Moonbyul sat up straight as she wiped the tears from her cheeks, "What did you say?" her eyes widened in desbelief at her mother's words.

"It's okay honey, when you get past this phase, I'm sure that Minji will come back and things will go back to normal."

"Phase? Mother, this is not a phase!" Byul cried out.

"What's with all the shouting in here, should I be concerned?" Byul's father appeared in the doorway holding onto his coffee mug as he was getting ready to leave for work.

"Oh it's nothing dear, it came a little later than expected but Byul is just in one of those experimental liking girl stages." Her mother laughed it off as she patted Byul's thigh.

"This is not a joke, nor an experiment! Why won't you listen to me!?" Byul pleaded desperately.

Her father simply chuckled, "Ah yes, I remember when you went through that as well dear," he spoke as he made eye contact with his wife. "...Luckily your confusion ended once I showed up." He was now laughing whole heartedly along with her mother.

"JUST STOP!" Byul shouted as her breathing became heavy. "Mom...dad...this is who I am....this is who I've always been. I have never once looked at a guy in a romantic way, nor will I ever. I don't want to hide myself anymore...I can't....not unless I want the same thing that happened with Minji to happen all over again with someone else." her hands were clenched as her gaze was on her bed, too scared to look at her parents.

"Alright Byul, let's stop...I'm sure you'll be over this nonsense by the time you're 20." Her mother said with a smile

"By the time I'm 20?" Byul looked at them quizzically

Her father then chimed in, "Yes 20...in time for your engagment to my bosses son to continue the family business," he said proudly.

Byul looked at them completely horrified, "Engagement!? What engagment!?"

"Honey, we've mentioned it a few times before, weren't you paying attention?" her mother's tone was starting to change

Byul tried her hardest to recall such events, but her mind was blank , "No mother, I don't remember such a conversation ever happening! This is a joke right? A really bad joke!"

"Moonbyuli!" Her father's voice was loud and stern. "Once you graduate and turn 20, this engagement will happen. Your mother and I were arranged to be married as well, and look at us now. Give it some time, I assure you that he is a charming young man who will fit perfectly with you....just trust your father."

Whether it was intentional or not, Byul scoffed loudly, "How can I trust you when you won't even listen to me! Mom...Dad....I just lost my best friend, so I'm begging you....Please...please don't make me lose myself as well!" the tears began to pour out once more.

Her mother got up and went to stand next to her father before giving her a disappointed gaze, "Moonbyul," her fathers voice was now a bit harsh, "...as long as you continue to live under my roof you will behave accordingly. I don't want to hear anymore about this, do you understand? You have a few more years of freedom, so don't waste them on trivial matters." With that said, they closed the bedroom door and left Byul a crying mess on her bed.

The silence at home didn't last for long. A few weeks after the initial argument, there was another heated argument about the same topic and  Byul's parents had given her the ultimatum of being a filial daughter and following their wishes, or....as they put it, become their disappointment and find a new place to live. Being a hot headed 17 year old, Byul chose the latter of the two and after packing just a duffle bag full of clothes and essentials, she walked out the door.

"Why does that look on your face suggest that you just finished hiding a dead body?"

Byul jumped in suprise and knocked her head on the gym door after hearing the strangers voice coming from her right.

The young girl began laughing hysterically as Byul crouched down, rubbing the now red knot on her forehead.

"Ow! who are you!?" Byul cried out in pain without looking up.

The strange girl crouched down in front of Byul as she continued to laugh and held out her hand, "The name is Wheein, and you are? Other than magical that is..."

"Magical?" Byul asked as she finally looked up at the girl staring back at her

Wheein was trying to hold back her laugh as she pointed to Byul's forehead, "That red bump on your forhead kind of reminds me of a growing horn...like a Unicorn...you know...magical unicorn, get it!?" She burst out laghing once again as she fell on her .

"Byul looked at her with a straight face as she stood up, "That was a lame....and I mean really...really lame joke..."she said as she continued to watch Wheein roll around on the floor.

Wheein stood up a few moments later with a loud, drawn out sigh, feeling proud and content with herself and paying no attention to Byul's lack of a reaction to her joke.

"On a serious note," she said as she wiped the tear from her eye from laughin so hard, "What are you doing in the gym this early....or rather, what are you even doing at the school this early?"

Byul retaliated in quick defense of herself, "What are you doing here this early!?" she said quickly

"Special instructions from the principle, looking for trouble makers such as yourself..." Wheein said as she put on a serious face while pointing a finger at Byul.

"W...what!?" Byul squeaked as her eyes shifted back and forth.

Wheein quickly threw her head back, letting out another loud laugh. "I'm kidding! But that look on your face was priceless!"

Byul sighed as she took a step back, leaning against the wall and rubbing her face. "So the truth then?" she asked with a raised brow.

Wheein chuckled as she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her oversized sweater, "Cleaning duty for a month....the principle didn't find my prank funny...so here I am!" she said with a big smile.

Byul was silent for a moment before asking, "...What did you do?"

"There were a few kids in my history class that had a problem sitting still during the lesson...so I just helped my teacher out by putting a little super glue on their seats...it's not like I threw laxatives in anyone's lunch or somethin!" she began jumping up and down as her arms flailed out to the side. "One month of waking up at the crack of dawn to clean up the campus is inhumane I tell you!"

Byul stifled a laugh as she observed the childish behavior of the girl in front of her.

"Now it's your turn! Why are you in here so early!?"

Byul looked up in surprise at the complete 180 of emotions coming from Wheein, "I...uh...I just needed to be alone to think about a few things...no one is ever here this early, so here I am..."

Wheein noticed a flash of saddness cross Byul's eyes as she refused to look directly at her. She took a few steps forward, merely inches away from Byul's face now and tilted her head back and forth. "What's the real reason?" Wheein asked, not leaving her any personal space.

Byul stood there stunned, unable to answer as opened and closed. Her heart rate was increasing by the minute, she was ready to dash her way out of there, but she was saved by the bell. Wheein took a few steps back in protest as she stuffed her hands back into her pockets. "I'll chat with you again soon, mark my words!" she tried to keep a serious face, but ended up laughing at herself anyways as she walked out of the gym. Byul let out the breath she had been holding as she grabbed her bag from the floor and threw it over her shoulder, This is going to be a long day...