Love-ish~~ | | Hwang Hyunjin

18. The Bully

"I d-didn't mean it like that," Jeongin stammers.

Jaejoon smirks before shoving him hard in the chest. "Then don't you dare talk back to me again."

Jeongin stumbles, wincing. "Ugh! My mom keeps asking why I come home late every day. I don't t-think I can stay late today."

A heavy silence stretched between them. Jeongin shifted uncomfortably under Jaejoon's gaze, his hands gripping the straps of his backpack like it was the only thing keeping him steady.

Jaejoon let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "You don't think you can stay late today?" He took a step closer, his tone mocking. "That's funny. Since when do you get to decide?"

Jeongin swallowed hard. "I-I just meant-"

Before he could finish, Jaejoon grabbed his collar and yanked him forward.

My breath hitched. My feet felt glued to the ground.

"Since when do you make the rules, huh?" Jaejoon's voice was quieter now, almost amused, but there was an edge to it that made my stomach turn.

Jeongin flinched, his eyes darting around as if searching for an escape. "I swear, I wasn't trying to talk back-"

"Then why do you keep running your mouth?" Jaejoon shoved him back again, making him stumble. "Maybe you should learn when to shut up."

Jeongin clenched his jaw, his breathing uneven. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he knew better.

Behind Jaejoon, Daehwi crossed his arms, watching with an expression that was hard to read. Not quite entertained, but not concerned either. Like this was normal. Like this was just Jaejoon being Jaejoon.

Jeongin let out a shaky breath. "Please," he muttered. "I just need to go home today."

Jaejoon scoffed. "You need to?" He turned to Daehwi with a smirk. "Hear that? He needs to go home. Should we let him?"

Daehwi let out a short laugh, but there was hesitation in his eyes. "I don't know, man. Maybe we should just-"

"Don't be lame," Jaejoon muttered before returning to Jeongin. "Tell you what. Since you're so desperate to leave, how about you do something for me first?"

Jeongin hesitated. "W-what?"

Jaejoon grinned, leaning in slightly. "Beg."

A sick feeling coiled in my stomach.

"Get on your knees and beg me to let you go," Jaejoon said, his voice light, almost playful. "Maybe if you do a good job, I'll be nice today."

Hyunjin inhaled sharply beside me. Ryujin's arms tightened around herself.

I couldn't stand here and let this happen.

Not anymore.

"Hey!" I shout. "That's enough!" I step down and go near them, as Hyunjin and Ryujin also do.

Jaejoon turned, his smirk faltering. "Kari," he said, his voice shifting, smoothing over. "You're misunderstanding."

Jeongin flinched at his side, but Jaejoon didn't even glance at him. Instead, he stepped toward me, hands slipping casually into his pockets like this was just some normal conversation.

"I was just talking to him," Jaejoon continued, tilting his head slightly. "Trying to help him out."

Help him out? My jaw clenched. "By shoving him? By making him beg?"

Jaejoon blinked, then let out a soft chuckle, like I had just said something ridiculous. "Come on, it wasn't like that." His tone was smooth, disarming. "We were just messing around."

Ryujin scoffed. "That's a damn lie."

Jaejoon's jaw tensed slightly, but he kept up the act. "Jeongin, tell them," he said, finally looking at the boy he'd just humiliated. "You know I wasn't serious."

Jeongin froze. His hands twitched at his sides, his mouth opening like he wanted to say something-but he didn't. His eyes darted toward me, toward Hyunjin, toward Ryujin.

He didn't want to lie. But he was scared to tell the truth.

Hyunjin let out a sharp breath beside me. "You're full of shit," he muttered.

"Fine," he muttered. "Believe whatever you want." Then, as he turned back to me, his voice softened again. "But, Kari, I just don't want you to get the wrong idea about me."

I scoff, rolling my eyes. "Wrong idea? Jaejoon, wake up. You're a creep, stalker, and a bully. It's evident. All this time, I was not being nice to you in case you're misunderstanding. I was merely trying to be polite. I have told you multiple times not to come near me or my friends. You cannot play it nice anymore. You're a fucking asshole."

Jaejoon clenches his jaw, "Kari, I'm gonna let this slide for now. But watch your mouth for next time."

"You're really shameless," Ryujin scowls at him. Jaejoon's eyes flicked to Ryujin, his expression darkening. "You should shut up, Ryujin," he muttered. "You always act like you're better than everyone. But really, you're just a stuck-up bitch who runs her mouth too much."

Ryujin's fists clenched at her sides, "Oh? And you're just a pathetic loser."

Jaejoon let out a humorless chuckle, taking a step closer to her. "Careful," he murmured. "You wouldn't want to piss me off."

Before I could stop myself, I stepped between them. "Back off," I snapped. "What, you can't handle someone talking back to you? You only feel big when you're pushing people around?"

Jaejoon's gaze snapped back to me. His expression shifted colder. His lips curled into a smirk, but there was nothing amused about it.

"Kari," he said quietly. "Do you know what I liked about you?" He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "You always hold it in. Your mouth, your actions, your feelings. Do not talk back to me."

My stomach twisted. "And somehow, you never seemed to hold it in. You don't scare me," I said, keeping my voice steady.

"Yeah?" Jaejoon took another step toward me, grabbing my wrist. "You sure about that?"

Before I could move, before I could even process the weight of his words, Hyunjin was there.

He shoved himself between us so fast and pushed him away from me.

"Touch her again," Hyunjin said, his voice even, but firm. "Go ahead. See what happens."

For a moment, Jaejoon just stared at him, his jaw tight.

Then, slowly, he exhaled, letting out a quiet laugh. "Fucking losers. Tryna gang up on me?"

"Weren't you trying to do the same with Jeongin earlier?" Hyunjin shot back.

Jaejoon's smirk twitched, but he didn't push it further. Instead, he took a slow step back, letting his gaze settle on Jeongin one last time.

"This isn't over," he murmured.

Then, without another word, he turned and walked off.

Daehwi hesitated for a moment, glancing at all of us, then sighed and followed after him.

The second they were gone, the tension in the air shattered.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Ryujin crossed her arms tightly, her jaw still set, but I could tell she was fuming inside.

I turned to Jeongin, my expression softening. "You okay?"

He nodded, though his hands were still shaking. "Yeah."

~