Boys Over Flowers [HaeHyuk ver.] Chapter 1
Declaration of War
Part One
‘Gucci… Prada… Dolce & Gabanna… Armani!’ His eyes shot open in annoyance at the chattering class who were casually talking about how they flew across the world over the weekend to buy a new watch or met up with a foreign royal family. He had to bite his inner cheeks to keep his calm and not spit angrily at his filthy rich classmates. After all, he just wanted to live a quiet high school life and not get any attention. It was only one and a half year left for their graduation. ‘Just hang in there Hyukjae!’ he cheered himself mentally and tried to concentrate and finish his homework even though the never-ending talk about expensive jewelries and brands disturbed the surroundings. Sometimes Hyukjae even wondered why on earth he chose to attend SM High.
SM High was a rich private school where teenagers, coming from wealthy families all over Seoul, attended. There was no talk about brain if you could enter the school or not, only how thick your wallet was. Even though Hyukjae was not from a wealthy family, he had a deep yearning of attending SM High even though the students there was awfully annoying and had bad attitudes. Still, it was the only school where he could get a proper education for becoming a lawyer, and he remembered that special sunbae who inspired him to continue.
His thoughts faded away and he sent an annoyed glare a group of girls were flailing their arms childishly at the picture of another girl's new puppy. For what Hyukjae had heard, it was the third time that month the snobbish girl had declared she had a new cute pet.
Before Hyukjae had the will of slamming his forehead in his desk, a commotion outside the classroom grabbed his and his classmate's attention almost immediately.
“IT’S HERE!” A yelling voice echoed through the corridor along with the clapping of a pair of running feet, and every student turned around, sharpening their ears to hear what they were waiting for. “It’s the red notice! No Minwoo from class 2A has got the red notice!”
Screeching of the chairs being pulled out by the whole class at the same time gave Hyukjae the shivers. All the students pushed each other to get out through the door, except for Hyukjae who annoyingly gave their backs a glare. Even the teacher didn’t complain about being interrupted in the middle of his lecture, instead he discreetly sneaked out the back door and probably disappeared to the teacher’s lounge along with all the other teachers.
‘This is absurd’ Hyukjae thought because of the cowered and powerless teachers in this school who weren’t able to put a stop to this madness. His head finally fell down on his desk with a thud along with a painful groan. He just wanted to give up on humanity. The voices of student started to slowly fade away as they probably had ran down to the lower floor. At least now there was some peace and quiet inside the classrooms walls.
“E-excuse me," said a small male-voice that made Hyukjae jump and stare up at the only person who stayed besides him, standing next to his bench. It took a few seconds before he could make out who the other was.
“You’re that new transfer student, right?” He asked, trying not to sound rude though his annoyance, and the other boy nodded curtly.
“Yes. My name is Kim Ryeowook. Nice to meet you.” Ryeowook made a polite bow and Hyukjae nodded back at him with a smile. The way the short, black-haired male greeted him told Hyukjae that he might not be the diva all the other students were and he thanked God for that. Ryeowook even looked like the shy and quiet type. He hadn't had time to really realize when students came or went as the teachers didn't seem to bother introducing them.
“Lee Hyukjae.” He mumbled as an answer in the end, before going back to rest his face at the desk tiredly, thinking Ryeowook was done talking to him. The long following silence had him think the transferee had left already, and relaxed until he almost hit the sleep, only to jump again at the squeaky voice still talking next to him.
“I was just wondering… Is it okay to not go?” Hyukjae raised his head again to look at Ryeowook. “I mean… Everyone else just ran for something. This red notice…?”
Hyukjae felt a small responsibility to show this poor student what a bad choice in school his parents had made for him and pushed himself up from the chair and started walking down the empty corridor, Ryeowook hurriedly following in his steps.
“Have you ever heard of the famous F4?” The taller asked casually and had twisted his fingers together behind his back as he led the stroll through the now empty hallway. Ryeowook shook his head at the former’s question and his eyes showed off interest and curiosity. Hyukjae continued.
“F4, what they have decided to call themselves, is short for "Flower Four"." Hyukjae grimaced to himself as he thought of the inappropriate name for a bunch of ass-kicking guys. However, he let his own thoughts slip and continue explaining to Ryeowook instead.
"F4's four members are the sons of the richest men in South Korea and that's what mostly has driven them into the power here, popular among the girls as well for their good looks." Hyukjae sighed and slowed down his pace just a little as he saw that the other looked as if he had difficulties to cope up. "Their great power they got through their parents has led them to even have control over school. That's why no one is stopping their sick little game they're playing. If they are opposed even by the teachers, their parents could threaten with closing down the whole school which would be a big loss. Fortunately, they’re all in their last year in school so they only have a few months left before they graduate and get out of here.
"The members consists of
Park Jungsu,
Son to the most feared underground-leader throughout times, giving him a great power thanks to his never-ending net of contacts all over the world and can have you killed without anyone bothering the case. Even though his scaring background it doesn't stop all the married women to come running after him to just spend the slightest amount of time with him, only to be left heartbroken by the Lady-Killer.
Cho Kyuhyun,
His name is well known and treated with a huge respect. For generations he has been following the line of being a tea-ceremony master.
And he is not less of a player than Park Jungsu.
Choi Siwon.
No one really knows much about him as the mysterious guy that he is. His family owns a lot of big companies in Europe and he is next in heir to take over.
Lee Donghae
Out of all South Korea’s rich men, Lee Donghae is the son to the most rich and successful man, making it in to the top ten richest persons in the world. He is on the next line heir for the corporation South Korea is hanging on to, to continue living a welfare life. "
Even just talking about them gave Hyukjae a headache already.
"W-what's the game they're playing at?"
"That was the red notice." Hyukjae gave Ryeowook a meaning glance and turned right by a corner.
As they walked further, then the voices and laughter started to become audible once again. Hyukjae didn’t really want to go there, but he had already started talking, then he should finish it as well. It’s easier to understand what a crazy school it is with just showing it.
Hyukjae walked down the flight of stairs along with Ryeowook by his side and he think he could hear a low gasp coming from the other boy as they witnesses the mob of students standing in a circle on the tiled floor, where one single boy was trapped into with no way out and being pushed around mercilessly. All the students laughed as they poured water on the helpless boy and threw objects as erasers, crumbled papers or whatever they could grab on to.
“And this is what happens if you do anything to agitate F4 and receive a red notice.”
It was all too common by now in this school, to see students being bullied because of F4 being silly kids and get entertainment through watching other's pain and fear. Hyukjae walked in among the crowd of students and gave the second-year boy a pitying look as he was trashed around even more. One person Hyukjae recognized as a girl from his own class (it was Jessica if he remembered correctly) had stepped forward with a scissor and without any hesitance at all - only a big fat smirk plastered to her lips - as she cut off a mop of hair. Everyone laughed loudly, Jessica returning to her friends whining as he got some remaining straws of hair sticking to her fingers and tried drying them off as if she would get an disease of it. Hyukjae noticed the paralyzed student next to him, and gently grabbed on to Ryeowook's arm to shake him out of his daze.
"Are you okay Ryeowook-sshi?" he asked and stood in front of the shorter so he didn't have to look anymore, since he seemed to be very shaken up by the bullying. He was so glad the shorter didn't get to witness the time a student even fell unconscious.
"Let's get out of here," he said and tugged on Ryeowook's sleeve. The latter nodding eagerly at the fine idea and started walking, desperate to get away from such an awful crime scene.
However, they didn't get far as Hyukjae automatically stopped the moment the main doors opened, getting the chills as everybody quickly had quieted down and turned to the entrance with anticipation. Hyukjae stayed on his spot with Ryeowook as the cheers aroused in the great hall the moment four young men entered the building. He bet all the girls saw sparkles fly around the newcomers' heads because of their charisma.
It didn’t matter how good-looking or rich these boys were, they still made Hyukjae fume with anger whenever he saw them in action. They were the real dirt.
The group stopped once they had passed by the cheering crowd who had willingly fled away to give them room for getting through. Donghae stopped in front of the shaking student on the floor while his three companions walked past and sat down at the chairs designated just for them. The tension rose and everyone held their breath as the dirty-blonde just stood there with a smirk on his thin lips and a mocking glint in his eyes. Hyukjae observed the scene intently as well.
Then one, and two, and the student called Minwoo started coughing violently after the kicks had jammed the air out of his lungs and causing an internal pain. Hyukjae heard Ryeowook gasp once again.
"Now you know better than to not think you can raise yourself to my level, punk." Then it was Donghae's fist's time to make contact with the poor students jaw that made him fall flat against the cold floor. All students just watching how the fiery blonde male showed off the great power he had, that in a weird way made girls swoon, applauding and cheering.
Hyukjae attention perked up as he noticed Choi Siwon standing up from his seat with a casually bored expression and covered his mouth as he let out a yawn. For a moment Hyukjae believed the elder was going to stop Donghae from assaulting the student, but instead walked past Donghae and through the way the crowd made for him. For just a short moment as he passed, his eyes plastered on Hyukjae's, but almost immediately turned away in disinterest.
Hyukjae felt a weird tingle because of the look Siwon just had given him.
Once Donghae had hit the same student until he had stopped struggling and whining, another second year student had walked out of the mass and applauded his hands, wearing a big ugly smile on his face.
"Woaah, Lee Donghae hyung! As expected from the leader."
Hyukjae had seen the same guy trying to kiss his sunbae's ass several times - probably trying to find protection through that. Though as he continued praising Donghae's fighting skills the elder one had jabbed him as hard as he had jabbed Minwoo, making that kid fall down next to him - all while Donghae was wearing a sick smile that somehow displayed how amused he was. With a proud attitude he took out a handkerchief out of his pocket and dried off his hands.
"Huh... I don't have time with this shit," he sighed arrogantly and pulled his finger's though the blonde locks.
"Okay guys, show's over!" Jungsu smiled at the crowed and clapped his hands, some of the female students squealed as the guy winked at them.
Donghae took the lead walking out of the hall with Jungsu and Kyuhyun following suit. Girls started exclaiming on how cool the members were, and Hyukjae was feeling beyond agitated.
The corridors were still empty as no student bothered to go back to classes, which Hyukjae was so grateful for as he rushed down the hall, each step against the marbled floor caused an echoing melody. Still anger boiling inside, Hyukjae flung the door to the emergency stairs open without mercy and rushed down the steps until he reached the small balcony giving a view out over the school grounds. This, was the place Hyukjae always fled to whenever he felt distressed, in desperate need of release of the fuming feelings.
With fisted hands, Hyukjae growled and hit the railing several times and stomped his feet.
"What is this F4 actually? Bunch of childish jerks, thinking they're so awesome because of the nonsense power, kicking around others with your stinking attitude! Urgh, why won't you get some respect and stop being such a child!" He panted and then realized how angry he actually was and was still hitting the railing until his knuckles turned sore. "I HATE THIS CRAP!"
The last of his energy was drained out with his words and he hung his body outside the iron bars, his hair dangling in his face. Slowly, he regained his calm and breathed in deeply of the chill air.
“Just one and a half year left until graduation,” Hyukjae mumbled as a reminder to himself to just hang in there for a while. "Until then, I'll just stay quiet and not stand out."
The wind started to blow up a little wilder which caused him to shiver, and stood up straightly while rubbing his arms for friction. As he turned around and calmly walked up the stairs to get inside the school again, not noticing the dark silhouette peeking around the corner at his retreating back.
❀~❀~❀
"F4, huh?"
"Yeah."
Hyukjae faced his friend Sungmin with a pitiful look and stuffed another big piece of expired sweet bread inside his mouth and chewed with his mouth half-open. Sungmin tied up his shoulder-length hair in a knot and secured the apron around his waist before giving Hyukjae a sympathetic pat on his shoulder and then shoved the cleaning cloth into his free hand, urging him to start the cleaning.
Right after school has ended, Hyukjae always rushed over to his part time job at a small bakery where he had been working ever since he started at SM High. He knew that his parent's wouldn't be able to fully support the whole family if he wasn't helping with getting some small income. Luckily, he always had his time to spend with his best friend Sungmin as they shared shifts.
“I still don’t see what you are doing at that school, Hyuk." Sungmin sighed and started arranging the bakery inside the glass counter. "You obviously hate everything there.”
“But I can’t really quit it now, can I? I’m half-way through my education an if I don’t finish it I’ve waste my parents’ money for nothing. They’ be disappointed in me.”
“Well it’s just that I am the one who have to withstand your whining about those snobs.”
Sungmin’s attention turned away from Hyukjae as the bells attached to the door rang, indicating a customer had entered the show. He immediately smiled at the man who only looked around the counter for a few seconds before exiting again without a word. The male’s smile fell and he muttered about the man being too rude before settling down next to Hyukjae who still was eating yet another sweet bread.
“You know what,” Sungmin said an snatched the remaining piece of Hyukjae’s food and chewed at it happily.
“What?” Hyukjae grunted back and cleaned his apron from any crumbles and picked back up the cleaning cloth.
“You’re a thousand times more worth than Lee Donghae.”
“Even with my low standards?”
“Of course! See, remember how you always punched those kids when we were small because they were bullying me? You did that to protect me. This Flower-Boy does it for his own sick entertainment, which is what makes him a low-life person.”
Hyukjae chuckle lightly, thinking back on how many times he actually had punched several kids during their grade-school years for the sake of no one bothering his best friend.
“As long as I don’t get involved with their play, I will be fine.”
“That’s my boy! Now stop eating up all the sweet bread and do some use or Boah noona will get whiny!”
❀~❀~❀
“Mom… there’re eggs in the rice cooker!” Hyukjae frowned as he leaned over the cooking device with lid in one hand and a spoon in the other. By now, those odd things his family did wasn’t really surprising.
“Of course!” His mother chanted happily and settle down on the floor by the low table. “I’m just saving some energy to cook things at the same time, aren’t I clever?”
With a sigh and shook on the head, Hyukjae picked out the boiled eggs with rice sticking to them, and placed them in a bowl before bringing the cooked rice to the table.
"Henry, come over here and eat!"
Hyukjae's younger brother came out from his room with a big smile and settled down closely to his hyung and started plucking a small portion for himself.
"Henry-ah, eat more," Hyukjae nudged the other, feeling both bad and worried because the young growing boy was just as his parents and trying to cut down on everything, even food. "You need to eat properly, or else you can't study." Taking the freedom, Hyukjae shoveled another spoon of rice into his brother's bowl, ignoring the forming pout.
"I was going to save some for lunch tomorrow..."
"You can cook more rice, eat it now."
"It's okay Henry," their father jutted in. "I'm cutting down on my drinking, so this bottle of beer, I will save it for at least two weeks!" Both Henry and their mother clapped their hands at their father's achievement and Hyukjae could only arch a brow.
“Mom, if it's getting too tight with money, then I could just drop off SM High, really”
“What are you talking about son?!”
"No way hyung!"
“Nonsense Hyukjae, we’re doing fine," his mother said with a sternness in her voice. "Just think about your studies okay? Now go on and eat!”
And with that, the subject seemed to be over.
Everybody was so proud that he goes to that school that there obviously was no idea of trying to get out of there.
Hyukjae remembered the day he was looking around Seoul's high schools when he was to choose one to attend his following year. Never had he the intension of actually starting SM High once he went through the big ports, only his mother had dragged him there to check out the fanciness of everything. It was first when he listened to the lecture of what the school had to offer their students, and that was when he first saw her.
Kim Hyoyeon.
Hyoyeon was a previous student at SM High, and she came from a wealthy family of course. She was a very bright and clever person and both Hyukjae and his mother was stunned when they read the brochure about her, reading she was even studying in France.
The moment he saw her at the podium he felt enchanted, call it crush or whatever, but her speech was the one that inspired him a lot.
"I want to tell everyone who is going to decide what path you want to take... Be true to yourself and live your life out fully. Then I can guarantee you that you will enjoy your life at school."
And because of Hyukjae's admiration towards Hyoyeon, he decided he wanted to attend the justice program at SM High, just like she had done, and become a person just as admirable as Hyoyeon.
But was it really worth the bother?
'I probably shouldn't have entered that school at all... " Hyukjae sighed as he curled himself under the covers and nuzzled his pillow. "I just hate SM High. I hate those bastards called F4... I hate my classmates who are just as bad and cruel. But most of all, I hate myself for not being able to say or do anything.'
With cleared out thoughts, Hyukjae finally hit sleep.
❀~❀~❀
"I'm going to school now!" Declared Hyukjae as soon he came out of the bathroom and hurried to get his shoes on. He'd have to run if he wanted to be in time for class.
"Wait, Hyukjae, your lunch box!" Mrs. Lee came running after him with a box neatly wrapped into a dark blue-patterned cloth and brought it into her son's arms. "I found this old box the other day when I was cleaning and thought you might like it. It was your grandmothers."
The boy smiled at his mother and gave her cheek a brief kiss as a goodbye and then walked outside. "Bye mom."
Just as the bell rang throughout the wide school area Hyukjae managed to pass by the large gates, panting. Ready for a new day at freaky-school. He gave himself a good amount of fresh air before continuing to his class and gently sneaked by to his seat. As Ryeowook looked his way, he smiled at the transfer student widely and got a small smile in return.
---
Hyukjae smiled contently as he had un-wrapped the cloth-package and revealed the beautiful lunch-box his mother had found the other day. Just seeing the box itself made Hyukjae feel hungrier. He was just about to eat when he saw a familiar face nervously walking around the cafeteria, seeming unsure about what to do. With a bright smile, Hyukjae raised his hand and waved.
“Ryeowook-sshi, over here.” The boy’s face lit up a bit as he got sight of Hyukjae and made his way over to the empty table the former was sitting at, and sat down across him.
“Thank you,” the boys said with a nice smile. “The other’s didn’t seem so welcoming for me to eat with them.” Ryeowook pouted a little and Hyukjae just waved his hand.
“No worries. Let’s just eat, okay?”
---
"So you're from Mokpo then?" Hyukjae asked a bit astonished since Ryeowook spoke with a perfectly normal Seoul-accent. "I wouldn't have been able to tell."
They chatted randomly for a while and Hyukjae felt at ease, because finally he had actually got a friend and someone to talk to at school. Even though Ryeowook definitely was one of those rich types, he was still a very nice and cute person, and Hyukjae liked him a lot.
Once they were finished, Ryeowook got up ahead of Hyukjae as the latter started to pack his lunch box. Then not a second later he heard a gasp coming from his left and then a brick falling down at the floor, followed by an eerie silence in the whole cafeteria. Slowly, as if he already knew what happened by listening, Hyukjae looked over to see Ryeowook standing with a frightened expression and hands clasped over his mouth, facing a pissed off-looking Lee Donghae.
Donghae didn’t say a single word as he went from looking the younger in the eyes, then down to his now wet shirt. A large dark spot was shown on it, and probably the whole cafeteria could feel the tension rise as Donghae looked more and more scary for each second passing, and Ryeowook was even shaking.
The blonde's hands went to rip open all the buttons, taking it off to leave him in a black wife-beater as he threw the shirt on the floor harshly. Ryeowook flinched as he did so.
“Aah,” stiff and cold, that was the best way of describing Donghae’s tone of voice at the moment. He took a small step closer to the younger student and stared down at his pale face. “I’m feeling cold. You do know I'm the heir to the company that holds in South Korea's future. What are you going to do if the heir of that business gets pneumonia? How are you going to take responsibility!?” Donghae raised his voice while hacking down at Ryeowook who even had started to get tears in his eyes, fearing what would happen to him.
“Sto...!" Without knowing where it came from, Hyukjae now stood up and felt the blood run through his veins, and a couple of cold eyes had turned at his direction. "Stop please.”
Every student gaped at him, moths hanging open as he was the first student to ever shout at Lee Donghae, and he was almost immediately regretting it when he started to realize what he was doing. As he continued, he used a softer tone
"Forgive him please…” he managed to squeeze out as he remembered how to breathe again. Blood was rushing to his face, he was feeling scared and puny as he couldn't do anything else than stare down at the floor as he spoke. “It wasn’t on purpose, so just let him go.”
There was a long silence. Hyukjae couldn't see Donghae's reaction since he still refused to tear his gaze from the floor and he didn't even want to know. But the first sign of anyone's movement came from a pair of nicely policed shoes coming into his view as they stopped right in front of him. Now his heart was already pumping too fast.
"Look at me."
Hyukjae could feel the whole cafeteria's tension rising higher by Donghae's cold tone being spoken out to him. Now he was sure he was in deep trouble. Nonetheless, he braved himself enough to peek up through his lashes and tilt his chin higher to finally face the almighty Lee Donghae.
Nothing was said. Donghae kept his sharp glance at Hyukjae's face as if he was observing it closely to remember. Then his lips curved in a dirty smirk before turning on the heels and quietly walked out of the cafeteria with his three companions following him.
Once they were gone, Hyukjae could let out the breath he had been holding in for a while. All the students in the cafeteria gave Hyukjae looks of disgust as they went back to what they were doing. Wanting to let go of the situation and find Ryeowook but the latter seemed to already have disappeared from the room, and for the rest of the day he couldn't spot the boy anywhere.
What have I given myself into?
❀~❀~❀
Flower Note: Min, are you reading this? If you are, I'll dedicate this first chapter to you because I'm too slow on writing that fiction for you OTL
So yeah, nothing much has happened this far (or...?), and it somehow feels kind of boring to read.. Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way.
And you know, feedback is A P P R E C I A T E D. Seriously, I want you guys to like this story so if there is anything you don't really like you can, in a nice way of course, tell me about it and I can see if I could see your point and change it. Like if you want me to keep more to the original plot or write more freely or write more detailed. Since I've watched the drama and written down the storyline, it might be so that some things I write might not be as obvious for you as for me to understand, so just tell me okay? :)
(I just proof-read this a little hastily so I might have missed something somewhere)
Thank you for reading and commenting <3
Part One
‘Gucci… Prada… Dolce & Gabanna… Armani!’ His eyes shot open in annoyance at the chattering class who were casually talking about how they flew across the world over the weekend to buy a new watch or met up with a foreign royal family. He had to bite his inner cheeks to keep his calm and not spit angrily at his filthy rich classmates. After all, he just wanted to live a quiet high school life and not get any attention. It was only one and a half year left for their graduation. ‘Just hang in there Hyukjae!’ he cheered himself mentally and tried to concentrate and finish his homework even though the never-ending talk about expensive jewelries and brands disturbed the surroundings. Sometimes Hyukjae even wondered why on earth he chose to attend SM High.
SM High was a rich private school where teenagers, coming from wealthy families all over Seoul, attended. There was no talk about brain if you could enter the school or not, only how thick your wallet was. Even though Hyukjae was not from a wealthy family, he had a deep yearning of attending SM High even though the students there was awfully annoying and had bad attitudes. Still, it was the only school where he could get a proper education for becoming a lawyer, and he remembered that special sunbae who inspired him to continue.
His thoughts faded away and he sent an annoyed glare a group of girls were flailing their arms childishly at the picture of another girl's new puppy. For what Hyukjae had heard, it was the third time that month the snobbish girl had declared she had a new cute pet.
Before Hyukjae had the will of slamming his forehead in his desk, a commotion outside the classroom grabbed his and his classmate's attention almost immediately.
“IT’S HERE!” A yelling voice echoed through the corridor along with the clapping of a pair of running feet, and every student turned around, sharpening their ears to hear what they were waiting for. “It’s the red notice! No Minwoo from class 2A has got the red notice!”
Screeching of the chairs being pulled out by the whole class at the same time gave Hyukjae the shivers. All the students pushed each other to get out through the door, except for Hyukjae who annoyingly gave their backs a glare. Even the teacher didn’t complain about being interrupted in the middle of his lecture, instead he discreetly sneaked out the back door and probably disappeared to the teacher’s lounge along with all the other teachers.
‘This is absurd’ Hyukjae thought because of the cowered and powerless teachers in this school who weren’t able to put a stop to this madness. His head finally fell down on his desk with a thud along with a painful groan. He just wanted to give up on humanity. The voices of student started to slowly fade away as they probably had ran down to the lower floor. At least now there was some peace and quiet inside the classrooms walls.
“E-excuse me," said a small male-voice that made Hyukjae jump and stare up at the only person who stayed besides him, standing next to his bench. It took a few seconds before he could make out who the other was.
“You’re that new transfer student, right?” He asked, trying not to sound rude though his annoyance, and the other boy nodded curtly.
“Yes. My name is Kim Ryeowook. Nice to meet you.” Ryeowook made a polite bow and Hyukjae nodded back at him with a smile. The way the short, black-haired male greeted him told Hyukjae that he might not be the diva all the other students were and he thanked God for that. Ryeowook even looked like the shy and quiet type. He hadn't had time to really realize when students came or went as the teachers didn't seem to bother introducing them.
“Lee Hyukjae.” He mumbled as an answer in the end, before going back to rest his face at the desk tiredly, thinking Ryeowook was done talking to him. The long following silence had him think the transferee had left already, and relaxed until he almost hit the sleep, only to jump again at the squeaky voice still talking next to him.
“I was just wondering… Is it okay to not go?” Hyukjae raised his head again to look at Ryeowook. “I mean… Everyone else just ran for something. This red notice…?”
Hyukjae felt a small responsibility to show this poor student what a bad choice in school his parents had made for him and pushed himself up from the chair and started walking down the empty corridor, Ryeowook hurriedly following in his steps.
“Have you ever heard of the famous F4?” The taller asked casually and had twisted his fingers together behind his back as he led the stroll through the now empty hallway. Ryeowook shook his head at the former’s question and his eyes showed off interest and curiosity. Hyukjae continued.
“F4, what they have decided to call themselves, is short for "Flower Four"." Hyukjae grimaced to himself as he thought of the inappropriate name for a bunch of ass-kicking guys. However, he let his own thoughts slip and continue explaining to Ryeowook instead.
"F4's four members are the sons of the richest men in South Korea and that's what mostly has driven them into the power here, popular among the girls as well for their good looks." Hyukjae sighed and slowed down his pace just a little as he saw that the other looked as if he had difficulties to cope up. "Their great power they got through their parents has led them to even have control over school. That's why no one is stopping their sick little game they're playing. If they are opposed even by the teachers, their parents could threaten with closing down the whole school which would be a big loss. Fortunately, they’re all in their last year in school so they only have a few months left before they graduate and get out of here.
"The members consists of
Park Jungsu,
Son to the most feared underground-leader throughout times, giving him a great power thanks to his never-ending net of contacts all over the world and can have you killed without anyone bothering the case. Even though his scaring background it doesn't stop all the married women to come running after him to just spend the slightest amount of time with him, only to be left heartbroken by the Lady-Killer.
Cho Kyuhyun,
His name is well known and treated with a huge respect. For generations he has been following the line of being a tea-ceremony master.
And he is not less of a player than Park Jungsu.
Choi Siwon.
No one really knows much about him as the mysterious guy that he is. His family owns a lot of big companies in Europe and he is next in heir to take over.
Lee Donghae
Out of all South Korea’s rich men, Lee Donghae is the son to the most rich and successful man, making it in to the top ten richest persons in the world. He is on the next line heir for the corporation South Korea is hanging on to, to continue living a welfare life. "
Even just talking about them gave Hyukjae a headache already.
"W-what's the game they're playing at?"
"That was the red notice." Hyukjae gave Ryeowook a meaning glance and turned right by a corner.
As they walked further, then the voices and laughter started to become audible once again. Hyukjae didn’t really want to go there, but he had already started talking, then he should finish it as well. It’s easier to understand what a crazy school it is with just showing it.
Hyukjae walked down the flight of stairs along with Ryeowook by his side and he think he could hear a low gasp coming from the other boy as they witnesses the mob of students standing in a circle on the tiled floor, where one single boy was trapped into with no way out and being pushed around mercilessly. All the students laughed as they poured water on the helpless boy and threw objects as erasers, crumbled papers or whatever they could grab on to.
“And this is what happens if you do anything to agitate F4 and receive a red notice.”
It was all too common by now in this school, to see students being bullied because of F4 being silly kids and get entertainment through watching other's pain and fear. Hyukjae walked in among the crowd of students and gave the second-year boy a pitying look as he was trashed around even more. One person Hyukjae recognized as a girl from his own class (it was Jessica if he remembered correctly) had stepped forward with a scissor and without any hesitance at all - only a big fat smirk plastered to her lips - as she cut off a mop of hair. Everyone laughed loudly, Jessica returning to her friends whining as he got some remaining straws of hair sticking to her fingers and tried drying them off as if she would get an disease of it. Hyukjae noticed the paralyzed student next to him, and gently grabbed on to Ryeowook's arm to shake him out of his daze.
"Are you okay Ryeowook-sshi?" he asked and stood in front of the shorter so he didn't have to look anymore, since he seemed to be very shaken up by the bullying. He was so glad the shorter didn't get to witness the time a student even fell unconscious.
"Let's get out of here," he said and tugged on Ryeowook's sleeve. The latter nodding eagerly at the fine idea and started walking, desperate to get away from such an awful crime scene.
However, they didn't get far as Hyukjae automatically stopped the moment the main doors opened, getting the chills as everybody quickly had quieted down and turned to the entrance with anticipation. Hyukjae stayed on his spot with Ryeowook as the cheers aroused in the great hall the moment four young men entered the building. He bet all the girls saw sparkles fly around the newcomers' heads because of their charisma.
It didn’t matter how good-looking or rich these boys were, they still made Hyukjae fume with anger whenever he saw them in action. They were the real dirt.
The group stopped once they had passed by the cheering crowd who had willingly fled away to give them room for getting through. Donghae stopped in front of the shaking student on the floor while his three companions walked past and sat down at the chairs designated just for them. The tension rose and everyone held their breath as the dirty-blonde just stood there with a smirk on his thin lips and a mocking glint in his eyes. Hyukjae observed the scene intently as well.
Then one, and two, and the student called Minwoo started coughing violently after the kicks had jammed the air out of his lungs and causing an internal pain. Hyukjae heard Ryeowook gasp once again.
"Now you know better than to not think you can raise yourself to my level, punk." Then it was Donghae's fist's time to make contact with the poor students jaw that made him fall flat against the cold floor. All students just watching how the fiery blonde male showed off the great power he had, that in a weird way made girls swoon, applauding and cheering.
Hyukjae attention perked up as he noticed Choi Siwon standing up from his seat with a casually bored expression and covered his mouth as he let out a yawn. For a moment Hyukjae believed the elder was going to stop Donghae from assaulting the student, but instead walked past Donghae and through the way the crowd made for him. For just a short moment as he passed, his eyes plastered on Hyukjae's, but almost immediately turned away in disinterest.
Hyukjae felt a weird tingle because of the look Siwon just had given him.
Once Donghae had hit the same student until he had stopped struggling and whining, another second year student had walked out of the mass and applauded his hands, wearing a big ugly smile on his face.
"Woaah, Lee Donghae hyung! As expected from the leader."
Hyukjae had seen the same guy trying to kiss his sunbae's ass several times - probably trying to find protection through that. Though as he continued praising Donghae's fighting skills the elder one had jabbed him as hard as he had jabbed Minwoo, making that kid fall down next to him - all while Donghae was wearing a sick smile that somehow displayed how amused he was. With a proud attitude he took out a handkerchief out of his pocket and dried off his hands.
"Huh... I don't have time with this shit," he sighed arrogantly and pulled his finger's though the blonde locks.
"Okay guys, show's over!" Jungsu smiled at the crowed and clapped his hands, some of the female students squealed as the guy winked at them.
Donghae took the lead walking out of the hall with Jungsu and Kyuhyun following suit. Girls started exclaiming on how cool the members were, and Hyukjae was feeling beyond agitated.
The corridors were still empty as no student bothered to go back to classes, which Hyukjae was so grateful for as he rushed down the hall, each step against the marbled floor caused an echoing melody. Still anger boiling inside, Hyukjae flung the door to the emergency stairs open without mercy and rushed down the steps until he reached the small balcony giving a view out over the school grounds. This, was the place Hyukjae always fled to whenever he felt distressed, in desperate need of release of the fuming feelings.
With fisted hands, Hyukjae growled and hit the railing several times and stomped his feet.
"What is this F4 actually? Bunch of childish jerks, thinking they're so awesome because of the nonsense power, kicking around others with your stinking attitude! Urgh, why won't you get some respect and stop being such a child!" He panted and then realized how angry he actually was and was still hitting the railing until his knuckles turned sore. "I HATE THIS CRAP!"
The last of his energy was drained out with his words and he hung his body outside the iron bars, his hair dangling in his face. Slowly, he regained his calm and breathed in deeply of the chill air.
“Just one and a half year left until graduation,” Hyukjae mumbled as a reminder to himself to just hang in there for a while. "Until then, I'll just stay quiet and not stand out."
The wind started to blow up a little wilder which caused him to shiver, and stood up straightly while rubbing his arms for friction. As he turned around and calmly walked up the stairs to get inside the school again, not noticing the dark silhouette peeking around the corner at his retreating back.
❀~❀~❀
"F4, huh?"
"Yeah."
Hyukjae faced his friend Sungmin with a pitiful look and stuffed another big piece of expired sweet bread inside his mouth and chewed with his mouth half-open. Sungmin tied up his shoulder-length hair in a knot and secured the apron around his waist before giving Hyukjae a sympathetic pat on his shoulder and then shoved the cleaning cloth into his free hand, urging him to start the cleaning.
Right after school has ended, Hyukjae always rushed over to his part time job at a small bakery where he had been working ever since he started at SM High. He knew that his parent's wouldn't be able to fully support the whole family if he wasn't helping with getting some small income. Luckily, he always had his time to spend with his best friend Sungmin as they shared shifts.
“I still don’t see what you are doing at that school, Hyuk." Sungmin sighed and started arranging the bakery inside the glass counter. "You obviously hate everything there.”
“But I can’t really quit it now, can I? I’m half-way through my education an if I don’t finish it I’ve waste my parents’ money for nothing. They’ be disappointed in me.”
“Well it’s just that I am the one who have to withstand your whining about those snobs.”
Sungmin’s attention turned away from Hyukjae as the bells attached to the door rang, indicating a customer had entered the show. He immediately smiled at the man who only looked around the counter for a few seconds before exiting again without a word. The male’s smile fell and he muttered about the man being too rude before settling down next to Hyukjae who still was eating yet another sweet bread.
“You know what,” Sungmin said an snatched the remaining piece of Hyukjae’s food and chewed at it happily.
“What?” Hyukjae grunted back and cleaned his apron from any crumbles and picked back up the cleaning cloth.
“You’re a thousand times more worth than Lee Donghae.”
“Even with my low standards?”
“Of course! See, remember how you always punched those kids when we were small because they were bullying me? You did that to protect me. This Flower-Boy does it for his own sick entertainment, which is what makes him a low-life person.”
Hyukjae chuckle lightly, thinking back on how many times he actually had punched several kids during their grade-school years for the sake of no one bothering his best friend.
“As long as I don’t get involved with their play, I will be fine.”
“That’s my boy! Now stop eating up all the sweet bread and do some use or Boah noona will get whiny!”
❀~❀~❀
“Mom… there’re eggs in the rice cooker!” Hyukjae frowned as he leaned over the cooking device with lid in one hand and a spoon in the other. By now, those odd things his family did wasn’t really surprising.
“Of course!” His mother chanted happily and settle down on the floor by the low table. “I’m just saving some energy to cook things at the same time, aren’t I clever?”
With a sigh and shook on the head, Hyukjae picked out the boiled eggs with rice sticking to them, and placed them in a bowl before bringing the cooked rice to the table.
"Henry, come over here and eat!"
Hyukjae's younger brother came out from his room with a big smile and settled down closely to his hyung and started plucking a small portion for himself.
"Henry-ah, eat more," Hyukjae nudged the other, feeling both bad and worried because the young growing boy was just as his parents and trying to cut down on everything, even food. "You need to eat properly, or else you can't study." Taking the freedom, Hyukjae shoveled another spoon of rice into his brother's bowl, ignoring the forming pout.
"I was going to save some for lunch tomorrow..."
"You can cook more rice, eat it now."
"It's okay Henry," their father jutted in. "I'm cutting down on my drinking, so this bottle of beer, I will save it for at least two weeks!" Both Henry and their mother clapped their hands at their father's achievement and Hyukjae could only arch a brow.
“Mom, if it's getting too tight with money, then I could just drop off SM High, really”
“What are you talking about son?!”
"No way hyung!"
“Nonsense Hyukjae, we’re doing fine," his mother said with a sternness in her voice. "Just think about your studies okay? Now go on and eat!”
And with that, the subject seemed to be over.
Everybody was so proud that he goes to that school that there obviously was no idea of trying to get out of there.
Hyukjae remembered the day he was looking around Seoul's high schools when he was to choose one to attend his following year. Never had he the intension of actually starting SM High once he went through the big ports, only his mother had dragged him there to check out the fanciness of everything. It was first when he listened to the lecture of what the school had to offer their students, and that was when he first saw her.
Kim Hyoyeon.
Hyoyeon was a previous student at SM High, and she came from a wealthy family of course. She was a very bright and clever person and both Hyukjae and his mother was stunned when they read the brochure about her, reading she was even studying in France.
The moment he saw her at the podium he felt enchanted, call it crush or whatever, but her speech was the one that inspired him a lot.
"I want to tell everyone who is going to decide what path you want to take... Be true to yourself and live your life out fully. Then I can guarantee you that you will enjoy your life at school."
And because of Hyukjae's admiration towards Hyoyeon, he decided he wanted to attend the justice program at SM High, just like she had done, and become a person just as admirable as Hyoyeon.
But was it really worth the bother?
'I probably shouldn't have entered that school at all... " Hyukjae sighed as he curled himself under the covers and nuzzled his pillow. "I just hate SM High. I hate those bastards called F4... I hate my classmates who are just as bad and cruel. But most of all, I hate myself for not being able to say or do anything.'
With cleared out thoughts, Hyukjae finally hit sleep.
❀~❀~❀
"I'm going to school now!" Declared Hyukjae as soon he came out of the bathroom and hurried to get his shoes on. He'd have to run if he wanted to be in time for class.
"Wait, Hyukjae, your lunch box!" Mrs. Lee came running after him with a box neatly wrapped into a dark blue-patterned cloth and brought it into her son's arms. "I found this old box the other day when I was cleaning and thought you might like it. It was your grandmothers."
The boy smiled at his mother and gave her cheek a brief kiss as a goodbye and then walked outside. "Bye mom."
Just as the bell rang throughout the wide school area Hyukjae managed to pass by the large gates, panting. Ready for a new day at freaky-school. He gave himself a good amount of fresh air before continuing to his class and gently sneaked by to his seat. As Ryeowook looked his way, he smiled at the transfer student widely and got a small smile in return.
---
Hyukjae smiled contently as he had un-wrapped the cloth-package and revealed the beautiful lunch-box his mother had found the other day. Just seeing the box itself made Hyukjae feel hungrier. He was just about to eat when he saw a familiar face nervously walking around the cafeteria, seeming unsure about what to do. With a bright smile, Hyukjae raised his hand and waved.
“Ryeowook-sshi, over here.” The boy’s face lit up a bit as he got sight of Hyukjae and made his way over to the empty table the former was sitting at, and sat down across him.
“Thank you,” the boys said with a nice smile. “The other’s didn’t seem so welcoming for me to eat with them.” Ryeowook pouted a little and Hyukjae just waved his hand.
“No worries. Let’s just eat, okay?”
---
"So you're from Mokpo then?" Hyukjae asked a bit astonished since Ryeowook spoke with a perfectly normal Seoul-accent. "I wouldn't have been able to tell."
They chatted randomly for a while and Hyukjae felt at ease, because finally he had actually got a friend and someone to talk to at school. Even though Ryeowook definitely was one of those rich types, he was still a very nice and cute person, and Hyukjae liked him a lot.
Once they were finished, Ryeowook got up ahead of Hyukjae as the latter started to pack his lunch box. Then not a second later he heard a gasp coming from his left and then a brick falling down at the floor, followed by an eerie silence in the whole cafeteria. Slowly, as if he already knew what happened by listening, Hyukjae looked over to see Ryeowook standing with a frightened expression and hands clasped over his mouth, facing a pissed off-looking Lee Donghae.
Donghae didn’t say a single word as he went from looking the younger in the eyes, then down to his now wet shirt. A large dark spot was shown on it, and probably the whole cafeteria could feel the tension rise as Donghae looked more and more scary for each second passing, and Ryeowook was even shaking.
The blonde's hands went to rip open all the buttons, taking it off to leave him in a black wife-beater as he threw the shirt on the floor harshly. Ryeowook flinched as he did so.
“Aah,” stiff and cold, that was the best way of describing Donghae’s tone of voice at the moment. He took a small step closer to the younger student and stared down at his pale face. “I’m feeling cold. You do know I'm the heir to the company that holds in South Korea's future. What are you going to do if the heir of that business gets pneumonia? How are you going to take responsibility!?” Donghae raised his voice while hacking down at Ryeowook who even had started to get tears in his eyes, fearing what would happen to him.
“Sto...!" Without knowing where it came from, Hyukjae now stood up and felt the blood run through his veins, and a couple of cold eyes had turned at his direction. "Stop please.”
Every student gaped at him, moths hanging open as he was the first student to ever shout at Lee Donghae, and he was almost immediately regretting it when he started to realize what he was doing. As he continued, he used a softer tone
"Forgive him please…” he managed to squeeze out as he remembered how to breathe again. Blood was rushing to his face, he was feeling scared and puny as he couldn't do anything else than stare down at the floor as he spoke. “It wasn’t on purpose, so just let him go.”
There was a long silence. Hyukjae couldn't see Donghae's reaction since he still refused to tear his gaze from the floor and he didn't even want to know. But the first sign of anyone's movement came from a pair of nicely policed shoes coming into his view as they stopped right in front of him. Now his heart was already pumping too fast.
"Look at me."
Hyukjae could feel the whole cafeteria's tension rising higher by Donghae's cold tone being spoken out to him. Now he was sure he was in deep trouble. Nonetheless, he braved himself enough to peek up through his lashes and tilt his chin higher to finally face the almighty Lee Donghae.
Nothing was said. Donghae kept his sharp glance at Hyukjae's face as if he was observing it closely to remember. Then his lips curved in a dirty smirk before turning on the heels and quietly walked out of the cafeteria with his three companions following him.
Once they were gone, Hyukjae could let out the breath he had been holding in for a while. All the students in the cafeteria gave Hyukjae looks of disgust as they went back to what they were doing. Wanting to let go of the situation and find Ryeowook but the latter seemed to already have disappeared from the room, and for the rest of the day he couldn't spot the boy anywhere.
What have I given myself into?
❀~❀~❀
Flower Note: Min, are you reading this? If you are, I'll dedicate this first chapter to you because I'm too slow on writing that fiction for you OTL
So yeah, nothing much has happened this far (or...?), and it somehow feels kind of boring to read.. Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way.
And you know, feedback is A P P R E C I A T E D. Seriously, I want you guys to like this story so if there is anything you don't really like you can, in a nice way of course, tell me about it and I can see if I could see your point and change it. Like if you want me to keep more to the original plot or write more freely or write more detailed. Since I've watched the drama and written down the storyline, it might be so that some things I write might not be as obvious for you as for me to understand, so just tell me okay? :)
(I just proof-read this a little hastily so I might have missed something somewhere)
Thank you for reading and commenting <3