UNFORGIVEN (FORSAKEN #1)

trapped in the middle

The moment I step out of the restroom, a wave of dread washes over me like a sudden plunge into icy water. I immediately see them, Nishimura and the boy with the grey hair, standing nonchalantly against the opposite wall. They fix their gazes upon me, their demeanour unreadable. I hesitate for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. I'm tempted to just turn around and head back inside the restroom, but that would be too obvious. Instead, I try to act casual and pretend not to notice them as I head towards my classroom.

However, my nerves are only intensifying as I hear the sound of footsteps closing in behind me. I start to walk faster, hoping to increase the distance between us, but the footsteps continue to echo in my ears like the steady beat of a drum. It's clear that Nishimura and the grey-haired boy are determined to catch up with me, and my heart races as I wonder what they want from me.

To my dismay, Nishimura and the grey-haired boy catch up to me and position themselves on either side of me, trapping me in the middle. As my back makes contact with the wall, I realise there is no possible way for me to escape from this situation.

Grey Hair leans in close, placing his hand on the wall just inches from my face. The faint aroma of peppermint emanates from his body, enveloping me in an unexpected yet refreshing scent.

"I'm Heeseung," he introduces himself with a grin. Surprisingly, when I look up at him, he's almost the same height as Nishimura. He's absolutely stunning with his high cheekbones, defined jawline, and piercing dark brown eyes. As he gazes at me, my hands tremble, overwhelmed by his otherworldly presence. I quickly hide them behind me. "This is my boy Riki," he adds when I don't say anything.

I glance over at Nishimura Riki and can't help but wonder what exactly people find intimidating about him. From where I'm standing, he looks absolutely adorable, especially with that cute smile of his. "Hey! I don't know if you remember, but we met yesterday last period?"

"Um," I shift my gaze from him to Heeseung, who flashes a smile at me, and then back to Riki. It's impossible for me not to recognize them. "Yeah, I remember."

Riki parts his lips, intending to say something, but Heeseung cuts him off. "Perfect, then. Let's cut right to the chase. I'm throwing a party this Friday night," he declares.

I'm not entirely certain where this is heading.

"And I want you to come."

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "Me?"

"Yeah, you."

"Why?"

"Because you're cute?" He states matter-of-factly, as if it's the most ordinary thing in the world. My face flushes with embarrassment.

"Uh, I don't know..." I trail off, searching past Heeseung's arm to see if anyone is around. "I'm actually pretty busy with –"

"Oh, don't be like that. It'll be fun, I swear by my fallen grace–" Heeseung insists, but Riki nudges him, shooting him a dirty look.

Riki turns to me, grinning mischievously. "If you come, make sure to bring Hong with you, oka–"

"What the fuck are you doing? I was talking to her first."

Riki shoots another dirty look at Heeseung. I'm totally lost as they communicate silently with their eyes.

"Look," I begin, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the situation. "It's been great chatting with you guys, but I really have to –"

"Kazu."

All three of us quickly turn our heads to see where the sound is coming from. And thank the heavens, it's Sunghoon. He has a serious expression on his face, and I take advantage of the boys' distraction to slip away from them and make my way towards him. Sunghoon shields me behind him, as if protecting me from them.

"It's almost time for the next class, you know?"

Heeseung seems to consider that. "We know."

Frustration and anger fill Sunghoon's eyes as he stares intently at Heeseung. "What do you want with her?" he demands.

Heeseung responds with a lighthearted tone, but it does little to ease the tension in the air. "Just to talk. What else?" he asks, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

His answer makes me cringe. When I look at Sunghoon, I can almost feel the weight of his penetrating gaze at the boys. "Stay away from her."

The boys share a look, a playful grin forms on their faces. Heeseung says nothing, and Riki mock-salutes. "Yes, Sir!"