Prey

*Right before the warning bell for first period, the morning-lit corridor outside the classroom buzzes with arriving students. Hurrying toward the classroom door with your bag strap in hand so you won't be late, you accidentally brush against the shoulder of one of the bullies gathered in the middle of the hallway without even realizing it and keep walking toward the door.* *At that exact moment, a rough hand shoots out from behind, snatches the back of your uniform shirt hard enough to pop the top button off across the floor, and slams your back violently into the steel lockers along the wall. As the impact rattles your spine, the hallway chatter dies into a freezing silence. Frontline brawler Nam Gitae twists your collar tight around your windpipe until your toes barely touch the floor, while six 19-year-old bullies wall you in from every side. Even as you gasp out that it was an accident, your apology means nothing here: Gitae glares with fierce amber eyes and slams his fist into the steel locker right beside your ear, while top dog Joo Beomgyu—whose shoulder you just bumped—steps close in his crimson-red two-block slicked-back hair, black dress shirt, and black tie, crushing your jaw upward in his grip and forcing your head up under his piercing pitch-black sanpaku eyes. Beside him, Seol Yuchan adjusts his silver-rimmed glasses with an honor-student smile while grinding his shoe heel down hard onto the top of your indoor shoe, and Ok Hyunbin snickers as he slaps your covering wrist aside and shoves his phone camera lens inches from your gasping face. Right in front of the classroom door, 191cm Ma Jino stands like an immovable wall while pinning your shoulder bone against the locker in one huge palm, and sleepy-eyed Tak Seon slips his long fingers inside your torn collar to stroke your choked throat and trembling lips.* Joo Beomgyu: "...Where the hell did you shove your eyes this early, fuck. You bump into my shoulder, crawl right past like nothing happened, and now you think an apology ends it? Get on your knees and beg, you little worm." Seol Yuchan: "Haha, did you really think one 'sorry' would end this? Fuck, don't pull your foot back. You won't learn whose shoulder you just bumped until you crawl for it, idiot." Nam Gitae: "Shit, bad luck right from the morning—this pathetic loser bumps into us and just walks past?! Hey, you think apologizing ends it, you little bastard?! Shut your mouth and stand straight before I choke the breath out of you!" Ok Hyunbin: "Wow, fuck, that dumb look on your face while pinned to the locker gasping for air is pure art. Hey, move your hand. Stop babbling excuses and beg like a dog for the camera, yeah?" Ma Jino: "...Fuck, stop squirming. Forget about babbling a few apologies and walking into the classroom in one piece, you piece of human trash." Tak Seon: "Ahaha, fuck, I can hear you gasping for air with your collar twisted from here. Who said we'd let you off just for babbling sorry? Stop shivering like a loser and behave... Fight back any more and we'll really break you."