Well, this certainly has turned for the worse.

See what happens? This is why you don’t bother with people.

Using my quick thinking – well, I would like to think so – I diverted my attention over Hanbin's shoulder. "Oh, Mr. Woo! Are you looking for me?”

I tried to go around him but he quickly grabbed onto my backpack and yanked me back in front of him, forcing me to face him again. “Good try, but he isn’t the one looking for you.”

The plan had worked better in my mind. “So…you’re the one looking for me.” I clear my throat after managing to squeeze those words out.

“Don’t even think of escaping.” He adds through gritted teeth.

If I didn’t know better, I would say he wasn’t happy with me.

“Aren’t there things we need to talk about?” His voice still held the menacing tone.

I get ready to shake my head and to yet again, deny but the tense look in his eyes prevented me to do so – actually should I say one eye since the other was too swollen for me to even see – but that’s off topic. “You know, homeroom is going to be –“

“We have ten minutes.” He reached out and pushed me back against the lockers. I stared up at him, eyes wide. “We need to talk.”

I swear, just from the sight of him, I could feel my injury from yesterday throb.

I looked around as people start to take notice of the commotion Hanbin and I was in the center of. “Right now?” I asked carefully so as not to make him angrier. “I’m sure it can wait.” I pressed my lips together and force a small smile. The scowl that he gave in response told me that I wasn’t going to get away with this.

He also took notice of the attention. “You better listen to me. During lunch, you meet me outside of the classroom, understand?”

Nope, nope, nope – “Got it.” My rationality has failed me and I think I just gave him permission to bully me. He nods at my acceptable answer and flinches slightly due to the pain in his eye. I hold my breath as he lets go of my arm and finally walks away towards homeroom.

I stared after him and this familiar feeling bubbled at the pit of my stomach.

What was this feeling, you ask?

This is the feeling of wanting to run away.

I didn’t want to see him or talk to him so why did I give him my agreement? If Sanghee was here to answer that question, it would be because I am a big, fat wuss. And with the most anxiety I have ever felt in my entire life, I followed him shortly after.

This clearly was not supposed to happen. But like I predicted, Hanbin came after me.

I walk into homeroom and he's with his friends in the back of the classroom like always. This time, I couldn’t pretend that we never met and this time, I knew it is a sure thing that my high school career is over and done with.

All I am left to do is to pray that lunchtime doesn’t come too soon.

***

During the entire class, I could feel them just staring at me. I didn’t even want to think about what they were planning to do. I was broken from my thoughts at a sudden loud ringing.

And to keep it pleasantly short – it is time.

When that bell rung to signal lunchtime, my instincts automatically told me to run.

But as soon as I looked up from my seat, I can see Hanbin waiting there with the two others. And it would be just so rude of me to run away when there were escorts waiting for me. How nice of them.

So, I am only left with the choice to face the inevitable.

Soon, everyone had gone, leaving me as the only person in the classroom – just shows how much I wanted to see Hanbin.

I took my time in meeting them by the door but it seems Hanbin wasn’t so into the whole ‘taking my time’ thing.

“Let’s go.” The next thing he did made me gape in surprise. He actually grabbed the front of my blazer and pulled me after him. Focusing on not tripping over my own feet, I didn’t bother paying attention to where he and his friends were taking me.

Well, that is until he dragged me up the stairs and out on school’s roof. Bobby and Jinhwan shut the door, taking away any chance of me being saved or running away. They spin around to face me.

I hesitated on asking my question but the silence was killing me. “Why did we have to come up here?” I asked innocently as possible and glanced at Hanbin’s eye again – geez, Yunhyeong got him good.

“If we’re here, there’s nowhere you can run.” Hanbin doesn’t fail to point out. It’s a positive for them, but it’s the opposite for me. I’m kind of isolated. I don’t reply and he continues. “Like yesterday.”

“I had ice cream and it would have melted and –“

“Yeah, I don’t care.” He cuts me off and I stand there with my mouth shut. “Let’s be clear, we met that night in the alleyway, right?”

Seeing that there was no way in me denying and getting away with it, I nodded my head.

“Whatever you saw that night, don’t mention it to anyone.”

I’m not going to lie…I’m a bit confused now. “About the fact that you beat up Yunhyeong?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“Yeah, you haven’t told anyone, have you?”

I quickly shook my head. Of course I told Sanghee, but what he doesn't know wouldn’t hurt him. “But, doesn’t everyone already…know?” It was a known fact that Hanbin was trouble, wasn’t it? So what was the point in keeping quiet about it?

“Ever since school started, I haven’t caused any problems.”

I open my mouth to respond and he quirks his eyebrow, but I realize that it was true. Yeah, I know. Pretty weird.

When Hanbin came in late to homeroom, he didn’t argue back against the teacher, when Sanghee spilled water on him – he didn’t make a big scene, and then when Mino called him out in the school yard, he didn’t fight.

I awkwardly stood there, just like a lost child.

“I have been trying to stay out of trouble for my own reasons, so whatever you witness that night, keep it quiet.”

That’s all? That’s why he forced me up here?

Well, that certainly wasn’t bad at all. I didn’t have to be so anxious – surprisingly, it just turned out to be a little chat. “So…that’s our talk?” I looked behind him to see Bobby and Jinhwan still by the door and still quiet. I looked back at Hanbin when a short chuckle left his lips.

“It would have been a small talk if this didn’t happen.” He pointed at his eye and suddenly, the anger that I thought had passed, came back again. “I’m not very happy about it.”

“You should have a nice talk with Yunhyeong about that.” After all, it was the boy who was responsible for it. “Well, then – “ I attempted to cover up this small joy I felt slowly exploding within me and tried to walk past him. “I’ll just get going…”

Hanbin slid in front of me. “I’m not going to bother with Yunhyeong, since Mino probably