❝chapter six;
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                                   BROKEN; IT TAKES COURAGE

“Can you lend me the-”

Without even looking up from her storybook, her hand reached absentmindedly to her side to grab her metallic Hello Kitty pencil case. Flipping it open with a hand and taking her eraser out, Jiyeon extended her palm to her right again towards the boy with geeky spectacles.

“Thanks,” was his short reply as he erased the right ear of the elephant he was drawing. Picking up his mechanical pencil, Taehyung gave it two clicks before resuming to his drawing.

Ever since Taehyung transferred to Busan elementary, Jiyeon’s life started to make a better turn. The first few days were still uncertain for the girl, and she was still reluctant to go to school. Still, every single morning, the same boy with his bowl-shaped hair would be waiting at the bus drop off point for her- waving his hand, tapping her window, even climbing up the bus to drag her down. The kids teased, of course, but unlike Jimin, Taehyung didn’t even care. It was as if they did not exist in his eyes. He was there for Jiyeon, and that’s that.

During break, most of the kids would rush to the playground once they are done with their food. Jiyeon, wanting to be with someone, had naturally followed them down initially, though that didn’t mean that she had a friend. Once Taehyung appeared, he would drag Jiyeon up the library, like today, either to read, to do their work, or to draw. The girl didn’t mind it one bit, in fact, she wondered why haven’t she done this earlier. It was as if Taehyung had opened a door of new possibilities for her.

Everything that Taehyung likes, or preferred, Jiyeon does too. She preferred the silence, like he does, he preferred the peace, like she does. They complement each other, like two peas in a pod, almost telepathic, like a pair of long lost twins.

Picking up his completed masterpiece, Taehyung hums in satisfaction as he brought the paper closer to his face to inspect it. Blowing off the pieces of eraser dusts on his paper, he turned the paper towards the girl proudly.

“This is perfect! Here, look, it’s us!” the boy exclaimed happily.

Finally looking up from the Dr Seuss book she was reading, the girl leaned towards her right to look at his drawing of an elephant and a puppy. Her brows creased in confusion before asking quietly, not forgetting that they were in the library.

“Us..? Why is it an elephant and a puppy?”

“Because…”

Rolling up his left sleeve, Taehyung turned his arm towards her to show two of his moles, pinching the skin in between them. Jiyeon widened her eyes in amusement.

“See! It’s an elephant! Fascinating right?”

They giggled softly between themselves, Jiyeon reaching out to point to the puppy.

“Then why am I a puppy?”

Taehyung let go of his skin before looking forward for a brief moment, taking his gaze away from the girl. Jiyeon stared at him, waiting patiently like she always had. His hesitation made her wonder if it had meant to be a secret. She had thought that Taehyung was like an open book, someone whom she can read easily, because he was so much like her. Yet, no matter how similar they are, he’s still Taehyung. A boy who’s her age. A boy that could have things he couldn’t say.

Like herself.

Just that her secrets are not made known to her.

Taehyung’s solemn expression only lasted a few seconds, before a wide grin appeared on his face.

“Because a puppy is a boy’s best friend! I’m a boy and you’re my best friend! So you’re a puppy!”

Her lashes fluttered as she blinked at his words, unsure of what to make out of it.

“Oh.. okay..”

Ringgggggg~

“The bell! Let’s go back to class!”

Jiyeon quickly packed her stuff and scrambled to her feet, the boy taking her hand and pulling her down the aisle of books from each side.

You’re a puppy. A lost puppy.

A little head ducked under his book just a shelf behind them as the duo walked past him. He was not left unnoticed by the pair of twinkling eyes under those geeky spectacles.

Don’t worry, I’ll protect you..

It was only less than 5 minutes since the bell rang to indicate the end of class, and her classmates were already rushing out of the class.

It was only less than 2 minutes since Taehyung excused himself for the bathroom.

It was only less than 30 seconds since the girl had finished packing her bag.

Exactly 27 seconds later, Jiyeon was surrounded by the 3 faces she hasn't been encountering for a long time. She didn’t miss them at all. Not even a bit.

“Where’s your boyfriend, Jiyeon?”

“Yeah, where is he when he should be protecting his wifey huh?”

“Come on, let’s go somewhere else to talk before your husband arrives~”

“W-Wait.. I don-.. w-w-wait..”

Both her arms were held captive and in no time and she was brought into an empty music room before she could refuse them. Here it goes again, round and round the cycle that never ends.

It was the same thing, nothing beyond her expectation; name calling, pushing, pulling of hair, messing with her. It had reached a point where she didn’t want to care anymore.

It’s not that she didn’t want to protect herself, she was outnumbered. She could try, but they would only be harsher on her. And she was smarter to know that she wouldn’t be able to fight back.

But this time, she was not afraid. It hurts, physically, but she no longer feared them.

“Hey! Stop! Don’t you guys get tired of this?! Seriously!”

Amongst the whimpering and wincing, a small, faint smile still manage to grace her lips.

See.. there’s no need to be afraid..

Pushing Seungwan away from Jiyeon, Taehyung grabbed her wrist and quickly pull her up, making a dash for the door. They ran with their might, until they reached the top of the stairs.

“Silly girl! Why did you follow them?!” The boy scolded her, pulling up her sleeves to check on her bruises. Jiyeon watched as he panicked, checking her body, a furious expression on her face. She was in pain, yet she was happy.

“I didn’t follow them.. they just dragged me and I couldn’t fight back.. and.. I know.. I.. AHHH!”

“AAHHH!”

“Jiyeon!!”
 

…..

“Ugh..”

“A-Ah.. I.. I think I broke my arm..”

“I-It’s not me! You fell on your own! Jiyeon dragged you down! It’s not me!”

Everything happened so fast that she was unable to register anything at all.

Joohyun was dashing towards them and her momentum sent Jiyeon toppling down the stairs. Reacting faster than he could think, Taehyung grabbed her hand wanting to pull her back but was instead pulled down with her. Wrapping his arms around her small frame, it reduced the impact for Jiyeon, but her weight crashing onto his arm was detrimental. Joohyun ran away in shock and Taehyung had started bawling due to the pain. It was only then that Jiyeon managed to sit up as quickly as she could, wincing at her scraped knees and attending to Taehyung.

“Taehyung! Are you okay! I’ll..I’ll go get the teacher!” Jiyeon said as her finger hesitated before lightly touching his arm.

“Stop being a coward! Standing there and do nothing!!”

Jiyeon blinked in confusion when the wailing boy started screaming instead.

“H-Huh.. w-”

“You think I don’t know you have been following us!? If you had wanted to help, JUST DO IT ALREADY!” Taehyung’s voice cracked as he screamed between tears.

The girl turned her head around to see a boy trembling at the top of the stairs, biting his lips trying not to cry.

“J-Jiminie..” was her quiet whisper.

“Stop hiding! Stop running away! You wanted to help! I saw! I know! But why are you so scared?! What are you afraid of?!”

Taehyung could taste his tears in his mouth, his cracked spectacles had been flung to the far end of the stairs. Clutching his broken arm tenderly, his face was filled with fury.

“Stop being a coward! Cowards have no friends! Bullies can pick on us but at least we have each other! You will have nobody if you keep hiding like that! Running away!”

Jiyeon was torn between the two, utterly confused at the current situation. Jimin and her were not on talking terms anymore ever since the playground incident. But Taehyung needs help, urgently, she would only try to know if Jimin would help.

“Ji-”

Before she could even open , the boy ran away. Jiyeon’s face fell, hurt, by the fact that what Taehyung said was right. He ran away again. He ran away, just like when they were bullied in the playground. Jimin ran away.

Snapping back from her trance, she carefully helped Taehyung up into an upright position as the boy continued to wail like a dolphin.

“Shhh.. Taehyung.. I’ll go and get help.. you’ll be alright soon.. I’ll..”

She was interrupted by the sounds of frantic footsteps echoing down the empty hallway.

“They are over there! I saw Joohyun pushed them down! I think Taehyung is broken!”

Jimin, together with their homeroom teacher, Mr Kim, and their discipline mistress, Ms Park Sojin appeared at the top of the stairs. Jiyeon stared at them wide eyed as Ms Park gasped at the sight while Mr Kim hurriedly came down to scoop Taehyung into his arms carefully.

“Ms Park, can you please call his parents? I’ll drive him down to the A&E, it’s faster than calling for ambulance. Jiyeon, you have to come with me. Jimin, you stay with Ms Park.”

The girl scrambled to her feet and climbed down the stairs together with Mr Kim, running across the field towards the carpark. She whipped her head back just in time to see Jimin looking at them worriedly, and she smiled.

Jimin’s not a coward..

And he smiled.

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✉(A/N).

10 | MAY | 2016 } THE LAST UPDATE WAS IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR AND IT'S WHAT, MAY THE NEXT YEAR ALREADY ; n ; THE FILM SCHOOL LIFE IS SO HECTIC THAT I REALLY BARELY HAD ANYMORE TIME TO DO ANYTHING ELSE AT ALL. SO ALAS CAME THE HOLIDAY AND I'VE MANAGE TO GET CHAPTER 7 DONE SO HERE'S CHAPTER 6 FOR YOU~HOPEFULLY I WOULD GET AT LEAST ANOTHER 2-5 CHAPTERS DONE BEFORE THE NEXT SEMESTER BEGIN AGAIN. I HOPE IT DOESN'T DISAPPOINT ; u ; <3

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, UPVOTE AND COMMENT! SHOUTOUT TO THE LATEST SURPRISE COMMENT ; u ; THANKS TO YOUR BOOSTER +5 THIS CHATPER IS UP~<3

+ preview for chapter 7 would be posted on the foreword ^^
 

( h a r l e q u i n. )