Selcouth

T

Though it felt like we won, in reality we didn't. All of us got in trouble as if we were the rebels within this war. I couldn't do anything but accept the punishments as my parents would be notified. I sighed to myself as I walked out of the principal's office in hopes to be saved. Donghyuck's jacket still was on my body as I couldn't get another pair of uniform shirt until the end of school. Jaemin and Donghyuck were to stay behind and continue speaking with the principal as I was let out earlier. I was quite worried for the two; what did they do wrong? I looked around to see Jess standing near the office as if she was waiting for me. I blinked quietly as she approached me carefully in hopes to help calm my nervous souls.

"How about you stay at my place?"

I widened my eyes as she offered me to stay, where we weren't even that close. The garden of the school was the most beautiful on campus, away from all the ugliness that the school itself brought. Jess didn't seem to look at me, as I stared at her with a quite shocked expression. "I don't really-"

"Are you sure you want to go back to your place? Your parents might lash at you."

"How do you know this?"

Jess smiled a little with sympathy as she turned to face me as she replied, "Because all parents do. They all want to ground you when you cause trouble and want to discipline you when you don't listen."

That stinged my heart a little when I couldn't really say anything in response. Her words were correct; that one thing was correct about my family. Her smile disappeared like the butterflies on the flowers around us, as she then continued, "As the only person that I and you can trust within this school....I hope you will agree to that."

Jess stood up quickly as I was still contemplating. She carefully reached over to pat my shoulder gently as if it was to help console me once more. "My offer doesn't last for a long time. You should decide until the end of the school day."

She then left the garden soon after she finishes speaking, as I stared out towards the field. The garden had a beautiful view of the soccer field where the soccer team was currently practicing for their match. The birds chirped softly against the wind as I felt it tickling the hairs of my skin. However, my quietness was soon interrupted as a pair of warm, big hands covered my eyes within a flash. I jumped slightly in surprise as I tried to speak up, "Who are you!?"

The deep chuckle filled the atmosphere as I soon recognized this laugh and response, "Your hopeful knight?"

He pulled away slowly as I looked around to meet Donghyuck's eyes as he soon made his way to sit next to me. He ruffled my hair gently but annoyingly as he continued to stare at me with a face full of mischief. He then sighed a little before placing my hand within his hand, and asked carefully, "Are you going to accept it?"

I pouted out my lips as I was wondering if he was listening to the conversation. As he stared at me, he then answered the question lingering in my head, "Yes... I did."

"I'm not sure if I want to."

But as I was about to speak again, Donghyuck gently wrapped his arms around my body to backhug me quietly. He nuzzled his forehead against the back of my head, which surprised me and took me off guard. We both sat like this in silence as I wasn't sure how to respond to this, but then Donghyuck started to speak up with a sigh, "The few days I was gone...I was forced to sign off from the inheritance line. My step father married two times before he met my alcoholic, gold-digging mother. I was forced to join the hierarchy with my little brother who didn't know anything at the time. However, Grandfather really adored Jisung for his innocence but he also despised me as well. This all led to me trying to escape home, and I soon befriended Jaemin... Jaemin is a huge rival against my family, and his father was going against my step-father at the time we met. They both failed to get it, but when they both re-ran...Jeno found out how close I was to Jaemin. He purposely made sure Jaemin would find out about our relationship and threatened to kill him, unless he broke our friendship up. It worked obviously, but Jaemin found time to hang out with Jisung more often and was able to protect him when I wasn't able to."

I listened quietly as the wind gently played through each strand of our hairs, and the birds chirped softly against the background. The busy cars passing by our school were loudly honking on the streets and the silence soon seeped in. I turned around to face Donghyuck, who was now staring quietly at me as I do. He smiles a sad, confusing smile as I do and I returned it without a thought. "Whatever you have gone through, I know you will overcome it. Don't worry. I won't ask more about the confusing aspects of your family..."

Donghyuck suddenly leaned his head down onto my shoulder so that he could rest his busily aching brain. I sat there quietly with my eyes unknowingly blinking at a continuous pace. I hoped that he didn't mind listening to my quick heartbeat, which did not stop each second. His whole family background and friendships were something that could not have been said so easily with one's words as it left a devastating ache to his seared, closed heart. And the best thing that I could ever do was to wait for him, and I knew that I would had to help him recover from this whole process. I placed my hand calmly onto his fluffy head as he then closed his eyes quietly as I could feel a slight drop of a wet tear staining down his cheek. He would have cried quietly where no one would have listened to his story, and that would have been so negative within his eyes. I slowly start to hum an unknown tune as I continued to mutter softly, "I'm on your side. No one will be able to hurt you anymore."

From afar, I noticed Doyoung walking towards the entrance of the school as he was frantically trying to get someone's attention. I widened my eyes without a word, as I saw Jeno running after the older. Yeji was not far behind him, but they seem to all be worrying about the person entering into the building. I gently tugged Donghyuck's arm as he soon started to wipe his tears quickly to not get his cheeks puffed up. He squinted carefully then grabbed my hand immediately, after realizing who it is and he tugged me harshly away from the sight. I wasn't sure on how to react but Donghyuck seemed to already have answered the question lingering in my head as his voice deepened with fear, "It's my father."