prologue
Be Back
prologue
❝ The Beginning❞
It's that time of the year after the midterm exams where homeroom teachers warns their students who will be on the top and bottom. As the top five school where most of the students enter SKY University, Wan Jeon High School, has to maintain the legacy of the specialized high school for gifted students, especially in science.
In the class of Teacher Min Chuseon, Class 3-3, she gives each of her student an unofficial report card so her students will have time to tell their parents that they are failing a class, much better than killing your parents in shock.
"Students, you can move the tables near you groupmates." As soon as Teacher Min said, the class moved so they will be facing their groups. "While doing that activity, I will call each of you for the fake report card."
"I can't fail." Han Joohee buried her face in her palms. She's been always the eighth in the class ranking since second year and she can't afford to disappoint her parents who are almost in the lower class.
"I won't fail." Kim Sunggyu confidently said, sitting taller. He may have said it in a joking tone but, it's true. He won't fail because he's smart and the rank two of the school.
Jung Soojin sat up straighter even though she's feeling smaller because of Sunggyu's confidence even though it was a joke. "Whatever," she thought. I never failed in this class even though I always got D pluses on her exams. I can't fail. I never got any grade lower than 83.
"Soojin-ah, are you alright?" Nam Woohyun asked with genuine concern when he noticed Soojin breathing rapidly as if she was hyperventilating.
"Aigoo." Lee Howon cooed when he saw that Woohyun looks utterly concerned on the girl Hoya liked for a year but never confessed. "You asked as if you two are really dating."
"Stop it." Soojin rolled her eyes, drawing in another deep breath.
"Omo. Isn't Ha Jaesook going to be jealous?" Kim Myungsoo teased.
Ha Jaesook is known in the classroom for liking Woohyun since second year. She never confessed but since news travels faster than the light, even Woohyun knew it.
Tch. As if she had a chance. Even though they call me "Black Rat", I look pretty if I'm beside that freak. Soojin is labeled as "Black Rat" for her Lee Hyori-esque skin tone and her big front teeth that resembled a rabbit. It was originally "Black Rabbit" but Jaesook's circle of friends started to call her "Rat" to make Jaesook feel that she is prettier.
Soojin smiled. "Anyway, you guys, we shouldn't worry. That witch never teach us anything. She won't have the guts to fail us."
"She has the guts." Lee Sungjong rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Haven't you heard what the seniors from last year said?" Lee Sungyeol moved his head closer to the center, in case the teacher is listening. "Only one got an A. The rest of them? None of them got any higher than B."
"That's their main problem when getting in SKY Universities." Jang Dongwoo added.
"Kim Myungsoo, how many times do I have to call you?" The teacher yelled. "Hurry up. You're not the only student here."
"Aish." He sneered, standing up.
A minute later, Woohyun was called. He nodded approvingly on the grades. His lowest was the English subject, 81.
"Gokjongmal." Woohyun smiled at Soojin. "I got a 85 in Chemistry. We did well on the lab activities."
She nodded absently while doodling. "You didn't pass any of the lab report. I answered them all and your task is to pass it. You had one job," she wanted to scream.
"Soojin-ah." Woohyun frowned, spotting three reddish lines on her wrist, covered with scabs. "Neo—"
"I got 83." Myungsoo declared. "I think I got the lowest so I will treat you ice cream this summer."
"93." Sunggyu grinned. "I'll have a pint of chocolate."
Eff you guys, Soojin thought and looked up, seeing her seatmate looking agape. Woohyun gently grabbed her hand, for a closer look.
"You cut your wrists again."
"Aish. I got scratched." She pulled her hand away from him and shoved her glasses up her nose. "Just shut up. Jebal?"
Self-harming is the only way Soojin releases her anger without destroying anything. "I just feel depressed because I feel like I'm being neglected in the house." She'd say. Or, "I had a fight with my parents and I was so angry." Those may be shallow reasons but it was always because of her parents Her friends never knew the real reason though, on why she always do this.
"Yah, Jung Soojin, I thought you won't do it again." Woohyun knitted his eyebrows together. To maintain her friendship with Joohee and Woohyun, Soojin swore that she won't do it again. "Just wait for me to tell Joohee."
"Ooh." Dongwoo, who just got his card, smirked, elbowing Sungyeol. "The two just got sweeter."
Woohyun moved his face away from Soojin. "Guys, Soojin cut her wrists again."
"Soojin." Joohee frowned with a hurt look on her face.
Soojin abruptly left the table just as Min Seonsaeng called her name. She bowed slightly, receiving the paper with her both hands. While walking back to the table, she gave her grades a glance. In Korean, 94; English, 96; Chemistry —
"What the ?" She whispered, her face turning pale. Seventy-five. She doesn't usually swear, especially in English, but this situation is making her. "This is wrong. This is a mistake."
"What grade did you get?" Her friends asked while walking back to her table. She shook her head with a small smile.
"Soojin." Aeyoung called, waiting for her friend to say her grade.
"What did you get?" Myungsoo nosily questioned. "Let me see that."
"I got 70." She smiled confidently.
"Ey. Stop lying." Dongwoo tried to snatch the paper away but Soojin immediately stuffed it in her pocket.
"Yah, about that wrist." Sunggyu started.
"Just kidding." Soojin nervously laughed, trying to get out of the topic about her wrist.
"I got a 75."
"Stop joking." Sungyeol said with a straight face.
"I'm not."
"Then why do you look happy?"
"Do I look happy?" She asked back in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Yah, Jung Soojin, your wrist." Joohee angrily snapped.
"Woohyun's right. I cut my wrist. " Soojin held her breath, feeling nervous if she tell her friends about what really happened. She lies a lot so why not today? "I just sense that I'm going to fail and I feel depressed. Why are you guys criticizing me? I have a disorder. You should at least feel sorry."
Nothing makes themselves sorry but with a dramatic walkout so Soojin grabbed her bag, tears streaming down her face, and left the room.
One week later
"Umma, I'm good here." Woohyun said in an irritated tone as he stopped in the street of his school. "People will make fun of me if they see my mom walking me to school."
"Aigoo. They are just jealous for not having a mom like me." Woohyun's mom pulled him in a hug and kissed her son's forehead before letting him go. "Eat well."
"Ara." He smiled, kissing his mom goodbye and sprinted towards the school.
"The school is still in a business-as-usual state." Woohyun thought. He spotted Soojin's seven-membered posse with a worried look on their faces. One of them looked up and saw him looking at them. Cha Yoobin is Soojin's best friend. Should I ask? Or, maybe I am the only one worried about Jung Soojin who haven't go to school for a week.
"All students, please go to the gym for an assembly." Secretary Jun's annoying voice blared through the speaker. "It is mandatory."
"Weird." Woohyun whispered. "The school just had the monthly assembly last week. "
The students of Wan Jeon High School are always busy of studying so they seldom have meetings with the student councils. Emergency announcements like this are rare. It was only of these four: a.) School Chairman has arrived. b.) Someone from the faculty left c.) Public humiliation of troublemakers d.) Someone died.
"Is the chairman dead?" Woohyun heard a freshman asked. Why would he think that?
A slow instrumental music welcomed the students as they entered the gym. Funeral wreaths filled the stage. On the center was a framed picture of a student.
"Suicide is a big topic in Korea." The director started.
"Who died?" Howon asked, jumping to get a view of the picture on the stage. The freshmen don't know the student so they can't tell who died.
"Hyung, carry me." Sungjong demanded.
"Shwit. I can't hear anything." Sunggyu hushed.
"Sungyeol is crying." Myungsoo stated.
"Just keep quiet, you guys." Dongwo whispered.
"Let us have a silent moment to pray for our fellow student who went through a lot of hardships, Jung Soojin of Class 3-3."
The gym became so noisy that Han Joohee can't hear anything. Won Junghee gasped and Ryu Aeyoung bursted into tears. The three of them went to Soojin's house yesterday. Her mom, who looks like she haven't slept for a week, told them that the only note she left says, "I love you, Appa and Umma. Mianhae for all the things I've done." In the other clique of Soojin, they all looked at each other, gathering together in despite of being in different classes.
"According to the parents, Jung Soojin was reported to be dead last Saturday, June 13, in her room. They just reported it by now because they want to cremate her body immediately as a request of Jung Soojin's grandmother."
Myungsoo felt his knees wobbly and shaking that he had to sit on the gym floors. The rest of them sat with him, still grasping the situation.
Words spread fast, from the gym to the halls; from the students to the school staffs. The teenager who died is not that well-known, but now, it was the talk of the town— the school. What exactly happened? No one was certain.
"That's right." A computer narrator's voice blared through the speakers. "Jung Soojin is dead. First of all, if you can't hear this message clearly, check your emails and locker for a copy of this."
"Is that a—" Choi Miyeon, Soojin' former best friend started but soon, she felt her world spinning.
"Miyeon-ah." Jaesook tried to lift her best friend who just passed out.
"Soojin's suicide letter." Sungyeol managed, stifling a sob.
No one was right about the message. It wasn't a suicide letter. It was just some stupid prank an unknown hooded-student pulled to make sure everyone would anticipate for Soojin's letter— her reason.
And, although It would be the end of Jung Soojin's life, no one knew that It was just the beginning of something that would change everything.
Everything.
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