ii. staking claims

“Yunho, 0062!”

The first year student stops on his tracks and bows at them as a greeting. Jaejoong waves a hand at him. “Why do you have two of those?” he asks, pointing at the signature books in his hands.

“Ah, you told us to get signatures but didn’t specifically say how we’re supposed to get them.”

Smartass, Jaejoong notes, and it annoys him. It hasn’t even been a week since he started his head hazer duties and a student is already on his list. The list is essentially a literal list of students who are either being difficult or those who defied him and his orders. They are those he would have to personally keep an eye on. And at the moment, Yunho is the first and the only one in it. What a snowflake. He makes a face and then asks, “Do you have my signature yet?” When the freshman shakes his head, he extends a hand out. “Give me yours.” He browses the book and almost curses out loud at how Yunho is doing the task pretty well. “Three pages. Hm, not bad.” He takes his eyes off the signature book and smiles. The smile comes off as a little suspicious but it’s not like he cares. “Can you do me a favour?”

“What is it?”

“Can you do it?” he asks again. There is challenge in his voice.

“Yes, sunbaenim. I’ll do it.”

Yunho’s voice is firm and Jaejoong hopes he’s ready for what he signed up for. “Right.” He grins and points at the table farthest from them. “Stand on that empty table and shout ‘I like men’ three times.” Wordlessly, the freshman agrees, about to walk away. Jaejoong stops him. “I’m far from done, 0062. You then have to ask… hm…” He leans over to Yoochun. “How many?”

“Ten.” Yoochun answers with a silly smile on his face.

“Ten.” He nods thoughtfully. “You have to ask ten male students if they would like to go out with you.” Jaejoong expects a cry of objection, but there’s none, much to his astonishment. Yunho stands silently, looking like he’s in deep thought. A wave of satisfaction rushes through Jaejoong’s body. Victory is almost within reach. Is that success I can smell? He clicks his tongue. “Can you do it, freshie? Why are you silent? Is it because you don’t have the guts to do it?” he taunts.

A smirk slowly spreads across his face when Yunho stares hard at him and then walks away.

Yunho is wondering if he ever did something to the head hazer that’s making him the target of his ed up favours. His fists are clenched in both anger and confusion as he makes his way to the table. He’s positive that he would not be able to leave the cafeteria unscathed. He clearly remembers Jaejoong’s speech about guiding them and making sure they are disciplined. This isn’t guiding them. This is ridiculing them under the pretence of teaching them a lesson about whatever bull they’re planning to spew when someone actually complains. This is making first year students like him scared of people with authority and will ultimately turn them into puppets. This is not what they’re here for. They are not enrolled in the university to be subjected to a nasty system like SOTUS. This is cruel and unfair. But he’s not going to let the seniors win. Specially not Jaejoong. He will not back down and he will fight them if he has to.

Taking a deep breath, he takes two long strides as he climbs up the designated table. That alone attracts everyone’s attention. Great. He cups his mouth with both hands and shouts as loud as he could, “I like men!” He repeats it two more times before getting off the table, purposely ignoring the catcalls from the other students. Now comes the difficult part, he silently tells himself. He knows the hazers are watching him closely so he can’t exactly half- this. He marches towards the first guy he sees and asks, “Would you like to go out with me?” he doesn’t wait for an answer and approaches another guy. He asks the same question and repeats the cycle until he reaches his quota.

People are still staring at him— some in interest, several in amusement, and a few others in blatant disgust – as he makes his way back towards the hazers’ table. He seriously believed he’d be getting a black eye or two. “I’m done.” he tells a beaming Jaejoong. He would very much like to wipe off the smile on his face. There must be something wrong with this senior if he finds pleasure in humiliating people.

“Good job!” the senior tells him, giving back his signature book.

He keeps a straight face as he browses it for Jaejoong’s signature, and frowns when he doesn’t see anything. “You haven’t signed it, sunbaenim.”

“Oh?” Jaejoong feigns surprise. Yunho could see through the act. “When did I say I’ll sign it?” He is so close from snapping. It’s infuriating how the senior is set on shaming his juniors just because he feels like it and he has the power to do so. His internal tirade is interrupted when Jaejoong leans close to him and says, “Don’t do it again.” Gone is the smile he was wearing. It’s replaced by his stoic appearance reminiscent of the one he was sporting during the first day of gathering. “Give the signature book back to your friend and let him do the task on his own. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sunbaenim.”

Jaejoong then snaps his fingers as if an idea popped out of his head. “I can help you with something though.” He motions for him to come closer and he does. Out of curiosity, he even leans close to his senior. “I can help you find a skirt to wear if you like. And a wig, to go with it if you’re into that.” Jaejoong whispers. And as if to mock him further, he pats him on the cheek and then pretends to dust off his uniform.

it, he decides, and glares hard at Jaejoong who seems to be unaffected. Not