Part III

Kai

Could money really make people so hateful? Maybe not everyone, but it clearly did to those spoiled, preppy, rich boys. I didn't even remember doing anything to them to deserve their harassment. I just existed differently than them. Though, with guys like that, I'm sure that was all reason they needed. 

"You alright?" Baekhyun asked as we slowly walked back to our houses. 

I took a deep breath and exhaled. "Yeah, I'm good. Those guys just piss me off," I said, shoving my hands in my pocket.

"No shit." Sehun chuckled before taking a sip of the bubble tea he made us stop to get. "I'm surprised you didn't punch him in the face. I guess those therapy sessions have been paying off."

"You can afford a therapist?" Xiumin asked, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"No, I've just been meeting with the guidance counselor at school every week since my last...episode," I said, the last word coming out as a grumble. "It was better than getting suspended or expelled."

"I'll say. Our parents were pissed when they found out he threatened a teacher," Sehun said, an amused grin forming on his lips as he took another drink.

"Okay, that asshole was asking for it," I said in my own defense, briefly stopping my feet. "He was giving me a hard time about that stupid test that pretty much everyone failed, but because I'm the poor, low-class student, I somehow need to be scolded."

"Or maybe it's because unlike you, your grades suck ass and if they get any worse, you won't graduate," Sehun interjected. 

I glared at him before turning away and exhaling sharply. "Whatever. Those assholes are lucky I'm more afraid of my dad than I am of them," I said, earning a couple of laughs from the rest of them.

"That's why you should consider yourself lucky," Luahn said as he nudged me gently. I looked at him, slightly confused. "You're lucky that the one guy they know they can't touch has a crush on you." I rolled my eyes, listening as they all cooed at me. 

"For the millionth time, Taemin does not have a crush on me," I said. "We're just friends."

"Yeah, really close friends who text all of the time," Baekhyun said.

"And immediately jump to each other's defense whenever someone tries to hurt them," Luhan said next. 

"And call each other in the middle of the night," Sehun added lastly. I whipped my head in his direction. "We share a room, dumbass. I can hear you."

"You are all ridiculous." I crossed my arms over my chest, having to hear their annoying giggly laughter again. "Even if he does like me, there's nothing I can do about it. He's graduating this year and then he'll be off to some fancy Ivy League in the States most likely. So, I guess I'm not lucky after all."

"Excuses, excuses," Luhan said with a quick eye roll. "It's always excuses with this one." They chuckled and picked up their walking pace a little, but I lagged behind a little. 

They may have sounded like excuses, but they were just true, inconvenient realities. Taemin and I would have never worked out. There would be no living happily ever after for us. We were no Romeo and Juliet, but we too were plagued by our familial statuses. Even if his parents accepted their gay son, they'd never accept him dating some commoner like me, and I didn't think Taemin was strong enough to endure it, not even for my sake.

Baekhyun

Saturday came around and as promised, Xiumin took us bowling that afternoon and even paid for pizza afterward. Despite how chaotic it could get, I always found refuge in spending time with my friends. Being able to just exist and crack jokes and act dumb with them took some of life's burden off of my shoulders. 

However, life could never seem to let me keep that burden off.

When I opened the door to my house after arriving home, I found my dad sitting at the table with his hands pressed against his forehead and elbows on the table. He looked at me with a worried expression when he heard my footsteps. There was an unfolded letter sitting in front of him on the table. I walked up to it and picked it up. I didn't read it all, but I read enough to understand his expression.

"Why are we being evicted?" I asked as I sat down across from him, feeling my heart begin to race from inside my chest.

"I was behind on rent after paying for my medical bills from the work accident I had a few months ago," he started to say. "I thought I could catch up if I just worked more, but there's only so much work that can be done to house, even a big one."

I exhaled and glanced down at the eviction notice again. "Where are we going to go?" I asked in a quieter voice.

"I was thinking about calling some of our family or even dipping into your college fund if I had to, but then Mr. Park...well, he's been pestering me about compensation for the accident." My dad looked down at the table as he explained. "He keeps saying how bad he feels, even though I was the clumsy one. I refused to let him pay my medical bills, but when this came after you left, I ended up breaking down at work and I told him."

"Really, dad?" I said in a sort of whiny, disappointed voice. "Are you really going to accept help from him?"

"He offered us a place to stay for as long as we need, Baekhyun, and this time I couldn't say no," he said, now looking at me. "What else am I supposed to do? He pays me well, but with your school costs and other bills, we were honestly barely getting by without medical bills." I sighed, feeling a few tears sting my eyes. "Please try to understand me, son," he said, now placing his hands on top of mine. "I want to give you the best life I can. I promised your mom I would. But sometimes, I need help too and this time...I really fucking need it."

I just stared at him, seeing the tired and distressed look in his eyes. "Of course I understand, dad," I said, holding his hands. "I'm really grateful for everything you do for me." I paused to take a deep breath. "So, if we have to move in with him for a while, we should."

"It's not like I won't be looking for a new place while we're there," he said. "Without rent and utilities and things, I can save up more and maybe even get us a nicer place."

"I get it, dad, don't worry," I said, giving his hands a little pat as I put on a smile. "We need to do what we can. Maybe I can even get a job or help Mr. Park out, too."

He shook his head, almost violently. "No, no, you focus on your studies. Your education will set you free. I want you to have options. I don't want you to end up like your old man. You're already working so hard, and you don't need more responsibilities to stress you out." I just smiled at him and he smiled back. "We're gonna be okay. I'll make sure of it."

I trusted my dad, but to say I wasn't scared would be a lie.

Chanyeol

"Are you serious? What are we now? A homeless shelter?" I said to my dad during dinner.

"They got evicted and need somewhere to stay until they can find another place to live," he said calmly. "Plus, we have plenty of room, so I don't know what you are all worked up about it."

"I don't know why you aren't all worked up! Dad, I know you're a self-proclaimed empath or whatever, but do you really think it's a wise idea to let some random strangers into our house? You said it yourself. They don't have money and got evicted, so what's stopping them from robbing us blind? You've seen Parasite and they didn't end well for anyone involved."

He looked at me sharply, setting his eating utensils down. "Chanyeol, Mr. Byun has worked for me for years and has never once made me question his intentions," he started to say. "He wouldn't even let me pay for his medical bills when he got injured, which is exactly how he ended up here, so pardon me if I feel a little responsible." I huffed and rolled my eyes. "I don't know what I did along the way to make you think it was okay to judge people based on how much money they do and don't have, but I won't tolerate it. They are staying with us for as long as they need to, so you're just going to have to deal with it."

"What will my friends say? Do you want me to become a social outcast for the sake of appeasing your own guilt, dad?"

"If they have a problem with me helping people then maybe they aren't really your friends, Chanyeol. It would surely explain this judgemental attitude you've developed," he replied, glancing at me once more before going back to eating. "And I better not hear about you giving either of them a hard time while they're here, especially his son. I expect you to at least be civil with him, maybe even be his friend if you can get over yourself enough."

"Yeah, that makes sense. Me, Park Chanyeol, being friends with a complete nobody," I said angrily. He just gave me that look that parents give you when they don't like something you said. I rolled my eyes and groaned aloud.

"Well they will be here tomorrow, so you better get over it soon," he said, wiping his mouth the napkin in his lap. My mouth dropped open. I groaned loudly again and banged my head on the table.

Life was surely about to get very bad for me.