The low hum of Nam-Gyu's engine cut out with a click. He slammed the door shut behind him, yawning into the cold morning air as he shoved his hands into his bomber jacket pockets. His black hoodie hung low over his eyes, hair messy, damp from his half-assed shower. He didn't even know why he was here. Some stupid impulse to actually show up to class for once.

Then he heard it.

A laugh — too loud, too cruel — echoing from the side lot near the old maintenance exit. Followed by a whimper.

His eyes narrowed.

Nam-Gyu stepped around the corner and stopped dead.

There were three of them. Boys. Seniors, maybe. Towering over a girl — her. The shy one. The one who always looked like she was trying to disappear in the hallway. Her shirt was on the ground. Her bra straps slipping off her shoulders. One of the guys had his phone out. Recording.

His jaw clenched. Blood rose in his ears like boiling water.

He walked forward.

"Yo,"he said, calm, like he wasn't already picturing caving their faces in."You really filming this? That what gets your little dicks hard now?"

The guy holding the phone turned."The fuck are you—"

"Someone who's about two seconds away from snapping your arm in half if you don't hand me that phone,"Nam-Gyu cut in, voice flat.

The tallest one stepped forward, smirking."Relax, man. It's just a joke. She's into it."

Nam-Gyu's expression didn't shift. His eyes dropped to the girl. Her lips were trembling. She wasn't saying a word.

"Yeah,"he muttered."Looks real into it."

The boy laughed, waving the phone in his face."Mind your own—"

*CRACK.

Nam-Gyu didn't warn him. Just snatched the phone clean from his hand and hurled it down hard against the asphalt. The screen exploded into glass and sparks. One of the boys lunged.

Nam-Gyu slammed him into the side of a car.

"I said,"he growled, turning,"leave her the fuck alone."

The bullies hesitated, confused, startled — the way people always got when he dropped the calm act. The cracked phone sat bleeding pixels at their feet.

Nam-Gyu stepped in front of the girl, shielding her with his body. He didn't look at her. He didn't need to.

Behind him, the first guy was still getting up, fists clenched.

Nam-Gyu cracked his neck and sighed."You really wanna do this right now?"

The bell echoed faintly in the distance. School was about to begin.

Nam-Gyu didn't move. His eyes burned holes through the guy across from him."Last chance."

The tallest one didn't back down. He rolled his shoulders like he was trying to act tough. "You think you're some hero now, Nam-Gyu?" he spat."Everyone knows you're just a junkie freak."

Nam-Gyu's lips curled into a bitter half-smile."Better a junkie than a fucking rapist."

And then he moved.

Fast. Precise. He drove his elbow into the guy's jaw before the bastard could even flinch. The crack echoed louder than the bell. The boy staggered back, hitting the ground hard, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The others froze.

"You want seconds?"Nam-Gyu asked, eyes flashing dark."Go ahead. Try."

No one did.

"Get the fuck out of here," he growled. "All of you."

They didn't say another word. The one with the split lip scrambled to his feet, clutching his jaw. Then they ran, leaving behind the shattered phone and the silence.

Nam-Gyu stood there for a beat, breathing heavy, fingers flexing like he wasn't sure if the fight was over — or if it just shifted inside of him.

Then he turned around.

She was still on the ground. Arms wrapped around her chest. Shoulders shaking. She hadn't said a word. She looked small. Broken.

And Nam-Gyu... he froze.

He didn't know what the fuck to do.

He'd never seen something like that — not really. Not up close. Not something so cruel. His stomach twisted. This wasn't just a fight, a party gone wrong, some guy mouthing off. This was real.

Slowly, without saying a word, he knelt down in front of her. His movements were careful now, almost gentle. Like she might shatter if he got too close.

He held out his hand.

His voice, when it came, was low. Awkward. Almost hoarse.

"...Come on."

No nickname. No sarcasm. Just two words — the only thing he could think to say.

When she didn't move, he glanced away for a second, jaw tightening.

"...You wanna go home?" he asked quietly. "I can drive. Or we can get food. Or... I dunno."

A pause.

"You don't gotta go to class like this."

He still didn't look her in the eye. He didn't know how. His hand stayed out, palm open. Waiting.

His fingers trembled just slightly.

He didn't know how to comfort people.

He didn't even know what comfort looked like.

But in that moment, he wished someone had done this for him.