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As Aerum walked towards her designated classroom, the sunlight filtering through the trees cast a warm glow on the campus grounds. The chatter of students filled the air, mingling with the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. Aerum's footsteps echoed against the pavement as she made her way to the large wooden door of the classroom building.
As she reached the door, Aerum's eyes were drawn to the neatly printed list of student names affixed to its surface. With a sense of eager anticipation, she scanned the list, her finger trailing down the rows of names in search of her own.
"Let's see... A-E-R... there it is!" Aerum thought to herself, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she found her name. However, something caught her attention as she continued down the list, and her smile faltered, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Wait... Renjun?" Aerum muttered to herself, her heart skipping a beat as she saw the name just a few spots above hers. She wondered if it could be the same Renjun who had caused her pain and heartache before. She quickly dismissed the thought, reminding herself that there were many people with the same name.
As Aerum stood lost in thought before the door, the hubbub of the hallway swirling around her, she was jolted back to reality by a sudden collision with another student. With a gasp, she stumbled backward, Her balance was on the verge of collapsing, as if she was about to lose her stability.
Just as she braced herself for impact, a pair of strong arms reached out to steady her, preventing her from falling. Startled, Aerum looked up to find herself face-to-face with Renjun. He stood before her, his expression indifferent, as if the encounter meant nothing to him.
"Watch where you're going," Renjun muttered, his tone laced with irritation. Aerum's shock quickly turned to anger as she felt the heat rise in her chest. Without thinking, she instinctively reached out and grabbed his arm, her grip tight as she stopped him from escaping. "Stop right away," she demanded, her voice trembling with suppressed fury.
Renjun halted in his tracks, but instead of showing any remorse, he merely glanced back at her with a dead serious face. Without warning, his expression twisted into a scowl, and he yanked his arm away from her grasp.
"Don't dare touch me," he growled, his voice low and menacing, drawing the attention of the surrounding students. Aerum recoiled slightly, taken aback by the sudden change in his demeanor. The tension crackled between them, thick and palpable, as they locked eyes in a silent battle of wills.
Aerum couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear at the dangerous edge in Renjun's voice. But she refused to back down. With a defiant glare, Aerum squared her shoulders, ready to stand her ground.
Renjun straightened up and was once again ready to leave the suffocating environment when Aerum stepped forward and grabbed his arm.
Renjun's eyes narrowed at Aerum's actions, and his jaw clenched with barely contained anger. "What's wrong with you?" he snapped, his tone dripping with irritation. "Let fucking go."
However, Aerum stood her ground, and her grip tightened on his arm. "Not until you apologize for everything you've done and give me a reason for your actions," she retorted, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and frustration.
Renjun's expression darkened, and his features contorted into a scowl as he struggled against Aerum's hold. "You have no idea what you're talking about," he growled, his voice low and menacing.
But Aerum refused to back down, her eyes flashing with determination. "I know enough," she shot back, her voice unwavering. "And I won't let you get away with it this time."
Renjun's nostrils flared with barely contained rage as Aerum's words sliced through the tension like a knife." Fuck off ", He grabbed her arm pulling her close, his grip harsh. His eyes blazed with fiery intensity, boring into Aerum with a chilling glare that sent shivers down her spine.
"I fucking swear if you come any closer again...," he spat, his voice dripping with venom, Renjun didn't complete his sentence, waiting for her to get it. Each word was laced with a threat that hung heavy in the air. "And trust me, you don't want to find out what I'm capable of."
Aerum's heart raced as she stared defiantly into Renjun's eyes. "I'm not scared by you," she retorted. Her voice was steady despite the tremble in her hands.
Renjun's lip curled into a sinister sneer, a dangerous glint flickering in his eyes. He took a step closer, his presence looming over Aerum like a dark cloud. "You should be, love," he said, his voice low and menacing. It sent a shiver down Aerum's spine. "I've done things you couldn't even imagine."
Aerum's gaze was unwavering as she stared back at him with defiance. Her determination shone through, though her heart hammered in her chest with every beat. "I won't back down," she declared. Her voice was tinged with a hint of fear, but her determination shone through. "Not until I can see you behind the bars,"
Renjun's eyes flashed with fury, a storm brewing behind his icy facade as he clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned bone-white. He was still holding her arm, eyes boring into each other. "Aerum! Renjun....?" "Renjun! Leave Aerum!" A male voice coming from a distance followed by a female voice. Before she could react, the sound of hurried footsteps drew her attention, and she saw Miri and Mark rushing to her side, completely forgetting about Mark's own plastered arm, he pushed every student out of his way with concern etched on their faces.
"Let her go, Renjun," Mark demanded, his eyes flashing with a hint of warning. But instead of listening to Mark's words, Renjun's frustration only seemed to escalate. He clenched his fists, his jaw set in a defiant line as he glared at Mark and Miri. Not in a mood to face the couple early in the morning. "Don't tell me what to do," he retorted, his voice seething with annoyance.
"Enough, Renjun!" Mark's voice boomed, his anger palpable as he stepped between Renjun and Aerum, shielding her from harm. Miri stood by Aerum's side, her expression a mixture of concern and confusion.
Renjun's eyes landed on Miri as she looked away from him. he hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering with a dangerous intensity, but ultimately, he relented, releasing his grip on Aerum.
"you okay?" Miri asked, her voice filled with worry as she reached out to steady her friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Aerum replied, her voice unsteady as she tried to push aside the lingering fear that gripped her heart.
"I guess we already talked about it, Renjun, No Family member will be involved in it. And this time, there's no room for argument," Mark's voice was menacing as he took a step closer to him.
Miri sensed that Mark's demeanor had changed. She took a step forward and grabbed Mark's arm, pulling him slightly towards her. "Babe, let's go," she whispered to Mark, only loud enough for him to hear. However, Renjun, who was nearby, also heard her. His aura darkened and his eyes bore into the couple before slowly moving to Miri, who was holding Mark's arm.
Renjun scoffed, a bitter smile playing on his lips. What surprised Aerum the most was that not only Mark but also Miri knew Renjun, even though she couldn't remember ever meeting him before.
But it clicked with her
"Do you know how many people close to you are part of it? Think again. They're so close to you."
Aerum suddenly recalls Jinhyuk's sentence, causing her to look up at Mark.
"Why? Are you scared?" he taunted, his tone laced with defiance. Staring into his eyes, he continued "...Also I don't take orders from you," he finished.
Before Mark could respond, Renjun glared, turned on his heel, and walked away. Aerum's stomach tightened with unease as she watched him leave, wondering.
