eleven

-Three Years Ago-

"Chan, wait up!" Chan heard someone calling after him.

He wanted to ignore them and continue walking until he reached his house. He wanted to lock himself inside and forget the horrible day he had, but he stopped anyway. He knew Seungkwan wouldn't let him get far. Besides, he hadn't done anything wrong. It would be unfair of him to be so mean. Seungkwan caught up to him and frowned.

"Why are you wearing your hat so low? Can you even see where you're going?" He teased.

When Chan didn't respond or even laugh, his friend grew more concerned and swiftly took the hat from his head before the other could protest. It was evident by the shock in Seungkwan's eyes that it was too late. He'd seen it all.

"They beat you again, didn't they?" Seungkwan asked with a sigh.

He didn't even need to clarify who they were. They were the same people that had beaten Chan up since he started high school. The same people who had made Chan's life a living nightmare and turned him from a bright and humorous person to a quiet and timid one. They stole his spark from him, something Seungkwan would never forgive them for. Chan wordlessly snatched his hat back and placed it firmly on his head. He continued walking, Seungkwan following close behind, not wanting to leave him alone.

"What was it about this time?" He tried.

Chan shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe I didn't get their drinks fast enough or maybe I didn't get an answer right when doing their homework. It could be a number of things."

Seungkwan walked in front of Chan and stopped in place, forcing the other to stop as well.

"We have to put an end to this. It isn't right." He protested. "I mean, you can't go through this anymore."

Chan sighed once more. "What exactly are we going to do? Tell a teacher?" He asked sarcastically.

"If we have to," Seungkwan replied seriously.

Chan only scoffed. "Yeah, like that will work. You know they don't care as long as we get good grades. In fact, I'm sure the teachers are happy I'm doing those bastards' homework since they're finally getting good grades."

Seungkwan went to say something, but Chan didn't give him the chance. "Besides, there's only one semester left until graduation and then it all be over. I just have to hold out until then."

Seungkwan looked at his friend feeling defeated. He wanted to help him. He hated to see him suffer, but he knew he couldn't help if Chan didn't want the help. He could only stay by his side and that was what he intended to do.

"Alright. If that's what you want, I respect that, but promise me one thing." Seungkwan urged.

"What?"

"When it comes time, you'll fight back."

"I promise."

Two weeks passed since that interaction. Chan had tried keeping his head held high as he told himself he would, but it was becoming more and more difficult. The bullying was worsening and Chan's skin was more black and blue than it was tan. Still, he held himself together and tried to focus on Seungkwan's voice as he chatted during their walk to school.

"Oh, I just downloaded the new expansion pack. Wanna come over after school and check it out with me?" Seungkwan asked, pulling Chan out of his deepest thoughts.

Chan nodded, even though he didn't feel up for much lately. He couldn't refuse Seungkwan. Not when he was being such a good friend to him.

"Sure, that sounds fun."

Seungkwan smiled, happy to see some semblance of normalcy in his friend. "Great. I'll meet you at the front gate after school. I have to speak with a teacher first, otherwise we'd walk together." He said as they entered the school.

When they reached their shared classroom, they had to part ways to go to their seats. Seungkwan's was in the middle while Chan's was at the back near the second entrance. He was about to sit down when he heard a chilling voice from across the room.

"Hey, Lee Chan!"

Chan slowly turned to see Park Gihoon smiling at him. He motioned for Chan to come over and his stomach churned. Whatever Gihoon wanted, it couldn't have been good. He was the leader when it came to the daily bullying of Chan. He hit the hardest and was also the meanest as he knew he could get away with it. Gihoon's father was the superintendent of the school who didn't seem to care that his son preferred to beat his classmates instead of studying. When Chan refused to move, Gihoon called out to him once more.

"Lee Chan!"

Knowing he was only delaying the inevitable, Chan gave Seungkwan a brief look for comfort before he shuffled over to Gihoon and his friends. He gave them a curt bow.

"I'll go get your drinks." He muttered.

He was about to dash out of the room, but Gihoon gripped tightly onto his arm, preventing him from going anywhere. Chan winced at the strength being used and braced himself for the blow he was sure to come. However, it never did. Instead, he found Gihoon smiling at him. He almost looked...friendly.

"No silly, we don't want you to get our drinks," Gihoon said.

Chan was confused. Usually, Gihoon would be kicking him because he wasn't going quick enough to run their errands. What could he have been up to now?

"Then...what do you want?" Chan hesitantly asked.

Gihoon grabbed the chair next to him and Chan's eyes widened. He knew Gihoon was cruel but he never imagined he would hit him with a chair. Chan, once again, prepared himself for the harsh beating to come, but Gihoon surprised him once more by placing the chair next to him.

"Sit." He offered.

Chan was frozen. What was happening? Still, he knew better than to disobey Gihoon so he sat. The other smiled brightly at him.

"There you go! That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Chan timidly shook his head.

Gihoon then sighed, making a big show of it. "I am kinda thirsty, now that I think about it."

Chan went to stand. "I'll get it!" He declared.

Gihoon placed a firm hand on his shoulder, hard enough to bruise. It kept him seated. "No, you're not going. I'm thinking..." His words trailed off as he scanned the room. He was searching for his next victim. His eyes settled on one person in particular.

"Boo Seungkwan!" He shouted.

Seungkwan turned around with an annoyed eye roll. "What?" He shouted back.

"Go get us drinks," Gihoon ordered.

He was using the same tone Chan had become accustomed to. It would make him scramble to his feet and rush out the door, but Seungkwan was stronger than him. He was still sitting and even had the nerve to glare back at Gihoon.

"Drop dead." He retaliated.

Gihoon let out a laugh, but there was no humor to it. He simply nodded and leaned over to whisper something in his friend's ear. By the next moment, Gihoon's friend, Seyoon, had Seungkwan by the collar as he dragged him out of the room. Much to Chan's horror, Seungkwan returned with a bloodied face. He dragged himself over to Gihoon reluctantly.

"What drink do you want?"

"Surprise me. If you guess wrong, I'll hit you and send you back until you get it right, so choose wisely."

Seungkwan glared at him once more despite his bruising eye. "You stupid bastard. How the fu-"

Gihoon cut him off. "Is that backtalk? You better hurry before class starts. Don't want the top student to be counted as absent or tardy."

Seungkwan gave a huff before storming out of the classroom. When he returned with the drinks, Gihoon let him go back to his desk, as well as letting Chan return to his own seat as well. However, Chan quickly realized he wasn't going to get rid of Gihoon that easily. He ambushed him at lunch and made him sit at their table. He even waited for him after school. He was trapped. As Gihoon slung an arm over his shoulders, Chan's eyes found Seungkwan's as he stood at their previously agreed-upon meeting place. Full of guilt, Chan looked away and let Gihoon drag him away.

The strange behavior continued for three more weeks. Gihoon would invite him to join him while he and the others bullied their new favorite target, Seungkwan. Chan hadn't been able to talk to his friend. Gihoon kept them away at school and Seungkwan started to avoid him after school. He wouldn't respond to any of his texts either. Chan didn't blame him. He knew he should have been doing something to stop Gihoon, but he was too afraid to. He didn't want the bullying to return to him. He knew it was unfair to Seungkwan, but didn't know what to do other than stay silent.

On a day like any other, Chan found himself stuck with Gihoon and his friends after school. Normally the group went to restaurants or arcades to be loud and cause trouble, but they didn't seem to be in the mood for any of that. They were in front of a store, but none of them made a move to go in. Gihoon turned to Chan.

"Listen, stand out here and keep watch. When we come out, you run." He ordered.

Chan was confused as to what was happening, but he knew he needed to nod to survive. Gihoon patted his head, seeming pleased with his compliance.

"Good boy."

They all went in as Chan stood outside as told. However, moments later, he was startled by a loud yell as Gihoon and the others ran out.

"Run!" Gihoon demanded.

Adrenaline took over as Chan started to sprint to keep up with them, but he still caught sight of the lifeless body of the store owner lying in the doorway. As he ran, he saw Seyoon carrying a full backpack while Gihoon clutched a knife. He pieced it together rather quickly after that. He was just involved in a crime. They ran all the way to Seyoon's house as it was the nearest and safest due to his parents never being home. As they all stopped to catch their breath, Chan looked around in horror.

"You murdered someone!" He exclaimed, pointing at the bloody knife Gihoon was still holding.

Gihoon's smile was something near deranged. "No, we murdered someone." He corrected. "Don't forget you were there. Don't try to play the saint, you'll go down with us." He warned.

"I don't care. This isn't right."

Chan went to run again, but Gihoon, always faster and stronger than him, grabbed him.

"Nice try." He whispered in his ear.

He held the knife high and was about to stab him, but then he seemed to think better of it as he put it down. He punched Chan instead, making him fall to the ground. As the world around him started to blur and his ears rang, he managed to hear Gihoon one last time.

"Make it look like a suicide." He ordered.

It was the final thing Chan heard before he died.