𝑰'𝑴 𝑵𝑶𝑻 𝑪𝑶𝑶𝑳

06

☆ Lee Tae-Moon ☆

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    It didn't take long for Zoe to catch up with Tae-Moon. The girl stood in line for lunch beside the teen. She looked up at him with a wide smile as she talked on and on about anything and everything. Most of it were about the cliques of the school and the social hierarchy. The short teen bit his lip in nervousness as he saw, from the corner of his eye, the "gang members" enter into the lunchroom. 

Tae-Moon kept his eyes down and averted from anywhere near the taller male and his group members as he made his way towards an empty table.

If I just avoid him, maybe I'll be okay-

The teen is knocked out his thoughts by accidently bumping into someone.

Looking up, he is met by the student from the gates earlier that morning. 

His already sharp eyes wore hostility and anger. Tae-Moon gulped, looking him up and down. To his horror, he had spilt his food on the male.

Oh... oh shit.

With shaky hands, the teen grabbed the napkins that weren't soiled and held them out as he stood up.

"I am so sorry! Please let me help-"

"Aish! Look what you've done to Zack Lee!" A sharp, high-pitched voice called out, making the nervous male drop the napkins. Tae-Moon looked beside the teen he bumped into. There, stood mid-height, defined looking boys. The dark-haired male chalked them up to being this Zack Lee's lackeys.

"Look, it was an accident. I'll go get some more napkins-" 

A fist connecting to his cheek made the petite boy fly back.

His body crashed onto the ground; the sound of chants starting to fill his buzzing ears.

Aish, this is definitely not supposed to be happening!

When he looked up, Tae-Moon sees the angry male stalking towards him. His steps are powerful and loud, thundering in his ears. A shiver ran down his spine upon realizing his only two options.

Fight or Flight.

Everything fell into a slow-motion pace as his stomach dropped into his knees.

What do I do? He wondered. The black-haired boy felt trapped once more, just like he was out in the hall. Just like when he was in the juvenile center.

I mean- from what Zoe has described to me- there is no difference between that hellscape and this school.

Perhaps the only way I can survive is by fighting?

As each second passes, his thoughts became more confusing. He didn't want to fight. It would absolutely enrage his social worker and cause, possibly, irreversible consequences. However, if Tae-Moon didn't defend himself, he would be both humiliated and injured.

His two choices were of the same coin but different sides.

But one was the absolute right choice.

After deciding an option, Tae-Moon took a deep breath and rose to his feet. He then raised his shaky hands in front of his face, a defensive pose. 

In that small time frame of when he was thinking, his social worker's words floated and spun around his head.

Hopefully this beating won't go on for long...

I'm not sure I'll be able to hold him off by not fighting.