" I hear you attending school regularly now. Even waking up early," his mother whispered as she brought the cup to her lips. The elegantly dressed first lady of the Shinwa family stood by the tall glass wall and focused on the garden, not glancing back at her son walking down the stairs. She was not expected to be excited or happy about seeing the boy she hadn't seen in weeks. Even the maids standing in the corner didn't expect that from her. The mother, who dropped by occasionally, was only there for minutes before disappearing for weeks.
"Why are you here?" adjusting his shirt collar Junpyo asked. The maid that walked into his bedroom to make the bed had let him know his mother was waiting for him. He had acted like he didn't hear her as he took one of the most extended showers and took his time choosing his outfit. In the less than 10 minutes she usually gave him, his childish behaviors were the only strategies he could use to force her visit to be longer. He had to play games to get her to even give him more than the time she spent picking the jewelry she wanted to wear.
" Am I not allowed to visit my son?" She asked, her claim forcing a smile out of Junpyo.
" What is it?" he asked, knowing exactly why he was getting a surprise visit. Every time she used the term son, something was going on.
" The garden is beautiful. Maybe your dad should have gotten this house" she took another sip of her coffee. Her sharp tongue knew precisely what to poke at to get her son in line before he started anything with her.
"What do you want?" he asked, finishing the stairs and heading to the breakfast buffet.
" There is a board meeting on Thursday," she started, the main reason she had come here. As she went on about the meeting, Junpyo was busy eating breakfast and waiting for the request. As always, there was something she was going to ask him to do, and he hoped she would just get to the point. The minutes he wasted in the shower and dressing up to force her to stay longer seemed ridiculous as he couldn't help but recognize she hadn't even looked at him once. Does she ever miss him? Does she ever just want to see him? The questions that formed were quickly dismissed as almost 20 years of evidence were presented to him.
His rebellious games she got used to by the time he turned 10; there was nothing he did that ever got her attention. There were enough hired people to deal with the mess he created for her to be worried about any of it. The rebellion that started with throwing tantrums ever since he could walk had turned to fights and acting out in school. To tattoos, piercings, drunk nights, wild parties, fights, illegal races, beating people up, sex scandals, bullying people, suicide...nothing he did had gotten the attention he wanted from his so-called parents. His ghost father never even visited him or even gave him a call. His mother cared too much about everybody else but the lives she brought into this world, neither ever cared. It took 16 years for him to finally get it, and that was when the disassociation started.
The tantrum he threw asking to leave home and live by himself at 14, even that was accepted with no challenge as he was sent away to live in his grandmother's house that was left empty. His request she granted with open arms and smiles; that was the last time he had felt such a strong emotion looking at his mother who had thrown him out while he was doing everything a child could think of doing to get their mother's attention. It wasn't even her love; that was a crazier ask even he knew not to dare dream of. All he wanted was just her attention. Just once to bee seen. Maybe even ask him how he was doing.
" What do you want me to do?" interrupting her, he asked. He was childish; he couldn't hide it from himself as the embarrassment overtook him. He had intentionally interrupted her knowing how much she hated it and knowing he would finally be able to see her face.
" Huh," he sighed, swallowing the embarrassment as he raised his eyes to the woman standing by the wall-to-wall window. Her face turning his way slightly, looked a bit different. Maybe it was the white coat she had on that had made her look a little bit pale. She looked lighter than ever as he took note of her face. Is she sick?
"The company needs to have a line of succession written and signed by board members' ' his worried eyes were ignored as she returned her face to the attractive garden. The dark circle under his eyes, his skinny cheeks, his exhausted body, or even the dark aura that surrounded the boy ... none of it was her concern, and she didn't waste even a second to notice any of it.
"The initial nomination is Thursday" she brought the coffee cup to her lips. Her slender fingers were beyond elegant in handling the cup raised to her pale red-colored lips. That was the only color on her pale face, and he knew exactly why. Thursday's meeting was beyond crucial, and the company's successions probably issue number one on her list.
"I want you to send your proxy," she whispered, her first request.
" Have him back me up for the first choice," Her second request followed up as Junpyo sat up. The boy, who was too smart for his own good, was considering all the angles she was playing as he started questioning what was happening.
" You have good enough shares to swing the selections."
" Who else would they nominate?" he asked, getting an immediate reaction as she turned his way. Finally, her whole face was in full view.
" It doesn't matter who they nominate. If anything happens to your father, I should take charge until you are old enough and ready to take over" Her words became more commanding and forceful as she started walking his way. Even the maids standing in the corner could recognize the change in her tone.
" The company is fragile until all of this is subtle. There are a lot of people trying to grab power" her eyes never left her son as she continued her steps to the table.
"Your father is doing everything he can to back me up, but he doesn't have enough shares in the company" pulling the chair in front of him, she sat down. It must be eating her up that they didn't have enough shares to do what they wanted. Grandma, who passed her shares to her grandkids, had balanced the madam's power over the family.
" Your grandma's shares added to his will put us at majority," She whispered, sending her first smile his way. The two maids in the back exchanged a look when they recognized how she had just turned her mother's mood on and would emotionally manipulate this boy with the attention he craves beyond anything else. That was all she had to do to get him to do anything she wanted.
" We need to stand as a unit and back each other up," she added with a bigger smile. His hands holding the utensils that haven't moved at all were all the proof the maids need to know that she had disarmed him instantly, with just her fake smile. The genius boy that was always in control and did not let anything outsmart him, it was heartbreaking to witness how he was easily manipulated by the one person he claims he hates the most. It was only her that had that much power.
" Once he votes on nominations, the documents will be on your desk on Friday so you just have to sign them. '' She added, this time her right hand leaning to his and her soft fingers landing on his cold hand. She was touching him.
" We are doing this for you. Until you are ready to take over,"
"We are doing it all to protect you and pass everything to you" she added while Junpyos focus shifted to her soft finger caressing his right hand. All the questions and thoughts in his mind were wiped away the moment he felt her touch. His hand that had shaken the moment she touched it was an instinctive reaction to the foreign feeling that was sent across his skin. The natural urge to hold her hand was shut as Junpyo sat there fighting his own emotions that were taking over his whole body. His ingenious mind she knew too well, she had touched him intentionally. That was the easiest way to get him to stop thinking, questioning, and doubting her motive.
" So will you send him on Thursday?" she asked, adding more warmth to her fingers his eyes were focused on. She didn't need another move to get what she wanted and she didn't even know why she did it as her hand left his hand and was sent to his head.
" You're going to have to cut this hair when you start interning" she whispered as her fingers started brushing his hair away from his face. His eyes finally got a good look, they really hadn't changed that much. Her handsome son was blessed with such sharp and beautiful eyes which even she found intimidating. Which will come in handy when he takes over the company.
" Stop" Junpyo's whisper didn't reach her ears as he moved his head back, out of her reach. The internal chaos her simple touch had caused needed to be controlled and the first thing was to move away from what was causing him so much pain at 8 am on a Monday morning.
" I will send him" sending his eyes to the table Junpyo whispered. She heard this one as she sent a smile his way.
" Great" her reaction was short as she stood up from the chair. That was it.
" I have a meeting to attend, so I am " she didn't even finish as her ringing phone got her attention. Her assistant from the corner quickened her steps following the madam who was heading out of the dining room. Not even a goodbye and she was out of the room in seconds. The two maids standing behind him weren't the only ones that were concerned for the boy. His driver giving the madam a big bow as she entered her limo was also beyond concerned about what her visit might have done to the boy. But the reason they were concerned was different. The maids were walking on eggshells as they knew his anger, frustration, or whatever it was that had taken over the boy would land on them if they made one wrong move. Unlike them, the driver was genuinely concerned for the boy who always has an emotional outburst or some kind of distributive reaction whenever his mother visits.
The boy they expected to lash out didn't even whisper as he finished his breakfast and only took 20 minutes to wrap up his morning routine and headed out to the car waiting for him. His all-black look would have been enough but his hoodie he had pulled all the way up, the black glasses, and the cigarette between his lips, it was beyond a clear indication he was in his infamous dark mode. All of them knew somebody was going to be at the receiving end of the painful emotions his mother had erupted. They were just happy it wasn't them as the car drove out of the house.
The driver knew not to say anything and disturb the boy. Even the partition that was rarely up was lifted up as the driver separated their spaces to give the boy his own space. The drive to the school was filled with silence until I got to the gate of the school, and the security men started their greetings.
" Get me my car," Junpyo's voice was heard from the back. The pain masked as anger was all over his voice, and the driver could pick on it as he agreed to the request. He rarely gets wild out drunk on Monday nights, the driver was sure the likelihood of alcohol being used to handle what happened in the morning was less than every other method. Maybe he will stay at his girlfriend's place, the driver was hoping for positive possibilities as he halted the car by the dropoff zone of the driveway. In seconds the boy had jumped out and headed to the double doors ahead. All the eyes that followed the boy were recognized by the driver, who can't blame them, stunned by being surprised by not only his dark look but by him showing up this early.
"Hope you have a good day" The driver was genuine in his wishes before he left the building. If his requests were granted, the driver had serious wishes; he would ask the heavens to grant the boy he had known since he could talk.
" Everything okay?" Jihoo was the only one that seemed concerned as he lifted his eyes from the computer he was typing on and asked.
" Yeah, Why?" he got a quick response that made him even more concerned.
" You know he lost the bet on Saturday" Woobin's reason might have been true, but it wasn't why their friend looked gloomy today.
" He's going to have to pay Yijeong."
" I don't want money. I want the summer house for a week," Yijoeng stated.
" So you can trash it," Jihoo asked. His friend had started being distant even from him, but he knew it wasn't because of the bet. He trusted Junpyo enough to wait until he was ready to tell him what had turned him this dark on a Monday morning. He was fine at dinner last night.
The explanation he was waiting for came at lunch. While Yijeong and Woobin were arguing over the video game they were playing while eating their food, the two best friends sat at the dining table enjoying their lunch.
" The madam stopped by," Junpyo whispered, placing the pasta his fork was holding in between his lips.
" Oh," Jihoo's reaction was simple. That was all he needed to know.
" Do you want to come over tonight?" Jihoo asked with his famous soft smile. He knew his home was an escape for his friend, who was welcome anytime.
" Am I allowed to drink?"
" You know the rules. No drinking. No smoking. No parties" Jihoo's response was quick.
" We can go to your condo if you want that."
" You can call her and do all of that there," he added, bringing Junpyo's girlfriend into the mix.
" She would love your visit. '' He focused his eyes on Junpyo while he took a sip of his iced tea. Depending on the choice his friend makes, Jihoo can assess the level of the situation.
" I will just go home," Junpyo responded, sending his eyes to his plate, leaving Jihoo confused.
This was a new one.
" YOU GOTTA BE FUCKIN KIDDING ME" Woobin's loud scream was what forced Jihoo to change his attention to the two by the couch and the two minions, standing in front of Woobin.
"I AM GONNA KILL THEM ALL" Woobin dropping his fork, stood up.
"Yaa calm down." Yijeong picked up both their phones and stood up, following his friend.
" His grandfather's watch he wore this morning is missing. '' Yjeong gave the expansion to the confused two by the dining table before he followed Woo Bin and left the room. Junpyo was not even remotely concerned about what his friend had lost or the claim he made about what he was going to do; he just returned his eyes to his lunch. His friend or handling the fire Woobin was going to cause, Jihoo was left with the choice, and he decided to stay with his friend. Leaving his friend when he was like this wasn't something Jihoo's heart could do. He also knew there wasn't much he could do to stop Woobin. With the fire he witnessed in his friend's eyes, he knew Woobin had just to be left alone to cause some damage.
We need another lead, but this is a dead end - her phone that vibrated with the text got her attention. Her neatly packed lunch bag was in the middle of the table, and the book she was reading was thrown next to her lunch bag.
Sorry - the follow-up text got her attention as her eyes returned to the phone she wanted to throw across the glass wall.
" huh" she started taking some deep breaths to calm down. She needs to calm down. Another setback. Yet again, another dead end. Even her body couldn't control the frustration and anger boiling up at the realization that everything they have been doing could just be for nothing.
Her appetite was gone in minutes, and she sat there trying hard to stay calm and figure out the next steps. The gossiping and chatting around the cafeteria were ignored as she picked up the phone and started texting. They only have one more link to follow. Only one more lead. If that fails, even she isn't sure of what she will do. If all the years she wasted at this school was for nothing. If all the bullshit she tolerated was for nothing. That would be the day she sets the place on fire and burns it all down with her. Her frustration couldn't seem to get in line as she always commands it to as it started convincing her to consider just ditching school and heading home. There was no reason for her to care about attendance and to be invisible anymore. She wasn't invisible anyway. Her memory was quick as it flashed the image of her boots burning as she was quickly reminded of what it was costing her to stay in this place. The pain that started to sting was quickly distributed by a loud sound.
" OH MY GOD" The screams coming her way finally got her attention as she, just like everybody else, witnessed Woobin and the blood-covered, stripped to his shorts and t-shirt boy he was dragging to the middle of the cafeteria.
" I KNOW ONE OF YOU HAS MY WATCH" He dropped the body on the floor.
WHOEVER HAS MY WATCH BETTER FUCKIN RETURN IT OR THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR FAITH," bringing the unconscious body up, Woobin shouted. Not even the number of teachers or employees across the cafeteria, there was no soul that even whispered a single thing as their shocked eyes glanced up at the blood-covered body. The number of bat bruises across his body, the blood gushing out his nose, his lips, every cut across his bare chest covered with blood this was a sight none were ready for on a Monday afternoon.
"IF MY WATCH DOESN'T RETURN BY MONDAY, ALL OF YOU BEGGAR KIDS ARE GONNA BE HANGING ON THE FRONT GATE," he shouted as he landed another kick against the body before he started walking away. Followed by his minions, he headed up the stairs. The crowd split in half, giving him his space. The blood stains dripping from his hands were a good sign of what he could do to them if they even looked his way. Each and everyone one of them was aware of it as they avoided even making eye contact.
Unlike her, whose attention had stayed on the unconscious body lying on the floor, everybody else had taken the number of pictures they needed to share on their social media and started going back to whatever they were doing. That was it. That was all the attention this type of thing gets in this school.
" Shouldn't we call the nurse "
" Man! Leave him alone"
" You don't wanna be next, do you? " The few students who showed a bit of concern were silenced as quickly as the crowd started going their way. They had been in this school long enough to know that even helping the body laying on the floor could land them the famous red card.
None of them even cared to make sure the boy was alive or not as they zoomed in and added filters to their pictures they were sure would get thousands of sad emojis and prayers. That was the extent of their involvement. The pictures none of them were allowed to share outside of the school body, every one of them was aware of the power of the 4 last names that would come down on them like the fury of God if they ever dared to share any of it with anybody outside the school grounds. In fact, all the pictures would be forced to be deleted within hours, once the news reaches the principal's office. The teachers and staff assigned to check every phone will do their job deleting every piece of evidence, as the security team will be asked to wipe the security camera footage. It was just regular protocol at this point.
The three other scholarship kids that were standing, still looking at their friend lying down on the floor covered in his own blood, were too shocked to even lift their feet up and run away, let alone save him. The amount of fear and hopelessness plastered on their faces was easy to notice as she glanced at the three boys trying hard to figure out what on earth they were going to do next.
The reality of what was waiting for them was evident. To wake up every morning and walk into this hell hole filled with people that remind them of their place. She could only imagine the fear running through their body right now.
The anger that took over her was overwhelming as she stood, clenching her fists. The moment she noticed the fear and helplessness in their eyes, that was when it started. She wasn't even sure where it came from as she quickened her steps past them and headed to the body laying on the floor.
THIS WAS IT.
" Huh," the number of eyes that turned her way was none of her concern as she quickened her steps through the hallway toward the blood-covered body. Their curious eyes were left even more shocked as the blood-covered body was lifted as she tried to pull him up. Knowing the almost dead body had a good minute or two before his breathing started getting erupted, she only had one goal in mind, getting his body to the nurse's room and praying to God the nurse has the decency to take care of the body nobody seems to care about. His blood running down her hair and neck wasn't something she was worried about either as she kept her eyes on his legs which was able to take small steps as she tried holding his weight on her side. His arm forces across her shoulder, she was doing all the heavy lifting as he only had to take small steps. Finishing the cafeteria and heading to the hallway, her eyes were focused on the big sign at the right corner that signaled her to take a right turn to get to the nurse's office. Thankfully the nurse's office was on the same floor as the cafeteria.
All shocked eyes looking at her way were ignored and phased out of her sight as she bites her teeth and quickens her steps.
"What do you mean he was? " Jihoo's words were cut short as he exited the elevator at the right time. The blood-covered body held against the mute girl who was carrying him, it was all in front of him as Jihoo, too stunned to even move, took note of what was passing by him.
" He beat him to a pulp, " Yijeong, being the only one who witnessed the beating, whispered out as the shocked Jihoo halted his steps as his eyes moved from the dead-looking body to the one carrying it. Her hair bouncing left and right, her eyes glued to her target, her hands wrapped across the body she was holding on for dear life. Jihoo couldn't even figure out if he was stunned by her or the evidence of the bullying he had witnessed often.
" This is "
"This is .'' Jihoo couldn't even get the words out his lips as he left his friend's side and started running to the girl who made the right turn.
" I got him" Jihoo quickly lifted the body to help her with the weight. The body held by the two only had a few steps left before it entered the nurses office.
" Put him on the bed," the nurse quickly jumped from her desk and shouted as she witnessed the body they walked in with. Jihoo held the door open as Jandi took the body to room 1 and gently landed the body on the bed.
" Everybody out" as she started ripping whatever cloth was left on the boy, the nurse shouted as the other nurse started placing her gloves.
" I am gonna kill him" Jihoo whispered as he walked out of room 1 and back to the nurse's office.
" He left already; he is going home" Yijeong, who had followed behind forced Jihoo to turn back and recognize he was there along with the girl covered in blood.
" THIS HAS TO FUKCIN STOP, YOU HEAR ME . ." Jihoo, finally raising his voice shouted at Yijeong
" YOU CAN'T KEEP BEATING PEOPLE UP" lefty shouted as he started going back and forth across the office.
" I didn't do shit . ." Yijoeng responded
" hahahah, OF COURSE, YOU DIDN'T. "
" You need to calm down," Yijeong whispered with a fake smile accompanying his words.
" ARE YOU HAPPY NOW ?'
" Maybe they shouldn't be taking his watches" Yijeong's response had gotten a reaction even out of the girl standing by the corner. Who hadn't moved at all.
" DID YOU JUST?"
" I CAN'T '"
" I CAN'T EVEN WITH YOU "
" Cam down " Yijeong went on trying to calm Jihoo down, but it took a good couple of minutes for him to actually calm down and notice the girl still standing by the corner of the room. Her eyes were glued to the room door the nurses had shut.
"Are you
" Let's talk '' right before Jihoo sent the question her way, the nurses walked out, directing them to the desk.
" We have stopped the bleeding, and he is okay but he needs to go to a hospital to check for fractures" the nurses pulled the file of documents and went on, giving them the small information she is allowed to share.
" He's alive. I gotta make a call " Yijoeng pulled his phone out and left the room.
" You know we have to send him to a hospital, his wounds are serious but doctors are required by law to question and report to the police " Jandi had only caught the nurse's first sentence before she started walking out of the nurse's office. All she needed to hear was that he was alive and doing fine for now. She knew the school would do anything to keep this in wraps, including making sure he gets the treatment he needs with all bills paid.
" Are you okay ?" Extending his hand, holding the box of sanitary napkins her way, Jihoo asked before she left the room.
" I am so sorry, I didn't. . " As always, she didn't let him finish his sentence as she walked past him heading to the door. Every step she took was cannibalistic as she passed right by him and headed out the door.
The blood stains that had changed her white shirt to red were nothing compared to the blood stains on her neck and down her arm, as she walked out of the nurse's office and started heading to the hallway. Every student that saw her had moved away to give her the space she needed. Her back covered in blood wasn't as scary as her sharp eyes but was beyond scary when matched with her speedy steps. She looked a bit demonic as her blood-marked uniform swung left and right. There was a rhythm and force to every step she took across the hallway that demanded people move away from her sight. They followed the request her focused eyes were making as they cleared the way.
With the news she had received minutes ago leading the charge, the body she carried across was just the icing on the cake to her fury that was reaching its limit and might take over. She could thank the heavens for making sure Woobin had left the school. Her favorite knife, tightly wrapped across her left thigh, would be beyond the perfect tool to slit his neck and have him bleeding across these marbled floors for all to witness. He was lucky enough not to be in her presence. With the anger and frustration boiling inside her, she could end all of them.
She knew she had to remove herself away from this space before she does anything that will mess up everything she had worked for.
"ohh she is so dead "
" he said he would hang all of them Monday morning "
" that includes her " the chitter chatter around was going in one ear and out the other as she got to her class and headed to her desk.
"You need to calm down", the voice in her head went on warning. Eventhough she had no reason to stay at this school, ending a bunch of millionaires' kids in the middle of the day wasn't something she would do. Although she could care less about her life, she still hasn't given up on her mission which was the only reason she was living for. Destroying everything they worked for to punish a bunch of spoiled kids would be throwing her life and everybody else's away for nothing. They were nothing. These spoiled billionaires and their childish games were nothing but a distraction. A distraction she needs to stay clear of and focus on her job.
She has witnessed worse.
She has seen worse.
"Huh" she took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She needs to get away before she sees any of them and does something she'll regret. Forget attacking them, even cursing at any of the boys will come with a cost she needs to prepare for. The power of their last names was enough to remind her that if she was going to fight them, she needs to be ready to sacrifice everything they have worked for. She grabbed her backpack and headed out of the classroom. Her lunch bag and all her stuff forced into the backpack was held by her left arm as she quickened her steps away from the classroom. She must disappear from the hallways before the lunch bell rings and everybody is forced back into the classrooms. Lunchtime was the perfect time to escape school. She had about 4 exit strategies in place, and today she had picked the easiest one. All she asked for was to get away. She only wanted to leave this place and breathe some fresh air.
But she should have known nothing ever goes her way.
As the elevator doors opened slowly, Junpyo looked up from his phone to catch the blood-covered girl standing in front. Her Nike sneakers decorated with blood spots. Her legs with bloodlines that highlighted the muscles they traced down. Her skirt leading to her dress shirt fully colored red, and her arms covered in blood... everything was moving in slow motion as Junpyo scanned the girl in front of him from head to toe. His fingers that were busily typing had paused as he took in the blood marks on her face as his eyes finally landed on her face that wasn't hiding away. Her eyes which used to hide behind her badly chopped bangs or were intentionally forced to look away from him weren't the same as the ones now looking right back at him.
Maybe it was the sight of all the blood she was covered with that had turned her focused eyes red. Her blood-covered body added to her furious eyes staring right back at him; Junpyo wasn't even aware of when his fingers stopped typing and placed the phone in his pocket. As always, her eyes had forced everything out of focus as he was forced to pay attention to the girl whose merciless eyes were looking right into his dark ones.
Jihoo's quick call ordering him to come to his office was forgotten as Junpyo realized whatever the reason his best friend had screamed at him for had something to do with the girl covered in blood and standing in front of him.
"Did she beat Woobin '' was the first thought that crossed Junpyo's mind, which was immediately wiped out as she took the first step into the elevator. Her legs aiming for the right corner of the elevator weren't the only thing that moved as her eyes left his the moment she started walking. The airy feeling that filled the small space wasn't just because of the antagonizing look across her face but her small frame covered in blood. The body that walked past him, Junpyo, couldn't help but follow it to the back of the elevator, standing two steps behind him. He could swear he could read every message her infuriated body was sending his way as she walked right past him. He wasn't sure if he had deciphered her code or if she was intentionally letting him read the emotions she had left visible. The office he was directed to come to was forgotten about as he stayed in the elevator that started closing. It wasn't even a choice. He didn't choose to stay. He was forced to stay. Although his reality was being played in slow motion, every second that passed by was bringing foreign and even more confusing sentiments.
His eyes lifted to the reflective metal doors; he made out her sharp eyes that were looking dead at his reflection. She really was looking at him. The girl who used to bow her head was nowhere to be found as the girl standing steps behind him wasn't even hiding that she was looking at him. Not just looking at him but staring right at him as though she was expecting him to be the one to look away.
" huh" the smirk that escaped his lips was too small for her to notice. Unlike her, who had missed his smirk, he hadn't missed any movement coming from her as his eye tilted down to make her left hand that had tightened her grip on her backpack.
"Was she going to attack him?"
"Could he get her to cross the line? " Junpyo questioned as he sent his eyes back up to her face. She could attack him if she wanted to. His neck was open and would be her first target if not his head which she could bang against the metal walls. He should be scared, but more than fear, it was his curiosity to see her reach her limit that filled his thoughts. Hidden behind the dark corners of his consciousness, the eagerness to feel the power behind her kicks had won over every odd emotion his body was processing. Also, the boy with a separate room to showcase all the black belts and awards he won in combat sports knew he could easily defend himself. Taking three drunk men in the dead of the night was surprising and admirable, but Junpyo had easily dismissed the mysterious girl as too weak to do any severe damage to him. Her body he could lock against the corner of the elevator, was dismissed as the one tool at her disposal. Maybe she carried something in her backpack. He took note of the black bag which he had been curious about ever since he made her out of the crowd the first time. What does she carry in there?
Was she really going to attack him?
Is she going to cross the line?
The tension building in the small space reached a new high as their eyes stayed on one another while he waited for her angry body to reach its limit and aim for him.
"Huh," came another smirk. She really was easy to read when she wasn't in full control. He could tell she was calculating and hesitating from doing something. It was all over her body. It wasn't on her blanck face but in her eyes and her body that were waiting for something. Before he figured out why he couldn't seem to force her to cross the line, the elevator doors opened. He wasn't even sure why he did it, but his legs were quick as they took a step to the right and blocked her legs from continuing on the step she was taking to leave the elevator.
The body standing a step away behind him got an immediate reaction as his legs were sent to the left to block her again. She didn't try again. Her legs stepped back, creating a distance between them as she lifted her eyes to the boy turning around to face her. Hands in his pocket, his legs didn't take any step her way as they stayed a step away from her, while his body was turned to face her.
Unlike Junpyo, who always scans her up and down whenever she is in his view, her eyes were focused on his face. The anger visible in her eyes didn't even give her a second to process the gorgeous face that had turned her way. All her focus was on why he was blocking her way.
What was he planning on doing?
What does this devil want now?
Wasn't burning her boots enough for at least a couple of days?
Wasn't beating somebody enough entertainment for the day?
1
2
3 . . the seconds went by as she waited for him to say or do something. The silence that filled the elevator was disturbed by the closed elevator doors. Her eyes were waiting for him. She was waiting for him to destroy the day that was already ruined. She waited for him to remind her again how the blood she was covered with resulted from the students he ruled without even a whisper. The untouchable prince of the school, she waited for him to remind her how he could easily turn her life upside down if he wanted to. If he wanted, all he had to do was snap his fingers. She waited for him to remind her how he could kill her here and now and get away with it like it was nothing. Her body they could throw from the building and claim was a suicide; he could remind her how a nobody like her wouldn't even make it on the school paper, let alone the news. She waited without even recognizing how reminding her of it all was beneath him.
Her thoughts paused; she followed his curious eyes that were changing their gaze from her eyes to her face. His examining eyes were focused on the blood marks as they traced the curve of her face that led to her neck. His dark eyes were meticulous as they scanned her blood-covered neck. The top two buttons of her shirt left open, added to her disheveled shirt, had exposed a glimpse of her collarbone, which his eyes landed on. The skinny bone he got a slight view of was quick as it reminded him of the dress he had worn, exposing her entire shoulder.
The tiny electric feeling his eyes were leaving on every inch of her skin they were tracing was quickly shut down as she sent both arms to her back. Her palms squeezed into a fist was where she channeled all her energy, the tiny hint of anxiety his dark eyes, which she couldn't read, were causing her. If she wanted, she could use her training to figure out the look in his eyes and calculate the reason behind why he was doing any of this. But that would require her to focus on him and figure him out. That would demand her to be calculating and logical about her actions. His nonchalant eyes that were staring at her as he burned her most loved possession; the anger she felt every time she heard his name, let alone saw him was too much for her to be logical about what she was doing. The pure emotion that was now fully in charge was busy picturing skinning him alive to be worried about trying to figure out the look behind his eyes or what he wants. She had better things to think about than figure out why he was doing any of this.
Her eyes matching his curiosity had traced down his perfectly structured face to land at his neck. Unlike him, her wandering eyes were only concerned about how many ways she could break the fragile-looking bones across his face. Would he scream or cry if she kept him conscious while she broke them? How many ways could she slice or snap the visible veins down his neck? Lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't even noticed his eyes that had returned to her wandering ones that were analyzing every angle of his neck. Completely in her zone, even her hands , held into fists, squeezed in tighter as they itched for her to grab the knife hidden against her thigh. She would grant him a second to regret even looking at her, let alone what he did before she sent him to Hell, waiting for him on the other side.
Wasn't almost 20 years of living such a spoiled life enough for him?
Everything he wanted at his fingertips, which she would enjoy breaking one by one, wasn't 19 years of living such a lavish life enough?
With the god-like status he was born into, would the heavens even show him any mercy for what he has done with everything they have blessed him with?
Would it even be a sin to end his life before he became even more powerful and ruined even more lives?
If she couldn't fulfill her life mission, the consolation prize would be to take down as many of them as possible. Would it be a sin to eradicate such filth from this earth?
The hint of glee he noticed as her eyes returned to his; it only took one look for Junpyo to notice she was not only waiting for him to say or do something, but she was daring him to. Her fiery eyes weren't whispering anymore. They were screaming at him to dare to do something.
Do something.
I dare you.
Their eyes had a language of their own as even the space between the bodies standing two steps apart was removed as their awareness of the physical space had disappeared. They were waiting for the other one to cross the line. Waiting for the other to break the silence and tension that had paused their reality.
1
2
3. The unspoken words that filled the space were disturbed seconds later.
"Oh, sorry," the student who had pressed down and forced the elevator doors to open apologized. In a second, she was pulled back to reality. The boy she couldn't even touch unless today was her last day on this earth; she was quickly reminded of her place. The fact that she was wearing a uniform with his last name plastered across it was the only reminder she needed to know this wasn't a battle she would sacrifice everything for. He wasn't worth it. She hated his guts, but he wasn't worth it.
Her eyes were the ones that changed their focus as they landed on the uniformed boy, still apologizing. Without returning her eyes to Junpyo, she took the first step to the right to avoid walking by him as she exited the elevator. Her blood-covered body walking away had both boys' attention as she headed to the stairs exit.
"Damn. She looks scary" the apologizing boy had a small smile to cover the tiny fear she had instilled in him as she walked past him. He wasn't expecting any reaction, let alone a response from the boy he knew he shouldn't even dare talk to, but he got one. The small smile that escaped Junpyo's lips was followed by his right hand, which was sent to brush his hair back to his face. His luscious hair was brushed to hide his face her paralyzing eyes were inspecting seconds ago.
The fear she had caused the boy just by walking past him was too cute for Junpyo to ignore. His smile stayed while he left the elevator and headed in the opposite direction. His only goal was to find an empty space. He needs a smoke. A smoke and some silence.
He needs some nicotine in his system to process what had just happened.