Petals Stray Kids jeongchan

02

         Chris's pov

    I follow Jeongin into the large classroom and sit down beside him. I sit my binder and papers on the table and place my backpack on the back of my chair.

   "Jeongin, are you understanding anything the teacher is saying?" I asked Jeongin. Although I am a mafia leader, I still want my college business degree.

   "She's teaching us marketing skills we will need to start up a business," Jeongin replies as he takes some notes.

   "If you aren't already, start taking notes. They'll help you remember the lessons a lot better than if you just tried to by your mind alone." Jeongin continues.

   I began to take notes and copied what I didn't hear from Jeongin's paper.

     The day progressed to lunchtime exactly as it started. Jeongin shows us to our classrooms and helps me with the classwork since we have the same schedule.

    Jeongin and I walked wordlessly into the cafeteria in search of the other six students. It wasn't hard to find them; they were the loudest group in the cafeteria by far.

"Felix, please sit down! Jisung, you too! I swear you two are going to make my hair gray before I turn thirty." I demanded. The two boys quickly stopped their play fight and sat down on a seat.

"Oooh, Chris are y'all getting close?" Felix joked then sniffed the air, "Is that romance I smell?"

"I'm sorry about them, Jeongin. They really don't know when to stop." I sighed and exasperatedly ran a hand over my face.

Jeongin placed a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it, man. I understand how friends can be at times." His cheeks held a light dusting of muted rose rouge.

A telltale sign of embarrassment. I thought as I looked at Jeongin again with a smile.

    Jeongin slid into a seat at the long table beside me, but he looked quite nervous. His eyes were darting around the room and his fingers fiddled with a loose string on his torn jeans. His eyebrows furrowed and he bit his lower lip, seeming deep in thought.

   "Jeongin? Are you okay?" I quietly asked the anxiety-ridden boy who seemed to fall more and more anxious as time progressed.

    "Doesn't it feel like someone is watching us, Chris? Not like just randomly looking— like someone is staring at us?" Jeongin whispered and continued looking around.

    I looked around the room, also, in hopes of finding who was causing Jeongin this anxiety.

    No... not them... oh no! It's only the first day; why are you here?!

    "Jeongin, don't worry about it too much, okay? Deep breaths, Jeongin, can you do that for me? Can you calm down before you have a panic attack?" I asked, worry thickly coating my voice.

     Jeongin only shook his head before jumping up and bolting out of the cafeteria; his belongings completely abandoned.

   "I hate to interrupt our... lovely.. first day of college, but we've got company," I muttered to my six gang members before trying to follow Jeongin's fleeing form. I patted my pockets, feeling content once my fingertips grazed over my taser.

   I raced into the closest boys' bathroom to find the younger curled up in the corner; broken sobs wracked his slim form. I slid onto the floor beside him and hesitantly placed an arm around his shoulders.

     We're alone, I guess I can let my cold image melt.

   "Jeongin, you're okay, you're safe. No one will bring harm to you while I'm around; this I promise." I tried to comfort the shattering boy. With the arm that's wrapped around his shoulders, I pull him closer to myself.

   Jeongin tucks his head into my shoulder and weakly grips fistfuls of my blazer jacket. His salty tears still rushed down his cheeks and soaked my blazer.

    My left hand began to soothingly run itself through Jeongin's cocoa brown locks of hair. He finally began to calm down as I played with his hair and caressed his back.

   "You just met me; how can you be so sure of guaranteeing my safety? Why are you promising to protect me?" He finally muttered as he wiped the tears from his cheeks.

   "Jeongin, I cannot tell you how just yet, but know I mean it. I'm promising to protect you because, from the moment you helped us to class, you set yourself down a path overgrown with danger. You have such a kind soul I would hate to see it tainted." I replied.

   "Not only will you have me, but you have all seven of us. We might've just met earlier this morning, but I know we all already care about you. Please don't worry so much, Jeongin." I begged the younger boy.

   "Wait, what 'danger' did I get myself into? Just who are you? And who is that guy behind you?" Jeongin began to panic again.

    "Yeah, Channie, just who are you?" I heard a voice sneer from behind me. I sat Jeongin back onto the floor and stood up to face Neo City's boss, Lee Taeyong.

"Leave Jeongin out of this, Taeyong. Your business is with me, not him." I glare, my hand edged closer to the black taser in my jeans pocket.

"Aww come on, Channie! I wasn't gonna kill him, scouts honor!" Taeyong sarcastically pouts then grins and stalks towards Jeongin and me.

"Taeyong, you have no honor; you have no morals. It's a wonder Neo City hasn't fallen yet." I rolled my eyes and grasp the electric black brick.

"Wait, Chris, did you say 'Neo City?' Like, the flashy gang that's always in the news headlines? What would you have to do with them?" Jeongin questions still sat down in the corner of the bathroom.

"That's a story for later, Jeongin. Please don't ask again until I'm ready to tell you." I slightly turned my body to face him, my eyes grim. He only nodded until his eyes widened.

"Chris, watch out!" Jeongin screamed. His scream was the last sound I heard; his horrified face my last sight before I blacked out and dropped to the floor.