“Where were you this whole time?” So-Hyun’s mother had asked her, the anger in her voice shown clearly as well as her expressions having hints of red shown on them. So-Hyun had arrived home minutes after jogging through the freezing weathers after her encounter with the unexpected boy.

“Uh, got carried away after seeing an old friend at the park?” So-Hyun nervously chuckled, her hands tied behind her back, while staring down at her feet guilted.

No, don’t ground me. I’m begging. No. I can’t get stuck in this house again.

Her mom did no such thing.

Instead, her mom surprisingly gave up, her arms which were crossed, were now let down to her sides,

She sighed, “Whatever, I don’t want to talk about it. Just go to bed.”

And with that, her mother had stumbled back upstairs groggily to venture into her deep slumber.

So-hyun’s mother had been stressed lately, especially with the two shifts she was working now. And to make matters worse, she had her own dad in the hospital, located in the emergency ward. His health had remained static, no longer getting better nor worse.

I’m sorry, umma. So-Hyun guiltily thought to herself, before following her own mother’s patterns up the stairs.

~

After turning off the nightlights and remaining in the dark for a few moments, her phone quickly vibrated and lit up a shining screen, signalling a text message as she rolled over on the mattress to turn on the device again. The number was an unusual digit coded number she wasn’t used to seeing but after overlooking through the numbers and at the message, she quickly recognized who it was;

From: ~Unknown number~

Goodnight. ~ :)

Before she could even think about texting back, her thoughts had pondered on and on about why or how he seriously texted her back, sending sparks of happiness through her body. After the slight excitements and joy that had filled her up, So-Hyun quickly sent back a reply to the number after changing the contact number,

To: Dongwoon~

Goodnight pabo. ~ :)

After the send button was pressed, So-Hyun turned off the phone device slowly after staring at the two messages on the conversation screen, reexamining her own encounter with him, and soon after those thoughts, So-Hyun slowly fell asleep, happy for once. She had felt a feeling she never felt before, the feeling of true excitement. She had felt excitement before from perhaps her dad buying her balloons, or her first band concerts since she used to be active on her flute, or even her first Photography contest which her entry included a picture of the woods sceneries with a rabbit in the background, staring at the sunset. This time though, the excitement was an unexpected feeling. A feeling of happiness with foolishness mixed together, causing her heart to begin racing quickly.

Pabo.

~~

“Yah, what’s up with you today? You’re so happy!” Doojoon said while inwardly groaning to keep the girl down onto her feet before she flew off into her own world.

“Mm, nothing. It just feels like a good day.” So-Hyun said, twirling her curled hair, while grinning sheepishly at her best friend.

Doojoon suspiciously raised his eyebrows, “Uh-huh? Sure~” He teased the girl, ruffling her hair as he knew it would annoy her deeply.

As expected, the girl began to pout, rapidly throwing fists at his shoulder.

“YAH! Stoooop!” She complained in return, as she continued slapping his arms in retaliation while quickly rearranging her hair to it’s gleaming original state.

Doojoon held up his hands in defense, ceding to the girl’s harsh attacks,

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop, haha!” He said jokingly, still shielding himself with his own arms. So-Hyun had finally stopped, but still contained the deep grin that had been formed on her face after she left the front door.

The pairing continued walking towards the school, whipping underneath tree branches that had been twisted into unusual forms perhaps by other creatures. Whenever a car’s revving engines was heard, the two would begin the game of hiding from the cars, causing huge laughters and chuckles as whoever would be seen by the car loses first.

She cherished their relationship, Doojoon was like an absolute brother to her, an older one that she never had. She’d never felt the way of support before. She’d never had someone to lean on, since she was the oldest of the three siblings, so Doojoon was definitely pleasured company to have around herself. After the two fools had reached the school, they parted their ways, So-Hyun reaching up to the taller one to give him a wide hug, with the oppa returning the gesture back.

“Bye, oppa!” She waved him off, smiling happily as they released each other from the warm hug.

Doojoon, disappointed that their conversation ending here, greeted her off while pouting, “Byeee, So-Hyun~”

Realizing that his eyes were now widened into a puppy dog’s phase, she quickly slapped him upon his shoulder causing his eyes to then widen this time into shock,

“Yah, what was that for!” He asked, wincing at the slight punch.

“Don’t be sad, be glad!” She cheerfully said, amused at his reactions. Doojoon then nodded slyly, before sheepishly grinning and parting ways with the girl.

He was adorable to So-Hyun.

And she was adorable to him.

~~

“Well?” Grandpa asked grimly, this time staring at a local newspaper that had economical issues plastered all over filled with charts and such.

Death, who was also in a quiet stance, sat at the chair again, staring down at the floor, “I did what I could. It’s now up to her to see how she reacts.” He whispered, not wanting to disturbs the other patients nor get himself busted by nurses. Even though he was “vanished”, it was better to be safe than sorry. He also didn’t want to reveal his kind old friend, it was already horrible that he was in the hospital. Death didn’t want to be the cause of his friend entering an asylum either.

Grandpa still not convinced of his acts yet, then asked Death casually, “What’d you do?”

“You’ll see.”

“She better pass it.”

“I have a feeling.” Death said grimly, and then vanished, leaving the elderly to himself.

~~

Pushing open the doors, So-Hyun quickly entered the hallways which were already filled halfway with students opening lockers or chattering in huge groups. It was near the start of morning study hall, but she would still have enough time to make her journey to the locker areas.

It’s too cold outside. So-Hyun complained, tugging at the ravelled scarf that was wrapped around her neck. The maroon colored scarf had matched her school uniform today. She had decided to take a fashionable approach, as her curled hair was pulled back as soon as she pulled off the scarf, gaining attentions from the front-door lookers. Slightly blushing, she stumbled past through the still crowds to turn a corner where she continued walking towards her locker.

After turning the usual right corner she had always turned at, she found a familiar figure standing at his own locker, twisting the combination locks to gather his books. She couldn’t help but feel her heart race as she walked closer to the masculine figure that now was scrambling through his locker to gather his books into his bookbag,

“Hi Dongwoon..” So-Hyun quietly muttered as she walked passed by the boy. His response within the behavior was unusual though. Hearing the call to him despite it being a slight whisper, Dongwoon quickly closed his locker in an abrupt manner, his eyes turned down towards his shoes.

Realizing his erratic behaviors, she was quick to question him on it, “What’s wrong?”

. . It’s only a joke, Dongwoon. He thought to himself, while slowly creeping away from the girl. She took huge steps towards him though, making his tedious steps pointless.

Just do what they told you to do.

“Don’t ing talk to me.” He said coldly, pushing past her to walk towards the homeroom while leaving the shocked girl to herself.

What? So-Hyun confusedly stood there, staring at the boy’s locker which had been slammed with small strings of paper hanging out through the edges of the locker.

What just happened? She asked herself, her scarf being gripped tightly by her hands, which had began to regain feelings as the warmth had warmed her hands up enough.

But..yesterday..--The bell had rung.

He was  just talk--So-Hyun’s thoughts were automatically pushed out of her mind as Mr. Park was staring at her from the doorway, “Hurry your up.” He said casually, arms crossed over his chest waiting for the girl to enter the classroom.

Beginning to walk after the few silent seconds, she quickly muttered an apology to the professor after entering the classroom which contained nothing but silence. Walking towards her seat, So-Hyun couldn’t manage to even turn towards the back of the classroom, nor at her friends. It all happened too quickly for her. Briskly, setting her books back onto her desk, she was already questioned by her friends who knew that this unusual silence from her was strange. They hadn’t even received a hi or hello from her like usual.

“What’s wrong, So-Hyun?” Kikwang asked, turning around to lean his head against the edge of her desk. In response, all So-Hyun could manage to gesture back was a light-headed shake, and a push onto his dark-brown hair, leaning him back against his own private space. He tilted his head but after realizing the silence she continued to omit without spilling anything, he surrendered, turning back around to face the chalkboard.

Suzy, seeing this all happen, knew it wasn’t smart to ask her.

She’s not the kind to reveal her emotions easily. Suzy deciphered after the few months she had known So-Hyun. So-Hyun always spilled everything to her, that was if she voluntarily did so. If it was forced out of her, it wasn’t the truth. Though if it was just said unexpectedly, it was indeed the truth. Thank lord for the psychology classes she was attending right now in Human Sciences.

“So-Hyun’s late for once? Tch.” A sneer had came, all the way from across the room. The whole classroom had become silent again.

So-Hyun simply ignored the bully’s words, not wanting to deal with her jokes at the moment. She was still dazed from the rejection she had received from Dongwoon.

“No response? That’s a first, shutting your damn mouth.” Ye-Jin continued to sneer, earning herself a few snickers from the classmates that surrounded her, mainly comprised of the laughing boys or the sneering girls in the back. It was cruel, really.

Don’t break in, So-hyun.

Don’t let your emotional problems take over.

Death didn’t want to do this, but it was a last wish from Grandpa. It was an overall test, so he continued initiating Society’s reality for her.

“Shut up, Ye-Jin.” Kikwang shot across the classroom, now turning towards the shorter girl, she’d been shot with surprise. The classroom’s attention had been divided into two sections. Half staring at Kikwang’s bravery while the other attentively looking at Ye-Jin for her next remark.

Dongwoon had now joined, making it a worse situation as well as entirely awkward for So-hyun. She cringed at his own voice, “And what are you gonna do about it?” He questionly asked Kikwang, glaring his eyes at his older hyung. It surprised himself that he had spoken back to Kikwang, but he couldn’t let his girlfriend fend for herself. Even if it did guilt him slightly.

What the hell. Dongwoon never does this at the dorms, but now he does? Kikwang, thought to himself, finding a true feeling of furiousity enter him.

“Dongwoon, shut the up.” Kikwang retaliated, the anger rising within his voice now.  Dongwoon couldn’t help but usher a scoff,

“Tch.”

Mr. Park..where are you? So-hyun begged, hoping that the middle-aged man would enter the doorway now, ready to yell at all the students, but it never happened. Nothing seemed to be going her way, but then again. She was used to it as nothing ever went her way.

So-Hyun at this point, was on the verge of tears, sick of the words from the queen of the juniors, sick of the awkward tension that had been created between herself and Dongwoon despite only having one day of a full conversation and sick of the barriers her friends were shielding her within.

I’m so weak.

“..Kikwang..stop.” She warned her friend, raising her hands up to his back to relief his madness. It didn’t work though as she could sense the steam flowing out of his usual cool-like aura.

Ye-Jin continued to harass her, furthering on the topics she’d hope would never be brought up again, “And yesterday? You with Dongwoon talking to each other? Yeah, it was a phony plan. We just did it so we could get a good laugh, but I guess you got too attached to him? Tch, back the off. News flash darling, he’s mines.”

Those cold words, ignited nothing but deep depression into her. It was all just a plan. She realized what her encounter with Dongwoon yesterday was. It was;

Just a plan.

Just a joke.

All fake.

It finally made sense, but she wouldn’t accept the truth.

Her thoughts had thrashed around, splattering the conversations between her and Dongwoon into shards. The shards of pain and betrayal had pierced into her skins now, deepening the wounds of her already shallow self. She let this happen, and she was disappointed mostly in herself for actually hoping that Dongwoon would finally be kind to her.

The classroom quickly erupted into fits of fights and arguments from her friend’s and the egotistical stereotypes of the school.

“Ye-Jin, hun, I swear, if you don’t shut your damn mouth. I will go over there and--” Suzy slowly threatened, the first to begin rising out of her seat.

“DO SOMETHING THEN!” Ye-Jin snarled loudly, interrupted her cold death threats halfway through, unafraid of the girl’s menacing thoughts.

“Don’t mind if I do!” Kikwang now entered, rising himself out of the seat fully before Suzy could, turning towards Ye-Jin who was a few feet away from his own desk. ‘

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE?” Mr. Park boomed through the doorway, now entering the classroom again, a furious expression put onto his face.

Tears began to form through So-Hyun’s eyes, slowly sliding down her cheeks.

Choi Ye-Jin though, of course, always had a plan going on for her, “Professor, I was simply talking to my own classmates before So-Hyun started making fun of me for no apparent reason. So I told her to stop, but her friends backed her up, or well, ‘friends’.”

ing .

“That didn’t happen at all!” Yoseob now yelled, surprising the whole class that the jester’s attitude had became a vicious one.

“SHUT UP!” Mr. Park screamed, slamming the long ruler against the chalkboard, causing the shavings of chalk to feather off.

The classroom was now in silence as deep breathings could be heard from the yelling classmates. Her heart was beating rapidly through the silence, though no one heard it except herself.

Her tears still slowly dropped, the feelings finally getting to her.

A plan, really? It was really a plan.

She had disappointed herself deeply still. She had fell into his charismatic characteristics, allowing him to enter her deep realms of secrets. Thus, causing this entire embarrassing moment.

I shou--should’ve..just never talked to him at all. I SHOULD’VE JUST LEFT HIM! Her thoughts angered now, though the volume of her yellings remained the same. She no longer had controls over her next actions or words that came out of her own mouth.

“I don’t even know why I bothered with you Dongwoon.” So-Hyun managed to say, tears muffling some of her words. Mr. Park had remained silent now, though the anger on his face was still shown, causing the rest of the class to stay in the most quietest position they’d ever been in all year.

“I don’t know, how you managed to get through me. But, thanks. Just, ing thanks.” She finally said, her arms clenched into fists as the friends surrounding her turned towards her with worried expressions.

So-hyun couldn’t manage to look at the blonde-haired boy now. So she left. She left the classroom that caused her to burst into tears. Her first true feeling of betrayal. Of disappointment. Of loneliness.

Grabbing her bookbag, she slammed the books roughly into the open space within the bags. She then threw the bag over her neck, swiftly pacing towards the doorway where Mr. Park had openly let her pass through without hesitation.

Thanks, Mr. Park. She silently thanked, walking towards the quiet hallways where loud rumbles of teachers’ teachings could be heard from other classrooms.

“Get your damn composition textbooks out, I’ll discuss what just happened later with those who I heard yelling.”

Continuing to mutter to himself, “Goddamn drama causers these days.”

~

She slumped against the hallway now, shot with all sorts of emotions. Her living nightmare was coming true, piece by piece, slowly by slowly.

~