Ha-Joon walked down the hallway toward the cafeteria, humming softly to himself. His fingers curled around the strap of his bag, and for once, his thoughts were light.
Lunchtime! I hope they have my favorite today…
Just as he rounded the corner, his body suddenly collided with someone solid.
THUD!
Ha-Joon stumbled back slightly, catching himself before he fell. "Ah—sorry!" he said quickly, bowing slightly in apology.
But as he looked up, the color drained from his face.
A familiar smirk greeted him—sharp, cruel, and all too haunting.
"Well, well…" Min-Soo drawled, crossing his arms. "Look who we have here."
Ha-Joon felt his body go rigid. No… Not him…
Min-Soo took a step closer, and instinctively, Ha-Joon stepped back. His grip on his bag tightened as old memories clawed their way back to the surface. The taunts, the shoves, the humiliation—all of it came rushing back.
"Still the same scared little puppy, huh?" Min-Soo sneered.
Before Ha-Joon could react, a sharp flick landed on his forehead. He flinched, eyes squeezing shut.
"You used to be so fun to mess with," Min-Soo chuckled. "Did you think you could escape me just because we're in college now?"
Why… why now? I thought I'd finally left all of this behind…
Just then—
A firm hand grabbed Min-Soo's wrist mid-motion.
GRAB!
"That's enough."
The voice was cold, cutting through the tension like a blade.
Ha-Joon's eyes snapped open just as Seo-Won stepped between them.
Silence spread through the cafeteria. Students who had been chatting moments ago were now watching, sensing the shift in atmosphere.
Min-Soo scowled, yanking his hand away. "Who the hell are you?"
Seo-Won didn't answer right away. His blue eyes burned with anger, his jaw tight with restrained fury.
"Someone who won't let you lay a finger on him."
For a moment, Min-Soo held his gaze. Then he clicked his tongue in irritation, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Tch. Whatever," he muttered, stepping back. "This isn't over."
Ha-Joon stood frozen as Min-Soo pushed past the crowd and disappeared down the hall.
His chest felt tight. He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath.
Seo-Won, still watching Min-Soo's retreating figure, had a dark expression on his face.
I won't let anyone hurt him.