A/N: Terribly sorry for the extremely late update. This chapter was much longer than I had anticipated, but here it is! I want to thank all of you who’ve been commenting and leaving me messages of support. It warms my heart and I appreciate all the feedback. I apologize for the lack of SinRin in this SinRin fanfic, but just give it some time and it’ll soon develop.

As the pair walked back to the ranch, SinB’s nose detected a sweet, flowery scent drifting in the late afternoon wind. Once they passed the threshold of untamed trees, she spotted her young friend waiting by the patio.

“SinB-unnie,” Umji beckoned, standing up and immediately embracing the older girl in a tight, worried hug. “You were the one howling?” she surmised, pulling away to stare into SinB’s red, teary eyes.

“Yes,” SinB admitted with a congested sniff. “Did I interrupt something?” she asked curiously, eyes darting back and forth from Umji and Sowon. She didn’t want to intrude on whatever was happening between the doe-eyed Sophomore and the tall Beta wolf.

Eyes growing wide from what SinB might be implying, Umji quickly shook her head. “No, Unnie. No, I was just hanging around with Sowon-unnie for a bit. She gave me a ride to the phone repair shop after school, and I brought up about how I had another book report to do.”

“I told Pipsqueak that she might be interested in one of the books here at the ranch collecting dust,” Sowon continued, demeanor jaded and nonchalant. “I was fetching a copy of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when we heard an alarming sound coming from the woods.”

Umji nodded, stepping forward to latch her arm with a low-spirited SinB. “How are you feeling, Unnie?”

“Terrible,” SinB whispered, voice wavering. “Can we go inside? There’s something really important I need to tell you guys.”

Relaying a small, sympathetic smile, Umji squeezed the young werewolf’s arm as Sowon led them back into the living room. The toasty flames of the fireplace instantly warmed SinB’s ice cold skin. She examined the coffee table in the middle of the room and noticed that there was a kettle and two abandoned teacups resting on the edge. Perhaps, she really did interrupt a moment between Sowon and Umji. The group drifted to their usual sitting arrangements with Umji and SinB together on one couch and Sowon occupying the couch adjacent from them.

Head bowed, SinB took a deep breath of the smoky air before she spoke. “This morning, my parents and I had a conference with Principal Kahi to discuss my punishment. Coach Kwon was there to tell me that I’m cut from the team. And, Yuju’s family lawyer made an appearance to announce that the Chois wanted to sue me on their daughter’s behalf. Surprisingly, though, Yuju told the lawyer to drop the charges as long as I could meet with her in private and apologize. So, this afternoon, I did. But, when I threatened Yuju about telling her secret to Yerin, she said she would expose me.” She paused, afraid of how the two might react. “She knows that I manipulated my drug test.”

The atmosphere grew heavy. Umji shifted in her seat as Sowon stared contemptuously at the fire.

“Son of a gun,” Sowon said under her breath.

“Do you think Yuju-unnie has any suspicions of who else were involved?” Umji asked nervously.

SinB wet her desert dry lips in guilt. “She was cryptic. But, I wouldn’t doubt it.”

Abruptly standing up, Sowon strided towards the hearth of the fireplace. Pacing back and forth, she crossed her arms and sighed in exasperation. “Wolfpup, you’re making me sound like a broken record here. When are you going to get through that thick skull of yours that you need to let go of your feelings for Yerin? Time and time again, Pipsqueak and I have stuck our necks out for you. And, now look where that has brought us. A potential expulsion and a detriment in our academic careers as along as we don’t upset the almighty Yuju.”

“SinB-unnie, although I still believe that you and Yerin are meant to be together,” Umji affirmed, “maybe Sowon-unnie is right. Your lack of control as a werewolf is harming your ability to function. Until you can reach your full potential, maybe it’s best to stay away from Yerin-unnie. Just give it time.”

“Mianhae,” SinB apologized, “to the both of you. I know that I need to let certain feelings go and train myself more. But, at this point, I don’t care if Yerin ever thinks of me romantically.” She bit the inside of her cheek, resisting the urge to shed a tear. “I just want my best friend back.”

With a scoff, Sowon left the living room. Umji laid her palm and chin on SinB’s sagging shoulders, wishing there was more she could do for her friend.

“You know what always makes me feel better after a crummy day?” Umji said rhetorically. “Watching one of my favorite movies.”

“I hope it’s not body horror and gore related,” SinB jested.

“Nope. I save those films for good days,” Umji replied with a cheeky smile. “What you need on a day like this, Unnie, is to curl up and watch a quintessential teen movie from the 1980s. I brought my laptop. Maybe we can watch something altogether.”

“The only way you’re going to get me to watch one of those cheesy movies is through a bottle of pinot noir,” Sowon said, parading back into the living room with two wine glasses and a large vessel containing the exact alcoholic beverage.

“Sowon, what are you doing?” SinB questioned, forehead creased as she stared at the tall girl who coolly sat back down and settled the items on the shallow table.

“Drowning your sorrows as promised, Wolfpup,” Sowon simply replied. “The best way to mend a broken heart is to drink the pain away. Trust me. That’s what I did when I broke up with Nayoung and instantly regretted it.”

Popping off the cork, Sowon poured the dark red wine into the two glasses. She handed one to SinB who accepted it reluctantly. Relaxing against the comfortable couch, Sowon held the skinny neck of the glass between her middle and ring finger. Like a connoisseur, she gently swirled the wine, held the glass up to her nose to smell the aroma, and took a sip.

“Mmm. This wine has been aging in the cellar since 1963,” Sowon commented, smacking as she basked in the bitter, berry flavors. “I advise caution for a palette like yours, Wolfpup.”

“I’m not too sure if alcohol is the answer, Sowon,” SinB opposed. “Besides, I’m not of age yet.”

“Oh, come on, Wolfpup. One sip won’t kill you. Even if you do get a little drunk, I’ll be the responsible person and drive the two of you back to your houses.”

Staring down into the burgundy liquid, SinB didn’t want to go against her principles and values. But, her heart still felt heavy with pain, and her mind was filled with dread for tomorrow’s hallway walk of shame at school. Like Sowon said, she needed to numb herself. Maybe this drink will allow her to do so.

Before her conscience could convince her otherwise, SinB placed the rim of the glass to her lips, tilted her head back, and allowed the slightly chilly beverage to slide down in one continuous stream. Once the last drop of wine soaked on her taste buds, SinB leveled her head and squeezed her eyes from the strong, pungent aftertaste. That didn’t stop her from extending her empty glass to Sowon, though.

“More please,” SinB said, panting.

Sowon smirked before taking another sip. “Rev up that laptop of yours, Pipsqueak. Wine and a movie make the perfect combination. As for you, Wolfpup, I want you to keep something in mind and make it stick this time. It’s an old Spanish proverb my grandmother would always say. ‘Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr.’ Water that you shouldn’t drink, let it run.” Bottle in hand, she refilled SinB’s cup. “If it’s not working, let it go.”

“What kind of an ending is this?!” SinB slurred, shoving her empty wine glass to the laptop screen as the movie closed with the two lead characters sharing a passionate kiss.

After much internal debate, Umji ultimately picked Pretty In Pink as the movie for their viewing pleasure. It had been a while since she last watched it. And, though, she remembered enjoying the flick the first time she saw it, she forgot how it ended.

In the movie, the female protagonist, Andie, is a lower-class high school student who dates and falls in love with the rich and handsome Blane. While the two have their romance, Andie is beyond oblivious about her best friend, Duckie’s, feelings for her. Blane breaks Andie’s heart when he’s pressured into picking popularity instead of being with a girl from a different social class. Duckie comforts Andie, even fighting with Blane’s jerk of a friend. But despite his best efforts in winning her heart, Andie and Blane get back together in the end on prom night.

As she watched, SinB couldn’t help but apply her own life into the world of the movie and noticed the similarities between the two. Yerin was the cute, resourceful Andie. Yuju was the good-looking, wealthy Blane. Which left SinB as Duckie, the supportive, well-meaning friend and nothing more. As annoyance filled her heart, so did the wine in her glass. She lost count of how many drinks she had during the course of the movie. But, with how her vision was getting blurry and mind started to feel muddled, SinB knew that it was one glass too many.

“Duckie was so much more interesting than Blane,” SinB began to rant. “Duckie had better music taste. Duckie had better style. The only thing Blaine had is his popularity and a nice car.” She hiccuped. “Why is it that in every movie and drama, the girl chooses the rich guy she barely even knows over the nice, childhood friend who’s clearly in love with her? It just doesn’t make any sense.” She reached for the wine bottle on the edge of the table.

Sowon intervened, grabbing the bottle and holding it as far as she could from SinB. “Take it easy, Wolfpup. There’s not a single drop left. Heck, you even drank my wine when I went to the bathroom.”

“Hey, I’ve ‘taken it easy’ for most of my life,” SinB refuted, jabbing a pointed index finger at Sowon’s direction. “With my parents. With my love life. You know, I bet you that if there was a sequel to this movie, Andie and Blane would get married and have a kid, only to realize that neither of them never really loved each other in the first place. Blane would have a mid-life crisis and cheat on Andie with his secretary, while Andie daydreams about what her ‘best friend’ Duckie is doing in that instant. And, like kismet, they bump carts at the grocery store one day, and suddenly everything falls back into place. There’s no hard feelings between them because after all that time, they finally recognize how much they both need each. Both love each other. Andie divorces Blane, gets custody of the kid, and lives happily ever after with Duckie. The end.”

SinB slumped into the couch, clinging onto the empty wine glass and a decorative pillow. Her heavy eyelids began to close, only to snap back open at the sound of Umji shutting her laptop.

“Geez, Wolfpup,” Sowon spoke. “From all that delusional nonsense you just sputtered, you must be really drunk.”

“Oh, shut up, Sowon,” SinB grumbled into the pillow. “Can't I just have one happy thought?”

Sowon tsked. “I guess now’s a bad time to reveal that I knew about Yuju cheating on Yerin for a while,” she said quietly, but there was no doubt that SinB heard it.

“Y-you knew?” SinB replied, quickly sitting up to stare at the taller girl right in the eye. “Since when?”

“Since our double date,” Sowon replied casually. “When you and Yerin went to the restroom, I was listening into Yuju’s conversation with that pretty waitress. Eunha? After explaining the situation to the boss, Yuju asked Eunha if she was single. The Porcelain doll said ‘yes.’ Eunha asked Yuju if she and Yerin were a couple. The two-face snake lied and said that Yerin was her cousin. They exchanged phone numbers after that.”

SinB was losing her sense of vision even more from the unfallen tears that clouded her eyes. “How come you never told me?”

“Why would I?” Sowon challenged, expression unfazed. “I agreed that I would help you make Yerin jealous. I kissed you right in front of her. I hanged on your arm for the whole school to see. I ate lunch with you, Yerin, and the same girl who has enough social power to get the whole school to call me ‘Plastic Face’ when I showed up looking like this last semester. I did everything I could in my power, even though I knew it was a lost cause. Besides, if I had told you sooner, you would probably have gone even more berserk on Yuju with the lack of training you have.”

“I hate you,” SinB sneered with conviction, though her words came out slightly slurred. She stood up and grabbed a hold on the collar of Sowon’s blouse, forcing her to stand. Bunching the fabric in a tight fist, she snarled directly into the Beta wolf’s face.

With no trace of intimidation, Sowon punched SinB square in the jaw, causing the drunk girl to release her grip and faceplant back into the couch. “The feeling is mutual,” she jibed.

Appalled, Umji hastily went to SinB’s aid. Clearly knocked out from Sowon’s swing and an overdose on alcohol, SinB laid limp. Umji snatched the nearest pillow and placed it under her friend’s head. She, then, removed her jacket and used it as a blanket to cover SinB.

“Don’t bother with her, Pipsqueak,” Sowon said, picking up leftover food wrappers off the table. “Let her sleep it off. Should’ve figured that Wolfpup has a low alcohol tolerance. Do me a favor and bring the wine glasses and bottle, and help me clean up in the kitchen.”

Umji did what was asked, following Sowon out of the living room and into the spot-free kitchen.

“I know that SinB was growing hysterical,” Umji spoke, placing the items near the sink, “but, that doesn’t mean you should’ve hit her, Unnie.”

“You’re right, Pipsqueak,” Sowon agreed, taking the wine bottle and putting it in the recycling bin. “I’m sorry for hitting her. I just get aggravated to see Wolfpup disregard her potential for a girl.”

“It’s partly my fault for why SinB-unnie became so upset,” Umji replied. “Retrospectively thinking, Some Kind of Wonderful would have been the better movie to cheer her up.”

“Never heard of it. What’s it about?” Sowon asked, rolling up her sleeves to wash the glasses.

Heaving herself on top of the counter, Umji began to explain. “Well, there’s these two best friends, a girl and a guy. The guy has a long time crush on the most popular girl in school. But, he’s also clueless that his best friend has a long time crush on him. To keep things short, the guy realizes that the perfect girl for him was his best friend all along, and they end up together. Pretty in Pink was suppose to have the same ending with the lead girl ultimately falling for her adorkable best friend instead of the rich, high-status guy. But, the test audience wasn’t satisfied with it. John Hughes, the screenwriter for both movies, wanted his original idea to prosper. So, he switched the gender roles and created Some Kind of Wonderful.”

Sowon set the wine glasses on the drying rack, dried her own hands, and turned around to meet the younger girl. “Eh. I think Pretty in Pink was a good call. Don’t want to plant such thoughts into Wolfpup’s sensitive mind. Too much wishful thinking will be the end of us all.”

“I still wouldn’t mind revisiting Some Kind of Wonderful, though. It has more interesting characters and a better storyline.” Umji looked down, away from Sowon’s penetrating stare, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It also features, perhaps, my favorite kiss scene in a movie.”

Eyes widening for a split second, Sowon recomposed herself and coolly crossed her arms. “Why... do you consider it as your favorite exactly?” she asked in a hushed tone.

Umji was more than surprised by Sowon’s response. She was even more surprised that Sowon seemed to be actually serious. Umji knew it would be strange describing the kiss in front of her crush. But, Sowon did appear intrigued. The young girl decided to mature a bit and answer.

“Umm. I guess it starts off with the best friend telling the guy to come closer to her,” Umji spoke. She glanced at Sowon who hadn’t moved a muscle, unreadable expression intact. “Then, she instructs the guy to put his hands on her hips.”

Walking towards Umji, Sowon stood directly in front of the girl. Letting her arms fall, her hands delicately found their way to Umji’s hips. “Like this?” she said softly, eyes peeking at the younger girl’s collarbone before darting her vision to the floor.

“Yup,” Umji squeaked, unsure what was happening, but aware that she wasn’t dreaming. Though she could feel her cheeks blushing madly, she cleared and tried to be professional. “They look into each other’s eyes.”

Simultaneously, Umji and Sowon held eye contact, resisting the urge to break away, no matter how awkward they both felt at the moment.

“She places her hands behind his neck,” Umji continued, mirroring her words on Sowon who bent her neck slightly for easier access. “She tells the guy to close his eyes.” Sowon hesitated, as if she didn’t want to lose the image in front of her. But, she obliged.

Umji took their current position as an opportunity to admire Sowon. Sure, the older girl was

undeniably beautiful from the crown of her head all the way to the soles of her feet. But, her golden proportions and clear complexion were far from the reason Umji found herself falling for the older girl.

During their tutor sessions, English wasn’t the only topic they discussed. One moment, Umji would be teaching Sowon how to change a present tense verb into past tense. Another moment, they would go off in a tangent about female representation in 21st century literature. As they had those conversations varying in subject, Umji noticed a glint that appeared in the older girl’s eyes. Like she was happy to finally have not only someone to talk to, but someone who would listen. And when they parted for the day, that glint would vanish in exchange for sorrow of having to return to a cold, single-minded household. Umji wanted to protect that glint.

She wanted to protect her Giant.

Quickly her lips, Umji’s voice went as low as a whisper, “And, then... he kisses her.” She waited, hoping that Sowon would comply. Hoping that Sowon didn’t only see her as the smart and innocent ‘Pipsqueak.’ But, the taller girl remained frozen. The small distance that was left between them remained unchanged. Figuring that Sowon might haven’t heard her the first time or just needed a push, Umji gulped and raised her voice a bit louder, “This is the part where you kiss me.”

Sowon’s eyes, clouded with a mixture of confusion and regret, slowly opened. She stared back at Umji as she shook her head lightly. “This is the part where I sober up a bit, look deeply into your beautiful eyes, and tell you with much sincerity that I don’t deserve someone as good as you,” she said quietly, releasing her grip and gently pulling away from Umji’s grasp. Briskly, she retreated back to the sink and crossed her arms. “It’s getting late,” she spoke, tone reverting to its stern nature. “Go get your things, Pipsqueak. I’ll carry Wolfpup to the car. I think it’s time the both of you went back home.”

As Sowon exited the kitchen, Umji hopped off the counter, wishing there was some way she could calm down the thumping in her chest and conceal the embarrassment on her face.

SinB woke up the next day with a massive hangover. She didn’t know when she got back to her house or how she ended up in her room. All she knew was that she felt absolutely terrible. Her tongue stuck to the roof of from dehydration, her brain pounded with the worst headache ever, and her eyes were sensitive to even the tiniest source of light that emitted from the window. How she yearned to stay in bed and continue to sleep. But as soon as she heard an ear-splitting knock on the door and a shout from her Umma to wake up, SinB whined into her pillow, dreading the day ahead.

After finishing her morning routine, SinB stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Not only did she feel terrible, but she looked the part as well. No amount of makeup could hide the tiredness on her face. If that wasn’t enough, her silver-gray highlights had faded significantly. Sighing heavily, SinB opted from bringing her leather jacket and instead grabbed her black hoodie she has owned since Freshman year.

Rushing out the door without saying goodbye to her parents who had been arguing in the kitchen, SinB began her trek to school. But, she barely took two steps when she felt something hit the back of her leg. Turning around and looking down at the pavement, she spotted a sheet of notebook paper. SinB picked it up and flipped the paper over to check if there was anything on it.

Her eyes widened when she saw a magnificently pencil-drawn portrait of a girl with long, flowy hair. The girl wore a crown on her head and a large ribbon around her neck. Her face, though, was illustrated to make it seem as if a ferocious beast had slashed their claws through the portrait. Only the girl’s wondrous eyes remain unharmed. The more SinB stared at the drawing, the more the girl in the picture started to resemble, dare she thought, Sowon.

“SinB-unnie!”

SinB looked up and saw Umji jogging towards her, both of her arms holding the beloved notebook as if her life depended on it. The frazzled neighbor stopped in front of SinB and unceremoniously plucked the paper out of her hand.

“Mianhae, Unnie,” Umji sheepishly apologized, tucking the paper into a random page. “That was mine. I was locking my gate when I accidently dropped my notebook. The binding was already pretty bad, but now the pages are falling out.” She carefully showed the tattered notebook to SinB who relayed a sympathetic expression.

“Wow, Umji-ya,” SinB replied. “It does look quite out of shape. You can always buy another one to replace it, though.”

“It’s fine, Unnie,” Umji assured. “I can easily fix it with some scotch tape, and it’ll be good as new.”

SinB simply nodded her head, knowing there was no use to convince her neighbor otherwise. As the two began to walk, SinB rubbed her temple, easing the remaining effects of her hangover.

“Umji-ya, what happened last night after Sowon erpunched me?” SinB asked. After a prolonged  moment of silence, SinB glanced at her friend and realized that the younger girl was blushing for an unexplainable reason. Clearing , SinB decided to rephrase her question. “I mean, how and when did we get back last night?”

“Oh. Right,” Umji noted, rosy cheeks subsiding. “Sowon-unnie kept her word and drove us home. By the time we got to your house at around 10:00 pm, you were still unconscious. So, Sowon-unnie carried you. She told your parents that you were helping her on a project for English and that you fell asleep during the drive. Your Appa was probably the one who brought you to your room.”

“That makes sense,” SinB reasoned, kicking a pebble off the sidewalk. As they continued their journey in silence, SinB thought about the drawing that resembled Sowon along with Umji’s hesitant response when the taller girl’s name was mentioned. She didn’t want to pry, but she needed a distraction from the anxiety of returning to school after a chaotic start of the week. “So, I only saw a glimpse of your drawing, but it looked really amazing. How long did it take you to make it?”

Umji halted, causing SinB to do the same. She brushed her fingers timidly on the notebook’s rusty, wired binding before looking directly at her friend. “Believe it or not, Unnie, but I drew it last night.”

“That’s very impressive,” SinB remarked. “What compelled you to draw something like that in a single night?”

Umji chewed on her lip, unsure if she was ready to discuss the quasi-intimate moment between her and Sowon. With a huff of finality, she decided to be upfront about the situation. “Sowon-unnie and I almost kissed. But, she stopped and told some sweet things about myself. And now, I feel like a complete fool for even trying.”

“Umji-ya, you’re not a fool. Heck, you have more courage in dealing with your feelings for Sowon than I ever will with Yerin.” SinB smiled at the Sophomore with admiration. “I guess your cuteness is a curse. Sowon probably doesn't feel worthy to be with someone as smart and adorable as you. But, I'm sure she'll see her mistake sooner than later.”

Umji shrugged, but SinB detected a twinkling of hope in the girl’s eyes.

Before they knew it, the two had already reached the front steps of Navillera High. Umji gave SinB a look of support before they entered into the building. The hallways were noisy and crowded as usual. But, as soon as one Freshman alerted her friend of SinB’s presence, the halls became a domino effect of silence. Students began to frantically clear the middle, allowing SinB and Umji to pass by as if they carried an airborne disease. SinB tried to seem unbothered, numbing herself on the inside. But, once they entered the Sophomore level, SinB could overhear the gossip and venomous comments from the underclassmen.

“SinB-unnie,” Umji spoke, “I can you walk you to your locker if you want.”

SinB glanced at her friend and forced out an appreciative, tight-lipped smile. “No thanks, Umji-ya. I’ll be fine. See you later.”

With a small wave goodbye, SinB kept her stare focused on the ground as she made her way through the levels of the building. Her heightened hearing made it practically impossible not to catch on the various whispers discussing the aftermath of that regrettable day.

“Here comes the dead girl walking.”

“Who does SinB think she is for hitting Yuju like that?”

“Did you see the massive bandage covering the entire side of Yuju’s face?”

“Yah, my cousin works in the hospital Yuju went to, and she told me they had to perform surgery on her eye.”

“Yuju is such a sweetheart for not allowing SinB to get expelled. But, I’m kind of scared of SinB now. What if she really is insane?”

Upon reaching the Senior floor, SinB noticed that her peers were much more silent. Gaining the courage to look up, she realized that everyone’s eyes directed stares at her that were filled with shame, pity, and disgrace. SinB’s gaze fell on a disappointed Dahyun shaking her head and Sana who resembled a kid that just learned that Santa Claus isn’t real.

Unable to handle the negative attention, SinB bowed her head as she traipsed to her locker. The trip wasn’t so smooth as Chaeyoung, proceeded by Jeongyeon, barged their shoulders with SinB’s, causing her to stumble backwards slightly. She didn’t blame the track team or even the rest of the school for being angry at her. Punching Yuju should have been inexcusable. And, the fact that she had yet to provide a proper reason for her action made it five times worse. Once arrived at her locker, SinB opened it and stared deeply into the dark, empty space.

She was now the school’s outcast. And, boy, did it make her feel crummy as ever.

At least, she still has Umji and Sowon. But, they could never replace the void that Yerin fulfilled. Silly Yerin, who dressed up as a vampire and “bit” SinB all Halloween night. Thoughtful Yerin, who made chicken soup for SinB when she had laryngitis. Dependable Yerin, who opened her bedroom window for SinB when she ran away from home after her parents got into another heated argument. SinB never knew it was possible to miss someone so much.

Sniffing back tears, she fished out her phone and plugged in her earphones to distract herself from the threatening looks and whispers that surrounded her.

Hello there, the angel from my nightmare

The shadow in the background of the morgue

The unsuspecting victim of darkness in the valley

We can live like Jack and Sally if we want

Reaching to grab a textbook, SinB paused her movements when her nose became aware of her ex-best friend’s presence. It was unusual, considering that Yerin’s locker was located at one end of the hall and SinB’s at the other end. Still, SinB detected the familiar scent getting closer and closer to where she stood.

Don’t turn around, SinB thought, forcing herself to not get her hopes up. You made a promise, she reminded herself of the agreement she sworn to Yuju. Don’t be selfish. Not only her, but Umji and Sowon are at the risk of being expelled.

SinB took a textbook and flipped through it, pretending to read and waiting for the scent to walk past her. But, the heavenly scent was dangerously in her range. Maybe not even three feet away. SinB gulped and closed her eyes, desperately trying to resist the urge to look over her shoulder and see Yerin standing right behind her.

But, I’m going to miss pinching your tummy. You barely have any body fat. Well, I guess I’m going to have to tickle you now! SinB remembered that time in the locker room when Yerin started tickling her like crazy after taking notice of her new, defined body.

It’s the type of message and song that I want to dance to at my wedding. And, the time when Yerin admitted that she was getting into the music SinB liked.

Trust me when I say that you didn’t and have never let me down. And, that moment at the track meet when Yerin comforted SinB after she failed getting first place in the 400m dash.

SinB gripped the book tighter, the pages ripping under the pressure. She closed the book and resorted to scrolling through her phone. Just when she thought she could feel Yerin’s fingertips lightly touch her shoulder, a metallic smell crashed the party.

“Hey, babe,” Yuju’s voice proceeded. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Can you help me apply the medicine on my bruise?”

“S-sure, Yuju-ya,” Yerin meekly replied, slightly flustered.

For once in her life, SinB was glad that Yuju interrupted them. She continued to wait until the couple left the premises. Closing her locker, SinB walked to her first class, shoulders slumped and eyes never leaving the floor.

Don't waste your time on me.

You're already the voice inside my head.

At last, the school day was over. Waiting until everyone left, SinB exited the classroom and went to her locker. As expected, she was treated as the black sheep in all her classes. No one wanted to talk to her. No one wanted to partner up with her during chemistry. And, no one wanted to choose her to be on their team in P.E. When lunchtime came, SinB avoided the cafeteria filled with her ostracizing peers and escaped to the library. There, she found Sowon, resting by the window sill with a book in one hand and a half eaten apple in the other. “Welcome to my world,” the Beta wolf said, motioning SinB to sit next to her.  

Currently grabbing her textbooks and stuffing them in her backpack, SinB sulked when she realized that she no longer had to attend track practice. Because, she was no longer a part of the team. With the possibility that not a single sports club would be willing to take her in, SinB sighed in despair when she came to the conclusion that she now had to put more effort in her studies. A raise in her grade point average would hopefully be enough for universities to look pass the one flaw in her record. Hopefully.

Shutting her locker, SinB swung on her backpack and unraveled her earphones to block out whatever taunting that awaited her in the lower levels of the building. Just as she turned to leave, though, she saw Sowon up ahead marching in her direction.

“Hey, Wolfpup. Have you seen Pipsqueak around?” Sowon asked, eyebrows knitted in a state of uneasiness.

“Not since this morning,” SinB replied. “Why?”

Sowon shook her head. “I don’t know. I was heading to the library when I suddenly got this bad feeling… about her.”

The older girl looked so worried that is made SinB perturbed as well. “Maybe she’s avoiding you. After all, Umji did tell me that you rejected her kiss.”

“It’s not like that,” Sowon dismissed, glaring at SinB. “What happened between Pipsqueak and I was a mistake.”

“Like how you punched me twice in one day?” SinB mused.

“You deserved the first punch. The second one could have been avoided if I was responsible enough to monitor your drink intake,” Sowon slyly admitted. “But, I don’t want things to be awkward between Pipsqueak and me.”

“Do you have feelings for her?” SinB inquired.

Sowon’s face froze, not in the mood to discuss personal matters in the middle of a semi-crowded hallway. “Like I said, I’m a lone wolf. A lone wolf doesn’t have any business in love and relationships. Now, would you help me look for her?” With her annoyed tone, the request sounded more like an order.

SinB nodded before taking in a deep breath through her nose. “Are you aware of Umji’s special scent?”

Sowon rolled her eyes. “Of course, I do. She smells like daisies that were freshly bloomed in the middle of spring where the weather is neither too cold nor too hot, but just perfect.”

“That’s… descriptive,” SinB commented, walking to the stairs. “Let’s search for her scent. She should, at least, still be on campus. Have you tried calling her?”

“Several times,” Sowon responded, keeping in line with SinB’s pace. “She’s not picking up. But, there’s this feeling that I can’t seem to shake off, Wolfpup. It’s like my heart is filling with sadness, and I don’t understand why.”

Determined, SinB walked a little faster. The faces of the people she passed became a blur as the only person who mattered at that moment was Umji. The pair of werewolves inhaled and exhaled, searching for their favorite Sophomore. When they failed to find her inside the school building, they went outside and continued to comb through the area. They may have appeared weird and strange to everyone who came across them, but SinB and especially Sowon did not care one bit. Something’s wrong with Umji, and they weren’t going to stop until they get to bottom of it.

At this point, they had scanned practically every area of the school. From the library to the track field, there was no sign of the self-proclaimed “aficionado for the weird and unexplainable.” The girl who can juggle between watching a nightmare-inducing horror movie and an angsty romantic comedy. The friend that both SinB and Sowon needed in their lives.

Sowon checked her watch. They had been going about their little search party for almost an hour. If her heart was aching when she first confronted SinB for help, her heart now felt like it was breaking with each unsuccessful find. Mind exhausted and sense of smell beginning to weaken from overuse, Sowon rested against the wall of the school’s auditorium building. She stared off to the distance and heard SinB try to call Umji, only to curse about how her phone battery died. Calling was useless. Sniffing out Umji’s scent provided zero results. Maybe if she listened closely, she could hear the steady heartbeat of the younger girl who had no problem with listening attentively to her whenever they conversed.

Shutting her eyes tightly, Sowon used her keen sense of hearing and listened in for her dearest Pipsqueak. Where are you? she thought, hoping she could reach for the girl telepathically. Amongst the daily chatter of students gossiping with friends and the outdoor sports teams roughing about on the field, Sowon was able to pick up on something quite out of the ordinary: crying. Heart beating frantically, she pushed herself off the wall and decided to follow the sound.

“Sowon-ssi, where are you going?” SinB asked, brows furrowed.

The taller girl didn’t reply. She was jogging by the time the werewolf-in-training could finish her question. With no choice but to trail behind Sowon, SinB sniffed the breezy, afternoon air and, for the first time, could actually discern Umji’s daisy-like scent. She glanced at Sowon who indicated that she too deciphered the well-known fragrance.

They began to run all the way to the parking lot. Pass the cars and around the bushes, the duo found themselves approaching a set of large dumpsters. While SinB slowed her pace, Sowon quickened her steps. Despite the foul smell emitting from the two dumpster bins, the older girl rushed to the side and found Umji sitting on the ground with her legs tucked to her chest. In her arms, she held onto the remains of her special notebook that had been purposefully ripped and torn to shreds.

Sowon stood still like a rock, feet firmly planted and hands balling into a knuckle-protruding fist as she stared down at Umji whose eyes had reddened from weeping. SinB soon met up with them. Upon seeing Umji in complete and utter sorrow over her destroyed notebook, SinB got down and embraced the girl in a remorseful hug.

“Umji-ya, are you okay?” SinB whispered, tone stern yet gentle. “Who did this?”

Umji took a piece a paper out of her pocket and gave it to SinB. “I found that note in my locker,” she said, cadance eerily monotoned. “Just some girls who wanted to play a prank.”

SinB read the note aloud for Sowon to also hear, “Hello, freak. Lost your precious notebook? You can find it in the one place where you and your friends belong.”

“The dumpster,” Umji said faintly. “Isn’t that clever?” She giggled which soon turned into sobs.

“Don’t cry, Umji-ya,” SinB replied, patting and squeezing her friend’s shoulder while holding back tears of her own. “Those girls will regret ever messing with you.” She stood up and held out a hand for Umji. “Let’s get out of here and go to the store. Sowon and I will get you a new notebook.”

Umji took SinB’s hand and heaved herself off the filthy floor. “You don’t understand, Unnie. Those notes and half of those drawings were created by my Oppa before he went to the military. They’re irreplaceable.”

“I’m sure he won’t get mad at you, especially once he learns the circumstance,” SinB reasoned. “He’ll be glad to create a new supernatural handbook for you with new drawings when he finishes his service.”

Umji’s eyes welled up again. “My Oppa’s dead!” she yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I lied to the both of you. He passed away last year during his service. Before he left, he entrusted me this notebook that we worked on together. Carrying this notebook by my side makes me feel like… like he’s still alive.”

“That’s it,” Sowon fumed, eyes flashing a fierce blue. “I’m going after these jerks.” Taking one last look at Umji whose face was filled with hurt and heartache, Sowon turned to leave the garbage infested area.

“Sowon-ssi!” SinB grabbed onto the Beta wolf’s arm, obstructing her from moving. “What the heck do you think you’re doing?”

“There’s no use stopping me, Wolfpup,” Sowon warned. “What those girls did was lower than low and unforgivable.”

“I’m just as mad as you are,” SinB spoke fervently. “But, if you’re seeking revenge in the confines of school, you’re going to get yourself in major trouble.” Sowon, avoiding eye contact, merely clenched her jaw as if accepting whatever consequences that may entail. SinB huffed in exasperation. “Do you even know who you’re going after?”

“Oh, it’s not that difficult,” Sowon replied, yanking her arm out of SinB’s grasp and snatching the bully’s handwritten note out of the young werewolf’s palm. She clasped the paper in her fist, held it up to her nose, and allowed the scent to lead her to the person responsible. They were close by, and Sowon was eager to get to them. She picked up her speed and started to run.

Afraid that Sowon might get violent and do something that could get her expelled, Umji chased after her. SinB, conflicted as ever, decided to follow and run behind the two. Her strides shortened when she realize where Sowon was heading to: the bleachers surrounding the track field. Even at a distance, SinB could spot her ex-teammates practicing in the inner oval of the race course. She knew, without a doubt, that Yerin and Yuju were among them. Despite the alarms going off in her head, warning her that it was dangerous territory, SinB continued to go after her two friends. As much as the Beta wolf got on her nerves, SinB didn’t want to see the older girl end up in a worser position than herself.

In front, Sowon could hear Umji calling out for her to stop and calm down. But, how could she calm down when there was anger pumping through her veins while her eyes felt like they were on fire. Rarely did Sowon’s inner werewolf come out without her command. It was a strange feeling, reminding her of a past that she desperately wanted to keep secret. Trudging on, Sowon sniffed the note again. Her gaze trailed up all the way to the top of the bleachers where five girls were lounging and giggling amongst themselves. Sowon let out a low growl before storming up the stairs. Each step she took, the metal floor grumbled beneath her, causing heads to turn. It wasn’t long before she caught the attention of the quintet.

“Well, well, well,” Sowon spoke, sauntering towards the group. “I thought I smelled the stench of pompous pinheads in the air.”

A girl, perhaps a whole foot shorter than Sowon, pushed herself up from the bench. “What do you want?” she said audaciously, smacking the chewing gum in .

Sowon scoffed in disbelief of the type of person she was dealing with. “I believe you left this… lovely note for my friend Umji,” she responded, holding out the crumpled paper. “You destroyed something that is very valuable to her. Something she may consider to be so priceless that not even your diamond earrings will be enough to cover it.”

The girl and her posse laughed scornfully. “It’s a stupid notebook filled with weird drawings dedicated to her obsession with monsters. How on Earth can a ratty thing like that be worth any more than the gunk on my shoes?”

Sowon gritted her teeth as she stretched her neck in irritation. “You are the worst…,” she paused, hearing Umji and SinB hurrying up the steps, “...but I’m worser.” She took a step closer to the girl, fist in the air, ready to attack. Before she could do anything harmful, though, the snobbish girl began to speak.

“Go ahead. Hit me. But, if you do, I will not hesitate to tell my parents who are fully equipped with lawyers. And, unlike Yuju-unnie, I won't be merciful.”

Sowon’s arm went limp as it slowly retreated back down.

The girl smirked. “I remember how you were before your facial reconstruction surgery, Sowon-unnie. So timid. So… submissive. Seeing you so gutsy these days is quite refreshing. But, you will always be an ugly duckling to me and to everyone else in this school.” Leaning sideways to look at Umji who was behind Sowon, the girl smiled and waved as she signaled for her cohorts to stand. “See you in class tomorrow, freak.” Passing past Sowon, Umji, and SinB, the group strolled down the stairs and off the bleachers.

“Sowon-ssi?” SinB addressed the older girl whose back was turned away from them. She knew Sowon was angry, but nothing could prepare SinB for what the Beta wolf was about to do.

*GRRRROWWLLL*

Without warning, Sowon used her long legs to leap from one row of benches to the next. SinB followed, using the metal railing to slide herself down in time before Sowon could spring an attack. She took ahold of Sowon and slammed her back against a nearby tree that provided enough shade to conceal the Beta wolf’s rabid behavior. The older girl snarled and tried to squirm her way out of SinB’s grasp. Meanwhile, SinB could see Sowon’s face shifting from werewolf to human and back again. She could tell they were drawing attention from the track team who paused their routine run to observe what was happening.

“Sowon, I need you to calm down,” SinB urged in a rough whisper.

As the older girl became even more vicious, SinB was growing apprehensive that someone might catch a glimpse of the Beta werewolf that wanted to be unleashed. Suddenly, Sowon’s convulsions slowly ceased as her eyes, nose, and mouth reverted to its human qualities. From the gentle smell of daisies, SinB released Sowon and turned to see Umji standing with the remains of her notebook in her arms.

Taking a sluggish step forward, Sowon stared lifelessly at the horizon. “I hate it,” she said, voice hoarse and shaky. “I hate it how the popular, pretty girl always wins.”

Letting the notebook fall to the ground, Umji quickly walked closer to Sowon and wrapped her arms around the older girl. “They're not worth it, Sowon-unnie,” she whispered. “Things are going to be okay.”

“Damn it, Pipsqueak,” Sowon said before returning the hug. She dropped down to her knees and cried into Umji’s stomach.

Giving the pair some privacy, SinB picked up Umji’s notebook and decided to wait for them by the bleachers. To keep herself occupied, she flipped through what was left of the much treasured notebook. It was quite brutal to see up close and personal what became of it. Half of the pages were torn from its spiral bounding. The other half were ripped in jagged pieces. Dirty shoe prints were marked on pages such as “How to tell if your neighbor is a werewolf” and “So, you think your librarian is a vampire?” Such a shame to see all of Umji and her brother’s hard work and creativity ruined in vain. Closing it, SinB’s eyes landed on the small, but detailed drawing of a grinning wolf on the front cover. She remembered how it triggered her to become suspicious of Umji the first time she saw it. Little did she know that it was the start of a valuable friendship.

“Is Sowon-ssi okay?”

SinB didn’t have to look up to know who it was. That intoxicating scent. That pumpkin spice latte of a voice. It could only belong to one person. Yerin. Head and eyes focused downward, SinB sensed another presence observing her. Waiting for her to make one wrong move.  

She couldn’t speak to Yerin. She couldn’t look at Yerin. But, she couldn’t just ignore Yerin like a cold-hearted person. With her head still facing the pavement and closed shut, SinB nodded “yes” in response.

“Come on, babe.” SinB heard Yuju’s voice accompanying Yerin. “Let’s get back to practice.”

A/N: Umji’s drawing was inspired by this lovely photo of Sowon (http://bit.ly/2wGIGVk)  and this scene from Beauty and the Beast (http://bzfd.it/2wsuLTS).

Song lyrics used: “I Miss You” by blink-182