From the 2^nd of February, everything was fine between the Iron Triangle for two weeks. That was until Chaerin started feeling really uneasy.

Every day when she sees Hanna in school throwing on a fake smile when she was still getting over her confession to Jiyong, there is a pang of guilt that hits her every time. Each time, all the happiness she felt from being with Jiyong evaporates into thin air as a result of the guilt she felt towards Hanna. To see Hanna trying hard to carry on with life and putting everything behind her just made Chaerin feel so bad about getting together with Jiyong. This was the very reason why she didn’t consider confessing to Jiyong as well. But from the moment Jiyong confessed to her, she got carried away with happiness that she forgot about the guilt she was worried about.

Chaerin slowly started avoiding Hanna in school and spoke less to her. She could not bear to even look at Hanna in the eye at times. Things between them began to become awkward and kind of cold. But, Hanna did not understand why things were changing. Yes, she felt the change in their friendship, but she didn’t know the reason behind the change.

Hanna hated the fact that Chaerin was no longer talking to her that much. For 9 years, like all friendships there were times that they drifted apart from each other. But every time they meet, it would seem as though they never drifted apart. But this time, though they constantly saw each other around school, they never spoke. Chaerin was always together with Bom, Dara and Minji. Even when Chaerin saw Hanna, she would just look away and carry on chatting with Bom, Dara and Minji. Although Hanna felt slightly jealous and hurt that it seemed as though she was no longer as important to Chaerin even though they have 9 years of friendship between them, she was burning to know the reason why.

As this issue weighed on her mind more and more, Hanna arrived at a few speculations about the reason behind Chaerin and her drifting apart. But the speculation that never got Hanna to stop thinking was that Chaerin liked Jiyong. Hanna knew Chaerin for the past 9 years, and that amount of time was more than enough for Hanna to know what was troubling her. From the start when Chaerin and Jiyong started acting like a couple last December, Hanna had been thinking if Chaerin had actually started taking the act for real and falling for Jiyong. Chaerin and her were like soulmates, and whenever Hanna or Chaerin had an inkling of what was happening to the other, Chaerin and her were like soulmates, and whenever Hanna or Chaerin had an inkling of what was happening to the other, they were never wrong about it.

This time, Hanna was thinking that Chaerin has something grave and major that she was hiding from everyone. As a result of this, she was moody and down every day in school whenever Hanna saw her. To Hanna, Chaerin had always been there for her when she was at her various low points of her life. She thought likewise, she has to be there for Chaerin when Chaerin needs it as well. Thus, Hanna decided to approach Chaerin by dropping her a text.

Hanna: Chaerin-ah! What are you up to today?

Chaerin: Nothing much. Why?

Hanna: Oh..nothing much. Just wanted to chat with you. Did anything happen to you recently?

Chaerin: Nah. Nothing happened.

Hanna: Don’t lie to me okay. I know something happened. What is it?

Chaerin: Really nothing happened. I will tell you when the time is ripe.

Hanna: Why can’t you tell me now? When will the time be ripe?

Chaerin: I’m sorry okay I’m sorry. I’ll tell you like in 6 months maybe. Please don’t hate me and please don’t kill me when I tell you. I’m really sorry.

Hanna got the shock of her life when she saw Chaerin’s reply. She was not expecting such a negative and extreme reply from Chaerin. Never once did Hanna and Chaerin ever think of killing or hating each other over any possible thing under the sun. To hear Chaerin tell her to not kill her came as a massive jolt to her and Hanna was stunned. Hanna had to compose herself for a few moments before replying Chaerin’s text.

Hanna: Look, I won’t kill you or hate you okay. No matter what you did, you know I would never do that. Don’t say such scary things okay.

Chaerin: Okay…

Hanna: Are you really not going to tell me now?

Chaerin: Yes.

Hanna: Okay. I’ll wait till you’re ready and willing to tell me.

Hanna did not know what to make out of the situation. There was not a time that Chaerin had adamantly refused to tell her what was wrong. Hanna even felt kind of scared about it. Hence, she rang up Eunyoung, one of her best friends outside the Iron Triangle:

Eunyoung: Yeobuseyo?

Hanna: Eunyoung-ah

Eunyoung: Oh Hanna-yah, wae?

Hanna: Chaerin just told me something really scary. I don’t know what to make out of it, neither do I know what to do.

Eunyoung: What is it?

Hanna: She’s hiding something from me and she refuses to tell me anything. She even told me not to hate her and not to kill her. She has never spoken like that to me before. Not even once in 9 years. I’m literally panicking right now. You know that feeling that you know you’re going to have an anxiety attack soon? That’s exactly what I’m feeling.

Eunyoung: Calm down. It’s probably nothing big.

Hanna: No I’m sure it’s something huge. I swear it is. I feel so afraid right now. I actually think it’s because she likes Jiyong. That would probably be the only reason why she would say that to me. There’s no other reason why she would. What if it is something scarier like she and Jiyong got together? I actually think it’s highly possible for that to be what she’s hiding from me.

Eunyoung: No it won’t be that. I mean, you guys are such close friends right? The Iron Triangle. I don’t think they would do that to you now in such a short period of time. If they are truly your friends it wouldn’t be. Have faith in them.

Hanna: Okay… I’ll try to trust that but I just can’t shrug off this uneasy feeling that’s brewing in me.

Eunyoung: Relax and cheer up okay. You know I’ll always be here for you.

Hanna: Yeah I know. Thanks Eunyoung.