Jaeho stood frozen, heart slamming in his chest. Minho, Jiwon, and Daeho were walking straight toward him, laughing about something, not noticing at first. Then Minho's eyes lifted and locked on Jaeho's.
For half a second the world slowed down.
"They wouldn't drag my sisters into this. Would they?" Jaeho thought to himself because this would be too much even for them.
But cruelty didn't need sense. It just needed a chance and he had established they would do anything to hurt him.
Still, this wasn't school. No empty bathroom to corner him in, no classroom where they owned everything. This was a busy shopping street full of families, people everywhere, witnesses on all sides. The rules changed out here. If they beat or laid their hands on him here, authorities would be called and with the witnesses, there would be no way for them to deny it.
If they touched Jia or Serin, even once, Jaeho didn't care about the scholarship anymore. He didn't care about donor parents, didn't care if they got him kicked out.
He would end them, and he would make sure they would never be able to lift their hands again to harm another person.
The three kept coming. Jaeho shifted without thinking, putting his body a little more in front of the girls, shoulders set with a protective stance.
Then Minho smiled. It was a big smile but completely fake.
"Jaeho! Hey, man!" Minho called, waving like they were old buddies bumping into each other.
"What a coincidence!" Jiwon grinned too, same fake warmth stuck on his face.
Daeho stayed quiet, but his eyes moved over Jaeho, then dropped to the twins, taking everything in.
Jia and Serin finally looked up from their books and snacks, blinking at the three boys who had appeared out of nowhere.
"Oh, hi!" Jia said brightly, always the first to talk to anyone.
Serin pressed closer to Jaeho's side, her small hand sliding into his as if she sensed the unease in the air.
"We are all friends from school," Minho said, crouching a bit to meet their eyes. His smile stayed glued. "We're in the same class as your oppa," Minho added.
"Really?" Jia's face lit up.
"Oppa, you didn't tell us you had friends!" Jia said.
"Friends?" The word tasted like poison as he felt his jaw lock in place but he couldn't let his sisters know about what was really happening. If this would make them leave faster, he would go along with it.
He forced his mouth into a smile. How was he supposed to handle this? Tell the truth—that these weren't friends, that they beat him down every day, and the girls would get scared or confused. And the bullies would know exactly were to hit him next.
But he had to stay careful. Even here. Their families donated big to the school. One call and his scholarship vanished. One complaint and he'd be the one in trouble.
He couldn't make a scene evem though all of this would go out the window if they threatened his sisters.
"Yeah," Jaeho said slowly with his voice straining.
"We… know each other," Jaeho said.
"Nice to meet you!" Jiwon said, grinning down at the twins.
"Your oppa talks about you all the time," Jiwon added.
"He does?" Serin asked quietly, looking up at Jaeho with those innocent trusting eyes.
"All the time," Minho said, straightening. He looked straight at Jaeho, smile sharpening just a touch.
"We were just gonna grab food. You guys wanna join us?" Minho asked.
"Oh, we already ate," Jaeho cut in fast.
"We were heading home anyway," Jaeho said.
"Aw, come on," Jiwon said, stepping closer.
"We barely see you outside school. Don't be like that," Jiwon pressed.
Jaeho eased back a step, keeping himself between them and the girls incase they had any funny ideas.
"We really should go," Jaeho was firm becasue he wanted to leave this toxic area.
Minho's smile remained plastered across his face, but something flashed in his eyes. It was annoyance, the fact that Jaeho truly thought his words held any meaning in this situation.
"You didn't even introduce us properly," Minho said, still sounding friendly but with a bite underneath. He stepped in and slung an arm around Jaeho's shoulders, pulling him close like they were tight.
The touch made Jaeho's skin crawl.
"Come on, don't be rude," Minho said with his grip tightening a fraction.
Jaeho glanced down at his sisters. Jia was smiling, clueless. Serin watched carefully, hand still locked in his. Then Jaeho looked at Minho.
Something inside him snapped in that moment, he was done, he had enough.
His eyes went cold. Empty, not fear, not nerves, just raw rage.
Minho felt it, Jaeho watched the exact second it hit, the smile slipped, Minho's body went stiff.
Jaeho leaned in close enough that only Minho heard.
There was no doubt whatever Jaeho had said to him shook him to his very core because Minho's face turned pale soon after..
He jerked his arm away like it stung, stumbling back half a step in shock.
"What the hell did he say?" Jiwon asked with a raised brow.
"Nothing," Minho muttered, voice unsteady. "Just...nothing," Minho said.
Daeho's eyes narrowed, watching Jaeho closer now but he didn't say or do anything because once again, they were in public.
Jaeho ignored them. He turned to the girls, face softening like nothing happened.
"You guys ready to go home?" Jaeho asked gently.
"Yeah! I wanna read my new books!" Jia said.
Serin squeezed his hand. "Let's go, oppa," Serin said.
"Nice seeing you," Jaeho said without turning back.
He walked past them with his sisters on either side, their small hands gripping him tight.
Minho, Jiwon, and Daeho stood there without moving another inch.
None of them spoke.
-
Jaeho didn't stop until they were two blocks clear and out of sight, he thought they would be stupid enough to follow him but it was good to see even they had some common sense.
This didn't mean the adrenaline wasn't still pumping in his veins.
For one second, just one, he meant every word he whispered Minho.
He looked at Minho and felt something dark twist inside him, something that made him say words he never thought he would utter.
"I could kill you. Right here. Right now. And I wouldn't feel anything,"
It scared him, not because he doubted he could but because he actually wanted to.
Jia tugged his hand. "Oppa, you're squeezing too hard," Jia said.
Jaeho blinked and let go right away. "Sorry," Jaeho said.
"It's okay," she said, smiling as she looked up to him. "Are you mad?" Jia asked.
"No," Jaeho lied. "I'm fine," Jaeho said.
Serin looked up and didn't say anptjer word but she held his hand a little tighter like she knew he wasn't okay.