The Bum Isn't A Bum

LIAM

I've been walking and running for almost an hour now but I still couldn't find Jiroo, he told me that he's going to borrow some books from the library and wait for me in the field, but when I got bored waiting for him, I decided to follow him only to find out that he was no longer there and the librarian told me that a guy with spectacle and heart-shaped lips already stepped out, carrying five books with him but Jiroo never came to the bench, until Ayu and Nami arrived but still no Jiroo.

We decided to get separate to look for Jiroo but to no avail, we couldn't find him and I'm starting to get worried.

"Have you tried asking some students?" Ayu asks and I looked at her ludicrously. "Oh sorry, I forgot that you weren't talking to anyone aside from us."

"I tried asking one but they ignored me so I stopped asking." Nami said with a shrug.

"Just where the hell–." I was cut off when I heard the two students behind me talking.

"Poor guy, he was the new victim."

"But I heard that he's Liam's friend, Tyrone messed with the wrong guy to bully. He's insane."

I clenched my eyes hardly as I curved my fist into tight balls and took a deep breath, pursed my lips and narrowed my eyebrows, making it into one line.

"Relax Liam, I'll just ask them." Ayu said and nodded at Nami meaningfully and the latter grip my shirt before Ayu ran after the girls. "Hey, uhm may I ask if you somehow know where we can find our friend?"

The girls gasped loudly and when their gaze shifted to me, they started to tremble. "R-rooftop, a-architectural b-building." One of the girls said and Ayu thanked them before padded back to me.

"Let's go." She said and tapped my shoulder.

The three of us walked to the place where my friend was surely having a hard time by now. Tyrone and his group, including Karl, Chan, Juke and Jim are the bullies in this campus, they think they are so powerful that they can bully anyone they like. Not because they were the richest in this goddamn city, they can mess with anyone.

I don't actually care whether they start commotion inside the cafeteria, rooms, hallways or everywhere inside this campus, as long as they feel like doing something childish about their weak prey, but not today.

Not with my friend, not with Jiroo.

I kicked the door harshly when we got to the top of the architect building and I bit my lower lip when I saw Jiroo lying on the floor and got surrounded by seven guys. They all whipped their heads at me and got surprised when they saw me glaring and approaching them.

"What a pleasure to see the heartthrob of this campus here, but sad to say, we have some business here so if you don't mind, get the fuck out of here." I ignored Tyrone and continued walking towards the guy on the floor. "Are you fucking–."

"Don't touch him, dumbass." Ayu stopped Tyrone as she grabbed his hand that was about to touch me.

"What the–."

"Shut up!" I shouted, making all the guys step back and give a path for me. They never heard me talk so I guess they got really surprised hearing me shouts. "Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked Jiroo with my calm voice even though inside me, I really wanted to slit their throats, especially when he looked up to me and he still managed to smile even if his whole face was covered with bruises.

"I guess I have n-no sense of d-direction." He joked and when he laughed, he spits blood, making the anger inside me grow even stronger.

"Dummy, you should've used your phone that I gave you." I said while laughing dryly and helped him to sit up and rest his back against the fence.

"I d-don't know h-how to use t-that shit." Jiroo said struggling to speak but still being a dork. "C-can we go home and b-buy me chicken?"

"We will, let me just teach them a lesso–." Jiroo clutched my shirt when I was about to stand up and when I looked back at bimy, he shook his head, as if telling me to let it go. I smiled softly and wiped the blood on the side of his lips using my thumb. "Relax, Roo. I got this." I said as I patted his head before removing his hand on my shirt forcefully.

"L-Liam please." Jiroo said but I ignored her and I turned around to face Tyrone's group who's still in shock.

"Man, you picked the wrong prey." I said while shaking my head slowly.

"I have never been wrong to pick my prey, it's you who went wrong for interrupting my business."

"But that was my friend." I said and Tyrone and his group exchanged glances before bursting into loud laughter.

"You have a friend? Really? How come?" Karl asked mockingly and they laughed louder.

"Is it really surprising to know that I got myself a friend?" I asked back and they all nodded. "But the guy you bullied is my friend, along with those two girls behind me." I said and pointed at Ayu and Nami who squeaked after I called her one of my friends.

"Oh, actually it's not really surprising because y'all both losers!" Tyrone said and he tried to punch me but I slapped away his fist and slapped his face and grabbed his collar. "What the–."

"You're lucky that Jiroo doesn't want me to beat the hell out of you, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let this go for messing with the wrong guy." I growled at him and I immediately grabbed his nape and used my knee to knock his face and I jumped to give Karl a flying kick then I twisted my body to kick Chan on the base of his neck and throw a fist to Juke's jaw. "Assholes." I said and spit on the ground beside Tyrone before walking back to Jiroo and turned my back against him and bent over. "Ride in."

"I c-can't move." I sighed loudly before reaching for him hands and wrapped them on my shoulders and lifted him up from the floor and Nami picked up his books. "That was actually c-cool." Jiroo mumbled.

"It'll be much cooler if I slit their throats." I deadpanned and started walking away, leaving Tyrone's group who were wincing and crouching in pain.

"Dumbass, you'll g-get expelled and then the police will put you b-behind the bars, w-who's going to b-buy me chicken?" She said while giggling behind me and I felt his head rest on my shoulder.

"That's not gonna happen." I said and tightened the grip on his legs.

—

"Are you sure you'll be fine here?" I asked Jiroo who's lying in the middle of the bed, hands on his stomach and face covered with ice packs while staring at the ceiling.

It's only been a week since Jiroo started school, but this is how it came to him. If he hadn't stopped me earlier then I would have killed those assholes.

"Yeah, just drop by at the chicken store, buddy."

"Ok, once you get better, I will teach you how to defend yourself from bullies." I said while tying my lace and opening the lower cabinet to pick a new dagger. "And please, never let anyone enter my apartment, this ain't an orphanage."

"Noted."

"If Ayu came here and asked for my notes, don't stand up, just tell her it's in my bag."

"Noted."

"Never ever let Nami to barge here if I'm still out, ok?"

"Noted."

"And don't –."

"Fuck it Liam, I'm 19 and I just got beaten! It's not like I came back from being stupid dumbass three years old!" Jiroo shouted and sat up abruptly which caused him to groan in pain for his sudden action that made me chuckle.

"One more thing, stop moving hastily, I'll be back in a sec." I said and waved my hand at him, ignoring his frustrating sigh.

"Damn you, dumb assassin!"

I was laughing all the way downstairs upon hearing Jiroo that I didn't notice the man sitting in the living room.

"Wow you're laughing."

"Holy fuck!" I cussed loudly while clutching my chest. "The fuck are you doing inside my house?!" I asked raggedly when I saw Demian sitting at the couch with his legs crossed.

"Sorry, did I startle you?" He asked the fucking obvious.

"No." I sarcastically replied and sat on the couch across from him. "What brought you here?"

"Don't feel like meeting you in the underworld, they were too serious there." He scoffed and uncrossed his legs and leaned his elbows on his lap while staring at me intensely. "You got yourself a girl?"

"A what?"

"A girlfriend, you were laughing just now, is she in your room?" He asked while pointing at his back.

"That's not my girlfriend and stop beating the bush, who's my next target?" I asked to divert our topic because I don't feel like talking about Jiroo to him. He may be my father figure but Jiroo is a normal human and I don't want him to get involved in my messy life.

"Oh uhm, actually you can actually take a rest but not really a rest, because you still have a job." He said as he leaned back and rubbed his palms. "The daughter of the strongest deity ran away from home."

I hitched my breath and paused but I didn't let him notice me that I was shock from the news, they don't have any idea that I was once living in mt.Olympus and if they found out, it'll be a big trouble for Ayu and Demian because they associated with people who lived in a place where their enemy lives.

"So you want me to look for her?" I asked after clearing my throat that suddenly became dry.

"Yes, before my brothers could find her, you have to find her first, kill her and carry her head to the underworld so they can accept you completely."

"Oh for fuck sake, you want me to beheaded the daughter of strongest God?!" I asked in disbelief with eyes widened in bewilderment.

That is no fucking way I would do that! Even though I'm mad at them for kicking me out and accused me, I still can't do it to an innocent child, because first, I don't have any idea what she looks like, no one in Mt.Olympus had seen the daughter of the strongest deity, second, she's a she! In my three years of working for Demon lords, I have never accepted a woman as my target because I can't hurt women in general even if they are the baddest people on earth.

"Listen to me kiddo, my brothers are still doubting you, they even want to kill you but of course I'm not letting them do it and if ever that you'll bring the girl's head, they will surely accept you and no more doubting anymore."

"Who cares if they will accept me or not? I'm not going to—."

"You worked for Demons, you're an assassin and you already killed thousands of people, a girl is nothing for you, if the Deity got mad, leave it to the brotherhood of the thorns." Demian said sternly, his eyes changed into dark, that his sclera was covered with nothing but black.

"But Demian–."

"I know that I could trust you, you're not going to let me down, right?" He said with full of hope in his voice. I was lost for words and just stared at him flummoxed. "Liam, please?"

I heaved a deep breath and exhaled before nodding my head reluctantly. Demian smiled at me before he turned into dark smoke and went out under my door, leaving me disconcerted.

"That must be a hard task." I released a shaky breath before I rose up from the chair and pad toward my mini bar, grabbed a whiskey chugged directly in it. "Why didn't you tell him?"

"About what?" I asked Ayu as I wiped my mouth with the back of my palm and chugged again.

"About your true identity, that you were an Olympians." I hastily whipped my head to Ayu and I was really taken aback from what I had heard from her. "Lord Demian will understand you if you can't do your job and for sure by now, he already knows about your background."

"H-how?" I asked, frightened.

"That frame." She said while pointing at the frame on the wall and I facepalmed myself. "The one in the middle was you and the woman beside you is the daughter of one of the deities."

"Right, yeah how dumb of me to forget about that." I said and she laughed obnoxiously. "So all this time you knew and you didn't confront me about it?"

"Why would I? There's only one reason why you're here, you got kicked out." She said and sat on the high stool and reached for a glass and poured herself with the whiskey I was drinking. "But why? Did you kill someone up there?" She asked.

"I was accused." I sighed and sat beside her.

"That's rude."

"I know, but it's better that they kick me out than beheading me." I scoffed and took the bottle from her and chugged on it.

"Somehow you're right, but I don't know why Lord Demian still insists you to do that job, even though he already knows about you."

"That's not even the question, if he already knows, why didn't he kill me?" I asked confused and Ayu stared at me ludicrously, as if I asked the most ridiculous question ever. "What?"

"Are you seriously asking that? Bitch, you're like his own son, he loves you, you and I are the only ones he considers family, not even his own brothers." Ayu said while spinning her glass and staring at it. "You were in deep trouble, Liam. What will you choose? Kill the girl and make Demian proud of you or betray him and protect the girl?"

"I don't even know what she looks like." I sigh and slam my head on the bar counter relentlessly but Ayu slid her hand and my forehead hit it. "What am I going to do, Jieun?" I asked as my forehead snuggled in her palm.

"I don't know but please stop calling me in my real name and stop doing that, you ain't a fucking cat." She said and slapped my forehead.

"Ouch!" I groaned while rubbing my forehead and glared at her.

"Liam! Is that you?"

"Yeah, down here!" I yelled back and was about to take a swig but I remember that Jiroo is in pain. "Aish! That hard headed dickhead." I groan and run upstairs. "Yah! Why did you–."

"I got bored lying down and I'm fine, don't worry. You got my chicken?"

"Oh uhm, I forgot but I will go out to buy it." I said as I bent in front of him and he rode on my back.

"You reeked of alcohol." He groans and I'm hella sure he's scrunching his nose.

"You have a keen sense of smell." I replied before gently putting him down on the couch. "Ayu will take care of you while I'm out in the cold buying you your chicken."

"I will not get affected by that, now go and buy me chicken skewers." He said and tapped my face lightly.

"You're such a bossy." I snorted and rolled my eyes playfully.

"You're spoiling me, it's not my fault." He said and waved his hand to Ayu and the latter waved back at him with a wide smile as he offered him glass. "Are you Liam's girlfriend?" Ayu choked on her drink and I laughed loudly and smacked Jiroo's head. "Ouch!"

"Stop making ridiculous assumptions!" I said and pad towards Ayu and wrapped my arm on her shoulder. "This is the sister I never had, she's the reason why I am still alive."

"Oh I see." Jiroo said while nodding his head and shifting his gaze at the frame. "Then that woman in the middle must be your girlfriend?"

"No, they are my squad."

"Bruh, your life sucks!" Jiroo exclaimed and he laughed at me then Ayu joined him after. "Please tell me you ain't a virgin."

"He's not, he almost fucked half of the girls here."

"Hey! Cut the bullshit!" I scowled at Ayu and slapped her arm. "You sounds like I'm a sex maniac!"

"Bitch, if you weren't treating me like your older sister, you have probably fuck me too."

"Eew Liam! You can't even keep your dick inside your pants!" Jiroo said disgustingly and threw the pillow beside him but I immediately caught it and threw it back on him but he avoided it easily.

Ayu and I exchanged secret glances and in just one look, we know that he's no ordinary homeless guy. I nod at Ayu and he throws the cork at Jiroo and to my surprise, Jiroo gets hit on the head.

"Oh my God!" Ayu exclaimed and ran to Jiroo. "I'm sorry!"

"What was the reason?" Jiroo asked while rubbing the part where he got hit. I'm still not convinced that he was just lucky to avoid the pillow, I'm an assassin and I know how sharp his movements were earlier.

"Hey." I called and threw the bottle of whiskey to Jiroo but Ayu quickly caught it first and looked at me in disbelief.

"Just what the fuck are you doing Lian?!" Ayu asks raggedly.

"If you didn't catch it first, he would." I said while pointing at Jiroo, who's hand was in the place where I threw the bottle and shaking his head because he got caught. "Look." I said as I finished the content in Ayu's glass and walked around the living room while they were both following me with their gaze. I spin my body and throw the glass to Jiroo with force and he easily catches it, I pull out my dagger and throw it to Jiroo stealthy.

"Hey!" Ayu blurted out as she crouched behind the couch. "Liam! You—!"

"Who the fuck are you?!" I shouted, cutting off Ayu and pulled out my Ruger from my back torso and pointed it to Jiroo.

"W-wait— what?!" Ayu asked and stood straight and jumped away from Jiroo. "Wow!" She exclaimed when she saw the guy catch my dagger using his teeth.

"Relax, I'm not an enemy." Jiroo said while laughing softly and tossed my dagger on the coffee table and put down the glass before putting his hands on his side, as if he's surrendering.

"Who are you?!" I asked again.

"I'm Jiroo and I'm an ex demon assassin."

"You what?" Ayu and I asked in unison.

"An ex demon assassin, are you deaf?" Jiroo scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I'm Ruthven's man before I decided to stop."

"Then why the hell on earth did you let those douchebags beat you up earlier?!"

"Because I don't want to cause any trouble as you're too kind to me even if you didn't know me." He said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Roo, that ain't it! You should've at least protected yourself!" I scolded and slid back my gun behind me and padded to him just to smack his head. "You fucking scared the shit out of me!"

"I'm sorry ok? But promise, I have no plans against you, I'm really a homeless guy because I was trying to hide myself from Ruthven." He said as he pulled me down to sit beside him and wrapped his arm on my shoulder.

"If you're hiding from him, then why of all people, you came with Liam? He's also an assassin and associated with Ruthven." Ayu said that actually makes sense.

"Because he's nice." Jiroo replied and that is actually a fucking nonsense reason.

"Dude, just tell me the real reason before I kick you out of my flat." I threatened her but he just laughed and punched me on my shoulder.

"That's the truth, I swear!"

"May I ask why you stopped being an assassin?" I ask curiously while eyeing him.

"He wants me to kill his brother."

"Who?"

"Demian."

"What?!" Ayu and I both exclaimed and I stood up abruptly.

"Lord Demian needs to know about thi—!"

"No! If you tell him about this, then Ruthven will find out that I'm still alive, I've already faked my death and I don't want him to know that I'm still alive!" Jiroo said and grabbed my hand.

"But how about my Lord?!"

"As long as Ruthven doesn't know that I'm alive, Lord Demian will be safe because no one in the underworld has the capability to kill one of them aside from me."

"Wow! So you were telling us that neither of us can kill them?" Ayu asked mockingly.

"Well in that case, I think you need to know who I really am." Jiroo said and sat back on the couch and crossed his legs. "Have you ever heard of turtle rabbit?"

"Hell yeah, he's the most powerful assassin under by Ruthven but unfortunately, he was shot dead— holy fucking shit! You are turtle rabbit?!" Ayu asks flabbergasted and Jiroo nodded in response. "Wow Liam! You adopted the legendary assassin!"

"A what?" I asked while chuckling. "You mean I adopted the chicken devouring machine?"

"Hey! Chicken is gold!" Jiroo said and slapped my nape.

"Wait for me here!" Ayu said before running upstairs in haste and jumped back after one minute and she's already holding a pen and a paper. "Please, sign this!"

"Hey, stop it, you're making me feel shy." Jiroo said as he hid his face with his slim fingers. "But ok, just don't let others see this or they will know that I'm still alive." He said after and signed the paper before giving it back to Ayu and his gaze shifted to me. "Don't you ever dare to look up on me because I'm still that homeless guy you gave a place to stay in."

"Of course, you're still that bum who likes to rummage through my cupboard and eat my cereals!"

"Oh speaking of cereal, we've run out of it, so would you mind buying it on your way?"

"You're unbelievably crazy." I said as I stood up while shaking my head. "I'll just go and asked Nami if she have –." My words were cut off with loud knocks from the door. "Speaking of the devil." I said and walked to my door. "Hey, you're right on tim –." I stopped from talking when I saw a different girl outside and not the little bunny devil.

A girl with cat-like eyes, cute small pointed nose, puffy cheeks and perfectly curved lips, wearing a cropped top shirt, revealing her perfectly curved hourglass body and fitted ripped jeans.

"Hi?"

"H-hi?" I greet back.

"Uhm I'm your new neighbor and I just want to ask if you see Nami?"

"Nami? Who's Nami?" I asked confusedly with my head tilted on the side.

"Oh uhm, I thought you knew my roommate." She said disappointedly and slumped down her shoulders with a cute pout.

Oh my fucking gosh! She's so damn cute!

"Liam who's tha–." Ayu was cut off when she saw the unfamiliar girl outside the door and pushed me on the side. "May I know who you are?"

"I'm Hera, Nami's new roommate. I just moved in this afternoon and I was looking for Nami but he said he doesn't know her."

"Really dude?" Ayu asked incredulously and slapped my arm before taking Hera's hand and pulling her inside, making me snap out from my dazed. "Nami is our friend, maybe she just went out for—."

"Hey! Why are you letting her in?" I asked and blocked their way.

"If Nami finds out that you denied her, you're dead." Ayu scowled and pushed me on the side and dragged the girl with cat-like eyes inside.

"Hello there, gorgeous, are you Liam's girlfriend?"

"W-what, me? No." The girl said in shock while pointing at herself. "Who's Liam?"

"Oh, the one with the handsome face who opened the door for you." Jiroo said and laughed.

"Shut up, Roo!" I hissed and rolled my eyes before walking in front of the girl. "Nami isn't here, just wait for her to come home and—."

"Hello?! Has anyone seen Hera?! My new roommate – oh! You're here, what are you doing here?" Nami chimes in and enters my house without my permission when she sees her roommate beside AYu. "Don't you dare seduce those three girls, Hera!"

"What?"

"Hera, Jiroo and my baby Liam."

"I'm your what?" I ask in disbelief.

"I mean, my friend. Yeah, the baby in this squad." Nami replies with an awkward smile and grabs Hera's arm. "Let's go back to our flat."

"Hey, calm down, I haven't introduced myself." Jiroo stopped them and was about to stand up but he was struggling to stand up and just sighed defeatedly as he went back to his seat. "I'm Jiroo, I'm okay." He said when he noticed how all of us were staring at him worriedly.

" I'm Hera Areios."

"I'm Jieun but you can call me Ayu."

"I'm Nami."

"Of course she knows you, you're her roommate." Jiroo scoffed at Nami.

They all turned to me, as if they were waiting for me to introduce myself but I seemed to can't find my voice when Hera's eyes met mine, her eyes were so captivating that I could feel she's looking deep inside me and she could see my soul.

"He's Liam and he's mute, I'm sorry about that." Jisoo said and kicked my shin, making me snap out for the second time tonight. "You're drooling."

"I'm drooling– I mean, I'm Liam, yeah." I said embarrassedly and glared at Jiroo who's laughing out loud.

"Nice to meet you all, I hope–." Hera suddenly stopped talking when her gaze shifted on my back and I couldn't be wrong from what I had seen from her. Her breath hitches and she gets pale but she quickly hides it by blinking her eyes rapidly and smiles at me, showing her gummy smile.

Oh God!

"Nice to meet you all." She repeats and dragged Nami away and she seems in a rush, leaving the three of us confused.

I turned on my back and saw nothing aside the frame, don't tell me she saw a fucking ghost behind me?

________