Annyeongz One-shots

23.Unheard Truths ( 3 )

The soft hum of voices and footsteps filled the school as students slowly filed out of their classrooms during the break. Ahn Ryujin sat quietly at his desk, eyes fixed on his open notebook. His jaw was still slightly swollen from the fight days ago, and the bruises under his shirt were healing—but the guilt inside him wasn’t. Not with the way Yujin still couldn’t go to school as usual. Not with the way Liz’s eyes looked dimmer that day.

He had promised himself he would do better.

Ryujin shut the notebook, raised his hand, and politely asked the teacher if he could use the restroom. Once dismissed, he stepped into the hallway, tucking his hands into his pockets and walking slowly, shoulders slouched. His thoughts swam with formulas and sentences—anything to drown out the weight in his chest.

But the moment he turned the corner toward the bathroom, a strong hand slammed against his chest.

Ryujin staggered back. Before he could fully react, his shirt collar was yanked roughly, pulling him forward until he was face-to-face with the very person who had caused this spiral in the first place.

Him.

The same senior he had fought that day when Liz was almost pulled into a storage room.
Now that lip had healed into a faint scar.

But his eyes were still full of fury.

“Well, look who’s walking around like nothing happened,” the older student hissed, shoving Ryujin back against the cold metal lockers.

Ryujin grunted as his shoulder hit hard. “Let go.”

“Not so fast.” The senior leaned in, breath sharp with rage. “You think saving her that day made you a hero? That you and your crippled brother are some kind of protectors?”

Ryujin clenched his fists but didn’t move. “Back off.”

But the senior didn’t. He gripped Ryujin tighter and yanked his face even closer. “You even look at that girl again when I’m around, I swear you’ll end up worse than your brother did.”

Ryujin’s breathing was sharp, his knuckles trembling. But his eyes didn’t waver.

“I won’t get the chance,” Ryujin said coldly, “because you’re never going to get near Liz again.”

That was it.

The senior snarled and slammed Ryujin harder against the lockers, this time with a fist crashing into his gut. Ryujin folded forward, gasping for breath. Then another punch—this time to his ribs.

Down the hall, a group of girls were walking back toward the classroom.

Among them was Jang Wonyoung, carrying her binder and chatting with her friend casually until a voice beside her lowered and said:

“Hey… isn’t that him?”

Wonyoung looked over.

“What?” she asked distractedly.

Her friend pointed slightly ahead. “That guy. The one who got accused of doing something to your sister. Isn’t that him?”

Wonyoung followed the direction of her friend’s gaze—and froze in place.

Down the hallway, partially obscured behind the lockers, she saw a scene she wasn’t supposed to see.

Ryujin.

Pinned to the wall. Getting beaten.

She could hear the dull thuds now. The way his body crumpled from the blow. The way he bit back sounds of pain. Her hand went numb.