Author’s note: I have a new proofreader so in time I will be updating it when it’s finally edited. For now, I hope you can enjoy it and if I made a grammar or sentencing mistake, I apologize.

Part 10

Taehyung’s small frame was slouched against his desk as he sat in his classroom. His small, youthful eyes stared down to the wooden desk that was ruined by pen markings that his so-called friends did. He continued to look down with a blank expression.

“Hey, you.”

Taehyung winced slightly, his eyes shook but he continued to stare down the desk. He didn’t like that noise. The sound of his bullies. He felt a hard object hit him on the head and he winced again. A book fell on his desk.

“What do you have for lunch there? Something sour? Garbage? Aren’t you going to buy us some ice cream?”

He looked up slightly to see the boy’s deep black eyes and cocky smile. He hated this boy with all his guts. Taehyung just glared at him, this time unable to control that look he was giving him. His name was Hyun, a discontent and problematic twelve-year old who came into Taehyung’s life a year ago when he transferred over from a different school.

“What are you looking at, huh?” the boy said with a displeased look.

Taehyung continued to glare at him. Anger was building up inside of him and he couldn’t suppress it. Hyun didn’t like what he saw and he grabbed Taehyung by the collar and pulled him up. He gave him an evil look and yelled at him, making everyone stop in silence and stared at them.

“You think you’ve got some balls, huh, mama’s boy?”

Taehyung took his anger out and pulled Hyun’s shirt up, in an aggressive stance. He didn’t say a word, muted, but his eyes were shooting daggers.

“Why you little – “

Taehyung felt his body pulled back as the other boys behind him grabbed his shirt. He let go of Hyun’s clothing as the other boys started to yell at him. They pushed Taehyung against the wall and he winced from the pain.

“Who do you think you are little one?” Hyun said with a snarl. He towered over Taehyung. His smile dropped when he saw the smile on Taehyung’s face. Hyun’s face went white and he raised his arms to punch him when he felt a hand pushed him aside.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

April was suddenly beside Taehyung. Her eyes wide with worry. She saw the pained expression on her dear friend’s face and saw the light disappear from it. She quickly stood up and walked towards Hyun with anger.

“Why are you always beating him like this? Does it make you feel good?” she yelled at him. The other students in the classroom was in silence, fearing for their own well-being.

“What about you princess? Do you need another spider to keep you quiet?”

“You can do whatever you want to me, but stop hurting Taehyung!”

“Did you hear that dearest Tae?” Hyun said with a smirk as he continued to look into April’s eyes. They bodies were a few inches apart, both in a defensive stance. “You need a girl to fight your battles? You didn’t even save her but she wants to save you.”

“Stop it!” April said again, this time with more conviction.

“No, you stop it Jisoo.”

April blinked and turned her head in Taehyung’s direction. Did she just hear it wrong? Was that Taehyung?

“Stop defending me Jisoo,” he said and got up, wincing slightly from the pain on his shoulders. He gave April a look that she couldn’t quite make out and he walked away, limping.

“Yeah, that’s right, run away you little puss,” Hyun said with a laugh.

“You quit it!” April said again and pushed him aside. She started to run after Taehyung. Hyun just watched with displeased eyes. He was not content at all. His other boys looked at him for a direction or an order. He didn’t give any.

---

“Taehyung!” April called out as she ran up to him in the hallway. Taehyung didn’t budge. It made April worried. She grabbed him by the shoulders and Taehyung finally turned around.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” April asked with a low voice. She saw the sadness and anxiety in his eyes. She knew something was wrong, regardless of how young she was.

“Don’t you get it?” Taehyung said, his bangs covering one of his eyes. “The more you protect me, the more he’s going to hurt me and you.”

April frowned. “I was trying to stop him – “

“Jisoo,” Taehyung said again, this time with a calmer tone. His eyes softened and April wanted to reach up to him and give him a huge hug. “He won’t stop hurting me because he likes you.”

April blinked. She was unable to comprehend what her friend was saying. “What? That’s impossible?”

“It’s not,” Taehyung said with a sigh. “I don’t get it either but boys do that. Boys like him do that.”

April looked at him all confused, uncertain where he was getting this from. “Taehyung, that’s just stupid – “

“Just don’t talk to me anymore,” he interrupted. “It would save us some grief.”

“He attacked me and threatened me with something he knew I feared!” April almost wanted to yell. “Why on earth would a guy who likes me do something like that?”

“I don’t know Jisoo,” Taehyung retorted back. “Why would you go and proposed to me like we are going to marry together and be serious?”

“I was serious – “

“Just stop lying,” Taehyung interrupted again. “I’m sick of this. Just don’t come near me and he won’t do anything like that again to you.”

With that Taehyung turned around and walked away, leaving April stranded with her own thoughts.

---

“I just don’t like seeing people getting hurt,” April said in a low whisper. Her eyes never leaving his.

“But did you ever hurt anyone?” Taehyung asked again with no sense of hesitation.

 “I don’t understand-”

“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to sound so harsh,” Taehyung said, his expression was a little bit softer but April could sense his tone hadn’t changed. “What I mean is, it seems like you never hurt any one of your friends. You seem like the type of person who cherishes friendships.”

April let a bit of memory flash before her eyes as she stared at the man in front of her. She soon took hold of her emotions and then quickly tilted her head to the side. She forced a smile.

“And so do you, Taehyung,” April responded and started to step forward. “I heard you had a group of really famous close friends.”

Taehyung’s eyes twinkled for a second, April thought she was seeing things. He stood upright and placed his hands in his pocket. His eyes drifted to the corner ceiling where the camera was mounted on there. He approached her quietly and smiled. “Do you know Park Bogum?” he asked.

April’s eyes sparkled a little bit. “You are friends with Park Bogum?”

“Ah, I thought you knew?”

---

“Did you really not know Taehyung was friends with Park Bogum?” the interviewer asked April.

She sat on her seat, trying to make herself comfortable as she stared into the camera. April smiled. “No, I didn’t,’ April answered.

“Are you a fan?”

April let her cheeks blushed. It wasn’t unusual for a woman like her to not appreciate a beautiful man. She tilted her head to the side and tucked her hair behind her right ear. “I know him because I admire his acting,” April answered, rather shyly. “I watched all of his shows.”

---

“You look excited?” Taehyung finally asked, almost rhetorically. He didn’t except April’s reaction to be this way.

April let out a sincere smile and let her mind wander a bit at the thought of such a handsome man. “I watched all of his dramas and movies.”

“Oh, so you are a fan?” Taehyung asked again, his tone a bit cold.

“I guess you could say that,” April said and then let her eyes shift away from him. If only for a second she thought that maybe Taehyung sounded jealous, so she was going to test it further.

“Can I meet him?”

Taehyung chuckled. “You’re in a dating show with me and you’ve got eyes on someone else?”

April just shrugged and didn’t answer. Taehyung then watched quietly at her expression, calculating how he should make his move.

“Did you know who I was?” he asked sincerely, his mouth turning into a pout.

April looked at him, trying to figure out his tact