The trio were looking around uneasily. Baekho was still nowhere to be seen and it was already almost the end of class. Countless messages left unread and even phone calls couldn't get through. They were restless and worried. For days they couldn't get through to their friend and now he didn't show up in class either.

"Should we go over to his place later?" Aron asked.

"We should check on him. Maybe his injuries got worse," Jonghyun said.

"Right."

After class was over, the three of them hurriedly left the class and walked out from the building. Before they got to the exit, Minki noticed Minhyun and a couple of the guys coming in their direction.

"Its Minhyun," he blurted out, making Jonghyun and Aron turn to look as well.

"Oh, look who we have here," Jisung said with his hands tucked away in his pocket. The three of them stopped and exchanged glances. "The 's friend."

"What the hell did you just say?!" Minki growled and stepped forward but Jonghyun grabbed his elbow. Jisung whistled and smirked.

"That's right. Your friend is a , you know? But oh wait. Don't tell me all of you are too? Oh golly me. You guys think you can just walk around holding hands and smooching each other's faces in the open. That's disgusting."

"Take that back," Aron hissed.

"Oh and what are you going to do, limp? Gonna kick me with that useless leg of yours?" Jisung approached Aron and flicked his nose.

"You're taking this too far," Jonghyun cut in this time, shoving Jisung away from Aron. "Cut it out. We know what you did to our friend. You're s, you know that?"

Jisung laughed and someone else snickered as well. "You hear him? We are the when he's the one ing that guy like rabbits."

Minki's face burned red with anger instead of embarrassment. "Jonghyun is my soulmate and you guys are just pathetic lonely souls who have nothing better to do in your time but to bully others! I hope you drop dead!"

The glint in Jisung's turned dark as he motioned his hand. Two of them stepped up and grabbed Minki to Jonghyun and Aron's surprise.

"Hey! Leave him alone," Jonghyun snapped. Minki struggled and snapped at the two guys, trying to bite them. Before Jonghyun could get to Minki, Jisung grabbed him and punched him across the face.

"Holy f-" Aron almost cursed. He didn't know what to do and just then, he saw Minhyun and the look of terror in his face. Minhyun seemed just as paralysed as he was.

"Guanlin, make sure that one doesn't run away," Jisung ordered while cracking his fists. Jonghyun pushed himself up from the floor and charged at Jisung. Both of them engaging in a fist fight. Minki screamed and saw Minhyun. One of the taller males started heading to Aron who stumbled back, tripping on his foot and falling to the ground.

"Do something! Don't just stand there!" Minki yelled at Minhyun who flinched. Their eyes met and Minhyun moved. He stood in front of Aron and put a hand on Guanlin's chest. He shook his head.

"Move out of the way, Minhyun. It's either us or him," the tall boy whispered but Minhyun still shook his head since he was unable to stop him vocally. Minki managed to break free when the two holding him was stunned by Minhyun's betrayal. He charged at Jisung and tackled him onto the ground.

"You'll pay for what you did to Baekho!" Minki screamed and a bigger fight broke out. Jisung, Jaehwan, Sungwoon against Minki and Jonghyun. Minhyun didn't move even when Guanlin raised a hand to hit him.

"I don't want to hit you."

Minhyun gestured. 'Then don't. Leave him alone.'

"You... You're looking for trouble, aren't you?"

Minhyun shook his head and pleaded with his eyes. Aron got up and grabbed his phone, dialling the police since that was his first train of thought. Guanlin noticed and shoved Minhyun aside, grabbing and trying to get Aron's phone away from him. Minhyun stumbled but he balanced himself and tore Guanlin away from Aron. The two males started to go head to head while Aron cowered and tried to get the police to come. Guanlin was stronger than Minhyun in terms of strength and managed to make him fall onto the ground. He went to Aron and was about to kick him when Minhyun covered him. The kick connected to Minhyun's back instead. Minhyun winced and Aron gasped.

Jonghyun managed to knock down Sungwoon but Jisung and Jaehwan didn't go down that easily. Minki was also panting heavily with a few bruises. They heard Aron's gasp and that momentary turn made them lower their guard. Jisung attacked Minki this time while Jaehwan pounded against Jonghyun. Minki clawed at the other's face in frustration. They didn't know when or how to stop until a police siren actually sounded. The attackers stopped, thinking Aron had actually managed to call them and quickly scattered once Jisung motioned his hand. Everyone except Minhyun and the three left. Minhyun opened his eyes and winced again, feeling his muscles throb. He moved away from Aron and froze.

Baekho.

Baekho stood before them, unable to believe what was going on. His friends noticed him and let out a relieved sigh.

"You're fine. Thank god," Jonghyun said even though he knew Baekho couldn't hear him. Baekho helped them up to their feet and stepped in front of Minhyun. He didn't look at him though. Minhyun wanted to explain but the words that left Baekho's lips made him stop.

"Please leave," Baekho said softly.

Please let me explain.

Minhyun reached out to hold him but Baekho stepped back, eyes still gazing downwards.

"Leave."

Minhyun felt his heart break apart. He shook his head. He didn't want to leave.

Don't do this to me.

"Leave!"

Minhyun flinched, his cheeks becoming wet without him realising. He turned away and quickly walked off. Baekho's friends were stunned but it wasn't like they could have told Baekho to stop when the other couldn't hear them. Aron pulled Baekho into a hug and patted his back. He looked at Jonghyun and Minki who shrugged. They weren't sure what to say or do either.

^^^

Minhyun rubbed his cheeks furiously. Why? Why wouldn't Baekho let him explain too?! Why wouldn't he even look at him?? What had he done to deserve this? He sobbed and continued wiping away the tears that wouldnt stop falling. He didn't even understand why he was being this emotional. He knew Baekho was different from anyone else he has ever met before. He just knew so why did he have to go and break his heart like that? They were friends, weren't they? So why? What went wrong? Minhyun hid in a quiet spot, covering his ears. Everything felt so loud to him now. Baekho's voice still rang in his ears, telling him to leave. He cried until his body trembled. He heard his phone ring but he didn't want to pick it up. He didn't care anymore. He just wished he never joined Jisung's group. He wished he could still be ignorant towards what they did. He wished none of this happened.

He wished he never met Baekho.

^^^

"Should we tell him?" Minki asked as Baekho helped them patch up their bruises this time.

"About what?" Aron replied while drinking water. He was the only one who was pretty much unscathed and had helped with patching Jonghyun up earlier.

"Minhyun. He protected you."

"You did yell at him too. I don't know what he had hoped to gain from doing that but he did appear with them. What if this was all just his grand plan?" Aron questioned.

"Impossible. He was crying when Baekho told him to leave," Jonghyun added.

"He was?" Minki gasped and Baekho wondered what were his friends talking about. Jonghyun nodded.

"I saw it. His tears. I think he's genuine but I don't get it. If he doesn't like being friends with those jerks, why does he still follow them around?"

"Maybe they threatened him. I heard that guy who was told to attack me that it was either them or us," Aron said. "I think that guy who talked a ton is the alpha. And everyone else is just his lackeys. And if they don't listen, they get bullied. Sounds about right to me."

"So Minhyun is scared of being bullied?" Minki asked and the other two could only shrug. They still didn't know the full story behind this and frankly, they wished they weren't involved but now they knew who did beat their friend up. "Also can someone ask Baekho how he appeared from college but didn't attend class?"

Aron and Jonghyun exchanged glances. Aron sighed and nodded, moving over to Baekho. He gently touched Baekho's hand first and the male turned to look at his friend who smiled warmly to him. Baekho felt guilty. If only he was there, maybe he would have been their target. Maybe they would have left his friends alone. Aron could tell Baekho was thinking about a lot of things from the way his brows were dipped inwards.

'Don't blame yourself for what happened to us.' Aron signed and Baekho bit his lower lip. 'I'm pretty sure they were already targeting us ever since they went after you.'

'But I could have helped. I could have done something. I let you guys-' Aron held Baekho's frantic signing hands and patted his back.

'Breathe.' Baekho nodded and breathed in. 'Good. Now let's try again. Where were you just now during class?'

Baekho breathed out, counting down to 8 before he responded. 'In the toilet. I saw the three guys who beat me up just before I got to class and I ran away. I couldn't breathe. I'm sorry I ditched you guys.'

'It's okay. We are just glad you're okay.' He turned to the other two who nodded in agreement. Baekho looked at them and sniffled, nodding.

'Another question. Why did you ask Minhyun to leave?'

Baekho stiffened and rubbed his hands nervously.

'Take your time.'

Baekho let his red lower lip go and sighed. 'I don't know how to face him.'

'Minhyun didn't hurt us. He protected me just now.'

'He did?' Baekho raised his brows hopefully. Aron nodded and smiled. Then he noticed Baekho's expression wrecked with guilt again.

'I yelled at him for no reason then. I'm so stupid.' Baekho knocked his head and Aron grabbed his hand, shaking his head.

'You didn't know and its understandable that you would act that way after what happened to you before this.'

'I hurt him.'

Aron pursed his lips and glanced at the other two for help. Jonghyun got up and squatted beside Aron. Baekho looked at him.

'Do you want to know the truth?' Jonghyun signed and Baekho nodded. 'Then you have to face Minhyun and confront him about it.'

Baekho wheezed and nodded. 'But what if he really doesn't want to talk or see me because of what I did?'

'Do what you think is right.'

^^^

Yet he couldn't. Every time he saw Minhyun or any of his friends, he would turn tail and run. Even his own friends couldn't stop him. Aron did point out on how Minhyun was seated a little further away from his friends though and they weren't talking to him either. Baekho rubbed his hands nervously. What if he really had read the whole situation wrongly? Or what if he was right? What if.. Baekho groaned into his hands and slid them down his face. He bade his friends farewell and left class. He felt a hand grab him and he turned his head to find Minhyun there with slight heavy breathing.

'Please let me explain.' Minhyun signed the moment he had Baekho's attention, having to let him go. Baekho stood there, contemplating. Minhyun did come to him first but then he found himself shaking his head and shutting his eyes, covering his ears with his hand.

What if everything goes wrong?