Hyejin pushed open the door, “Wheein-ah!”

She looked around and found Wheein on the ground, in a fetal position.

Hyejin marched up to them just as JaeEun was about to kick Wheein.

She pulled JaeEun’s arm away with force.

“Hye-Hyejin-ah, what are you doing here???” JaeEun stammered

Hyejin let go of her arm, “I think the better question is, what are you doing JaeEun?”

JaeEun gritted her teeth, “something I should’ve done a long time ago.” She pointed at Wheein, “she’s ruining the status quo in our school, don’t you see? Everything was fine before she came.” Her arm shook, as the rain kept coming down hard, “why? Why is she taking everything that’s mine!”

Hyejin moved from behind JaeEun, to between her and Wheein.

Yongsun and Byuli flung open the door and saw them all. Yongsun moved forward, about to break up the fight when Byuli stopped her, “wait, not yet”

Hyejin helped Wheein up, “Wheein isn’t taking me away from you. Your actions and the way you deem people worthy of being your friend is what makes me distance myself from you.” She took a deep breath, “JaeEun-ah, you’re my oldest friend. We know each other’s secrets and deepest fears. Where is that friend? What happened to her?”

Yongsun finally walked towards them, “everyone report to the student council office immediately.” She turned to Wheein, “are you ok to walk by yourself?”

Wheein let go of Hyejin, “yes sunbae” She was the first to walk back into the school, Byuli looking at her with a worried expression, escorting her to the office.

Hyejin took one last look at JaeEun and her friends, with a disappointed expression and followed them inside.

Yongsun nodded to the rest of them, “hurry on inside, all of you will catch a cold if stay up here.” She watched as the girls walked towards the door in a single file.

X

Wheein and Hyejin waited outside the office as Byuli, Yongsun, and the Principle disciplined JaeEun and her friends.

Wheein cleared , “Hyejin-ah, I’m sorry if I drove a wedge between you and your friends..”

Hyejin shook her head, “you didn’t. I told you before that I noticed she was changing. I’m just embarrassed that I never did anything to stop it.” She turned to Wheein, “I’m sorry she hit you and that you had to hear that ridiculous reason for doing so”

Wheein was about to answer when the door opened and Principle Ha walked out, JaeEun, Yeji, and SooMin followed. He cleared his throat and looked in their direction.

JaeEun was the first to speak, “Wheein-ah. I’m sorry, for singling you out and going out of my way to bully you. I hope you’ll accept my apology”

Wheein looked at her expression, and saw the genuine look of regret on her face.

“I hope everyone can get along well. You’ll all be together for the next 4 years so please refrain from these kinds of situations,” Principle Ha growled.

They all bowed their heads, “Yes sir”

He sighed and walked back to his office. JaeEun was about to leave when she turned to Hyejin, “I’m sorry if you thought of me that way”

Hyein opened , but nothing came out. She nodded instead as JaeEun walked away. Before Yeji and SooMin left, Hyejin tugged on their arms, “what did the principle say to you?”

SooMin sighed, “Lectured us about coming together as a school community and then said we’re suspended for 3 days”

Hyejin let go of their sleeves and pursed her lips.

Yejin smiled awkwardly, “I mean we deserve it, we aren’t any better than JaeEun. Following everything she does and being a bystander”

Yongsun appeared outside the door, “Ahn Hyejin, Jung Wheein. Your turn”

Hyejin turned to her friends and gave them a nod, following Wheein in the room.

X

Wheein and Hyejin sat down at the table, across from Yongsun and Byuli.

“I don’t understand unnie, did Hyejin and I do something wrong? Why are we being disciplined too?” Wheein asked carefully.

Yongsun saw Wheein and Hyejin’s wet hair and sighed. She got up and opened the cupboard, grabbing 2 small towels and an ice pack.

She laid the towels in front of them and gave Wheein the ice pack, “dry your hair properly before you get sick”

She turned to Wheein and tapped her cheek, “put the ice pack on your cheek, it looks like it’ll leave a small bruise” She sat back down, “Wheein-ah, I thought you said you enjoyed coming to school. Why didn’t you tell me you were being bullied?”

Before Wheein could answer, Byuli spoke up, “Wheein-ah, I told you to tell me if they bothered you again”

Yongsun turned to Byuli, “you knew this happened before?”

Wheein looked around awkwardly, “I do enjoy school for the most part. I just hate lunch time and when I have to go home.” She turned to Byuli, “Ah, I really didn’t think they’d do it again haha” she laughed awkwardly as they all continued to stare.

Hyejin looked from Byuli to Wheein, “