HAUGHTY-To Love ✔

CHAPTER 18

AUN POV

Blinking my eyes a few times to adjust my sight to the blinding lights, I again blinked before opening my eyes fully to look around my surroundings. Gazing around to see white walls and blue screens, I lifted my head but dropped back when I felt a heavy sensation pulling me down. Groaning, I felt a slight pain shooting through my skull.

"Aun..." I heard somebody call my name, and I turned my eyes towards the person standing beside me. Jin sunbae was there, with one hand on the back of my head and the other on my shoulder. "Jin sunbae..."

My voice came out in a low-pitched tone, reflecting my confusion. I looked at him, trying to make sense of the situation. But then, a wave of memory hit me, and my expression changed as I remembered what had happened earlier.

Starting to panic, I tightly clutched Jin sunbae's hands as he rubbed smooth circles on my back, trying to calm me down. "It's okay, you are safe now..." he reassured me, his words helping me relax.

"Thank God you woke up before the game could end," he continued, and I saw a sense of relief wash over him. However, his words left me slightly confused. "Where are the others?"

Jin sighed, his expression becoming more serious. "The game is still ongoing, Aun. Except for Jae-Min and Nathan, nobody knows that you were molested by the opposing team members. And I want you to keep it that way, at least for some time."

I waited for an explanation, my mouth poised to ask why, but Jin anticipated my question and continued speaking. "You know how JungYun is. If he finds out that those guys abused you, he won't hesitate to take matters into his own hands. And we all don't want that to happen, right?"

Nodding in understanding, I listened intently as Jin reassured me. "You don't have to worry about anything, Aun. Me, Jae-Min, and Nathan will make sure those bastards pay for what they've done to you."

Silence filled the room as Jin finished speaking. I could sense that he didn't want any ugly fights to break out, and he was putting the thought of protecting his friend first, to avoid getting themselves into trouble.

"Aun, the game will end within 5 minutes. I'll take you to the ground directly. You'll stay by my side and act normal, like nothing has happened," Jin sunbae explained, and I nodded in agreement, understanding the plan.

"And if any of the boys ask about your absence on the bleachers, tell them you were with me. For the rest, I can come up with a story... Please, don't tell anything about what happened earlier, Aun."

I gathered my belongings from the infirmary nurse, and Jin sunbae escorted me to the basketball field. The sound of the referee's whistle filled the air, indicating that the game had already ended. Unlike last time, this time it was the 'BLAST' team who emerged victorious.

As I looked at the guys cheering for their win, they lifted Tae-Sun sunbae onto their shoulders, tossing him up and down in celebration. It seemed like he was the one who scored the final goal.

"Act calm, Aun. Relax and go with the flow," Jin sunbae whispered to me, his smile still present as we stood on the side of the ground. The boys were basking in the joy of their victory, with confetti-colored papers being thrown around, and their cheerful laughter filling the air. It provided a temporary respite from my swirling emotions.

Jin sunbae patiently waited for the boys to settle down a bit before approaching us. The team captain, Yun-Jun, was the first to notice our presence. He made his way towards us, his brows furrowed with concern. "Yun-Jun, I'm happy tha-"

"What happened?" Yun-Jun's words were short and direct, his brows still furrowed. "What... what happened? I was just congratul-"

"Don't try to fool me," Yun-Jun interrupted, his tone shifting. "I want to know the reason why you and Aun disappeared during the second half of the game. And don't give me lame excuses like being tired or having muscle cramps. I know you're both perfectly fine."

As I observed Jin's reaction, I saw him gulp nervously, his gaze locked with Yun-Jun's intense stare. The two exchanged serious looks, their minds seemingly communicating without words.

"Y-Yun-Jun, I was with Aun, and I genuinely had a muscle cramp, which is why I couldn't play the game. As for Aun, she-" Jin's voice trailed off, leaving the rest of his explanation hanging in the air.

"I came to see you guys during the break, but before I could reach the locker room, I saw Jin sunbae and decided to stay with him," I quickly chimed in, trying to support Jin's explanation. Unbeknownst to me, my words only seemed to heighten the team captain's suspicions.

"Jin, tell me what really happened, and do you think Jae-Min is good at lying?" Yun-Jun questioned, causing Jin's eyes to widen momentarily before he quickly composed himself.

"I-I... what did Jae-Min tell you?" Jin asked smoothly, his voice lacking any signs of hesitation as he awaited Yun-Jun's response.

"He told me everything. It didn't take me seconds to make him spill the beans," Yun-Jun replied, giving us a neutral look that suggested he wasn't surprised by Jin's attempt to hide the truth. "Yun-Jun, if you know everything, please keep your mouth shut-"

"How can you say that? Those fuckers dared to lay their hands on our friend, and you want me to stay silent?" Yun-Jun ground his teeth with every word, his gaze softening as he looked at me.

As I focused on the two boys, I failed to notice the others making their way towards us. Suddenly, I felt someone intertwining their hand with mine, and when I looked to my side, I saw Tae-Sun sunbae with his signature boxy grin.

"Aun, did you see how I scored the goal?" Tae-Sun asked, unaware of the situation. "She wasn't there for the second half, Tae, if you noticed," Jin sunbae interjected, speaking on my behalf.

"Is that so? Then where were you, Aun?" Tae-Sun questioned, leaving me at a loss for words. Thankfully, Jin sunbae spoke up again, keeping my secret safe. "She was with me," he said, keeping it short and simple, preventing Tae-Sun from further inquiries.

As the others reveled in their victory, they failed to notice the concerned looks from the boys who knew the reason for my disappearance. I could feel the happiness in the air, which brought a small smile to my face. However, my smile faded when I saw the person I had been longing to see.

Feeling unsure of what to do, my mind took control, untangling my hand from Tae-Sun's and propelling my legs forward to meet the approaching male.

Lost in my own thoughts, my hands instinctively wrapped around his torso, burying my face in his chest. It was the first time we had embraced like this, and I didn't even care that I had initiated it. His hand rested on my head, while the other supported my back. Inhaling his musky scent mixed with the smell of sweat, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort.

Sensing him slightly pulling back to look at my face, I moved my head back, still keeping my eyes on his chest, my hands firmly clutching his waist. "What happened? You never did this before," he asked, his question reflecting the confusion in his mind. But I had no answer for him.

All this time, I had thought pushing him away would be the best and safest option for me. But after experiencing the trauma of being molested by those guys, I found solace in being with him. There was no other man I felt more comforted by than JungYun.

As Jin sunbae had advised, I tried my best to act calm and normal, restraining myself from exploding in front of him. All I wanted was to hold him tightly and let all my emotions pour out at once, for him to see my vulnerable side and protect me at all costs.

"Aun, look at me when I'm talking," he said, and in fear that he would see my teary eyes, I blinked several times to prevent the tears from spilling over. But JungYun, being his impatient self, grabbed my chin and lifted it, placing his palm on my cheek and gently caressing it. As he looked at me with confusion and furrowed brows, my eyes welled up with tears, reaching the brim.

"Did something happen? Why are you-" he paused mid-sentence, his gaze shifting towards something else. Noticing his narrowed focus on my neck, I looked at him, my vision becoming blurry from the tears that had accumulated.

Brushing my hair back, away from my neck and shoulders, he took a quick glance before fixing his eyes on me. This time, however, there was no confusion in his gaze. Instead, I saw anger rushing into his features.

"Why am I seeing hickeys on your neck, Aun?" His words were like a knife through my heart, causing me to break down completely.