In a narrow alley near the school, Mingyu leaned against a wall, sipping soda with a scowl etched into his face. Beside him, Vernon and Junhui exchanged quiet words—contemptuous remarks about Taehyun, the "little guy" who kept interfering in their business.
"He's gutsy for someone his size," Vernon muttered.
"Too nosy for his own good," Junhui added, cracking his knuckles. "We should've dealt with him earlier."
Mingyu didn't respond at first. He simply hurled his empty can into a nearby dumpster, the loud clang echoing down the alley. Vernon and Junhui flinched at the outburst, wary of their leader's brewing rage.
"That stupid midget," Mingyu growled, clenching his fists. "He's so damn fucked up."
They were all on the same page—Taehyun had to be removed from the picture. He was the only one standing between them and their ongoing torment of Kai. Mingyu smirked at the cracked brick wall in front of him, his expression dark with vengeance. The desire to hurt someone—it was seething beneath his skin.
But it hadn't always been this way.
Once upon a time, Mingyu had been like everyone else—just another quiet student trying to survive. That was before they broke him. Day after day, he was hunted and beaten by bullies who saw him as nothing more than a punching bag. They humiliated him, left him covered in bruises and blood, and laughed while he begged for mercy. He was powerless… until he wasn't.
When no one came to help—not teachers, not classmates—Mingyu learned to fend for himself. The day he fought back, something in him snapped. He struck harder than they ever expected. In the end, he left most of his tormentors bleeding, some stabbed, all terrified. The rumors spread fast. Monster, they called him. Psychopath.
He didn't care.
To Mingyu, the world was filled with bullies, and the only way to survive was to become one of them—stronger, crueler. Eventually, he met Vernon and Junhui, who'd walked similar paths, and together, they became a threat. A new kind of terror roamed the campus—and it wore a smug grin.
Now, they had a new target.
Mingyu's smirk deepened as he turned to his friends. "That little bitch Taehyun's gonna get it."
+×+
Elsewhere, in stark contrast to the dark alleyway, Kai's eyes sparkled like stars as he stepped into the arcade. Bright lights flashed and machines beeped all around him, drawing him in with childlike wonder. His lips parted in awe.
"So," Taehyun said, grinning beside him, "you ready to have some fun?"
The two had been spending more time together lately. Taehyun's effort hadn't gone unnoticed—Kai enjoyed every moment, especially when laughter replaced his worries. Today was no different. Taehyun had brought him here knowing full well that arcades were Kai's favorite escape.
They started with the racing game. Kai, surprisingly skilled, zipped through the digital course with ease, leaving Taehyun struggling behind and crashing into walls. He laughed, accepting defeat with good humor.
Next was a shooting game. Together, they blasted parasites on-screen like a synchronized duo of secret agents, racking up high scores and sharing proud smirks.
Game after game, they played—sometimes as opponents, sometimes as a team—forgetting everything else. Time blurred as their joy filled the space around them.
Eventually, they found themselves at a claw machine. A plush bunny had caught Kai's eye. He tried again and again, pouting after every failed attempt. With only one token left, he gave it one last go—carefully aligning the claw, whispering a silent wish… and missed.
Taehyun watched the disappointment on his face and immediately stepped in.
"Let me try," he offered, determined to win the bunny for him.
With three tokens, Taehyun gave it a shot. The first two failed, making him click his tongue in frustration. One token left.
"Please…" Kai mumbled under his breath.
Taehyun took a deep breath, lined up the claw with precision, and hit the button.
Click.
The claw descended… latched on… and pulled the bunny up successfully.
Kai gasped, clapping his hands in joy. "You got it!"
Taehyun retrieved the prize and handed it to him.
"Thank you, Taehyunnie! I love it!" Kai beamed, hugging the plush tightly.
That smile—it did something to Taehyun. He reached out without thinking and gently ran his hand through Kai's hair, a soft, lingering touch. Kai blinked, frozen for a second, unsure how to react. He smiled faintly, but then… his expression changed.
Flashes. Unwanted memories. Mingyu's hands. His touch.
Kai stepped back, eyes dropping. "I—I think I need to use the restroom."
He turned quickly and walked away.
Taehyun sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Nice job, genius," he muttered. "Real smooth."
+×+
Taehyun was still mentally kicking himself when a small boy tugged at his sleeve.
"Mister! Can you help me? My friend's outside—he's hurt really bad!"
Taehyun blinked in confusion. "Where is he?"
"Outside! Please hurry!"
Concerned, Taehyun nodded and followed without hesitation. The boy led him across the street, down an alley, deeper and deeper until they reached a dead end.
"Wait… where is he?"
Taehyun turned, and that's when he saw them.
Mingyu. Vernon. Junhui.
Leaning against the wall like they'd been waiting all night.
"Hello, midget," Mingyu sneered. "Didn't think you'd fall for it so easily. Guess that proves how stupid you are."
Taehyun's eyes narrowed. "You bastard… What the hell do you want?"
The jocks began to circle him, grinning with wicked delight.
"I warned you," Mingyu said darkly. "You just couldn't keep your nose out of it."
Vernon lunged first, aiming a sweeping kick. Taehyun dodged, retaliated with a sharp punch to Junhui's gut. The brawl erupted in a flurry of fists and curses.
Despite the numbers, Taehyun fought back fiercely. He was agile, precise, his hits landing with force. Vernon groaned. Junhui staggered. But Taehyun didn't see the real danger—Mingyu—lurking just behind.
A fist slammed into Taehyun's jaw.
His vision blurred as he collapsed to his knees.
Then came the beating.
Mingyu threw him against the wall. Blood dripped from Taehyun's nose. Vernon and Junhui joined in, kicking him while he was down. Taehyun could barely shield himself.
"You're nothing!" Mingyu spat, crouching beside his battered figure. "Interfere again, and I'll make sure you don't breathe."
With that, they left.
+×+
Meanwhile, Kai had returned from the restroom only to find Taehyun missing. He looked around the arcade, but the older boy was nowhere in sight.
"Taehyun?" he called out, growing anxious.
No answer.
He stepped outside, scanning the streets, checking his phone, calling again and again. The ringtone eventually echoed from a distance—down a narrow alley.
Kai followed the sound… and froze.
There, in the shadows, lay Taehyun—bloody, bruised, unmoving.
"Taehyun!"
He rushed toward him, heart pounding in terror.
+×+
What started as a wonderful night had quickly spiraled into a nightmare. The jocks had ruined everything—again. Trouble always seemed to find Taehyun and Kai when they least expected it.
Now, they were at Kai's place. The air was heavy with silence, broken only by the sound of running water and soft hisses of pain.
Taehyun sat on the couch, holding an ice pack to his forehead, while Kai gently cleaned the cuts on his face with a cloth dipped in warm water.
"Does it still hurt?" Kai asked quietly.
"Just a bit… still stings," Taehyun replied, his eyes briefly closing as the cloth brushed over a sensitive spot.
Kai lowered his gaze, his heart sinking. "I'm sorry… It's my fault. They only did this because of me."
Taehyun reached out and grasped Kai's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, none of this is on you. They're the ones who should be sorry—not you."
But Kai couldn't agree. The guilt clawed at his insides. His lips trembled, and before he could hold them back, tears began to fall. He'd wanted to protect Taehyun, to stop anything bad from happening again—but he'd failed. He felt useless, responsible, and ashamed.
Seeing Kai cry hit Taehyun harder than the punches had. He gently wiped the tears from Kai's cheeks with the back of his hand, murmuring comforting words. "Hey… It's okay. You're safe now. I'm safe too. That's what matters."
But his hand lingered on Kai's cheek.
And as his eyes fell to Kai's lips, a dangerous warmth crept into Taehyun's chest. Everything about Kai felt so delicate, so beautifully fragile—it made Taehyun's heart ache. Without thinking, he brushed his thumb over Kai's lower lip, gaze soft yet intense.
Then—he leaned in and kissed him.
The kiss was slow and hesitant, almost like a whisper.
Kai's eyes widened. Shock crashed over him like a tidal wave, and he instinctively pushed Taehyun away.
"T-Taehyun…" he gasped, standing up.
"Kai, I—"
"Please, leave."
"Kai, I didn't mean—"
"I said leave!"
His voice cracked on the last word, trembling with emotion. Frustration, confusion, sorrow—all twisted into one. The look in Kai's eyes said it all: he wasn't ready, and he didn't want this.
Taehyun froze, regret rising in his throat like bile. There were no words to make it right. So, he nodded silently and left.
The moment the door closed, Kai collapsed onto the floor, pulling his knees to his chest. Tears welled up again—everything was too much.
He didn't see Taehyun that way.
The only person he longed for—the only one who lingered in his heart—was Soobin.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
At first, Kai thought it was just his imagination.
But it rang again… and again.
Thinking Taehyun had returned, he rushed to the door.
"I said leave, Taehyun—!"
But it wasn't Taehyun.
It was Mingyu.
And he wasn't alone.
Kai's heart dropped. Vernon and Junhui flanked Mingyu, smirking like wolves at the door.
"Aww… That any way to treat your visitors?" Mingyu taunted.
Kai panicked, trying to slam the door shut—but Mingyu shoved it open with brutal force. Vernon stepped in and locked it behind them.
Kai backed away, trembling, until he hit the wall.
"Please… just leave me alone…" he pleaded, voice cracking.
But Mingyu only grinned. "Come on, boys. Let's chat with little Kai."
+×+
It felt strange for Beomgyu to be out in public, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement on what could easily be called a date. Yeonjun had asked him—out of the blue—to see a movie together. Beomgyu had almost declined. He didn't even feel like going out that night, yet somehow, he couldn't bring himself to say no to Yeonjun.
Now, as they stood in the cinema lobby, waiting for Yeonjun to return with popcorn, Beomgyu realized he hadn't felt this kind of anticipation in a long time. He was genuinely looking forward to spending the evening with him.
Once inside the dim theater, the two found their seats. Yeonjun had picked a romantic movie—something about a woman falling in love with a single father raising two kids. Beomgyu hadn't seen it before, but it intrigued him. The opening scene, a woman watering flowers in her quaint backyard, already had his attention.
Yeonjun held the popcorn in his lap, and Beomgyu's hand instinctively reached for some. They shared from the same bucket, the sound of popcorn crunching softly between them, mixing with the movie's calm soundtrack and the characters' dialogue. The setting was dark, cold, yet peaceful—and somehow, just right.
As Beomgyu reached in again, his hand brushed against Yeonjun's. His heart skipped. He turned to look at him, and Yeonjun smiled—effortlessly, warmly.
The smile sparked something in Beomgyu's chest, making him glance away, flustered. He rested his hand on the armrest between them, trying to refocus on the movie. But then, Yeonjun's hand slid gently over his, their fingers slowly intertwining.
Beomgyu's face flushed, his ears tingling with heat. Yeonjun's hand was warm and soft against his own, and though he turned his head slightly to peek at him, Yeonjun was still watching the movie—completely calm, as if the gesture meant nothing.
But to Beomgyu, it meant everything.
It was like the world around them vanished. The theater, the people, the movie—it all blurred away. He could only see Yeonjun, only feel Yeonjun. He watched him quietly for the rest of the film, completely captivated. Time passed in the blink of an eye.
And then, the movie ended.
"That was a good movie. Did you like it?" Yeonjun asked as the lights came back on.
Beomgyu blinked out of his trance. "Oh? I—yeah! It was good," he said, voice a little shaky with embarrassment.
Yeonjun giggled at his reaction, as they made their way to the car. The night, however, wasn't over yet. Yeonjun drove without saying where they were headed.
"Where are we going?" Beomgyu asked, curious.
"You'll see."
Eventually, the car rolled to a stop beside a quiet lake. Beomgyu furrowed his brows, glancing around. The place was tranquil, bathed in moonlight, the water glistening softly beneath the stars. It felt like a secret Yeonjun had chosen to share just with him.
Before Beomgyu could say a word, he heard the sound of a seatbelt unbuckling. He turned—and froze. Yeonjun was undressing, tugging his shirt over his head.
"W-What are you doing?!" Beomgyu squeaked, quickly turning away.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going for a swim," Yeonjun grinned.
"WHAT?!" Beomgyu exclaimed, panicked.
Before he could react further, Yeonjun had already sprinted toward the water and dived in, sending a splash into the air.
Beomgyu watched him, baffled and mildly horrified. "You'll catch a cold! Are you even shivering?!"
"The water's great!" Yeonjun called back. "Come join me, Gyu!"
"N-No thanks! I'll pass!"
"I brought spare clothes, and it's not even that cold. Come on!"
There it was again—that spark in Yeonjun's voice, playful and inviting. Beomgyu sighed, flustered, unsure why everything Yeonjun did seemed to enchant him. Whether it was the way he laughed, or how his wet hair clung to his face, he always managed to pull Beomgyu in.
Moments later, Yeonjun emerged from the lake and walked toward him, dripping wet and practically glowing in the moonlight. Beomgyu's breath caught. His skin flushed as he took in Yeonjun's toned figure, his soaked shorts the only thing keeping this moment from being entirely indecent.
Yeonjun reached for Beomgyu's shirt and casually tugged it off. Beomgyu didn't even stop him. That stunned him more than anything—why didn't he resist?
"You've got a nice body," Yeonjun said with a cheeky smirk. "Want me to take your pants off too?"
Beomgyu turned red instantly. "I can manage, thanks," he muttered, turning around to remove his pants slowly—his back burning under Yeonjun's amused giggles.
Once they were both standing near the water, Yeonjun gently guided him forward. Beomgyu hesitated, his body tense.
"I-I don't know, Yeonjun… I'm not sure—"
He didn't get to finish. Yeonjun suddenly lifted him bridal style, laughing as Beomgyu yelped in surprise.
"Yeonjun! Don't you dare—!"
Too late. They both plunged into the water with a splash.
When they resurfaced, Beomgyu gasped, wiping his face. "I can't believe you did that!"
"You didn't drown, did you?" Yeonjun teased. "Feels good, doesn't it?"
He splashed water toward Beomgyu, who shrieked and returned the favor. Soon, laughter echoed across the lake. They played like kids—splashing, teasing, losing themselves in the moment.
And then something changed.
They drifted closer. Arms found their way around each other. Their laughter faded into silence as they locked eyes, the moonlight casting a silvery glow on their wet skin.
Beomgyu smiled, a soft, genuine curve of his lips—and Yeonjun noticed.
"You're smiling," Yeonjun murmured. "You're even more beautiful when you smile."
Beomgyu's heart thundered. Their eyes dropped to each other's lips. Slowly, as if drawn by some unspoken force, they leaned in—until their lips finally met.
The kiss was long, tender, and slow. Sweet. Unexpected. Like it was written in the stars.
When they finally pulled apart, just an inch, they looked at one another in awe—as if waking from a dream and realizing it was real.
Then came the second kiss. Hot, rough, passionate. Their lips moved in sync as they made out beneath the moonlight, arms wrapped tightly around each other, breaths shared, hearts racing.
Yeonjun slid his tongue into Beomgyu's mouth, deepening the kiss as their bodies pressed close. It felt like something they had both been craving for far too long—an answer to the confusion, the strange emotions, the flustered moments neither of them had understood until now.
In that moonlit lake, they unlocked something raw and true—something neither of them could deny anymore.
A night of clarity.
A night of connection.
A night they'd remember forever.