“You are really a loser, aren’t you?”

I opened my eyes and saw the mocking smile on the face of my bully.  Hi was having fun with me.

“I don’t want to dirt my hands with you” he said turning in the other direction. In the moment I thought I was saved, he faced me again “ But don’t worry, I won’t forget you so easily, buddy.”

After that he finally left, leaving me alone. The crowd slowly began to slip apart and I was glad for that, although I couldn’t fool myself. Me and my big mouth.

My stomach remind for himself with a low sound. In a trouble or not, I was hungry. The only problem was that I didn’t know where the cafeteria was and I really didn’t want to ask anyone.

Fifteen minutes later I found it. I looked around the hall searching for the ashole, but for my relief he wasn’t there. Ignoring the dirty looks of some of the student  I get one sandwich and orange juice and set up on the first free table I saw.

Without doubt the rumor for incident in the hallway spread around really fast. I continued to chew the sandwich with a poker face, although my hands trembled slightly. 

So things like that really can happen in schools?

“Hi, there. Can I set here?”

I turned around, ready for the worst. In front of me was thin boy with wide charming smile and very slim body.  His hair was blond and tied up in a ponytail. Honestly, he was from the type I avoided   in my old school, but here I couldn’t be picker. I desperately need a friend.

“Help yourself” I said with my mouth full.

The boy looked happy as he sat next to me, putting his tray on the table.

“My name is Sungjong, but you can call me Jongie if you want” his voice was cheerful as he spoke. I couldn’t help but smile in return.

“Jinki, nice to meet you “ I introduced myself continuing with the food in front of me. I didn’t wanted to be rude, but I wasn’t so good with the conversations with strangers.

“You are new here, right? It’s pretty obvious, you looked kind of lost.” Sungjong doesn’t seemed to mind my silent and that was just fine with me “You are third year, aren’t you? So I am. That means we’ll have shared classes. We can  sit to each other if you want to. But I warm you, I can be pretty talkative if I’m bored.”

Sungjong was easy going boy, the eternal optimistic, funny and the most important – he seemed like he really wanted us to become friends.

“If you ever late to lunch never sit on the table over there” he whispered, moving closer to me, pointing with his finger to the table in the cafeteria, after we almost finishing with out launch.

“Why not?” I asked curious, putting aside the empty bottle from the juice.
“Because there is where they sitting.” he answered looking around like he was afraid someone could be listening to us.

“Who are ‘they’?”

“The four princes of the school.”

“The four princes? Are you serious?”

“Shhh! Talk more quietly! Do you want to hear us?!” the blond boy seemed terrified and that catch my attention.

 “What like F4 from the TV series?”

“Well, not exactly. But If you want a peaceful school life you should never mess with them. Believe me.”

I couldn’t ask for anything more, because suddenly the whole cafeteria fell silent. Sungjong eyes widened and I turn my head to see what was the reason behind that.

Four boys entered ignoring the strange atmosphere. And for my shock the billy from earlier was among them. Oh, . 

“The boy with the red hair is Taemin, the one with frown is Jonghyun, the guy with the glomerules is Key and the last one is Minho.  They are the ones I talked about.” whispered Sungjong, shifting on his chair. “Because of their parents everybody in the school are in their control, even the teacher. That’s why they are so dangerous. They do what they want with the everyone”

“What even in the teachers!?”

“Shhh!”

But it was too late. In the silent cafeteria my voice echoed loud and clear. I didn’t dare to look in their direction, hoping for some kind of miracle. But the steps coming closer to us didn’t sound like one.

“Look what we have here. If that is not Sungjong. Is that your new friend, Jongie? Did you tell him about L already?”  the one who was talking was Key. His lisp curled into amusement smile as he raised Sungjong’s chin, making him look in the eyes.

“Leave me alone” shuttered the blond boy with shaking voice. He was looking like he was on verge of crying.

“Or what?”asked Key, his smile becoming wider.

“Please…” pleaded Sungjong, grabbing Key’s wrist. “Let me go.”

Key moved his hand suddenly throwing the poor boy on the ground with a loud thumb. I looked in disbelief, caught off guard. Everyone around us avoided to look in out direction, pretending they didn’t heard anything. It was clearly, no one was going to help us. We were alone.

“How dare you touch me, freak?!” shout Key kicking Sungjong in the hips.
I couldn’t watch anymore. I raised from my seat stand in front of the crying Sungjong, spreading my hands.

Key looked completely dumbfounded. His foot froze in the air and for a moment I though we could get away. But then the amusement smile was back.

“You have a knight, Jongie?” said with his friendly, false voice “ I wondered will he be staying with you if he learn what you did? What do you think? Should I tell him?”

Sungjong shook his head, his face covered in tears and that sight just broke my heart. No matter what he had done, he didn’t deserve something like that. No one deserved it.

“Leave us alone” a said, trying no to show how scared I really was.

“And what if I don’t want to?”

I didn’t answered only stared at him.

“Come on, Key. I’m hungry”

My heart almost stop beating when Minho putted his hand on the Key’s shoulder.  He didn’t  say anything when our eyes met, but I knew he recognized me.

“What? But this is more fun, Minho” wined Key, shaking the hand off his shoulder.

“Not now.”

They looked at each other eyes, and I couldn tell they were debating mentally.

After one  long moment, Key turned around , just following his group, without looking back. I sighed in relief, but then heard the silent sniffing behind me and realize that Sungjong was still on the ground. I hurried to him, helping him to stand back to his feet.

“Are you alright?” I guess it was a stupid question in his state.

“Yeah… just I wanna get out of here” he mumbled his eyes never leaving the boys in the other  end of the cafeteria.