“Wow, look at that. Still have their photos around, I see,” a student quips behind Mina who just opened her locker.

Mina slams her locker closed. Wanting none of prying eyes lay a sight on the photos she holds dear. Most of it comprised of her, Jaehyun, and Ten from when they were in middle school. There is even one of Mina and Jaehyun when they were toddlers.

She tries to just walk off but the students block her way. Jaehyun who is just entering the student locker room directly see that.

“Seriously, I mean before, I thought how lucky you were having two handsome boys as your ‘friends’,” Mina bristles by the quotation marks the student use. “But now, it is just all questionable.”

“It’s just unfortunate for them both, I guess,” someone chimes in.

“I feel pity for Jaehyun,” another student voicing out.

Jaehyun is taken aback and marches to the small group before being stopped by Ten coming out from another row of lockers declaring, “All you lowlifes should just shut it and go back to where your sad existence are.”

“Yeah? You are the most pitiful one, you know-”

And the scuffles begin. The noises attract attention from other students who aren’t necessarily interested to break up the fight.

Mina just stares at Ten fistfighting with the student who were being condescending to him. Her eyes goes wide in shock, unsure of what is happening and what to do.

“Mina-” Jaehyun calls out but she is already running somewhere.

Jaehyun runs to follow her, having to search in several empty classes before seeing her sitting on the floor with her head hidden behind her bent up legs.

“Mina…” Jaehyun starts the same time Ten’s voice also calling her pierces through the hallway.

“I want to be alone,” Mina croaks out when Ten breathlessly arrives in front of the door. “Please,” her plea is so desperate that Jaehyun feels his insides aching.

While Jaehyun retreats back, Ten has another idea, he enters the class, breath heavy.

“You should just tell them what happened,” he starts.

“Yah, Ten-” Jaehyun’ objects. If Mina wants to be left alone then so be it.

But Ten keeps barging on, “It happened, it’s done. Nobody can’t do something about it.”

When Mina stubbornly keeps her silence, Ten grows more agitated.

“What are you taking me as? Am I really that pitiful like what those students said?” his split lip starts to tremble.

“Ten!” Jaehyun is taken aback.

Mina head snaps up to Ten, “How can you say that?!”

“The bottom line is, you made your choice. Would you do anything different?” Ten’s voice is cracking, “Really?”

Mina’s breath is shaking when she just looks up while tears blur her vision.

“I thought she wanted to be left alone,” a girl coming to the class is voicing out Jaehyun’s thought.

Ten looks back to see the girl who reprimanded him during self-study yesterday by the door with hard expression on her face.

“How do you-”

“I hear all the ruckus, you better go to the counselor first before the other party can make up a story benefiting them more.”

“I don’t care-”

“You should. If you’re suspended or expelled you can’t protect her, you know.”

Ten blinks, and with a look back to Mina who goes back to hiding her face, he defeatedly walks out of the class.

Jaehyun looks at his friend’s bruised up face, he sighs, “I know you mean well, Ten,” Jaehyun tries to console while following him.

And it’s all quiet like Mina wants. Or not. Truthfully she wants to be left alone but the silence isn’t as relaxing as she thought it will be.

“It’s not your fault that he is still wanting to be around you.”

Mina looks up in surprise because of the sudden intrusion. “Wha-” hanging open.

“Jaehyun. He’s still standing by you amidst all what happened because he wants too.”

“How do you-”

“I am very perceptive, contrary of the popular belief,” the taller girl sits in front of Mina who still dumbfoundedly staring at her.

“What do you mean-”

“Jaehyun sounds worried. He is still genuinely care about you even though people pity him. Too bad other people can’t see that, right?”

Mina positively just blanks out looking at her before starting, “Tzu-Tzuyu right?” 

“We’ve been classmates for a semester already. Not really good at memorizing names?”

Mina blinks, then huffs, “Whatever you said,” she unceremoniously wipes her nose and eyes and stands up.

“The teacher told me that the gym class is gonna be a free time,” Tzuyu chimes up, stopping Mina from going wherever she intended to. Actually, she doesn’t know where to go.

“So?” but she still deviantly trying to look uncaring. Although her quivering voice doesn’t help her much.

“So, there will be plenty of time for you to finally tell someone what happened between you, Jaehyun, and Ten.”

Mina never thought that what she needs is just somebody to listen without a prejudice.

She has seen that the people who is already hating her wouldn’t listen to her reason. 

But Tzuyu neutral expression makes it easier for her to let it all out.

--

“You need to think about this again, Mina,” Jaehyun’s voice was firm even while his pupils are quivering. The sound of the train coming closer making every senses of her heightened.

Mina looks down on Jaehyun’s hand clasping hers. He often holds her hand for various reason, mostly either for support or worried gesture when she does something scary or stupid. But, right now, his hand is holding hers to make her stay.

And it is tearing her apart.

“We are not in kindergarten anymore, you know.” Mina looks behind her to see Ten with furrowed eyebrows and gritted teeth. 

Ten’s hand is gripping on her other hand. Mina is between the two of them, hands each on both of them.

She is torn apart.

--

“You still stuck between the two,” Tzuyu speaks out Mina’s thought for her. “Even now.”

Mina looks at her, part sheepish part pitiful.

It’s been several days since Tzuyu fumblingly consoled Mina after the girl tells Tzuyu everything. And every single day since then, Tzuyu goes to her house, bringing recording of lectures and tasks from her teacher.

Mr. Chansung recommended Mina to stay at home for a few days while Ten is also getting suspended like the other kids who were involved in the fight.

He figures maybe a little off time to contemplate their feeling about school will help.

Ten is definitely not missing anything but seeing her, because he is grounded to stay at home.

“They are both my friends, Tzuyu,” Mina stares at the black tutu hanging on her cabinet.

“It’s not good for either of them, you know,” Tzuyu says in straightforward manner. A spear to Mina’s heavy heart.

“Do you think I don’t know that already?” Mina sulks under her breath.

“Hey, I’m blind not deaf,” Tzuyu expression deadpans.

Mina huffs, looking at her friend up and down, and sighs. “Let’s just get you home, it’s dark already.”

“I am capable to go home by myself, how is darkness gonna affect me?” Tzuyu bristles but let herself being guided by Mina out of her room.

“Well, you can. But you won’t have a nice company like me,” Mina teases her.

Tzuyu keeps her expression flat but can’t help smiling when Mina doesn’t stop making funny noises beside her.

“See, you like me,” Mina adds in sing-song-y tone.

“No, I only like your voice,” Tzuyu replies cheekily, hitting her friend’s shin with her guiding cane.

Mina laughs, and the sound makes Tzuyu happy. The rarity of it making it more surprisingly good. But the increasing occurrences it is heard day by day doesn’t hurt either.

That is why she truly hopes that Mina let one of the man go already, so there will be no prolonged heartbreak hanging down her happiness.

--

After Mina drops Tzuyu back with a, “See you tomorrow, Chewie!” Mina is surprised of herself by how she sounds more resembling what she used to be.

On the way back home, she could finally for the first time thinking that maybe things can get better.

Until she is dumbstruck, seeing people walking in her way. She hasn’t seen them for quite a while.

But the pain remains the same.

“Oh, Mina,” Jaehyun’s father notices her first.

Jaehyun’s mother beside him looks up due to her husband stopping. She looks at Mina up and down, noticing the tremble raking the girl’s body.

Jaehyun, who was walking behind them, stopped too. Worry etched his eyes.

Tears instantly swim in Mina’s eyes. All the progress that she thought she had evaporates to thin air. Like she never get better at all.

“Long time no see,” Jaehyun’s father says after clearing his throat promptly.

Mina looks at him in daze, like she’s not hearing him at all. Until she snaps out of it and then bows deep down, tears dropping to the ground. “I am so sorry.”

Mina's sob is the only thing heard for a few seconds while Jaehyun's parents recovering from their surprised feeling.

“We don’t know if we deserve to give forgiveness to anyone,” Jaehyun’s mother is trembling, “As we were just as much at fault,” she finally cries.

“It is not your fault, Mom,” Jaehyun disagreeing beside her.

“Mina, you should go home. It’s almost sunset,” Jaehyun’s dad softly tells her while supporting his wife to walk back to their home.

“See, even they aren’t blaming you. Sometimes things just happen, you should accept that,” Jaehyun softly tells her before going after his parents who just turned into a corner.

“How-” Mina let out what sounded like a surprised squeak. Jaehyun stops in his track and turns back to see her clenching her fists, making the end of her long sleeves crumpled.

“How can you tell me to do that?” like a glass so fragile, her voice wavers.

Jaehyun eyes’ widen, his mouth hanging open slightly in shock. But he doesn’t move at all, if anything, it seems like his entire existence is freezed.

Mina looks up. Her eyes, her beautiful eyes are glistening from tears running down her cheeks. Jaehyun is transfixed to them, like he usually is when her eyes sparkles with happiness, but now he cannot tear his gaze from the sadness and pain it shows when she stares back at him.

Right at him.

“Mina,” he finally gathers the courage to speak. 

“Hm, what?” she answers amidst her tears. “What? Hm? I answered you. What?” her voice raises, her tears keeps coming out.

Jaehyun feels his eyes stinging of tears too. “I’m so sorry.” Suddenly all he wants to do is apologize and cry his heart out.

Mina seems to have the same idea too, the crying part, because she sobs loudly.

“I’m so sorry,” he tries to hold back the tears.

“What are you sorry for, huh?” she uses her sleeve to hide her wet eyes. “Tell me,” she looks at him again, 

“Why are you so sorry for being dead?” she almost screams that out before her voice died in the middle and she breaks down crying.

--