Despicable! • JUNHAO

PART FIFTEEN.

「ｊｕｎ」

"Haven't you heard? Joshua Hong raped Woozi!"

"Man, everybody's talking about it this morning!"

"Do you think that means it turned him gay?"

"You didn't know? A lot of people don't know that Woozi's gay. Ts'why he has, like, 3 friends."

"Yeah, minus one! The one went missing last week!"

"Good, if he was around Woozi he was probably gay too."

"But who would've thought.. Josh, huh? Guess you don't really know anyone."

"Yeah, but even if they're all gay, at least they're staying away from us! Minghao and Jun must've been so brave, getting near them while they're infected and saving Woozi!"

"Yes.. so brave."

This is the conversation next to me minutes before the bell rings for psych to begin— it seems Joshua won't be showing up.

I keep my head up as I think about what he's done.

What we've done.

Minghao and I had met with his old friend, Jihoon, known as Woozi, who apparently owed him a favor.

"So.. you want me to claim I was raped by Hong? Under what conditions?"

"Under the condition that he needs to be ruined." Minghao sighed, rubbing between his eyes. "For everybody's safety, the details will stay confidential. But that favor can be nullified if you let this information loose— also guaranteeing the safety of your psych partner.." he mumbled the last part.

"..Always one to spill empty threats. Only problem is Joshua is a friend of Jeonghan's, and when he eventually comes home he's gonna hate me if I spread this.."

I roll my eyes and look at Hao, then back at the friend and glare.

"I don't think Jeonghan would be as worried over that as he would be if there was blood on your hands, now would there be Woozi?"

—

I look back up the the chalkboard, nonsensicals being sprawled across it.

After the agreement was made, we came up with a little extra twist— one where Minghao and I save the day, and stop Woozi from being killed after the assault.

Now, though Minghao was notorious enough already, he had risen to the scene further than he or anybody else had ever before.

And along with him, came me.

People know me. They smile at me, wave in the hallways when I'm without Minghao. And yet.. when with him, it seems no one will look me in the eye.

All that matters, is that we are powerful, and Joshua is finally the dust under our feet.

Finally.

Finally.

Class is over- nearly everyone has left the room now, and I catch up with Mingyu who's been walking in front of me this whole time.

"Hey! Gyu! For the last time, stop walking without me!" I insist, throwing my arm over his shoulder— and to my surprise he shrugs it off.

"..what's happening, Jun? None of this feels right, so.. what's happening?"

He turns to me with scared eyes, a pair I've never seen before. Why does he make that face?
Maybe. Maybe it's because just as I look at his, my eyes have become a pair he has never seen before.

I look down, then back up, softening my expression.

As I do this though, he shouts.

"No! Don't do that! That, that thing! Minghao has done this, he controls his face, and fakes emotion. You're not the same!"

The few people in the hallways stare at him.

I look left then right, tugging his sleeve to move closer to the wall.

"Mingyu. I'm not faking anything. I miss you, I really do.."

"I don't care right now, Jun. just give me a bit of time to myself. I'll be staying at Seungcheol's tonight. I'll see you later."

I let go. As I do, I feel a mental break. His words echo in my brain.. "what's happening?" "What's happening?" "What's happening?"

What's happening?

And what questions do I ask to get the answer?

What will happen next?

I have to know what's happening now to know that.

Why does Woozi owe Minghao?

Irrelevant.

Why is Joshua behaving this way towards me?

A key question to get answers that will clear my head.

Why did he kill Jeonghan in the first place?

Huh.

That's one I think I will start with.

Joshua seems to have layers, and one of them was trying to get information from me.

How does he have the idea that I'm involved with Jeonghan's situation at all?

Now I know. To continue on, I have to find out:

What happened to Yoon Jeonghan?

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