Chapter 1
Revenge's Journey
I rewrote this chapter, so those of you who already read it might want to read it again. And those who are reading it the first time, enjoy :D
Junho stopped directly in front of the school ranking list that separated the students who cared and had bright futures ahead of them from the ones who probably wouldn’t even make it to college. Call it arrogance or overconfidence, but his brown eyes traveled straight towards the top where the names that housed the highest scores were.
His shoulders flexed and nostrils flared when he landed on the number one position, because instead of being welcomed with his own name, he was bombarded with the feminine Hangul characters of 'Kim Yuna'. Even if the turnout wasn’t in the least bit surprising, he still couldn’t help finding himself envious. When he finally traveled one down, seeing ‘Lee Junho’ written across the second line helped to assuage some of the sour feelings. He even managed to crack a small smile, and not because he was happy with being second place. No. It was the fact that his vision slid one place down and landed on Seoul High’s resident narcissist. Seoul High’s resident narcissist had been one upped by Seoul High’s resident golden boy, once again. Imagining Kim Heechul having to accept that fact was enough to make Junho swell with pride.
He knew that come next month, it was going to be his name sitting prettily in the first spot. It was made a personal challenge as he continued to eye the rest of the list with scrutiny.
The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end, and he soon became aware that he was completely alone in the hallway since people were either in the classrooms learning or in the cafeteria enjoying their lunch, and even though there wasn’t a single soul around, the goosebump inducing feeling that he was being watched still pricked its way up his arms and made a chilling descent back down.
His heart leaped straight out of his chest at the sudden firm grasp on his shoulder.
“I guess my streak for not ever making it on any of these lists is more intact than the Undertaker’s winning streak at Wrestlemania.” Junho’s fear instantly deflated into relief at his best friend’s joking banter, and he turned towards him with a small smile.
“That could change if you’d actually try for once.”
“What do I get out of it if I do? A personal study session with the beautiful Kim Yuna?” Donghae wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Junho couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
“Four words: out of your league. She goes for the kind of guys like me - you know, the overachievers.”
To an outsider, it might’ve seemed that Junho’s comment had touched too deeply, but Junho himself knew better, especially when Donghae got a mischievous glint in his eyes a second later. As much Junho could throw it hard and fast, Donghae had the remarkable ability to always catch and return it back with even more vigor. That's why they worked so well.
“Does that mean Hyoyeon has finally given up on you being an indecisive child?”
Shots were fired, and the tables had successfully been turned. It made matters worse when Junho was too busy being flustered to think of a proper comeback. That's usually what happened whenever the territory of his ‘more than friend but less than a girlfriend’ was encroached on.
Donghae’s victorious laughter rang throughout the hallway.
“Shut up.” Junho grumbled before lightly pushing his friend. “Let’s just go to lunch.”
Donghae continued to snicker in satisfaction as they made their way to the cafeteria.
In between the merriment, that sensation of being watched managed to make itself known once again, but Junho decided to ignore it this time and walk faster to catch up with his still amused friend.
*
“I have the alcohol.” Donghae announced as he made his grand entrance into the classroom for their little after school study session. Junho and Chansung instantly stopped whatever they were working on or studying and looked over in his direction. They eyed the book bag on his back like it was a glass of ice cold water during a scorching hot summer.
When Donghae finally removed the bag, he opened it up to reveal numerous green bottles that equalled out to at least two cases of Chamisul soju.
As the three started eagerly grabbing drinks, Nichkhun sat back, somewhat contented, watching them. Yeah, he would’ve loved to have had maybe one drink for himself, but someone had to take the responsibility of being designated driver. The others figured that it also had something to do with him not wanting to dabble in anything that would leave his sweet mother disappointed. He was sometimes too thoughtful for his own good.
Junho visibly blanched as the soju traveled down his throat as smoothly as jagged rocks. He couldn’t say he ever got tired of the sting that usually came with the first sip, warming his throat with little trails of fire. It was certainly worth it, especially when that slight buzz eventually hit, and two and a half bottles was all it took for him to personally reach that point.
A contentedness settled within his belly that made its way to his loose and flighty mind. Control over his own body would blur every now and then, but it never fully slipped out of his jurisdiction. He doubted that he’d be able to get anymore work done. None of them, except Khun, probably would be able to, so he just basked in the silence, taking another swig of alcohol and listening to his heartbeat.
“Not it.” The boldly proclaimed words ambushed their way through his thoughts. It didn’t take much for him to hurriedly follow in Donghae’s steps and shout it out himself. He understood that those two simple words saved people from having to do even the most uncomfortable and annoying things. The current situation fell into the latter.
“Not fair. I want a do-over.” Chansung’s words came out rushed and irritated. Whenever his percentage of inebriation made it slightly over the bare minimum, the pace of his speech tended to quicken while his voice would rise above a less than acceptable volume. Thankfully, the janitor was the only other person in the school with them, and he was most likely on the other side of the school somewhere.
Nichkhun shushed him while Donghae giggled uncontrollably at his misfortune, body sprawled all over his desk. It was the liquor that rendered him useless to stop the fits of laughter that continued to spill out, and like a contagious disease of happiness, it caught onto Junho who burst into his own roarous laughter. Nichkhun himself couldn’t help but chuckle while trying to keep the two down. Between giving all three the finger, the corner of Chansung’s lips twitched upwards, and seconds later, a snigger founds its way out of his mouth.
The classroom became filled with the distinct sound of joviality and light heartedness that spilled out into the cool, late September night through the open window.
A sudden loud bang from the hallway just outside froze everyone in their tracks.
“What the hell?” Chansung slurred out slightly.
“Maybe the janitor dropped something.” Nichkhun shrugged, but his face was a bit skeptical.
The blank silence that over took was a complete stark difference from the earlier buoyancy, and for some reason, Junho became nervous. Really nervous. He put the bottle to his lips and took a small sip, but it didn’t help much. It was probably making things worse as he sunk deeper into a feeling of anxiety. The anxiety began to bubble over when Donghae hopped up and made his way towards the door.
“I’ll check.” He practically skipped his way over before any one of them could try and protest against it.
Everyone collectively held their breath as Donghae grabbed the handle and slowly slid the door open. Junho didn’t know exactly what he expected - maybe some crazed murderer to jump out and stab Donghae and then finish the rest of them off. Yeah, he probably needed to stop drinking. He sat the soju down with a small clink on the surface of his desk as Donghae poked his head outside of the room.
“No one’s there.”
The passive expression on Donghae’s face once he had turned back in their direction had them all visibly relaxing. “Nichkhun was probably right about the janitor.” He shrugged his shoulders and sat back down, turning towards Chansung. “Don’t think I forgot about you being it.”
The giant in question started on another tirade, and just like that, everything was back to normal. He and Nichkhun watched as their two friends went back and forth bickering before Nichkhun finally got tired of it and offered up a compromise.
“I’ll stay back with Chansung while you two go hide.” One look at his face told them that there wasn’t any room for argument or objection. It took a lot to make Nichkhun angry, and people usually avoided getting him to that boiling point. The last and only time it unfortunately happened, the angelic, baby faced foreign kid was nowhere to be found.
So Chansung accepted his fate, albeit with a little grumbling along the way, while Junho and Donghae hurried out of the classroom together. Both ran as fast as they could before slowing down into a leisurely stroll once they had reached the second floor, silently making their way down the hall.
Hidden amongst the comfortable blanket of solidarity, a sense of alarm began to snake its way through Junho’s entire body. He took a generous amount of air into his lungs and released it back out, hoping to take off some of the edge. Looking over towards Donghae, he was grateful that his best friend was too half drunk to notice his discomfort. There was no reason to worry him over something that Junho didn’t quite understand himself.
It was after they had turned the corner that he heard it - the hollow echo of footsteps. His heart began hammering away in his ears. He was so distracted that he didn’t even notice when Donghae had stopped walking. It wasn’t until his name was called that he became aware.
One hand planted firmly on the wall, Donghae ushered him forward with the other. “I think they’re coming.” He said in a low voice, reminding Junho of a little child trying to not get caught by his parents checking out his presents before Christmas.
“What are you doing then? Why aren’t we running?” Junho whispered back, frustrated at his friend’s recklessness.
The same hand that had beckoned him forward was now being used to stifle a series of laughs. “Just see if it’s them.”
If Junho was in his right mind, the both of them would’ve been flying down the corridor in the other direction by now, even if he had to forcibly drag Donghae along. There was that urgency still nipping at the back of his mind, but before he could bring it to the forefront, a particularly overzealous tug on his arm had him stumbling against the wall.
“Just check.” Donghae’s playful voice urged from directly behind, like it was all a big joke. It should’ve been fun and games to Junho as well, but there was just a feeling gnawing at him, telling him that something wasn’t right. For the life of him, he just couldn’t pinpoint what it was. It was just there, building upon itself and becoming stronger by the minute.
Everything screamed at him to back away and let it be, but the persistent nudge to his middle back told him that there was no turning back, the hopeful glee in his best friend’s eyes confirming that. Taking a deep, steady breath, he latched his fingers onto the edge of the wall, and like the sun beginning to peak out of the horizon, his head slowly, cautiously poked its way from behind the barrier.
He’s wasn’t sure what had stopped working first - his brain, his heart, or his breathing. They all made it hard as possible for Junho to process and actually believe what he was seeing.
The first thing that he registered was alabaster skin.
Then pure black eyes that stared back at him, and blood red lips turned up into a sickly sweet smile.
The rapid beating of Junho’s heart worked its way into his ears and brought him back down into the then and now, the then and now where his and Donghae’s lives were in peril. That became even more apparent when the creature began stalking towards him with the grace and stealth of a lion stalking its prey.
He didn’t waste a second thinking about what his next action should be.
Grabbing a hold of his friend’s slim wrist, he hightailed it in the opposite direction. He ignored Donghae’s confused protests and kept an air tight hold on him as he continued to run like his life depended on it. It wasn’t long before the staircase came into view, giving him the inspiration to speed up. Donghae’s lashings had only gotten worse, and he ended up releasing himself from Junho’s grip as soon as they arrived at the top of the stairwell.
Everything had happened so fast, and in the next second, Donghae was plummeting towards the bottom. With a resounding crack, he met the cold, hard ground.
Junho let out a strangled cry as his friend lay there, motionless.
“Donghae?” He hurriedly called, tears building in the corners of his eyes. He weakly called his friend’s name again.
A pained moan answered Junho back. Another strangled sob left his mouth, and this time, out of gratification that Donghae was still alive.
However, it was short lived when foreboding hit him hard, and a light breeze brushed through his chestnut brown locks, chilling the tears that slowly made their descent down his face as he stood paralyzed with fear.
“Nothing personal. Just following orders.” Those chilling words a mocking caress along the back of his neck. Then everything was black, and then everything was plunging forward.
Goodbye, world were his last disturbing thoughts before everything went completely black one last time.
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