⚠️TW: Mentions of Bullying
New school, new term, new beginnings.
Hyunjin and Seungmin had transferred to a new school mid-year, accepted on special request after some back and forth. Initially, they were only willing to admit Seungmin, but after hearing their story, the school made an exception for both of them.
The thing is, Seungmin, being an easy target to pick on, was being bullied in their previous school. And it was bad. So bad that he couldn't go to the same school anymore. It had started subtly, just small, hurtful comments that Seungmin thought he could handle. But it quickly escalated. It used to happen almost everyday but he didn't dare tell anyone. He hadn't made any new friends, since highschool had just started. It was already difficult for him to connect with new people and the bullies never gave him the chance to make any friends. Hyunjin had suspected that something was wrong but Seungmin just shrugged it off whenever Hyunjin had asked. He never really denied it so Hyunjin knew something was up, but it wasn't until that day that his suspicions were confirmed.
He was waiting for Seungmin near the school gate as usual, since they walked home together. Seungmin would usually come about 5-10 minutes later than Hyunjin since his building was located a bit farther from the gate. But 10 minutes turned into 20 and then almost half an hour passed, but there was no sign of the younger boy.
He called Seungmin's phone several times, but each time it went straight to voicemail-phone off. Damn. Trying not to panick, Hyunjin called his mom to ask if Seungmin had reached home, but that wasn't the case. There was no way that he could be on the way home either since this was the only gate and Hyunjin was literally standing there watching every student that walked through. He was sure that Seungmin was still in the school...but what he was doing there, he had no clue.
Anxious, Hyunjin rushed towards the building where Seungmin's last class had been. He searched every classroom, his worry growing heavier with each empty room. Just two left at the end of the hall. His chest tightened, eyes burning with unshed tears. When neither room had Seungmin, Hyunjin felt dread rising in his throat. Where could he go?
As he turned to leave, he heard faint noises-sniffles, coming from the farthest corner of the hallway. The storeroom. Seungmin couldn't be there... could he? There was no reason for Seungmin to be there in the school's storeroom, that too now. Still, his feet carried him faster than his mind could process. He reached the door, hearing the unmistakable sound of sobbing now, muffled but raw. The door was latched from the outside. Hyunjin's heart pounded as he quickly unhooked the latch and threw open the door.
What he saw made his blood run cold.
Seungmin was huddled in the corner, hidden between old desks and chairs. He hugged his knees to his chest, body shaking with each sob. Hyunjin dropped his bag and rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. As he observed the younger in the dim light, he found his body covered in bruises and...blood?
"Seungmin! What happened? Who did this to you??" Seungmin flinched at the sudden voice, but he immediately recognized it as Hyunjin's and looked up.
His face looked even worse. Bruises darkened his skin, and Hyunjin's eyes immediately locked onto the cut on his lip, the blood trailing down his chin. His forehead was swollen, a nasty bruise visible even in the faint light. His breath was ragged, and each gasp sounded like it hurt. His weak lungs made situations like this even worse.
"Oh Min! How did this happen?" Hyunjin was sobbing as well, not being able to bear the state his little brother was in. Seungmin immediately dived into Hyunjin's arms, crying harder, his body trembling as he clung to his brother.
"Shh, it's okay, I'm here now. I'll take you home, alright? We can talk about this later." Hyunjin stroked his hair back as he hugged Seungmin tightly, not caring if the blood stained his white shirt. He felt horrible that he let it get to this.
Hyunjin rocked him gently, whispering soft reassurances until Seungmin's sobs began to die down. After what felt like forever, he asked, "Can you walk?"
Seungmin nodded weakly, and together they made their way out of the school.
𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋
When they reached home, their mother was waiting, eyes wide with worry. She bombarded Hyunjin with questions, careful not to overwhelm Seungmin, who was still shaken. She tended to his wounds with gentle hands, putting him to bed after, letting him rest.
Later that night, when their father came home, the truth came out. Seungmin finally revealed the extent of the bullying. He'd been hit and insulted regularly, though never as brutally as that day. The bullies had taken their frustrations out on him, venting their anger over a breakup, a failed exam, and other trivial things. Seungmin was just the easiest target since he would never speak up for himself. That day, they beat him up in the storeroom, took his phone, and locked him inside.
That was the last straw. Hyunjin and their parents knew there was no going back. Seungmin had to leave that school. Hyunjin insisted on transferring with him, refusing to leave his brother alone.
And so, they both ended up at SKZ High School, starting halfway through the academic year.
𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋
"Are you excited?" Hyunjin asked, flashing Seungmin an encouraging smile as they passed through the gates of their new school.
Seungmin returned a small, uncertain smile. He wasn't sure if he was excited or just terrified.
"It's going to be okay," Hyunjin reassured. "Just try to make one friend, alright? I'll be with you during lunch, and any other time you need me. Don't worry-you're going to love it here."
Seungmin nodded, but his heart was heavy with anxiety. The both of them walked into the building and parted ways only after Hyunjin walked Seungmin till his classroom. He wasn't going to take any chance now. He was going to be there with Seungmin whenever the boy wasn't in class. It wasn't actually feasible, and Hyunjin knew that, but he would definitely try.
𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋
The first few classes went surprisingly well. The teachers were kind, and Seungmin even felt a flicker of hope as the hours passed without incident.
But as lunch break began, and Seungmin waited outside his classroom for Hyunjin, a group of students ran past, shoving him aside roughly.
"Get out of the way, idiot." was something he heard amidst the chaos. Seungmin froze. The words, the push-they all felt too familiar.
New school, new start......But the same old story.
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𝕄𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 || 𝟚𝕞𝕚𝕟
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