seonghwa tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for the bell to ring. his plans after school were way better than this class.

he was going to meet jihae since he said he felt sorry he didn't go to her tryouts. even though he never apologized to san and jongho, nor bothered to make it up to them, he wanted to find a decent excuse to hangout with the girl.

it's not like his friends are free anyway. san was going directly to wooyoung while jongho found a new playmate.

"hey, park!" someone whispered. he turned around to see one of his classmates. "is it true that you and jeon jihae are dating?"

the question made him almost choke as he tried his best to maintain a straight face but his baffled expression said otherwise. "uh, no?"

the classmate turn to her seatmate. "see?"

"but you two are so close!" the other one defended. "not to mention wooyoung is dating one of your friends."

seonghwa couldn't do anything but awkwardly smile and face front again.

the bell was finally heard which made him abruptly stand up.

as he went out of the classroom, he received a message from an unknown number.

"seonghwa!" hongjoong jumped from behind. "do you have anything to do today? be my model!"

the ravenette hissed at the idea. "sorry, joong. i'm meeting jihae later."

the short tutted his lips. "are you sure you're not just saying that to not help me out?"

"well, partly." the older shamelessly admitted. he opened his messages to see the text.

4:31pm

unknown number:
hi, oppa!

unknown number:
it's jihae. i'm using my
classmate's phone since
mine died😅

unknown number:
but can we meet in the
gym today?

seonghwa:
sure thing!

seonghwa:
did you leave something
there during tryouts?

unknown number:
yeah

unknown number:
can we meet now?

seonghwa:
i thought you still had classes?

unknown number:
oh, we got dismissed early!

seonghwa:
okay, i'm coming
seen

"oh, come on. stop lying to your best friend!" hongjoong whined, smacking him on the back which made him yelp.

"i'm not lying!" the cinematography major yelled. he showed the blue haired boy the chat he just had. "look."

"since when did she call you oppa?" hongjoong curiously yet teasingly asked.

"that was a first. anyway, i'll get going. just ask yeosang or something." he walked away, waving to a grumbling hongjoong.

the boy with chopped bangs sighed, going to the opposite direction of where his best friend went.

-

"so, i think i like someone." yunho blurted out while strolling through the hallways with jihae and wooyoung.

the two seemed stunned at the information. they stared at each other while finding the proper words to say. it's been too long since yunho actually told them he liked someone. he usually just introduced the girl directly.

the only words wooyoung could muster up were, "holy shit. how?"

"long story." yunho groaned, looking fairly drained. "and it's complicated as fuck."

jihae gasped. "he cursed!"

"he must be serious." the shorter male claimed, just as shocked as the girl.

the psychology major glance at the wall clock. "i have thirty minutes."

"i have the rest of the day." wooyoung said proudly.

yunho sighed. "i'll tell you guys next time."

hongjoong came into view with slumping shoulders as he has yet to find a model.

they waved at him enthusiastically which he immediately returns. his smile turns to a confused frown seeing the girl.

"jihae? i thought you were meeting with seonghwa." he asked cautiously.

the female sophomore nodded. "i am. where is he?"

"weren't you the one who texted him?" he had a knowing look on his face which caused jihae's confusion this time.

"i did?" she pointed at herself warily.

"you even called him oppa." hongjoong recall, making the other two boys scrunch their faces.

jihae furrowed her eyebrows. "ew. never-"

then, realization hits her. there's only one person who'd pull shit like that.

"did he tell you where he was meeting me?" she suddenly asked in a slight panic.

hongjoong though once again. "the gym since you left something during tryouts?"

"fuck." she muttered under her breath and ran.

"uh, is she going to be okay?" the junior asked the two.

they looked just as worried as him, if not more. a beep was soon heard from wooyoung's phone.

4:50pm

1/3ofthethreejs:
if i don't text you in 20
minutes, call the cops:)

-

she sprinted down the stairs, letting quiet excuses from her lips. she grew more anxious by the second. god knows how long seonghwa has been there.

jeong jaehyun, you piece of shit.

she ran and ran until she finally saw the school gym. she also witnessed four wicked seniors walking out, looking very proud which made her panic even more.

the girl speed walked to the gymnasium, careful enough not to bump into the boys.

she panted as she reached the doors. she hesitantly opens them, not prepared to see what she's been visualizing.

nevertheless, she did.

jihae gasped when she laid eyes upon a certain ravenette standing there soullessly with a cut on his lip and a bruised cheekbone.

"hwa." she whimpered, making seonghwa flinch.

"ji." he thought he would have relaxed seeing her but it just made him  alarmed even more. "i don't think-"

before he could say anything else, the girl frantically hugged him with visible tears. "i'm sorry. i'm so sorry."

seonghwa wanted to embrace her back, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to do so. "it's not your fault."

"let's get y-you treated, okay?" she looked up and placed a gentle hand on his face. it made her want to bawl even more but she figure now wasn't the time.

"i..." the boy starts. i can't be near you for now. they'll come for you. he wanted to say. "i just want to go home."

"should i call mingi for you?" jihae sobbed. "i'll come with you."

as much as the junior wanted to be left alone, he couldn't bare the sight of jihae crying. he raised his hand to wipe off the tears streaming down her face. "don't cry."

it just made jihae's tears flow even more. she placed a hand of on top of his. "i'm not."

"i'll drive."

"no." jihae stated. "we'll just have to call someone. please?"

seonghwa sighed. "okay."

"mingi?" she asked since they were friends.

"no." he shook his head. the first time he rode with the redhead, he made an oath that it was also the last time he'll ever step foot in a car driven by him.

jihae scrolled through her contacts for a person. "yeonggi?"

"scary lawyer?"

the sophomore gulped and nodded.

"is he going to fine?" he questions once again.

"i'll try calling him first." she inquired.

"how about my car?" seonghwa asked quietly, looking somewhere else.

"you can drive it tomorrow! and, uhm, don't go to work today. you'll-"

"yes, ma'am." he cut her off before he can vent even more. "make your phonecall."

she felt really sorry towards the boy, especially knowing why he's in that state. this wasn't the first time it happened. she didn't even do anything to stop them. she just... let it happen.

her quivering thumb pressed on the call button. it rang a couple of times. "hello?"

"yeonggi! are you, uh, busy?" her voice was slightly trembling from crying yet he managed.

"i'm picking yeseul up from school. why? did something happen?" a hint of concern was prominent.

"can, um, can we have a ride?"

silence lingered for a good three seconds. "by 'we', you mean?"

"seonghwa."

"well, sure. you have to explain to me once i get there. and i bet yeseul will be thrilled to have you both." the sarcastic tone was still there but he wasn't being sardonic.

"thank you, yeonggi." she ended the call and faced seonghwa. "he'll be here, but he'll be with yeseul."

the boy looked down again. "she shouldn't see this." he gestured to his face.

"hey, you're still as handsome as ever. knowing her, she'll probably think it's cool." jihae comforted.

-

5:15pm

hyena woo:
JIHAE WTF

hyena woo:
I'M FUCKING CALLING
THEM NOW

hyena woo:
I'M NOT FUCKING
JOKING

hyena woo:
JIHAE

hyena woo:
ISTG YOU BETTER ANSWER
ME THE FUCK BACK

me:
jesus christ i'm fine

hyena woo:
YOU TOLD ME TO
CALL THE COPS

hyena woo:
WHAT PART OF THAT
WAS FINE

hyena woo:
YUNHO WAS CLOSE TO
HAVING A PANIC
ATTACK

me:
shit is he okay?

hyena woo:
WE SHOULD BE ASKING
YOU THAT

hyena woo:
WE'VE BEEN CALLING
YOU FOR AGES

hyena woo:
WHERE ARE YOU

me:
i'm fineee

me:
and i'll be on my way
home with yeonggi

hyena woo:
THAT SINISTER BEING
WILL COME HERE??

me:
i called him

me:
stopp worrying

me:
i'll call you guys back
later, alright?

hyena woo:
FUCKING HELL JIHAE

me:
i'm sorry

hyena woo:
AS YOU SHOULD BE

hyena woo:
are you really okay???

hyena woo:
god, we really got worried

me:
yep yepp

me:
i'll tell you everything
tomorrow

me:
did u really call the
cops?

hyena woo:
20 mins wasn't up
so i trusted u

hyena woo:
better not fucking
do that again

hyena woo:
i'll call them just
to stop u

me:
got it

me:
tell yunho i really
am okay

me:
yeonggi's here

me:
i'll go now

hyena woo:
be safe, idiot
seen

jihae sighed as she slid back the phone in her pocket.

she glanced back at the junior who still seemed to be staring into space.

"hwa, yeonggi's here. let's go." she tugged on the boy's sleeve, gaining his attention.

he mumbled a small 'sorry' before gesturing her to lead the way.

the walk they shared was quiet, very quiet for a time they're together. but neither one wanted to speak up first, either because of the fear of making each other uncomfortable or bringing up an unwanted topic(jaehyun).

they stopped in front of a familiar car, seeing a little girl waving at them through the window.

"i'll sit there." jihae's points at the front seat. "you can play with yeseul."

seonghwa only hummed having no time to reply as the mentioned child already opened the door for him.

the first question that slipped pass her mouth was, "oppa, what happened to your face?"

the junior internally winced at the question but mustered up the best smile he could give. "i slipped and fell, yeseul."

"you look like a bad boy now! i might have to dump my boyfriend for you." the claim made the pair chuckle a little, witnessing how naive the kid can be.

the moment was cut off with a yeonggi clearing his throat. "we'll have more time for small talk in the car."