Jackson huffed as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

“Are you annoyed Wang?”

Jaebum pushed him again.

“Are you going to fight back or what?”

Another push.

“I’ll believe it when I see it” he smirked.

Another pushed, harder this time, making Jackson fall down.

“Come on guys. I don’t want to keep wasting my time”

Jackson sniffed as he looked at the retreating group, looking away from the look of pity coming from Mark.

He sighed as he stood up.

When is this going to stop? He thought as he picked up the books Jaebum had thrown out of his hands earlier.

Jackson always prayed some miracle would happen that would keep Jaebum from bullying him every day.

He could feel his eyes start to swell with tears.

What did he do to deserve this? He swore he had never talked to Jaebum in his past years of high school, lest even done something to him to deserve the wrath the older gave him every school day.   

Sometimes he thought of giving up, but just the thought of his parents, who worked so hard to raise him, seemed to keep him standing.

But what could he do?

Jackson was rather shabby looking. He always dressed in clothes bigger than his normal size, and his uniform wasn’t exactly an exception. That was one of the reasons, he guessed, he got teased. Not only by Jaebum, but every time he walked down the hallway he couldn’t handle the stares his way or the whispering behind his back. 

But every morning it started like this. Jaebum calling his name and him not having any choice but to stay glued to where he is. Then the names begin. Then the pushing. Then torment of his words. ‘You’re so weak, I bet you wouldn’t even have the strength to stand up’. ‘Why do you even come to school if you know nobody likes you’? ‘You want to know why I waste my time with you? Because I know you’ll never fight back’. ‘You’re not worth anything Wang’.

The same words. Jaebum’s been chanting the same words for so long that Jackson now can’t stop himself from believing them.  

He brushes away the shedding tears as he remembers his mother’s smile every morning.

“I hope you have a great day in school Jackson-ah.”

He smiled sadly. When would he ever have a great day?

Aside from Mark, he had no one else he could call a friend. Well, if he could call Mark a friend. The red head would hang out with him in middle school but he stopped talking to him once he started hanging out with Jaebum. Now, Mark is different. He wants to be popular, Jackson knows that, but it still hurt.

“Jackson, are you okay?” Mark whispered from behind.

He looked out of breath and he kept looking behind him, as if he was afraid of being caught.

Jackson smiled bitterly. “Yeah, I’m fine. You should go back, you don’t want to anger your true friends if they see you with me.”

Mark sighed. “Jackson—“

“It’s okay Mark. I’m okay”

Mark’s jaw clenched. “Believe me. If I could do anything to help you, I would”

“Yeah, I know”

Mark smiled after hearing the younger’s answer.

“I need to go. I’m sorry Jackson”

Jackson nodded softly. “It’s okay. I know what comes first for you”

Mark sighed.

“Bye Jackson”

 

And once again, Jackson was left alone.

 

 

Jackson walked inside the house, the aroma of baked cookies greeting him instantly.

“Oh Jackson-ah! You’re home early!”

His mother came out of the kitchen to smile at him, a pink apron around her waist.

Jackson smiled back.

“You’re baking cookies?” he dropped his bag in the couch.

“You only do that when—“

“When I have important news, I know. And that’s the reason why. You should sit down”

Jackson stared at her suspiciously as he sat down in one of the kitchen chairs.

“You’re father told me more about the new position he will get in his job”

Jackson nodded for her to continue.

“And he told me…” she sat down in front of him.

“He told you?”

His mom smiled. “He told me that he could be get the position, if only he could transfer to Hong Kong.”

Jackson’s eyes widened.  

“He could have his own office and he could be almost like a vice president of the small company business that’s there in China. Isn’t it great? We can go back to where we lived before. We could see our family again. And, we will get more money to send you to a good college.”

He gulped slowly, feeling like his mouth was dry all of a sudden.

Jackson’s mother noted the change in mood in her son. She grabbed his hands and smiled.

“I know this is going to be hard for you. But please Jackson, tell me I can count on you.”

Jackson looked up and saw her smile. Her smile full of brightness and her eyes full of hope.

“Of course mom. I’m so happy for my dad. I wouldn’t let this chance get away from him. Let’s go to Hong Kong”

“AHH! Jackson-ah! I’m so happy!!” his mom engulfed him in a tight hug as she squealed.

He smiled as he hugged her back. Maybe he could get a fresh start.

 

 

 

Jackson walked inside school, feeling happy.

Yeah, happy.

It was the last day in this stupid school. Where he didn’t have to face the jerk that is Jaebum anymore, or the loneliness that comes every day.

He smiled. This is going to be the last day I don’t fight back.

“What are you smiling at nerd?”

He huffed as he heard Jaebum behind him.

He almost forgot the reason he was happy for as he heard Jaebum’s voice. The same voice that tormented his dreams. The same voice that told him he wasn’t worth anything.

A push from the back.

“I asked you a question Wang”

Another push.

Jackson turned around slowly, meeting with Jaebum’s evil smirk.

The older raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.

“Wow, you actually looked at me in the eyes. I’m surprised Wang, you never—“

“It’s not Wang. It’s Jackson for you”

And Jackson almost gasped, because he couldn’t even believe his voice.

He put that thought behind as he spoke.

“And just to let you know. I’m leaving this school, and this city. Now you can leave me alone forever. I’m not going to be afraid of you anymore”

He stood up straighter.   

“Goodbye Im Jaebum. I hope you have a good life”

And with that, he gave him another confident smile, before he walked away.

Leaving everybody shocked.

Jaebum blinked as he stared at the retreating figure of the once “weak” Jackson.

“What just happened?” one of his friends asked.

 That’s what I want to know. He thought.

 

 

Jaebum sighed as he laid on his bed.

What happened to the defenseless Wang? And what was that all about?

Jinyoung sat beside silently. “You’re still thinking about Wang?”

Jaebum cleared his throat loudly.

“I’m sorry. Jackson. I know you don’t like it when anyone else except you calls him Wang”

Jaebum sighed as he rolled onto his side.

“It’s just, what happened over there?”

“Well, what do you think? He finally got tired of you.” Jinyoung whispered.

“Yeah, but that wasn’t supposed to happen” he whispered back.

Jinyoung rolled his eyes as he sighed. “Look Jaebum. I know you. And I know that when you like someone, you tend to act like you hate them, just to get them out of your mind, but that’s just not how it works. You should stop being a coward now. You know that you like Wan—Jackson, and you should do something about it”

Jaebum stared at the wall.  

“I just don’t know what to do. Jackson makes me feel so stupid and weak. I don’t want to feel like that. I don’t want him to be the owner of my own feelings” Jaebum murmured.

“I know. But Jaebum, you can’t continue acting like this. What, do you want Jackson to hate you for all his life? You said yourself that you don’t want for him to be the owner of your feelings, but with this, you’re being the owner of his feelings. You’re always calling him names, and pushing him around, you’re making him feel worthless Jaebum. So, please stop being a stupid coward. There, I said it. I don’t care if you’re older, just stop being a stupid coward and confess to Jackson already”

Jaebum felt the slight anger in his body taking over.    

Who was Jinyoung to tell him to do? Did he think Jaebum was stupid?

But he knew Jinyoung was right.

 

 

 

Jackson was packing his bag when he heard the bell ring.

It was weird enough that someone had come to visit, and it was even weirder that someone came to visit Jackson.

So what did he do when he saw Jaebum outside, waiting for him in the front lawn?

Of course, he completely freaked out. He thought Jaebum had come all the way to his house to beat him up.

But then he remembered that he wasn’t going to back down, so he confidently walked up to the other.

“How do you know where I live?”

Jaebum jumped slightly in surprise, turning around to meet the younger.

“I…Mark gave me your address”

Jackson slightly lowered his eyes as they met Jaebum’s. “Why?”

“Because I asked him to. I needed to talk to you”

Jackson gave two steps back as Jaebum stood in front of him. Jaebum faintly winced.

“Jackson. I’m sorry. For everything”

And Jackson scoffed.

“Do…Do you expect me to believe you?”

“I mean it Jackson. I am really sorry for everything I did to you”

Jackson felt tears prickling in his eyes. He suddenly felt all the pressure building up in his chest. He wanted to let it all out.

So he did. He hit Jaebum. Of course, it wasn’t enough for the older to even flinch.

But he still continued. He continued to vent all of his feelings. He cried and hit Jaebum’s chest constantly. He cried and cried until he couldn’t feel the slightest amount of tears inside.

“You made me feel worthless!” he cried.

Jaebum stared.

“You made me feel like I didn’t belong anywhere!”

Jaebum looked down.

“You…you made me feel like I didn’t want to live anymore” he whispered.

“I’m really sorry”

Jackson scoffed. “And then you come here thinking that I will forgive give you. Like if it was that easy”

Jaebum grabbed his hands suddenly, tightening them in his grip as he looked straight into his eyes.

“I mean it Jackson. I am sorry. I was a coward for not saying this before. But you don’t have to leave because of this. You said it yourself, that you weren’t going to be afraid anymore. So stay here and confront me like someone who isn’t afraid would”

Jackson’s eyes widened.

“You actually think I’m leaving because of you?” he snatched his hands away.

“The world doesn’t revolve around you Im Jaebum. I’m leaving because I want to.”

Jaebum grabbed his shoulders, and as much as Jackson struggled, he couldn’t get away.

“What do you want Im Jaebum? I don’t want you to ruin my life anymore!”

Jaebum’s eyes widened in surprise at Jackson’s tone as he let him go.

“Just leave please.”

Jaebum nodded softly. He took two steps back as he uttered the last words Jackson would hear from him.

“Goodbye Wang”