Seven Months Before.

-The bright October day-

“Cheers!” Jiyeon stuck out her tongue playfully, raising her second can of beer above her head.  

    Krystal smirked, sober as Jiyeon was drunk, tipsy to the point her cheeks were rosy pink.   Giggling, Jiyeon Radiohead, then dropped her phone into her bag.  “I thought we were just getting coffee,”  Krystal said.  

    “I was going to call Eunjung over, but she downs beer like water, and I need a ride back home.”

    “Drinking on a school night might be pushing our luck,” Krystal singsonged into the opening of the aluminum can.  

    “Screw luck. Exams are this week, and I’m not some sort of genetic freak, Stal.” 

    They leisurely walked under the street lights, in between run-down buildings.  Krystal lived on the other side of the hill, a little far away from the school where the bigger houses were.  Jiyeon lived down the front side of the hill, where kids frequently passed by the streets.  

    Night time had rolled around by then.  Ocassional dog barks and sounds of motors followed their voices.  

    “I feel sick,” Jiyeon sonated pointedly.  Krystal let out a fit of muted laughs, pointing at her.  

    “You look sick.  Really, you should-” Suddenly, she heard a dull thud coming from the direction of the brick wall by them.  “What was that?” 

    “What was-?” Krystal clamped her palm over Jiyeon’s mouth.  

    “Shut up!” 

    The two cautiously crept up to the edge of the wall and peeked over.  Krystal’s eyes widened as she found Nana towering over the Hwayoung, who had once ranked number 2 behind Myungsoo during freshman year midterms.  

    The picture seemed a little off.  Nana was most likely bullying Hwayoung, but she was alone, without her usual clique.  Not even her senior friends, who normally aided her in similar antics.  The were infront of the town’s park garage stairway.  

    Hwayoung struggled to her feet, brushing gravel off her scraped knees.  

    Scoffing, Nana shoved her, but Hwayoung gripped the walls to keep from falling.  It certainly seemed like it wasn’t her first time pushing Hwayoung that night.  “What do you want.” 

    “Do I have to say it again?” Nana tossed her hair over her shoulders, her expression menacing.  “I’m not joking this time.  I need the copies.  And you’re bringing them to me.” 

    “I-I got caught.  My mom found them in my desk.  She thinks I cheated for the last CRT,” Hwayoung mumbled.  

    “That’s your problem,” Nana barked.  “You remember the bag? Valentino, about ten times more pricey than the house you sleep in?” 

    “Raina told me-” 

    “Raina knows nothing, okay? It was a set up.  Get a clue.  If we save you from the spot of being the school’s outcast, you should know how to pay back.  With full interest.”  Nana crossed her arms and leaned all her weight on one leg, her Kate Spade purse resting at the crook of her elbow.  

    Jiyeon’s eyes widened.  What were they talking about? Did this have something to do with Afterschool’s fight with Hwayoung during lunch a few days ago? 

    Hwayoung wiped tears from her cheeks, fuming.  Humiliated.  “I’m going to tell the Board.  You guys are going to have to figure this out yourselves.” 

    “Does you mom need to see our family’s attorney again?” Nana threatened.  “And you can’t say you’re entirely free from fault, either.” 

    “I can’t give you the answers!” Hwayoung yelled, clenching her fist at her side.  Nana brought her hand to Hwayoung’s cheek with a slap.  

    “You can’t? Or you won’t?  It’s an unconditional step you have to follow, sweetie.  If you don’t do it, you know what happens, right? Besides, you’ll never place first.  Not until Kim Myungsoo transfers, and we both know-” 

    Hwayoung cut her off by slapping her.  With a scoff of disbelief, Nana staggered to the side with her palm on the side of her face.  “You are such a , Lim Jinah.” 

    “What makes you think you can say or do anything like this without getting hurt? I have a lot of secrets up my sleeve, Ryu Hwayoung, and I’m not afraid to let them out for the entire school to see.  One slip-up and you are done for.  You know why? Because I have the upperhand in this game,” Nana hissed, seething through her teeth.  She paused to juggle through the contents of her purse before pulling out her phone.  “You see this? I still have all your videos for him.  What does NAT even stand for? Need a therapist?” 

    “You can’t show anyone!”

    “Why the hell not?” Nana asked a little mockingly.  She already knew the answer, after all. 

    “If you tell anyone, one of us dies.”  

    Krystal gasped a little, leaning forward until Jiyeon stumbled, almost falling.  Before standing with their backs to the wall, Jiyeon accidently kicked a glass bottle.  .  

    Hwayoung and Nana silenced.  They had definitely heard something.  

    Nana’s footsteps neared.  Krystal shot Jiyeon a look, signaling her to make a run for it.  

    “I see you!” Nana’s voice rang out in the streets. 

    They were running, more dazed than ever.  Every now and then, they turned around to see if anyone was tailing them.  But the coast was clear.  

    And out in the distance, a polaroid camera clicked and shuttered, capturing every single moment without them knowing.  

    Jiyeon hugged her backpack to her chest, and turned the corner to an alley before dropping to her knees.  Krystal followed slowly behind, her hand over , her shoulders twitching.  With shuddering hands, she dropped two pills into her palm before dry swallowing them, heaving breaths.  

    “What was that?” Jiyeon put her head against the wall, the drowsiness from the alchohol chased out of her system.  “Yah, Jung Soojung.” 

    “I-I’m fine,” Krystal replied, her voice hoarse.  

    “We should tell someone.  What they were talking about back there is clearly related to cheating on the exams.  Shocker, though.  Who knew Hwayoung had cheated her way to the top ten?” 

    “I don’t... do you think Hwayoung was harassed by them?” 

    “Obviously!” 

    “Whatever, I think it’s a lot bigger than just exchanging test copies or answer sheets or whatever.  They were talking about money, Jiyeon.  The designer bag, the lawyer, Hwayoung’s family... I don’t think it’s just something we could bring to the homeroom teacher.” 

    “! Okay, this is bad, Stal.  You might be right.” Jiyeon let out a deep breath, “But... last Thursday, during lunch...” 

    “I was there.” 

    “No, you weren’t.  Hear me out, Krystal.  happened between Hwayoung and After School, okay?” 

    “What?” Krystal leaned forward.  “Hwayoung came into the canteen after I left?” 

    Jiyeon nodded, biting her lower lip.  “Hwayoung tried to kill Nana that day.” 

    “What.” 

    “Does it seem like I’m ting you? Why do you think she was suspended for that day?” 

    “Ohmygod.” 

    “So we should tell someone,” Jiyeon concluded, stomping the heel of her boots on the concrete.  

    Delirium.  Krystal was in denial at that minute, shaking her head.  “No.  We can’t tell anyone.  If something blows up, we’ll be dragged down with Nana.  Do you hear me? We’ll be prime suspects.” 

    “But what if people find out? What if they find out we knew all along? Wouldn’t they ask us why-” 

    “No.  They won’t.  Because they can’t find out.  Because we won’t tell them, okay? Even if we want to, we can’t help Hwayoung.” 

    Jiyeon locked eyes with Krystal only to find fear lidded irises.  “Why? It’s not that big of-” 

    “Park Jiyeon! Just listen to me, okay! I might know a lot more things than I should know.” 

    Slowly, Jiyeon nodded, a little shaken.  “Okay.  It’s okay.  I won’t tell anyone.  We won’t tell anyone.” 

    “Good.  Because nothing will happen, okay? I’ll tell you why when I need to.  Until then, just feign ignorance.  Forget tonight ever happened.  Everything will be alright.”  Krystal wrapped her arms around Jiyeon, crouched next to her.  

    The morning after, Hwayoung was found dead infront of the school’s main courtyard.  Unfortunately, fear got the best of the people that knew more than what just met the eye.  So they turned away, and pretended not to know.  

Hwayoung had jumped off the school rooftop.  She had killed herself.  

Atleast, that’s what they all think.  

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(A/N) 

Hey readers!

Sorry for the wait and the short chappie, I did a lot of planning and refining

Also, they are a lot of unexplained things, I know, but all of the details are really important to finding out things near the end (which isn't coming any time soon)

Things will (I hope?) make sense later on

And like I said before, there will be a lot of flashbacks and backstories.  Shhh... more secrets revealed! 

Anyways, I always say this, but thanks so much for reading! I hoped you're enjoying the story so far~ (partly bc this is the first time I really worked my off on a fanfic, like, ever lol)

subscribe, vote, and COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT blopetops!!!!

thanks again

xoxo