“I think Sina noona is bullied.”

Niel looked up from his lunch, so did Minsoo, Byunghun, and Chanhee.

“What makes you say that?” demanded Minsoo. He didn’t really pay much attention to Sina. But he was sure she’s okay.

“Well, the other day I saw noona walked out of the toilet drenched wet. She said, the pipe is broken. But how come she’s the only one drenched?”

Byunghun and Chanhee—as Sina’s classmates—trying to dig up their memories for anomalies.

“I think she did act weird lately. Like there is something she’s hiding.”

“Remember the other day when she said she forgot to bring her lunch? I swear I saw her walking into the classroom with lunch bag.”

Changhyun looked at Chanhee in disbelief. “Hyung, how could you see that? Noona always comes earlier than you!”

Chanhee just realized this. But he glared at Changhyun. “Oh, you’re right. But she is not the type to forget, right?” he defended.

“She’s still a human, Chanhee,” said Byunghun. “I just asked Yuri, she said she didn’t know anything about it.” Byunghun held his phone, showing it to the others.

“But why is she bullied?” Niel asked.

As he listened to their arguments, he’s busy thinking of lists of things in his heart notebook about Sina. To him, she was lovable, kind, friendly, smart, and crazy, and cute, and cheerful. How someone could actually hate her? “Who would have hated her?” he mumbled.

“Maybe… out of jealousy?”

“Is that a right reason to hate someone?” Niel said, still couldn’t accept it.

“Who hated who?” Changjo, who just came, joined their conversation.

“Changhyun is playing detective again. He said someone might bully Sina,” Minsoo’s the one who replied, with a bored look in his face.

“But it’s real, hyung! You should have put more attention!” Changhyun protested.

“Ya! What do you mean by that? I pay attention!” Minsoo defended.

“To Yoomi noona, not Sina noona!”

“Why should I pay attention to Sina? She has Niel to do it. And you. And Jonghyun too. Pabo.”

“I think it’s true too,” Jonghyun said casually.

Niel looked at Jonghyun, thinking that this guy might be joking. But he had this serious face, while munching his salad.

“What do you mean, Jonghyun ah?” Chanhee said.

“I just met her when I walked here. A group of girls were pushing her when they met in the stairs. They were trying to push her off if only I wasn’t there, Sina noona might be in the clinic right now.”

“Push her? Maybe they were playing pranks,” Byunghun spoke up, glancing at Changhyun who loved playing violent pranks.

But Changhyun didn’t notice his stare as he rose from his seat. “My noona! Is she okay!?”

Byunghun glared at Changhyun, telling him to stop exaggerating and sat down. He complied. Byunghun could be scary and really violent when he was angry.

“They were saying something that Sina noona is annoying, man seducer, and so on and so on. It pissed me off and I want to tell them to shut up, but Sina noona told me to let them be.”

“What is really happening?” Chanhee said, wondering why suddenly things like this happened.

“I don’t know. But I find this. She dropped it.”

Out of the people there, Jonghyun handed a piece of paper to Niel. With a frown, Niel opened it and was surprised reading the content.

It wasn’t actually act of reading since the paper was full of scribbles and bad words. The images drawn there also were disturbing ones. He had to look away from it. But he clearly read: MOON SINA, STAY AWAY FROM NIEL!

“I think, whatever it is, it has something to do with you, hyung,” Jonghyun said.

Without even he said that, Niel quickly realized it. How could he be too thick-headed to see it. He felt the girls’ glare when he walked with Sina. How could he be blinded and let the girl he loved suffered for him? He didn’t even know Sina’s feelings toward him. And she said nothing about it, not even to him. She could have protested, or mad at him, or anything….

Thinking that bullying happened to Sina and she held everything in, pained his heart. He should have protected her, not making her suffered like this. What should he do now?

“That matter aside, how’s your date the other day? You guys look like enjoying the day,” said Byunghun, diverting their topic.

“Yeah! Yeah! The photo you guys posted in ktalk group chat! I’m so jealous, hyung. You looked like a couple already!”

“You guys should thank me for making the chance,” Minsoo said matter-of-factly.

“I’m the one who planned it with Yoomi, Minsoo,” said Chanhee.  

Niel blushed hearing the compliments, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the letter. Was that the reason they bullied her? Because they looked like a couple? Because she was so close to him? Maybe if he stayed away, it would stop… eventually.

“Niel,” called Byunghun. “Stop thinking about it. Sina could solve her own problem. She would tell you if it’s too much for her to handle.”

Niel smiled weakly at Byunghun. He’s been watching her long enough to notice that it wasn’t easy for her to tell about her personal problem in open forums. Since he felt the same. And he knew exactly what to do.