The last exam was done and Nancy felt sick as she walked back home with Subin.   Jooe and her other classmates were walking in front of them chatting about how much money they were going to contribute for the farewell party for the dorm seniors that was going to be held tomorrow night.  
It was a tradition of the school to hold a very casual Farwell party for both the Boys' and Girls' dorm together the day after their exams were done every year where juniors of the dorms would contribute money and buy gifts.   Usually, the cooks of both the dorms would join together and prepare special and delicious food for the night and dinner would be served in the school's cafeteria and the students from both the dorms would gather in the school's gym and the commons.       "Are you Okay?" Subin asked sensing Nancy's deep despair.     Nancy continued staring down as she walked. She didn't answer. She already felt like that day was going to be the beginning of the end for her. She didn't even want to think about anything. She was utterly drained.  
"You're going to the farewell tomorrow, right?" Subin asked.   The mention of the farewell threatened to bring her tears out again and her heart felt all the more heavier and her legs felt cumbersome all of a sudden.   She stopped walking.     "Nancy?" Subin whispered. He hated seeing the person he loved so broken.   "I can't go, Subin," Nancy said, closing her eyes.
I want to see her even just for one last time.   But she was scared. She was scared it would all come back to her. She was scared.   She felt her nose sting and tears started streaming down her face.   Subin embraced her slowly. "Its okay, Nancy" he whispered.    
Jooe, Daisy and Ahin were looking at the hugging pair. They had stopped walking once they realised Subin and Nancy weren't following.  
Subin nodded at them, telling them they're okay. Jooe nodded back in understanding and the friends walked on leaving the two.    
"I'll come and we can go together," Subin said.
"Think about all the other people. Your Jennie unnie and all the others. You should go for them" Subin said. "I'll be with you always. That stupid Jaehwan can't hurt you anymore. And Lee Dabin, you have to show her you're fine without her. That you don't ing need her."
Subin couldn't help but hate both Jaehwan and Lee Dabin for all the pain they were making Nancy go through.    
"I'll come pick you up, okay?" Subin asked, leaning out from the hug to look at Nancy.     "You don't even stay in the dorms," Nancy said.     "It's alright. My house is really close by. It won't be a problem. I'll talk to my mom and she'll allow me to stay out until 10 for once. I am sure she will. so, be ready at 6.30 tomorrow evening." Subin said.         He walked Nancy home and left.           Two hours later, the high school seniors were on their way back after giving their last paper of their high school exam.  They were centred at another school so they were currently sitting on the school bus on their way back.   Happy chatters filled the bus.   Yeonwoo's forehead was pressed against the glass of the window. She was looking out the window but she wasn't sure she saw anything.   She felt numb.     Hyebin was worriedly looking at her friend the whole ride back. She had run out of comforting words to offer her friend.
She had tried so hard to get her to go and talk to Nancy. But that only made her friend break more.   Yeonwoo's mother had visited her a couple of times in the off days during the exams as well.
Yeonwoo never shared a single word she talked about with her mother during those visits to Hyebin. Hyebin knew how deeply Yeonwoo was afraid of her mother. She knew Yeonwoo didn't want what happened to Jaehwan to happen again.
And on top of all that,
They all knew Nancy had moved on.
They all knew Nancy was avoiding her. And above all, they knew it was for the best. So, Hyebin chose to remain silent. She wouldn't say anything anymore.       The bus came to a halt. Everyone started climbing down.         That night, Hyebin brought Yeonwoo's dinner in her room, just like the past couple of days and sat there watching her eat. She made it her responsibility to make sure she ate enough before going to bed.        
******     The next day, the preparation of the Farewell party went full force.
The juniors divided themselves into groups. Some of them went out to buy gifts, some cleaned the gym, the cafeteria, the commons and the school's beautiful courtyard and decorated said areas with flowers and balloons.    
Nancy didn't take part in any of this. All she did was contribute her share of the money.   She lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling.
It was officially the last day the seniors would be staying in the dorms.
Come tomorrow, everyone would be leaving the dorm and when the next session starts, it will be only them. Only them. Fresh tears sprung forth and Nancy wiped them off before they could fall on her pillow.
She didn't want to think about this. It gave her a head-splitting headache. Headaches that she was tired of having.  
Jooe, Ahin and Daisy would come every now and then to check up on how Nancy was doing.    
It was 5 in the evening and a tired Jooe walked into their room. She had been actively cleaning and decorating the courtyard and the school entrance hall and running back to the dorm every now and then to check up on her friend. That left her completely exhausted.  
She yawned. "Nancy. I don't know why but Subin had been helping us out. He isn't even part of the school dorm members but I don't know, he said he will be coming tonight."   Jooe stopped for a while. "He said he will be coming to pick you up?" Jooe asked. She didn't believe Nancy would be willing to go. They had talked about this and Nancy had told her she would not be going.  
"I told him I'd come but I am not so sure anymore if I want to go" Nancy replied.
She had her eyes closed.     "Nancy, come on. The seniors will be wearing hanboks today. Don't you want to see them?"
Nancy opened her eyes and stared at her. Jooe instantly regretted her words.
    "Nancy, Do you want me to kill Yeonwoo unnie and Jaehwan uppa for you today? Because I am so willing to wedge a dagger in their heads" Jooe started. "And you! Stop being such a pathetic piece of . If I were you, I'd laugh and enjoy myself at the farewell party and show them I am doing great without them. If they can be happy without you, you can be happy without them. It's a nice opportunity. just go with Subin and stick by him all the time. Show them you can also find happiness with other people." Yeonwoo unnie hates seeing you with guys. That stupid ing confusing girl.     Jooe stood awkwardly for a while and went straight to the bathroom to prepare herself for the party.       Ahin and Daisy came into Jooe-Nancy' room.
Ahin and Daisy looked at Nancy on the bed and then at each other.   "Nancy, uh.. Subin is waiting for you outside" Daisy said. "Should.. should we tell him to go?" Daisy asked sensing the unwillingness radiating from Nancy.  
"No! You two!" Jooe shouted from inside the bathroom.   A towel-clad Jooe appeared immediately from the bathroom. "She is going to the party with Subin."
"Nancy get the hell up and take a bath. I know you haven't bathed today. Look at me, this is my second time bathing" Jooe said.   Daisy narrowed her eyes at Jooe.     "Okay. It's my first time for today."
"Tell Subin she'll be ready" Jooe said and Ahin went out to deliver the news.     Jooe dragged her friend in the bathroom.
"Strip" She commanded.     "I don't want to go Jooe" Nancy complained but she still started taking off her clothes.    
Jooe went outside and closed the bathroom door. "Nancy. You absolutely cannot look at Yeonwoo unnie today. Just stick around Subin the whole time and show her she is just another insignificant human in your life just like how she is treating you." Jooe said.     Cling onto Subin and make her jealous so she will never forget today for the rest of her life. It will be like a kick in her face. Jooe thought.     When Nancy was finally dressed up and ready, it was already 7.     "Ugh. Let's just go, Nancy. All the people must have gathered already." Jooe said as she stood impatiently by the door.
Nancy had been sitting on her bed unmoving for the past 10 minutes.
"Subin must be dead outside" Jooe said.  
"I'll come with him. You guys please go on first" Nancy pleaded.  
"Alright" Jooe said.     "Nancy, please come, alright?" Daisy said.    
***********       It was 7.30 when Nancy finally made up her mind and went out. the hallway was silent. Everybody must have left the building.    
"There you are," Subin said as soon as she stepped out of the building. Nancy looked around to see four security guards standing by the building entrance. She suddenly remembered what Jooe said: Every year, on the dorm's farewell night, there is strict security around both the girls' and boys' dorms to ensure safety for the students.    
"I am sorry for making you wait, Subin," Nancy said.    
"Don't worry about it. It's okay. Let's go now. I brought my dad's car with me" Subin said smiling.          
It was really loud inside the large gym class. There was music playing in the background and the voices of the people filled the whole room. The chairs from the cafeteria were everywhere inside the gym.   Yeonwoo kept her eyes stuck at the entrance since she got there. She knew Nancy wouldn't show up but she kept looking, hoping the next person that entered was her.  
And all of a sudden, as if the gods above had heard her, Nancy appeared in the entrance, pale and tired she looked but with all that, she looked exquisitely beautiful.    With all those distance separating them, and with all the people in the room, Nancy's eyes found Yeonwoo's.
Neither could look away.
No words could express how much they had missed each other.    
"Nancy?" Jooe called and dragged Nancy with her.   Nancy was now stood among many standing people obscuri