Chapter 144: How it All Started
"...Get lost," Hyuk said blandly.
Hyuk didn't know what the heck was wrong with the guy in front of him.
Ji Yeong Gi was smiling cheerily, but for some reason, Hyuk couldn't trust the smile. It didn't seem fake, but rather... it seemed too perfect. Ji Yeong Gi had approached him in such an obscured place, while he was all bruised and battered from a fight which he assumed the guy had witnessed. On top of that, he was strangely very friendly; as if they were really just classmates who happened to bump into each other. Wouldn't people normally be more concerned about his injuries rather than making his acquaintance?
Basically, Hyuk thought that this Ji Yeong Gi guy was sketchy as f*ck.
"Now, now, let's not be so fierce. All I wanted was to be friends," Ji Yeong Gi said, heaving a troubled sigh.
"The f*ck's wrong with your brain, sh*thead?" Hyuk cussed. He really didn't want to deal with the guy for another second longer.
"That's no way to speak to a friend—" Ji Yeong Gi glanced at the name tag on Hyuk's uniform, "—Lee Hyuk."
"Tch." Hyuk's face changed. He reflexively covered up the name tag with an irritated frown. He had forgotten that he was wearing it.
"C'mon, I'll help you get patched up. Don't wanna worry your parents or anything, right?" Ji Yeong Gi said, slapping Hyuk's back with some force. He laughed nonchalantly, looking as if he had not just sent the other guy tumbling.
"You motherf*c—" Hyuk cursed, hissing from the pain. He'd been forced to steady himself while on his knees, his back hurting twice as much after Yeong Gi's manhandling. If not because of his injuries, Hyuk would have probably taught the guy a little lesson.
"Ugh!" Hyuk groaned as Ji Yeong Gi helped him up. Now that he had decided to get along with Hyuk, he became a lot nicer.
Hyuk did not refuse his help. He was in no condition to be stubborn. He also did not want to go home yet. Just imagining what Yeo Ri's reactions to his wounds was enough to make him want to stay away. She'd probably be worried, or cry, and try to baby him as if he was the younger one. He wouldn't be able to stand it. He didn't want to be so close to her, since he knew he lacked control. He wanted to avoid seeing her as much as possible. Perhaps, keeping his distance might lessen those taboo feelings of his.
Ji Yeong Gi brought Hyuk to his hideout.
It was a basement room of a bar. It was dingy, but Yeong Gi had somehow made it into his own.
"Don't look around; you never know what you might find hiding in the corners," Ji Yeong Gi warned with a deadpan expression. "I found a dead rat the last time I tried to clean this sh*thole. Worst day ever," he added comically.
He dropped Hyuk on the couch and went off to search for medical supplies.
"My aunt owns the bar upstairs. She lets me use this place for free, so I stay here on most days," Yeong Gi explained. "It's more like a hideout rather than my house, though."
"..." Who the f*ck cares, Hyuk thought. He didn't have any intention of sticking with the guy after this so he barely paid attention to his words.
"Ah, found it," Yeong Gi muttered as he pulled out a first aid kit from somewhere in the messy room.
He wasn't an expert at patching up other people, but after years of getting into fights and cleaning up after himself, he treated Hyuk's wounds adequately enough.
"Might need to see the doctor, though," he shrugged after putting away the first aid kit. "So what are you going to do now? Go home? Wanna stay here for the night?"
Yeong Gi rummaged the small fridge near the couch and took out a can of beer. He cracked open the bottle and casually chugged it down.
Letting out a satisfied sound, he handed it over to Hyuk, "Thirsty?"
Hyuk frowned at the other boy, "No thanks. I don't drink." After seeing the effects of alcohol on a certain b*stard, it was safe to say that Hyuk had sworn against touching the devil's drink.
"What? You serious? You're missing out on life, man," Ji Yeong Gi said, his brows raised. There were a lot of kids their age who liked to drink, so it was rare to find someone like Hyuk. He was really nothing like the rumours. Other than his tendency in getting into fights, Hyuk was a pretty good boy. Ji Yeong Gi almost snorted at the thought. 'Lee Hyuk' and 'good boy' should never be described in the same sentence. He inwardly blanched.
"Whatever floats your boat, I guess," Yeong Gi said, shrugging. He didn't have any intentions to force him to drink, anyway. Beer was hard to get at their age and the ones he had were mostly stolen from his aunt. Although she was a bar owner, she was very much against underage drinking. He wouldn't waste his painstakingly accumulated stock on someone who can't appreciate a good drink.
"Here's to a long friendship," Yeong Gi grinned, toasting the empty air before finishing the rest of his beer. He tossed the empty can towards the trashcan, but missed. However, he didn't mind it and left the cleaning up to another day. It was late and he was getting tired.
"I have a feeling that you didn't want to go home yet, so feel free to use the couch," Yeong Gi said. He was feeling extra generous so he threw a threadbare blanket towards Hyuk. It was the only blanket in the room.
"..." Hyuk made a face as if he didn't really want it, but he had no words to reject him. He didn't want to go home but he had nowhere else to go. Ji Yeong Gi's offer was really timely.
"...Thanks," Hyuk said, after struggling with his thoughts for several minutes.
After deciding to rest in the decrepit basement room for a while, Hyuk closed his eyes and had a fitful sleep.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone