“Hmm” I mumbled in pain as I open my eyes. My head was spinning around and I could see sparks around me. My throat feel dry and it feels like I was in desert. So thirsty that I think I could feel blood running down my throat. “Wa.. ter..”

I feel someone coming closer to me but I can’t figure out who he is since my eyes were still blurry and my head was still spinning. He come closer and said something but the only words I caught were ‘Are you alright?’ and ‘What is it?’

“Water..”

“Oh, wait” he said and run to the lamp table. He gave me a glass of water and help me to drink with the straw. “Drink carefully, aegi..”

Aegi? Only one person calls me by that..

“Oh um.. Thanks, Junghan oppa” I said and placed the glass away. To be honest, to meet any of the Seventeen boys now were actually on the last place of my wish list, but if it wasn’t them, I know that I would still be in the room, laying hopelessly and who knows when would I wake up?

Talking about wake up.. “How long have I been unconscious, oppa?”

“I’m not sure.. But it’s surely long enough cause we’ve been taking shift to watch you”

“Shift?”

He nodded, “We take turn to watch you since Soonyoung brought you here. He took the longest time to watch you, actually. He insisted to watch you here but he was looking really tired so Junhui told him to get home first, but he promised to get back here later, so don’t worry”

“I wasn’t worrying about him, to be honest” I snorted. I heard him sigh and I looked away. “I’m not in the mood to talk now. My head is spinning and my whole body is really sore. Could you please find the exit door, oppa? I need to rest. And please tell the boys that I don’t want any of them to take shift to watch me anymore. I just need my personal space now”

“But ___-..”

“Please, oppa. I need to rest”

He sighed but nodded and stood up. He walked to the door with his head down low. I know that I’ve hurt the young gentleman’s feeling but I have no idea how to say my feelings in a better way. Before he exited the room, he peeked on my bed and said, “Sometimes, things happen in a different way, aegi-ah. We don’t have to know why, we just have to get over  it”

***

My eyes shot wide out of the blue. I was sleep paralyzed. I was wide awake but I have no power to even move my finger. The only thing I could do is to stare around. The lamps on my room was turned off already. I was tucked neatly under my blanket. But there’s something that held me in from getting back to sleep. Someone was watching me.

I look at my right side and found him, staring at me without blinking. I feel like I got my energy back and I raised an eyebrow, what’s he doing?

He keep on staring at me with his hands on the sides of his cheeks for support. His face was so close that I could feel his hot breath. He was staring at me deeply but it was really weird that he did nothing when he knows that I’m also staring at him, “What are you doing?”

“Oh my!” he said and backed away. I guess I surprised him too much that he backed off and fell to the ground since his support on the elbow met the edge of my bed and it just simply slipped off, making him to fell flat on the floor.

In usual basis, I would immediately run at him and help him wake up, but I was too mad that I keep on laying on my bed. I cleared my throat, “I thought I’ve said it clearly to Junghan that I don’t want any visitors”

“___..”

“Please, I need some rest” I said as I tried to pull my blanket to cover my shoulders, but he stopped me as he placed his hands over mine. Forbidding me to get to sleep again.

“We need to talk”

“There’s nothing to be talk about”

“There’s obviously something to talk about, ___” he said. His tone changed into a serious one and his eyes were obviously looking at me, sternly. It was the real first time to see him like this and to be honest, I don’t like it.

“Don’t talk to me like that. I should be the one pissed off, right now, not you”

He sighed, “You know I never wanted to raise my voice on you, but you forced me to”

“Oh really? Then I feel bad for you for doing something against your will”

“Will you just listen to me once!” he pushed my hand away and pinned me down. He was on top of me and I can really see his eyes, showing desperation and anger. I was afraid, but I won’t back off now. “You know nothing about what we do. You understand nothing. You have-..”

“Well then why don’t you just tell me! Explain it to me so I can understand what the hell is happening here!”

“It’s not as easy as you think, ___. It’s not as easy as me to explain you about quadrants and other mathematical problems”

“Oh, so you’re saying that I’m stupid, now?!”

“I’m not saying you’re stupid, ___! Why can’t you stop misunderstand my words?!”

I smirked, “You should quiet down, you know. Seungcheol would definitely kill you if he heard you yelling at me”

“You’re so frustrating, damn it” he said and messed his hair. He stood up and get down of my bed. He grabbed his jacket and exited my room with a loud slammed.

***

After our fight on that night, I haven’t talked to Soonyoung up until now. We haven’t texted, called, not even stare at each other. We keep on avoiding each other at school and I seriously have no intention to open up a conversation with him. I acted the same to the Seventeen boys, even to Seungcheol. He never fetch me to school anymore since I always wake up early and left with bus. Then I’ll get home early, lock my room and get to sleep earlier. This activity happens everyday until I don’t know how long. Seungcheol tried to talk to me as he keep on knocking my door every night but of course, I tried to ignore it and act asleep.

To be honest, it was starting to hurt me to ignore the boys. Dongjin keeps on coming to my house everyday after school and brings me roses. Chan keeps on trying to talk to me, even at school, but I keep on pushing him away and it actually such a burden since he’s my favorite little brother and I know that I’ve hurt him so much by now. Samuel, the youngest kid of all, was also trying to melt down my heart. He wasn’t even on the spot when the bullying was happening and I know that Seungcheol never put him on any bad situations like this, but he’s still the member of Seventeen. The most fearful group in Seoul.

So since I’m still mad at the boys, I get home alone right now. Even when it’s already dark outside and the only way to get home that I know is that one dark alley Seungcheol showed me.

I walk myself quietly on the alley and fastened my pace as I’m starting to feel that someone’s following me from behind. Or at least, eyeing me.

I look around but find no one behind that it actually makes me even more scared. The alley was so dark that I can’t see anything from behind but black things. I hugged my bag in protection, just in case something happen and my feeling was right. Someone did appear and grabbed my hand, “Hello, hot stuff”

“Don’t touch me” I boldly say and yanked his hands away. I take a few steps back but someone caught me and he was seductively smiling at me. I was terrified to death but if I show them my weak side, I know these people would do the things I was scared about.

“Shh, don’t be scared of us. We won’t hurt you. In fact, we would make you fly to the clouds of nine” the guy said and tucked the strands of my hair. He sneaked his arms around my waist and tightened his embrace.

“Let me go!”

“So bold and fierce.  Just the way we like it”

The dudes were walking closer to me and my legs were becoming jelly. I begin screaming my lungs out but I know that it was useless since this alley was super quiet and I know no one walks through here but me.

I was feeling really hopeless and tears were streaming down my cheek. I was scared to death. Never in my life I’ve face this big of fear since I know that I can do nothing to face this one. I could only pray loudly in my head for God to help me out. No matter who it is, I just need a help.

“What do you think you’re doing with my girl?”

Someone said from behind. I wanted to look back but one of the dude was holding me tight that I can’t move at all. The other guy stepped to the voice and challenged, “And who the hell you are?”

I don’t know what happen but as soon as he said those words, he trembled hard and run away. The other guys then followed him as they saw the person, so does the one who were tightly holding me.

I closed my eyes as I heard the person to walk closer. The worst thing crossed my mind, what if the head of the gangster came and I just escaped from a lion’s trap but now entering a tiger’s one?

I jerked back as the person touched my cheek, “Hey, don’t be afraid of me. Open your eyes, ___”

I opened my eyes, only to see Soonyoung, smiling at me. He wiped my tears away and helped me stand up. But as soon as I was standing on my feet, I pushed him away “Don’t come any closer, Soonyoung-sshi”

He winced at my sudden formality and sighed, “Baby can we please talk about it?”

“Talk about what? Your bullying profession?” I snapped “And oh,  I get it now. Those guys were afraid of you that they let me go, just by seeing you! Oh my, tell me Soonyoung. Were you proud that your ‘bad boy’ image actually saved me, hm?”

“Can you please listen to my explanation first? I’ve been trying to tell you but you keep on pushing me away and-..”

“There’s nothing to talk about. And beside, action speaks louder than words” I said with a glare as I walked passed him. I purposely bumped to his shoulder to show how pissed off I am.

I was just about 3 steps away before he pulled my hand and hold me back, “You know what, you’re right. Action does speak louder than words” he said as his hands hold mine tight. His small eyes were glued to mine and I was petrified that I can’t move my legs or yanked his hands away. Before I could react to any of these, he suddenly lean in and..

He kissed me..

---

[ Hey guys! Such a short chapter, huh?

Well I actually didn't plan to make an update tonight, but remembering that today's our baby Junghan's birthday and how bad the day had been for the boys (the fact that 8 of them are sick and they got scolded on the Seventeen tv today), I think I should brighten up the mood a little and I hope this story could actually work and make someone feel better by reading it.

And as his birthday present, Junghan finally appears in one whole scene! Well it's not that much and long and all, but I think it'd suffice, right?

And remember, if you have any questions, requests, problems, what ever it is, you can always ask me. My personal message box will definitely be open 24/7 and will happily welcome your words.

I also want to say to the boys to keep strong! The words were too harsh, but it was for their own good, right? I mean, you must be trained the best if you want to be the best champion of all.

So, yeah.. I hope you guys like the chapter and don't forget to keep supporting this story! xoxo ]