned softly, empathizing with his best friend. The party sounded just as boring as Jongup made it sound. He patted the other on the shoulder in a comforting way, giving a slight smile, “Well hey, at least with parties like those, there’ll be a lot of food, yeah?” He hummed, laughing some when Jongup gave a one-sided shrug again. “If it were me, I’d just stay by the food - get as much as you want and stand off to the side away from everyone…” He trailed off as his stomach grumbled.
“Yah, now I’m hungry,” He pouted, lightly punching Jongup’s shoulder. “You owe me for making me talk about food until I get hungry. Dancing sure does take a lot out of you, huh?” He rambled on out loud, trying to keep the subject lighthearted because Jongup was bummed and he was sure he needed the support.
Though still more than a little in the dumps about the party, Jongup couldn’t help but let a smile begin playing on his lips at the freshman’s hungry rambling. “It does… but in a good way that’s completely worth it.” He agreed, his smile a little brighter as the previous topic of conversation began to fade from his mind.
“Come on Junhong-ah and I’ll buy us something to snack on.” He said as he linked their arms together in a silly manner, not at all put out that he was going to be buying; it was only fair considering their earlier conversation about Junhong’s possible crush on Yongguk.
He looked over at the other then and smiled softly, silliness completely subsiding for a brief second, “Thanks, Junhong-ah…” He whispered gratefully before looking ahead and steering them out the doors and towards the nearest ice cream parlor.
Time flew by for the two friends as they joked around and conversed about the different lessons they’d been taught earlier that day over their ice cream cones. They began freaking out more than a little when they got a look at their watches, discovering they were about an hour late for being home when they were supposed to be. After saying their goodbyes and promising to get together sometime to practice their dancing with one another, the two rushed their separate ways home.
“I’m home!!” Jongup announced as soon as he entered his house, grimacing all the while as he prepared for the lecture bound to come his way.
That being said, he was all too surprised when he received no answer back and, upon further inspection, found out that no one was home. A quick check of the refrigerator quickly informed him that his father had to work late and his mother was out watching his brother’s soccer practice which would last for another hour or so.
Letting out a breath of relief while simultaneously rolling his eyes, Jongup made his way upstairs to his room to change out of his uniform and finish up what little bit of homework he hadn’t done during study hall. Once that was done, he wasted no time in getting on his computer and logging into his favorite online game. He checked his offline messages first and after seeing the message from Shishi telling him to come to the guild’s HQ at eight o’clock and seeing that it was close enough, wasted no time in logging in.
TBC
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