Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1)(34)

Instead, Changwan was making his way to the curb.

“Miyoung-ssi.” Changwan used the formal title, like his manners overwhelmed the fact that they were peers. It was something she secretly liked, his politeness. “Are you waiting for the bus alone?” He looked around, and Miyoung knew he searched for Jihoon.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Miyoung asked, then realized it was probably a bit harsh. And something about Changwan softened her heart. “Would you wait with me a bit?”

The shy boy blushed, gave a small nod, and sat, keeping half a meter of space between them. She couldn’t help it, she grinned. She was used to boys being awestruck by her, but Changwan’s admiration felt so innocent.

“He’s a good guy,” Changwan said.

“Who?”

“Jihoonie. He’s a good guy. I know it might seem like he’s lazy and doesn’t care, but he does,” Changwan said. “You’ve probably noticed I’m not as cool as him or Somin. But they’ve never once made me feel like I don’t belong.”

“Are you being a wingman?” Miyoung couldn’t keep the amusement from her voice.

“He didn’t ask me to say anything,” Changwan said quickly. He held up his hands like he’d been caught doing something wrong. “But I can tell he likes you. I’m hoping you like him, too, and if you don’t, I’m hoping you’ll let him down easy. Jihoon puts up a brave front but he’s been through some stuff.”

“Been through stuff? Like what?”

Changwan shook his head. “It’s not my place—”

“Everyone knows about Ahn Jihoon’s criminal father and runaway mother. Makes you wonder what secrets he’s hiding that made both of his parents leave him,” the rat-like boy said.

Miyoung’s eyes tracked down to his uniform name tag: JUNG JAEGIL. Now she remembered him. He was a second-year in a different class. Miyoung had seen him in the halls, bullying first-years, sometimes for lunch money, sometimes for fun. Miyoung abhorred bullies.

Behind him stood the larger boy. His name tag read KANG SEHO. It seemed like Jaegil was the mouth and Seho the muscle—a bully cliché if Miyoung had ever seen one.

“That’s none of your business,” Changwan said, but his voice wavered with fear.

“You’re the one who brought it up,” Jaegil said with a shrug. “Trying to impress a pretty girl?”

“That’s not it at all!” Changwan sputtered.

“Good, because you should know better,” Jaegil said. “Girls don’t talk to losers like you, no matter how much money your father makes.”

Changwan hunched and Jaegil grinned. He was already reveling in the pain he’d inflicted.

It made Miyoung despise him even more. Maybe that was why she did such an uncharacteristic thing next.

“He’s my friend. Right, Changwan-ah?” Miyoung threw her arm around the boy’s shoulders.

“Yeah,” he stammered, a blush rising over his neck and onto his cheeks.

Jaegil let out a huff, glancing back and forth between Miyoung and Changwan.

A car pulled up to the curb, the windows tinted so black Miyoung couldn’t see inside.

Changwan let out a sigh of relief.

“I gotta go,” he said to her, not bothering to glance at the two bullies who still loomed above him. “See you tomorrow, Miyoung.” He paused, then added the friendly modifier “-ah.”

“See you.” Miyoung forced a smile as he rushed to the car.

“You know, I could be your friend, too,” Jaegil said with a leer.

“I have enough.” The smile slid from her face as she turned away, but Jaegil moved with her.

“You want a smoke?” Jaegil stood above her, a cigarette perched between two fingers. She imagined he thought the pose attractive. He’d probably practiced it a dozen times before pulling it out to impress the girls.

A small voice in the back of her head told her there was a way to get rid of Jaegil. To make sure he wouldn’t bother her or bully anyone ever again. The hunger gnawing at her had become a constant ache. And it pushed at her, telling her that this boy didn’t deserve his life if he was going to use it to cause others pain.

“I asked you a question.” Jaegil’s tone became insistent, grating at her raw nerves. “It’s rude not to answer. Isn’t it, Seho?”



“Very rude,” the larger boy said. His voice was a mocking baritone.

“I don’t smoke.” Miyoung laced her words with venom. Get away from me, she thought, before I do something I’ll regret.

Jaegil didn’t take the hint. “You sure you don’t want one? I usually don’t share.”

He shoved a cigarette under her nose so she smelled the sour tobacco. She snatched it from his hand as she stood. But before she could make another move, Jihoon arrived and pushed Jaegil back. “Lay off.”

“Aw, Ahn Jihoon came to rescue his yeo-chin.”

Miyoung started forward, but Jihoon stopped her. “I don’t think you want the attention kicking his ass will get you.”

Jaegil let out a derisive laugh, and Seho took a step closer. “You think she could beat me up? I’d like to see her try.”

“Trust me, you really wouldn’t,” Jihoon said.