The Boy From The Bridge - Jakehoon

Chapter 82: Fightback 3/6

What made gym class unbearable? For Jungwon it was that it combined several classes and that means he, along with everyone else, had to suffer 'several classes' worth of douchebags. Insu, was united with the likes on Donghyun and became considerably more insufferable.

Added to that, Jungwon wasn't a great fan of changing rooms. Crowded with so many people meant that you were lucky if you could put your clothes on a bench whilst changing. A lot of his peers had begun taking how they look seriously, which resulted in some people taking time to develop themselves whilst other opted to withdraw, becoming more self conscious.

Jungwon belonged to the latter camp. He was slim and scrawny and on top of that he just liked privacy. He wasn't one these guys who, in a show of bravado, would walk around the changing room naked to make everyone else feel inferior at their confidence in themselves. Due to this Jungwon was grateful for the sanctuary he found in the shower cubicle. He didn't want anyone to see him naked - he just wanted to be left alone with anyone watching eyes.

Jungwon had done this before, a quick shower to rid himself of the sweat that had left itself on his skin over the past hour. Quickly he flung his towel and his gym kit on the door, switched on the water and rotated around under the shower head.

As he completed his turn he noticed, to his horror - his towel and gym clothes were missing.

"Hey put those back!" He heard Choi call over the general murmured conversation that was taking place outside of the cubicle.

"Make us" Jungwon heard Donghyun call.

"Yeah - you're nothing without Wonnie besides you" Insu added.

"You guys are being jerks" Choi tried to say but whatever happened next produced mob-laughter. Jungwon cursed Donghyun and Insu.

Jungwon remembered why many of his peers waited until they got home before chaining their clothes. It was worth spending the day stinking of body odour, than to run the risk of falling victim to someone's 'prank'.

Realising that he was now one such victim, Jungwon felt his heart beat begin to rise has his mind dwelled on its predicament. He had no clothes, no towel and his uniform was out there in the changing room. He wondered if they'd taken his other clothes too - it was probable.

"Yeah, runaway fag" Jungwon heard Insu call, probably at Choi, followed by the sound of a door closing and a rapture of laughter.

"What a bitch" Donghyun said.

"Yo Jungwon" Insu shouted, " your boyfriend's gone - you'll have to come out some time and I'm sure everyone's going to enjoy you having to attend class naked!" leaving a couple of knocks on the cubicle door to reinforce the fear he was forcing on Jungwon.

Feeling vulnerable as he listened, Jungwon knew he couldn't just open the door and confront them without any clothes on. He would be made to feel embarrassed in front of everyone. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing him helpless - if that meant he was going to be late for his next class, then so be it.

_________

Jay was daydreaming again. He'd been plucking the hairs on his arm for two periods now and the tips of his fingers were beginning to hurt.

It was all piling up, deadlines for coursework, homework, practice papers, tutorials and revision - it never ended. How was he going to get on top of it all. The whole thing was overbearing. He didn't understand how everyone else in his class seemed to be dealing with it so well - they all seemed so calm and relaxed.

All of his friends still had smiles on their faces, the ability to joke about and be optimistic. Why didn't they seem to be struggling? Sunghoon and Heeseung were hardly academics, they were unlikely to sail through this period like the likes of Yun was. 'Was this because they had partners?' Jay ruminated, 'does having someone else make that pain go away?'