Quinn & King

18 Back

Monday morning, I was exhausted and sore all over.

I couldn't keep re-applying the heat patches because it was no longer proving effective. It's just like Uncle warned me. If you're always on a high, the you'll get bored of it eventually and start looking for stuff that kills. Albeit, he was mostly referring to drugs and cigarettes, but you get it.

When the goons dropped me off at school that morning, I was surprised to see students staring in a particular direction. I looked over, curious as to what or who they were staring at. Because for once it wasn't at me.

I was caught off guard when I saw a big silhouette being dragged by the arm by a smaller and thinner man. Of course, the bigger guy didn't budge and stood smack in the centre of the school entrance gate.

"Tsk," I was annoyed at whoever was blocking the way, only to realize later that they knew me.

"K-Kanzaki!" A male voice called out.

I turned around cautiously, wondering which male would call me out like that. It didn't sound very familiar.

"Ji Woo?! And..." I trailed off, my eyes darting to the figure beside him, who I assumed had called me out. "Your father?"

No wonder people were staring.

I wasn't sure how he managed to force Ji Woo to make it all the way to the school entrance, in uniform at that. But Ji Woo must have obliged a little. I mean, I have tried fighting against him and he was impossible to move!

"Oh, it's you. Look, you're his friend. Can you try to convince my useless son here to go back to school?" Ji Woo's father begged.

I frowned at him. "Did you just call him useless?"

"He is being useless, if he doesn't go to school!" He said instead and smacked Ji Woo on his back.

I walked away without a word, leaving them to deal with it themselves.

"Wait! At least take him with you!" He called out.

I sighed, turning back and standing right in front of him. I was basically towering over him.

"I don't think you should be calling your own son "useless" when you don't know what he's been through," I said, literally looking down on Ji Woo's father.

My intimidation seemed to work because he gulped and nodded quietly. I smirked and was about to leave when I noticed the students around me get antsy.

"Is there a problem here?"

Man, this feels like deja vu.

I reluctantly turned around to see Mr Kim in his cap and matching gym attire, his hands on his hips. He was trying to appear large, perhaps trying to show off. But I could see from his eyes that he was somewhat nervous to see me.

"N-no. No problem here. J-just trying to send my son to school," Ji Woo's father said, gesturing towards Ji Woo.

Mr Kim, being taller than I am, stood far taller than Ji Woo's father. In comparison, Ji Woo's father looked like a child, if you didn't look at the face.

Mr Kim's eyes wandered over to Ji Woo, his eyes scanning his messy uniform. Ji Woo had his gym uniform over his stained grey shirt, probably kimchi. His bottoms were a pair of navy sweatpants that were obviously not part of the school uniform. Mr Kim told him off for wearing inappropriate school attire, which made Ji Woo's father apologise on his behalf, saying they would buy another set for him.

While they spoke, I told Ji Woo to come with me. He stared at me wide eyed, confused. I rolled my eyes.

"Would you rather hang out with me or get dragged around and humiliated by these old men?" I asked, gesturing towards Ji Woo's father and Mr Kim.