Sunggyu paced in front of the apartment.

Then, the door to the house opened and a middle-aged lady stepped out. She hurriedly went towards Sunggyu and greeted him politely.

Sunggyu returned the greetings politely as well and smiled at the lady.

“I’m so sorry, teacher. Sungyeol hasn’t been back since yesterday,” The lady told Sunggyu.

Sunggyu’s expression immediately turned to one of worry. He was wondering where the hell Sungyeol could be.

“Hmmm, I’m so sorry to have you make an empty trip,” The lady bowed and apologized to Sunggyu.

“Ahh, don’t worry about it,” Sunggyu replied.

“It’s all my fault for not disciplining my child well. Now that he’s missing and everyone’s looking for him…” Sungyeol’s mother complained.

“I’m sorry, auntie. But did you just say everyone?” Sunggyu managed to catch the lady’s speech.

“Oh! Yeah, before you teacher, Myungsoo and Woohyun came looking for him too,” Sungyeol’s mother told the teacher.

“Is that so?” Sunggyu pondered for a while. Maybe he was too harsh to Myungsoo previously. That guy really does care about his friend.

“Thanks, auntie,” Sunggyu bade Sungyeol’s mother farewell.

There, all his leads were lost. He didn’t know where else to search. For now, maybe he should just return home.

~

“I’m home,” Sunggyu announced as he stepped into the small apartment.

“Sunggyu-hyung, you’re back!” Sungjong exclaimed as he went forward to greet his brother.

“Do we have a guest? I saw an extra pair of shoes…” Sunggyu asked Sungjong.

“Sorry to disturb, teacher,” A familiar voice said. Sunggyu turned and was shocked to see Sungyeol sitting in his house.

“Sungyeol!? What were you doing here?” Sunggyu immediately moved to his student.

“Well, I…” Sungyeol tried to explain.

“And what’s wrong with your face?!” Sunggyu shrieked when he realized that his student had a bruise on his cheek.

Sungyeol immediately averted his eyes from the teacher.

“I fell,” Sungyeol simply replied.

“What?! Don’t kid me, young man. I’m not blind. I can see that that doesn’t come from a fall,” Sunggyu started lecturing his student.

“Hyung!” Sungjong stopped his older brother’s nagging and pulled Sunggyu away to the kitchen so that Sungyeol couldn’t hear what the brothers were saying.

“I was buying groceries when I saw Sungyeol-hyung. He didn’t seem to want to go home or school so I invited him over. This seems quite serious so hyung, please don’t probe any further,” Sungjong whispered.

Sunggyu seemed unconvinced, but agreed for the time being.

“Are you hiding from Myungsoo?” Sunggyu asked.

Sungyeol’s eyes widened.

“You don’t want to go to school or home because you don’t want to see anybody you know right? Is there a reason for that?” Sunggyu couldn’t stop asking questions.

 Sungyeol glanced at his teacher.

Sungjong gave a dirty stare at his older brother but Sunggyu wasn’t going to relent.

“I don’t want the two of them to worry,” Sungyeol finally said.

“The last thing I want is for Woohyun to know. He shouldn’t have to worry about stuff like these,” Sungyeol continued.

‘Stuff like these?’ Sunggyu thought.

“Honestly, Woohyun is on suspension now. He should be able to relax and rest. Yet, we’re always giving him trouble,” Sungyeol expressed.

Sunggyu gulped. He felt a little guilty. After all, he did cause some trouble for Woohyun. Though, he would never admit it to Woohyun himself.

“I’m so sorry to put you guys up,” Sungyeol bowed.

“Sungyeol-hyung! What are you saying?! You helped me so many times before,” Sungjong immediately dismissed Sungyeol’s apologies.

“It’s fine Sungyeol. I too, owe you a favor. But, erm, you all really like Woohyun ehh?” Sunggyu asked.

Sungyeol smiled. “Isn’t there just something about him? That attracts you like a magnet?” Sungyeol answered Sunggyu with a question.

Sungyeol’s reply startled Sunggyu.

‘So I’m not the only one that felt that pull, that charisma of Woohyun,’ Sunggyu thought to himself.

“Woohyun cares about us more than anybody. He’s strong and cool, but is secretly really kind. Still, nobody knows how Woohyun feels inside. He is like a durian!” Sungyeol concluded.

“What?!” Both Sunggyu and Sungjong didn’t understand Sungyeol’s weird analogy.

“Prickly on the outside, but on the inside, he is just so incredible,” Sungyeol explained.

Sunggyu and Sungjong didn’t seem convinced with Sungyeol’s explanation. Still, they kind of got the idea. Nam Woohyun, to the members of 3D, was an incredible person.

Surely, Sunggyu had felt that aura from Woohyun.

Suddenly, Sunggyu’s phone vibrated. Sunggyu took out the phone and read the text message from Dongwoo.

Sunggyu! Trouble! Woohyun is in a fight. He’s at the warehouse beside the club.

Sunggyu’s eyes dilated when he read the text message.

“Is something wrong, hyung?” Sungjong was the first one to notice the sudden change in his older brother.

“Huh? Erm, nothing,” Sunggyu immediately tugged the phone into his pocket.

“Erm, Sungjong? I just realized I have something to do. So I’ll be off. You don’t have to make dinner for me. Oh and Sungyeol? You can stay for as long as you want, but give your mother a call,” Sunggyu instructed the two kids before grabbing his jacket and leaving the apartment before Sungjong could say anything.

He couldn’t let the two kids near somewhere a fight. Though, he wondered how Dongwoo would know about the fight.

‘But that wasn’t important for no,’ Sunggyu decided as he ran in the night to the club.

~

His footsteps echoed throughout the empty warehouse. They were steady and certain as they continued moving closer.

“Wow, Nam Woohyun. You think you grew wings don’t you? You are alone and yet, you want to go against all of us?” The leader of the group laughed. The other people in his group laughed along.

“Just I alone am enough for the 5 of you all. I can take on more,” Woohyun simply smiled, with unshaking confidence.

The leader growled.

“You should have known better than to mess with my man,” Woohyun’s expression darkened and his tone grew scarily low.

The leader frowned a little. “He messed with us first. We’re just giving him what he deserves,” The leader replied.

“And you’re under suspension now, I heard. That explains why you have been quiet for a while,” The leader continued and ordered his men to surround Woohyun.

Woohyun simply chuckled and appeared unfazed.

“I’ve been at peace recently because a certain hamster hasn’t been disturbing me. And now, I have a bunch of pigs on my back?” Woohyun shot the leader a fierce look.

“Damn you!” The leader shouted. “Get him!”

The group dashed to Woohyun and attempted to attack him. Woohyun didn’t even move from his position as he sent punches and kicks to whoever who approached him.

The men were no match for the top fighter of Shin Academy as they were all sent sprawling on the ground. Even so, Woohyun hadn’t even moved a single step.

“You!” The leader grabbed a knife from his pocket and aimed it at Woohyun.

With a simple shift of the body, Woohyun dodged the knife and tripped the leader, who fell hard on the concrete.

The leader tried to get up and reach the knife which fell out of his hand. The minute he touched the knife, he felt a shoe come into contact with his hand. Woohyun stepped mercilessly on his hand.

The leader’s agonizing scream echoed throughout the warehouse. He immediately released hold of the knife.

“You were saying?” Woohyun swept his head back and glared at the leader.

The leader instantly replied, “We’re so sorry Woohyun-ssi. We will never do it again. We learnt our lesson already.”

“Huh? I can’t really hear you,” Woohyun scratched the back of his head and said nonchalantly.

“We are pigs! Buu buuu buuu,” The leader immediately cried.

Woohyun smiled.

“Nam Woohyun!” Upon hearing his name, Woohyun spun around to be greeted by a surprising guest.

The guest was even more shocked when he saw the men all on the ground, half-conscious. Only Woohyun stood victorious.

“Teacher, what are you doing here?” Woohyun asked the startled guest, his tone serious.

“I… I… was… worried. Erm wait, no. I mean… why the hell are you fighting!?” In his state of shock, Sunggyu started stuttering, then, he chided Woohyun.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Woohyun flatly told his teacher.

“You are the one that shouldn’t be here!” Sunggyu went up to Woohyun and scolded him.

That was when he recognized the leader of the group who was lying on the ground.

He took Woohyun’s hand tightly, not allowing the younger to break free. “Let’s go now. I called the police,” Sunggyu said to Woohyun and pulled him away forcefully.

“Wait a moment!” Woohyun struggled to break free.

Then, he went and squatted down beside the leader so that he could hear him.

“Don’t ever mess with my man, you got me?” Woohyun muttered in a low tone.

The leader immediately nodded his head, inwardly swearing that he would never go against Nam Woohyun.

“Hurry!” Sunggyu grabbed Woohyun’s hand once again and pulled the younger out of the warehouse.

~

Sunggyu continued dragging Woohyun until he made sure that the two were a safe distance from the warehouse. He totally did not expect Woohyun to be such a good fighter. To be honest, he was still worried about the younger’s safety. Obviously, he wasn’t 3D’s leader for nothing.

Woohyun with a strong tug, managed to break free of Sunggyu’s grasp.

“You shouldn’t have come,” Woohyun simply said to Sunggyu before he tried to leave.

“Nam Woohyun! What were you doing in a fight? You’re under suspension! Do you know that by doing that it could cause you to be expelled!?” Sunggyu shouted at Woohyun.

Woohyun spun around. “I hadn’t been doing this for a long time. I just wanted to let off some steam. Is that wrong?” Woohyun growled at his teacher.

“Hurting people is fun?! Nam Woohyun! You! And don’t you try to lie to me. I know you didn’t do that just to let off steam,” Sunggyu wasn’t going to lose to Woohyun.

Woohyun’s expression softened and he waited for Sunggyu to continue.

“I know, you did that for Sungyeol,” Sunggyu managed to calm down as well.

Woohyun’s eyes widened, confirming that Sunggyu’s guess was right.

“That guy from the warehouse. I recognize him. He was the one that extorted money from my brother. Sungyeol had saved my brother and most probably offended him,” Sunggyu explained.

Woohyun smirked.

“Now seeing you do this, I finally know why Sungyeol was trying to hide from you and Myungsoo,” Sunggyu sighed.

Woohyun’s expression immediately changed to one of worry. “Where is Sungyeol now?” Woohyun asked anxiously.

Sunggyu’s heart skipped a beat. Woohyun seemed really worried and sincere now, causing Sunggyu to feel a little shocked.

“He’s at my house,” Sunggyu replied.

After hearing that, Woohyun seemed a little startled but relaxed after a while, probably having convinced himself that Sunggyu’s house was safe.

“You, Nam Woohyun. I don’t understand you at all,” Sunggyu confessed.

Woohyun seemed a little shocked after hearing Sunggyu’s tone. It wasn’t one of anger or irritation, but just one of pure concern.

“I thought you were a bad guy, like what you tried to show me. But after seeing Sungyeol and Myungsoo and how they care about you, I think I am wrong,” Sunggyu said.

Woohyun chuckled.

Sunggyu ignored Woohyun and continued, “Like how you covered for Myungsoo and pretended you were the one who gave the teacher the punch.”

“I was thinking why you did that. And I finally came to a conclusion. You knew that Myungsoo would be expelled when they found out. That’s why you chose to sacrifice yourself because you knew that the teacher would be satisfied with money,” Sunggyu told Woohyun, whose expression suddenly turned dark.

Then, Woohyun laughed. “Your imagination is really fertile, teacher. You think too much of me. I did all that so that Myungsoo and Sungyeol would be in debt to me. I’m just like what you said: a bad guy,” Woohyun chuckled.

Sunggyu frowned. “I believe that you’re not like that.”

“I’m just like what the school says: I’m a bad guy. We are like what people call us: a bunch of hooligans. That’s all there is to it,” Woohyun smiled.

“Why won’t you believe that there will be someone who believes in you, and not what others think of you?” Sunggyu shouted at the young man.

“From what I see, Nam Woohyun is a caring leader who cares about his friends and thinks about them more than anything. He tries to act all strong and cool but inside, he is really a warm guy. Just like the guy I saw on the first day here. The childish guy who likes Pororo and is a little dumb but nevertheless, is absolutely adorable!” Sunggyu tried to slice this information into Woohyun’s head.

Woohyun stared at his teacher. Then, it was there again: the dark and serious expression.

 Sunggyu watched Woohyun intently.

A spark lit in Woohyun’s eyes and he immediately brightened. Somehow, Sunggyu wasn’t comfortable with this bright character of Woohyun. It felt forced and not natural.

Woohyun scanned his teacher from head to toe. A smirk appeared on his face.

He moved closer to Sunggyu, who retreated at Woohyun's sudden endeavour. Sunggyu felt uneasy at Woohyun’s action.

Woohyun put both his arms on either side of the elder, pinning him against the wall, not letting him escape. 

Sunggyu stared in shock and was at a loss.

"Will you?" Woohyun whispered into Sunggyu's ears. His deep and husky voice made Sunggyu shiver.

Sunggyu was taken aback with Woohyun’s sudden question. He couldn’t tell if Woohyun was doing this sincerely or not.

"I... I of course I will....I am your teacher..." Sunggyu stammered as he couldn't think properly with Woohyun's deep and hot breathing at his ear.

Woohyun smiled and moved slowly towards Sunggyu, closing the distance between the two's lips.

Sunggyu though shocked, immediately shut his eyes.

However, he didn't feel anything on his lips. Instead, he heard a chuckle. His eyes fluttered open immediately only to see Woohyun chuckling.

'!' He mentally cursed himself when he realized he was tricked.

"This is why you shouldn't trust me. You'll just get hurt, teacher," Woohyun winced at Sunggyu.

Emotions rushed up to Sunggyu and he could feel his blood boiling within him.

"Bastard!" Sunggyu punched Woohyun hard and dashed away from the young man.

Woohyun watched his teacher run away from him and his hand went to touch the bruise that his teacher left on his right cheek. He had an unreadable expression on his face.

Then, he smiled. Not a smile of happiness or pride that he won against his teacher, but one of sadness.

“I hadn’t seen one of those in a long time,” A person appeared from the shadows and commented.

Woohyun smiled again.

“I was wondering who told him. Why did you tell him, Howon?” Woohyun asked.

“Hmmm, I’m not sure about that too either. I want him to stay away from you, Woohyun. But I don’t know what is better for you,” Hoya confessed.

“He said he’ll believe in you,” Hoya said.

“Eavesdropping huh?” Woohyun chuckled.

“What do you think?” Hoya asked. He was really curious as to Woohyun’s answer.

Woohyun took one glance at Hoya and realized that the latter was serious.

“Am I a 3 year old kid? I will never believe in such a thing anymore,” Woohyun simply replied.

Hoya seemed a little disappointed with Woohyun’s answer, but surely, it was something he had expected from the latter.

“I do believe in you, you know,” Hoya placed a hand on Woohyun’s shoulder.

Woohyun managed a smile.

“And I’m sure Sungyeol and Myungsoo do too,” Hoya continued.

Woohyun nodded, meaning that he understood their feelings.

Hoya smiled sadly. He really didn’t know how Woohyun was feeling inside. Whether he really believed in them or believed that they trusted him with all they have. But he didn’t try to get the answer. He knew Woohyun well enough to continue pushing him.

“Come on, I’ll drive you back,” Hoya draped an arm over Woohyun’s shoulder and led him to the black BMW.

“And we need to get that bruise fixed. Though, you deserved that,” Hoya purposely pressed Woohyun on his right cheek where Sunggyu punched him.

Woohyun laughed and Hoya laughed along.

Author's note:

YAY i finished my promised two chapters! ^^ Hmmm, please leave comments on how u guys felt about the plot change? I'll feel more motivated after reading them ^^ hehehe. Thanks so much for subscribing!! ^^ n well, im not sure when will b my next update >< Hmmm... n then there's my other fic. Will ppl kill me if i update my other fic first? Well, im trying hard to finish till the end so this fic will b left hanging for the time being. Still, please continue commenting ^^ N im starting to run out of titles for the various chapters >< well, give me 5 more days? I know that's a bit long huh but I have to study for exams too >< Please understand. Until then, I'll try to think of better plot ^^ thanks so much for all ur support!! Forever grateful ~