16. just jealous

Soojin was never the one to seek attention, mostly because the only attention she ever wanted was from her father, and every time he paid attention to her, he left her nothing but trauma. So, Soojin never wanted attention, all she wanted was to live in peace for once. But peace was never an option for her, all her life she had set boundaries, morals and standards to live by but all of it went in vain when she crossed the line of betrayal over friendship.

And now she was reaping what she sowed.

Soojin sat down still as she felt the food travel inwards, soaking her uniform, burning her skin, and then humiliation seeped in too. She let that one tear escape, afraid that if she did cry, the last shred of pride she had would fall off too and hence she decided to run away. However, the girls beat her to it when they surrounded her, like a pack of hyenas, having their own fun in bullying the bully. One of them was about to empty the soda can on the girl when a strong pair of arm held hers, and silence followed after.

A cold sizzling drink running down her body, that was the impact Soojin was waiting for but when she did look up, she saw Han Seojun holding the girl's arm, rather firmly. She looked at him, and then at Lee Suho who was one of the crowd, and then back at Seojun.

"She deserves it, Oppa, why are you taking this bitch's side?" The friend of the girl spoke up, all of them agreeing and nodding. "She is a bully, and bullies deserve to be treated the same way..."

Her speech did not last long since Kang Soojin got up, deciding best to leave than have more of the attention hooked at her. She walked past all of her classmates, even though she should have ran, she did not, walking away was what she could manage to do. At the entrance she dashed into a familiar girl, "Kangsu?" Su-ah's concerned voice made Soojin to finally let go of the tears she held, and before Su-ah could even react, the girl was gone.

Su-ah walked towards the assembled crowd, confused and Han Seojun proceeded to clear the confusion once and for all.

"This is the last time you ever do this to anyone," Seojun's murderous voice was nerve-wracking, he was known for his melodious sexy voice but his rage was equally smothering. "And if I ever see you, or your petty friends even point a finger at Kang Soojin, consider it the last day of school." He was seething, his low voice scaring the girls, his glare was enough to kill them. "Anyone," He left the girl's arm and faced the crowd, running his hand through his hair, frustration visible on his face. "If any one of you ever bully Kang Soojin, ever again, you will have to face me. And trust me, you would not want to do that." He turned back to face the girls, who had now backed off, "arachi?"

The cafeteria broke into whispers and chatters when Han Seojun rushed out of it, and Suho watched his best friend keenly. The last he had seen Seojun this angry was when he had attended Seyeon's funeral and they had this huge fallout, and the same genuine anger and concern was now visible in his eyes. Suho was confused, whether this was all a charade or not, he did not know, but he was a bit worried for the guy.

There Han Seojun rushed to the girl's washroom towards the extreme left of the cafeteria room, and he stood outside the locked room. He was too close to enter and check on the girl but then, he did not want to compromise the integrity of the other girls who may be in, so he waited. His feet tapped in anxious rhythm while leaning on the wall of the washroom, and when a girl came out from there, he startled her by jumping in front of her.

"Is Kang Soojin inside?" He asked, only for the girl to nod, "is she... is she okay?"

The junior shook her head, "she was washing her hands, even when food was dripping from her hair..." The girl shuddered at the thought, nonchalant, "is anything the matter, Oppa?"

"Nothing," He gulped, unable to stand still with the update, "Aish," Han Seojun stomped his feet as he stood against the main door, waiting for the girl. "Kang Soojin, just come out will you?"

There was no answer, not even a go away, nothing, and as girls went in and out, laughing, chuckling, some suspicious of the boy, Han Seojun stood desperately outside, waiting for Soojin to come out. His patience was being tested but his manners would never let him take a step, thankfully, his sister, who had heard about her brother being a bodyguard outside the girl's washroom, rushed towards him.

"Oppa?" She asked, curious and a bit worried, "what are you doing-"

"Ya," Han Seojun leaped towards his sister, holding her arms gently, "Go-woon-ah, do me a favour, jebal, can you go in and get Soojin out?" He said it in the speed of light, confusing his sister even more. "Just get her out..."

"Wae?"

"Please, for your Oppa's sake..."

Go-woon sighed, pushing the spectacles on her nose because even if she hated Kang Soojin, she loved her brother more and his unstable behaviour was scaring her. So she entered the washroom to find Soojin washing her hands aggressively, the other girls staring at her, some smiling, some even clicking pictures. Go-woon stood behind the disturbed girl, "Ya!" She called out to Soojin, hands folded across her chest, "Ya... my oppa wants you out, are you even-" She took a step towards Soojin only to see the girl still engrossed in washing her hands. The smell of fish and meat from her, the curry dripping from her hair and the lost sense of purpose on her face was all too familiar to Go-woon who was just as kind hearted as her brother.

So she did what she could.

She pulled off the tissues from the stand, as much as she could and wiped Soojin's forehead, avoiding the curry to fall over her eyes and then she picked the morsel off her hair and uniform. The moment she did that, Soojin stopped washing her hands, now back to reality and Go-woon's suprisingly kind gesture made her uncomfortable.

"Don't," She ordered in a cold voice, enough to scare the shit out of any girl, and held Go-woon's arm before she could wipe anything else.

Go-woon met Soojin's stern gaze, "my brother is worried sick for you, I heard he is been waiting for you outside the washroom like a madman." With her other hand, she freed her arm from Soojin's hold, "and I know you do not care about anyone else, but I care a lot about my brother, so this is all for him. That is it." Go-Woon answered, taking a step back, leaving but not before snatching one of the cellphones that the girls were recording. "Ya stop with this, we are in a washroom." She said, taking the mobile with her and the crowd of girls dispersed.

"Kang Soojin..." She now heard Han Seojun's voice from outside, "just come out, once."

Soojin leaned back on the wall, the weight of being Kang Soojin was too much for her but she had to. Atleast for few days, she had to keep going so she could finish it just as she planned. Yet every day, every second was getting harder for her to breathe.

"Ya... You're gonna start smelling if you're going to sit there..."

Soojin didn't have to look up to know it was Han Seojun who said that so she held her head. She didn't want anyone, no one, to see her vulnerable and lost. She was trying so hard to pretend like everything was well and fine and she was going so good but it all came crashing down. What in the world was she to do for the little time she had left?

However her mind gave up on thinking when Han Seojun's hand touched her hair, and she felt him removing the food bits from her hair, with tissues in his hands he kept wiping her hair, and shoulders, even her hands that covered her face. She was silent for the next few minutes as Han Seojun sat down in front of her, cross legged in the washroom, while he helped clean whatever he could.

"Well you almost look like the old Soojin now," Seojun said, when he cleaned whatever he could with the tissues and paper towels, "just one thing is missing..."

Soojin removed her hands slowly, looking at the boy who sat so close to her, his smile was enough to light up the darkness in her life. He leaned closer, "the hands on the hips, curse on the lips..." He winked and Soojin couldn't help but chuckle, it was something she couldn't hold back even if it was just for a second.

"Ya Han Seojun," She said, they were still seated up close, her voice was soft, words were hesitant, "you should not be here."

"Mueos," Han Seojun gasped, dramatically, "a thank you would have sufficed, princess, but I'll take whatever I can get."

"Aish, you're such a drama queen." Soojin muttered as she took the towel from his hand and tapped the side of her head, wiping the stains. "It's a wonder..."

"What is?"

"Your popularity."

Han Seojun gasped again, "ya, I'm popular because I'm the best." He ran his hand through his hair, smirking, "you're just jealous."

Kang Soojin's face dropped at that and she lowered her gaze. She was jealous, always. She was jealous of Lim Jugyeong for having a nice father, for being loved by Lee Suho and Han Seojun, for being accepted as she is. She was jealous of Suho for easily scoring the highest while she had to scrim to be at the second place. She was jealous of Su-ah for having such a wholesome family and a boyfriend who loved her so much. She was jealous of Han Seojun for being pampered and spoiled by his mother. She was jealous of everyone who could go home and sigh in relief and didn't have to worry whether or not their father would hit them that day.

She was jealous, insecure, lonely and she knew she deserved all of it.

"Also, I don't mind the company, but the smell..." Han Seojun sniffed inching closer, "soy sauce isn't really my favourite smell." He lightened the mood and Soojin chuckled, humorlessly, even though all she wanted to do was cry. Seojun got up, dusting his pants and then forwarded his hand towards the girl.

Soojin looked at his hand, and then up at his happy face.

Jealous of people smiling so easily.

She took his hand and got up. They walked out of the washroom only to face the crowd who had no other work but to wait for the duo, and Seojun stood behind Soojin his smiling face had switched into the cold angry one rather swiftly. Soojin however kept walking with her head lowered, and they made their way towards the classroom.

She ignored all the others who shut up when she entered and packed her bag.

"Where are you going?" Han Seojun asked, school wasn't over yet. "You're going to miss class..."

Soojin didn't reply, rather just slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the class. Han Seojun watched the girl walk away, amidst the murmurs of the crowd. He sighed, walking towards his seat and picked his bag.

"Where are you going?" Suho asked, the question they all wanted to ask. "Class is about to start in two."

"Yes," He replied, least bothered about the class. "Take extra notes for me, aaresso?" With that he walked off to catch up with the girl and left the entire class wondering one question.

What was cooking between the duo?

_