SAD BOY [HHJ] ✔️

[ 09 ]

N I N E
THIRD PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW

"KIYOMI-AH. DID YOU HEAR?" Kokoro uttered out in Japanese. Kiyomi lifted her brow, pulling her earbud out of her ear. "Eh? Anata wa nani o shite imasu ka? (What are you on about?)"

"Kwon Eunbin came back to our school."

Kwon Eunbin.

Where had she heard of that name before?

It had occurred to Kokoro that the girl was new so she wouldn't know about Eunbin. "She was a past student here. In our year actually. She was so popular and pretty! Then she dated Hyunjin, her heart was broken and she left. I didn't think she would return after such a messy breakup. Especially since he still goes here. Hopefully she's gotten over him. Maybe she'll even forgive him."

Right. The girl who was hurt by Hyunjin. Or the girl he played. Kiyomi thought to herself in that moment, if Hyunjin was hurting too, did that do him justice for breaking another person's heart? It didn't, right? Because if you do something wrong, it's wrong. Especially when you know it's wrong. Did Hyunjin know what he was doing was bad? That playing with someone's heart wasn't good?

The bell rang throughout the school hallways as students started ushering to class. Kokoro waved goodbye, quickly going to her first period. Kiyomi walked to her homeroom, tucking away her phones and her earphones as she entered the warm room. She sent a small smile to Hyunjin, which of course he didn't return except he gave a nod instead. Taking her seat, she raised her brows at Felix, her way of greeting him. He rested his face on his desk, "I want to go home." He mumbled, his words coming out muffled. "Don't remind me." She yawned slightly, soon receiving a hit in the arm by him. "What was that for?" She queried, rubbing her arm softly.

"Did you stay up again and study?"

"Don't at me like that. I saw you're lights on too. Playing Overwatch again?"

"Shh." Felix pouted, watching his homeroom teacher come in. The teacher stood at the front, smiling at the the teenagers. "Students! We have a new student. Or old if you will. Kwon Eunbin, would you like to come in?" Quickly, the class erupted into whispers. Out of the corner of her eye, Kiyomi observed Hyunjin's reaction. And for that split second, out of his cold expression, she could see a little bit of fear and maybe guilt for what he had done. But quickly, it disappeared as he sported his normal blank face,

The tall female walked into the classroom, bowing once she got to the front. "I'm Kwon Eunbin. Please take care of me!" She bowed once again, waiting for the teacher to allocate her a seat. Kiyomi eyed the empty seat next to Hyunjin. And by that moment she knew that the rest of the year was going to be hell. But she didn't know who for.

Eunbin or him.

Or was it her?

• • •

Kiyomi entered her regular convenience store with Jisung and Seungmin. They were getting there school lunch here for today. Although the cafeteria supplied them with food, who's to say it was edible? While she was picking out her favorite grape jellies, her eyes widened when she saw a small strawberry milk bottle in front of her eyes. "Two little birdies told me it was your favorite." Jisung wiggled the pink bottle, watching Seungmin near them.

"I didn't know Felix and Chan grew wings and feathers." Seungmin said, his eyes reading the labels on the two pink bottles he held before throwing one to Jisung, who caught it with his one hand. Kiyomi chuckled, walking with the two males to the cash register. And as she did, the female passed aisle full of medicinal items. She eyed them with a frown. It reminded her of something she didn't want to be reminded of. "Do you think we should've got stuff for the rest? Hyunjin likes snacks." Seungmin queried, placing his items on the counter. The elder man behind it looked upon hearing the familiar name.

"You wouldn't be perhaps talking about the Hyunjin I know? Six foot, crescent eyes, pale skin littered with bruises?" Jisung averted his eyes to his friends, then back to the owner. "Yeah, we are actually. Do you know him?"

"Know him? I've fathered him in this store. That boy always comes here to get medicine for his wounds. Sometimes I even attend to them. You three should take care of him." A shiver went down Kiyomi's back. Her mind recalled yesterday's event. She wanted no recollection of it. To think that he hurled all this time. Moreover, he came here to get help from the owner. "Whenever he skips his classes, he's either here or somewhere else."

He meant the rooftop. The one where she saw him having to take care of himself. Where she found out about Hwang Hyunjin's secret.

The three friends frowned together in silence. How could they respond to that? Should they say that he doesn't let them? But it wasn't his fault either. Maybe Hyunjin just couldn't speak about it. But then again, these were his brothers. All of eight of them had a special connection with him. Would it hurt to tell them? What was stopping him from becoming safe and happy once again? Just what exactly had his parents done to him?

Kiyomi wondered if she should tell Hyunjin that she knew. So she could help him. Because that's all she wanted to do from the start. Befriend him and get him out of this cold person he portrayed. She looked at the medicine aisle again and decided then.

That she was going to help him.

No matter what it took.