Monday

One class of the second years are doing their PE inside the school gym. They were playing volleyball and most of the athletic students are the ones enjoying, but one of them seemed to be out of her mind. Jaehee sat on the bench while watching other groups play, keeping an eye on Hyewon. It was one of Jaehee's lazy day where she would normally volunteer to join the match even though she's not that athletic, she just enjoy playing and has energy to spare. But that day, she doesn't feel like spending too much energy on things and decided to sit out of the game. She watch her classmates toss the ball back and fort the court, eyes landing on Hyewon most of the time. Hyewon was one of the athletic girls, with that height, she was at an advantage on these matches, but Jaehee knew something was wrong.

Hyewon seemed to daydream a little too much, under eye bags was also a bit dark, seemed that the younger stayed too late the night before. Not like Jaehee cared, well she tries not to care. It has been like this for almost a year now. Since Jihyo's death, when their friendship was tested and all of them failed to keep it. The unnies were worse than them though, she and Hyewon doesn't argue that much, but them getting near each other make things awkward for them. So they just settled with ignoring each other. Not like strangers, but just plain classmate you are not close with, as if they didn't spend their freshmen year in each other's houses.

Jaehee may not talk to Hyewon in class, but she still watch over her. She was their precious baby after all. She was a year younger but in the same year as them as she was accelerated a year. She's innocent and kind. So she still watch over her to make sure she's okay and not harmed by other kids. And she knew, it's what Jihyo would tell her to do. "Look after our Hyewon for me" she remembered Jihyo would always tell her

Hyewon blinked a few times before trying to focus on the match, it wasn't a serious game, but dozing off like that would get her in danger and she doesn't want that. But she's still sleepy. She knows she need rest but she haven't getting enough sleep these days. Since dreaming about Jihyo the other day. Hyewon was going home the other day when she saw a girl who looks just like Jihyo near their school, she thought it was a ghost or someone who just look like her friend but upon trying to approach the girl it disappeared in the crowd and she cannot see her again. The night after that, she started getting dreams of Jihyo, it was not a scary dream, it was memories of them together but she would wake up in the middle of the night crying because of it. And would find it hard to sleep again after.

She tried to focus as her classmate from the other side of the court prepare to serve the ball when a student walking by the gym caught her attention. She was stunned, it was Jihyo. In her uniform, soft black hair flow with the wind behind her. She couldn't believe it. She was confused if she was seeing a ghost or if she's dreaming. Maybe she's thinking so much she hadn't notice that she falls asleep playing voleyball.

"HYEWON WATCH OUT!" She heard someone scream, probably Jaehee. But it was so fast that her brain couldn't process anything, she saw Jihyo, Jaehee was screaming and when she turned her head, a ball greeted her face. 

She out.

Jaehee ran as fast to Hyewon's side when she saw that the younger was hit by the ball. "Oh my God" a series of gasp was heard from the whole class as Hyewon fall on the ground "I'm sorry! But I didn't hit it hard, I promise!" The girl who served the ball said, panicking as Hyewon was not moving after the fall.

"Hyewon ah!" Jaehee shake the younger but did not wake up, forehead was red and beginning to swell. The tallest guy from their class volunteered to carry Hyewon to the clinic as she was a tall girl and not everyone could carry her. Jaehee was still worried about the younger as she helped her classmates put Hyewon to their classmates back to easily carry her.

"Jaehee" she was about to go back to her seat when her classmate who was carrying Hyewon called her

"What?" she answered

"Let's go" He gesture her to follow her

"Huh? I... you can already carry her right?" 

"Tsk, you ran so fast to her side, might as well go to the clinic with her right?"

"But" Jaehee hesitated if she would go to the clinic, he was obviously worried but they haven't been 'friends' for some time now and it would definitely be awkward.

"Would you really leave her alone with me?" The guy asked, as if provoking Jaehee's protectiveness to Hyewon, and it worked as expected

"Fine, let's go"

- ♥ -

Jaehee closely follow her classmate, making sure that Hyewon won't fall until they got to the clinic "Excuse me, we have a patient. Our classmate got hit by a ball in the head, but she wouldn't wake up" The guy said as he entered the clinic

"Omo, the nurse is still in a meeting. Here, have her lie in the --bed" The student assistance who was on duty stopped when she saw Jaehee, and looked at the girl who was unconscious on the back of another student "Hyewon!" her movements became faster, worry clear on her face as she asks more details on the accident. 

The student who carried Hyewon answered most of the question as Jaehee was standing by the door of the clinic. "Hey, I need to go back, stay here for a while" her classmate told her

"What? But there was Soojin unnie--sunbae already watching her"

"Just wait for the nurse. Take care of her" She was about to protest but her classmate run away already. She just sighed and walked closer to Hyewon's bed. Soojin, who was the student assistant was checking Hyewon's temperature.

"He said the ball was not served that hard, but she's unconscious from the impact?" Soojin ask, not to particulary to Jaehee, but seemed like she was curious

"Uhmm,I noticed that she looked like she lacks some sleep and she keeps dazing off" She answered to the older girl

"Something must have been troubling her" Soojin said as she caress the youngest's face

"hmm, can I go back to class now?"

"The nurse is on her way back, can you wait for a while?" Soojin asked, Jaehee did not say anything and just nodded. She the proceeded to sit on of the beds while waiting as Soojin went back to the table to do some tasks.

Jaehee's mind wandered to the past. She thought, what if they are still the same and this thing happened? What she will do? How would they react? She would still probably do the same. She and Jihyo would probably go to Hyewon in a flash. Bring her to the clinic. Soojin would probably panic, just like earlier, but more obvious. She would probably call Jimin before actually calling the nurse for help. Jimin would probably then showed up to the clinic with Soeun and Jiyoon, ready to fight a ball that hurt their precious Hyewon. And Hyewon, by the time she woke would be surprised to see all of them surrounding her bed. She would probably cry knowing her friends cared so much for her. She would probably received a few nagging from Soeun for not paying attention and Jiyoon would probably for the red bump on her forehead. Probably.

Her train of thoughts stopped when the nurse came to check on Hyewon. It wasn't that serious, it seemed like Hyewon just really lacks sleep that's why she was still unconscious. After talking with the nurse and getting her and Hyewon's excuse slip for the time missed in class, Jaehee was told she can go back to class now. Hyewon would rest first and the nurse would just call her parents to pick her up.

"Jaehee" Soojin called after Jaehee got out of the clinic. Jaehee looked back at the older without saying anything "Thank you for watching over her"

Jaehee just nodded and say goodbye. Any moment and she would burst out crying and would probably flung to Soojin's arms to cry more. She miss them. She miss the old them so badly.

She ran to their building, PE was already over and the next class already started a few minutes ago. She stopped by the restroom first and cried there. It's good that it's class time and only a few students are outside

She quickly wiped her tears hearing the flushing of the toilet in one cubicle, embarrased to be seen crying she went to the sink and washed her face.

"Hey.. are you okay? I heard you crying, is there something wrong?" The girl who just came out of one cubicle asked her. Jaehee wiped the excess water on her face and lift her head "No nothing's wrong--" She froze on her spot as she looked at the reflection of the girl talking to her

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Jaehee screamed in horror seeing the girls face and ran as fast as she could out of the restroom. She couldn't believed her eyes. After bawling her eyes out from missing their lost friendship, she did not expect that Jihyo's ghost would haunt her.

But was it really a ghost?