-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr Do breathed out a sigh of relief once he checked his watch and realised five minutes had already passed. After quickly explaining the last question, Mr Do looked at Minah with a content smile.

“Annnd that’s it,” Mr Do groaned, stretching out his arms with a long yawn.

Minah laughed. “Sorry, was I that boring?”

Mr Do gave a small chuckle in response.

Minah rose from her seat and gave a small bow. Mr Do nodded in approval before grabbing the sheets and placing them in his drawer.

“Oh, and Minah?” Mr. Do said right before she left the door.

“Hm?”

“Happy Birthday.”

Minah burrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “Sorry?”

Mr Do was slightly taken aback from her reaction. “U-um I mean…Well… Hyuna said she was preparing something…”

“What…” MInah murmured.  Minah’s eyes widened before she dashed out the door. “Sorry see you tomorrow!” Minah yelled as she ran through the corridors.

Anything related to Hyuna meant something bad. If she had made Mr. Do keep her in, she must’ve had something planned. Kai. Where was Kai?

Minah didn’t want to run around on a blind search so she ran to her locker and pulled the door open. A small note fell out and dropped to the ground. Minah snatched the sheet of paper from her feet and scanned the words on the note anxiously.

‘I prepared a surprise for you~~~ you better come quickly because I’ve got your beloved boyfriend right in the palm of my hands. Storage room of room 53. J

Hyuna <3’

“Ugh,” Kai grunted as another punch landed on his stomach. He was surrounded against a corner of the wall, having barely any strength to keep himself up.

“Oh Kai, you don’t need to pretend to be strong. It’s only us here,” Hyuna sighed. “For now that is.”

Kai sent a glare towards her direction, only being awarded with a blow to his cheek causing him to falter and fall. Kai’s face twisted in pain and he lay curled on the ground. His lips were already bleeding and he felt bruises forming all over his body.

“KAI! KAI!”

Kai’s eyes snapped open as Minah’s voice resounded through his ears.

“No… “ Kai whispered, before urging himself to an upright position. He leant his head on the wall and looked at Hyuna pleadingly.

“Please, don’t get her involved. She’s been hurt enough by you already,” Kai moaned. “Please.”

Hyuna snorted. “Sorry but your words aren’t going to foil my perfect plans. Let her in,” she commanded one of the boys.

The boy happily obliged and opened the door. Minah dashed into the room and kneeled next to Kai, worry and anger seeping into her.

“Kai…Kai…You,” Minah scanned Kai’s injured and battered body, unable to find any words to say.

“Go. Run,” Kai whispered. “Quickly.”

“No! I am not leaving you!” Minah shouted. “Do you think I’m crazy?”

“Min-“

“Oh please, cut it out,” Hyuna interrupted. “This isn’t some sort of drama.”

Minah turned to look at Hyuna and took a deep breath. “Please Hyuna, let us go. You’ve done enough.”

Hyuna only got more infuriated from these words. “Shut the up!” she screamed. “Get her!”

The men started heading towards Minah. Minah grew fearful as past memories came up and she had herself backed against the wall. Kai was next to her, slowly and painfully making an effort to get back up. Minah in her breath as a man grabbed her by the collar and lifted her a few cm off the ground. She shivered, dangling helplessly.

“Let her go!” Kai roared from behind her, lashing out at the grinning man. The man threw Minah roughly to the side before throwing a kick to Kai’s waist. Kai fell and hissed in pain, gripping at his side. Another man had gotten Minah and was already throwing kicks at her collapsed body. Kai watched the scene, feeling so helpless and weak.

Then the other men began to head towards him and they all lifted him up. They looked at each other with playful grins before slowly swinging Kai back and forth. Kai felt as if he was going to throw up, and he closed his eyes in an attempt to prepare himself. On the count of three, the men had thrown Kai towards a large pile of unorganised sports equipment. With a loud crash, all the equipment had dispersed and Kai laid there almost unmoving. Minah watched in horror, tears welling in her eyes. Then she saw it. The shelf behind him was beginning to topple, towards his side. The tubs of objects were beginning to slide off.

“KAI!” Minah screamed as she scrambled up and shoved the unwary man in front of her aside. She ran toward Kai and tried to pull him away. But it was too late and she knew. Minah shut her eyes tightly and hugged Kai, trying to keep his body sheltered under hers. Kai’s eyes fluttered open before the shelf fell and his vision was engulfed in darkness.