___

You stared at the message that Sumin sent you in the middle of the night.

"You're that girl that runs the circus? How was it getting everything taken from you in that fire? How about watching your friends suffer? You probably don't enjoy it, but I do."

"She's crazy." You said to yourself. "Absolutely nuts."

You shook your head as you got off of your motorcycle. You looked towards the tennis court and saw Jacob, so you decided to sneak up and hug him. When you got to him, you wrapped your arms around his waist but he didn't reciprocate the affection. You got in front of him and furrowed your eyebrows.

"Don't." Jacob said.

"I didn't do anything." Your hand started reaching up to Jacob's bloody lip, but he pushed it away. "Jacob?"

"I'm already embarrassed as it is, Minji. Please don't make me feel any smaller than I do right now."

He started walking away from you. "Jacob, I just want to help you. Are you okay?"

He ignored you, and you could see him wiping his lip with his sleeve as he continued walking. Your arms dropped, and you decided to ask the boys what happened.

You went in a different direction than Jacob to get into the school, and on your way in, you bumped into Hyunjae. "Hey, what happened-"

"Not now."

He rushed past you and left you behind. If all of them did this to you, you would get very aggravated very fast. You grabbed your phone and called Sangyeon, and he surprisingly answered.

"Minji?"

"What's going on, Sangyeon? Why is Jacob bleeding and why did Hyunjae just avoid me?"

"Um," he stumbled. "Sumin told us that if she saw anyone with you, she'd do damage. Those were her exact words."

"So stupid." And you hung up.

You didn't care what Sumin said. You were allowed to be with your friends and you weren't going to let some daddy's girl keep you from them.

So after school, you went on an adventure to find Jacob. At this point, it wasn't even because you wanted to get under Sumin's skin. It was that he wasn't talking, he wasn't giving that angelic smile to anyone, he stopped making eye contact with you, and that made you upset. Not only because he was unhappy, but because he put everyone aside because he was scared. He didn't deserve to be scared.

You were starting to give up when you found him in the parking lot, leaning against his car. You walked over and slid your arms around his waist, to which he tried to push you away.

"Just for a second, Jacob," you breathed out. "Please."

He didn't say anything, but he did stop trying to push you away. Your head was against his chest, listening to his quickening heartbeat.

"I know you're scared that Sumin will do something if you're seen with me, but she's nothing but a person with insecurities, Jacob - taking them out on you, Changmin and Eric." You said.

He finally touched you, a gentle hand on your back. "You don't know, Minji. You have no clue."

You looked up at him. "What?"

"You don't even know half of the things she's done to us," he shook as he spoke. "She humiliated all of us, even Sangyeon. She's terrible, you just don't know."

"Jacob, please let me help you-"

"No. I'm tired of getting help from other people." He removed your arms from his waist and opened his car door. "Just leave it alone."

You stood there in shock as he started his car and drove away. No goodbye, no "i'll call you later", no sweet smile. He was just gone.

"Touch him again, princess. See what happens."

You turned to look at the girl, who you could now say you despised. "Call me princess again and you won't get the chance to do anything."

"Yeah, act all big and bad. I know who you are, circus freak." She smirked.

"Be a little more original with your insults. Maybe you could trade in your ugly car for some comeback lessons."

She raised an overdone eyebrow. "Because of that, Jacob's gonna get it tomorrow."

"Don't be such a coward." You bit. "I said it to you, why take it out on him? Are you mad that he's better than you? Are you mad that he doesn't have to suck up to every human on the planet to be liked? What are you so insecure about that he's your target?"

"I'm not insecure. He's just weak."

"Weak?" You scoffed. "Trust me, he's not weak. You're just such a manipulative person that you think you're superior to them. You have no power over them, not one bit." You lied. "You don't have power over anyone."

She started walking towards you. "Who do you think you are?"

You shrugged. "A better person than you."

She swung at you and of course hit you because you weren't quite expecting it. There would now be a bruise on your cheek bone. You'd been hit before, so it was no big deal.

"Who's weak now?" She piped.

"You are." You smiled. "Because I don't have to be violent to get my point across."

You walked away from her, feeling as if you had made your point. You wanted so badly to hit her, you were balling your fists up to the point of nail indentions in your palm. But for the sake of your friends, you'd be the bigger person, the more mature woman.

"Today? In two hours?" You questioned. "Why did they make it so late?"

"I don't know, Minji, but this is how it's going down. We're prepared, so we should be fine." Your lawyer told you.

"I can still call my friends to testify, right?"

She hummed on the other line. "Just make it quick."

So you texted the group chat.

PICK YOUR CHAT

BAECOP🕊
HEOHEO🐱
FREAKSHOWSTEALERZ🎪
MINJI'SBOYZ <

•••

minjinjja
my court date got moved to today
you guys can make it, right?

You waited for a little bit as you began to get ready.

minjinjja
guys?

sunrayz
i'm getting ready right now.
send the address.

younghoonthebreadmaster
so am i.

eric'sblondestreaks
i'll be there for you.

[eric'sblondestreaks and two others logged out ; 6:26 p.m.]

You sighed out of relief, glad that at least three of them got back to you. Were you hurt that not all of them jumped to the gun? Absolutely. But you didn't have time to be upset.

"Are the guys coming?" Hyunjoon asked as he put makeup over your bruise for you.

You nodded. "Only three of them."

___