Obese Love

Chapter 37

Hoseok's heart plummeted as he spotted Taemin swaggering across the gym floor, a smug grin plastered on his face. The supposed "friend" who had morphed into his biggest tormentor. Working at the gym, a place that had once been a sanctuary fueled by his love for dance, now felt tainted. Every shift was an ordeal, a gauntlet of snide remarks and deliberate sabotage from Taemin.

Hoseok forced a smile for his young student, a little girl with boundless enthusiasm for ballet. He wouldn't let Taemin ruin his passion for teaching, not entirely. But the joy that usually bubbled up during lessons was dampened, replaced by a dull ache of exhaustion. He longed for a space where he could simply exist without being a target.

As his shift ended, Hoseok slumped against the lockers, the weight of the day pressing down on him. He had barely enough energy to face the commute home, let alone tackle another mountain of homework. Work and studies – these were his anchors, his way of contributing to the household after his father's passing. Hyung-joong had taken him in, providing a safe haven, and Hoseok was determined to ease the burden she carried.

He shoved his phone into his pocket, the low battery notification a nagging reminder of one more thing he couldn't afford to replace. Stepping outside, he was met with a sight that sent a fresh wave of despair crashing over him.

A group of his classmates huddled by the school gate, their faces lit by phone screens, a low murmur of conversation rippling through the air. As Hoseok approached, the murmurs died down, replaced by a series of pointed stares and snickers. He recognized a few faces – kids from his class who had previously been neutral bystanders to Taemin's bullying. Now, their eyes held a flicker of something new: a knowing amusement, a hint of cruelty.

Panic clawed at his throat. He didn't need to hear the whispers to know what they were talking about. News of the bullying, the taunts, the relentless harassment – it had somehow spread beyond the walls of the school. The humiliation was amplified, a public spectacle that left him feeling exposed and vulnerable.

Hoseok quickened his pace, his head down, a desperate need to escape the judging eyes. He couldn't face them, not tonight. He just wanted to disappear, to find a place where he could breathe without the constant weight of scrutiny. But where? The gym offered no solace, his studies felt like a chore, and even his own home, with Hyung-joong's worried gaze, felt suffocating in that moment.

Just as despair threatened to consume him entirely, a voice sliced through the fog of his thoughts.

"Hoseok! Wait up!"

He turned to see Taehyung jogging towards him, a determined glint in his eyes.

Frustration bubbled over in Hoseok. "What are you doing here, Taehyung?" he snapped, his voice tight with a mix of anger and exhaustion. Seeing the picture-perfect Taehyung approaching felt like a cruel joke in the face of his own misery.

Taehyung, usually unflappable, faltered for a moment. He hadn't expected such hostility. "I saw you leaving the gym," he explained carefully, "and I thought you might want some company."

Hoseok scoffed. "Company? Is that what you call it? You show up here, all sunshine and smiles, after prancing around school like some celebrity. It's easy for you, isn't it? You wouldn't know a bully if they tripped over you."

Shame flickered in Taehyung's eyes. He understood Hoseok's bitterness. Their lives, despite being under the same roof, were worlds apart. "That's not true," Taehyung said softly. "I saw what happened outside the school. The whispers, the stares..."

Hoseok flinched, the pain evident on his face. "See? Easy for you to notice. Mr. Popular wouldn't miss something like that."

Taehyung reached out, but Hoseok recoiled from the touch. "Don't," he muttered. "You wouldn't understand."