[ Just imagine ] Changbin-Seungmin

Ch 1. Calamities

"GET OUT YOU FUCKING USELESS PIECE OF SHI-"

I pulled the door shut with a loud bang, cutting off my dad's voice.
I ran as fast as my feet could carry me and ignored the stinging burn in my side. After running 4 streets my legs started shaking from the sudden exertion. I had to stop so I wouldn't fall and held onto a street light for support.

A dry cough forced itself out of my throat. Bent over in pain I wrapped my arm around my waist and carefully felt around the place my father's foot had earlier landed. With a sigh I straightened my back and after flinching I started walking casually. I took my earphones and phone out of my pocket and put on some music while I walked through the still dark streets. The cold air of the early winter morning easily worked itself through my sweater. 

I forgot to grab my coat when I left the house. Well, more like I didn't have time to grab it while dodging my dad's hand and putting on my shoes at the same moment. Thank god I did get my schoolbag, last time I had to borrow my friends' books and materials, and told them I had a party the night before and that I also got the bruise on my arm there.

I looked at my watch, it's only 6:28. I'll just get a coffee to kill the time I guess, school starts in two hours. My dad woke up early with a hangover and a bad mood, which he took out on me. Apparently it is unacceptable to put schoolbooks in your bag nowadays. I walked into the 7/11 and got a large coffee. When I walked out of the shop a large man in messy, gross clothes and a strong scent of alcohol and other smells I didn't want to know the origin off approached me. 

"Hey sonny, got something to spare? A lil' coin or som'n?" He came a bit too close and I lowered my head slightly out of reflex and made sure to walk closer to the shop again for if something were to happen. "...I'm sorry sir, I don't have cash... And I should get going, so please excuse me"
"Ah 'cmon boyo, there's no way you don't got no'tin on you, could you check?" 
"Sir please, step back a bit" My heart started beating faster while I checked how close I was to the shop. It's just around the corner. Only a few steps away.

"Why 'dyou look like that, you 'fraid o' me?!" He yelled and stepped even closer. "Sir please, step. away." I said while stepping back a bit myself. I saw he reached in his pocket and walked  further back, almost around the corner. As I feared he pulled out a pocketknife, and when I was only one step away from being around the corner so I'd be able to go into the 7/11 he yanked my arm back, causing me to fall over. 

I threw my bag against the shop's window, hoping to alarm the staff and get them to notice. The man kicked my hip, stomach and shoulders while I let out a scream. I wish I could do more, but the man didn't leave a chance for me to get away. Suddenly I hear the shop's familiar sound of the door opening and a man walked out. I heard him say something about police and the street and part of town while I had my eyes shut tight and my hands around my head.

At least now I didn't need to think of a lie about the reason I'm sore. Suddenly I felt a strong yet gentle grip on my arm. I flinched but then heard a kind voice "I'm not going to harm you. Can you stand up? I've got your bag, did you have anything else?" 
"...no... " I stood up, assisted by whoever was being nice to me.

A moment later I sat in the office/storage room of the 7/11 with a new cup of coffee, while the man was carefully cleaning up a bleeding scratch on my arm and spoke to me in the same soft voice. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there earlier.. It was very smart of you to use your bag to warn us. This neighborhood is such a wreck... I couldn't reach the police in time but I managed to get the man on camera, so he's not simply getting away with this."

"Thank you..." I smiled a bit and the man put his big coat, which he had hung on my shoulders, tighter around me. "No need to thank me, it's only natural." He smiled and sat on a chair in front of me. His colleague walked in with a muffin. "Hey kid, quite a scare you got there aye?"

He gave me the muffin and crouched in front of me "about that, you must have crazy strong nerves. All that happened and I didn't see you shed a single tear." I shrugged and the man turned to the other, who was sitting in the chair "Jinyoung do you want to take the shop for a bit or shall I so you can stay with him?"
"I'll do the shop now. I'll come check on you in a bit kid, Jaebum will stay with you now"
"You- you really don't need to stay with me, I can just get going now?""
"After getting hurt like that? Hell no."
"....Thank you, again"
"What'd I tell you kiddo, it's not something worth saying thank you to."

With that the man, apparently called Jinyoung left the little room to watch the shop. The other sat down and handed me his phone. "Can you add your phonenumber so we can contact you later to check on you and for if the police does decide to handle this?" I nodded and silently added my number. 

Suddenly I looked around quickly "Wait- where's my bag?" Jaebum calmly put his hands on my shoulders "no stress, no stress, it's over here." He handed me my bag from behind the chair. "maybe you should check if everything is still in it". I did just that, but without taking anything out and I purposely turned the opening away from the man. They may have helped me, but they'll ask questions if they saw the bandaids and bandages. Luckily everything was still in it.

After staying there for a while longer I looked at my watch and saw it was 7:54 already, so I'd better get going to be at school in time. Both guys had offered to walk along, but I refused, thanked them for helping me and left. Besides being very cold the walk to school was fine.

I arrived at 8:16, meaning my friends were either already here or about to arrive. I headed to my locker and when I almost reached the end of the corridor someone threw their arms around my neck. I flinched and groaned when the extra weight pulled on my already sore body. After a second I gave up and dropped to my knees "Oh my god, are you okay? Did I hurt you?" the arms released me and the boy quickly sat down in front of me with a worried face.

"YOU didn't hurt me, some moron outside the 7/11 beat me up" I chuckled and forced myself to get up. "You need to get out of that neighborhood!" 
"I know, I know" I rolled up my sleeves, because inside the school the heaters were on.

We walked to my locker together and after putting some things in it I drop to the floor again, sitting against the locker. I felt something dripped down my arm but, assuming it was just my sweater tickling a bit, didn't pay attention to it.

I heard a soft yelp from the other end of the corridor and a blonde boy ran over to me, sitting down in front of me and the other boy. He quickly pulled out a throwaway wipe and pressed it against my arm. He handed the other a normal cloth handkerchief.

"Jeongin go put this under a cold tap please" the dark haired boy got up and ran to the toilets to do as asked.
"I'm fine Felix, really" I chuckled and tried to pull away my arm, not succeeding for I'm pulled back right away.
"You're bleeding and your arm purple-blue bruised, so no, you're not fucking fine! Now, you better start explaining why your arm is fucked up real goddamn quick or I will never let you out of my sight again. And do not leave out a single detail." Felix explained with a frown while he wiped away the blood.

"Some creep beat me up outside of 7/11, but the staff helped me. And if you really need to know, he fucked up my shoulders, side, hip and stomach as well." I pulled my sweater's neckline to the side to show the dark bruise on my right shoulder. Jeongin returned with the, now wet, handkerchief and his eyes widened at the sight of the bruise.

I spotted someone at the end of the hallway. the others are here and stressing about it already anyways so I might as well let him do the same. "Hey Jisung, good morning"

"Hey guys why are you on the flo- OH MY GOD SEUNGMIN WHAT HAPPENED?!!"