CHAPTER 18     Dinggg Donggg! Dinggg Donggg!   First period was about to start but I stood there, with hands on my chin, attentively observing the multitude of students entering the school campus below…   Some were leisurely walking, some dashing off afraid from being late for class and others still chilling by and chatting near the gates.   I hoped to spot Sica somewhere within the crowd with her high fashion civilian clothing standing out but…   Sigh… she was out of sight… and in the end Sica didn’t come home…   I wonder what she’s doing right now?   Anyways, Exhale! Better get my books from the lockers before my teachers call out on me again. Being absent for weeks really does stick you head out there like a nail.   “Hey! Hey! Did you do it?!”   “Of course!”   Huh?   “Because there was just the two of us, it’ll be unusual if we didn’t do it”    “I think so too…”   What are they talking about? I’m not usually an eavesdropper but DAMN I can’t help it they’re too loud! Bionic Spy Mode: ON.   “Gee you lucky dog! How was it?! Was it good?”   “Hahaha duh I don’t want to spill PRIVATE information like that”   “HEY come on! How was it?! Did you really DO it?”   Tsk they keep on saying “Did you do it?” “Don’t do it?”… What does that…   OH MY ING DOOKONGS!!!! Don’t tell me?! Bionic Spy Mode: OFF!!! I immeadiately covered my ears and headed straight towards the entrance’s lobby for the lockers. HEAR NO EVIL. SPEAK NO EVIL. SEE NO EVIL. I kept repeating hoping to Yoda, my spiritual guide, to keep me from my Byun self’s dark side.   But… really, if it’s unnatural to “Do” it when you are alone with the girl you like… (Especially when I’m actually a byun at heart) does that mean I’m weird?   If I’m weird like that… then how about…   WAIT.   WAIT.WAIT.WAIT!!!!   Sica and Yoona were alone all night, and we all know that painter is really a raging ert on the inside… does that mean…   Could it be?!   IT COULD!!!!     “Hyaa!!! Yoona!!! Keep your hands off me!!!”   “WAHAHAHA!!! Sorry Baby, that’s not your choice to make. OKAY now look at the cameras. YUP that’s the angle I want! KEEP IT! KEEP IT!”   NO…   No… No! Stop thinking nonsense Taeyeon, I said to myself trying to shake the nasty thoughts off my head. When you spotted Sica in the café, she was alone!   Yeah! And she left a message in the answering machine! Haha…ha…   OH NO!?! BUT WHAT IF SHE WENT TO YOONA’S AGAIN RIGHT AFTER?!!?!?   Umn… Well… that IS possible… UGH!!!   NOOOOOOOO!!!!! ! Nothing happens even if I worry! I slammed my head to my locker repeatedly in attempt to divert the attention to pain… Ugh… still there… SLAM! Ugh… SLAM! Ugh… “Hey Morning Fany!”   Gasp! Oh My Dookong God, Why am I even hiding?! Force of habit I guess…?   Gradually I came out of my hiding and greeted Fany a casual “Morning Fany!”.   “Hey TaeTae! Good morning! Did you have a good night’s sleep? That event in the subway was pretty scary right?! I’m glad I didn’t have any nightmares last night! How about you?”   Oh… I couldn’t sleep waiting for Sica…   “Oh… it was fine too I guess? YAWN but I couldn’t sleep very well.”   “I see… well I couldn’t blame you it was such a horrible affai- OUCH!” Fany was now biting her lips while holding her right index finger and what was that… blood?! Droplets of blood were flowing down from it.   “Hey Fany what’s wrong?! Are you oka-“   “YUP, it’s just…”   “YAH! This-this is bullying! Have you reported it to our school’s guidance councelor?!” It was Fany’s white indoor shoes, and taped inside were several thumbtacks. Something that you’d never notice if you weren’t careful.   “Hi…hi… it’s okay… look! It comes off very easily… plus, I’ve gotten used to it.” She reasons albeit unbelievably.   “Gotten used to it?! Does this mean? It happens all the time?!”   “Well it can’t be helped… Yuri is a popular girl. Everyone wants a piece of her. Kinda like a hallyu star. There’s competition ALL around so it’s a no-brainer they’ll come to hate me seeing Yuri has been with me in a number of occasions… I’m just glad people haven’t mugged and threatened me outside.” Fany tried to laugh and joke the thing out, but I can clearly see the tiredness and fear she holds in her eyes.   “We’re trying to hide it… but… I guess walls will always have ears to listen and eyes to see”   “Wha-what does Yuri say about this?!”   …   “Nothing. I’ve never told her anything” Finishing slipping on her shoes, she lightly smiled at me and I begin to see a type of kindness in Fany that I failed to see before.   What did I see in Fany before?   “Oh you two are getting along well”   Yuri… like a skitake mushroom (Since she’s kinda dark and tall^^), she was leaning on the lockers on Fany’s right, and I pondered whether she heard anything…   Judging from her face however, I’d say no.   I know Yuri, once she finds out someone’s getting hurt because of her, Dookong Pray, it’s not gonna end pretty.   Like the mushroom that she is, she pats my back and quickly leaves the scene after winking at me. OH NO. Yuri doesn’t know I’ve already given up on Fany!   Not knowing what to tell my best friend first, I decided that keeping her here was the best place to start.   “HEY! Yuri…!” huh?! What… before I can say anything to make her stay however, Fany clasps tighly on my shoulder, pulls me back and shooks her head in dismay. No TaeTae.   “Don’t tell her, I don’t want her to worry” She whispers, as we saw Yuri’s back shrinking slowly out of view…   “Fany…”   You’re hiding the fact that you’re having a hard time… you really like Yuri that much huh? You must really think about my buddy a lot…   “But… why did she say, “You two are getting along well”?”   “Eh?”   “I mean I was just talking to you… Like normally”   Yeah… why?   Oh no…   Don’t tell me…   .   ! ! !!!!   “BUT of course she was Jealous! Yeah! Jealous! Pshhh what are you thinking of Fany?! Ha…ha…ha” TSK! What a huge mess!!! So does this mean Yuri is still supporting me with Fany?! I thought she went out with her because she liked Fany too!! My Dookong, things are getting more and more complicated by the minute!   “Do you think so TaeTae? She didn’t seem like it… Her eyes looked happier…”   Better clear things up with Yuri once and for all though… God, life’s complicated.   “Of course Fany! Don’t think too much of it! Come on let’s go to class!! Hahaha La La La~” I stretched my limbs and was walking like a tin soldier pretending to be problem-free for Fany when…   BUMP!!   Ouch… My arm! Damnit! Who was that I collided with… Gasp! It’s the Dean of Discipline, Mr. Kim Youngmin.   “I-I’m sorry Sir!” Gulp… Everyone looks at my direction. Now what?! As if I’m not sticking out enough like a sore thumb.   “Ms. Kim Taeyon! Seems like you’re coming to school seriously lately huh?!”   “There are bad products like you so I can’t relax, got it?!” He said weakly slappling my back. With his big palms however, I felt the impact vibrating from the spine on my back to the front of my ribs.   “Do you know the story of the rotten apple amongst the basket of fresh ones? Keep that in mind Ms. Kim… You’re already on the hit list, better n