The school was somewhat empty by 5pm, unsurprisingly given it was far from the exam period. Haesoo hadn't even realised how time had flown so fast. She had spent her time up in the rooftop occasionally playing games or listening to music in her conscious attempt to get her mind off whatever was going on in that building and calming her nerves.

She pushed herself up and looked at her iPod. The music had stopped some time ago when the battery had run out. Rubbing her face, Haesoo pushed herself up on her feet. Despite the ache on her back and the headache, she forced herself to walk, though every step seemed to send aching pains to her chest. Her stomach was growling and that was probably because she had skipped breakfast AND lunch and she hadn’t finished her food the night before. The hunger seemed to only worsen whatever was going on with her mind as she felt weak and in need for just some comfort.

She took small steps down the stairs, holding the railing for support, knowing her legs might just give way any second. Falling asleep on the bench at one point was really a mistake, but at least it was where there was shade from the sun.

When she arrived to her class, she was relieved to see it empty. The last thing Haesoo wanted was to see anyone. She wanted to be alone. The sky was already yellow and the class was dim. She trudged to where she saw her bag and she carried it, slinging it on her back. As she walked back out, her hand reached in her pocket for her phone. Haesoo held down 2 and her father’s number had been dialed. After a few rings, the cheery and somewhat comforting voice answered. Something remotely familiar, even just a bit, was comforting at that point.

“Yes, dear?” his voice said over the phone.

At the sound of his voice, Haesoo found herself tearing up, suddenly missing him very much. Her shivering hand went up to and she pressed on it, not wanting to let him hear her cry. Her body started getting weak again and she fell on her knees but she managed to hold in the sob.

“Hello? Dear?” her father called.

Haesoo held her breath before breathing in deeply and relaxing her body.

“Appa, can you please fetch me at school?” she asked as she wiped her tears.

“Oh, you're still in school? Did you stay late?"

Haesoo found herself cooking up a lie almost immediately. “I stayed back studying and I got carried away. Too tired to go home on my own, and I'm not sure I know the way. Please fetch me.”

If Youngsoo noticed the desperation in her voice, he didn’t show it. All he did was let out a sigh and told her to wait outside the school.

The moment Haesoo put down her phone, she rubbed her sore chest. Holding back sobs and tears probably strained her heart too much. There was also the stress from the long and tiring day, most of it spent on the rooftop where the thoughts of everyone judging her never stopped coming. Haesoo couldn’t wait for her father to come so she could finally see someone who she knew would stay on her side no matter what.

Oh how wrong she was.

***

The ride home was painfully silent. Whatever Youngsoo said, Haesoo didn’t bother to acknowledge. She was too tired. She was beyond exhausted that she pretended to sleep when she realized her father wasn’t about to stop talking.

She heard the disappointment in his voice when he realized she was sleeping and had not been listening to him telling her about his day at work. Haesoo was sorry for that. She never intended to make her father feel that way. But, the day had been too rough on her. She truly needed a break.

So, when they arrived to the house, Haesoo immediately got out of the car as if she hadn’t even been sleeping for the past few minutes. She made no effort to hide that she was faking her sleep.

She quickly stomped her way in the house, without greeting her step-mother, and went up the stairs. She didn’t even acknowledge Jimin’s or Jeongguk’s presence when she passed them. Neither had she acknowledge Taehyung who was sitting on the sofa watching tv.

Haesoo got in her room and slammed her door shut, locking it immediately.

She completely shut off the shutters on both sides of her balcony before sitting on her favourite stool and burying her head on her arms that rested on the railings. And then she cried.

She didn’t know for how long but she just cried.

It was her first time crying so much after a lon