JunHong is on the verge of being safe from bullies for his entire high school life but the cost is robbing an innocent senior named Bang YongGuk.

JunHong had gotten in with the wrong crowd, or the “right one”. A mere 2 months ago he had entered high school as an awkward, gangly, uncool 15-year old. Now he was...an awkward, gangly cool 15-year old. He had dyed his hair blond (against school rules but whatever right?) as the first part of his initiation and now he was one mere task away from officially being part of this gang.

The guys were pretty uncouth but that didn’t matter to JunHong. At this school, you either eat or be eaten and JunHong chose the former. His parents had no idea what was going on. When he had walked out the front door with a head of blond hair he had lied easily that it was for a school play. When a letter was sent home complaining about his rule-breaking he had skillfully intercepted it and forged his father’s signature. At the time it chilled his bones, but now that was a distant laughable memory.

After he did whatever it was he needed to do today he would officially be a part of the crew and safe for his entire high school life – it sounded like a pretty good deal.

He walked into the school halls and navigated his way to where he knew the others would be gathered around their leader’s locker. YoungJae was the only senior, the smartest and therefore, by default, the leader. JunHong noticed he sat back and let the others do his dirty work but he didn’t dare say a thing. The last person that had criticized YoungJae was currently working on being transferred to a different school after being beaten bloody by Jung DaeHyun, YoungJae’s right-hand man (and the one with the biggest arms.) Then there was Moon JongUp who appeared to be an angel but YoungJae made use of his sweet face to get away with untoward deeds.

YoungJae nodded at Zelo as he came over and jerked his head at a guy standing not too far away bopping his head with large headphones on his ears.

“See that guy?” YoungJae asked Zelo. “He’s our target this afternoon.”

Zelo raised his eyebrows.

“A s-senior?” Zelo asked uncertainly.

They had messed around with people before but normally freshmen like Zelo himself. They were easy targets.

“Yes, a senior,” YoungJae said. “He’s Bang YongGuk – so remember that’s the name that will get you into this group for good.”

“What are we going to do?” Zelo asked nervously.

“YongGuk there just got a new iPad,” YoungJae said, smirking. “I want it. Dae and JongUp are gonna corner him, rough him up a bit. You take his backpack, get the Ipad, deliver it safely to me...and we’re good.”

Zelo let YoungJae’s words sink in. They were going to mug someone? Wasn’t this a bit much?

“You’re not scared, are you?” YoungJae asked mockingly. “You back out now and you’ll be the next one to transfer, trust me.”

DaeHyun smirked and cracked his knuckles. JongUp smiled that sweet smile but subtly flexed his muscles.

“Wh-where should I meet you guys?” Zelo asked.

YoungJae smiled and patted Zelo’s back.

“Bang stays after school for a bit so go home and I’ll text you where to meet us.”

***

By the end of the day JunHong had bitten all ten on his nails right off. It seemed he kept bumping into Bang YongGuk all day, everywhere he went. Going in and out of the bathroom, in the line at the cafeteria, randomly in the hallways...and every time YongGuk gave him that stupid shy smile. Why couldn’t YongGuk be a complete prick so JunHong wouldn’t feel like so sick about stealing from him?

JunHong walked home instead of taking the bus. It was hot but he thought he should punish himself somehow for what he was about to do. As soon as he entered he heard movement from the kitchen and found his older brother HimChan fixing dinner.

HimChan was in university now but he still managed to know everything about everyone within a 100-mile radius of him. He was a social butterfly (the opposite of JunHong) and most people liked him, or at least pretended to.

“Hyung, do you know Bang YongGuk?” JunHong asked.

“Oh, wow, you’re talking to me?” HimChan asked.

JunHong frowned.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

HimChan shrugged.

“Oh, I dunno, I figured since you’ve been treating everyone like crap since you started high school you’d continue the trend until you realized what an idiot you’re being. So I guess you realized, huh?” HimChan asked as though they were talking about the weather.

That was another thing – HimChan was always honest. Unlike JunHong.

“I...I didn’t realize,” JunHong said. Had YoungJae and his gang changed him that much?

“I’m sorry, hyung,” JunHong told him genuinely.

HimChan shrugged and smiled at his younger brother.

“We’re all idiots at some point during our teenage years. Don’t worry about it, JunHong. Now, what were you asking?”

“Oh, right. Do you know Bang YongGuk?” JunHong asked again.

“Oh, that cutie!” HimChan exclaimed.

“Hyung...”

“I know he’s a little young but he’s so –”

“Hyung, can you please tell me what you know about him? We can discuss his face later.”

“I’ll remember you offered,” HimChan said. “Hmm, let’s see. He has a twin brother, lives with his mom. Dad spends a lot of time away. They’re nowhere close to rich; hardworking family though. He doesn’t cause trouble, volunteers a lot, has the cutest smile –”

“Ok, hyung, thanks.”

“Why did you want to know?” HimChan asked.

“Oh, I just...ah...ran into him at school today so I was wondering...he seemed like a nice guy...”

JunHong’s phone vibrated and he saw a message from YoungJae with an address. JunHong muttered a curse and looked up at his older brother.

“Um...I gotta go. See you in a bit.”

“I’ll leave your dinner in the oven!” HimChan called after him.

JunHong’s heart was hammering against his ribs by the time he met with the guys. He didn’t want to do this. YongGuk or his parents had probably worked hard to get money to buy that iPad and now he was going to snatch it away so that the lazy YoungJae could have a bit of fun.

YoungJae explained that they would wait for YongGuk where he normally walked by, ambush him and take the iPad. JunHong would run as fast as he could to somewhere, anywhere safe, then deliver the iPad to YoungJae at his house that night. The others all nodded excitedly and JunHong weakly agreed.

They waited just a few minutes around the corner when YongGuk came into view. DaeHyun and JongUp strode purposefully towards him, followed by a timid JunHong, and pushed him roughly against the fence lining the other side of the sidewalk. DaeHyun pulled off YongGuk’s backpack and threw it to the ground shouting for JunHong to take the iPad.

JunHong hesitated and looked at YongGuk. Their eyes met for a brief second and YongGuk looked surprised before DaeHyun punched the boy in the stomach and his eyes squeezed shut in pain. JunHong quickly knelt down and rummaged through the bag and his fingers closed around what he knew was the iPad. He looked up again and saw YongGuk being pummeled by the two bullies and in that moment he made up his mind, took the iPad, and ran home.

JunHong burst through the door and heard a shout of pain.

“What the hell!” HimChan shouted, rubbing his forehead.

“Where does Bang YongGuk live?” JunHong asked hurriedly.

“What –”

“Where does he live?” JunHong shouted.

“I don’t know! I’m not the police! Geez!” And HimChan was out the door.

In an instant JunHong left too. He knew he would suffer but he couldn’t get rid of that look of disbelief he’d seen in YongGuk’s eyes. It had woken him up. He wasn’t being himself.

He opened the case of the Ipad hoping against hope that there was some kind of information. There was a small label saying: If lost please return to Bang YongGuk...and his address. But could YongGuk even get home? DaeHyun and JongUp had been beating him badly and if they had continued after JunHong left...

JunHong ran back to the spot where they had attacked YongGuk but the boy wasn’t there. What JunHong did notice were drops of blood drying slowly on the sidewalk leading to an alley. JunHong rushed over to find YongGuk slouched in the alley panting heavily with blood running from his nose and mouth, and bruises starting to form on his face.

“YongGuk! Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” JunHong cried as he stumbled to a stop in front of YongGuk.

“You came back?” YongGuk mumbled as best as he could through his swollen lips.

“Yes, I was planning to the moment I took your...”

JunHong held out the device and YongGuk took it carefully.

“Thanks,” YongGuk mumbled.

“Let me take you to my house,” JunHong offered. “I can clean you up.”

“As long as your friends don’t come back to finish me off...”

“They’re not my friends, not anymore,” JunHong said angrily.

YongGuk scoffed.

“DaeHyun will skin you alive...”

“I don’t care. Come on.” JunHong held out his hand and helped pull YongGuk off the ground. By the time they got to JunHong’s house YongGuk was panting heavily but he seemed to have stopped bleeding. JunHong opened the door to the quiet house (thank God his parents weren’t home yet) and sat YongGuk on the couch in the living room. He fetched the first aid kit from the bathroom and knelt in front of YongGuk.

He carefully dabbed at the cuts on the older boy’s face and cleaned off the dried blood with moist towelettes. Then he softly applied cream on his bruises and sat back on his heels.

“I’m really sorry,” JunHong said, hanging his head. “This is my fault.”

“How is this your fault?” YongGuk asked.

JunHong reluctantly explained the situation.

“They would have come for me anyway, I’m sure,” YongGuk assured him. “Don’t beat yourself up.” He smiled wryly at the pun and JunHong hung his head even lower.

“Hey, it’s ok...” YongGuk said gently.

“It’s ok? I just let you get beat up!” JunHong said incredulously.

“Well, yeah, but you came back and you helped me. I really appreciate that and I can tell you’re a good person. You just let yourself wander away for a bit, that’s all.”

“So you forgive me?” JunHong asked disbelievingly.

“Of course I do. I’ve done my fair share of stupid stuff; I still do. If no one forgave me I don’t know where I’d be. So I forgive you. What good would it be if I held a grudge? Waste of energy.”

JunHong nodded slowly as he saw what kind of person YongGuk was – wise beyond his years.

JunHong’s phone began to vibrate and he took it out of his pocket to see YoungJae’s caller ID.

 “It’s YoungJae,” JunHong told YongGuk. “I should probably go get my beating now for disobeying him...”

“You don’t have to go alone,” YongGuk said.

“DaeHyun will just beat us both up plus you’re already injured! Go home, YongGuk,” JunHong insisted.

YongGuk shook his head and JunHong couldn’t help but smack his face hands into his face.

“Why are you –”

“Friends don’t leave friends alone, right?” YongGuk asked, smiling.

“After what I just let you go through we’re friends?”

“I think you need a good friend,” YongGuk said honestly. “I don’t mean to advertise myself but I am available.”

JunHong couldn’t help but snort at YongGuk’s blatant offer but it still made him quite warm inside.

“Fine, welcome to my life, good friend,” JunHong said. “Shall we begin by getting torn apart by Jung DaeHyun?”

“We shall.”

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had/are having a great holiday! ^-^

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