Flashbacks from 2006: Chapter 12

(1) Tiffany bullies Krystal

“Where are we going?” Sulli pouted. 

“Joohyun said she planned a party for us in one of the classrooms,” Bomi explained patiently. “She texted me just then and told me that everyone else was waiting for us.”

“Why would we have a party?” Luna asked. “It’s not like we’re celebrating anything.”

Bomi shrugged, glancing quickly at Krystal, who was quietly trailing the three of them, an empty expression on her face. “Well, I think we could do with a little happiness right now.” The four of them stopped in front of the classroom. “This is the room.”

She opened the door and let it swing open, stepping in silently. The room was dark – with the lights off and blinds drawn, it was hard to see anything in the shadows.

“Is this the right room?” Sulli began, but then she let out a sharp scream. Panicked, Luna fumbled for the switches to reveal the remaining members of their group.

Kwon Yuri had Sulli in a chokehold, her arm hooked around Sulli’s neck and her hand clamped on Sulli’s mouth. Im Yoona was calmly clutching Serri’s hair in her dainty hands; Choi Sooyoung was standing guard over Naeun and Jieun, and lastly, Joohyun stood side-by-side with Tiffany Hwang.

“Joohyun!” Luna cried, outraged. It was plain to all of them that the quietest member of their group had betrayed them, leading them straight into this trap. “How could you?”

“How could she not?” Tiffany asked sweetly, her hand placed possessively over her newest member’s shoulder. “You don’t even know her name.”

“What are you talking about?” Bomi demanded, looking thoroughly intimidated at the senior girls. While all of them had heard – and sometimes even seen if for themselves – stories about the senior girls bullying their juniors, they had never experienced the harassment until now.

Seo Joohyun narrowed her eyes and declared proudly, “My name is Seohyun.”

Tiffany was delighted at the way things were going. “I think that’s a much better name, don’t you?” she asked casually. “But let’s get straight to the point – I want to speak to Krystal Jung.”

Having finally broken out of her trance, Krystal narrowed her eyes dangerously at her opponent. “Let me ask you something, Tiffany Hwang,” she said, her speech informal and disrespectful. “Does Jessica unnie know what you’re doing?”

Tiffany scowled and crossed her arms. “Jessica doesn’t need to know.” She made eye-contact with every girl in the room, making sure the message sank in.

“What do you want with Krystal?” Luna snarled.

“Keep your mouth shut,” Yuri hissed, shoving Sulli to the ground. Luna retaliated with full force, launching herself at Yuri. The two girls slammed into the ground, yelping and growling as they fought. With no restrictions, they pinched, pulled, scratched and punched, doing whatever they could to win.

While Luna was vicious, fuelled by her anger, it was calm, uncaring Yuri who won with her experience. She straddled Luna’s waist, pinning her down and pulling her head up with a fistful of dark brown hair.

Without warning, Sulli pushed Yuri, knocking her onto the floor. The older girl retaliated, grabbing Sulli by her shirt and slamming her into a desk, her head knocking into the nearby wall. Sulli screamed with pain and rage, but it was useless.

Satisfied, Yuri let the younger girl slump to the floor, not noticing Luna struggling to her feet to help Sulli. Swiftly, Im Yoona pushed Serri roughly with Naeun and Jieun and stepped in front of Luna.

“Now, now, ladies,” Yoona said, her sweet voice unmistakable. She looked perfectly unfazed by the situation, completely out of place with her neat uniform and red hair. “We don’t want to fight with you.”

“Yeah, right,” Luna growled.

Yoona glared. “Be respectful to your seniors, brat.”

“As Yoona was saying,” Choi Sooyoung interrupted, “we don’t want a fight with you.” She fixed her gaze upon Krystal, who had said and done nothing during the fight. “Your friends have nothing to do with this, and yet you’re letting them get hurt…for you.”

Naeun stopped whimpering by the wall and raised her head. “Please don’t hurt me,” she begged. “I wasn’t part of anything, I swear! Just please let me go.”

“Stupid girl.” Tiffany surveyed her coolly, disapproval in her expression. “You lose your dignity when you beg…not that you had much, anyway. I can see loyalty is not one of your traits.”

Naeun bit her lip and looked pleadingly towards Krystal; beside her, Jieun looked frozen, her face carefully blank. Bomi had pressed herself to the wall behind Krystal, hoping to slip out while no one was noticing, and Serri had buried her face in her hands, unwilling to do anything but shut everything out.

Bravely, Krystal said, “You guys can go. It’s okay.” She directed her last words to Sulli and Luna, who was helping the former get to her feet. Naeun scrambled to her feet and flung the door open; Bomi disappeared outside straight after her. Jieun quietly coaxed Serri to come, and with one last look at Krystal, the two of them ran.

Krystal hesitated as she looked at Sulli and Luna – her two closest friends were defiantly staying behind, despite their brutal injuries.

“Get out,” Sooyoung commanded. She roughly grabbed the two girls by their wrists and dragged them outside, slamming the door shut behind.

“What do you want?” Krystal demanded, crossing her arms.

Tiffany narrowed her eyes dangerously. “Are you stupid?” she snorted, echoing her own words from the morning. “You stole Sunggyu from under my nose. Tell me now – how long have you been seeing him?”

“We haven’t!” Krystal cried. “Besides, what does it matter? He chose me, not you.”

Tiffany pinned her against the wall, breathing heavily. “Tell me the truth, you ! How long have you known Sunggyu?”

“I don’t!” Krystal screamed, struggling desperately. “He just kissed me, okay? I don’t know him!”

Tiffany released her abruptly, watching Krystal carefully. Panting with fear and exertion, Krystal leant on the wall for support, squeezing her eyes shut as involuntary tears slid down her face.

“So you’re saying that the only time you’ve ever met Sunggyu was this morning?”

She exhaled sharply, legs giving out beneath her, and she slid to the floor, defeated. “Yes.”

“Get up, Krystal Jung,” Tiffany ordered, pacing around the room. The steady click of her heels was slow and deliberate, much like the patient tick tock of clocks.

Krystal rolled until she was on all fours, taking her time to stand up. Even though she was facing the full wrath of Tiffany Hwang and her friends, she was still Sunggyu’s choice. And Jessica’s sister, she reminded herself. This would be the only chance Tiffany would ever get to confront Krystal again – Jessica was returning from her trip later tonight. 

 Tiffany circled her patiently, inspecting the younger girl with disdain. “I don’t know what Sunggyu sees in you.”

“He obviously saw something in me that you don’t have,” Krystal snapped.

Tiffany let out a small laugh and came to halt in front of Krystal, a cruel, predatory smile lighting her features. “Poor Krystal. Poor, delusional, lovesick Soojung.” She resumed her circling, but something in her tone had caught Krystal’s attention; now she pivoted to keep her gaze on Tiffany.

“So clueless. So naïve. Silly girl.” Tiffany shook her head sadly. “Never once experienced heartbreak in her pathetic life, because she was too hung up on Kim Sunggyu to notice who he truly was. Who he truly is.”

Despite her firm resolve, Krystal knew she was wavering; Tiffany had been Sunggyu’s girlfriend, and she knew him in a way that Krystal didn’t. Even so, a miniscule seed of doubt had been planted in Krystal’s heart, and it was growing in that very moment.

“What…What do you mean?” Krystal loathed herself for asking the question, and her heart sank as a cruel smile grew on Tiffany’s lips.

“Poor Krystal,” the older girl said sympathetically. “Don’t you know? He’s just using you.”

“That’s not true!” Krystal fired back, almost automatically.

“Don’t you see? He’s using you…to get back at me.” Tiffany smirked triumphantly. “All those rumours that you started are all false. I bet Sunggyu doesn’t even remember you.”

“You’re lying!” Krystal screamed, her hands balling into fists. “He does! He does! He’s mine!” Tears were starting to fall down her face, and everyone knew that she was just trying to convince herself.

“You don’t believe me?” Tiffany sighed. “Well, let’s go ask him.”

Without waiting for an answer, she rose and strode purposely from the room. Yuri and Yoona exchanged glances but followed her wordlessly; and