Secrets and Lies || Hoonki/Nikihoon

Chapter 8: Under Fire

Minjun and his crew sprawled out in their seats a few rows behind Ni-ki, Sunoo, and Jungwon, who weren't about to let up. Their laughter, loud and irritating, was like nails on a chalkboard. Ni-ki felt his skin crawl, and Sunoo's face was set in a deep scowl. He could tell that Sunoo was close to snapping.

Minjun, the ringleader of chaos, leaned forward with a smug grin plastered across his face. "Yo, Ni-ki! You still crying over mommy and daddy, or did they finally ground you for being a waste of space?"

His crew howled in laughter. Ni-ki felt his cheeks flush red, heart racing. He kept his gaze down, praying they'd just move on to someone else.

"Yeah, no wonder he always looks half-dead," one of Minjun's cronies added, smirking. "Probably up all night crying into his pillow, wishing someone actually cared."

Sunoo's fists tightened around the edge of his seat. "Can you seriously not shut up for five seconds? Like, find another hobby, losers."

Minjun ignored him, his eyes locked on Ni-ki like a shark circling its prey. "What's the matter, Ni-ki? Too scared to talk back? You always hiding behind your friends like a little bitch."

Jungwon shifted uncomfortably but remained quiet, while Sunoo was now visibly shaking with anger. Ni-ki wanted to disappear, the humiliation crawling up his spine. But before Sunoo could fire back with something that would make it worse, the bus came to a stop, and a fresh group of students boarded.

Suddenly, Minjun's crew went dead silent. The air changed, and Ni-ki could feel it too. He looked up, curiosity getting the better of him, and his heart nearly dropped.

It was Jake, Jay, and Heeseung. The trio walked down the aisle, casually chatting as if they owned the place. Jake was leading, his sharp features making him stand out, while Jay and Heeseung followed closely behind, looking relaxed but alert. Heeseung glanced at Ni-ki and the other two, smiling as he saw his familiar friends. Jungwon and Sunoo returned the smile, but Ni-ki wore a more conflicted expression. He understood that this trio was always loyal to Sunghoon, and secretly, he hoped that Sunghoon wouldn't show up.

Minjun and his crew had instantly shut their mouths, sinking into their seats like they didn't want to be noticed. This revealed everything Ni-ki needed to know - That crew wasn't the type of people Minjun wanted to mess with.

The trio slid into the very back row; their voices low but audible in the bus's quiet atmosphere. Ni-ki kept his eyes forward, but his ears caught everything.

"Yo, where's Sunghoon?" Jake asked, leaning over to Heeseung.

Heeseung chuckled. "Late as usual, probably flirting with that girl from the music department. I swear he lives in his own world."

Jay just shrugged. "He'll catch up. You know him."

The mention of Sunghoon sent a spike of anxiety through Ni-ki. He could feel his palms start to sweat, his stomach knotting up. Of all people, Sunghoon was the last person he wanted to run into right now. Sunghoon and Jake were tight, always together, and Ni-ki had already heard about their reputation.

Sunoo noticed Ni-ki's change in demeanor and nudged him. "You okay?"

Ni-ki nodded quickly, but his mind was racing. What if Sunghoon actually did show up? He immediately remembered about last night, and what if Sunghoon teases him about it again? What if they all decided to target him next? Being on Minjun's radar was bad enough, but Jake and Sunghoon? That was a whole new level of nightmare.