If Junior didn’t know any better, he would have thought that Jackson’s head disjointed with his body and was now hovering over his face in a crazy zigzag pattern.

Junior saw the other male’s lips move but didn’t hear anything. The pounding in his ears was too loud. Junior sat up in bed and held his head in his hands. He felt like someone was repeatedly using him as a nail and hammered recklessly.

Jackson left, apparently frustrated that Junior wasn’t responding.

The older male groaned and pressed his temples trying to gather his thought when Jackson waddled back in and shot Junior with a beam of cold water.

“WHAT THE…” Junior sat in bed drenched staring at the water gun in Jackson’s hands.

“Awake now?” Jackson asked bowing once on the tip of the gun.

The pounding did become quieter but Junior won’t admit that and give Jackson credit.

“What happened last night?”

“I don’t know you tell me,” Jackson appeared annoyed, “I was the one that had to get up at three in the morning when Ming Na’s chauffeur was at the door carrying you like a baby.”

Junior grimaced.

“Why did you drink so much?” Jackson scowled. “You know you can’t handle your liquor so you should stay away from it!” 

“It’s Youngjae’s fault,” was all Junior could muster.

Sighing Jackson tossed Junior a pair of shades, “Hurry up or else we’ll be late for school.”

*                      *                      *

As anxious as ever, Junior stepped into their school yard ready to be beaten to pulp… by the laughter.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought. How could he easily lose his templer to a brainless halfwit like Youngjae?

And he had been dumb enough to bet Ming Na on it. No doubt with the hangover killing him right now, he had lost.

He wondered where she was. He couldn’t get a hold of her because she wasn’t picking up her phone.

She must be mad… He lost her… over a couple of shots. Now he was just waiting for Youngjae and his sickening smile to calm his trophy but that never happened because a loud, “AYEEE YO WHATS UP MAN?” came from behind before a hand slung roughly over Junior’s shoulder.

Junior winced at the voice and its volume.

“Yo DUDE! Last night was sick!” Youngjae chatted happy while still holding Junior, “It was the best day of my life and I don’t remember anything!”

Junior stared at Youngjae and wondered if he drank so much that he puked his brain out.

“According to social media, I passed out before you even hit your high. I didn’t know you could hold your liquor so well! A vast improvement from last time, now tell me your secret,” Youngjae wiggled his eyebrows.

Secret what secret? Junior frowned. He recalled nothing… not even his own victory but judging by Youngjae’s words… Junior won which means… Ming Na was still his. He couldn’t help but smile at that thought.

She must be proud of me.

The bell rang and Youngjae slapped Junior on the back, “I’ll see you at lunch new buddy!”

New buddy? Junior arched his eyebrows sky high.

Who? Me?

Judging from the way Youngjae winked at him… yup I’m his new buddy.

*                      *                      *

“Have you seen Ming Na?” Junior asked his best friend after the bell had gone.

“Nope,” Jackson shook his head while marching to the cafeteria.

“She wasn’t in my Bio class,” Junior sighed, “Where do you think she is?” he was beginning to feel worried.

“Probably went on one of the business trips with her parents again,” Jackson shrugged before glancing at the menu.

The double doors were suddenly kicked open and Youngjae came strolling in with his gang, “YO PARK JINYOUNG!”

Junior habitually reached up to push the bridge of his glasses but remembered that he had changed to contacts when his fingers came in contact with the air.

Youngjae jogged over and pulled the other male away, “Come eat with us!”

Behind them Junior heard Jackson’s complaining, “But then who will pick out the spicy radishes in my lunch box?”

Sorry Jackson, I’ll eat with you next time, Junior promised. He couldn’t deny that a part of him was curious and wondered what it would be like to eat with the cool kids for once in the center of the café.

Maybe Ming Na would be there.

To his disappointment, the table was filled with a variety of guys and girls he’s never seen before.

“Oppa sit here!” a girl with bright pink lipstick and shiny blonde hair patted the empty seat beside her.

Before Junior could protest, Youngjae already shoved him down.

“Who’s that?” a member of the football team who had a mole on his left eye asked.

“This is Junior everyone!” Youngjae piped cheerfully, “And he’s the best drinker I’ve ever met!”

Giving a timid greeting, Junior tried focusing his glaze on the food but it was hard when several hands were trying to feed him.

“Youngjae Oppa!” the girl with the pink lipstick pouted, “I’m cold, can I borrow your jacket?”

Junior side glanced and saw her dressed in a sequin top, and tight little shorts… in the middle of winter.

Dumbo.

“Shoot, I came out in a rush today and didn’t bring it,” Youngjae frowned then relaxed, “But Junior has his, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind lending it to you.”

At that, the older male choked on his rice.

“Oppa please?” she batted her eyelashes.

“Uh…” Ming Na had gave him the jacket.

“I promise to return it when school ends!” she vowed.

Junior looked around, everybody watched him expectantly.

“F-Fine,” he stuttered and got up from his chair.

“Thank you Oppa!” the girl jumped up to follow him, “I’ll come with you!”

What he didn’t see was the smirk behind his back.

*                      *                      *

Ming Na walked down the hall feeling sore. She checked her reflection one last time on her phone making sure that the foundation was doing its job and covered her black eye.

Black eye from where? Well credit to her boyfriend. Yesterday, while trying to get her drunk boyfriend in the car, he had punched her square in the face.

Infuriated? Yes, but not so much because of the wound. It was the wound inside her heart that upset her. She saw his texts but didn’t reply because she was angry. Yesterday’s scene was exactly like two little boys fighting over a toy. She was the toy. She was a toy to Junior.

Her parents treated her as a machine, a machine that kept their company going.

Her friends viewed her as an expensive purse, something they would show off when proving their own self-worth. 

Nobody ever gave her the respect she deserved, nobody except for Junior. He had been different. He didn’t use her like an object for his own g