a/n: update because MINGI'S BACK AHHHHHHH

"you know, the weirdest thing happened today." mingi started as he places his tray down, causing everyone to pay attention to him. "kim hongjoong talked to me."

as he blurted those words out, the table had different reactions. his boyfriend choking on his drink, minjee becoming more invested, san nodding, and jongho- well, being jongho.

sooyoung mentally curses, a bit ticked off by hongjoong's games. "what did he say?"

"did he hurt you?" yunho, after decreasing his coughs, frantically asked.

the male with deep voice shook his head, telling him not to worry. "he asked if he could borrow a pen, actually returned it, and said thanks."

the group blinked. sooyoung didn't think of it as a big deal until she felt their vibe.

"do you think the end is coming?" minjee questioned blankly.

"he never paid attention to us." yunho sulked. "why now?"

the transferee felt the need to know why they felt so against making any sort of contact with her other friend. "is he that bad?"

"are you kidding me? he's the scariest." the tallest exclaimed. "jongho, can't you do something about it? tell him not to bother mingi."

"he wasn't bothering mingi." the youngest remarked. "as said, he was simply borrowing a pen."

"yeah, maybe he just didn't bring his or something." sooyoung makes light of the story, taking another bite of her food.

yunho sighs. "soo, kim hongjoong never borrows anything. he just takes it."

as the group resumed debating whether they were in danger or not, they fail to notice another bunch of people staring at them distastefully.

"so, what's the plan, joonsoo?" one of his buddies asked.

the boy leaned back. "it's better to get on her good side. since she seems to have a thing going on with hongjoong, we can use her. we can drop her when that maniac get tired of her."

his underlings nodded in agreement as if their leader was making sense.

with that, joonsoo stood up as he strode towards his target. "fresh- im sooyoung."

the foul voice made sooyoung tighten her eyelids and turn her head. "what now?"

the girl could see minjee gulp, shifting in her seat.

"no need to be so unwelcoming." joonsoo chuckled darkly. "we're just here to save your social life."

this made her friends either glare at the newly arrived male or look down.

the girl was already pissed enough by his presence, even more now that he was insulting her friends.

"are you guys mad by the truth?" scoffed joonsoo when he saw their agitated looks. "im, you could do so much better than this. three homos, and two outcasts? come on."

the girl mentioned was already looking for something to throw at him.

"i'll give you one more chance, so no need to be so uptight." the bully wickedly grinned.

that's when sooyoung stood up with a smile on her face. "really?"

minjee, san, and yunho were especially heartbroken when they saw how she was ready to take his offer, but they couldn't really complain.

"yeah, girl."

sooyoung's smile only widened. "sorry, guys." she proceeded to get closer to joonsoo and gently grab a hold of his tie. "i've been waiting so long for this."

just when the boy thought he won over her, the grip on his tie suddenly got stronger. before processing anything, he received a slap to the face and a gasp from the crowd.

"you- fucking- twerp-" sooyoung hit his cheek with every word repeatedly, and she would have continued if she wasn't pulled away by san.

"what the fuck, bitch?!" joonsoo barked as he held his face.

"you're lucky i didn't stab your eye with a fork, you wart." sooyoung struggled with san still holding her, muttering her to calm down. "let me go."

"i'll make your life a living hell." the guy threatened.

"yeah?" she eventually got out of san arms. "where'd you think i came from?"

she dangerously march up to him, and for some unknown reason, he actually felt intimidated. joonsoo's feet instinctively moved backwards, wanting to avoid her.

"you won't leave us alone? fine!" sooyoung pushed him with little force, but the bully still happened to trip.

"whoops." someone mumbled from a nearby table.

sooyoung glanced at them and she saw four guys and a girl, most of them smirking. she also made eye contact with whose foot was responsible for making joonsoo fall. "trouble, snowflake?"

she didn't answer hongjoong. instead, she glowered at the guy on the ground. "try me. i'll personally hand you over to satan."

joonsoo slowly frantically stood up, ashamed of his current situation. "you'll pay for this!" he yelled, getting out of the cafeteria.

"tch." sooyoung dusted her uniform, exhaling deeply. she calmly made her way back to her table and sat down, disregarding her friends' loose jaws. "where were we again?" she beamed at them.

"you-" yunho stuttered. "you just did that."

"he was being annoying and called you guys names! he thinks he's something." the girl rolled her eyes.

minjee closed her agape mouth. "soo, you're so cool, but really reckless, too."

"thanks, jee." the girl grinned, taking another bite of her food. "why don't you guys talk back to them?"

"we aren't as courageous as you." san chuckled, handing her a glass of water.

"and we're not really in any position to do that." mingi added.

sooyoung grimaced over how the best people she met in this school looked down on themselves so much. it suddenly made her regret how she as in the past.

"but seriously, soo. joonsoo might really bother you even more." her friend with green highlighted hair says worriedly.

"don't hesitate to call us! i'll beat him up with you!" yunho enthusiastically insinuated, making the girl laugh.

"sure thing. do that for yourselves!"

-

their classes had finally ended, and sooyoung couldn't wait to meet up with the group again.

she was currently with minjee, putting some books in her locker.

"don't look, but kim hongjoong is literally staring at you." the shorter girl whispered cautiously. "is he really coming for us?"

"relax." sooyoung chuckled. "i'm sure it's nothing."

"he also talked to minmin and-"

"im sooyoung of class 1-A, kindly report to the principal's office." mr. lee's voice was heard from the speakers on the halls.

she could only groan silently as she already had a clue as to why she was called in. "i'll be right back."

minjee only had a look of concern as she watched her friend go to the office. she immediately texted the others.

once sooyoung arrived at the room, she saw joonsoo already sitting on one of the chairs with a displeased look.

"take a seat, ms. im." instructed the adult, and she followed. "joonsoo claims that you slapped him during lunch?"

"i just gave his face a high five." she explained with a bored look.

mr. lee only had a calm expression. "can i ask why?"

"he didn't catch my hand in time."

their principal sighed. "well, joonsoo has requested his and your parents to come. will that be okay with you?"

"i don't know if my parents are free." sooyoung blankly stated. they don't have time for this. she thought.

"do you mind if i call them?"

"not at all." she ushered. she has been in loads of trouble before, so she doubts her parents would be mad.

after making both phonecalls and explaining what happened, mr. lee sat back down and faced both students. "both your fathers will be here."

"you're so dead." the guy hostility mumbled, to which the girl only ignore.

soon enough, a knock on the door was heard. "who hurt my son?" the man barged in, fuming.

"dad! you cannot believe this girl!" joonsoo pointed at her.

sooyoung slowly glanced at his father, only to raise her eyebrows in surprise.

"ms. im?" the newly arrived man recognized.

she bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement. "mr. yang."