[CHAPTER 1]
"Are you sure they're here, Ray?"
"Positive. This is an abandoned gym. The school bullies usually hang out here."
"Alright, be careful. If we get caught, we're toast."
"I know. Just turn your phone on."
Ray and his friend crept slowly toward a spot hidden behind a torn black curtain, completely unaware of the person standing right behind them.
A student had been watching these two "scaredy-cats" for several minutes. He watched them sneak around, only to realize they were trying to secretly film his friend. The student chuckled to himself, then gave a soft cough to startle them.
He didn't forget to shout out, "Finn, you've got visitors!"
Hearing the voice, Ray and his friend instinctively bolted forward.
"Who's that? Do you know them, Hug?"
Realizing they were about to get beaten up and running was their only option, the two exchanged a quick glance and nodded, reading each other's minds. But the plan failed; Finn grabbed the strap of Ray's backpack and yanked him back, while his friend managed to escape.
But Ray wasn't one to give in easily. He threw a punch in retaliation before scrambling away. Finn rubbed his face, feeling that the person who hit him looked vaguely familiar. Just like that, his summer plan was ruined.
...
To improve academic performance, the school decided to abolish the tracking system. Both top students and underachievers were now in the same class.
And so, Ray met Finn again in his final year.
On the first day back, Finn stood from afar, gesturing mockingly at the spot on his face where Ray had punched him over the summer. Ray saw him but pretended he hadn't, praying that they wouldn't be seated next to each other.
Heaven must have been pitying Ray, as they weren't assigned seats together. Finn sat behind him, while sitting next to Ray was Sea, the friend who had been with him that day.
...
After school.
Finn threw an arm around Ray's shoulder and dragged him away, leaving a bewildered Sea behind. Ray didn't want to drag Sea into this, so he told his friend to go home first while he went to face the music. But how could Sea abandon his best friend? In this class, only Finn was alone, while they were two they were sure to win.
Thinking fast, Sea lunged forward, pushed Finn aside, and pulled Ray away. They managed to escape, but they'd have to deal with the consequences later.
For several days in a row, Sea and Ray bolted home the moment the school bell rang. They might not have been athletes, but their running speed was unmatched.
Despite their careful planning, they didn't escape. Finn's gang blocked them at the school gate and dragged them into a nearby alley.
Now, it wasn't just Finn; there were two or three others, and one punch from each of them would be enough to put Ray in the hospital for a week. He felt terrible that his friend had to suffer because of his own mistake.
Finn stepped forward, about to say something, but Ray cut him off.
"I like you."
Those three words left the whole gang stunned, and even Sea couldn't help but scream in panic.
"What! You dragged me here just so you could confess?!"
Ray replied awkwardly, "Not... well, sort of!"
"Anyway, I like you, Finn!"
He figured that saying this would prevent a beating, and if he were lucky, he might even get some protection from being bullied.
"Are you joking?" Finn stared straight at him and asked.
Ray flinched, but still insisted, "I'm not joking! I really do like you."
Finn laughed and asked further, "What do you like about me?"
"Huh! I..." Ray was flustered. He only knew Finn as a violent guy; other than that, he couldn't see a single redeeming quality.
"Feelings aren't something to play around with," Finn said, beginning to lose his cool.
"I like you because you're strong you're my type."
A random answer, but it made Finn burst into laughter.
"Your type is a dim-witted, fighting-obsessed guy? I never expected a straight-A student to have such a 'unique' taste in lovers."
"The point is, I like you! Believe it or not, that's on you."
Ray intended to run away after saying his piece, but this time, Finn was too fast; he pulled Ray into his arms.
"It just so happens I was recently cheated on, so you'll be my new lover."
Hearing that, Ray pushed Finn away and shouted.
"Feelings aren't something to be toyed with!" This time, Ray managed to break free.
Finn was confused. It was clearly Ray who confessed first, and he had given the kid a chance, yet Ray was crying and acting so pathetic. Did he do something wrong? "Not something to be toyed with" was the kid actually hoping for real love?
And what was with that aggrieved look and those tears? He hadn't even punched him!
...
Sea quickly caught up.
"What just happened back there?"
"It's hard to explain, but do you think he believed it?"
"Don't tell me you were acting?"
"If I hadn't acted, we wouldn't have made it home in one piece."
"And what if he's serious?"
"Someone like him? How could he be serious..."
...
Ray never thought those three words would cost him so much. The notorious school bully was actually taking his words seriously.
Finn was actually at school early, waiting for him at the gate with breakfast. He even suggested picking him up and dropping him off starting tomorrow.
"Where do you live? I'll pick you up tomorrow. I'm tired of waiting for your bus."
"Huh...?"
"You're my lover now, so it's normal for me to drive you to school. My ex-lovers begged for it and I never did, so consider yourself honored."
"No, that's too much trouble. Plus, I don't want my family to know."
"You're the first lover to ever reject me."
"I... I... I'm shy."
I never thought this brute would be so serious. Could I get found out?
"Were you filming me for fun back then?"
"Filming what..."
"Over the summer, what were you and your friend filming?"
"Ah... I meant to film it so I could study it. I wanted to become stronger too."
Finn chuckled, "From now on, you don't need to be strong. I'll protect you."
I knew it might just be empty words, but I was touched. I wonder how long it will take for him to get bored of me?
....
The school bell rang.
Because of tutoring, Ray always went home alone, but today he dashed off so quickly that Sea couldn't even process what was happening.
When Ray arrived, he saw Finn standing in the hallway. His heart skipped a beat. Ray tried to turn around and dash away, but the other guy was faster. He grabbed his backpack strap and pulled him into the library. Ray hadn't wanted to go home, which was why he stayed late, but now he was stuck with Finn.
"Aren't you going home...?"
"Shouldn't I stay with my lover?"
Ray sometimes wondered if he had been found out.
Why did every word "lover" from Finn's lips sound so emphasized?
"Aren't you tired? I've seen you stay here for three hours now."
"Study. I'll wait for you to finish, then we'll go home together."
Was he done with physical bullying and starting with mental torture now? Who could study with someone staring at them like that?
"Finn, I'm shy. Please don't stare at me like that."
"Haha, I'm looking at my lover, are you even going to deny me that?"
"But I really am shy."
"Alright, alright, just study. I'm going to buy something."
....
Finn walked back, stood behind Ray, and pulled out an ice-cold drink he'd just bought, pressing it against Ray's face, which made him jump.
"Here, have a drink."
I found myself involuntarily laughing at his action.
"A tough guy like you actually knows how to care about others?"
"I'm being serious, just like you wanted. Didn't you say feelings shouldn't be toyed with?"
I fell silent for a few seconds, about to speak, but he beat me to it.
"Let's go eat in a bit. You must be hungry after studying all this time."
"But..."
"No refusing me."
Something felt completely wrong. A guy like Finn shouldn't be like this. If he was this good, why did he get cheated on? What about his reputation as a thug, a bully, and all those other labels?
...
Just how many lovers has he had to act so experienced like this? Wiping the utensils, telling the shop owner to leave the scallions out, and smiling so friendly at her the whole time...
I ate, but couldn't stop watching him. Where did that cold exterior go? Why does it cease to exist whenever he's around me?
"What are you looking at?"
"No, I wasn't looking at you."
"I only come here to eat with my mom. Don't overthink it."
Could this guy read my mind? He explained everything I was wondering about. Is this really the guy I was so afraid of that I ran away for days, so afraid that I had to confess just to avoid getting hit...
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