nurse's office | minsung ✓

18

The sky had been clear just minutes ago, but now, out of nowhere, the rain came down in sheets, relentless and heavy. Jisung stood at the entrance of the school building, just a step away from the door, his backpack slung over one shoulder, eyes wide in disbelief at the sudden downpour. The sound of rain hitting the pavement echoed in his ears, drowning out everything else. He let out a sigh, shaking his head. Of course, it had to rain on this day, right when he was about to head home.

He stepped back under the small roof that stretched out over the school's entrance, the only thing between him and the storm. His clothes were still dry for now, but he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Not with the rain coming down this hard. Jisung took a deep breath, glancing up at the swirling grey clouds that hung low over the horizon.

What now?

Before he could even finish his thought, he felt it. A hand, strong and rough, gripping his shoulder, hard enough to make him flinch. His heart stopped for a moment, and his breath hitched in his throat.

That grip. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

The fourth-year jocks.

Before he could react, he was yanked backward by the shoulder, hard and sudden, his feet barely keeping up with the force of the pull. The sneers and laughter that followed cut through the sound of rain, sharp and cruel.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" a voice taunted behind him, laced with mockery. Jisung's stomach churned with dread, his pulse quickening. His mind screamed at him to run, to escape, but before he could do anything, the hand on his shoulder shoved him forward roughly, making him stumble.

He caught himself just in time, turning to face the group of jocks looming over him. They were much taller, broader, and stronger—everything Jisung wasn't. The leader of the group stood at the front, a smirk twisting his lips as he looked Jisung up and down with disgust.

"You look so pathetic, you know that?" the leader spat, eyes narrowing as he stepped closer. "All small and weak, like some lost puppy."

Jisung stayed silent, his fists clenched tight by his sides, trying to steady his breathing. He didn't want to give them the satisfaction of a response, but inside, he was terrified. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing louder than the last.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, loser," another one of them said, shoving him back a step. "Or are you too weak to even talk?"

The jock's friends snickered, egging him on.

"Come on, let's have some fun with him," the leader said, his voice cold and sharp. Before Jisung could move, two of them grabbed him by the arms, yanking him into a dim corner of the hallway. He struggled to break free, but they were too strong, his body no match for theirs.

The first punch came out of nowhere, crashing into his stomach with brutal force. The impact knocked the wind out of him, his knees buckling as pain shot through his body. Jisung gasped for air, but before he could recover, another fist connected with his side, sending him staggering.

"Too easy," one of the jocks sneered, his voice filled with amusement.

Another blow came, this time to his chest, sending him crashing into the wall. His head hit the hard surface with a sickening thud, his vision blurring for a moment. He barely had time to process the pain before a kick landed squarely on his ribs, knocking him to the ground.

Jisung curled into himself, his body trembling as the blows kept coming, one after another—fists, kicks, punches, relentless and merciless. Every hit sent waves of agony coursing through his limbs, his mind swimming in a haze of pain. His breath came in ragged gasps, each one more difficult than the last as his body screamed in protest.