“What’s with the face?” Amber asked her cousin as they walked out of the school gates. “You’re kinda creeping me out, dude. You haven’t talked since we met at the lobby. Is something wrong?”

Krystal just looked at the older woman, color still not back on her face, and her lips quivering in fear. To say she’s not okay is like an understatement. She looked devastated.

Alarmed, Amber held the other girl’s shoulder and shrugged her lightly. “What’s the problem? You got into a fight with Kris again? Extended detention?”

“S-Suk-j-ji High…” Krystal managed to whisper, and then her hands began to shake.

Amber’s eyes widened. “WHAT’S WITH SUKJI!?” Her hands grasped her cousin’s in an attempt to pacify what she knew was coming: PANIC ATTACK.

“Quiz bee… there… I tried… NO… but principal…” Krystal could barely manage to speak, much more to form a sentence as she quivered in anxiety. The older woman immediately went to her side and hugged her waist for support before she loses strength on her less. Good thing, they were walking along a roadside park and she was guided by her cousin to the nearest bench to sit.

Amber dropped to her knees in front of Krystal. She had easily stringed the words together and was surprised with the thought. She held her cousin’s hands tightly. No, she won’t ever let go until her dongsaeng calmed down. Only her touch and presence could stop the trembling, the both of them knew that.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Amber coaxed though she knew it’s far from being that. Sukji High School is a very sensitive topic for her cousin. Well, not really the school, but the person studying there. But what had happened had scarred Krystal so much that anything related to that person will hurt…

And at the thought of her cousin having to go through some serious dilemma again due to the painful past, Amber felt her blood boil for the nth time since everything happened.

“Dude, it’s okay,” she comforted the younger girl nevertheless. “Just think like here’s a chance to face your fears and move on. You’ve been running away from it for as long as we can both remember and it’s slowly destroying you.”
 

Krystal shook her head, still trembling as her hands gone cold. “I’m afraid,” she muttered.

Feeling protective over her younger cousin with her heart crushing at the queenka’s vulnerability, Amber pulled the latter into a tight hug hoping that her actions would convey the positive forces she’s trying to impart to her.

***

“You think she’s okay?” Luhan wondered as he and Kris looked at the two girls from across the street. They were walking towards a coffee shop when they saw Amber supporting the queenka to the bench. Instantly, they knew something’s wrong; only Kris had a hint why though.

Kris shrugged his shoulders in reply to his best friend’s question; but his eyes were glued to his detention partner who had been out of her better thinking since the principal mentioned Sukji High.

“What’s with that school?” The kingka muttered to no one in particular.

Luhan’s head snapped towards his best friend as his forehead creased in confusion. “What do you mean school?”

A soft click of the tongue was heard from Kris, impressing slight regret. I shouldn’t have said that, he told himself. His best friend isn’t the type of person who would easily let go of something that piqued his curiosity. So instead of trying to deny whatever he had slipped, he related what happened inside the principal’s office.

                “Are you okay, Ms. Jung?”

Kevin turned to look at the queenka and his eyes widened as all colors drained from her face. He saw how tight she was gripping the arm rest of the chair and somehow, it made him worry.

“Can… Can we… not…” Soojung stammered as she tried to move her trembling lips. “Please…