Byunni kept tossing and turning, excited that she finally found someone who could make her smile. It was 3AM and she was holding on to her phone, reluctant to message her new boyfriend. She smiled to herself as she heard the three idiots on the floor snoring. Byunni grabbed her phone and quickly text Daehyun.

Hey, are you up?

…

I guess not. It’s 3am I’m not surprised. Okay I guess I should sleep.

Goodnight Dae

The cellphone lit up Daehyun’s room as he received the incoming texts. The boy couldn’t sleep either; he kept thinking about how something is finally going good in his life. He grabbed his phone and smiled at the messages.
 

I am up pabo.

We should both be sleeping. But I can’t stop thinking about you.

Maybe you’ll be part of my dreams.

Good night.

Byunni picked up her phone the moment it started lighting up. She instantly smiled at the sweet message. However, that smile didn’t stay long. Her thoughts returned to the parents had told her about the arranged marriage. She wanted to write her own happy ending but nothing ever seems to go her way. Byunni looked at the message once again and contemplated if she should tell him, but she decided not to tell him yet. She held her phone close, forced a smile, and fell asleep.

The next morning, Jongup was the first one to wake up. He grabbed his pillow and walked into the bathroom with it. The boy brushed his teeth, washed his face, walked out, and decided to pillow smack Youngjae awake before laying down to pretend he was asleep. The older boy shot up from his sleep.

“Yah! What the heck man!?” He shouted. Byunni stirred in her sleep while Jongup was trying to hold in his laughter.

“Let’s go make breakfast. We owe her for making a mess yesterday.” Jongup whispered.

“Fine.” Youngjae groaned and got out of bed to wash up. The two went downstairs to start on waffles. “Hey where’s the flour?”

“It should be in the bottom drawer.” Jongup replied as he grabbed the eggs and milk out of the fridge.

“Do we really have to make this from scratch? Can’t we like toast up so Leggo My Eggo Waffles?”

“Hyung, you’re unbelievable. Just start putting together the ingredients.”

“Fine. But don’t blame me if Byunni doesn’t like it.” Youngjae shrugged and started the mixer. The flour in the bowl flew in the boys face. “Well… that wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“You are the worst cook ever.” Jongup groaned and took it from him. “Go do the dishes.”

After an hour of struggling in the kitchen, Youngjae and Jongup finally finished a plate of waffles and eggs. However, the kitchen didn’t look as nice and clean as the plate did. There was flour on the cupboards, broken eggs on the floor, pots and pans piled in the sink, and waffle batter all over the counter. The boys took a quick look around before deciding to give Byunni breakfast before cleaning up.

Youngjae grabbed the tray and rushed upstairs with Jongup following behind. The boys opened her bedroom door wide, only to find an empty bed.

“Where did she go?”

“I’m right here. What did you guys do?” Byunni had finished her morning wash up when she stepped out of the bathroom.

“Good morning noona! We successfully made breakfast!” Jongup cheered.

“You guys didn’t burn down my house?”

“Pft, no. Who do you take us for?” Youngjae scoffed and gave the tray to Byunni. Zelo stirred from his slumber.

“I smell food.” Zelo rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. “Where’s my plate?”

“Thanks guys.” Byunni smiled, taking the tray from Youngjae and placing it on her desk.

“For?” Zelo questioned, looking at the food longingly.

“For always being there for me and being such great friends. I couldn’t have asked for better and dorkier people to hang out with.”

“Wow. Emotional much?” Youngjae smiled. “But friendship goes both ways. I’m glad you’re my friend too.”

“Me three!” Jongup chimed.

“Me four!” Zelo cheered, finally waking up.

“So what do you guys want to do today before homework?” Byunni asked as she cuts into her breakfast.

“I don’t know but I haven’t seen Aram noona since the café.” Zelo mentioned as he opens his mouth, hoping Byunni would feed him too. She laughs and feeds the boy a piece of her waffle.

“Yeah, what happened anyway?” Byunni asked.

“Well, we went to the café and she was gawking for Himchan Sunbae. She found out that he likes you and then Youngjae was being insensitive, so she left the café crying.” Zelo informed as he chewed.

“What? Himchan sunbae likes me? No way.” Byunni asked. “If he did, then I would understand why Aram won’t talk to me. Hopefully she won’t turn into another Yunhee. To be honest, one of them is enough…”

“But she’s your best friend now. I don’t think she’ll do that.” Jongup chimed.

“Yeah, but that’s what I thought about Yunhee too before she turned to the way she was.” Byunni sulked. “Zelo, you can have the rest. I no longer an appetite.”

“Yay!” Zelo said. “But I’m sorry about Aram.”

“Hopefully she’ll call me soon. Anyway let’s go downstairs. You guys have to eat too.” Byunni said. Youngjae and Jongup was about to follow her but Jongup remembered about the mess they had created to make the waffles.

“Noona, WAIT!” Jongup shouted.

“What? Why?” Byunni questioned, stopping at the top of the stairs.

“Uhm, we don’t need to eat. We’re not hungry.” Jongup said.

“What are you talking about? I’m starving.” Youngjae said, not getting the hint.

“No we aren’t hyung. It’ll just end up in a big mess for noona later.” Jongup said.

“Oh!” Youngjae declared. “Right, we’re not hungry.”

“Don’t worry about the mess, I can clean it later.” Byunni said and started going downstairs. However, Byunni’s phone started to ring. “Wait, forgot my phone.”

The girl rushed back to her room to find her phone. It was a video message from an unknown number. Byunni clicked play and the video revealed Aram tied to a chair, covered in cuts and bruises. Blood was trickling down an open wound on her hair line. Byunni gasped at the sight, but then the angle turned 180 to reveal a man in a mask. A deep robotic voice echoed from her phone, “You have until 3PM tomorrow to drop off 500,000 Won in her locker or she dies. Make sure no one sees you and if you tell anyone, the girl will face much worse.”  

The video cut to a black screen and Byunni shook with fear, dropping her phone to the floor. Zelo, who was still eating Byunni’s waffles, froze when he heard the voice. Youngjae and Jongup came back into the room.

“Oh my gosh, Aram.” Byunni cried in hysteria.

“What’s going on?” Youngjae asked, rushing to her side to catch Byunni as she fell to her knees. Jongup picked up the phone and replayed the video, showing the other two.

“We have to tell the police.” Youngjae said.

“You heard the video, if we call the cops, noona is going to be in more pain than she already is.” Zelo warned.

“What are we going to do?” Jongup asked. “How are we going to get that kind of money so fast?”

“Money is easy, you guys know that. I just can’t trust them to make sure she’s okay.” Byunni cried.

“Yeah but we don’t have that kind of money on hand. My parents always put it in the bank or a trust fund.” Jongup said.

“Jongup! I said the money isn’t the problem.” Byunni got up, wiping her tears. Byunni walked over to the butterfly décor. She pressed on one of the mirror panels in its wing and it opened to reveal a little safe full of money. “This should be enough. It’s my saved-up allowance since I was 10. I don’t really use it.”

“Okay, well we have the money part solved. How are we going to get it in her locker?” Zelo asked.

“Aram told me the combination at the beginning of the school year and she knows mine. It’s just in case we miss a school day and we need stuff.”

“Well that’s that. At lunch, Jongup hyung and I will hide nearby to look for whoever picks up the money from noona’s locker. Then we’ll follow him to wherever he goes.”

“That’s dangerous.” Byunni shook her head.

“We have no other choice. We have to know who’s doing this.” Youngjae added.  “Let’s just count the money, put it in a bag, and try to keep our mind off. We still have school work to finish.”

The others nodded as Byunni started taking the cash out of her safe. Together, they counted out what they needed and for the rest of the day, the four of them tried to divert their attention to school work or board games.

[Meanwhile at Daehyun’s House]

Daehyun’s mother was cooking up a small breakfast of rice, eggs, and spam for the two of them. When she was done, she set the table, and walked over to her son to wake him up.

“Sweetie, it’s morning. It’s time for your breakfast.” His mother called. The boy stirred in his sleep. “Daehyun, wake up. It’s time to eat.”

“Morning eomma.” Daehyun smiled, slowly opening his eyes. “Let me wash up first.”

The boy got up from his mat and grabbed his toothbrush before walking to the bathroom. When he was done, he stepped out and took a seat in front of his mom.

“Thanks mom, I’ll eat it well.” Daehyun smiled and picked up his bowl.

“A girl stopped by yesterday asking my permission to date you.” His mother said.

“What?” Daehyun said, stuffing his face full of rice. “Who? What did she look like?”

“She was skinny with long dark brown hair. A face full of makeup and expensive brands of clothing. She even had a body guard with her. She offered money to persuade me to let you date her.”

“You didn’t let her did you? This is ridiculous! I can’t believe she did that.” Daehyun slammed his bowl onto the table.

“Daehyun sweetie, of course I wouldn’t let her. You’re happiness is your happiness, but I’m happy if you’re happy.” His mother put her bowl down as well, her voice breaking. “I know our living situation isn’t the best compared to the rest of the students at school, but I’m trying my best. I want what’s good for you. I don’t want your future to be like mine. If you find someone who makes you happy, then go be happy.”

Daehyun smiles and holds his mother’s hand. “Eomma, you make me happy. Money isn’t everything as long as you are healthy and well. I have made a couple of friends at school and I think you’ll like them very much, especially this one girl. Her name is Byunni and she’s a lot nicer than girl you met yesterday.”

“Well I would love to meet them sometime. Bring them home and I’ll make some tea and cookies.”

“Sometime soon…” Daehyun trailed off, a little ashamed of where he was living after seeing Byunni’s house.

“Or we can go out to the bakery?” His mother suggested, knowing the tone in his voice. Daehyun and smiled, nodding to his mother’s idea. “Okay, let’s finish our meal.”

The mother and son ate their breakfast in peace, not having a care in the world that money was ruling society. They spent the day doing chores around the small roof top house, but at least they were happy.

[In An Old Warehouse]

Aram spread her arms, releasing her from the loose knots the moment the camera stopped recording. She grabbed a towel and wiped the fake blood off her face. Across the room, stood her partner.

“Nice acting.” Yunhee complimented. Aram nodded a thanks while Yunhee took out her cell phone to ensure the next phase of the plan.

“Hello?”

“Hey, do me a favor?”

“What is it now?”

“I need you to pick some goods tomorrow at school.”

“From who?”

“Don’t worry, it’s going to be inside locker 1254. Pick it up without being seen.”

“Yunhee, what are you up to now?”

“Rap Mon, just pick it up and you can keep a quarter of what’s inside.”

“Fifty percent or you can get it yourself.”

“Fine! Just get it and meet at the usual spot.”

“See you then.”

Yunhee hung up the phone before turning to Aram. She questioned Aram why the sudden change of sides, but Aram’s answer was too familiar to her. Yunhee knew how unwanted Aram felt, how worthless, and how second place felt. The two girls weren’t enough, or that’s what they thought.

“Don’t worry Aram-ah, we’ll be good friends.” Yunhee smiled, placing and arm around Aram’s shoulder. “After all, we have to stick together to get what – or should I say ‘who’ – we want.”

“Now we just have to wait until tomorrow.” Aram smirked. Aram wanted Byunni to understand that it wasn’t fair and the only way of truly hurting her was by hurting the people she cared most.

Author's Note:
Gonna  try to go back to weekly updates.
Sorry for the wait everyone. <3
Saranghae
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