I was woken up by my mother gently shaking me by my shoulder. I groaned, her hand was sitting on a fresh bruise.

“Come on, it's time for school,” she said, persistently shaking me.

I complied slowly, sitting up even though every part of my body screamed at me to stay down.

“There, that wasn't so hard,” she said as she cupped her hand around my face. I flinched away as her fingers brushed against my bruised cheek.

“Actually, it was,” I muttered.

“You'll be fine, it's never as bad as it seems,” she said, grabbing my arm and attempting to pull me to my feet. Reluctantly, I followed her pull. She was insistent on me going to school and I wasn't in a position to fight with her.

I was barely on my feet before she had me up the stairs and out the door.

I started walking to school slowly. Everything hurt so much. My mother was half right, it wasn't as bad as it seemed, it was so much worse.

I didn't bother Zelo that morning, I just went went straight to my locker. As I walked, there was a pain in my side that was feeling worse and worse.

“JR, are you alright?” Emma asked. She was standing at my locker with Baekho.

“N-no,” I groaned.

My knees gave out on me and I started falling. Luckily, Baekho was there to catch me. I couldn't hold on any longer, I passed out right there.

I woke up again in the nurse's office. Himchan was standing over me looking concerned.

I tried to sit up and immediately regretted it. Himchan gently pushed me back down, placing his hand on possibly the only spot that wasn't bruised.

“Easy there, you're in pretty rough shape,” he said.

I let myself relax again. Most of the pain was focused in my side now.

“Do you mind explaining what happened to you?” Himchan asked.

I hesitated. I didn't know what to say, but I knew I couldn't tell him the truth. He was watching me intently, waiting for an answer that wasn't coming.

“You were in so much pain that you out. I need to know how you got to that point,” he stated. I maintained my silence. “Fine, be that way. Just know that your parents have been called to come and pick you up.”

My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't go home, who knew what else Shimhan would do to me.

“Is something wrong?” Himchan asked.

“I can't miss class,” I blurted out. It was true, just not for the reasons most people would think of.

“You can barely stand on your own two feet, there's no way you'd be able to make it through a day of classes like this,” he stated. I couldn't argue just thinking of earlier. “Anyway, your mother said she would be here soon, so just rest until then,” he said.

It was a small relief knowing it was my mother coming to take me home and not Shimhan. I found at the moment the best thing I could do was take Himchan's advice.

I must have fallen asleep without realizing it. The next thing I knew, I could hear my mother's voice in the hallway talking to Himchan. I tried to tune into what they were saying.

“He never said anything this morning,” my mother claimed.

“Liar,” I muttered.

“Are you sure?” Himchan asked skeptically. “He has bruises on nearly every part of his body and I'm pretty sure at least one of his ribs is cracked.”

“I'm positive, he said he was fine this morning, even insisted on coming to school,” My mother replied.

There was a brief pause after that. “Okay. I gave him some painkillers, but I'd still take him to see a doctor,” Himchan said. He still sounded skeptical to me.

The two of them entered the room together and my mother immediately walked over and hugged me.

I groaned. She seemed to have a knack for hitting as many bruises as she possibly could in one move. I think I even saw Himchan flinch on my behalf.

“Let's get you home,” my mother said, rubbing my arm. I swear, the bruises were multiplying as she touched them.

Himchan helped me stand up and get out to my mother's car. He went back in as she climbed into the driver's seat.

I put my seat belt on and groaned again. “Something wrong with your seat belt?” she asked.

“It's sitting on a bruise,” I answered through gritted teeth.

“Well, you'll just have to deal with that until we get home,” she said, putting the car into gear. I should have known she wouldn't be concerned. 

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Finally I have a new chapter for you. It's been so long, it was my newest subscriber that finally motivated me to get this done. I had something to say here but I forgot it so enjoy until next time