"Yah Lee Jaekyung."

That one voice.

Jaekyung froze in her seat and she bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut momentarily and cursing the heavens and earth.

L, who was sitting a good three seats in front of her, too heard the voice. Once he did, his body stilled and he gripped his pen extra hard, his nails digging into his palms that they hurt.

It took him everything not to turn around right then and there.

"Yah Lee Jaekyung I'm talking to you." Kim Junki poked her. "Are you finally dead from consuming too much drugs?" he snickered.

Jaekyung finally looked up at him. "Is anything the matter, Junki sshi?"

*Of course not.* Jaekyung thought to herself. *Since when did he find you when anything was a matter? He only looked for you when he's bored and he has nothing to do.*

"Not really, I just want to tell you something." Junki smiled cheerily. "You're the most beautiful girl in the entire world that I've ever seen you know!!"

Jaekyung bit her lip hard. Darn that guy, changing tactics.

It was funny because everyone knew he was lying, even Jaekyung. She knew the way she looked right then was nothing near beautiful and Kim Junki was just being a sarcastic pig.

"Other girls in the school can't even compare to you!" Junki continued. "That's why you're not talking to any of us right? Because you think yore so superior." he snickered.

Jaekyung swallowed hard. *Deep breaths Jaekyung. Ignore him.*

L closed his eyes, forcing himself not to turn around. He knew he would burst out if he just saw how Jaekyung looked that moment. He hated it when she was bullied, hated it to the core.

He hated how she wanted to be a wallflower because he knew this girl could shine. He hated how she would always be the person to give in.

He hated how he had promised her that he would let her handle this herself.

He should have said no.

"Seriously Lee Jaekyung," Junki continued. "I've been in the same class as you since we were sixteen. It's a good three years now. I haven't seen you talk to anyone here unless necessary." he leaned closer. "Tell me, do you even have any friends?"

The class burst into laughter, knowing the obvious answer to that was a two letter word.

L gripped his fists tightly, trembling even. Sungyeol saw and touched his arm. "Chill." he whispered.

L closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. It didn't work at all.

"Come on, just yes or no." Kim Junki continued probing. "It's a simple question Lee Jaekyung. You're top of the class and tip of the cohort. Shouldn't this yes or no question be easy to answer?" he taunted.

L took a deeper breath.

"Is it that difficult? Do I need to give you some time to think about it huh?" he snickered. "Wow you must have A LOT of friends huh? Counting them all takes a lot of time! Tell me, are they imaginary beings or not?"

L would have burst out right then and there if Jaekyung hadn't spoken right then.

"Kim Junki sshi, please excuse me you're blocking my path." Jaekyung stood up, regarding him coldly. "I have to meet a teacher." she fibbed.

Without waiting for him to respond, Jaekyung pushed past him and stalked out of the class. L slowly unclenched his fists as he watched her go, his eyes following her face.

, those were tears right there glimmering in her eyes.

"Aww she must have a lot of imaginary friends huh?" Junki laughed. "Takes such a long time to count!"

L sprang up from his seat suddenly, making Junki startled. He turned around, meeting Kim Junki's eyes coldly. "I'm going to the restroom." he muttered, storming out.

Junki scratched his head. *Whats with him?*

-----

"I can't tolerate this, Lee Jaekyung." L sighed, running his fingers through his hair frustratedly and not caring how he was messing it all up. "You've got to let me do something about this."

The moment he got out of class, he messaged Jaekyung incessantly to ask where she was. It took a good seven messages for her to finally answer with a one word reply: Rooftop.

He found her wiping away the moisture from her cheeks which she lamely claimed as few raindrops from the sky. Oh Jaekyung...

Jaekyung sighed and looked at him. "I thought I explained this to you." she murmured. "I don't want attention, Kim Myungsoo. You helping me would create just the opposite effect. Do you have any idea just how popular you are?"

L met her eyes challengingly. "Yes. And I'm going to use this damn popularity to protect you." he growled. "I don't believe anyone would try anything if they knew you had the Principal's son on your side, the infinite boys supporting you. You could be free of this ."

"I want to be in this !" Jaekyung retorted back fiercely.

L looked startled for a moment but the frown crept back. "Why?"

Jaekyung looked away. "What why?"

L grabbed her arm to turn her to face him. "Why do you want to be in ? Why do you want not to shine? I don't get you, I really don't. There has to be a good reason for you tolerating all this, Lee Jaekyung. Or you're just freaking stupid."

Jaekyung looked away and tugged her arm away. "I just want peace and quiet, Kim Myungsoo." she whispered.

L softened, sighing softly. "Do you think what you have is peace and quiet right now? Because it isn't. Life with us as friends isn't going to be quiet, I know. But I can help make it peaceful if you want. I can protect you, Lee Jaekyung, just please.."

Jaekyung turned to look at him, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. She was beyond touched, someone was willing to do all that for her.

When L saw that she looked hesitant, he quickly grabbed onto the chance. "I'm giving you one chance, Lee Jaekyung." he murmured firmly.

Jaekyung looked at him, swallowing.

"I'm tired of pretending like we aren't familiar. I'm tired of only being able to talk to you when we're at the newsletter meetings. And trust me, the infinite boys don't like it either." L told her.

"I'm giving you one strike." he warned. "I know you want to handle this yourself, so I'm giving you this chance. If Kim Junki or any other bastard in this school does anything of even half the magnitude of what happened today, I don't care about your wallflower motives anymore." he said seriously.

"Kim Myungsoo..." Jaekyung pleaded.

"No." L told her firmly. "One strike. I'll tell them I'm your friend. You're Chaekyung's sister. You'll be in our gang officially. No bargains."

When Jaekyung sulked, L poked her cheek. "Understood?"

Jaekyung signed. "Arraso." she mumbled.

L smiled softly, feeling the moisture on her cheeks. Those strange "raindrops" that appeared out of nowhere.

Damn the tears, he hated them so much.







"Your sister got bullied by Kim Junki again today." L muttered. "I'm giving her one strike before I'll tell everyone about her relationship with you."

Chaekyung blinked at him. "Really?" she gasped. "How is she?"

"Fine." L muttered. No one would even believe how difficult it was for him to make her smile after that. Took him falling down a step on the stairs for a smile to crack.

"You know, then this is the first time I actually hope for Kim Junki to come harass Unnie again." Chaekyung giggled. "I really want everyone to know, L oppa."

L nodded, feeling the same.

He looked over at her while he stopped the car at the red traffic lights. "Has Kim Junki been harassing her since three years ago?"

Chaekyung nodded. "I didn't know about it until it was half a year since unnie entered high school. I was still in middle school at that time so i had no idea what happened. I just knew unnie would sometimes come home and cry silently under the blankets. When I asked, she didn't tell."

*Babo.* L shook his head. *Babo Babo Babo.*

A honk from behind made L snap from his thoughts. He blinked and saw that the lights had turned green and he quickly stepped on the accelerator.

"Has she always been like this?" L asked curiously. "Like she wants to fade away in the background? Harassed by other people? What made her want this?"

Chaekyung shook her head. "I don't know either, L oppa. I only remember when we were young. Unnie was still really pretty then and she didn't hide herself behind the glasses. Everyone loved her, nothing like that happened. I don't know what caused her to be like this."

L reached her house and sighed. He wanted to talk for a bit more.

"Bye L oppa. Thanks for sending me home." Chaekyung waved.

L nodded and drive off. Back to school again.

There was a certain girl in the library he had to make sure was alright. He didn't care if she protested, he was her ride home.