It had been a week since you had talked to Woohyun that day. You had even avoided both Dongwoo and Hoya whenever you saw them in the hall. Dongwoo was usually annoyed but Hoya looked hurt by it. Woohyun must’ve told them what had happened between you two. You were able to not see them most of the time though. However, you had another one of them in your homeroom and most all of your classes. Myungsoo. He was less kind about what he must’ve heard from Woohyun. It was like each lesson for him was burning holes through your back.

Math was “stare down” hour.

English was “glaring and shooting dagger” hour.

Physical Education was “get into your way no matter what” hour.

You were getting sick of it. If he hated you so much he could just ignore you. You’d like it better that way but nope, he was intent on making his hatred of you known to not just you but the whole class. So right now, “friends” wasn’t a term you were familiar with in Springfield.

However, it had also been a week since you last saw imaginary hunter, Zico, which was a plus to the situation. You sighed as the bell rung again, cuing another lonely walk to the car before a lonely drive back to the empty house you called “home.”

“Can’t wait.” You mumbled as you gathered your things up together.

You checked your watch as you walked down the street. It was eleven at night and you had left the house to get some milk for your cereal tomorrow morning because most likely, your mom would’ve already left for work by then. Her job as a nurse was demanding but you had a feeling she was avoiding you on purpose so that she wouldn’t have to talk about the sensitive subject that was your father.

You swung your hands back and forth as you took big steps like a toy solider. The little things always did satisfy you. You arrived in front of the ‘Snack n’ Go’ that was only around three minutes away from your house. You were walking around just on memory of where it was when you drove past it so it had taken you around ten minutes to get there. The light from the sign almost blinded you in the bleak darkness as you looked up.

You walked up to the entrance and waited for the automatic sliding doors to open. Once they did, you stepped inside and were greeted by the air conditioning. You pulled your jacket closed; after all you were still in pajamas. “Welcome to Snack n’ Go.”  You gave a glance to the cashier who was absorbed in the magazine he was reading.

You looked around the small shop and spotted the fridges in the back, lining the wall. You walked past the aisles, your flats slightly dragging on the floor.

The cashier looked up at you, though you didn’t notice. All he saw was the top of your head as you walked around the back of the aisles. He looked back down at his magazine, uninterested. He was too absorbed in thinking about something else to pay attention to you.

You finally reached the fridge and opened it. The cool air made you pout as you examined the milk cartons at the bottom shelf. Once you saw the one you wanted, you grabbed it and tugged it out of the slot. You closed the door and walked to the front.

You stood in front of the cashier now, whose face you didn’t see as his head was down. After a while, he finally realized there was someone in front of him. He looked up and you, well, you felt like you were meeting way too many good looking guys lately.

He straightened himself out as he looked at you. Though he would never admit it, you made him do a double take. He cleared his throat upon realizing you had been looking at him with furrowed brows. He reached out and grabbed the milk to scan it. He told you the price and you nodded while using one hand to grab the money from your jacket pocket and the free hand moving your hair behind your ear.

You paid him and watched as your receipt printed out of the register. He put your change onto the counter, coins and all, and slid them to you along with your receipt. You slid them off the counter and took them along with your bagged milk. “Thank you.” You bowed slightly to the older boy and walked towards the door.

The cashier went back to looking at his magazine, that’s when he realized you had forgotten your receipt. He grunted in frustration as he picked it up and exited the area behind the register. As you walked through the automatic doors, he walked quickly to catch up to you, “Wait miss.” He called out to you.

You immediately stopped and turned, something the cashier wasn’t expecting. His absentmindedness caused him to come to a stop a little too late. He bumped into you slightly though he backed up quickly. At first, when you looked up at him with tentative eyes as to why he stopped you, his face was one of regret for bumping into you. However, then he looked confused. Then, startled. His eyes widened as he stared at you. You bit your lip, “Yes?”

He blinked a couple of times before saying only, “You forgot your receipt,” with a monotone voice.

“Ah, thank you.” You took it and bowed again before turning and walking out, thinking nothing of the encounter.

The cashier walked back over to the cash register, more like stumbled. He steadied himself with the counter as his eyes shook in disbelief. His lip twitched, “What the hell?” He snarled, “Woohyun?”

“So you’re giving up on her?” Dongwoo asked as he sat on the couch of the living room. Woohyun sighed and rubbed his temples.

“I don’t want to but she hasn’t even talked to me about it.”

Hoya sat Indian style in front of the fireplace. He reminisced about that night you took him in and honestly he didn’t want to just give up on you like this. Sure, he didn’t want you to be involved at first but now he was having second thoughts. His mind told him to let you go but his body and his heart didn’t want to. “Give her more time.” He chanted as he got lost in the embers of the fire.

Dongwoo sighed, “You’ve been saying that over and over again.” He straightened up on the couch and looked back towards Woohyun, “You know she avoids me?”

“Who avoids you? Did you say ‘she’?” A voice came from the entrance of the living room. Woohyun, Hoya, and Dongwoo went tense at his sudden appearance. “Is it a girl? A human girl? What kind of human girl ignores Dongwoo? Is that even possible?” The owner of the voice, Sungjong, spoke so quickly that Dongwoo could only have his jaw hang open in response.

“It’s nothing Sungjong. Don’t worry about it.” Woohyun told him as he poured a drink for himself into a clear glass.

Sungjong frowned. Lately there had been a lot of secrets kept from him. He could tell. Even Dongwoo, the big mouth, was unusually quiet about his personal matters lately. Woohyun was always locked up in his room after school so called “thinking” about things. Hoya would spend most of his time staring at the fireplace. As for Myungsoo, he was much touchier lately; everything seemed to get on his nerves.

“We’re home from the store!” A voice, which everyone recognized as being Sungyeol, yelled. He walked into the living room first, grocery bags in his hands and a smile on his face. When he saw their expressions however, he looked to Sungjong, “What’s going on?” Sungjong shrugged.

“Nothing’s going on.” Myungsoo said from behind them. Apparently, he had gone with Sungyeol to buy things. “Isn’t that right Woohyun, Hoya, Dongwoo?” He questioned each of them. They were silent in reply. “That’s what I thought.” He mumbled with a sneer on his face as he plopped down onto the couch.

The front door opened again, getting everyone’s attention. After all, if all of them were here then the only person it could be was their leader. And they were right. Sunggyu came through the door though he looked worse for wear.

“Hyung? You’re back early today.” Sungjong called with worry. Sunggyu looked up, his eyes narrowed, the look on his face showing he was in no mood for pleasantries. He stormed inside and slammed the door behind him. The whole house shook with his ferocity. He moved quickly past Sungjong and Sungyeol who blocked the way. He was a blur as he moved across the living room.

“Hyung!” Sungjong yelled in fear as Woohyun went flying into the lamp on the end table. The glass of water he was drinking crashed onto the floor and shattered into pieces. Sunggyu stormed towards Woohyun and flung him again.

Dongwoo stood off the couch in surprise, as did Myungsoo. Hoya turned in shock and Sungyeol dropped the grocery bags he was holding.

Woohyun crashed into the wall though Sunggyu gave no mercy as he picked him up and pinned him to the hard surface. Books fell from the shelves behind him as Woohyun struggled in Sunggyu’s grip.

“Hyung?” Woohyun gasped, his eyes tearing from the lack of oxygen.

“You still have the audacity to call me that after what you’ve done?” Sunggyu spat at him as he raised him higher on the wall. More books fell, only adding to the pain Woohyun was in. Woohyun couldn’t answer as his windpipe lost the ability to function. “After you,” Sunggyu looked away and gritted his teeth before lifting and slamming Woohyun’s body against the wall again, “after you marked some human?”

Dongwoo, Hoya, Sungyeol, and Myungsoo’s eyes widened. They all took steps forward, immediately over their shock, in order to help Woohyun. Woohyun’s feet slowly stopped kicking. Sungjong screamed, tears in his eyes at the sight, “No! Hyung stop!” Sunggyu went softer at younger Sungjong’s pleas.

Dongwoo and Hoya took Sunggyu’s hesitation as an opening as they quickly moved to pull him off of Woohyun. They succeeded though Sunggyu resisted fiercely. Myungsoo, Sungjong, and Sungyeol rushed to Woohyun’s side. They looked him over, hoping he was okay. He coughed, his fingers on his throat that was gasping for air.

Sunggyu yanked out of Dongwoo’s and Hoya’s grip. He watched as Sungjong and Sungyeol helped Woohyun recoup. Myungsoo looked up at Sunggyu, his eyes seeming to say something that only made Sunggyu angrier. Myungsoo’s silent message was, “I’m sorry.”

Sunggyu clenched his fists, “Don’t tell me you knew?” He directed at Myungsoo. Myungsoo looked away, biting his bottom lip.

“Hey, Sunggyu, just calm down,” Dongwoo tried to touch Sunggyu but he brushed him off aggressively. Sunggyu looked to Dongwoo now, having a new target for his anger to be inflicted upon.

“Did you know too?” He asked. He wanted to hear Dongwoo say no. Dongwoo never kept secrets. Never.

Dongwoo was at a loss of what to say, “Hyung,” as soon as he started he was stopped as Sunggyu’s fist impacted upon his face. Dongwoo fell to the floor, his lip bleeding. Hoya went quickly to Dongwoo. No matter how fast their injuries healed, there was no curing the emotional impact Sunggyu’s punch had on Dongwoo.

Hoya looked up at Sunggyu, “I guess you’ll just have to punch me too.”

Sunggyu’s lip twitched. Woohyun coughed again, which caught Sunggyu’s attention. He looked down at his open palm. He grimaced and clenched his fist, “I’m going to sleep.” Was all he said as he left for his room.