𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐬 • 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠

1. Fragile Boys

Yeosang has had a good life thus far, a few ups, a few downs, a life full of desire, love, yearning, heartbreak and pain, but still a pleasant existance never the less.

But looking back Yeosang has one regret.

One major fuckup in high school that even after 3 years he was still kicking himself over.

Yeosang screwed up big time all because he was selfish and didn't stop to truly consider his decisions and choices that not only affected himself but those around him.

We all make mistakes, Yeosang just wished he hadn't made his.

In primary school Yeosang met a boy by the name of Jeong Yunho and throughout prep, grade one to six Yeosang was smitten with the boy.

He was sure one day they'd begin dating, then they'd get married, adopt a dog, a cat, eventually kids of their own and then happily grow old together in a cottage in the countryside.

Even when they graduated primary school and Yunho had gone to a different high school Yeosang still believed this childhood dream to be his future.

At first Yeosang struggled to make new friends in high school without Yunho his best friend whom had always been the front man of the two, but Yeosang trudged on, and soon he fell into a quirky little group of inbetweeners.

They were the type of kids who neither excelled nor failed. They were all quirky and unique in their own ways and mainly sat together because they had no one else to sit with and didn't want to look like complete loners.

In that very group was a boy named Park Seonghwa.

Seonghwa was only a couple months older than Yeosang and only a centimetre or two taller, despite this Seonghwa was always small. He was very lean and thin and always self conscious of his body.

His family struggled a lot financially which meant that sometimes Seonghwa would go days without proper food, and because of the lack of food it also meant lack of energy and Seonghwa more than often would fall asleep during class and break time.

Students would tease him, calling him 'Bean Pole', 'Twig Boy' and 'Narco' (a slang version of the disorder Narcolepsy). To an outsider these names would probably sound funny but to Seonghwa they were like arrows through his heart.

Yeosang knew of Seonghwa since they were in the same quirky group and they were in the same class but he'd never spoken much since Seonghwa was always sleeping or was absent; Seonghwa was the type of kid who just sat and listened but never actually engaged in conversation, and any words you could squeeze out of him were short, sharp and quiet.

Initially Yeosang never even considered Seonghwa to be someone interesting or someone he could call a friend or care about, not until a particular lunchtime in the last week of first term of year 7.

Yeosang had gone inside to get a book that he had left in his homeroom. He was only a couple of metres away from the door in the hallway outside when a hum of laughter and chatter erupted from the very classroom to which he needed to go into to get his book.

It was quite unusual since the only people who stayed in classrooms at lunchtime were teachers. Students always chose to head outside and escape the claustrophobic walls of the prison known as school at any chance they could get.

Yeosang nearly left, fearing whatever was happening on the other side of his classroom door. There was something about the laughter and chatter that unnerved him, but he was also a very curious and inquisitive person so he had gently and cautiously opened the door.

Yeosang fight or flight kicked in as soon as he had the door open wide enough to see inside. Practically every bully in their year 7 cohort was in that room, it was like a meeting of a high school mafia. Yeosang really wished he had his inhaler right now because he was finding it hard to breathe.

Each one of the bullies Yeosang could see inside were known to be delinquent, malicious, arrogant assholes, and a serious force to be reckoned with.

Yeosang wanted to run, he wanted to hide, the bullies hadn't noticed his presence so he could easily escape, but when Yeosang's eyes fell upon what was at the centre of the bullies there was suddenly an inner force pushing him forwards rather than pulling him back.

At the centre of all the bullies was Seonghwa propped awkwardly at his desk. Two of the bullies had Seonghwa's school books and were happily ripping them up, pages falling lifelessly to the floor. Another one was dumping the contents of Seonghwa's bag on the floor scattering its contents everywhere.

The rest of the bullies were armed with weaponized stationary, one holding Seonghwa in place by his hair and a firm hand on his shoulder and the others all poking, prodding and taunting Seonghwa, spitting fire with their venomous words and cackling at how easily they could make weak, pathetic, defenceless Seonghwa squirm.

Yeosang only knew a little of Seonghwa's home life at this point, and honestly normally Yeosang would have left fearing repercussions if he were caught in their malicious web. But Seonghwa had looked up and he had noticed Yeosang between the bodies of his tormentors.

Yeosang had never seen such a fearful expression on a person, an expression that represented a culmination of hurt and pain. There were tears brimming in Seonghwa's eyes and his cheeks were red.

With a simple gaze Seonghwa had silently screamed for help, pleading Yeosang to do something to make what was happening stop.

Yeosang was scared out of his mind, but he couldn't stand seeing Seonghwa getting hurt, the hurt in the other boys eyes was like salt in an open wound. There were too many bullies and only one Seonghwa, it was like throwing a mouse in a lion's den.

Yeosang dredged up what little confidence and strength he could muster and he ran to Seonghwa's aid, pushing the bullies aside with shaky hands telling them to 'Fuck off' along with a whole lot of other words, some not so nice, that he hoped showed that he was confident and not scared out of his wits. Yeosang didn't even know he was capable of spitting such an arsenal from between his trembling lips.

Yeosang had never been so thankful in his life that his voice had broken so early and was already so deep because all the bullies flinched and then ran off stating that it wasn't worth it. Yeosang felt terrified but he was also proud.

Once the bullies had gone Seonghwa had broken down in further tears. What surprised Yeosang most in the seconds after the bullies leaving though was Seonghwa standing, wrapping his arms around Yeosang's pulling him into a bear hug, and spilling an endless amount of thank yous into Yeosang's ear.

Yeosang felt weird since Seonghwa was still just an acquaintance and also because Yunho was the only boy he wanted hugs from in his life, but he also knew that Seonghwa was hurting and hence he returned the hug allowing Seonghwa, a stranger, to hold him.

While holding Seonghwa he hushed him and promised that if Seonghwa were to ever be faced with such a scenario ever again that he could come find Yeosang and he'd get rid of the bullies for him. Yeosang 100% meant it too, even though Seonghwa was only an acquaintance no one should ever be faced with pain or bullying.

The hug felt long, and maybe it was, it's not like Yeosang was checking the time, but when it did finally end Yeosang helped collect what was left of Seonghwa's belongings from the floor.

They did this in relative silence, Seonghwa only speaking up when Yeosang went to throw his mutilated books in the bin, Seonghwa said he could salvage them, they still had good pages. Yeosang protested at first but it was hopeless, Seonghwa wanted to keep them and he was even collecting all the ripped shreds into his bag as well.

When they finally finished the bell sounded signalling the end of break and Seonghwa uttered one last small thank you before sitting at his desk and going all quiet like none of this happened.

A/n We Excited???