"Kim Dahyun," a stern voice greeted the pale girl as she closed the door of the art club behind her. The clock had already ticked past four, and Dahyun had decided to collect some of her art pieces from the club to take with her.

Unfortunately, the girl she had been trying to avoid was now standing in front of her. The girl laughed with a certain kind of amusement, her arms casually draped over Dahyun's shoulders.

"Dahyun-ah, I lost you the other day. You're quite the runner now," the girl taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm and her expression mocking.

"Jooe, I... I just want to go home," Dahyun mumbled softly, her words barely audible. But Jooe heard enough to respond.

"Aww, our Dahyun wants to go home," Jooe mimicked, prompting laughter from the others who accompanied her.

"But you see, you're not allowed to go home. A naughty kid deserves a punishment," Jooe declared, her grip on Dahyun's collar tightening as she pulled her forward.

The group escorted Dahyun to a dimly lit and abandoned hallway. The eerie stories surrounding the place kept everyone away. Pushing Dahyun down onto her knees, they positioned a chair in front of her. Jooe chuckled at the sight she had orchestrated.

"So tell me, why are you hanging out with Kim Jisoo?" Jooe questioned, her tone demanding and her eyes piercing into Dahyun's. The question struck a nerve within Dahyun, as thoughts of her cousin's involvement raced through her mind.

"S-she's... she's an f-friend of a friend," Dahyun stammered, her gaze cast downward, avoiding confrontation.

"That's not the point, Dahyun," Jooe's voice grew firmer, and without warning, another girl gripped Dahyun's hair, forcing her head upward to face Jooe. "Why are you associating with an elite? Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

"Nancy. She must have reported to you," Dahyun managed to murmur, the name slipping out quietly. This seemed to agitate Jooe further.

"Who?" Jooe's tone grew colder, a menacing edge creeping into her voice. "Nancy McDonie," Dahyun spoke softly, a hushed confession. "I said..." Jooe's patience waned, her frustration evident as she stood up abruptly, her actions swift and violent.

"Who," she repeated, then followed it with a slap across Dahyun's face, "the ," another slap, "do you think you are to ask me that?" A swift kick to Dahyun's stomach followed, eliciting a sharp gasp of pain.

Dahyun's ability to remain composed appeared to only fuel Jooe's anger. The latter wanted to see her break, to witness her tears and pleas for mercy. Casting a glance at her friends, Jooe signaled them, and the room descended into a cacophony of violence as they all began to assault Dahyun.

Unbeknownst to them, Dahyun had grown accustomed to the harsh reality of physical abuse. Her life as an orphan had acquainted her with the harshness of the world, where not everyone who takes you in treats you with kindness.

As the blows rained down upon her, memories of that fateful night resurfaced, and her mother's voice echoed in her mind. The words from that memory took on a life of their own, causing a solitary tear to escape Dahyun's eye.

When the group had finished their brutal assault, they departed swiftly, leaving the room with a loud crash of the door closing.

"Don't even think about returning home, because you won't be welcomed there."

Dahyun slumped to the ground, broken and battered, her tears flowing freely. In the aftermath of the violence, a fragility overcame her, a stark contrast to the resilience she had built over time. She had yearned for a mother's warmth and the crushing realization that she was still alone and vulnerable pierced her heart.

In a voice barely more than a whisper, she called out the title she had longed to use for so many years, "Mom." Those tears that streamed down her face held a torrent of emotions, a silent plea to a mother she wished she had.

'Mom, they're hurting me again. Please, help me.' The words remained unspoken, but the yearning was clear in her heart.

Hours had dragged by, with Dahyun's sobs persisting despite the passage of time. The room grew colder, enveloping her in an icy embrace, and her surroundings became increasingly blurred by the veil of tears. She remained huddled in her corner, making no attempt to open the door or escape her misery.

She simply waited.

And waited some more.

Until exhaustion finally overcame her, and she drifted into a fitful sleep.

When Dahyun eventually stirred awake, a familiar voice reached her ears, gently pulling her back into consciousness. "Hey," the voice called out softly. Dahyun blinked, her vision still blurry from both her tears and her slumber.

"Kim Sana?" Dahyun managed to croak out, her voice hoarse from crying.

"What are you doing here?" Sana's question hung in the air, her concern evident as she entered the room. She observed Dahyun closely, her expression a mixture of s