8

                                    

                                          
(Hyunjin is 21 years old and Felix is 19)


Felix left after Hyunjin, not knowing how long he could manage to hide it. He went to his chemistry class, a little late. When he entered, all the students looked at him. The teacher warned him to come early, and Felix went to sit in the last chair, the only empty seat. As he walked towards his seat, someone intentionally tried to trip him. Felix didn't trip, but his head bumped on a table. The boy who tried to trip him laughed, and Felix tried hard not to cry while everyone around him laughed as well. He went to his seat, drying the tears that welled up in his eyes. He took out his book and tried to listen to the teacher.He touched his head and yelped, it had turned red and swelled a little, causing pain. Tears filled his eyes, which he wiped away before they could fall. The teacher didn't know what was happening because Felix's bangs hid his eyes, but the boy beside him saw him crying and felt a little bad for him.

"H-hey!" the boy said. Felix looked at him through his bangs. The boy, wearing glasses, looked a little scared as well. "You n-need this," he said, offering a bandage to Felix. Felix smiled a little and took it. The boy smiled hesitantly and started focusing on class.Felix put the bandage on his little bump and relaxed. He knew who the boy was. His name was Jisung, the scholarship student who never talked to anyone, stayed alone just like him, and always looked scared. Of course, he would be scared if the most popular rich boys didn't waste any chance to pick on him. Not only Hyunjin and his friends, but almost every bad boy started bullying, following the same agenda as Hyunjin's group, though they never reached their level of cruelty.Jisung and Felix had never talked before. It was already a new semester, but both preferred to stay alone. It wasn't that they didn't want any friends, but every time they tried to make friends, they ended up being bullied and ostracized, especially Jisung.

Felix was walking through the hallways toward his next class when he saw Hyunjin and Changbin exiting their classroom, surrounded by fangirling girls. They didn't seem to care about the attention. Felix found himself smiling, his heart beating faster and his face turning red as he remembered their moment from last night. It was so different—the way they acted at home versus how they behaved at school. Hyunjin was so cold at school, maintaining his aloof demeanor, yet at home, he had a soft spot for Felix, even if he still retained some of his icy exterior.
Hyunjin passed beside him glaring at him after seeing Felix staring at him. Felix shivered, but he wasn't scared, he felt something different, hyunjin was hot when he looked at him like that. He shook his head
"Don't think about it Felix" he mumbled and walked away
The school day was over, and Felix was walking toward his car, making sure Hyunjin had already left. As he approached his vehicle, he noticed a group of boys bullying someone. They weren't Hyunjin's friends but rather the school's so-called "bad boys," who acted like a gang—a common sight in every school. The bullied boy was crying, and Felix felt a pang of sympathy. However, he knew that intervening could lead to him getting beaten up as well. He tried to ignore them and opened his car door, but when he glanced back, he recognized the victim as Jisung. Felix's eyes widened in shock and fear, but his body reacted before his mind could process the danger, and he ran towards them.
"Stop it!" he yelled.
Jisung was shocked to see Felix. "No, Felix, t-they will beat you too," he stammered. Felix wasn't good at fighting, but Jisung had helped him that morning, and he felt compelled to return the favor. "I'll call for h-help," he added, scared but determined.
"Awww! Do you have a friend? I thought a boy like you didn't have any friends," the boy with tattoos all over his hands said, laughing at Jisung, who was looking at the ground.
Another boy, the tallest among them, grabbed Jisung's hand and twisted it. "Ahh!" Jisung yelped. Felix got closer and pushed the tall boy, but then the third boy grabbed Felix.