Chapter 6

This is not happening. Taemin shuts his eyes tight, as Jonghyun's heels echoes through the canteen, moving towards Jinki. Blood pounds in Jinki's ears like a fearsome tide with each step Jonghyun makes. He just knows that the person who is now right in front of him, is going to screw his life up. He knows it. And he isn't going to lie, he is scared as hell. The complete silence in the canteen isn't helping the situation either. Minho does not move an inch from where he was standing before, but his doe like eyes are also studying Jinki, a little twitch forming on his lips.


Jonghyun does not speak a word. His eyes are fixed on Jinki's own ones and he can practically feel the coldness emitting from them.

"So you're are the new student” It's Key who speaks . “Stand up. Let's have a good look at you"

Jinki slowly does as he was told. He figures it's best to obey than to piss them off. His uneasiness increases even more when Key moves aside to let Jonghyun circle around him, his eyes observing Jinki from head to toe, sending chills down his spine. He sits on the canteen table and grabs a piece of chicken from Jinki's plate and takes a bite.He sets his feet on Jinki's backpack that was placed on one of the chairs,casually, eyes never leaving Jinki.

“What's your name?” Key asks.

“Jinki” He answers. He feels like a criminal being prosecuted in a court or something.

“Hmm?” Key hums, examining his nails. “Is that your full name? Jin Ki?”

“N..no” Jinki stutters.

Key looks at him. “When I ask you for your name, I want you to tell me your full name, Jinki” He leans to Jinki's ears, as if whispering.

“It's Lee Jinki” Jinki says, his eyes on the floor.

“That's better” Key pats his shoulders, smirking “So Jinki, why did you get accepted to Apollo?” Key asks folding his arms. Jinki looks at him unsurely. “Oh don't worry. We just want to know what kind of amazing talent you have that they accepted you to SM at this time of the year. It doesn't happen that ofen you see.” Key says running one of his long slender, ringed fingers on Jinki's cheek to his jaw. He is talking to Jinki in an awfully nice way that it's scary.

“I...I can sing” Jinki answers, his voice almost a hush.

“Oh?”

“Sing”. It's a command. And it's not coming from Key.

Jonghyun's voice is as cold as his eyes.

Jinki gathers up the courage to look at Jonghyun's face. He is waiting. Jinki sees Taemin's face behind him. Fear could be seen clearly in those eyes but when Jinki looks at him, searching for some kind of reassurance, he gives him a thumbs up and an encouraging nod.


Jinki fixes his glasses and starts singing the same song that he sang in his audition because really, that is the only song he actually knows. His eyes closes automatically and he is having all those feelings again, like he has wings, like he is elevating, like he is in a whole new world.


Jinki, too caught up in singing, completely fails to notice the sudden presence beside him. He does not even get enough time to open his eyes when a punch lands on his cheekbone, throwing him onto the floor. Jonghyun pins Jinki, who is too startled to even process what's happening, on the floor with his foot pressing down on his neck.


“Jonghyun!!” Yunho appears and shouts from the doorway, “What do you think you're doing?”

Jonghyun sighs. “Jung Yunho to the rescue.” He says, taking the foot off of Jinki and faces Yunho (much to Jinki's relief), who is now walking towards him.

“Yunho-ah, don't you have anything better to do than to get on my way every time? Like, my beloved brothers' feet like the good dog you are” Jonghyun sneers.

“Jonghyun, you don't have the right to touch any of the students from my House” Yunho says, trying to ignore the insult that has been thrown directly at him, his face, however, boiling with anger. “Do this again and I'll inform the Cratus about it”

Jonghyun chortles evilly. “Really now? Yunho-ah, aren't you forgetting something here. Or do you want me to remind you?” His face now not much far from Yunho's “I don't give a if you go and tell them. They can't lay a single finger on me and you know it. You are nothing to me Jung Yunho. I can just get rid of you like this with the click of a finger.” Jonghyun clicks his finger to show his point “I haven't done it yet because the students loves you.” He spreads both of his arms. “They love you man. But if you keep trying to act big in front of me then I'll decide not to consider their feelings and “ He brings his middle and index fingers and presses them against the temple of Yunho's head “BAM! And believe me, I would hate to do that to you. So I'll be very happy if you know your place and stay out of my way while I play my little games.” Jonghyun rubs Yunho's back and turns to Jinki, who's still on floor trying to find his glasses. “And you” He points at him, “Don't ever think that I'm done with you”

“Let's go” He beckons Key and Minho to follow and leaves the canteen. Minho doesn't spare a glance at Jinki while Key says a “see you sooon” to him , waving his hands. As soon as they are out, the whole canteen sighs in relief, some sending sympathetic looks towards Jinki's way.

Taemin ran to Jinki like a speed of lightening and helps him to get up, placing his glasses back on his face for him.

“Thank you” Jinki mumbles. His cheekbones seems like broken and he can taste blood in his mouth.

“Take him to my office Taemin” Yunho says, his face still red.

Taemin nods and puts an arm around Jinki's shoulder and leads him to the door. They don't utter a word to each other until they reach the office.

“I'm sorry” Taemin starts. “Ommygoshh!! I'm so so sorry Jinki. If I didn't poke you with my elbow then you wouldn't have dropped your bottle and he would have never noticed you”

Jinki chuckles at his cuteness “Don't be silly Taemin. It's not your fault.”

God, it hurts when he talk.

“It is! It's because I hurt you with my arms. I wish I wasn't this skinny. May be I should start eating a bit more.” Taemin says pouting and they both laugh. The next moment though he turns serious “ Jinki, Jonghyun....he is evil. You don't know what he can do to you.” Jinki notes the same fear that he saw before appearing in Taemin's eyes when he mentions Jonghyun's name.

Jinki knows. The words Jonghyun told him before he left the canteen are still flowing through his mind, giving him shivers just by thinking about it.

“Are you feeling okay now?” Yunho asks, entering the room with a first aid kit, his face looking much calmer now. Jinki nods and smiles in reply as Yunho grabs a chair to sit next to him and starts wiping the blood off his face with a towel.

“Taemin's right Jinki. I hate to admit this but even I'm not able to stand against him. I'm sure you realised that from what happened today” Yunho sighs.

“Why...why did he hit me? I did sing when he asked me to.” Jinki asks hissing at the stinging feeling inside mouth where he bit accidently when he got punched,

“He is like that. Unpredictable. The only thing I can do for you is to speak to Yongwa about it"

Something crosses Jinki's mind. “What about the teachers? Can't they do anything?” He asks expectantly.

“Everyone is scared of him Jinki. Even the teachers. They avoid him. And I suggest you do the same”

Those words are nt helping Jinki at all. They are only scaring him even more. He looks at Taemin who gives him a small smile.

“It's okay Jinki. The Academy is big. It's not like he would find you that easily.”

Its not like I can hide from him forever, he wants to say in reply.

“And Yunho hyung is going to tell Yonghwa hyung anyway" Taemin continues, "He's powerful than Jonghyun.”

Jinki nods “I'm glad that my glasses didn't break” he says and Taemin chuckles lightly.

“Alright. Take him to the room now Taeminnie. I'll write a note to his teacher. Let him have some rest for today.” Yunho closes the first aid box and reaches out to his table to get a post it note and quickly scribbles down something on it.

“Can I stay with Jinki Yunho hyung?” Taemin says making big puppy eyes.

“Nope. You'll drop Jinki off and go to your lessons like normal. You missed your dance club yesterday as well. Just give this note to the teacher. And those puppy eyes won't work on me. I'm immune to them. Now let's go. The bell's about to ring in ten minutes. Oh and before I forget” Yunho quickly gets something from the table “Here's your timetable Jinki. You'll follow this from tomorrow onwards”. Jinki takes it, mumbling a thanks.

Taemin's lips curls into a childish frown. He takes Jinki's arm in his and leaves the room. Jinki is used to the arm holding by now.

“You're in the dance club?” Jinki asks Taemin, whose face brightens up hearing the question.

“Yes. I love dancing” Taemin says, his eyes sparkling.

“Really?”

“Yeah. They call me a dancing machine” Taemin laughs shyly and stops remembering something.
“Jinki you need to join the club as well.”

“But I can't dance” Jinki exclaims. Dancing is the last thing he want to do on earth.

“No no no, I meant the singing club. You were soundng so heavenly back there when Jonghyun told you to sing. Even if you say no, you will have to. That's the rule"

Jinki thinks about it. He remembers how he refused to join the music club when his parents told him to do so years ago. He regrets it. He never realised singing could feel this good until he came to SM. May be he is being given another chance.

“I will join” he says as Taemin unlocks their room.

“That's so great Jinki.” He smiles up at him. “I know loots of people in that club. I'll introduce you to them so that you don't feel alone or anything. And Kyuhyun's going to be there too. But don't mingle with them too much”

“Why?” It's not like Jinki's ever going to talk to them, unless they come to him.

“Because I don't want you to go around talking to other people when you have me as your best friend” Taemin pouts. He hurries upon hearing the bell ring.

“Wait, you're my best friend? ” Jinki asks surprised at this new discovery.

“Obviously. Who else is your best friend?” He checks his watch “Crap! I need to go now Jinki or I'd get late and Sir would kill me. Go and rest kay? I have some children's comics under my pillows. Read them if you get bored. I'll see you in the evening. Bye byeeeee”

Jinki watches as Taemin skips through the stairs and nodding at some of the security guards. Why would Taemin choose him, the most awkward person who exists on the planet, as his best friend? He wonders but smiles as he plops down on his bed.

Jonghyun's face passes through his mind like a lightening and his heart aches.

With fear.

Today was ugly.

He hope he won't ever see Jonghyun again.


“Don't ever think that I'm done with you”


Who am I trying to kid, he sighs heavily and falls into an uneasy slumber.