Ryujin POV
The next few days were quite interesting. Jeno kept following me around like a little piece of gum stuck to my shoe. Doyoung has been greeting me and always been taking to me ever since I would arrive to the library. I wasn't quite used to his gestures, and he would offer to take me home. I would kindly decline but it wouldn't work out as well since he would try to pay for my bus fares.

There were eyes everywhere, and no one seemed to want to talk to me. Donghyuck was still absent, and quite frankly, I preferred to listen to him whining all the time. Yeji stopped hanging out with me and was with her cheerleader squad everyday. I guess I did feel more comfortable about Jess, but she kept her distance as well. We didn't really get to present our project, but as expected, we passed with an A due to Jeno's influence. I arrived to school feeling sick everyday from the growing isolation. Everyone stared at me quietly, whispering amongst each other as I walked by without a word. Changing out my books from my locker, I snuck a snack into my pocket but before I could, someone grabbed the bar out of my hands.

I widened my eyes before rolling my eyes angrily when I saw Jeno's curious face peering down at me. I tried to get my snack before he opens it, and shoved it into his own mouth. I stared at him angrily as he munched happily at his stolen snack, not caring about the scene he was creating. I flipped my hair back before whispering, "Get lost."

He shook his head and wrapped his arm around my shoulder before replying back teasingly, "Never."

He followed me around everywhere like a lost puppy, which was really getting on my nerves. Not only that, everyone was gossiping around me without me even knowing. I didn't know how to react to this, but Jeno didn't seem to mind. However, I never expected something so dramatic to happen at lunch. I was sighing with relief when I didn't see Jeno around me, as I found Jess sitting alone at the tables. I didn't really have anyone to be with, so I slid my way towards her. She glanced up at me with an acknowledgement before focusing her attention onto her phone.

Eating slowly along with her pace, I just stared outside the window with the bright sunlight shining against the sill. But someone spoke up that caught me off guard, as Jess said, "Do you know what rumors are spreading around?"

I blinked quietly and before I could say anything, someone walked up behind me with her little group. I turned my body around to face someone that I believed was on my side, but I couldn't really tell now. Yeji had her hands tucked below her elbows, crossing her arms and smiling with a smirk as she rolled her eyes continuously when we made eye contact.

"Yeji?"

"Oh look, it's the slut. Look I know you've been flirting with my brother whenever you visit the library. You've been flirting with Donghyuck, and now you've been flirting with Jeno?! Look I know it was a mistake from the beginning but you're so annoying, I can't believe we were friends."

"Look, something is mistaken right now."

I earned a great, loud slap on the cheek in return as Mina approached the table. I stood up in response, grasping onto my cheek with tears forming from the pain. Yeji and Mina both started to mockingly laugh at me, as Mina grabbed her tray of food and poured it over my clothes. Jess watched in horror with me, as the sticky substances started to cover my clean uniform which will take forever to do so. I started to grow angrily in fumes, seeing someone come over to the situation as if they can be the hero.

Jeno shook his head at the sight as he stood right next to me, before speaking out in a loud voice, "A little too much there Yeji."

"You like her more than me. I thought we were together."

"That's what everyone thinks. But you know how I like? Pretty obvious."

I watched silently as Jeno tried to take my arm to drag me out of the room. The cafeteria was staring quietly at the drama being played and I've never been more embarrassed in my whole entire time. He looked around to make sure his status was shown, and I scoffed annoyingly at the whole situation. I tried to get my arm from his grasp as he was pulling me out of the cafeteria.

However someone shoved him out of the way before another kid started to block Jeno from trying to fight back. In a flash, I saw Jaemin pushing Jeno away from me as he was starting to argue with the other. A whisper entered into my ear as I turned to face the male, who smiled a little before taking off his jacket and wrapping it around my shoulders to cover the stains.

Donghyuck carefully held my hand before pulling me gently out of the chaotic kitchen, which I gratefully followed. I was really tired of that shit, and Jaemin soon followed after. He zoomed ahead and led us out of the hallways and made our way towards the nurse's office so that I could get changed into spare clothes. I admired the back side of Donghyuck as he dragged me away, as I found myself just realizing how different he looked.

His hair was dyed to midnight black, and he lost a lot of weight around his cheeks and his neck area. His arm exposed newly formed muscles and veins that slowly showed through. He wasn't limping anymore and there were no signs of his bruises anywhere. Jaemin seemed to notice me staring as he teased out of the blue, "Did you miss him that much?"

I snapped out of the little daze, as Donghyuck helped me sit down onto a spare bed before replying quickly, "No. He just looked different that's all."

Donghyuck laughed his same old laugh, something that didn't seem too fake. Jaemin shook his head and searched through the office, finding some spare clothes and handed it to me. I watched them talk to each other with confusion as I spoke up, "Weren't you guys enemies?"

Jaemin stared at Donghyuck quietly before the other spoke up, "We were friends. More like he is close to my little brother since he does basketball as well."

Jaemin continued right after, "And we were to be step-siblings, but that's a different story. You guys should catch up, I'll keep an eye out."

"Where are you-"

Donghyuck interrupted my question, placing a black cap over my head before smiling evilly like he always did, "We're going to escape this hell. Aka ditching school."