October 12th, 2008

The cool autumn wind did not mix well with Joohyun’s tears which were currently flowing down her face as she hugged her legs under the bright red tree. She never needed much from school. It was a place of learning and she had Seulgi, nothing else was needed. The gossip and buzz around her were always annoying, but she was able to ignore them, especially since it was usually positive comments thrown towards her.

The problem occurred when her supporters started turning on her. Her nonchalant approach towards the gossip rubbed certain students the wrong way. What was once compliments about her beauty became nasty rumors about her personality. At first, Joohyun felt it was all the same, stupid gossip was stupid. But the negativity eventually wore her down and broke her.

“I didn’t ask for this.”

The absence of Seulgi, she was sick, was probably the tipping point that brought her to tears. Without her support system, everything fell apart. Her usual cool demeanor cracked and sooner after shattered.

Eventually, her tears did dry up. They usually never last when under her favorite tree. It gave her mind time to think, to grow. She watched as the red leaves swayed gently in the wind, as bright as ever. The harsh winter would soon take away this beautiful sight but would return a few months later. The resilience to bounce back, the strength to not let others influence her. She needed r