“Yah Kang RyuJin!”

“Won’t you stop right there?”

“You know it won’t be any better this way!”

“Come back here right now”

​​​A gang of 3 girls and 2 boys were there again near the school gate as I was leaving after school.

Today again, they were there waiting for me, to have their fun, thinking of the routine that was going to happen in a while. I didn't want to give in anymore, so I decided to rebel, do something in action, instead of cursing them afterwards. So, without thinking anything ahead, I took the empty coffee-can I had in my bag’s side pocket and threw it targeting one of the girls, I hated her!

It did hit the head of the girl and now she was looking at me with fiery angry eyes as if she would kill me there & then.

“How dare you?" "You !” she cursed. “Do you think you can run away after this?” her furious voice thrilled the out of me.

"Wait till I get you in my hands" 

Before I could think more, I started running in the opposite direction of them as fast as I could and soon all 5 of them were behind me.

I started sweating and my heart was beating fast like a train with unrealistic speed in my legs now. I didn’t know what to do next.

It was not even on the path to my house. I was far more far from home now and apparently in a silent area, not a single person on the road as the sun was almost down in the west.

I was scared now feeling lost and confused about what to do alone there, when five of the rude seniors of mine were chasing me now as a result of my backfire-stunt, which came out of my anxiety & fear.

What if they really catch me now?

They won’t leave me alone after what I did to them?

Who knows they can drag me by hair, hit me harder or make me run for hours on the ground tomorrow?

I can't even imagine what more they're capable of?

The list is bigger for what they can do if I include everything they had done to me till now.

I think I just made it worse today.

Argh! It’s so frustrating to bear with these rude brats every day.

As long as I'm being a mumb-doll they're getting more shameless for their actions.

I’ll just keep running more for now.

I tried being optimistic as if that may help.

I was running with all my strength.

I didn't even have any money today that could shut them up.

Last time they made me steal snacks from the department store when I couldn’t give them money. And I literally begged the store manager to not tell my parents about it when I got caught with my obvious efforts for as dumb I was to be stealing something from a big store. It was already embarrassing that my rank was lowered in my last exam because of the everyday frustration at school. I couldn’t afford getting complaints from my school now.

Argh! This is driving me crazy.

Why can’t they leave me alone?

What did I do to deserve this?

It would be so great if I just disappeared here right now.

I was passing by a black car parked at the side of the road so I decided to hide behind it for some time.

I was getting breathless. I could feel my throat getting dry & my breath getting heavy & loud as I stopped running, walking to the car.

I moved to the other side of the car behind the road, kept my breath low as possible, being careful they wouldn't notice me. I heard their voices approaching near the car, getting louder, as I could even hear their steps getting closer.

They must have seen me coming here.

I was scared to death now, my heart beating faster than ever, I closed my eyes shut to avoid what I was going to see after this.

Suddenly I heard a creaking voice of the door as I opened my eyes, the car door was opened in front of me.

“Are you okay?” a very young, puppy-eyed curly-haired boy near the door asked me.

“I don’t think so.” the other boy with spiked hair sitting in the seat in front of him said looking at me.

“Get in first!!” he extended his hand.

I was in shock of the sudden presence of these unknown boys in that car I thought was standing empty.

I had no idea what was happening with me right now. The boy who had kept his hand extended till now held my hand coming out of the car, signaling the other to hold it too.

They pulled me inside the car & closed the door as we three got in.

It was a 6-seater car with a back seat instead of trunk where two boys were already sitting, one with a unique hairstyle, the half of his hair was shaved and the other had a small face, very short hair & big eyes, as he was staring at me with those getting bigger now. I think he was quite tall, by the way his head was almost near the car's ceiling, “Are you okay?” he asked, concerned.

I was standing in between the single four seats in the middle part of the car, facing towards each other, when I noticed three more people inside. Two of them who pulled me inside, and one was a cute faced boy sitting on the third seat.

“Let her sit first." the haircut-boy said. Only his hairstyle was that rough, totally contrasting to the soft, kind voice he had.

"Get seated, kid!” he said, signaling to the single empty seat of the car behind me.

“Were they bullying you? It seems like that?” the one who pulled my hand asked worried, while watching through the rear mirror of the car as he saw the five students in school uniform lingering near the car, searching for me.

I knew they must have seen me coming here. I was near to my death today, if these boys didn't get me in.

I got into the seat next to him feeling depleted and felt myself shaking as I rested my face on my lap exhausted.

I was crying now without realizing till I felt my tears in my palm. I was still hearing my heartbeats aloud, scaring me more about what I did.

What would have happened to me?

My body was shaking now as I couldn't stop myself from crying, holding my face in both of my palms. I felt a hand on my back patting me gently supposedly to make me calm as I could hear myself sniffing loudly now that I knew I was out of danger.

“You must be really scared" "Are the kids in high school scary?” I heard the cute boy sitting in front of the seat I was settled in, he was patting my back. I could hear his voice along the pats like an intermittent echo. His voice was sweet & calm like his soft pats, and a bit familiar too, now that I heard him.

“Don’t worry! You are safe here” he said comforting me, continuing the pats light and steady.

“Hey, don’t cry. You aren’t hurt right?” the other boy with a puppy face, who pulled me inside asked. And I shaked my head in denial, raising my head up to face them as they were talking to me now.

“Taemin-ah, give her some water.” the tall boy from the back seat tapped the puppy-faced boy's shoulder.

“Yes hyung!” he took out a water bottle from the bag in his lap, extending it to me.

Why were these boys taking care of me?

They all were of almost the same age as the rude brats out there but they were so different, concerned & kind, being so humble to a stranger like me.

I couldn't believe I was just saved by some good people so magically out of nowhere.

And the tears continued to roll as fear and anxiety was creeping back on me in contrast.

How was I going to face them in school tomorrow? It was not like I could run away from them forever.

I continued to cry, lowering my head again.

The boy in the seat in front of me pulled my hands and put the water bottle in my hands.

I took the bottle & tried to open it but my hands were shaking & strengthless, it fell down. "Sorry" I said and tried to reach the bottle but the spike-haired boy next to me already picked it and opened it for me.

“Thank you” I said in a hoarse low voice.

“Aigoo! Look at you!"

"Calm down and drink slowly. It's okay.” The haircut boy said, looking pitiful at my crying face as I drank some water from a bottle with some tears still wet on my cheeks.

“Here take this, wipe your tears, you shouldn't be crying so much because of the people who are happy about you being hurt.” The boy next to me, one with spiked hair, said giving me his handkerchief.

It had a 'J' letter embroidered on it. It must be his initials, I assumed.

I was ruining his precious handkerchief with my tears stains right now, feeling bad for the lovely embroidery. Such things are mostly like special gifts. I didn't want to ruin it but my nose was being stuffy and my tears made my eyes blurry now. I was a mess overall, and he did give it to me to wipe my tears.

So I just took it, saying sorry, in my mind, as I was too embarrassed to say it aloud. 

"What exactly happened?” the boy in the seat across from me 'Taemin' asked curiously, making everyone's head turn to me.

"I hit the girl with an empty coffee-can and was running away as I got scared then.” I said through sniffs.

And after a small pause, the boy with the haircut smirked looking at my crying face, and the 'J' boy and the cute boy were just staring at me in awe, probably not believing what I did was real.

I won't believe myself doing that too if I look behind.

It was impulsive & I was really frustrated today. I can't imagine myself being tha