Chapter 14 : Conflict

That morning was cold and windy sending shivers in her petite frame. Even if she was holding back her memories with all her might, she can't stop thinking about yesterday, about him period. Now, she knew she had feelings for the boy, she realised it when he invited her to the contest. Until that day, she started thinking about him every day, couldn't stop herself to search for his figure through the window at school breaks. When he insulted whereas he had wanted her to come, she got confused, but even more when he came after her job to apologize. She wanted to punch and hug him at the same time. His sad eyes almost made her melt, fortunatly her mind got the upper hand and chose to stand still. How hard she did tried to convince herself he was a jerk and to ignore him for the rest of her life, she couldn't stop her desire to go to him, to talk to him, to be kind to him. Her heart was fluttering at those new feelings, but her mind was sending her warnings. For now, she didn't know what to do to be normal again.

Debating with herself on the way, she arrived late in class. The teacher scolded her softly because it was the first time. She had to pull herself together and concentrate. The class went as usual, she was kind of sleepy and anticipating lunch pause. When the bell rang, she followed Eunbi, Jinsoo who was from another class and Jenny. The girls were joking but she couldn't help to feel isolated, she was trying hard to act cool. She wasn't really paying much attention to the discussion when she heard his name from Jenny's mouth :

« Hanbin is so hot when he is on stage ! And he knows how to fight ! I like the bad boy type, I'd like to be his girlfriend, be protected by him. Plus, he is popular and hang out a lot with his friend. Can you imagine me with a rapper ?! » , she kept blabbering.

« You're freaking about him sis' ! », said Eunbi.

« But don't you think she got a chance ? I think so, talk to him. », adviced Jinsoo.

« I'm afraid I'll get too shy, how can I ask him ? Don't you know Hayi-ah ? You can introduce me, you seem to get along well with him. »

Hayi stood silent for a moment too shocked by the news, her friends looking at her waiting for her answer. She quickly thought that it could be the the solution to her problem : she would stop thinking about him and make her friend happy.

« Ok, I'll see what can I do... »

Hanbin was hating himself right now. All he could do was to hurt her. Usually, he was the one to take care of his mother and sister, of his friends, he was the serious and reliable type. And now he was being mean to a girl that helped him, smiled at him when they first met. He remembered well her stupid innocent smile. What he didn't like was the attraction he had for her, as she was his weakness. He didn't want anybody to have some sort of control on him, yet he had seen her as an enemy. But now the situation had changed, he knew he couldn't avoid her, as if fate put up a link between them. Hell he wanted to see her.

Then the boy looked up to city view from the wall he was sitting on to shut off his mind for a moment and saw his friends. They were planing to go to a hiphop club.

« Hi bro' wassup ? You seem so down... », greeted Bobby.

« Is it Hayi ? You're feeling bad about her... », guessed Yunhyeong. Hanbin shot him a glare.

« Ok let's go now, we're here to have a good time. », Jinhwan stopped them before they argue.

Hanbin followed his friends reluctantly, sulking in his corner. Once at the club he didn't want to dance and sat at the bar, he was underage to drink but the bartender surely found him older. Sipping on his beer, he scanned the place vaguely. He wasn't in the mood at all.

Suddenly, a silhouette emerged from the dancing crowd : Mino the contestant who insulted him.

« Hey look at what do we have here ? That little Hanbin boy ! », the tall boy said smirking.

At that very moment Hanbin wanted to beat the out of him but it would just end anywhere. He is strong and sensible enough to not release his anger on somebody, moreover a pathetic bastard like him.

« I'm not in the mood for your provocations, go play with someone else. », he cutted to the chase.

« Oi, but all the others are boring, I just very found you. Listen, we start on the wrong foot, we can be rapper colleagues at least. », the guy strangely offered.

« I don't want to deal with you. », Hanbin sternly said.

« Look, I've got contacts I can help you to get some popularity in the underground... », he continued.

Hanbin's blood was boiling inside, this idiot was getting on his nerves, working his patience !

« Ok ok, stop. You want another one of my fists in your face ? », he asked angrilythe dumb troublemaker.

Mino stared at Hanbin's eyes and could only see hate. Tonight wasn't his luck, but he can't help to say : « Show me what you got. »

And Hanbin punched him right in the face. Then he said panting : « You shut up now ! »

Mino groaned under the pain and held his now red cheek. He will surely have a fine bruise. He turned to Hanbin and warned :

« Wrong move. »

Hanbin was slow to react and Mino grasped him and threw his helpless body over his shoulder. The hold took his breath away, his back hitting directly the hard floor. Did this guy learn taekwondo ? Despite the pain, Hanbin raised himself. He was shaking up.

Soon, the respective friends of the two boys runned to them. Hanbin and Mino continued to glare at each other panting, restraining themselve to beat the other.

Hanbin was so ashamed, everybody in the club saw to what extent he lost the fight pitifullly. Bobby pat his back worried but Hanbin removed him with his shoulder.

« Hanbin, do you want to get worse ? Stop this, it has gone too far. », spoke Jinwan as a hyung.

On the other side, Jinwoo and Seunghoon were trying to soothe Mino. Jinwoo knew why his friend was acting like this but now he was jeopardising his plan.

« Mino, you'll ruin everything whereas you're close to find him. », he whispered in his friend's ear.

« I know Jinwoo... Ok, let's get out of here. »

Mino didn't want to compromise everything after he finaly found someone related to the dragon. Seunghoon took him by the shoulder saying they'll do better next time and head towards the exit.

« This bastard ! What a coward ! », muttered angrily Hanbin, griting his teeth.

« But hyung don't you think there's something fishy with this guy ? », asked Junhoe.

« He is right, I think it's not a coincidence that this guy is getting at your back. », said Jinwan. And Hanbin think about it also.

Youngbae didn't like the smell of smoke, cigarette's smoke, it reminded him of his young and shameful years and of Jiyong. He remembered the last time they saw each other, it was when he got caught. He couldn't erase Jiyong's emotionless eyes whereas him, his best friend was in deep . But he forgave him because it would have been completly stupid to follow him in prison. A stupid delinquant like his former bestfriend had to sacrifice some gang members to stay alive of course. Once he called him when he still was in jail, he offers him to come back in the business with him when he served time, that he would do everything to cover him up. So nice words. Well, Youngbae had just say no and hung up the phone. After that, silence, he sometimes heard about some swindle. He wanted as much as possible to not be related to the man. Nonetheless, he was now waiting for him in a dirty cafe.

Jiyong nochantly sat in front of Youngbae, crossed his legs and spread his arms. He was wearing sunglasses so Youngbae couldn't see what the man was feeling like. Jiyong esquissed a forced smile. For himself, Youngbae was oppressed by a mix of emotions, he was stressed at how will the meeting evolve but was strong on his positions about Dara. At the same time, his mind was actually throwing flash backs of him and Jiyong several years ago. He was going from disgust to anger and then to sadness when he was questioning himself about their former friendship. He still had some pain in a corner of his heart, regret about Jiyong, if only circonstances had been different... Maybe they would be here together drinking a bear after work, supporting each other as they always did.

« Long time no see. », started Jiyong. « What did you call me for ? », he asked coldly lighting his cigarette.

« This is about a friend : Dara, you know her right ? She told me your little adventure in YG's office, of what I heard you worked for him now... »

« You got good informations. And what about this Dara ? »

Youngbae looked at him in the eyes through the glasses' lens menacingly : « Tell YG to leave her alone and she will not reveal a single thing to the police. If you two are bothering us again, you can be sure that we have some means to stop your y business. »

« So agressive... aren't you happy to see me ? », Jiyong joked bitterly.

« Contrary to you I don't abandon my friends when they are in need and try to protect them when they are in danger. », he reminded him. «  Think about it. I know you're afraid of YG, he got the power, but move your otherwise you'll be in much more trouble. »

He dumped Kwon Jiyong there, he couldn't stand his face much longer. Jiyong sighed, things were getting complicated for him, maybe it was time for karma.

****

Hi everybody! Sorry to be late, thanks for waiting my lovely readers. I'll have less time now with school but I promise you to udpate when I can.

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Big kisses and hugs to all of you!

-wanderingmood