love againㅡ仁俊

02

three years ago

"oh my god, the huang renjun looked at our direction!" chaeyoung, minji's friend, nudged her as she looked dreamily at renjun, who is now happily chatting with his friends. while jisung, minji's seatmate who she only forced to sit with them, sat quietly with his earphones on, obviously ignoring the two.

minji scoffed as she continued to eat, she didn't even bother to look at their seniors' table. "you're overreacting, what's so great with him anyway?" she quietly mumbled.

chaeyoung dramatically placed a hand on her chest and gasped. she even muttered are you kidding me? she then proceeded to list out the things that made her swoon over the boy.

"first, huang renjun is incredibly handsome. i mean can you see that? he's really good looking in every angle. if that's not perfection then i don't know what is! you're so lucky that you're neighbors with him, you can see his face everyday."

lucky? more like unlucky, minji discreetly took a glance on renjun's direction. she admits that he's cute but, "mark is hotter."

chaeyoung agreed that mark is hot but she still sighed as she continued to list things to minji. "second, he's a straight a grade student and the vice president of the student council! how can you not admire a wise and responsible man? third, he's damn talented! have you seen someone belting high notes while showing his sick dance moves?"

again, minji agreed to what chaeyoung has said but she's still not convinced that huang renjun is the greatest of all great as what others claim him to be. he's just like his friends. jeno is also a straight a grade student and her brother, jaemin, was also part of the student council. lee donghyuck can sing high notes effortlessly and park jisung sure can amuse you with his dance moves. huang renjun isn't special, why is everyone acting like he's one? she couldn't help but to roll her eyes.

she was about to counter chaeyoung's words when she noticed that something was off on the group of another set of boys two tables away from them "chaeyoung-ah, i'll be right back quick," minji stood up from her seat, causing jisung to flinch at the sudden action.

chaeyoung immediately looked at where minji was watching intently and her eyes widen in fear, "no, minji, you're not going to those troublemakers' table-fuck it, are you even listening to me?"

she ignored chaeyoung and still proceeded to make her way towards the group. she then saw a clearer view of what they were doing, bullying her chinese transferee classmate zhong chenle. a bruise on chenle's lower lip made minji mad.

she harshly removed one of the boys' arm that was slung around chenle's shoulders then she pulled chenle to stand up. they were about to walk away when a hand roughly pulled her wrist, causing her to turn around to face them.

"what the fuck is your problem, little girl? can't you see that we're having fun here?" the boy's voice was loud enough to gain attention from the students inside the cafeteria.

minji was still infuriating but she was trying to control herself, "then go have fun by yourself."

the boy let out a chuckle, a sound that got into minji's nerves, "i'm afraid i can't do it alone. i need a chinese punching bag that can't speak korean well."

she balled her hands into fists and readied herself to throw a punch at the boy when the bell rang, indicating that lunch time is over. the bullies and minji continued to send death glares at each other, only to be stopped when huang renjun walked between them and discreetly held minji's clenched fist as he faced the boys.

"go to your respective classes now," he ordered the boys who surprisingly followed him immediately. is this the huang renjun's power? well, he handles the detentions for students so what did i expect? minji thought.

minji removed renjun's grasp to check up on chenle. "are you alright? let's go to the nurse's office," she spoke in chinese that she learned in her elective which made the boy surprised.

"thank you. you know my cousin renjun?"

minji wanted to frown when chenle mentioned renjun but she still put a smile on her face, "a little. he's my brother's friend." unfortunately, i also see him everyday since i'm in detention almost everyday, she wanted to add but he didn't want chenle to think that she's some kind of troublemaker.

renjun sighed heavily, gaining minji's attention, "you've just served detention yesterday and now, you're involving yourself into trouble again! are you stupid? you should've stayed out of this."

"and what? watch your cousin be bullied in his entire high school life? don't you know that the one who ignores the situation is as bad as the abusers themselves?"

"bullied? he told me they were his friends though," renjun quietly mumbled as he froze in his position when realization hit him. chenle surely looked like something was off with him when he told renjun that he'll be hanging out with his friends during lunch instead of him.

"and you actually believed that?" minji scoffed at him. "now, huang renjun, are you stupid?" she whispered in his ear as she walked away from them, intentionally bumping renjun's shoulders.