Final Round ⟨Markhyuck⟩ ||Completed

°Chapter twenty two°

Tw//mentions of abuse and homophobia

Johnny had been living with Taeil for more than half of a year now. He was going to be sixteen years old in a few months. The older man and young boy were not still not that close, but Johnny has been talking more with Taeil as the older man had always tried to encourage the boy.

Taeil was still training with his MMA career and would bring Johnny along with him, traveling overseas to different countries for his fights. Johnny loved the atmosphere he was around. It was aggressive, yet reassuring to him, though Johnny has never wanted to fight since he didn't have a reason too, but that wasn't until one afternoon.

Taeil had asked Johnny if he would be comfortable to enroll in a high school for his sophomore year. Johnny didn't want to disappoint the older man so he agreed, even though Taeil wouldn't have been upset if he chose not to go back to school. After the first week of school, Taeil instantly regretted placing Johnny back into school.

It was the ending of the first week of school for Johnny and he didn't even last the full week. He had come home on a Thursday afternoon, cuts and bruises all over his face, arms, and stomach. Taeil felt his blood boil, but he remained collected as Johnny was his top priority first.

"What happened?" Taeil quickly made his way over to the front door where Johnny limped through.

Taeil had been shadowboxing and once he heard the door open, he went to greet the young boy with a warm smile But once he saw him, his smile dropped.

"Nothing," was all Johnny said before kicking off his sneakers and speed walking to his room while Taeil watched the boy shut the door.

Taeil felt guilty. He felt it was his fault that this happened to him and he felt extremely terrible. How could he hurt such an innocent boy? He's already been through enough.

He waited an hour or two before going to Johnny's door and knocking lightly, waiting for the young boy's response. He walked in seeing Johnny laying on his bed, facing the ceiling in silence.

"Dad," Johnny called out to Taeil, making the older's heart flutter in happiness as the boy has never called him that before, but he ignores that feeling for now.

"I haven't even been here long, but you're more of a father to me than my own biological. You treat me so well and you always do your best to take care of me. You tell me you love me and that I deserve all the best things in life. So why? Why me? Why does everything bad always happen to me? What did I do so wrong to have this happen to me?" Johnny sat up and looked at the older in tears.

Taeil's heart broken to see the boy he considers his own in tears, crying in front of him. Taeil stepped closer to the crying boy and brought him in his arms, careful not to hurt the boy since he was still bruised and cut up.

Taeil was standing in front of him, bringing the younger's head to his chest while Johnny wrapped his arms around Taeil's waist. The older man caressed Johnny's soft locks while the young boy continued crying.

Johnny may seem strong on the outside because of his height and he's also strong on the inside as well, but somehow the other students at school were able to find his weakness, calling him homeless and a worthless money chasing whore and that the only reason why Taeil brought him home was to advance his reputation on the media and get a larger following.

He could never get away from the negativity that seems to always fluctuate around him all the time. First it was his parents, they were practically wishing for the boy to just disappear from their lives as they'd constantly beat on him. Then it was the kids at his old school, they'd bully him for being gay and tell him how he shouldn't even be alive, which Johnny agreed with them on that part. And now the other students at his new school beat up on him just because he's new and they somehow found out about his past.