I was promised something if I get ten chapters up in a months time. I betcha I can do it.

Halfway there! Hehe. Let's see if I can do it. Also I just finished chapter seven so up this one goes.

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Wooyoung's POV

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Another Saturday of boredom. The rest of the school week passed by in a blur of tests and projects. Surprisingly, after that initial day, San, Yunho, and Mingi left me alone. I wasn't sure why exactly. Not that I was wishing the attention on myself. But they didn't approach me the rest of the week. A blessing if I ever saw one.

Ding! I grinned when the Wattpad notification sound went off. I scooped up my laptop from beside me, skimming the new message, feeling all sorts of warming tingles along my limbs. Another thing that had steadily progressed over the week was mine and SecretARMY378. We kept in contact, which also felt a bit surreal. I never pictured myself actually befriending a stranger on Wattpad, but as we talked, the more I felt drawn to him.

We talked of simple things, like our favorite groups and biases. I found out his BTS bias was Jungkook, even if his favorite story by me was Hold Me Tightly. Mine was Jimin, with second bias Taehyung. I also found out he liked EXO, Monsta X, and a few lesser known groups I hadn't even heard of. I had a lot of new song recommendations.

But we also delved into some serious and complicated stuff. I talked a little more in depth about my bullying, never giving names because, in some sick twist, I wanted to protect them. They didn't need to know I told some random stranger they made my life hell. He (and yes I did get that out of him at some point) talked a little about his parents rocky relationship, and how some nights neither would come home. He didn't sound particularly sad about the fact. Just confused. I felt sympathy for him. As someone who grew up around very loving parents, I could only imagine what he was going through. And all the things he wasn't telling anyone, bottling it inside until he was sure to explode.

"Whatcha doing?" I screamed and nearly dropped my laptop as Yeosang laughed from the entryway, shedding his light jacket and kicking off his shoes. "So lost in thought you didn't even hear me knocking. Luckily I know where you guys hide your spare key." I glared at him. He strode into the room, grinning wildly. He pinched my cheek. I swatted his hand away. "Seriously though what are you doing?" he asked again, draping himself over the recliner. "Do you want to go back to Book World today? I bet Jinsoo got in some new stuff." I wrinkled my nose at the prospect.

"I dunno Yeosang," I said, setting my laptop aside and folding my hands on my lap, not meeting his gaze. "I don't really want to. Not after last week." He sighed, rising and padding quietly to my side. I glanced up. He sat beside me, winding an arm around my shoulders and drawing me close. I closed my eyes, unaware I'd been fighting tears until he held me. This. This was why I loved Yeosang so much. I didn't have to say a word and he would know exactly what I needed.

"I'm not going to force you," he said quietly, running his free hand through my hair. "But don't forget that they can't stop you from doing the things you love to do. You haven't let it stop your writing. It shouldn't stop you from going to Book World. That's OUR domain. Besides, Jinsoo would never let anything happen to the two of us as long as he was there." I mulled his words over and over, tossing them around in my brain. He was right. I definitely shouldn't let their words and actions hinder the activities I loved to do. But another part of me was still unsure. I fought that side of myself down.

"Alright, let's go," I said. Yeosang gave me a warm smile, standing and pulling me up with him. I sighed, letting myself be dragged along. I already had my wallet on me, intending on actually doing something later but getting distracted by my conversation with SecretARMY378. He mentioned he had to work soon in the last message I'd seen. I still would never put Wattpad on my phone. Not even for him. It was a risk I wasn't willing to take.

"You never did answer me," Yeosang spoke up. I tilted my head, confused. "What were you doing when I got there? You were laughing crazily at your computer."

"Oh, uh, I was reading a funny story," I stammered. Yeosang turned to me, arching an eyebrow, clearly not buying my bullshit excuse. "Alright, I was...chatting with a stranger. We've become friends through Twitter." A believable enough little white lie. Yeosang pulled a face, stopping short so I slammed into him from behind.

"Be careful okay?" he said when I peeled myself off him. "You have no idea who this guy is. He could be some creep. He could be spoon feeding you lies for all you know. I don't want anything to happen to you. What would I do without my partner in crime?" I felt touched by Yeosang's genuine care about me. Then again, this was how it always was with the two of us.

"I'll be careful," I promised. "I'm not revealing anything terribly personal." We resumed our walk, breath puffing out in front of us, side by side this time. I thought over my conversation so far. He seemed so genuine to me. Like he really was just a kid about my age or younger, hiding a passion and finding comfort in talking to someone through a screen. I would never know who he was, but I felt the connection all the same. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know. The more I wanted to dig deeper into whatever kind if relationship we were developing.

Maybe I would be royally screwed in the end, but right now the only thing that mattered to me was I finally found someone, who wasn't Yeosang, that seemed to get me. That connected with me not for this stigma that surrounded me. He didn't care if I was a boy who wrote fanfictions and was the subject of ridicule for it. He cared that I liked the same things he did. He cared about me. The thought was simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. I had no idea what to expect from here on out, but I was ready for it.

...

San's POV

...

I sighed, resting my elbows on the counter, leaning forward until my forehead almost touched the metal. I arrived a little after two, and would be here until Jinsoo decided to close the shop. He was in the back "office" right now, ordering things to come in by next week. And I used the word office lightly. It was really nothing more than a closet that housed a small desk and a computer, a folding chair in place of a proper office chair.

Yunho, who came to visit me again, sat in one of the overstuffed chairs, watching videos quietly on his phone with his headphones on. Mingi said he would swing by some time later in the evening, after he'd helped his mom clean. I glanced over to Yunho, who caught my eye and gave me a little wave.

I pulled my phone closer to myself, skimming through the messages I sent to BangtanBadBoi. It felt odd telling someone I'd never meant so much about myself. More than I'd even told my two best friends. But I took comfort in knowing someone knew what turmoil I went through, even if I had no idea who this person was. I never spoke of the troubles with my parents. Not to anyone. I didn't need to drag them into my personal problems with me, expecting them to fix it and magically everything would be better. But I told him. I told him about the fights. About the nights I was home alone. About feeling like I was walking on a tightrope around them, teetering precariously and one bad thing could send me spiraling down, down. And I didn't even know why. It wasn't like there was any big build up to it. I didn't immediately launch into my struggles.

Maybe it was because I felt comfortable around him. I felt safe. Like he wouldn't judge me based off the reputation I'd made for myself. Like he wouldn't think any lesser of me for showing weakness over something that felt like it was tearing me apart from the inside out. And maybe he was some creepy forty year old dude. Or maybe he was fifteen year old girl. I had no idea. But it felt like he actually listened to me and tried to help me understand.

"Hey!" I jerked at Yunho's voice. He rose, throwing his phone into the other chair with his headphones. Yeosang strutted back to the discount section like he didn't even hear him. Wooyoung followed, but I could see the way his shoulders tensed under his jacket. He scurried after him, never far from his best friend. They gathered together at the back, heads bent, talking quietly and pouring over the shelves. Yunho caught my eye, smirking. I gulped, but stayed in my place. "Hey, weirdo!" A noise from Wooyoung, though I couldn't decipher what it was. "Whatcha doing?" Yunho slinked closer to the duo. Yeosang shot him a glare.

"Looking for books," Wooyoung replied calmly. "These ones are on discount." Yunho froze, looking puzzled. Usually he didn't actually answer us. He would skirt around, avoiding bringing extra attention to himself. But he kept going at it. "I didn't know you read in your spare time," he continued, plucking a book off the shelf above him and turning it over. "Doesn't seem like your thing."

"I don't?" But once again it was like Yunho had no idea what to do. He glanced my way, his eyes wide. I just shrugged. "But it's weird," he tried next. "Boys our age don't read."

"Maybe they should." Again Yunho looked taken aback. His arms, once crossed, now dropped to his sides. "I'm not saying it's for everyone. But reading can be great. You get to explore this world, and others, all without leaving the room your in." He finally turned to Yunho, holding the book out he'd been looking at. "Take this one for instance. It's about a world full of magic. Kids train that magic. It's pretty neat." Yunho took the book carefully, staring at the cover for a short time before flipping it over. His eyebrows bunched together. "I've actually read that one," Wooyoung said. "It's pretty good."

"It does sound good," Yunho admitted, handing it back. I watched this all unfold, feeling a strange thing inside me. It reminded me, once again, of all the times we used to hang out. All eight of us. "Why are you being nice to me?" Yunho suddenly blurted. Wooyoung blinked slowly. "I'm not nice to you. So why are you being nice to me?"

"Weren't we friends?" Wooyoung asked. Yunho stumbled back a step, clearly caught off guard. "Besides, everyone deserves kindness. Even if they aren't kind back." Yunho cast his eyes down and shuffled back to his seat, clearly flustered and out of it. Yeosang and Wooyoung went back to their browsing like nothing ever happened, circling the store carefully, searching every display.

Once they checked out and I bagged their purchases, Wooyoung whispered something to Yeosang, who nodded and headed out of the store. But Wooyoung threaded his way back, where Yunho sat. And, without saying a word, Wooyoung pulled a book out of his bag and dropped it onto Yunho's lap. Once that was done, he scurried away. I followed along with everything, catching Yunho's confused gaze. He held up the book like he wasn't sure what to do with it. I shrugged for the second time. I didn't know either. He slipped his headphones back on, setting his phone on the armrest beside him. He hesitantly opened the book and began to read, his expression relaxing as every page was turned.

"Oh, San, did I miss Yeosang and Wooyoung?" I looked up from my phone as Jinsoo came out of the office, closing the door softly behind him. "I thought I heard their voices."

"Yes uncle, you did," I told him. He frowned thoughtfully, pulling his notepad out and taking stock of everything we'd sold. More purple pens, because he took off with those. Yeosang also bought several sets of cute stickers that Jinsoo found, so he would have to get more of those. He arched an eyebrow as he passed Yunho, who simply put his finger to his lips and kept quietly sitting there, flipping through pages. Jinsoo shook his head and moved on. I caught sight of the cover. The Novice. I would have to check it out if it could keep Yunho busy.

I still felt dazed after everything that just happened. Yunho's words didn't seem to affect him today. Not really. He spoke calmly and addressed everything directly, a far cry from the usual reaction. He even bought Yunho a book. But I did have to remember a time that it wasn't uncommon for things like that to happen between us. Because we were friends. Because at one point, we did care about each other. Sometimes I missed it. I missed Hongjoong and Seonghwa hyung. We all felt a little lost without them.

...

Hey look. It didn't take me a week to write this chapter. It only took two days.