The news one would expect to reach every corner of the school was a secret kept by the four friends, as Woobin claimed he was just in a random fight after a night of drinking. At least, that was the situation for the weekend. The girl paid to zip her lips and agreed to his claim they had just gotten into a road rage-instigated fight with some thugs who couldn't keep her lips sealed.
"The doctor said he needs to be there for at least a week or two. '' Jihoo walked to the window and Junpyo stood by, still in shock about what happened. He knew Woobin was involved in a lot of dirty business but never would he have guessed his friend would be beaten down in a random dark alley. Especially considering who his family is. The police that had collected all the evidence never gave them any more clues than there were only two people, one in a car and one on a bike. Woobin's family, who always handled their own business, weren't expecting anything from the policy anyway. There were various ways they could find out who did this and even more ways they could handle the punishment for such a daring crime. With the tight grip, they had across the city, every dark corner of the city could be flipped upside down to find the people that have dared touch not even just members of the organization but the son of the leader.
" What happened?" Jihoo, pulling out his buzzing phone, asked the same question he has been asking since he heard the news and rushed to the hospital.
" Was it really some road rage fight?" He added, glancing at Junpyo standing by the tall glass window, staring right at the great view of their building driveway. The shock he was still processing, Jihoo doesn't even remember how he got to the hospital or what happened in the 24 hours that followed the news. Yijoeng, who couldn't even drive out of shock and had to be driven around, was in a worse state. To their dismay, they didn't get much out of the guy who always talked and shared too much.
" It was just some street fight. '' Woobin had stayed consistent with his response to the doctors, the police, his lawyers, his dad, his friends, and anybody that asked. The fractures around his body were shocking for even Jihoo, who had always wanted his friend to learn a lesson. It was terrifying to know there was somebody fearless enough to come for them. Woobin being the son of the underworld organization leader, was used as an excuse to comfort them from freaking out about who could be coming for them. With the type of businesses, Woobin's family is involved in and the type of enemies they had, it was easy to hypothesize it probably was another gang or somebody coming for the two armed security guards placed in front of his door, Woobin could kiss his private life goodbye as his dad had promised to keep an eye on him 24/7. The simple lie he told had caused more danger as his dad has been looking for gangs across the city that might dare touch his son. The police paid enough, the private investigators were placed on the case, the dad had everybody that could figure out what happened on the case before even an hour passed after the news reached his office. By the time he woke up, Woobin had fought against his dad to pull back everything. He had convinced them it was a rod rage thing and was just a fight. It was better to have that than them finding any info about a girl handing him the beatdown of his life. The 2 securities he agreed on were the compromise his dad made.
"They said it was a warning" the girl with not even a single scratch had whispered the message that has been repeating in his ears the moment woo bin woke up. The message he shared with his friends who wouldn't stop asking and could help him find the two people he would haunt to the end of time, it was only Jihoo that was puzzled by it. Yijeong, scanning the bruises on his friends face, was too busy to wonder about what the warning meant. Junpyo, who had chosen to stay silent and at the corner of the hospital room, was the only one amused by the new fact he learned. The smile that escaped his lips was involuntary as he can't even help but admire the type of bravery it takes to not only beat Woo bin but warn him of worse to come. His friend's hopital record he read thoroughly, it was insane to believe a girl had really done this. The weekend he spent puzzled on what to feel about what happened, one thing was for sure, he knew the person responsible was the same girl that had been occupying his mind. One look at the broken bones of his friend, which matched the 3 minions and he knew she probably beat those three too. Her true colors he has been pushing for her to show, his curiosity has passed the normal stage. By Monday morning rolled in, Junpyo was still lost in awe of the guts it takes to do what she has done. Touching the F4 members, once deemed impossible and a death wish was now a long gone history as every student that attended, and even alumni have heard of the story of what happened to his friend.
"He said he was gonna hang them by the front gate, I guess that's not happening now" Both Junpyo and Jihoo turned back to the gossiping girl that passed them by.
" Whoever is doing this might hang him before then" Their little laughs annoyed both friends. Their power that existed because of mere reputation was hanging by a thread. The whispers and chatter across the campus had spread like a wildfire before anybody even got to campus. It took an hour for the whole school to be raving about whoever was doing this.
" Forget that, I heard he was robbed penniless, and they even took his car. '' The crazy gossip was reaching a new high as even the teachers were enjoying their morning routine with a smile on their faces. From the school director to the janitors, Monday was filled with some smiles as the minions & their leader have all gotten what they deserve, for once. If anybody ever finds out it was the word mute girl, the world might stop and she would ascend the throne of the grand school to become a legend for generations. That was how much people were excited about the news.
" He is still not saying anything. Why would he be in that part of town?" Jihoo asked again as he followed Junpyo's eyes and started looking at the few students slowly walking away from their cars to the driveway. Most preferring to enjoy the small sun rays that were visible today, chose to stay and chit chat outside. Jihoo who never cared about their reputation wasn't worried about what the students were saying but he wasn't sure if it was the same for Junpyo.
"What happened?" Jihoo was sure Junpyo knew something. From the moment he got the call to the Saturday, they all spent at the hospital, Jihoo had been suspicious of his best friend, who had stayed quiet and to be honest didn't seem that way the ever-curious Junpyo had stayed quiet, not even asking one question, while Woobin was retelling what happened that night, Jihoo knew there was something.
" I know you know something," Jihoo asked as he took his hands out of his pocket and took Junpyo's phone, which the latter was handing him.
" What is this?" Jihoo's words dispersed when he pressed play and made out Woobins' car in the video.
"Oh My God," Jihoo shouted as his eyes doubled in size when he witnessed the person who got off the bike heading to his friend before they slapped his friend against his car.
As Junpyo's car that took two wrong turns stood blocked by the intersection in the middle, It was easy to make out Woobin's car in the distance. Still, Junpyo had no idea what was going to happen in the seconds that followed. Stepping on his break, he had gotten out of his car. He knew he wouldn't make it even if he went around or joined the freeway to get to his friend on the other side. Left dumbfounded and thoughtless, he had stood there watching with his own stunned eyes the stunts she pulled and her deadly kicks that landed his friend out cold on the ground. Her slaps. Her slaps that swung his friend against his own car were scarier than her kicks.
"Who are they?"
" Did you see any of their faces?"
" Did you give this to the police?"
" I'll give it to Woobin, he can decide what to do" Junpyo, still focused on the students walking in, replied to the endless question Jihoo was asking. His best friend, whom he couldn't hide something from, had sensed things, so it was better to show him the video and silence his questions. It was better to have his best friend as his thought partner, as always, and get to the bottom of this. He doesn't hide anything from Jihoo who he would trust to have his best interest till death. The camera installed in front of his car had caught everything that happened that night. By the time he got home, the first task was getting the footage on his drive. The video he had been watching repeatedly while he stayed locked inside his home theater, Junpyo was beyond bewildered about what to do with the evidence in his hands.
" It's too dark to even make the type of car '' Jihoo re-played the dark video.
" He said it was road rage, do you think the car in front was hit? '' The intentionality behind the dark corners they took, even the video record with the high-end camera installed couldn't be used as any good evidence as it was hard to make out the figures let alone the faces hidden.
"Is that a girl?" Jihoo zoomed his eyes to make out the blurry figure that just bitch slapped his friend against his car and then picked him up by his hair before she landed her right leg on his blood-covered neck. His breath swallowed as he witnessed her attack on his friend; even across a screen, Jihoo was terrified of whoever that person was. His shocked eyes that rose to Junpyo returned back to the fascinating video.
" It can't be a girl," he added.
" Maybe it's a small man. '' Even Jihoo, unable to believe it, just accepted that the dark video wasn't good enough evidence that it was a girl. The small figure from a distance could be a short man. He knew there was no way Woobin would ever show this to anybody if the person ends up being a girl. The visual proof of being bitch slapped by a girl is something Woobin wouldn't want to exist anywhere.
" They were following him," Junpyo opened his lips. He had stayed up all weekend, next to Woobin's hospital bed, calculating every detail of what happened that night. Every minute detail and every second of the night since the moment she walked in was analyzed. Forget her all-black outfit and gloved hands, her blood-hungry eye she had kept at him should have told him why she was there. The weird feeling that washed over his body as she brought her fiery eyes his way, Junpyo should have recognized. His numb and drunk mind she had brought back to life just by her presence, every bit of discomfort and every other feeling he felt should have been to warn him about what was to come.
The intuition that never lets him down was right, as always.
She did show up for revenge.
The man that was sitting next to her was, in fact, with her.
" Ommo" Jihoo jumped, a little bit scared again, as he caught her right leg that landed against the left mirror, knocking it off the car with one kick.
"This seems personal' Jihoo watching his friend's crawling body pushed to the ground and held still, whispered. His friend's crawling body was what got some anger out of him. The slaps and kicks were deserved but watching his friend crawling and being stepped on like he was some bug, even Jihoo was filled with anger as he witnessed that. Unable to accept what he was witnessing, he replayed it repeatedly as Junpyo's eyes finally caught the girl he had been waiting for. Her lunch bag swung left and right, her old uniform on, and her boots switched for her sneakers, the person he was waiting for was finally here. Her face, not hidden behind a helmet, was cuddled by her messy hair as Junpyo made out her eyes that were looking straight ahead at the door she was heading to. It's a mystery how she goes from such a badass covered in black to the messy-looking high school girl.
"They are dangerous."
"Oh My God" Jihoo went on commenting on the video as Junpyo's eyes focused on her worn-out black backpack and what she hides in it. He would bet millions it wasn't just booked. The steps he couldn't even enjoy without being reminded of what her legs could do, Junpyo was lost fighting the internal battle against his rational self, which couldn't seem to accept that it really was her. The thick file of background checks the private investigator he hired responded with had shown how she had a clear record with nothing that stuck out of the norm. It was such a typical record that the investigator had even questioned if it was fake. No matter what he did, it doesn't seem like he could find information about this girl apart from what he had witnessed.
She really was a mystery, and all he needed to know was how dangerous she and the people around her were.
" I don't think this is some road-rage fight" Jihoo added as Junpyo lost in his thoughts tried to figure out what she was part of to be this bold and come for them. An Unknown nobody had dared to beat his friend and had him crawling through swear water-infested mud Junpyo couldn't even stand in without covering his nose with his perfume-decorated jacket. Standing at the exact position where it happened, Junpyo had spent hours unable to believe that the girl in the video was the small girl he chased on the bike. That was the only connecting link he had. The bike and his intuition. Standing in the middle of nowhere, right at her bike marks, that was when he concluded she had to be part of some illegal gang or organization. From the prostitution to the fighting, he was sure she was part of something that had her back to feel this fearlessness and come for a member of F4. The most important question now was, why was she at their school? How does a person like her get to such an exclusive school? Her school record, she had performed quite well to be in the top 10 of scholarship kids that were admitted that would somebody like her want to attend their school?
If she was a member of a gang, what would she get out of being at the most exclusive school field with billionaire kids?
" you need to show him this," Jihoo started tapping Junpyo's shoulder, bringing his friend back to their conversation.
"What are you staring at? " Jihoo, leaning forward, caught the girl walking into the building.
" Can you please leave her alone?" Jihoo requested while following behind Junpyo who grabbed his phone out of Jihoo's hand and started walking to the stairs. As usual, he knows he will run into her in the hallway, and her face he could read sometimes might give away some of what she might be feeling about what she did days ago. The window he chose to lower so she could see his face he still remembers the feeling that took over the car when hidden behind her helmet she got a good view of his face while the tinted window was lower.
"I have to stop by my office. We need to talk about this video," Jihoo glancing at the big clock on the wall heading in the other dissection. His friend totally ignored him, Junpyo focused on the hallway he was expecting her to show up, but she never did. The seconds he wasted waiting for her to show up in the hallway had no result before Yijeong found him and dragged him away to grab something to drink before heading to their first classes.
" To be honest, they all deserved it." Her classmates were still gossiping about it when the first teacher walked into the class. It was interesting how all the students that participated in the bullying all of a sudden were ganging up on their leaders. The weekend she spent calculating everything that might be coming her way, she didn't spend much time thinking about the person she had landed on a hospital bed. She had much bigger issues to worry about, and she had shown up to school with the speed dials ready for backup calls if Junpyo decided to do anything that she couldn't escape from. His eyes didn't see her face, but she was certain he knew it was her. The question was if he had seen what she did. Her nails that started attacking her skin were a result of her anxiety that had been activated and stayed throughout the weekend. Choosing not to tell anybody, she had stayed up both nights, going over every possible thing he could do to destroy her and all she cared about because of what he might have witnessed.
She needs to know what he knows.
That was what she concluded as she decided to come to school. Woobin was completely erased from her thoughts, she only had one goal. She needs to know what and how much Junpyo knows. Her hands asking for mercy were silenced by the book she picked and tried to focus on but couldn't. The four morning classes were the longest in history before the bell rang, dismissing all for lunch. Her lunch bag left in her locker, she headed to her favorite hideout. She needs to find some calm. The swimming pool in the old gym behind the garden was her goal as she quickened her steps across the vast garden.
"Why did you do it?'' The voice she couldn't recognize yet halted her quick steps as she turned her eyes to the left and saw the man sitting on the bench. The book in his hands lowered to his lap, Junpyo sent his eyes to the girl standing in the middle. She didn't respond. He wasn't expecting her either. He knows she can't talk. He just needs some type of reaction out of her to confirm that it really was her. Her eyes stayed on his face until he stood up, Junpyo was surprised she was scanning him. Her eyes that started at his hair brushed behind his ear, his hoodie covered by the jeans jacket that matched the jeans he had on to his YSL shoes, her eyes had scanned everything before they rested back on his face. He might have mistaken it as her checking him, but all she was doing was looking for any hint of weapons he might have hidden. That was her first task when cornered. When getting ready to fight for her life, the first thing to do is know what type of weapons the enemy has. Her eyes returning to his face rested on the look she couldn't read.
" His bruises look very familiar to the three" Placing his book in his left hand, he stood up and started heading her way. His raspy voice she wasn't used to yet was ignored as her eyes moving away from his long legs quickly scanned the surroundings. He could guess she was checking for witnesses, which there were none. With the tall trees surrounding them, there was no hint of any witness, or a camera directed their way. No weapon he could use around them, she returned her eyes to him. If he wanted to attack her, getting her alone might be the wrong move. Getting her alone in a secluded place was beyond wrong if he wanted to avenge his friend. That's what she was thinking about as she realized he was too smart for his own good. She knew their ego was beyond big and clouding their judgment but not this one. His silent eyes she had deemed useless were beyond smart. He had connected the dots to realize that the three minions and woo bin had the same broken bones. All he was missing was why she did it. It wouldn't take him much to figure it out, but he was still puzzled by the daring fact that it was this girl that had done all of that. He doesn't know where she exactly disappears to, but he had caught her walking across the garden a few times to know this was the perfect place to catch her by herself.
" Was it payback for the unifrom?" he asked as he stopped walking, leaving a few steps between them. Her eyes scanned him again, she was taken aback by how tall he really was. She might not be able to get to his neck without jumping or bringing him down first, that was the thought crossing her mind as she zoomed on his neck, which would be the easiest way to kill him if it came to it. Her itching fingers were granted their wish as she sent her hands to her back. Junpyo had caught her arms that were moved to her back, he questioned if she was getting ready to fight. Her eyes glaring at him from behind the bangs were ready to switch to fight mode if need be.
" I know it was you," he added. Her face immediately lifted up as she couldn't even fathom what this meant. What was he going to do? Her whole life she spent searching for answers, it could all end here and now. The jerk she hated before she even saw his face for the first time, she was aware of all he could do to end everything she had worked for. She wasn't worried about her life or what could happen to her but that she wouldn't be able to fulfill her lifelong revenge because she couldn't be patient and lost it. She had spent years just watching them do whatever they wanted because she had a reason to. Filled with childish revenge, she wasn't even careful enough to not be caught by this jerk that had caught her a couple of times. She had given into their childish games which will now cost her everything.
"Why did you do it?" Junpyo asked again, tilting his head to the right to get a better look at her face. More than his calm voice, what she took note of was the step he took closing the gap between them. While her eyes stayed on his menacing dark ones, her right hand on her back slipped under her skirt, reaching for the knife she always kept hidden in the garter she wore on her upper thigh. His perfume that contaminated her personal space was the first thing she despised before her eyes focused on his face right in front of her. His guts she hated, her repulsed eyes shifted their gaze to his neck he wasn't even protecting. His hands by his side, he didn't seem like he was going to touch her let alone fight her as she made out three-way she could easily knock him unconscious before he even lifted his hands.
" That was a nice bike", the little smile on his lips, she regretted even looking at as she was forced to be aware of his low voice that was lower than usual when whispered. The strands of his hair flying were ignored as her eyes were pulled back to his dark eyes that were sending words he wasn't even sure why he wanted to say. She didn't need any other proof that he knew it was her on that bike. He knew it was her that he was chasing across dark allies. More than that it was realizing that he could drive as well as he did that she focused on. Evey turn she threw his way, he had handled with an ease as he chased her to her own dismay; the unpredictability of what he could do was what was more terrifying. His face she couldn't read, it was more aerie to be in the dark about what this one wants from her. It would be easy to believe he would be out for revenge, but his eyes were confusing. What does he want? The confusion was triggering her anxiety more than if he had been hitting her by now.
" How did you get into this school?" This question was adding to her confusion as she couldn't understand why he didn't seem that angry about what had happened to his friend and mad at the person who had done it. If he knew it was her, he should be attacking her by now. She would rather he unleash hell on her than question her identity or anything else she did outside of this campus.
" an escort and a gang member, how did you get here?" her eyes focused on him didn't react to what he said. Her lack of response and recation as used to accept what he said as the truth about her identity and not that she just doesn't give a damn about what they said about her. They could believe whatever they wanted as long as they didn't start digging into her past. That line she had always protected, was a line crossed by the leader of the F4 that had two private investigator reports on his deck with her whole life history, or so he thought. The ingenious leader of F4, she was witnessing why he was the silent leader. He was too smart to notice something was up with the mute girl and standing in front of her, he wasn't hiding his curiosity.
" Who did you have to sleep with to get in?"
" What are you doing here?" this one got a reaction as the look in her eyes changed. The anger in his voice she misinterpreted as his disdain for anybody like her being at this school. Her whole existence, they hated beyond anything else, she didn't need another proof of how much he and his friends hated people like her. By Jihoo's own admission, these were the people who found torching others' entertainment. The little power trips of theirs that had landed so many people in life and death-situations, of course, he was more worried about somebody like her wearing the same uniform that had his last name.
" Why here?" her eyes immediately shifted to his right hand that lifted up. Her right hand which almost pulled out the knife was ordered to stay down as she recognized where his hand was headed. His hand and her eyes were ordered to follow landed at his luscious dark hair. The gorgeous hair being pushed to stay behind his ear had garnered all her attention as she remembered the girl's fingers that were playing in his hair Friday night. Her eyes following her fascination with his hair that was being brushed back landed on his triple-pierced ear. The earrings usually hidden by his hair, really added to the bad boy look he was known for. His thumb pushing the hair to stay behind his ear had led her curious eyes to his sharp jawline and his lips that parted. Unlike her, Junpyo was catching on to how she was startled by his hand. With her focused eyes that followed his hand, her hands that had just moved, and her body that had tensed up in seconds, he knew she was alarmed by the simple move he made.
" I wouldn't dare touch you" the smirk that escaped his lips and what he had just said had finally gotten a physical reaction out of her. Her fight and flight mode was completely shut down as she recalled how beneath him he really thought of them. How could she think he was going to attack her? That was underneath him and he had people for that. While she was trying not to smile at the realization that this boy wouldn't even touch her after she had beaten his friend to a hospital bed, he wasn't even sure why he was glad her tense body seemed relaxed. All the curse words she wanted to send his way were swallowed as sent death stars his way. She wasn't even sure what had taken over her as she took a step between them and stood inches away from him. His quick lean back, before he took a step back and another step was all she got. She knew he wasn't scared of her. His hands weren't raised to defend himself, his relaxed body didn't indicate any fear or any type of fighting stance. He looked taken aback.
The dark memories of her were quick to replay the smile across his face when he burned her boots. The disgusted look he had when touching them, she was quickly reminded of what he really thought of her. He had been standing watching while she was slapped, and humiliated ...his curiosity about her identity she was sure was just to find more ways to humiliate her or aid his friend in his revenge. The fire that started to mix with her blood flowing across her body, it was important for her to investigate why just a few words and just the sight of him fueled her anger to a new level. Her blood-red eyes focusing on him, she started closing the distance between them. Her eyes ordering him to follow their command had frozen him as Junpyo didn't move away this time. His eyes following her face that came to his side, zeroed in on the pure loathing displayed on her face. One, two she gave him a second before she passed him and continued her steps across the garden.
Turning around, Junpyo kept his eyes on the girl walking away from him. The blood-curdling way she had just glared at him, he was too lost in his own fascination with this girl to understand what was happening. She had not only just ended the conversation but had walked away from him. Forget being scared of him, the bewitching look of hers had demanded that he be scared of her. How does she switch from being ready to fight to pure anger to her "I hate your guts' mode so quickly?
"Huh" the sigh plus smile that escaped his lips Junpyo couldn't even look away from her. She really had just walked away from him. She never seemed interested in him but walking away from this conversation was new. If she was attacking Woobin for what happened to her, Junpyo knew he should be next anyway. He had been the right hand to what woobin has been doing to her, at times even instigating it. Her kicks he wants to see live, Junpyo couldn't wait for the day she would land them against him. How creative was she going to be when she came for him?
Both were lost on the same topic as Jandi concluded that he knew it was her. She knew he was too smart to connect their little chase and what happened to his friend even though he hadn't seen it. She wasn't aware of the video that exists across multiple hard drives in his control. With no evidence to back his claim, she had wondered if he had told any of his friends. All she spent her morning on was trying to answer these three questions.
What type of revenge could he be planning?
Has he told anybody that it was her?
What does he want?
The second of her questions was answered on the same day at lunch. With Woobin gone, she knew she wouldn't be bothered, so she sat in the corner of the cafeteria and enjoyed her lunch. This corner has become her new favorite spot to eat at. The cold air flowed through her hair as she sat right next to the big window she had opened, and with the grand view of the garden, Jandi was lost in her own world for hours. Before her nice lunch was concluded, her peace was disturbed by a familiar face.
" hey," Jihoo's face that landed right next to the table her lunch bag was sitting on, had startled her out of her existence as she immediately returned to reality and got into her flight or fight mood.
"Sorry" he added with a smile as he recognized how she had tensed up and changed in seconds. He knew she didn't like people in her space so he should have known not to startle her, but she looked too cute when she reacts to things. If not, all he gets were her blank stares. Her nerves calming down, she loosened her legs that were ready to dropkick him against the hard floor.
" Huh" she sighed, claiming down as she moved her eyes from the man sitting in front of her to the people around her. His two friends she was looking for weren't there. He was by himself. The only people she caught were the surprised students that were confused about why he was sitting with her. She was just as surprised as to why Jiho was sitting at her table, in the middle of the cafeteria. Is this a game he and his best friend were playing? It had to be. For both of them to catch her and talk to her on the same day, after she had beaten their friend, she was beyond suspicious of what was happening.
" I am sure you heard about what happened. '' The subject she was curious about was brought up immediately.
" You, out of everyone, should be happy about it," he added, turning his eyes to her book sitting on the table. The old covers of the book were being examined as his fingers started flipping the pages. His eyes focused on the book; she was granted some space to get a good look at the student president. Unlike his best friend, his clean-cut hair was neatly brushed. The lack of any ear piercing was noted as she focused on his beautiful face; the summery warmth and glow he was known to have. His smiles he gave away so easily, it was beyond easy to be drawn into the kind eyes of his that glanced her way. She had to shut it all down before any of it even reached the surface of her walls.
" How is he doing?" She asked, even though she could care less. All she wanted was to check if Junpyo had told anybody about their little chase and that she was the one that had landed their friend in a hospital bed.
" He's fine, but recovery will take longer. Some of the broken bones will take months" His hand holding her book was ignored. His hair and uniform had really changed how he looked. The comfortable outfit he had on Friday night, had really changed how she looked at the student president who looked different, more at ease, and himself when not in this uniform. His custom uniform ironed to perfection was tailored to showcase his great posture which displayed the type of power and respect he garnered even when he was sitting so casually.
" I look different without a uniform" his response forced her eyes to immediately lift to his. The last thing she wanted was to be caught looking, let alone for him to understand exactly what she was looking at and what she was thinking about. It was becoming too easy to read her, which only Jihoo was happy about. To Jandi, the fact that he could guess what she was thinking was alarming. The light hint of pink hue that appeared all over her cheeks for a second or two, he knew it was the result of his startling presence, and he was a bit happy about it. Her nervousness he had triggered by proving he could read her, Jandi didn't even have enough time to shut her body down from reacting to any of it before she was forced to take in his smile along with his eyes that focused on her. From Her cute nose to her chopped-up cherry pink lips, she started biting. The ghostly-looking weird girl was actually beyond adorable when she was startled. He could turn his eyes to the book and give her a second but no. He knew this was a rare moment to miss.
" Do I look better without the uniform? He asked leaning in closer. His arms that placed the book down were crossed as he leaned her way. The bewilderment in her eyes, her leaning back to avoid him, her lips that parted to say something but were silenced, Jihoo was enjoying the confusion all over the girl.
" wasn't that why you were staring at me all night" he added the embarrassment he felt by his own words were hidden behind his smiles. He knew he was good looking but it wasn't something he ever claimed or had to even hint at to get somebody's reaction.
" or I was startled" Her voice he got her to use was the only thing he needed to know he had won her full attention and he was in control of the conversation. The girl who never spoke to the point she was called mute, getting her to talk was a battle only he has won.
" By how I looked or by being there?" Leaning back against the chair he asked. Her lips that opened to say something were silenced again as he noted how she was controlling herself from saying what she wanted to say. He had gotten close but was still not able to lift the filters that silenced her honest thoughts he was eager to hear.
"What do you want?" Turning her eyes away from him and at her phone that vibrated she asked. The phone was quickly placed on her lap before she turned her eyes back to him. The phone her eyes focused on for seconds, he knew had done something to her as she returned to her normal self. The minute-long window he had was now closed.
" You are not part of any school club" Shifting his eyes to the book and the pages she had marked he asked. Her name he had typed to the school system had come up with her school record that showed she was part of nothing and participated in nothing.
" I expected you to be part of the book club" shifting his eyes her way he commented.
" You don't have any friends either " he added knowing he couldn't get her to talk until she wants to and lucky for him he didn't have to wait that long.
" What do you want?" crossing her arms she asked again. Closing the book, he focused his attention on her.
" you ask as if you would give me what I want" It was so easy to tell how easily she gets irritated when she isn't in charge. Her fidgeting fingers he noticed, he knew she probably was nervous about what was happening. He really hadn't thought about what he was doing. Maybe sitting with the mute girl that the whole school had the authority to bully wasn't a great idea. The eyes looking their way from the distance, he finally noticed. All he wanted was a chat but now all he could think about was if anybody was going to bother her for him wanting a simple chat.
" The student council is looking for an assistant" Pulling out a single flier from his pocket, he placed it on top of the book. He needs to get to the point he had been looking for her and the only thing he could do to protect her against them all.
" I would love it if you could apply," he gave her a short smile. The baffled way she looked at him, as though he was some weird alien, was a bit endearing. He was sure she had no friends and wouldn't want to be part of any group. He knows how hard it could be for scholarship kids to make any friends but this girl didn't look like she even wanted any friends let alone join social groups.
" it's a great experience and a nice thing to have on your resume for college" realizing that she might not like being with people, let alone the student council, he had to list another benefit to joining his council. Considering the number of books she reads and the grades he has seen on her file, Jihoo was sure this girl was smarter than most students on this campus. If he had to be honest, that wasn't the reason he was personally recruiting her. Maybe it's his guilty consciousness trying to make up for all the bullying she has been receiving. Or it was his protective nature, trying to hide her behind him and give her the council office as a safe haven before woobin comes back and raises hell. That was all he could do. That was the best way to protect her; to have her be part of his council and around him whenever she wasn't in class. The girl he didn't know well, he couldn't even predict what she would say to his request. If he had to be honest with himself he knew she would not accept. She didn't like him even with the small interaction they have, why would she join to be around somebody she destated.
" Oh cute," he pointed at the Totoro stickers on her lunch bag. He needed a distraction.
" I love that movie"
" I's a great m" the words she wanted to speak out were swallowed immediately as she realized, once again, to keep her distance from this boy. He brought her attention back to him as he stood up and started fixing his uniform. Even his name tag was different from the rest. She hadn't missed the Korean flag pin underneath his name tag either. His limited Rolex watch peeking from his sleeves she caught as she followed his hands that were sent to his pocket.
" I would really like it if you apply. '' The twinkle in his eyes were as inviting as ever as Jandi, who knew better, for a second believed that he might actually care if she joined. She knew it wasn't about her lack of friends but she couldn't find any other reason why he would ask her to join. The question she was formulating was answered quickly as the darkness she lived with was quick to take over the nice interaction and remind her that he could be working with his friends. It could all be a ploy to get her when she least expected them to.
" We have a meeting tomorrow" his right hand pulled out of his pocket and picked the pen that was sitting next to her book.
" Here is my number" pulling the flier he had placed on her book, he started writing. His lavender-scented sweet perfume picked up as he moved closer and leaned over. Of course, she thought as she saw his beautiful handwriting. Of course, he has beautiful handwriting. His strong looking fingers were slow as they started writing his name. The blood veins on his hand she could make out, his skin that looks as soft, the ring on his little finger . . .
" Call me if you have any questions" The confused look on her face was still present as Jihoo went on sending her his famous warm smiles, hoping they would let her know that he meant no harm.
" I swear it's not as boring as it sounds. it's really fun" he added as she brought her brown eye back to him. Her voice he had hoped to hear again was nowhere to be found as she kept her lips shut.
" I'll wait for you tomorrow," he tapped her lunch box as he started walking away.
Would he really be waiting for her? Jandi questioned as she focused her eyes on the numbers written by the right corner of the flyer. The cute smile emoji next to his name had forced a smile out of her as her brian unable to contemplate what was happening, tried to come up with theories as to why he would ask her to join the council. It can't just be because he's nice.
No stranger was ever this nice to her. Nobody was ever this nice to her without wanting something. .
Ring - Ring, the loud bell that signaled the end of lunch break was what woke up her confused mind back up. All her stuff placed in her lunch bag, English class-5th floor was where she was headed. The flyer in her hands had all her attention as she started walking to the hallway. The crowded hallway she was walking in she hadn't noticed as she went on staring at the phone number and name written across the button of the flier.
" Jihoo" she whispered inwards as she tried hard to figure out what he wanted from her.
Nobody was nice for no reason.
" Jihoo" she whispered again as her right hand pressed the elevator button. His name she had never said out loud, it felt weird enough to whisper it to herself. Somehow it felt too friendly to call him by his name.
What does the student council do?
What does he want from her?
Would he really be waiting for her?
"Fuck" she cursed inwards as the elevator doors opened and she caught Junpyo standing against the wall, as always, hands in his pocket. She could have chosen to take the next elevator but why? She had to prove she doesn't care about him. She had to prove their morning chat had done nothing to change what she thought of him, only made it worse.
" huh" she sighed as she placed the flyer in the middle of her book and walked in. She couldn't wait to get out of this school, she sighed again as she pressed up.
As she looked up at the closing glass door, she caught his eyes staring right at her. One look and was all it took to realize maybe it would have been a better choice to take the next elevator or even the stairs. It is necessary to avoid this asshole at all costs for the next couple of weeks before she leaves this place for good. She needs to have a countdown for the amount of days she has left before she was done with this school and she burns her uniform along with all the years she spent there. With the sick days she had never used, maybe she could fake a doctor's note and just miss days until they are done. That might be the best way to never see his face again.
" If I were you" she had thought it was only his eyes that made her uncomfortable but his low voice that just hit her ears was worse as it forced all her nerves to react to it and pasued every train of thought. His touring body behind her, she knew it was a mistake to have chosen to stand in front of him.
" I wouldn't join" as she looked up and followed his gaze, her eyes landed on the flyer sticking out of her book. Both their eyes from it, landed back on each other. She was about to find her answer to what he will do to protect his friends.
"hu" Jandi breathed in as her whole body was frozen the moment he broke into her personal space, closing the gap between them. Thought to never leave her back open, she was learning her lesson as everything was silenced when he took the step that separated them and stood right behind her. His tall appearance she was aware of, was intimidating when it was a step away behind her. His dark eyes from her reflection on the door turned to her frozen body inches away from figure standing a step away from her was overpowering as all her senses were immediately made aware of his closeness. The heat coming from his body, his perfume, his eyes focused on her reflection, his raspy voice mixed in with the threat it carried to her ears, Jandi was learning an important lesson about not letting this man get this close to her ever again.
" leave Jihoo alone" His low voice hitting her ears was nothing compared to his eyes that returned to hers. The tension that had taken over the small space, in seconds, transported both to a strange place. That was a threat. A direct threat. Woobin's body laying in the hospital wasn't what he was threatening her for but the mere chance that she might even be around Jihoo. The girl who never took threats lightly had welomced this with an open arm as her always-in-control mind wasn't even fully aware of the decision it was making when she turned around. Turning her body to face him, her slow shift had given her eyes a crystal clear view of the man standing only inches away. Finally getting not a reflection but a real view. A closer than ever view. She could attribute it to her phobia of people being in her personal space. That was the trigger for doing irrational things like choosing to be this close and face-to-face with Junpyo.
She would have been able to notice the two beauty marks under his right eyes if she wasn't been too captured by his menacingly dark eyes staring right into her unsettled ones. His spotless and flawless face was for the first time right in front of her, ready to be admired. But admiration wasn't the emotion she was processing. Their reckless battle to out anger and dare the other had resulted in Junpyo proving why she shouldn't mess with him. Her eyes challenging him were accepted as he took the small step that separated their bodies. The first contact of their peculiar emotion filled bodies were against his thousands of dollars jeans jacket met her uniform shirt with his last name tagged to her chest. The fact that her fight mode wasn't activated should have been investigated but filled with so much loathing, her mind was fighting against being intimidated or startled by his face that was right in front of her or his inebriating eyes staring into her soul guarded with thick walls wrapped wire blood wires. Her body trained to be aware of any contact, it wasn't surprising why was sent red flags the moment their bodies touched. Unlike her and considering how many strangers were allowed to be all over his body even when unclothed, it was puzzling how he was alarmed about this. Neither in control of what was happening, only Junpyo had the full confidence to take it as far as it needed to go.
"What?" He whispered, leaning down and bringing his face even closer as the fresh mint of the gum he was chewing outweighed his perfume. Maybe it was that what led her eyes to his lips or his honeyed husky voice. Her eyes Quicky returned to his sinister eyes, she wasn't ready to question why they turned hauntingly fascinating. Her curious eyes she didn't question, she wasn't prepared for when his did the same. The freckles on her nose, her small nose, and his eyes had matched her energy as they landed on her lips. The bizarre way they were challenging her to she could tolerate, but as they shifted to her lips, the question behind them was too confusing and foreign to tolerate. Before she even registered any of it, the elevator doors opened.
Junpyo, brushing her aside, left that elevator.