Chapter 8

Jinki hasn’t come to a decision yet. The clock is ticking and it’s already three minutes gone. Taemin is still as a stone and is he even breathing?

“Didn’t you hear? I’m daring you to touch his nose” Jonghyun repeats impatiently.

Jinki looks between Taemin’s nose and his eyes. His mind screaming for help.

What do I do? What do I do? What the hell should I do?

Taemin’s lips sort of moves, a slight twitch of lips, directed at Jinki, asking to do something, anything. Outside the classroom, is a big crowd of students, their eyes anticipating to see what is going to happen next. Some are even holding cameras, ready to capture the big moment when Jinki touches Taemin’s nose.

“Touch.His.Nose” Jonghyun’s low voice echoes in the classroom, rising from dangerous to a deadly level.

I should just shut my eyes and go for it. I’m going to get beaten up either way.

He lifts his arm slowly, his index finger moving closer and closer to Taemin’s nose as each second passes. His finger is shaking as he swallows hard, a drop of sweat rolling down his forehead. Taemin’s eyes follows Jinki’s finger and he moves forward, decreasing the distance between them. He just wants to get this over with.

The finger doesn’t quite reach his nose though, because the next moment Jonghyun wraps his hand around Jinki’s finger and twists it. Jinki’s eyes go wide because of the sudden pain that shoots up his body.

“Oh no you won’t”, Jonghyun says, crushing Jinki’s finger and he wants to cry because he can hear his bones breaking and the way it hurts just too bloody painful, he can only gasp.

The hit that follows afterwards comes like a tornado, right across his face which sends his glasses to somewhere at the back of the classroom. It’s the other side of his face this time and Jinki has to admit, Jonghyun knows what he’s doing because he feels one of his teeth floating in his mouth with the mixture of saliva and blood. Taemin’s mouth hangs open and he is fighting to decide whether he should stay in his current position, watching his best friend deliberately getting hurt, or he should move backwards so that he himself won’t get into Jonghyun’s sight.

“May be you should sit back and watch the show”, suggests Key from behind, tossing his perfect hair a little from the eye, the tone of mock in his voice, clear.

Taemin shoots him the best glare he could produce out of his face.

“You’re all so bad. I’m telling Yunho hyung”, he says before rushing to get Yunho as soon as he can. That’s all he can do for Jinki.

“How old is he? Ten?” Key asks watching Taemin running to the door.

“Hmm?”, Minho turns his attention from his watch to Key and then to the door, where other two faces appear. It’s Yonghwa and Leeteuk. The students start to leave as quickly as possible at the sight of them.

Minho sighs and takes his backpack. “I’m off”, he says in his deep voice and makes his way out of the classroom, completely ignoring the fierce looks coming towards his way from the two standing at the door.

Key smirks seeing them. “Well this is going to be interesting”

“Jonghyun!” Yonghwa calls “What are you doing?”

Jonghyun whips his head around to see who it is that has dared to interrupt him. When he does, he throws his head back and laughs.

“Your pet dog sure is loyal. Got you all the news in no time, didn’t he? You must be feeding him well” (A/N: Jjong is referring to Yunho)

Key can’t help but force out a snort at that. Yonghwa looks defiantly at him, clearly irritated at his presence. Key bites his lips to suppress his laugh, lets out an exaggerated sigh and. slowly gets up to leave. He knows better than to mess with the Cratus.

“You’re not going anywhere Key.” Jonghyun orders and Key sits back down.

“Why aren’t you in your lesson, Jonghyun?” Yonghwa asks ignoring what just happened.

“None of your business” Jonghyun shots back.

Yonghwa sighs. “Fine. Then why are you beating up the student. As a member of Cratus that is definitely my business. Don’t you know it’s against the school rules?”

“I do what I want.”, Jonghyun scowls, annoyed.

“No, not in here.”

“Yeah? What’re you gonna do? Ban me from SM? I don’t think so. I think you’re forgetting that I am also in Cratus.” Jonghyun walks closer. “You can’t do Yonghwa” Jonghyun says and grins in victory as Yonghwa struggles to reply.

“Learn to show some respect Jonghyun. He is your brother.” Leeteuk at last speaks up.

“Don’t give me that brother crap. I have left no respect for you. Any of you. When have I ever considered you as my brothers anyway? I never have and never will.” Jonghyun spits on the floor (which was actually Jinki’s hand) “Brothers you know. After ruining my ing life.” He kicks one of the chairs with force, causing it to lift from the ground and collapse back to the floor with a shuddering noise.

The silence that stretches in the room is disturbing. All that can be heard is Jonghyun’s violent breaths, his eyes flaming with anger. Jinki who is lying on the floor somehow manages to find his glasses. He puts it on and looks around the room. He sees Leeteuk looking at the floor with an expression on his face that he can’t quite seem to recognise. Sorry? Guilt? He isn’t sure. He continues to observe the room and eventually his eyes lock with Jonghyun’s. Jinki’s heart lurches. They’re looking straight at him and he could see nothing but fury and hatred in them.

“What’re you looking at face?” Jonghyun asks raising his foot up, ready to give Jinki some more. Key stops him, however.

“Come on Jjong, let’s go for now” He says grabbing Jonghyun’s shoulder and leading him outside.

Yunho shows up at that time with Taemin hiding behind him.

“Ah look your doggie is here.” Jonghyun jeeringly says nodding at Yunho, to which Key laughs along, while he drags Jonghyun out.

“You can leave now.” Yonghwa tells Jinki who tries to get up with the help of Taemin and Yunho.

“I don’t know what to do with him”, he hears Yonghwa say before he leaves the classroom with Taemin. He doesn’t know how Jonghyun can behave like that to his own step brothers. He would never say anything that will hurt his Eunsook.

“Onew, you okay?” Taemin asks concerned.

“Huh? “Jinki is not used to the name quite yet. “Yeah I’m fine. I think. Looks like my finger is broken though.” Jinki holds his finger up. He can’t even move it.

“Your lips are bleeding too” Taemin passes him a tissue which Jinki thankfully accepts. When he is finished with wiping the blood off his lips, Taemin suddenly hugs him very tight.

“I’m so sorry for being a bad best friend.” Taemin says almost on the verge of tears.

“It’s not your fault Taemin.” Jinki tries to assure him, patting his back. He has an idea of what tomorrow’s front page of SM Express would be looking like.********************************
“Jonghyun continues to torment his new prey. Yonghwa himself comes for Jinki’s rescue. After the incident that took place on Wednesday in the school canteen, Jonghyun carried on from where he had left off in one of the Biology classrooms, yesterday.”

“Please strop reading” Taemin begs to Shindong. “I’ve never felt so scared in my life. It was like the Day of Judgement or something.” Taemin says, his eyes animatedly widening as he describes to the others on the table. He then shakes his head, trying to shake off the image and turns to Jinki. “Onew, say aaahhh” He says as he stuffs Jinki’s mouth with cereals. He had insisted on feeding Jinki today, since Jinki’s finger is broken. Really, Jinki can feed himself just fine and he had tried telling Taemin that but he won’t listen.

“You should have stayed in your room Jinki. Just look at your state. You can’t even speak properly.” Eunhyuk says in his usual caring tone.

Eunhyuk is different from the other three, Jinki had noticed. When Shindong and Heechul gossips around like old women and Kyuhyun uses his evil tongue to shut them up, Eunhyuk just watches, smiling. He is the one who tries to stop the arguments when it gets too out of control. He is like the leader of the group. And Jinki’s favourite one out of them. He feels respect for him, the kind of respect he feels towards Yunho even though he is not much older than Jinki.

Jinki opens his mouth to say something in reply and remembers that he has a badly swollen face which makes his face look even chubbier than they already are. It was fine until yesterday night when he went to sleep but when he woke up in the morning, he felt like he had two coconuts tied up on both sides of his face. He, therefore, did some weird gestures with his hands, hoping that Eunhyuk would understand what he is trying to say. Eunhyuk though, looks completely clueless. Jinki don’t blame him. He was never good with gestures anyway.

“I’ll tell you hyung” Taemin says. He is working as Jinki’s personal translator for today, although most of the things he translates is not what Jinki is actually trying to say.

For instance, right now what Jinki wants to say to Eunhyuk is that “I can’t stay in my room because I have got a lot to catch up. I have already missed almost half of the year”, something like that.

Taemin stares at him blankly for a while and smiles like finally the bulb lighted in his head.

“I think what he is trying to say is that he don’t want to miss out chicken for lunch. He loves chicken you see.”,he says happily. Eunhyuk nods his head in understanding. Jinki just shakes his head. He can’t really say anything to Taemin. Especially not when he is beaming at him happily like a child who solved a Maths puzzle.

While he is fed by Taemin, he feels a tap on his shoulder. He turns his head around. Nickhun’s face is about two inches away from his. Jinki being Jinki, squeaks in surprise and was about to fall off the chair. Luckily though, two hands hold him strongly from behind.

“You’re really clumsy, aren’t you?” Jaybeom says jokingly.

Jinki shoots up from his seat and starts bowing repeatedly.

“Hey hey what’re you doing?” Jaybeom asks, confused.

“He likes your shoes hyung.”, says Taemin, seeing how Jinki’s eyes are fixed on Jaybeom’s shoes as he bows like a machine. Jinki stops to glare at Taemin, who throws a “Right Onew?” at him, smiling brightly.

Taemin, Jinki decides, is definitely stupid not a good translator.

“You’re dumb Taemin. He is apologising for reacting that way” Kyuhyun says wisely. The smile fades from Taemin’s face and he goes back to drinking his banana milk with a big pout on his face.

“Calm down dude. Jay was only kidding.” G.O says, rather amused.

Jinki blinks a few times and blushes, embarrassed. He has made a fool out of himself in front of his friends and Nickhun’s gang. Why are these people here anyway? Is it just him or are they sort of d-dazzling?

“Erhmm” Nickhun clears his throat. When he gets everyone’s attention he smiles. “Can we join you for breakfast?”

“Ofcourse you ca--“

Before Eunhyuk could even finish Nickhun’s already sitting next to Jinki. The irking noise of chairs moving echoes in the canteen as the other four also finds themselves a seat. Kyuhyun sighs loudly in annoyance and earns himself a slap from Heechul. After everything has calmed down, Nickhun starts,

“So, err, Junki”

“It’s Jinki” Two words is the maximum Jinki could get out of his mouth. His jaw is hurting.

“Oh, sorry Jinki. So Jinki,” Nickhun starts again, “I know you know who I am but just to be sure, you know who I am right?”

Jinki nods. Nickhun smiles wickedly and gets up from the chair.

“Of course you know who I am. I am the Head of Adonis, Nichkhun Horvejkul.” He points both of his thumbs to himself and winks.

Yes, I said I know, Jinki wants to say. Now he know why Kyuhyun wasn’t happy with these guys joining their table. This guy is extremely arrogant. Nichkhun walks around the table as he speaks.

“The reason why me, Nichkhun Horvejkul, Head of Adonis, came to meet you personally like this is because”, he pauses to look at Jinki, “I felt sorry for you. I heard your story Jinki. Your sad, sad story and it stung my heart” He says touching his exposed chest., where there is a big tattoo is visible. “I know where you’re coming from. You’re coming from a faraway village full of poor people who are struggling for food and money.”

What on earth is he talking about, Jinki has no idea. He is making it sound as if Jinki is coming from the dirtiest street in Africa.

“Er, actually” He tries to speak but Nichkhun cuts him off.

“No Jinki, you don’t have to speak.” He says bringing his hand up. “I perfectly understand how you feel. Every night, before you go to sleep, the picture of your family flashes through your mind. You’re parents’ tired faces, your little siblings that are calling for you desperately, “Oppa Oppa we’re hungry. Hyung hyung we didn’t eat anything today.” Nichkhun gasps dramatically. “I feel for you Jinki, I feel for you.” He says putting one of his hand up to press against his eyes. “Pass me a tissue Yoochun. I got a bit emotional”. Yoochun passes him a tissue and carries on with his breakfast. He is used to Nichkhun’s babbling.

Jinki has his jaw dropped. Where did Nichkhun even come up with all these things?

Nichkhun, after wiping away the none-existent tears from his eyes, explains the real reason he has come.

“I’m here to help you”

This has to be a dream. Or Jinki didn’t hear it right.

Nichkhun walks closer to Jinki and holds his chin up. Jinki wants to slap that hand away really bad but he won’t because the hand belongs to the person who has just offered to help him.

“I don’t think a poor innocent cute duckling like you deserve s to be harassed by someone like Jonghyun.”

There is a honest sympathy in Nichkhun’s voice. And Jinki doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like when people pity him. The situation here, however, is different. All he want is to get away from Jonghyun in any possible way. But how can this person help him? Even Yunho couldn’t help him. Don’t they have the same kind of authority?

“Listen Jinki, you still have about one and a half left in this Academy. That means you would get bullied by Jonghyun until you graduate. Either that, or Jonghyun would eventually lose interest in you, which is less likely to happen since he hates you so much”

Jinki’s heart drops. He never thought of that. He was hoping this would come to an end, sooner or later. He doesn’t even know why Jonghyun dislike him so much.

“But like I said, you don’t have to worry one bit when I’m here.” Nichkhun guarantees.

May be this guy could help him after all. May be he is a friend of Jonghyun. Jinki’s eyes shines with a little hope. All the others in the table also turn to look expectantly at Nichkhun, wanting to know how he is going to get Jinki out of this trouble.

“I can provide you with some free counselling so that you could get over the depression caused by Jonghyun’s bullying”

There is a moment of silence before they all shouts “WHAT?” at him.

“I know you’re thinking how I would get time to do this. Even in the middle of all these other responsibilities, photo shoots, important meetings. Well what can I say? I’m just that kind hearted. So Jinki,whenever you feel like you’re going to have a mental breakdown or something just come and talk to me. I’m really good at counselling.” Nichkhun winks. Jinki is too numb to speak.

“We have Yunho hyung for that”, Kyuhyun says, gritting his teeth. He can’t take stupid people like this.

“Yunho?” Nickhun’s says, his eyes searching for Yunho’s table. He laughs when he finds Yunho sitting with his group of friends. “If I were your head, your school life would have been filled with so much fun. Does this Yunho even care about you? He didn’t offer to help Jinki like I did, did he?”

Actually, he was the one who saved me from Jonghyun when everyone else just watched, Jinki wants to say. If Yunho wasn’t there, he might have got turned into a pulp. Yunho came running to help Jinki even today.

Taemin for once speaks the right thing. “Yunho hyung is awesomeness. He saved Onew from Jonghyun in the canteen.” Hearing this Nichkhun looks bitterly at Taemin. The last thing Taemin want is to be hated by someone. So he says smiling adorably, “Oh, is that a tattoo on your chest hyung. Looks so cool”. It seems to have worked because Nickhun smiles back.

“Yeah, G.D got it done for me. He is good at this too, not just journalism. He didn’t even charge me. He told me that according to the survey he did for girls in other schools in Seoul, I have the hottest body in SM. They buy the SM Express just to see the pictures of me in them. May be they should dedicate one whole page just for me, don’t you think? The newspapers would sell out like crazy and the press can make real profit out of it. I mean, I am the hottest guy in SM. Hey Jay, you listening?” He hits Jay, who is resting his head on the table.

Jay out his hand up without opening his eyes and gives him a thumbs up saying “You’re the best, Nichkhun”, which leaves Niichkhun satisfied as he carries on with his self-monologue.

G.O nods here and there when actually his full concentration is on the food he is eating. Yoochun gives out some oh’s and is that so’, his eyes though, looking at something else. Jinki follows them. Or rather, someone else. He is staring at someone on Yunho’s table. Jinki doesn’t know who it is but he has seen him with Yunho before. He is also from Apollo. Must be in the final year too, Jinki guesses. But why is Yoochun staring at him? And what the ? Why is he drooling?

The only person that is fully listening to Nichkhun is Donghae when the others frankly ignores him. Taemin is busily peeling his banana with a slight pout on his lips. Heechul helps him when Kyuhyun and Shindong chatters about some new computer game Jinki has never heard of. Eunhyuk who is sitting right next to him, is reading. He is so engulfed in the book that you can’t even see his face. Jinki personally finds it rude. Real friends are people like Donghae, he thinks. He checks the time. There’s about seven minutes left for the bell. He decides he should put his tray away so he takes his spoon and… drops it. It lands under the table with a clink. He sighs and bends down to pick it up. Why am I so clumsy?

And that’s when he sees it. Something his poor innocent eyes should have never seen.

Donghae’s foot is slowly rubbing against Eunhyuk’s crotch, gliding it and down and back and forth. Eunhyuk’s growing bulge is plainly visible through the material of his trousers as Donghae’s foot plays with it, it intensely. Jinki’s eyes goes wide, almost bulging out of its sockets.

When his head pops back from under the table, he is red as a tomato to the tip of his ears.

No way. What was going under the table wasn’t what I think was going on. I must have been imagining it. He looks at Donghae, who is nodding to what Nichkhun is saying with an innocent smile on his face. I was definitely imagining it, Jinki decides. For a second, he thinks of dropping the spoon again just to make sure that he was hallucinating.

There was no need for that. Because he sees Eunhyuk’s face behind the book that he was “reading”. He is panting slowly and his hands are clutching on the book like his life depends on it. He bites his lip as sweat beads around his forehead.

Ignore it Jinki. Just pretend like you didn’t see a thing. Jinki says to himself.

“Uh!”, Eunhyuk exhales sharply next to him.

Jinki chokes.

“Oh my god Onew! Are you okay?” Taemin asks worriedly running to him.

Jinki shakes his head violently.
.
“Why are you so red?” asks Heechul, seeing Jinki’s flushed face.

The bell rings and this time it is Jinki who grabs Taemin’n arm and hurries to get out of the canteen.



A/N: First of all, I’m really sorry about the very late update. I just can’t find enough time nowadays. Just wanted to clear a few things up.
Before Yonghwa entered Cratus he was friends with Yunho. When Jonghyun said that Yonghwa must be feeding his pet, who is Yunho, he was implying that they’re having . They don’t actually have anything like that going on. Jonghyun was making fun of him which is why Key laughed.

God I am so embarrassed about the Eunhyuk/Donghae bit. =.= Anyway, hope you enjoyed it :)