Warning: insulting language, mentions of bullying and suicide. Please don't read if you cannot handle the subject matter. There will be more matter in about two chapters, and if you'd like to skip, PM me.

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Renjun didn't flinch when Mark leered at him. "Oh the little art boy has balls now? Where were they when your best friend got bullied huh?" Renjun's eyes flickered to me, but I ignored that and continued to stare at a bookshelf.

"I don't-"

"Just like you never liked him huh? Did you hear that Basket Case? The little artist was in love with you." Renjun looked at me, but I didn't look at him.

How could I? It's not hard to bury feelings, but Renjun is the kind of person you look at and remember why you loved him. Before you know it, boom, you're in love with him again. I couldn't risk that.

"Not cool of you to out him Mark," Jisung said, and Mark frowned.

"I already knew," I said quietly, and everyone looked at me.

"You can talk?" Donghyuck sounded shocked, and I nodded.

"And everyone at this school knows I'm as straight as a circle. I get called fag on the daily, my locker was painted with gay whore, I was told I wasn't wanted for liking another human being. That's low and disgusting."

"Preach!" Chenle squeaked in Chinese. Renjun smiled at him, already liking the smaller boy.

"But I didn't get any hate when people figured out I was bisexual?" Donghyuck said, frowning. "Okay, I got some, but the support was so much greater than the hate."

"You're an Instagram and YouTube influencer. You get support worldwide, Princess." Renjun's lip curled, and he practically spat out the last word. "I have no one."

"I'll be there if you want me to be!"

"Can't you just speak Korean?" Mark snapped at the boy.

"He can't speak very good Korean," Jisung immediately said.

"I understand Korean. I do not speak well," Chenle managed, frowning. "But for sake of all, I try my hardest!"

"I can just translate for you if you want, Chenle. Don't worry about what Mark says."

"It doesn't matter Gēgē!" Hearing the old Mandarin term of endearment leave Chenle's mouth made Renjun just about melt, and he decided right then and there he'd protect Chenle until the end of time.

"You know him?"

"I know all of you," Jisung said dismissively. "Lee Minhyung, Criminal of MFALHS. Lee Donghyuck, the Princess. Huang Renjun, the Artist. Lee Jeno, the Jock. Na Jaemin, the Basket Case. Though you used to be a lot different Jaemin. Zhong Chenle, the Brain."

"Jaemin you were different. What happened?" Everyone's eyes were on me and I felt myself shrink, and Jeno noticed of all people.

"Let's not pressure him." Jeno said, and for once there was no trace of malice in his tone. I appreciated that.

"Oh look at you, all protective all of a sudden. What, you go after basket cases now?" Mark sneered.

"Please do not fight," Chenle frowned, concentrating on his pronunciation. "We'll be stuck here for a while longer, it's not good to be enemies. We can just ignore each other if we need to."

"Chenle said we should ignore each other if we're not going to get along." Renjun said, and everyone looked at the small boy.

"I just want my phone," Donghyuck whined. "I don't want to write a dumb essay."

"Princess, things don't always go your way," Mark snapped, and Hyuck blinked.

"I know. If they always went my way my parents would be together. My cousin wouldn't have killed himself. Everything would be okay." Everyone stared at Donghyuck, some more shocked than others. Jeno looked like he'd have a heart attack while Mark looked nonchalant.

"I am sorry," Chenle said softly, standing up before hesitating and sitting down again. "I'd hug him but I'm afraid of see a post saying I assaulted him or something."

Donghyuck frowned as Renjun nodded. "You might. You know, you're pretty talkative in Mandarin."

"Yeah, I know. My mom says it gets annoying."

"It's nice to finally talk to someone in Mandarin again though," Renjun laughed.

"I'm going to learn Mandarin just so I know what you're saying," Jisung pouted. Chenle laughed and turned to Jisung, blinking innocently.

"We were talking about how we feel very bad for Donghyuck!" Chenle grinned. "But I help you with Mandarin?"

"Sure!" Jisung beamed.

"Ah young love," Mark sighed sarcastically.

"I don't love him," Jisung said simply.

"We too young for that," Chenle answered softly. "Crushes okay though!"

"Yeah, they are," Renjun smiled, looking over at me. I still looked away, my gaze still fixed on the same bookshelf. The Boys? Dynasties? The Sushi Shop? Just Another High School Cliché? What are these?

"Even on other boys," Chenle said firmly. "Even if you get hate. You still love." Jeno blinked at that, and Donghyuck noticed, but didn't say anything.

"I wish everyone thought like that," Renjun said softly. The tables went quiet, and Jisung nodded in agreement.

"But they're not. Jeno I've seen what you've done." Mark said casually, and Jeno froze.

"I-I-I d-don't know what you-"

"Really? Putting that in Lee Taeyong's locker?" That caused an uneasy ripple to pass through them all, and Donghyuck looked at Jeno.

"What the hell did you do to my cousin?"

Somehow the seven boys had all consolidated to sit at tables near each other; Jisung and Chenle next to each other, Jeno and Donghyuck, Mark, Jaemin, and Renjun more spread out.

The boys were so utterly engrossed in their conversation that they didn't realise when Jungwoo left, locking the door. To be fair, he couldn't see the boys and the boys were mindful they were in a library.

But nonetheless, they were left.

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So this story will have sensitive topics, so be careful!