The next day, Bomi entered the classroom to see something on Chorong's table. It was small and hard to see, so Bomi took no special notice of it. Her mind was just occupied with a question: How am I ever supposed to face Chorong again? Her father had done something wrong to Chorong, so wrong and traumatising she had to react this way.

Sitting down thinking of the answer to the question, the time that Chorong usually came to school had long passed. Finally realising that, Bomi wanted to place her gift to Chorong on her table, but only to see something shocking. On a closer look, the small thing on Chorong's table was another picture of her. This time, the photograph was close to perfect, but the eye section was cut out. A typed out note was attached to it, and it said, "Stop looking at people that are not suitable for you."

Hurriedly taking it away from the table, Bomi looked around for possible suspects. But everyone was just buried in their books, and given that Chorong did not like to socialise, they just had no reason to even bother about Chorong. At that moment, Bomi was just glad that Chorong did not come to school today, but at the same time Bomi was worried, So she really does not want to see me anymore.

From that very instant onwards, Bomi gave up.

***

"Eunji! Bomi! I'm worried about Chorong so I think I'm going to pay her a visit after school, you two want to come along?" Naeun asked, to which she immediately regretted as she sensed the glare Eunji threw towards her.

Eunji whispered to Naeun, "Yah why did you have to mention Chorong?"

"I'm sor-" Naeun was about to apologise to Bomi but she got interrupted.

"It's okay Naeun-ah, I know where you come from. I think I'll make do without the visiting, but could you just help me pass these gifts to her? I wanted to give it to her yesterday but.." Naeun nodded without a second thought, taking the presents from Bomi's hands. "Oh and this letter too."

From Bomi's tone, Naeun could sense that she had already given up. However, Naeun had always been able to tell that Bomi loves Chorong just as Chorong does, and she felt that she was not going to let things end this way. She regarded Chorong as her best friend, and she would not leave her in such a state. Mustering courage to go against Eunji and talk a bit more, Naeun cautiously asked, "Bomi ah, could we go somewhere to talk? There's something I want to tell you."

Eunji looked at Bomi for her reaction. The latter was rather hesitant, but decided to agree.

***

"Bomi ah, you've given up, right?" Naeun confirmed. Bomi nodded, looking away as tears formed in her eyes.

"You know, Chorong loves you too. In the way you love her," Naeun continued, which caused Bomi to become shocked. "You just did not notice it. I'm sure whatever that happened between your father and her surely caused her a lot of pain, but the fact it is your father, the father of the one she loves, hurts her even more."

"Even if those were true, it's over now. The love turned to hate," Bomi choked.

"That's what you think. What if right now Chorong is sitting at home, waiting for you to contact her? What if she's crying right now because she thinks you have given up on her simply because of her words of impulse? You see, Bomi ah, you did not even try to find out what's wrong, what happened, and you just gave up like that."

"But.. She will feel hurt everytime she sees me."

"She will feel more hurt trying to remove you from her life. And if you can give her more happiness than how hurt she feels, everything will be fine."

"Really?" Bomi was slightly more enlightened now.

"Yep. Bomi, do you know how lucky you both are to have mutual feelings towards each other? I'll just let you in on this, nothing to hide anyway. Honestly, I love Eunji. I've tried again and again to get closer to her, but she just does not feel the same way. It may be hurtful for Chorong and you as well, but at least in the end, there will be favourable results. My one-sided love will never get me anywhere. So treasure this, Bomi, find out what happened, settle it with Chorong and protect her. Don't let her down, don't let her years of love for you down."

"Thanks Naeun, I'll ponder over your words. Could you pass me the letter I wrote just now? I'll give you a different one."

Naeun hoped Bomi would really consider her words. Those were the most she could do to help both of them.

***

Naeun's POV

I knocked on the door. Opening the door, Chorong appeared with puffy eyes. Still puffy at this time, just how long did she cry?

"Oh it's you, Naeun," she welcomed with a weak voice.

"I'm worried about you Chorong, why didn't you come to school today?"

"I'm fine, just wasn't feeling well." That has to be the worst excuse I have ever heard.

"With those eyes?" She looked away. "You can't lie to me."

"Sadly," she said, "I wish I could. But you read people too well."

"Your eyes just reveal everything," I stated, and gave her a hug from the back. "I don't expect you to be fine, I just hope you are feeling better."

She replied, "No, I'm feeling worse than ever."

"Then if it helps, I've brought something from Bomi." She finally looked at me.

Chorong's POV

I opened the door and saw that it was Nauen.

"Oh it's you, Naeun."

"I'm worried about you Chorong, why didn't you come to school today?"

Trying to find an excuse, I said, "I'm fine, just wasn't feeling well."

"With those eyes?" She rebutted. I looked away, feeling guilty for lying. "You can't lie to me."

"Sadly," I told her, "I wish I could. But you read people too well."

"Your eyes just reveal everything," she said. I felt her hugging me from the back. "I don't expect you to be fine, I just hope you are feeling better."

Deciding that there was no point to hide anything, I honestly replied, "No. I'm feeling worse than ever."

"Then if it helps, I've brought something from Bomi." I turned to her. She took out a wrapped present together with a letter. I opened the letter and it read,

Chorong,

I don't know what happened between my father and you to cause that response, but I just want to say whatever it is I am really sorry for everything. Perhaps you really don't want to see me anymore, but if that's really the case, just let me know and I will disappear from your life. I asked my father yesterday and he refused to tell me anything, so honestly I hope that you'd tell me what happened, so I can be by your side. But that's only if you're willing to. I hope you'd treat me as Yoon Bomi, your childhood best friend, and not my father's daughter. If you don't mind, I want to be the one to protect you, to always listen to you and support you. I want to be the one who adds smiles and laughter to your day, and not make you cry so much. I want to take care of you. Even if you can't bring yourself to see me now, I will wait for you, Chorong. For you to trust me again, to open up to me, to let me into your life. And I'm sorry again for everything.

I love you. (and I know you do, too)

Bomi

After reading it, I smiled a bit, though my eyes were filled with tears. "This kid, was this supposed to be a letter of apology or a confession?"

Then, after thinking over the words written, I stared at Naeun. "Yah you told her I love her?"

She shifted herself away, trying to maintain a distance away from me.

"Yah Son Naeun you're so going to pay for this!" Even though Naeun's legs were longer, I could easily catch her. I started tickling her from the sides, causing her to laugh hysterically. 

"Okay okay I'm sorry Chorong it's all for your own good!" She said. Then I stopped.

"For my own good?" I questioned.

She sighed. "Yeah. Bomi was so affected after you ran away, Eunji said she locked herself in the room immediately after the cake cutting session. Today, Bomi seemed like she was going to give up. She looked messed up, like her life had no direction nor purpose anymore. So I told her, because I believe both of you will work out well once you overcome all the difficulties."

I felt sorry for hurting Bomi like that. That was not the Bomi I knew. I've changed her. Never ever was she like that.

When I finally fully regained my composure, I sat back on the sofa with Naeun. Giving her a few looks, I hesitantly asked, "You are curious about what happened, right?"

Naeun's POV

She gave me a few glances and I wondered what she was up to. Then she asked, "You are curious about what happened, right?"

I did not know how to reply. I was curious, but I did not want to trigger anything again. I carefully said, "You need not say if you don't want to."

She took a deep breath. "I was once kidnapped before when I was a kid. Carried off the road, locked in a box with minimum light, starved. Not even cared about when I was shivering from fright when there was lightning. There were a few people, but the main person," she breathed deeply again, "was him."

I was shocked, and frozen for a moment. Tears started forming in her eyes, and I just pulled her into a hug. How traumatised and afraid could she have been, being a young child at that time?

Trying to comfort her, I said while patting her back, "Bomi will understand. Things will become better."

Her only response was the nodding of head, signalling 'I hope so.'

A/N: Tadaa so it's revealed as to what happened. Chorong's such a poor child ;_; And Naeun's such a mature and nice person, always trying to make the situation better. Hope you guys liked this chapter (:

@athousandreveries technically she did :3 Naeun's too afraid to make her move TT

@akumatsubasa terrible enough for her :( hahaha yeah Eunji has to notice Naeun more, but what to do? )):

@fluffsaur Chorong is so problematic always avoiding Bomi heh.