THE REASON TO FIGHT FOR.

 

Top and Jaejoong’s friendship completely ended. As the latter chose to be with his gang, he turned into a rebel kid and learnt to have vices. At first, Top didn’t understand what is happening to his friend. But then one day, he learned what truly happened to Jaejoong’s family.

 

Jae's mother left them. She left them with another man. What's even worse? She was pregnant with a bastard child. His father was broken so was Jaejoong.

 

That is why the latter was frightened to be left and betrayed by the one he loves and for that matter it was unfortunately Bom. He had been traumatized that the situation put a bad impact to him.

 

Top tried to talk to him but nothing happened. Instead, he cut all his ties with him. He chose his gang over their friendship.

 

Worst, he continued hurting Bom. And it is getting appalling. Top cannot do anything. He felt useless every time Bom would run to him crying helplessly. Even if Bom wanted, the girl cannot free herself from Jaejoong.

 

Top’s pace halted when his phone vibrated inside his pants’ pocket. He swipes the screen to unlock his phone and frowns upon seeing an odd message from Bom. He tenses and immediately dials her number.

 

'2 rings...3 rings...4...'

 

Then it ended. His apprehension upturns when she didn’t answer. So he just used GPS to locate her phone. He made a quick turn back to the school. He felt something bad is happening to Bom.

 

He was panting when he reached Bom’s classroom. Because of the close-door type classroom of Gakuen, no one will notice whatever is happening inside.

 

CRASH!

 

Top heard aloud crashing sound from the outside. He widens his eyes when the next thing he heard was Bom’s voice seemingly begging. She was crying also. Crash after crash. It looks like there was only two person were present inside—Bom and Jaejoong. And if he wasn’t mistaken, the latter is beating his girlfriend again.

 

He did not think twice as he quickly opened the sliding door of the classroom. And what he witness made him shock.

 

Bom’s trampled body sprawled on the floor. Her uniform was ripped off on top of her blouse. Her bra strap was peeking and her chest was showing. While Jaejoong was hovering on her top ignoring Bom's cries of pleas.

 

"D-Don’t...I’m begging you...J-Jae," she begs as she tries to get away from Jaejoong. But he's pinning her down with his body while kissing her neck.

 

Top cannot watch this. Jaaejoong is becoming a monster about to his own girlfriend!

 

He strode inside and pushes Jaejoong aside away from Bom. He quickly pulled the girl up to his side and checked her. Bom is trembling. She barely stands on her own because of her shaking knees.

 

"T-To...p," she whispered in fear and relief.

 

"Shh..." he cooed and covered her with his blazer.

 

"Damn you, Top!" Jaejoong growls after recovering from shock as he stands on his feet and attacks Top with a straight punch.

 

His punched hit his cheek. He gasped along with Bom and staggered back due to the impact.

 

"Top!" Bom exclaims and despite of her shaking knees, she managed to attend to Top.

 

"I'm fine. Go and leave! I’ll handle him," he ordered to her.

 

"B-But..."

 

"GO! Don't mind me!" he cuts her off and pushes her to the door without leaving his eyes to Jaejoong who is practically seething with anger.

 

Bom gives him a last worried look before running away.

 

"So you're the sacrificial lamb now, huh, Top? I didn’t know that you dreamed to be a superhero?" Jaejoong smirks at him sardonically. "But don’t worry. I'll make your dream come true!" he growls and attacks him again with yet another punch.

 

However, Top had prepared to his attack and misses by getting hit. He just continued to staggers back so they don’t have to hurt each other. He still treats him as his friend.

 

"Stop this non-sense, Jaejoong! Let's talk properly," he tried to tell him while trying so hard not to be hit by his assaults.

 

"Talk? Then what? You're making me laugh, Top," he snarls at him and gives him a blow in his tummy.

 

"Argh!" Top steps back and clutches his tummy in pain.

 

Jaejoong wasn’t satisfied and smacks him over the face. Top coughs slightly, tasting a metallic taste of his blood. He knees him after which makes him falls on his knees on the floor while the latter continues to give him blow after blow.

 

"S-Stop..." he whimpers and holds Jaejoong's leg because he is practically lying on the floor.

 

Jaejoong leans down and fisted his hair. He made him looked at him.

 

"You shouldn’t get involve with my business, Top!" he said while glaring to him with so much rage.

 

Top mustered up to stand up as he holds Jaejoong's wrist. The latter released his hair and stepped back. He coughs and weakly stands before him.

 

"If I didn't stop you, you will end up as a criminal. What you were doing to Bom is wrong!" he reasoned out to him.

 

Bom didn't listen and punched him harshly. His body sprawled on the floor. He approached him and gripped his collar. Their faces were close to each other.

 

"You don’t know a single , Top! You don’t know what I damn feel!" he snarls at him.

 

"I know what happened to your family, Jaejoong..." he murmured weakly.

 

Jaejoong stiffens but didn't let him go.

 

"You knew and so what then? What can you do? Nothing, right?! You don’t know how it feels to be left by your own mother. You don’t know what it feels like to be left alone! You don’t know how hard it was to see and hear your father begs in front of you to bring back his wife. It’s hard to watch your own father succumb to despair, Top. You don’t know how hard it is to accept that your family is already ruined!" he swallowed to clear his sore throat from too much yelling. "You don’t have any damn idea!"

 

Top didn't answer and just watched his friend's eyes painfully.

 

"I love Bom with all my heart. I'm afraid that she'll leave me as well, Top. My mom...I love her the same way but she still left. I won’t let her leave me as well. I will not lose her too. Nobody can stop me. Not even you!"

 

Just when he's about to answer, Bloody Fangs came, surrounding him. They were holding baseball bats, metal rod and wooden canes.

 

"Need help, Jae?" Junsu said with sinister smile plastered on his face while tapping a bat in his palm.

 

Jaejoong finally let him go and joined his gang. He had a cold look on his face.

 

"Bring him to the field," he ordered and walked ahead first.

 

His gang held him captive and drags him outside. Top didn’t protest since he is so beat up from what Jaejoong did to him.

 

"We're going to have fun playing with you," Junsu remarks wickedly.

 

 

***

 

"That day, I learned that it’s not only liquors and cigarettes his vices. He started taking weeds. I tried to break-up with him properly. But he didn’t listen. He went nuclear and started beating me," Bom retold her story with a faint smile while they were having a meal.

 

"My God...h-how can...I mean, he is so cruel," Sandara remarks absent-mindedly shocked with what she just told her.

 

"Not exactly, Dara," she shakes her head in disagreement.

 

"What? What do you call that then?" she turns to her sternly.

 

Bom sighs deeply as she looks far away.

 

"He may be a brutal and violent but he was never a sadist. I knew it because every time he beat me, he will hug me and apologized right after. He didn't really intend to hurt me entirely, Sand. It may be his only way to secure himself that I won’t ever leave him. He loved me too much. That's why."

 

Sandara smiled somberly.

 

Love can be chaotic when it chooses to be. It can build and destroy someone at the same time.

 

"But you know what? I should feel fury towards him but no; instead, I ended up fearing him. I cannot accept the fact that he tried to molest me. I was very thankful that Target rescued me on time. Jaejoong was on high that day. Maybe, that’s my mistake. Jaejoong wasn’t in the right frame of mind when I tried to break it off with him. I got used to his beatings. But harassing me that way was a hard limit," she added.

 

Sandara didn't say anything and let her talk. This is the only time the latter has opened up to her regarding the past. Because of her story, she was enlightened somehow.

 

"I am really grateful to Top. I don't know how to repay him. Because of me, he lost his best friend," Bom blames herself.

 

Sandara put her hand on top of hers and gave her a soft grip as if having compassion to her.

 

"Look at him, Bom," and they both gaze at side where Peace Minus One are seated. "Did he ask anything for return?" Again, she shakes her head while watching Top laugh with his gang. Sandara smiled a bit. "Because that's the true meaning of love and sacrifice, Bom."

 

Bom looked back at her in confusion.

 

"Top treated you like his own blood sister. A sister he cares dearly. He isn’t asking for any pay back because he loves you and you are important to him. He had sacrificed his friendship with Jaejoong for you because you deserved it. But you know what? You had paid him already by coincidence." A tiny smile tugs on her lips watching the boys bully their maknae.

 

"What do you mean?" Bom asked again curiously.

 

"When you were thinking that he lost a best friend because of you, Top thought otherwise since you lead him in meeting those friends that he can truly count on. That’s how life works. If you lost someone, there’s surely someone new who will arrive and much better," she elaborated.

 

It dawned at her friend and finally broke into a smile.

 

"Yeah. You're right."

 

 

***

 

They throw him on the grass in the middle of the field as he groans and coughs painfully. He is surrounded by Bloody Fangs forming a circle around her. He tries to move but it becomes a great challenge. He's badly hurt.

 

"J-Jaejoong..." his voice is cracked as he called him. The guy stands among the gang with cold and dark eyes. He saw him snaps his fingers and his gang mates begin to attack him.

 

They beat them up together. Top felt that it is going to be his last breath. Is he going to die?

 

His visions turned blurry due to weakness when he saw a glimpse of someone coming. It wasn’t just one. His eyes widens upon realizing that one of them is Bom. He tried to speak but only groans came out from him.

 

"One against sundry? That's not fair. Don't you think, Youngbae?" one of them remarked, making Jaejoong and his gang standstill.

 

Bloody Fangs stop from what they are doing and look at the new comers. They were shock and steps back a bit. Except Jaejoong who wasn’t familiar with them.

 

"T-Top!" Bom exclaimed upon seeing his current state. She still wearing his blazer as she walks up to his side. "Oh my God! Top...you're...I'm sorry. You wear hurt because of me," she cried apologizing while she cradles his head on her lap.

 

"Y-You...*cough*...y-you shouldn’t c-came back..." he tried to speak.

 

"If I didn't return, you could have died. I called for help," she counters in between her sob.

 

"I told you. I’ll handle everything. I'll protect you. You will never get hurt again by Jaejoong. That's a promise I intend to keep, Bom," he raised his hand and carefully wipes away her tears.

 

"T-Top..." she sobbed even more.

 

"Who are you? Why are meddling? This is none of your business! Go scram!" Jaejoong growled to them.

 

"Aww...he doesn’t know us, hyung. Should we introduce ourselves?" the guy mocks making Jaejoong's blood boils.

 

"I think we should, Daesung. There is someone here who was ignorant to our existence," the guy named Youngbae said with a smirk.

 

"Are you making fun of me?" Jaejoong snarls.

 

"Jaejoong, shut it. Didn’t you know that they were members of Peace Minus One? They are part of Kwon Jiyong’s gang," the guy named Yoochun chastised Jaejoong.

 

Jaejoong whips his head towards Yoochun with wide eyes. Nevertheless, that fact didn’t matter to him as he was unrelenting.

 

"So what? They don't have any business here!" he glowers at the Peace Minus One gang. "This isn't their fight!"

 

"JAE!" Yoochun hissed again.

 

"What? They are JUST Peace Minus One! Why are so afraid of them?! They are just one of the gangs in here, like us!"

 

Peace Minus One furrowed their brows together while Daesung and Youngbae raise a brow at his remark. He clearly doesn’t know them for underestimating their gang.

 

"Boys, I think someone needs a demo of who we are. This stupid is underrating our capabilities. Are you going to allow that? Jail will definitely won't pass this mockery on his gang," Youngbae smirks at Jaejoong.

 

Peace Minus One yell their protest and prepare themselves for a fight.

 

"W-Wait..." Yoochun tried to convey them but it goes down the drain as Jaejoong attacked abruptly and punches Daesung who was the closer to the latter. "Jaejoong!"

 

"What the-" Daesung exclaims and all hell broke loose!

 

Peace Minus One began attacking Bloody Fangs. But the latter was out numbered. And besides, they were fighting against the most notorious gang in Gakuen High. Because of their leader is Kwon Jiyong, the school’s ring leader.

 

"That's what you get for mocking us, !" Daesung landed a hard smack on Ace.

 

All the Bloody Fangs are piled beaten up and some are left unconscious.

 

Top and Bom watched everything at the sideline with shocked. In just snap, Peace Minus One defeated Jaejoong and his gang.

 

"D-Damn you!" Jaejoong snared angrily though he is also badly trampled. He cannot accept defeat.

 

Daesung kicked him for the last time. "Aren’t you going to stop?"

 

The latter would have given him another blow but someone called his name, making him stop.

 

"Daesung hyung! Youngbae hyung!"

 

They turn towards the direction of that voice. Someone came to them running. There is another guy who is following him from behind, pacing calmly and slowly towards them.

 

"Seungri?"

 

"Whaa! You finished the fight without me?! Why didn’t you wait for me and hyung? This is so unfair!" The new comer named Seungri whines.

 

"Aish! Stop it, retard," Daesung hisses at him while Youngbae wipes his face with his palm due to shame. Seungri's childishness will be the end of their gang's reputation. Way to go to ruined their image.

 

"Yah! Did you let me search for Jiyong hyung so you could have all the fun? Ahhh!" he dramatically clutched his chest as if having a heart attack.

 

Youngabe exhaled exasperatedly. They deliberately didn’t wait for them because of Seungri’s attitude. He's loud and reckless.

 

"What's is this all about?" A cold voice asks with eerie calmness but there’s something frightening on it.

 

Top saw how the other Bloody Fangs members shiver in fear. While Peace Minus One regards the new comer respectfully. He noticed that as the latter arrives.

 

The new guy has a commanding aura around him. He is calm yet you can still feel danger he possess. He must me be the leader. The well-known Kwon Jiyong.

 

"Jiyong-ah!" Youngbae spoke up. "We just helped Miss Damsel-in-Distress here and her Knight in High School uniform. Things slightly get intense," he explained for the latter.

 

"And of course, we just need to teach this a lesson," Daesung chimes in.

 

"What lesson?" Jiyong sighs idly.

 

"That they shouldn't mess with our gang," Daesung smirked, giving glance of mockery to Jaejoong.

 

Jiyong looks around and shakes his head.

 

"Such a mess," he remarks and waves his hand in dismissal. "Clean this up," he orders and turns around to leave.

 

"Yes boss!"

 

"Wait?! What about them, hyung?" Seungri asked pertaining to Top and Bom.

 

Jiyong just glanced back at him blankly.

 

"Take them to the hideout," he said and continued to walk ahead.

 

They just watched him until he disappeared from their sight.

 

"Maknae!" Youngbae called Seungri. "You bring them to Jiyong as we handle this first."

 

"Okay!" Seungri complied and approached Top. While hopping! How childish. "Come with me, friends! I'll be your guardian angel to Master Jiyong," he dramatically said before helping Top to stand up. He let him put his arm around his shoulder and ushered the latter to walk. Bom is on the other side of him, helping as well.

 

But even before they could leave, they heard Jaejoong spoke up.

 

"This is not yet through, Top! I will get Bom back from you!" he swore and grunted after Daesung gave him another blow.

 

"Shut up, punk!"

 

***

 

At Peace Minus One's hideout...

 

The gang gathered around in an abandon billiard bar where Seungri brought Top and Bom. They helped them put a first aid on Bom’s wounds and wrapped around Target’s arm and torso. Good thing, no serious injury had taken.

 

"Kim Jaejoong won’t stop unless he gets back Bom. Her life will be in danger on the hands of that mad man. His beatings aren’t something that we should take lightly. You have seen those hideous marks on Bom’s back, right? We need to do something," Ailee said who helped them with aiding their injuries. She was a senior student in Gakuen and a close acquaintance of Peace Minus One.

 

"Well, we can protect them," Seungri suggested.

 

"Even if we protect them, Jaejoong won’t stop. Besides, we are not involved in this problem. And most of all, they have nothing to do with our gang," Daesung reasoned out.

 

"Not unless, he will join. Which is a ridiculous idea," Seungri said absently.

 

"That’s a good idea!" Ailee snaps her fingers startling everyone. "Why don't you join him then?" she pointed at Top. "By the time he officially becomes part of your gang, you have any reason to take them under your protection!"

 

"But noona..." Seungri trails off when Jiyong stands from where he was seating.

 

He is just quietly listening to the conversation. He made unhurried strides closer to Top who is just silently seating beside Bom. He stares impassively at him as they level their eyes. Top gulps down but didn't look away. He bravely met his eyes.

 

"You. What can you give for this girl's safety?" he vaguely asked.

 

Top didn't blink nor dared to move his eyes and looked straightly at him. He then answered with conviction, "My life."

 

Jiyong a brow at him. "If you only have one bullet on your gun and you're about to shoot for one to save, between this girl and your best friend, who would you shoot?"

 

Top frowns and thought for a second. Even the whole gang was wondering as to why their leader is asking those questions.

 

"Myself," he finally answered. "I'd rather be dead than kill one of them. If I had one bullet in my hands, I’d rather used it to myself to save them I cannot pick because I cannot betray any of them," he explained.

 

Jiyong smirks and leans back, his gaze not leaving his as he held out his hand for a handshake. Top was confused but then he still accepts his hand.

 

"Welcome to Peace Minus One," he said.

 

A few seconds passed before they realized what he just said. Top is now part of their gang.

 

"Ah...um...I mean, I don't understand," Top said at a loss.

 

"I asked two things to you and you answered correctly. That makes you qualified to be part of the gang," Jiyong explained.

 

Those two questioned have deep connotations. The first question refers to what he can do for their gang. Since according his story, he treated Bom like a sister which means in their gang’s language meant brotherhood. That thing is very essential to Peace Minus One. He basically answered his life then he is willing to give it for the sake of brotherhood. Lastly, the second question is about trust, loyalty and betrayal. Because of his answer, Jiyong knew that he could be trustworthy.

 

"I am?" he still cannot believe it.

 

Jiyong nodded and the rest of the gang congratulates and welcomes him with open arms. He is grateful to them. He never thought that he would join in a gang just like that. He assumed that there were difficult and painful initiations to this kind of peers. But Peace Minus One is really different.

 

"Hep! Before anything else, let's address the next issue here," Ailee interjects.

 

"There’s more? I thought joining Top in our gang will be the solution?" Seungri probes.

 

"Of course not!" Ailee waves her one finger at him, shaking her head in the process. "We still need to figure-out on how we will restrain Jaejoong on getting near to Bom."

 

"They're under our protection already. Isn’t that enough warning to him?"

 

"It won’t, maknae. That Jaejoong is one heck of a stubborn guy," Youngbae remarks.

 

"And arrogant too! He is not even afraid of us. Bloody Fangs is spoiling him. I don’t any have idea why did Yoochun let him be a leader," Daesung scoffs.

 

"What?! He did that? I should teach him the lesson!" Seungri exclaims.

 

"No need. We already did that." Daesung and Youngbae shared each other a high five.

 

"Guys! Enough! I have something in mind. But I will need you, Jiyongie and Seungri-ah," Ailee told them as she gives the two guys a look.

 

Jiyong nodded without uttering a word while Seungri cheers in glee that he'll play an important part of her plan.

 

"What's your plan, noona?"

 

 

***

 

The next day, the entire Gakuen High is buzzing with the latest rule for the whole gangs.

 

Each gang members are entitled to appoint a muse with a written contract that will be signed by the both parties. The said reform was signed by the school’s owner and Jiyong as the ring leader.

 

It started with Peace Minus One (except Jiyong) and the other gangs followed.

 

Jaejoong is seething with anger with the new memorandum since one of the written rules is prohibiting any gang member to touch a muse who is already taken by another gang member. At the same time, the news of Top being a member of Peace Minus One spread like a wild fire. And he had taken Bom as his muse to top it all.

 

He punched the wall and rapidly left their classroom with his gang trying to catch up with him. He aimed for one direction only. And that is to take back what is rightfully his and to show everyone how strong he is.

 

He'll fight no matter what, even if he faces the whole Peace Minus One!

 

He traced them on the field and celebrating. Bom is also there along with the other muses of the gang members. He curled his fists into tight balls until it turns pale.

 

He didn’t think. He is seeing red with vehemence. He marched towards them and pulls Bom. He doesn’t care as he drags her away. Even she's begging.

 

"BOM! Jaejoong let her go! YOU FCKING BASTARD!" Top growls and immediately runs after them.

 

The other members of Peace Minus One barricade the other Bloody Fangs that about to follow Jaejoong. Youngbae along with Daesung, Ailee and Seungri followed Top. Their ring leader is nowhere to be found as usual. And they don’t have any idea where Jiyong is..

 

They run after the two until Jaejoong and Bom reached the rooftop. He lets go of her harshly that she knocks down on the ground.

 

"FCK!" he curses angrily. Bom winced slightly. "YOU ARE MINE, BOM! MINE!" he holds her by the shoulder and starts shaking her. "I don’t care about that stupid muse-gangster contract! You are only mine! Nobody can own you but me! Not Top! Not Peace Minus One! But me!"

 

"J-Jae...I’m begging you...p-please...st-stop this," Bom pleaded as tears flowed down her eyes.

 

"Stop? Are you making me laugh? I won’t stop until you come back to me!"

 

"No! I won't go back to you! You're a monster! I hate you!" Bom cannot help but blurted out those things.

 

Jaejoong's eyes squinted with pain and hurt. But it is immediately replaced by anger. He fisted her hair tightly that she cries in pain.

 

"A monster? Yes, I am! You will see how I turned beast because of you!" he growled and pinned her on the wall after punching her stomach. "This is how much a monster like me can love, Bom. This is how much I love you!" he was about to kiss her neck when a hand holds his neck and pulls him away from her.

 

"Noisy !" Jiyong's familiar voice filled their ears.

 

Bom sighs in relief and drops down the ground. The exact time Top and the others came. They quickly came to her side and check her condition. Ailee stayed beside her while the four boys turned to Jiyong who's currently breaking Jaejoong's arm lazily.

 

"Hyung!" Seungri called him.

 

Jiyong turns to him sluggishly. "Great. Keep this bastard quiet. He's disturbing my sleep. So noisy," then he throws Jaejoong in front of them.

 

Daesung and Youngbae hold Jaejoong by the arms. He fought but it was a failed attempt. Seungri faced him with an impish grin. He looks like a kid that saw a new toy.

 

"So, you are the one messing up with our gang? Poor you! You have a pretty man face. You will face my fist. This is fun, isn't it? Don’t worry. Hmm... My punch is not that painful. Just a slight!" he said playfully.

 

Daesung and Youngbae rolled their eyes at him while Jiyong can only sigh.

 

"Oh shut up, Seungri! Just do it!" Daesung told the latter impatiently.

 

"Hurry up before we got bored and let you holds him instead as we take over," Youngbae warns.

 

"Fine!" Seungri pouted and quickly punched Jaejoong on his stomach. The latter winced in pain but the maknae continued to give him blows enthusiastically.

 

"Enough! It’s Top’s turn to finish this," Youngbae stopped him. Jaeejoong cannot stand properly due to the beatings he got.

 

Top's face is devoid of any emotion as he stares at Jaejoong. He got near him and gave him one last brotherly pat that he used to do to him before. He remembered those times that they still have their friendship. Those were only remained as part of his memories now.

 

"You fought well, my old friend. However, there are battles you should surrender. This is one of it, Jae. You had already fought for your reason to fight. And I have found mine as well. I am asking for you to leave us alone from now on. Stop chasing Bom. I hope this is the last time that you’ll pull something like this, Jaejoong," he said as he leans away. Not when he heard him weakly speak.

 

"I w-won't stop, Top...I love her and I-I'll fight for that reason only."

 

"Suit yourself. Just don’t be mistaken, Jaejoong. I will face you myself," he said without glancing back.

 

"Wait?! What shall we do to him?" Daesung asked as he walks back to Ailee and Bom.

 

"Let him go, guys. I'm sure he’ll going to be careful to what he’ll do next," Top answered.

 

"Coward! You can't even hit me! And you have the guts to impose a threat on me?" Jaejoong mocks.

 

He ignored him and guides Bom to leave as the others followed suit. They left him on the ground weakly.

 

Jaejoong rolled on his back and stares at the sky with a smirk.

 

He might lose today, he’ll make sure to succeed the next time. This fight isn't done yet. This is the only start of their war.

 

He will come back and claims victory the next time he’ll face them. It is a promise he intend to keep.

 

 

+

What do you think?

- CAMILLE.