'I don't plan to live long'
'20 years Is more than enough'

***

Mingi hissed loudly when a cold cotton bud came in contact with his scarred skin.

"nah ah, you have to stay still.
I'm almost done, no worries"
Yunho said as he focused working on the younger's scar.
The other annoyed with his teacher, tsked and crossed his arms in a hostile manner.

"if you didn't get yourself in trouble then maybe you wouldn't be sitting here right now, young man"

Yunho pasted a bandage to his cheek, "there all done"
He leaned back into his chair where he sat, trying to disregard the boy that was trying his best to pretend like yunho wasn't even there.

"About what happened...."
Mingi's fidgeting hands halted, his eyes moved to give the teacher a harsh glare.
"so you're not gonna tell me anything?"

Apparently not.

Seems like mingi still chose to stay silent.
Alright, clearly just plain asking isn't gonna work.

"you know, when you enter the nurses office, they usually have you write down your information.
Information such as your name, age, class, and most importantly, purpose.

Its a great way for the school to keep track of our important supplies in here in case anything goes missing.
If you don't write down your information, the security cameras,"
Yunho points to the corner of the room, a surveillance camera directed at the two.
" will still catch every movement."

"Now, there's no way I could just let you roam free, can I now?
I mean, this school takes its properties and belongings very seriously.

You've been in this school for..... At least quite a while, you probably have noticed.
Even if nothing actually had gone missing, they will still get suspicious of you-"

" ok, ok, I get it.... "mingi cut the older off, annoyed by just the mere idea of the teacher's voice.
Yunho's eyes formed a smile as soon as he noticed the student had decided to give in.

" one question tho", mingi asked.
Yunho nodded his head, gesturing for him to continue.
"why did you know I was there?
At the alleyway."

"well, I.... Heard your shout from the rooftop.
Looked down and saw that you were searching for someone,
Angrily"

Mingi tilted his head still staring at yunho, his eyes squinted, a hint of distrust lying in his eyes.
Yunho straightened his position, trying to seem as relaxed as possible in front of his student's eyes.
"and why were you there?"

"...."

"it's the end of a school day, there was no reason for you to be there unless you're gonna tell me some lame ass excuse that " you went to get fresh air" or something? "
Mingi raised two fingers making quotations as yunho averted his gaze to the floor.

He cleared his throat before answering," I was supposed to meet up with someone there, but they never showed"

Mingi let out a vague "huh", yunho couldn't tell if he believes him or not.
Well, it's not like yunho had lied or anything, he just didn't tell mingi the full truth.
The full truth that included that piece of paper he had found on the rooftop ground.

"I'm still trying to make sense of the situation tho", the teacher crossed his arms in thought.

"you looked spotless, when I saw you.
You were searching for someone if I haven't mistaken.

But once I arrived at the alleyway, you looked like a wreck
And all of that happened in like a time span of what,"
Yunho looked to his hand, seemingly counting.
" the span of about 10 minutes or so? "

Mingi hid his face in hands.
He laughed in a sarcastic manner, yunho sensed that it somehow wasn't directed at him.

" that fucker really fucked me up that quickly, huh? ", the student mumbled to himself, yunho noticed it but decided not to question directly about what he meant.
The older leaned in nearer towards the boy,
"so tell me,
What happened during that short amount of time?"

"someone beat me up"

What?
Now that's ridiculous.

"so now that I told you, you don't believe me?"
"I didn't say anything"
"I can tell from your glance, you didn't even try to hide it"

Yunho leaned back in his chair and sighed.
"whether you want to belive me or not, it's up to you"

Yunho thought about it for a moment.
Someone beat him up?
That's unlikely.
When yunho had spotted him from the rooftop, mingi looked intimidating.

He was shouting, he looked as if he was about to burst any moment.
But,
He was spotless.

Not a speck of dirt nor scar on him.
But then yunho did stood quite far away, maybe he did have scars on him, he just didn't see it.
Though, that wasn't the main reason yunho didn't believe him.
He was alone.
He didn't see anyone else in the alleyway.
If the other in the alleyway was trying to hide from him, they were doing a great job at it.

"ok then.
tell me, mingi.
Tell me what happened"
As much as yunho didn't believe the other's story,
It was still the only thing that could've happened.

Mingi never liked anyone messing with him in anyway.
Not did he like people teasing him.
So when hyunjin had pulled that small stunt earlier, the boy felt pretty mad.

He strolled around in one of his usual alleyways where him and seonghwa and maybe a few others usually hung out, but since seonghwa had left first, it was just him.

He stomped and kicked around anything he saw on the ground.
That usually resorting to aluminum cans, rocks, and tied up garbage bags that would fall victims to his tantrums.
The bags soon tearing up, making the rocky ground now covered with mucky garbage.
It stained the puddles, now a rotten stench filled the alleyway.

Mingi almost looked like a toddler in a few instances, but he didn't care.
Hyunjin had hurt his ego, just by the small teasing.

Now that his surroundings was filled by garbage and rocks that he had kicked around harshly, mingi switched to punching the walls instead.
He clenched his fists, getting ready to throw the first punch as well when suddenly he spotted a figure walking right by him.

Xion,
had walked right past him.

"xion?
Another student?" yunho asked.

"what, do you teach that class of his?"

"no but I've heard teachers talk about him.
How he never seems to be able to pass up his homework on time."

"huh"

The other boy looked as if he was trying to pretend he had not acknowledged mingi's presence even with the loud ruckus he had caused.
Mingi stopped his movements, not attempting at hiding his stare at the shorter who swore could hear his own heart racing.

At that moment, mingi only saw red.

His blonde head of hair covered his face.
The shoulder length paired with the light color.
He almost looked exactly like....

Hyunjin.

As much as mingi wanted to punch hyunjin, he didn't.
Or more like, he couldn't.
Just like mingi, hyunjin was one of the privelleged kid.
Hurting him was equal to hurting their family's ego.
And from his personal experience, a man with high ego does not take any damage to it very lightly.

"and what exactly did hyunjin do?"

Mingi stayed silent for a while before answering.
"he provoked me"

That wasn't the answer yunho wanted to hear.

Xion gasped loudly when he felt a harsh tug at his collar.
He stumbled backwards, almost losing balance and falling into one of the grey, terrible stenched puddles.
His back slammed against the wall.
Xion closed his eyes, expecting what has always happened in the past.

Mingi's fist came flying to xion's face.
His hands coming up to cover his face in reflex but he was just abit too slow compared to mingi's punch.
A few hits attacked xion, a few kicks to his stomach added to the mix.

Xion could feel a warm liquid rolling down his lips, he's experienced this many times to now have recognized the irony taste of blood.

The nonstop punching and kicking has been going on for quite a while now, 5 minutes of it, at least.
Xion occasionally took glances at mingi himself to see that the anger on his face has not sufficed.
Maybe remaining the same?
Or maybe even growing larger.

The next time the blonde boy had opened his eyes, mingi's fist were already close to his face once again.
Quickly, he closed his eyes awaiting the punch.
A loud thud, and a loud grunt.
But this time, it didn't come from him.

Xion stood against the wall, shocked apparent in his eyes when he saw mingi sat on the ground.
A figure stood right in front of him, his face covered by mask and sunglasses, and his hair covered by the plain back hoodie he wore.
Seeing that the hooded figure was currently towering over him, mingi stood up with a grunt.
Him ignoring his cuts and bruises forming due to the impact of him falling to the ground, with his palms hitting the sharp rocks.

"So that's how he gained those cuts... "yunho mumbled silently.

Mingi clutched the side of his face, wincing when he gritted his teeth out of anger too hard.

He was kicked in the face.
Mingi swung his fist right at the figure's head as hard as he could.

Yunho lifted his hand to pause the boy's words.
"one question"

Mingi nodded his head for him to continue
"how exactly did they manage to kick you.
If they had ran towards you two on either side, either xion or you would have noticed.
But from what I'm hearing, you both didn't see them come towards you two at all?"
......

"yes,
either that or xion that fucker had seen them coming, and I didn't"
Yunho had noticed the way the younger had gritted his teeth.

Clearly he had felt some sort of resent towards the situation.

His anger fueled scrunched up face loosened when his fist was met with air instead.
The figure dodged his punch.

At first he thought it was the strength that he had put into his punch that made him stumble when the fist didn't hit anything.
On second thought, suddenly he acknowledged the pressure that had pulled his arm forward, causing his body to fall forward as well.

Mingi's eyes stared at the hand on his arm, only acknowledging the fist flying to his face last second.
The boy quickly tried to dodge, most of his face in tact, only his ear that stung from the impact of the figure's punch.

It wasn't long, maybe a few milliseconds until the figure lifted up his leg to kick him.
The boy didn't even have time to process what was going on until a strong kick was delivered to his jaw, tilting his head upwards.

An irony taste filled his mouth.
..... Blood?

His mouth agape in shock, and the red liquid ran down his chin.
Mingi outstretched his hand to catch the other in his hands.
The longer the figure had him in his hold, the more hits he will receive.
And mingi, as one of the strongest fighters in school will not let that happen.

The boy grunted loudly when his grip was met with nothing.
Mingi swung the hand the other gripped on away from him.
The figure stumbling but catching his stance in an instance.

The boy lunged forward towards the hooded figure, his eyebrows furrowed when the figure had moved out the way.
The other using the millisecond, raising his knee and kicking mingi in the face once again.
This time striking his originally unharmed ear with a ringing pain.
Mingi, tried his best to ignore the pain, attempting to use his elbow to attack the figure.
Once again, they dodged, although their shoulder hit the wall in the process.

The loop went on and on.
Mingi would dart towards the figure, to attack them, and they would dodge in an instant.
The hooded figure then using the small amount of time that mingi had stumbled to drop an attack.

Mingi felt feral.
Although it had only been a mere 10 minutes, the boy had turned to grow sick of the other's tactics.

"they used my own attacks against me"

The teacher scanned the student.
Mingi wasn't short, and he certainly wasn't average either.
He was tall, as much as yunho was, or maybe even taller.

"did the hooded person look strong by any chance?"

"that was the point, they were short as fuck, and looked scrawny as well.
They weren't strong, not one bit.
Their grip was as strong as a 10 year old's could be, their grip could be easily swung away like it was nothing"
Yunho wanted to question how the other could have been beaten up by them if that was the case, but mingi had beaten him to it as he continued with his explanation.

"they were fast.
Faster than most people I've come across.
I guess that was what made their hits so strong as well.

They had quick reflexes and too, like they could tell every
punch or kick I was about to throw at them."

Mingi was truly stunned at the situation.
It had been at least a good 8 or more years that he had started getting into fighting.
He was told he had a gift, a talent that helped him within the activity all throughout these years making him practically unbeatable.
And that was his strength.

A punch to the face from him could knock out anyone, many has seen it and many didn't want to test it.
Many times, fights with him would end in mere seconds, minutes if that person were stronger.
Although never more than five minutes.

The fear of the others fueled his satisfaction, forming an image of himself greater than he imagined would become.
He practically never saw the need to have any other skill than his own strength.

Though his opponent now had something else,
speed.

As hard as mingi's hits came to be, they never seem to hit his opponent.
So, mingi thought of an idea.
That he shouldn't be focusing on his own movement, rather focusing on the other's movements.
He noticed how they used kicks more than punches, somehow, mingi recognized that he could use that small knowledge to his advantage.

The figure seemed to noticed the taller's few seconds of spacing out.
Using this opportunity dashing towards him with a fist aimed at his stomach.
Mingi barely snapping out of his thoughts, but fortunately for him manged to dodge the other.
The other quickly acknowledged his miss, raising their leg and deciding to aim for his head this time, but mingi had moved and he kicked his shoulder instead.
Well that clearly didn't satisfy the shorter, he raised his other leg wanting to aim for his head again.
Mingi's arm blocking the attack.

The figure seeing that his kick was insufficient, decided to back off a bit for now, but that idea was halted when he felt a strong, almost painful grip on his ankle.

The taller smirked as he saw a small chance to finally maybe defeat his opponent.
The taller pulled the figure's leg, causing him to fall to the ground.
They grunted as their back was met with the rocky stones of the alleyway.

Wasting no time, the boy started stomping on the other as hard as he could, while his hands were occupied with holding the figure's leg in place.
Mingi knew his tactic was considered a dirty play, but he really couldn't care less since there wasn't anyone to judge at the moment.
The figure seemed shocked by mingi's tactics as well.
They didn't seem to quite have an idea of what to do as they were practically suspended in the air with a shoe sole stomping on them every second.
Their only instinct being to protect at the moment, though even so it being a hard task for them.

Their arms came up to cover their face.
Very barely scanning mingi's position,they waited for the right time when mingi's leg seemed to have tired a bit.
The shorter rolled over to their side, freeing their face from their hands.
Mingi saw this as the figures feeble attempts to escape, smirking at the helpless sight.

'As quick as they are, one small restraint at the right time can put them in their place', was what mingi thought.

Though what he wasn't expecting was for a sharp pain at his crotch.
Mingi yelped and his hands momentarily freed the other. The taller cursed loudly as his mind was focused on nowhere but his pain at the moment.

It was a few seconds until he realized the situation, his teeth gritted as he scanned the alleyway.

The figure seemed to have fled his sight.
Mingi no longer worried a out the pain on his body.
What worried now was the whereabouts of the hooded person and.....
.......
.......
.......

"so xion was gone as well?"

Mingi nodded his head, "that bastard ran away while I was distracted."
Yunho would've told the student to mind his words when speaking of his other classmates, but he has gotten used to the foul language of the students.
Plus, with how they treat him, he doubts mingi was going to listen to him anyways.

" say,.... teacher. "
Yunho felt slightly alarmed when mingi had emphasized the word.

"you're not gonna tell anyone about this, right?"
Yunho chuckled nervously, "well, I'll still have to fill out the forms as to your purpose for entering the nurses office-"

"just write that I was here to treat my wounds, nothing else.
Its not like that's a lie anyways"
Mingi had his elbows rested on the arms of his chair, he leaned forward as he said every word with a seemingly intimidating tone although it seemingly relaxed.

"yea... , that can work as well", yunho turned to write on the piece of paper.
He avoided mingi's gaze as best as he could, though the boy's gaze not avoiding his.
Yunho felt himself gulp with what the boy had to say next.

"Mr jeong, its only you that I have told this to.
So if I happen to hear anything around the place, then I'll know the source."

Yunho flashed a smile at mingi, "no worries, I have no reason to tell anyone about your business"
The man knew it was wrong to hide anything that had happened amongst the students from the other staff, but it already hadn't been the first time he was hiding school fights from the school it self.

Plus, yunho assumed that every staff of the school had at least seen ten school fights throughout their years working in the place.
It would be weird if they hadn't.
No one did anything about it anyways, yunho doubted that would be any different if he had told the authorities.

Mingi sat there as yunho continued to write.
He rested his head on his bandaged knuckles.
His eyes shifted to look at the window seated beside him, not ignoring the way his new bandages looked on his face.
The boy clenched his fist, he knew he was going to have to face questions when he went to school yesterday.
His eyebrows furrowed when the image of his friends reactions popped in his head..

Haechan's teasing tone...
Johnny's skeptical gaze...
Hyunjin's mocking words...
And...

Seonghwa's dissapointed look.

No....
Whoever had fought him today might have fled the scene.
But mingi knew that this was definitely just the beggining for whoever that was.

He would make sure of it.

***

A canned soda was placed before where xion sat.
His eyes glared at hongjoong who held another soda can up to the wound on his cheek.
The two had ran away from the alleyway for quite a while now.
Hongjoong being the first to make the move and had dragged xion away from the scene when mingi was distracted.
This led the two into a nearby empty, almost abandoned looking parking lot which were littered which graffiti on the walls.

Hongjoong sat right next to xion, his body leaning on a colorful pillar that had been sprayed recklessly by some previous vandals.
Almost 20 minutes since the two said anything.
In fact they never said anything before.
Even when hongjoong had left for a while to get some drinks, xion assumed that he wouldn't come back.

Xion stared mindlessly at the bright red soda can, he gulped as preparation to break the silence.
"does your wounds hurt?"

"nothing I can't take"

Xion sighed as he buried his head into his arms.
"you didn't have to do that"
Hongjoong sipped his soda, deciding to remain silent for now.

"you still never gave me a clear answer,
Why-
Why are you helping me?
You know they're gonna ruin your life once they find out"

Hongjoong still, didn't make a sound.

"it confuses me.
You beat mingi up,
by your own.

I never knew you knew how to fight that well, nor seen anyone beat mingi up like you did... "

......
Xion turned to look at the boy beside him.
The silence frustrated him.
He looked at the boy noticing hongjoong not seeming to even acknowledge what he had just said.
" of all the people why you, seriously?
If there's anyone in this school who knows what I did, it's you, so really, why are you the one helping me?"

Hongjoong rolled his eyes at the boy.
"you've already asked at before"

"I-I know!
And I want answers.
Nobody just does good deeds for someone they should probably hate, it just doesn't work like that.
The more you do something, the more it makes me think that you're scheming something!"

Hongjoong looked behind the pillar.
His eyes meet with the now dark blue sky, the yellow street lamps now lit the pavement.

" I do hate you, honestly. "
Xion turned to look at him, suprised that he had finally admitted to it.

" I did feel dread when I realized that you were my classmate when I stepped in school that day.
I felt disgust everytime I saw you around the school grounds eating lunch by yourself.

I felt happy when you missteped and fell on some days.
Felt happy when I saw you getting scolded by one of the teachers whenever you failed to pass up your homework.
Fuck, I even celebrated in my head when I realized you were the school bully's target.

I hate you to the fucking core, xion."

The blonde boy felt his shoulders slump.

Yes, although xion had gotten hongjoong to admit his hatred for him, a part of him did feel terrible.
Terrible, knowing that someone had irked the thought of his presence and felt joy during his downfalls.
Just the thought of someone in the world hating himself being well and alive didn't quite sit right with him.
But then again, he didn't have the right to be upset over it.

Xion wasn't the best person in the past.
Hongjoong's hatred for him was understandable.

"you're right actually, I do want something from you.

.... More like, a favor actually.
I know you've had that question stuck in your head for the past week."

"th-then, why didn't you just say so sooner?
Why must you have dragged it out for a week and a half and done all this for you to only tell me now?"

Xion looked at hongjoong, the others eyes avoiding his.
".....
..... I was hesitant....
I wasn't sure if you'd say yes to it... "

Usually when someone wanted to "ask" him for a hard favour, they would rather use his fear over kindness against him.
Mainly because the fear tactic would always work better.
Plus, it needed much less effort.
"still....
Why me?
There's many more outcast in the school."

.....
"well....", hongjoong sighed.

Is it that you think it'd be hard for me to say no if you asked me?"

" well-
Its nothing like that... "

Xion rolled his eyes, resting his hand on the soda can in front of him.
" then what is it? "

" it's only you who can help me with this... "

At first, the boy was slight perplexed with what hongjoong had meant.
He opened his mouth to ask him to elaborate but freezes when he think he got an answer.
His face dropped, turning into a frown.
Hongjoong's face frowning as well when he noticed the boy's reaction.
"if it has anything to do with 'dreamers' , it's a no", xion spat.

Hongjoong's eyes dropped to look at the floor.
His fingers played with the hem of his hoodie, a nervous feeling building up in his throat causing his voice to sound weaker than before.
"you haven't even heard what I had to say yet"

Xion looked at the few passing cars by the road, wanting to look at anywhere else but hongjoong.
"I never even want to think about that place, nor have anything to do with that place"

Xion stood up wanting to leave.
He felt uncomfortable from the conversation, hongjoong momentarily panicking and stood up along with him.

"please!
Just this once,"
Hongjoong said on a hurried tone as he saw xion start to walk away.

"it's the least you can do!!!", hongjoong yelled towards to boy who's sillouhete got smaller and smaller.

The boy sighed in defeat as he no longer could see xion as he turned a corner.
He sat back down to where he originally sat, sipping on his soda.

"am I doing this right?", hongjoong mumbled.

The thought of the school bullies searching for him flashed by his mind.
He'll be found by them sooner or later anyways.

He must get xion to give in no matter what.
He wouldn't let his effort go to waste.

A/N

For the ppl who's reading these chaps all in one go, genuinely asking.
Does the plot seem rushed or draggy in any way??

Also I'm thinking of maybe doing like a shorter book for some of the characters back stories, or is that abit extra-

I just feel like if I try to stuff everything in this au in this one book, it might seem complicated and messy.

If I'm not wrong, guessing this book has like a 150 plus chaps with how big the plot is-
We haven't even gotten to the main point-

Also word count: (4427 words)