𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇

#.. FIFTY-FIVE

after a long pause, seungmin and gunil were skating to school again. the floor wasn't as slippery in the middle of february, means they could resume their tradition.

"we haven't done this in such a long time" seungmin detected, both of them shivering from the breezy air that hit their faces.

gunil nodded. "well, there was too much drama going on before. but see, everything's nice now, no?"

he looked over to seungmin. "well, except for your beef with suryeol."

seungmin's face was still bruised, hematomas on his most prominent features, his lip still had a visible wound.

but suryeol had it worse - seungmin's punch broke his nose. dark purple circles that highlighted his eyebags and a big bandaid on his nose were the effects of seungmin's defense.

the younger laughed. "well, the beef is one-sided, let's just say that. and i don't care about a prick like him.

i'm more worried about jungsu.."

it was silent for a few moments, before he continued talking.

"i know something is going on. but he never talks about what bothers him. let alone cry in front of me.

i'm scared it'll take a bad turn."

gunil sighed. "i wish i could help. i don't know anything about how to make someone talk about problems.

jiseok is always telling me everything and i'm the first one he comes to when he wants to cry."

he needed some time to think of any advice. seungmin used that silence to reveal something.

"the day we were over at jungsu's place, jiseok purged out what we ate. did he tell you that?"

gunil stopped in his tracks, surprised. "he did?" seungmin nodded.

"i went to the toilet and heard someone vomit. and, well, jiseok left the bathroom so it's more than obvious what happened.

i know it's none of my business what he does but please talk to him about it. you're his boyfriend, i think he will listen to you."

gunil didn't know what to say, just continuing to skate. "of course. he didn't tell me.."

"he wants us to think he's recovered. i was thinking about telling jungsu but he's so irritable the last days, i don't wanna risk it."

gunil nodded, understanding. "i'll talk to him, then." they continued skating next to each other.

"how is the couple therapy going?" seungmin then asked, having remembered that there was something like this in his best friend's life.

but he just received laughter as a response. "we've been there just for three weeks - three times in total. it actually helped."

arriving to school, there was a huge crowd forming in front of the entrance. people were cheering and laughing.

the two looked at each other, confused. a small slit between the crowding students gave them the possibility to see what was happening.

seungmin and gunil fought their way to the front: jungsu and suryeol were fighting.

hyeongjun was lying on the floor with a heavy nosebleed, his head resting on jooyeon's lap as the younger tried to calm him down, his hand playing with his long hair.

jiseok wasn't there, probably searching for a teacher inside the building. given the situation, jungsu was protecting hyeongjun.

seems like he had enough. seungmin felt his heart break when he saw the state jungsu was in. busted lip, swollen eye and other bleeding wounds on his face, peeking through his makeup.

just before he was able to step in and try to dissolve the rumble, jiseok returned with two teachers.

the fighting boys were dragged apart, both teachers shouting, students rushing to get away. it was chaos.

gunil rushed to jooyeon, helping him with aiding hyeongjun to stand up. seungmin wanted to rush after jungsu, who was pulled away into the building but he knew he shouldn't.

jiseok also held him by his wrist. "leave him alone for now" he muttered. "he's acting impulsively, he slapped me, too."