★★★★★ ━━ ❪ @CH_4TEEN ❫

at the park...

all the counters were currently warming up for training, but all of them thought of the same thing.

" is he really gonna come? i mean...i kinda told him yesterday... "

JUNWON thinks to herself, switching from push ups to stretching her legs.

" ah... are we too early? we should've set a time. geez... "

MOTAK says as he walks around to ease his nerves.

" this isn't bad. we get to exercise "

MRS. CHU tries to convince him and herself.

" i think we got too ahead of ourselves "

HANA joins the conversation.

the youngest counter doesn't allow them to be discouraged, coming up with a way to keep their hopes up.

" he'll come. i believe that he chose to join us. i saw that look in his eyes when he saved that boy, i'm confident he'll make the right decision. "

JUNWON says with confidence, fully trusting that the boy she had quickly gotten attached to was going to join their team.

" our JUNWON is right! we must stay positive and trust him! "

MRS. CHU enthusiastically shouts, putting her hand on her hips.

HANA suddenly rises up from her previous position, looking to her left and smirking when she sees a familiar figure walking towards them.

" he's here "

JUNWON and the other two counters immediately turn their heads at her words, and there he was, wearing the same red tracksuit they were wearing.

" of course~ why wouldn't he come? i knew he'd come "

" you were exercising on pins and needles "

" SO MUN-ah! "

JUNWON brightly waves and calls for the said boy, tuning out the bickering of the two oldest counters.

MUN lets out a big smile and returns the girl's actions, getting rid of his serious persona.

" MOTAK-ah, HANA-yah, JUNWON-ah. let's groom him well, he has no idea how dangerous this job is. let's keep him safe and help him become a great counter. "

MRS. CHU tells the other counters, still looking at MUN who's running to them.

" welcome~ "

JUNWON and MRS. CHU happily greet the boy, nudging the other two to do the same.

" do you think...i can do a good job? "

MUN hesitantly asks, but doesn't receive a proper answer because MOTAK doesn't allow him to overthink more.

" you need do undergo hazing first "

" hazing? "

they were all now standing in front of a wall, it being covered with a few colorful handprints.

" SO MUN-ah "

" yes? "

" see those handprints? "

MOTAK asks the boy, receiving a nod from him.

" the green one is MRS. CHU's, the red one is HANA's, and the yellow one is mine. "

" what? that's insane "

MUN says in astonishment, the look in his face making JUNWON smile.

" wait 'till you find out about mine "

JUNWON tells him with a mysterious tone, giving him a playful wink.

" oh right, where's yours? "

MUN questions the girl, who only gives him a shrug and a smile.

" alright. yours will be blue. it was CHEOLJUNG's color. "

" the one who passed away? "

at his question, the atmosphere shifts to a more solemn air.

MOTAK nods, squeezing the tube of blue paint on MUN's palm.

" yes. JANG CHEOLJUNG "

the mention of the former counter makes JUNWON tear up, but she wipes them off and forces a smile on her face.

" but i don't see a blue handprint on that wall "

" right. why would that be? we will officially accept you as his successor the day you find the answer "

" which will be today! i believe in you MUN! "

the said boy smiles at JUNWON's encouragement, returning his gaze to the wall when HANA tells him to get ready.

HANA blows the whistle and MUN loudly yells as he takes a big leap.

all the counters are astonished at the sight of the new addition's jump, his blue handprint reaching the ledge of the solid stairway above them.

" what?! a blue handprint! a-and a purple one! is this JUNWON's? they're both here! these are CHEOLJUNG's and JUNWON's handprints, right?! wow! this is so cool! "

MUN happily shouts to the counters below him, who are beyond impressed at his results.

JUNWON's heart fills with warmth, feeling proud for the lovely boy.

" this is unbelievable, MUN... "

" do you see mine really close to CHEOLJUNG-ahjussi?! isn't that cool, MUN?! "

" wah! this is incredible! "

" indeed! "

" well done, MUN! "

MRS. CHU and JUNWON continue to praise the high school boy, and although MOTAK and HANA weren't verbally expressing it, they were proud of him too, and they knew it.

MUN brightly smiles at them, waving his arms around and still shouting in celebration.

it wasn't just the height of his jump that made him happy, it was the fact that the girl he'd quickly gotten attached to, was proud of him, and was celebrating like she was her own.

and for some reason, it made him feel strange.

the butterflies in his stomach grew as he stared at her more, his heart melted at her praises, and his smile widened at the sight of her own smile.

SO MUN was catching feelings for LEE JUNWON, but honestly, falling in love with her would be a more accurate description.

what he doesn't know is that the same girl that made him so happy, was feeling and thinking the exact same thing that he was.

jungjin high school...

JUNWON peacefully reads her book on her seat by the window, her earbuds playing STRAY KIDS' ASTRONAUT, cancelling other noises from entering her ears.

suddenly, a loud slam to her right intruded her hearing.

HYUKWOO and his friends were here to bother MUN again.

" can they just piss off? fucking hell... "

JUNWON removes her earbuds, glaring at HYUKWOO and his gang, who were surrounding MUN's desk.

" hey, what happened yesterday? "

HYUKWOO questioned the curly-haired boy in front of him.

" i know we were beating you up, but that's all we remember "

" exactly. and we woke up at the gym this morning. "

" what happened? "

the other two bullies spoke, going closer towards the boy, invading his personal space.

" i don't know either. i fainted, remember? "

MUN nervously replied, but his response angered the brown-haired boy even more.

HYUKWOO harshly slaps MUN, making everyone in the classroom gasp.

JUNWON's irritation grew as she watched the privileged students continuously hurt and insult her fellow counter.

" ya. SHIN HYUKWOO, can you and your goons leave MUN alone? you guys are disturbing everyone here "

JUNWON tries to bargain with him, controlling her anger by clenching her fist.

HYUKWOO's face displays a sour expression at her request, he couldn't believe that the school's smartest and kindest student was protecting this worthless disabled thing in front of him.

" JUNWON-ssi, we know you're smart and pretty and all, but can you mind your own business? "

CHEONJUNG sarcastically says to her, receiving a glare from his "leader" and the said girl.

" JUNWON-ah. stay out of this. don't hurt, JUNWON. this is between you and me, she has no part in this. "

MUN switches from talking to his fellow counter and the mayor's son, worrying about the girl's safety.

HYUKWOO slaps him once again, grabbing the back of his head to make the boy face him.

" ya. have you lost your mind? "

MUN, finally fed up with him, pushes him with his desk, sending HYUKWOO to the floor.

" you little piece of shit "

HYUKWOO stands up and punches him, but the curly-haired boy punches him back when he tries to punch him again.

he then deals with the other two bullies beside him, the two ending up with the same results.

UNGMIN and JUYEON are stunned, not believing that their "weak" friend just beat up the infamous bullies.

JUNWON is also frozen at her desk, but puts on a proud smile on her face.

" are you humiliated? you guys have been humiliating everyone here all this time "

MUN boldly confronts HYUKWOO, then looks at the other two students still on the floor, all three of them in pain.

" so don't you ever forget how mortified you were today and don't hurt them again "

he returns his gaze to the brown-haired boy, who lets out a laugh of disbelief.

" you guys can come for me. but don't...don't hurt UNGMIN ever again. "

he looks at his two childhood best friends, who were already looking at him.

" the same goes for UNGMIN's friends. his friends' friends too. don't hurt anyone at school ever, especially UNGMIN, JUYEON, and JUNWON. "

MUN makes eye contact with JUNWON, his fierce eyes sparkling when the girl gives him a proud nod of approval.

" if you hurt or bully anyone again, i guarantee you. you'll get it all back, twofold. mark my words. "

after their embarrassing defeat, HYUKWOO and his friends left the classroom in pain.

the crowd also starts to disappear and go back to their respective class, but not without taking one last glance at the curly-haired boy who bravely and successfully beat the notorious jungjin bullies.

MUN apologizes to the boy who sat in front of him, but he quickly dismisses him, praising him for his actions.

JUNWON observes her fellow counter, her eyes scanning the boy from head to toe to make sure there weren't any visible injuries.

MUN notices the girl looking at him, he also does the same and checks the girl for any injuries.

the two counters make eye contact after confirming the other was fine, MUN broke eye contact first due to UNGMIN and JUYEON coming over to talk to him.

the straight, short, black-haired girl smiles at the three best friends conversating and returns to reading her book.

this time, without music playing in her ears, wanting to listen to MUN, UNGMIN, and JUYEON's light-hearted conversation from her own table.

from JAE.

two iconic moments in one chapter !!

© 𝗝𝗝𝟬𝗡𝗚-𝗢𝗦𝗧 , 𝟤𝖮𝟤𝟥