I didn’t tell Jonghyun, Amber, Key, or any of the others about my weekend trip to visit Jinri. I knew they would tell me that it was pointless, and part of me worried that they were right. But even if they were, at least I had done what I could to make things right. And I knew I’d put enough doubt into her head about going to the police that she wouldn’t attack me again, so at least there was that.

That’s why I was more than surprised when, during lunch on Monday, Krystal looked up and said, “There’s Jinri. Finally. I was beginning to think we’d never see her again.”

“She’s certainly not coming here,” Amber said, but Jinri was walking straight toward our usual table.

Jonghyun got to his feet angrily, his face a bright shade of red. I could practically feel the hatred pouring off him. “She better not come any closer,” he practically hissed. “I meant it about that restraining order!”

I put my hand on his arm. “Shut up and sit down. Please.”

He glared at me like I was the most naïve person in the entire world – when really, with my upbringing, how could I be? – but he sat down again heavily.

Jinri stopped in front of our table, holding her lunch in both hands. Nobody said anything, just stared at her. The tension hanging over our table was palpable. Even students sitting at the tables nearby were staring. It was clear that some sort of confrontation was inevitable.

I took the initiative to break the awkward silence. “Why don’t you sit down, Jinri? There’s plenty of room.”

Jonghyun used his foot to kick away the only empty chair. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Narae. This table is full.” He glared at Jinri. “You better go find somewhere else to sit.”

Jinri looked crestfallen, her hands shaking, and she turned to go. Then she seemed to gather her resolve and she turned to face our table again. “I have something to say,” she announced loudly.

Jonghyun rolled his eyes. “Oh, this oughtta be good.”

I kicked him under the table.

“There’s something I want to tell everyone,” Jinri continued. Though her voice was clear, her shaking hands gave away just how nervous she was. “I didn’t get a nose job. Narae broke my nose. She punched me in the face.” She took a deep breath. “Because I attacked her with scissors. I was the one doing all those things to Narae. I-I shouldn’t have done those things and I’m sorry.”

Her admission was met with silence. Jonghyun, Amber, and Key were glaring at her; they clearly had no intention of forgiving her any time soon. The others didn’t look so sure.

“She said she was sorry, and I forgive her,” I said quickly. “No harm, no foul.”

Sunyoung looked around uncertainly. “I mean, if Narae forgives her, shouldn’t we…?”

“Yeah,” Krystal agreed nervously. “I mean, what she did was not cool at all, but Narae is okay. Nobody was hurt.”

“Narae could’ve gotten seriously hurt!” Jonghyun burst out. “Didn’t you hear her? She attacked Narae with a pair of scissors!”

“And she won’t do it again,” Jinki said sternly, looking right at Jinri. “Isn’t that right, Jinri?”

“Of course I won’t,” she assured everyone quickly, her face as white as a ghost. “I-I’ve learned my lesson. That’s not the kind of person I want to be.”

There was another long, awkward pause.

“Should we vote or something?” Qian finally asked.

“Oh my god, just let the girl sit down and eat her damn lunch!” I burst out.

Jonghyun, Amber, and Key didn’t seem fully convinced, but I didn’t give them a chance to argue when I grabbed the chair Jonghyun had kicked away and pulled it up to the table, between Jinki and Krystal. “Have a seat, Jinri. Welcome back.”

She looked for the briefest of moments like she was going to smile at me – a real, genuine smile – and then the moment passed and she sat down and opened her lunch.

But, I told myself with a smile, it was a start.