Author’s Note: This story is set in an alternate universe, in an imaginary town and country, and during an ambiguous time period.

“I can’t believe the year is ending,” Jaejoong was saying in that customary rambling manner of his. 

Yunho had always found that habit of his to be slightly annoying, especially when all he craved was the sweet peace that silence brought him, but never the point of annoyance—if that made sense. He actually found Jaejoong completely endearing, even with all of his bad habits. 

The fact that Jaejoong seemed to not be very self conscious of his talkative nature might be a portion of his undeniable charms. 

“Ooh, I spy the lovers.”

Both boys tensed up. They recognized the voice. Jaejoong stopped moving his lips. 

Jaehyun!

They looked in his directions. He was smiling at them, but his eyes were focusing on Jaejoong’s pale face. 

Something felt wrong. Yunho didn’t like this. He instantly felt on edge. 

He hated teenage drama. 

“Look who’s here,” Jaehyun drawled, drawing closer to them.

Jaejoong sighed loudly in annoyance and said to his ex-friend, “Jaehyun, stop being a little . Don’t tell me you’re still upset about that fight.”

Jaehyun laughed casually and shrugged in the same manner before he walked away from his friends and closer to where Jaejoong stood glaring at him. He never let his easy going, snarky, and calculative smile dissolved. 

“I mean, can we even call it a fight?”

“Jaejoong,” Yunho said in warning. The boy ignored him. He was falling for the trap. 

“I only gave you a black eye.”

He shrugged again, his smile growing wider. He said it loud enough for everyone to hear. “And I broke your jaw.”

“No, you didn’t!”

He shrugged again. “It felt like it.”

Yunho saw the way Jaejoong flexed his fingers, twisting them into mean fists. 

“Whatever, Jaehyun,” he hissed through clenched teeth.

Jaehyun was nowhere near done. 

Why was he after revenge tonight of all nights? Yunho wondered.

Jaehyun’s face crumpled into a pained expression.  “You attacked me for no reason.”

“What the hell, dude? You were talking .”

Jaehyun inhaled and briefly looked at Yunho before he stared darkly in Jaejoong’s eyes. His next comment came out in what was a near shout. He was making sure everyone in their vicinity heard them. "Are you saying you and your little boyfriend didn’t kiss back in middle school?”

“Jaejoong, just ignore—” Jaejoong cut Yunho off with a palm. 

Yunho felt like he could hear Jaejoong’s patience snapping and heard the crackling of the electricity in the air. It was thick. 

A vein popped on Jaejoong’s forehead. It twitched. 

“ off, Jaehyun!”

“Shut up, Jaehyun.” 

Aki said in unison with Jaejoong. She sounded out of breath. 

She was part of a crowd that was quickly forming around the three boys.

“What’s going on here?” Kimberli whispered in Soel’s ear. She shrugged and gripped Changmin’s hand. Yunho made eye contact with them. He shrugged hopelessly and broke eye contact with them.

Yunho reached out and gently placed a hand on Jaejoong’s bicep. “Hey, Jaejoong, man, just ignore him.”

He looked at Yunho, eyes wild with fury. “How can I? He’s a ing bully.” He turned and looked at Jaehyun and said what was supposed to be for Yunho, but with his eyes on Jaehyun, Yunho knew it was directed at his smiling nemesis. “He wants to make me angry and is trying to embarrass me. Well, that.” 

Jaehyun laughed. “Bully? Me?” He looked around, acting confused and hurt.

Aki walked through the crowd and tried to get next to Jaejoong and Yunho. “Jaehyun, stop it.”

“So, me asking you and your boyfriend if you two are gay is me being a bully?”

“Jaehyun!” Aki hollored. “Stop being a .”

He growled at Aki. She matched his fire.

“Aki, you know he still won’t like you, right? Stop trying. He’s gay.” 

His mocking tone and the way she flinched did it for Jaejoong. 

Aki still didn’t back down. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Why are you targeting Aki now? Are you jealous that she’ll never like you back?” Jaejoong said in an innocent voice.

Jaejoong looked at Aki and they laughed.

Jaehyun’s smile finally disappeared. His fury was palpable.

“No way,” Aki muttered.

“Exactly! No way, because he’s lying.”

Jaejoong rolled his eyes, calming down at the evidence of Jaehyun’s anger. “Dude, drop it. It’s over.”

“Why should I? I haven’t received an apology,” he said, crossing his thick arms over his chest. “And now you’re blatantly lying.”

“What?” he scowled. “Lying? Apology? What apology? Dude, leave me alone.”

“No.” 

And Jaehyun freed his arms and eradicated the distance between him and Jaejoong and forcefully placed his hands on Jaejoong’s chest, just as he took a step forward, and pushed him back with all his might. 

Amidst the surprised gasps, Jaejoong stumbled back into Yunho’s arms, who had been quick in noting what was to happen and stepped in to stop his fall.

“You okay?” Yunho asked, before he glared at Jaehyun, thinking he was crazy. He did look crazy. Jaehyun looked as if he had something to prove. He was going to fight Jaejoong. And Jaejoong was not going to let him get away with it.

Jaejoong flew out of his hands, ignoring Yunho’s attempt at resolving the conflict brewing between the two teens and he punched Jaehyun with all of his might. The loud sound of his fist meeting the fine bones of Jaehyun’s cheeks was loud, leaving them all gasping. It was brutal. 

Jaehyun staggered back, gripping his cheek.

Jaejoong’s anger was unleashed. Jaejoong no longer had self control. 

Jaehyun also had no self control. He flew right back at Jaejoong. 

They were both in a fist of rage.

“Ooh my gosh! Ken, Junsu, do something!” Aki snapped at Jaehyun’s friends.

Yunho knew he had to do something. He and Kevin made eye contact. Kevin silently nodded and they ran in, just as Jaehyun’s friends ran in, too.

Grabbing the teens, they were pulled apart, kicking, punching, and cussing at each other.

“Let me go!” Jaejoong shouted, arms flailing around; Jaehyun tried to fight his friends off, too.

Yunho lost it. “Stop it, Jaejoong,” he snapped at him, pushing him away from Jaehyun to the edge of the crowd.

Jaejoong smacked Yunho’s hands off him; not missing a beat, he screamed at Jaehyun, “What in the ing hell is wrong with you?”

“You started it!” Jaehyun shouted back like a petulant child, and decorated it with a string of cuss words.

Yunho grabbed Jaejoong’s arm again, sensing he was about to pop off again and fly at Jaehyun.

“Are you two done, now?” Aki asked in a stern voice. She sounded like a mom, and looked as disappointed and as upset as one.

Inhaling and exhaling to calm down. Jaejoong smoothed down his coat, trying to calm down. “We’ve been done, Aki.” He looked at Jaehyun with a death stare. “We’re done for life.”

Jaehyun’s face reddened again. He tried to shake off Junsu’s and Ken’s grip on him. “The ? Of course, we’red one, gay boy. Are you going to tell the world that you’re gay, Jaejoong?”

Yunho tensed up.

“Jaehyun!” Aki screamed.

The rest of them were quiet, all eyes on Jaejoong and Yunho.

Swallowing, Yunho knew he could not remain quiet anymore.

“Jaehyun, shut up, dude. Why are you being such a cumwad?”

His eyes lit up in pleasure. “Ooh, look, his boyfriend is standing up for him.”

“Jaehyun, just off,” Jaejoong said, turned around and walked away, leaving all his friends standing back there in stunned silence. Except for Aki, who was giving Jaehyun a piece of her mind.

Jaehyun was not done. Instead of letting them leave, he started to follow them, now free of his friends, and he shouted at Jaejoong’s receding back, “Run away, sissy!”

Yunho snapped. He turned around, not seeing that Jaejoong also stopped walking. Walking towards Jaehyun who was caught off guard at him turning around and approaching him, he said, “ you. What the the hell is wrong with being gay? It is the twenty-first century, monkey brains. Gay people are human beings, they have rights, and they’re getting married. I am pretty sure you know way more gay people than you think you know. But because of your heinous personality, no one wants to come out to you. Stop being a ing bully. The real world is nothing like high school.” He inhaled and said in disgust. “Jaehyun, I feel bad for you. The best years of your life are going to be the sad four years you spend in high school and for there it’s going to be all downhill. Your days as the reigning king in the world are coming to an end.”

“Shut up, —”

Yunho’s mind went white and he lost it. He took a few steps back to where Jaehyun stood and punched him. Jaehyun doubled over at the unexpected force and landed on his . If stares could vaporize people, Yunho would have been nothing but a memory then.

Yunho was on a roll. He could not think. He punched Jaehyun again. And was going in for the third when Kevin and Changmin swarmed him and grabbed his arm to stop him.

Staring down at Jaehyun, breaths laborious, trembling in anger, Yunho said loudly, “I am gay. What are you going to do about that, big guy?”