The next day in class was incredibly awkward. Everyone knew about Dongwoon and Jinhee now. Jinhee was getting secretly bullied, and he was trying to avoid her again. Except that all his friends latched onto her because they liked her. Jinhee hid all the little bullying tactics her other classmates were doing, she didn’t want another incident like yesterday with Yoseob’s Noona.

Though Doojoon, Dongwoon, and Junhyung caught on quickly to the bullying, and Dongwoon had Doojoon stick to her to make sure she was okay. Doojoon had grown fond of the tiny one, not romantically of course, because he knew there was something more than friendship that was between his friend and the small girl.

She was now forced to eat lunch with them even though she used to eat lunch by herself in the library. She really had no choice. Doojoon kidnapped her lunchbox and took it with him to the dining hall. The evil looks she got from everyone could have burned through her flesh. Jinhee was furious. At first, it was nice to have these nice guys try to be friends with her and help her out (albeit unnecessarily). But now it was getting out of hand. She thought about foregoing eating at all, but Junhyung and Hyunseung instantly flanked her and pulled her along, each with a firm hold on her.

“Why are you guys doing this? Last week, you guys didn’t know who I was, and I barely even talked to you, Junhyung.” She glared at the 6 guys around her.

“Now we know you. Now we like you. Now we take care of you.” KiKwang reasoned simply.

“Pick your battles wisely, ’cause this isn’t one you’re going to win.” Junhyung smirked.

“Fine. I’ll have you know, I’ll win the war.”

“What’s the war about?”

“I don’t know. But I’m going to win.” She smiled cheekily.

“I don’t doubt it. You got your parent’s competitiveness.”

“Of course I do. To rule the world, we have to be competitive.” She nodded firmly. Dongwoon smiled behind her, but said nothing.

“What do you have for lunch? It smells good.” Doojoon asked, sniffing her box.

“Some seafood stir-fry and fruit salad.”

“Wah! It smells delicious!”

“It should be.” She chuckled.

They sat down for lunch, and she actually had to sit alone for a few minutes until the guys got their food. And, as any cliché would have it, that meant she was a sitting duck for that time period.

“I heard you were smart, clearly you’re not.” A girl sat next to her and looked at her threateningly. Of course, Jinhee was unaffected. She just sighed and figured the girls couldn’t really talk for long; the guys were going to come back when they got their food.

“Maybe we need to be clearer?” More girls surrounded her.

“We said, you dumb , that you are unworthy of talking to these guys. Stop hanging around them. You’re an eyesore. You’re dirty. You crawl around the dirt and trash cans like a beggar. Who knows where your hands have been? Yet you cling on to the guys with your filthy hands? You even got Yoseob Oppa’s sister to beat up some girls in your own class. They’re in the hospital, you sick .”

“Yoseob is the same age as us. We’re all second years. Why do you girls keep calling these guys ‘Oppa’ when we’re all 18?”

“What?”

“Don’t listen to her. They’re our Oppas no matter what.”

“Maybe we have to send her to the hospital.” A girl smiled viciously down at her.

“Which hospital should I be sent to? I have family on the board for six of them.” She smiled politely as usual.

“You cheeky .” They scoffed.

“Watch your back.”

“Why should I do that? Clearly all you do is watch mine.” She looked up innocently at them.

“Clearly Jinhee’s mood is still not right if she’s purposely antagonizing them this much.” So Eun frowned from across the dining hall to her boyfriend.

“I don’t know. I think this is her natural state. Or it should be. She’s funny.” Ki Bum grinned eating some more of the lunch she made for him.

“Just wait, the moment you’re alone, we’re gonna get you.”

“Okay. See you then.” She nodded, still the image of friendliness.

“I can’t wait for the moment I can punch that ty mouth of yours.” The girl shoved Jinhee again.

“You guys really like this whole pushing me thing.” Jinhee chuckled. “Even though you keep saying I’m dirty. Even I’m not entirely sure what I get on my uniform when I’m digging around in the dirt.”

“Ugh.” The girls grimaced and looked like she was going to hit her.

“Wow. We left you for a few minutes and already you’re swarmed.” Dongwoon sighed heavily, “Girls, get away from her. Go to your own tables. Eat your meals. Leave us alone.” He put his bag of snacks on the table and sat down.

“Oppa!” They looked at him in surprise.

“I’m not your Oppa.” He rolled his eyes. “And I’m in no mood to play nice. Go away.”

“You can’t be serious about taking this girl of all girls in!”

“Why not? The guys like her, so there’s no stopping them now. I suggest you go before Yoseob gets here. One call to his sister and you know what’ll happen to you.”

The girls quickly disappeared.

“Why didn’t you call one of us? Idiot.”

“It was interesting.” She said opening her box to eat. “Do you hate me?”

“What? Why would I hate you?”

“So that’s a no. Then can we be friends again? I’m in with your crowd now, though I never intended to be. But I’d like for us to be friends. If you say no though, I can accept that too.”

“I thought you hated me?”

“Why would I—Ah, I did yell at you,” She smiled sheepishly. “No. I don’t hate you. Maybe a little hurt, a little more hurt than I expected I would be, but you were still my greatest friend at one point. I can’t hate on that.”

“I’m not sure I can be your friend though.”

“Why not?”

 He quickly thought up a reasonable excuse. “Bugs.”

“Oh… What if I play with them less? I really want us to be friends again if you don’t hate me.”

“You? Not play with bugs?”

“Not ‘Not play with bugs.’ Play with them less. Like only before school and during club activities. Not actively catching bugs all the time.”

“You would do that to be my friend?”

“Of course I would!” she nodded.

He wanted so badly to say no. But he couldn’t; it had to be her eyes – even if they’re covered by hideous glasses, they killed him. He wished he was strong enough to tell her he didn’t want to be her friend, but he was weak. She was the strong one.

“Fine.” He said quietly.

“Really?!” She beams up at him. He nods. “That’s a relief. It would have if you said no!” She giggles.

“Is there someone who would tell you no when you’re really trying to get them to give in? I’d like to meet them and shake their hand. You’re more than capable of using words to get what you want. You just don’t.”

“Of course I can’t use my super powers for everything. How would that be fair? Plus the methods tend to be… less than savory.”

“You have super powers?” KiKwang asked as the rest of the guys came back to sit at the table.

“Which ones are we talking about here?” Junhyung asked while giving her the candy snacks he knew she liked. Dongwoon saw that and quietly hid the same snacks he bought for her in his pocket when no one was looking. No one except Doojoon that is; he didn’t know whether to be amused at the cuteness, or feel bad for his friend because it was so sad.

“Does she have more than one?”

“Of course I do!” Jinhee grinned cheekily. “But we were talking about my persuasive powers that I no longer use for evil.”

“Ah, that one.” He nodded chuckling, “I’ve never been convinced to do so many stupid things by anyone but you.”

“I had it the worst.” Dongwoon grimaced.

“I once got the both of them to go to school in a fairy dress.”

“You did what?!” Yoseob gaped at her. “How?!”

“Sorry, I can’t share those secrets. Their eyes are telling me they’ll spill my embarrassing stories if I continue.” Jinhee was quickly shrinking under Junhyung’s fierce glare.

“She once convinced me mouth wash was bad for me.” Junhyung scoffed. “My dentist called me stupid.”

“She told me that the adults were all lying and that it was boys who had babies. I believed her for two years until we watched the miracle of life. She almost re-convinced me when her dad came in and started laughing at me and made her tell the truth.” Dongwoon shook his head smiling.

“Somehow, she always convinced you to give her your food.”

“It’s hardly ‘convincing’ when my victims were you two. Easiest victims ever.” Jinhee stuck her tongue out at the two cousins.

“Try to get Hyunseung to share food with you.” Yoseob grinned.

“No way. I don’t share food.” Hyunseung protected his food with his body.

In a minute, he was willingly handing over a bag of chips with a look of confusion on his face.

“I’m not even sure what happened.” He said numbly.

“You’re tougher than Junhyung. I actually had to up my level.” She chuckled and let Yoseob greedily snatch the chips from her.

“I want to try!” KiKwang laughed. He tried to convince Jinhee to switch lunches with him.

Somehow he ended up agreeing that he shouldn’t eat her food and actually gave her his food.

“How…?” He looked down at his hand that just gave her food in confusion.

“Don’t worry. It still leaves me confused when she does it to me.” Junhyung shook his head and leaned back in his seat.

“I don’t do it anymore. This was the first time in a really long time I did it.”

“Don’t you get the teacher to do what you want?”

“That’s not really me. It’s my mom. I just tell him what to do more than anything. I don’t convince him to do it. It’s an order.” Jinhee said bluntly. “I would have chosen not to tell him what to do at all. But earlier this year, he found out about my family background. It’s annoying.”

“Why? He lets you slide with everything! That’s awesome!” Yoseob looked at her crazy.

“Not at all! It’s completely unfair. He never calls on me for answers, never lets me volunteer for anything, never grades my paper wrong even though I purposely put the wrong answer down. Last month, he refused to acknowledge my raised hand for half an hour. I just wanted to use the restroom. I got mad and just left.”

“Ah, that’s where you went. It was confusing. You walked out and came back like nothing happened.” Doojoon laughed.

“Why don’t you convince him to treat you normally?”

“It won’t last long enough. I’d have to talk him into it every time he realizes I just conned him.”

“At least you know it’s conning.” Junhyung scoffed.

“What top CEO of a corporation doesn’t have grifting capabilities?” She rolled her eyes. “It’s the mark of someone who can and will get what they want. That’s a true CEO.”

“You’re strangely candid about these things.” Doojoon laughed awkwardly.

“It’s life for me.” She shrugged. “I can’t pretend it’s not a part of me. I embrace it.”

“You’re brave.” He looked at her with appraisal.

“Thank you.”

-After school-

It was clear the girls in the school were eyeing her, waiting for her to be alone. She didn’t even bother trying to hide it. It was too obvious and laughable.

“I almost want to give them the time of day and see what they have up their sleeves for me.”

“Don’t you dare.” Dongwoon glared at her. “Hey,” He called Junhyung over, “Make sure she doesn’t escape and provoke any girls. I gotta go take the guys to Yoseob’s. His mom called and said she needed help at the restaurant.”

“Kay, see you. Drive safe man.” The two waved bye and got in the car that belonged to Junhyung.

Jinhee thought for a moment. “Do only you and Dongwoon drive?”

“Doojoon has a license, but no car. Dongwoon works weekends, and takes payments from the guys, to pay for gas. He worked all of last year to get the money for that car.”

“I know.” She nodded.

“You did?”

“I still watched him to make sure he was doing okay in school.” She nodded.

“Doojoon said you announced answers to the assignments to the class.” Junhyung chuckled in understanding.

“Well, Dongwoon never liked doing assignments… I think he completely gave up in high school after the exams. The only assignments he does well on are the ones I give the answers to. He used to study more and at least made good grades.”

“I don’t think he does care anymore.” Junhyung agreed. “Were you being bullied before all this?”

“No. I was more or less ignored. I was never hated like this. It’s funny.”

“The guys are talking about making a plan to get to school early and never leave your side. Yoseob wants to take care of you, because you’re smaller than him. His Noona also thinks you’re a cool chick. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean he has a crush on you. He just likes you.”

“Why would I assume he likes me? His type should match him more, with some aegyo. I think that’s his type anyway.”

“How’d you know that?”

“I don’t know. I just guessed it.”

“You’re really good at understanding people who don’t matter a lot to you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.”

She thought long and hard. “Does it have to do with my parents?”

“What? Of course it doesn’t.”

“Is it about you and your mom?”

“Nope. We’re totally fine.”

“My club members are doing fine, that’s clear.” She frowned. “It’s Dongwoon isn’t it? It could only be him. What don’t I know about him? It’s important if you felt the need to bring it up.”

“Are you going to try to con me into telling you?”

“That would be wrong. I stopped conning you after elementary. By that time you would give me whatever I wanted anyway.”

“That’s true. Well, it’s not my place to tell you. But I hope you find out anyway. I’m curious to how you’ll react.”

“Is he having girl troubles? The other day with those thugs I beat up, they were after him over a girl. Does that happen a lot?”

“Girls do come to him, and yes that does create problems and fights, but there are six of us, even if Hyunseung and Yoseob at fighting. He does have girl problems though.”

“Oh, what kind? Maybe I can help?”

“I don’t think you can. And that’s not even the worst of his problems now.”

“Is it grades? Is his dad not happy about how bad he’s doing? What about money? I almost snooped to get to know how they were doing financially, but I didn’t. Are they okay?”

“They’re doing fine. His dad is doing great at work.”

“Is he sad about his mom again?”

“You don’t just stop being sad about your mom’s death.” Junhyung chuckled. “But he’s doing fine. Stop asking. I really can’t tell you.”

“Then why did you bring it up?! I’m going to go crazy now!” Jinhee whined.

“To let you know, there’s something up that you need to watch out for. Something I’m sure you don’t know about.”

“Damn it Junhyung!” She huffed and fumed in the passenger seat silently glaring at him,

“Mom!” They both went into the house that doubled as Junhyung’s mom’s catering business.

“I’m prepping!”

“Jinhee’s here!” A bunch of noise as the older woman drops everything she’s doing to come greet the girl she’s known since she was three.

“Jinhee!” The two females ran to each other and dramatically hugged.

“Aunty!” They both giggled and jumped happily.

“Mom. I’m hungry.” Junhyung whined.

“Go feed yourself.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Jinhee is hungry too.” He added, giving her a look, telling her to just play along.

“Oh? Okay. What do you want? I’ll whip something up!”

“Anything truly Korean! Please! Something spicy, with Kimchi! And rice! With something like mackerel! I’m tired of ridiculous foods! Give me something normal!” Jinhee begged laughing.

“You really have simple tastes.” Junhyung’s mom chuckled and went right back to the kitchen to cook something. “Will you be here till late?”

“Yes!”

“Late enough to wait to eat dinner and not still be full from this meal?”

“Of course! I always have room for more of your cooking Aunty!”

“Okay. You kids watch TV or something!”

“Already on it!” Junhyung smiled, stretched out on the couch in the dwelling area of the house/catering business.

Author's Note

Oh Junhyung, the devil's advocate.

Nothing dramatic happened in this chapter, which is good, because I don't want it too dramatic in the beginning, since I know there will be issues later. Somehow, I made her a questionable character in terms of morals, which I'm trying to make her less scary at the moment, but it's not easy.

Random Question Time:

What's your favorite Food?"

Lol, I hear Giraffe, I think Lee Kwang Soo

Thanks so much for reading!