Chapter Ten --   Dongwan smiled in relief as the kids started to walk out of the classroom.   It was an extremely long day, and kids tend to get rebellious when they don’t see a familiar face in the classroom. Unfortunately, the teacher before him had a bit of a reputation to encourage bullies, considering that his son was one.   My son is an angel! He wouldn’t hurt a fly!   Yeah. Tell that to the kid in the hospital after she was pushed down the stairs by said bully.   Shaking his head for the sour thought, he looked down to see his last student scramble from his seat, bookbag slung over his shoulder and head hung low as he made his way to the door. Dongwan smiled even harder, hoping to at least get the boy’s attention before he left.   “Have a great day, Junsu.”   Junsu paused mid step and he took a small glance at Dongwan’s smile, nodded nervously before running out of the room.   Dongwan sighed.   He went back to his desk and leaned into his chair, exhausted from running his mouth all day, and finally gets to rel-   “Mr. Kim!”   Dongwan jumped up, surprised. Another teacher was standing by the doorway, an angry scowl on her face.   “You have to make sure all your kids make it home!”   Dongwan never ran so fast in his life. He skidded down the hall and turned left, following his leftover students walk out the doors towards the front of the school where they waited for their parents to pick them up.   How could he forget?   He looked around and saw a few of his students walking towards waiting vehicles, and he smiled nervously at the parents inside. He hadn’t had a chance to properly greet everyone so tomorrow he will have to introduce himself before the students left home.   He turned around to see if any of the other kids were around. A few plopped themselves on the benches provided for long waits and he walked over to sit next to them.   “Just you guys?” Dongwan asked the girl beside him. She smiled and nodded.   “Just us and Junsu.” Dongwan nodded, looking for the quiet kid. He couldn’t spot him, and he got up.   “I’ll be right back.” He began to walk when the girl called out to him.   “He’s at the stairwell!” She said, and another kid sitting next to her nudged her on the arm.   “You weren’t supposed to tell!” He whispered to her, and Dongwan got nervous.   “What’s going on?!”   --   “Come on, you loser! Get out of there! I don’t have all day!”   Junsu crumbled up in the toilet seat, trying to fend off three boys with the locked stall. He’s scared, his bruises from the day before haven’t fully healed yet, and he’s not feeling well enough to take on three of his classmates. He closed his eyes, hoping for someone to come and help him when the door was kicked open and Junsu cried out as the biggest boy yanked his hair and threw him at one of the urinals. He screamed, the porcelain bowl digging into his back as another boy jumped him, arms flailing at his stomach and Junsu dropped to the floor.   “Please…” Junsu cried, and the boy backed away, giving room for the last of the three to walk over to him. Junsu avoided looking up at him, knowing full well who it was. The boy dropped down to his heels, and laid a hand on a trembling shoulder. He pulled on the fabric, forcing Junsu to look up and exposing his torso.   “Do you know what happened to my dad because of you?” he whispered and Junsu sniffed, tears streaming down his wet cheeks. The boy scowled before he knocked Junsu over to his back and sat down on his chest. “He’s on suspension because someone filed a complaint about his ‘neglectful behavior towards students’.” His voice was dipped in venom, and Junsu struggled to get the kid off of him.   Junsu in a breath as he was kicked in the gut by one of the other kids. He gasped, his hair being pulled again as the kid inched his face closer to him.   “I can’t believe someone actually cares about a lowlife like you. Can’t you take a joke? Huh?!”   Before the kid threw a punch, the bathroom door opened and Dongwan walked angrily towards the boys.   “What in God’s name is going on here?!”   The boy sitting on Junsu’s chest crawled off and ran towards the exit followed by the other two delinquents.   “Junsu, are you okay?” Dongwan asked, trying not to touch Junsu anywhere in case there was an injury. Junsu groaned and forced himself up.   “Yes, sir. I’m okay.” Junsu said, wiping his cheeks with his sleeve.   “Are you sure?” Dongwan was worried and took a chance at grabbing Junsu’s elbow and helping him get off the floor only for Junsu to crumble back down again to his knees. “Let me call for-”   “Don’t!” Junsu yelled. With shaky legs, he got on his feet and grabbed Dongwan’s hand. “Please, Mr. Kim! I’m fine, really!”   “But Junsu-”   “Please.” Junsu’s eyes welled up with tears again. “They were just mad. I can take it.” Junsu said, and Dongwan turned away, upset at himself.   Why didn’t he remember to walk him out? If he did, Junsu wouldn’t have gotten hurt. He would be waiting next to his classmates for his ride home instead in a broken heap in the bathroom.   He closed his eyes.   Junsu Jung, please report to the office. I repeat. Junsu Jung, please report to the office.   It was silent between the two, and Dongwan opened his eyes to see Junsu still looking at him with those eyes, begging for him to stay quiet. Dammit.   “Okay.” Dongwan only said it for Junsu’s sake. He won’t call the nurse’s station, but he will report the incident to the principal. What they did was wrong, and he would be damned if he wasn’t going to do anything about it.   Junsu smiled weakly, his teeth shining with a hint of blood between them and Dongwan got worried again. Junsu let go of his hand and went for his bag, and walked away with a small bye towards his direction. Dongwan couldn’t move from his spot.   This was for Junsu’s sake.   --   Eric sat outside in the van and looked around for Junsu while Doyoon spent the day shopping with Hyesung. He exhaled a loud sigh and was about to rest his head on the steering wheel before the door opened and Junsu quickly went in and sat in the back seat.   “Hey buddy, how was school?” Eric asked as he started the car. Junsu gave a small, silent shrug and Eric hummed. “Great talk, let’s do it again sometime.”   “Sorry, grandpa…” Junsu whispered. “I’m just tired.”   “Tired?” Eric drove out and glanced at the rearview mirror, sights caught on his grandson sitting in the back seat. “I’m sorry to hear about that, buddy. Maybe when you get home you can just go to sleep and I’ll let your halbeoni know you were sleepy.”   Junsu nodded and looked out the window, his hand clutched around his elbow, while Eric stole a few glances. He noticed the way Junsu’s shirt was tattered, and the way his hair was messy. It looked like it had been pulled, but Eric knew the boy probably wouldn’t tell him about it. He drove silently, purposely taking the long way home before he cleared his throat.   “Hey Junsu?” He called softly.   “Y-Yes?” Junsu replied.   “Would it be okay with you if I told you a story?”   “Uh...sure.” Junsu nodded.   “When I was your age, I used to be the last person to eat.” Eric nodded. “Do you know why?”   Junsu shook his head.   “It was because I was scared out of my wits.”   Junsu furrowed his brows in confusion and looked back at the mirror where he could see Eric’s eyes.   “Why, grandpa?”   “Because...I was constantly bullied.” Eric said softly. “There was a group of guys always picking on me and making sure I was stuck in a locker somewhere so I wouldn’t be able to eat.”   Junsu’s expression changed and he looked down at his clothes and the state the other kids left them in.   “What...what did you do?” He eventually asked. “About the bullies?”   “Me?” Eric scoffed at the memory and looked back at Junsu. “I grew the courage to tell them to leave me alone and I fought back.”   “Y-You did? Did they stop?”   “Well, at first no, but they did know that I wasn’t so much of a pushover anymore. They liked to pick on people who didn’t retaliate cause it’s what made them think they had power over them. Once I started fighting back, they didn’t wanna pick on me anymore and they eventually just left me alone.”   Junsu stayed quiet in the back seat and he kept his gaze low as he nodded to himself. Eric drove without another word and they reached the parking space back home. Eric turned the van off and was about to get down when Junsu spoke.   “Grandpa why did you tell me this?”   Eric turned around and faced Junsu this time, a small smile on his lips before he reached out to pat Junsu’s knee.   “Junsu, you probably won’t believe this, but I’ve seen the way you avoid physical contact. I’ve seen you let your brothers walk over you. And today…” He pointed at the boy’s elbow. “I saw you holding that. Not to mention your lip.” He made a swiping motion under his own lower lip. Junsu covered his mouth quickly.   “I’m not saying fight back with fists, Junsu.” Eric said. “All I’m saying is don’t let them have power over you. Say something, tell the teachers, hell you can even tell me and I’ll set it all straight. But if you stay quiet, they’ll keep thinking they have power over you. You’re a strong kiddo, Junsu, and it absolutely breaks my heart knowing you’re being treated like this at school.”   “G-Grandpa…” Junsu tried swallowing down the lump in his throat and wiped at his eyes.   Eric then got down and stepped into the back seat, where he opened his arms and Junsu threw himself into his embrace. Junsu hiccupped and cried softly while Eric gave soft kisses