[A few days after...]


"...Is it just me or.. is Kkura-unnie avoiding me..?" It was random, really. Chaeyeon wasn't sure why that idea popped up in her head so suddenly, but Minjoo was certainly surprised by what she said. Chaeyeon didn't notice her reaction though. Her thoughts quickly drifted to thoughts about the person in question.

 

 

It was strange to say the least. Sakura was the person who had given her so much warmth in the short time they spent together. She brushed it off for a while.. but eventually she started finding it odd. Sakura was acting cold; the girl who would usually tease with a smile on her face.. somehow, she always had an excuse whenever Chaeyeon would approach her. She has something to do, she isn't feeling well, or that she had someone to talk to.. 

 

 

I think even an idiot could figure out that they were being avoided. What bothers her more is that she doesn't know what brought this up. Did she do something? What caused Sakura to place such a distance between them? Chaeyeon couldn't figure it out no matter how much she thought about it.. but Minjoo knew the reason. She knew exactly what caused Sakura's odd behavior.

 

 

This was definitely related to what happened between Eunbi and Sakura... but Chaeyeon wouldn't know about that since Minjoo decided against telling her. Minjoo did think that it would be better to tell Chaeyeon about it.. but it felt like she would be overstepping boundaries, including Sakura's own privacy. 

 

 

The fact that Sakura was a witness to that cursed event from the previous year.. the very event that carved itself in Chaeyeon's heart.. It wasn't Minjoo's place to reveal it. 

 

 

Minjoo didn't think badly of Sakura; She knew Sakura better than Eunbi did and she knew more than anyone that Sakura wouldn't do something like that simply because she wanted to... There must be a reason for it. 

 

 

Minjoo could accept that much, but it's different with Chaeyeon. Her emotional attachment to the event, the scars left by it.. it wouldn't be as easy as talking it out. Minjoo was still capable of thinking about things objectively; the event itself didn't directly affect her. Her problem was how Chaeyeon was going to react to it. 

 

 

Would Chaeyeon be able to accept everything with an understanding mind? Minjoo herself had to admit that she felt some sort of disdain when she first heard about it.. but she'd rather believe in Sakura than Eunbi any day. 

 

 

"Min? Are you listening to me?" Chaeyeon waved her hand in front of Minjoo, snapping her out of deep thought. Chaeyeon raised a brow, looking Minjoo right in the eye. "Are you okay..? You've been acting kinda weird too.."

 

 

"I'm fine..!" Minjoo said, maybe with too much force to be believable. She tried to smile, but it wasn't going to fool anyone. Definitely not Chaeyeon. "I've got some things on my mind right now.. Sorry if I'm a bit distracted."

 

 

"You want to talk about it? I'm always willing to listen to your problems."

 

 

"N-No! Thanks for the offer but.. It's not.. about me..? I can't really talk about it freely."

 

 

"Hmm.." Chaeyeon was very much reluctant to let it go but she didn't ask anymore. Minjoo has her own sets of things to think about she can respect that. "But.. were you listening to me at all? Anything I said??"

 

 

"I was! It's about Kkura-unnie, right?"

 

 

"Yeah.. I mean, no matter how I look at it.. She's clearly avoiding me!"

 

 

"Uh.. Did you try talking to her about it..?"

 

 

"I messaged her.. I asked if I did anything wrong without knowing but she told me that there's nothing wrong and.. she's just really busy lately.. It sounds completely like an excuse! Like hell I'd believe that nothings wrong.."

 

 

"Ha..ha.. Sh-She'll come around.. I think.. Maybe she's just really busy.. She's a third year after all..." 


 

"I hope so.."  Chaeyeon let out a very long sigh. It was weird not having Sakura around. Even though up until recently, she had hung out with the girl with no worries, it suddenly became like this.  

 

 

She tried to act calm but deep inside, panic was starting to well up in Minjoo. Minjoo knew how long it takes for Chaeyeon to open up to people and see that she found someone she can open up to comfortably.. Minjoo didn't want her to lose that. 

 

 

But the world wouldn't let things come peacefully.. or rather..

 

 

Kwon Eunbi wouldn't let it.

 

 

As if on cue, footsteps approached them, followed by a voice that was all too farmiliar.. and for more reasons than one, neither of them wanted to hear. 

 

 

"It's you two."

 

 

Coming from the floor above, it was Eunbi who walked up to them, looking at them with a confident smile. Oh, how Chaeyeon hated the look on her face. 

 

 

She hated this seemingly high and mighty aura Eunbi was trying to project onto them, as if she held something she could use against her. She's not trying to pin Eunbi as a bad person.. but this was certainly the look on Eunbi's face whenever she felt competitive.. and she was winning. 

 

 

Chaeyeon knew that much. She loved Eunbi so much that she would pay attention to every little detail concerning her.. and that very fact was what caused her to fall into the depths of despair at the realization that Eunbi's feelings for her was faltering. 

 

 

But she wasn't despairing as much as she thought she would. She always despised Eunbi.. and the fact that Eunbi's feelings seemed to change so quickly. She thought their love was strong.. and that it wouldn't have to end.

 

 

But she herself knew now..

 

 

Love is fragile.

 

Feelings change.

 

 

It felt terrible for Eunbi to be the one to help her realize this.. but somehow it also felt right. They learned this fact together. Surely, every couple would like to think that their  relationship is strong.. and some couples can prove this true.

 

 

But the opposite was also true. Not all couples work out.. and not all feelings are strong. It got Chaeyeon thinking that what they had..might not have been true love.. After all, if it changed so quickly.. is it love at all? 

 

 

....

 

 

Yes it is. Despite all this, Chaeyeon can still say.. at the very least.. her love for Eunbi was very real.

 

 

Because love isn't perfect.

 

 

"That's quite the fierce looking you're giving me.." Eunbi's words got Chaeyeon snapping back to reality. "Do you have something to say to me?"

 

 

Chaeyeon instinctively glared and was indeed going to say something to Eunbi but she was quickly interrupted, even though it was Eunbi that asked.

 

 

"Before that, I'll say one thing. You need to rethink the trust you put in Miyawaki Sakura."

 

 

....

 

 

....

 

 

....

 

 

"What?" That certainly wasn't what Chaeyeon was expecting. She was expecting the same bull about getting back together and the piles and piles of denial that Eunbi had to say. "Who do you think you are? To tell me who I should and shouldn't-"

 

 

"She isn't what you think she is." Eunbi spoke adamantly. It seems like she won't be backing down this time.  "You think she's doing what she does because she's a kind senior who loves to help out? If anything, she's the type who hates bothering with other's businesses." 

 

 

"Again- Why the hell are you talking like you know anything..? What do you know about-"

 

 

"I know more than you, at least. If you knew what I knew, you wouldn't be so friendly with her, Chae."

 

 

"Don't call me that." Chaeyeon cut in, but Eunbi wasn't taking anything from her. 

 

 

"She's the reason you've been suffering all this time!" Eunbi said with much conviction, so much that Chaeyeon would've immediately believed what she said were they not fighting. "She's no angel.. deep inside, she's a different person. She's the coward that lead to your scars." 

 

 

Chaeyeon was getting more and more confused as Eunbi continued to speak. What is she talking about? "Look- Quit wasting my time and get to the point."

 

 

"She's the reason why the people you loved so much had to leave this school." Eunbi too, seemed to be getting too into it. "She's the reason they couldn't stay here.. and the reason you had to suffer."

 

 

"What.. do you mean by that..?" Soon, the image was starting to become clear. Is she saying that Sakura had something to do with what happened last year..? That can't be. Sakura didn't seem like she'd be part of Jiyoung's gang, if that's what Eunbi was trying say.

 

 

There must be some kind of mistake here. There's still a chance that Eunbi was being jealous and was only trying to break them apart.. Sakura wouldn't do something to hurt others.. right? The Sakura she knew so far.. wouldn't do such a thing. 

 

 

But... what does she know about Sakura? 

 

 

Aside from the current affairs Sakura had with Gaeun, she knew close to nothing about who Sakura is... and what really goes in her mind. 

 

 

"I'm sure in denial right about now.. trying to convince yourself that I could be lying." Eunbi saw right through her.. how typical. "But I also know that you aren't stupid so I'm sure you already get what I'm saying." 

 

 

"Please stop." 

 

 

Eunbi's attention shifted to Minjoo, who broke her silence. "What..? Why are you suddenly interrupting..?"

 

 

"Whatever it is that happened.. then it's between Chaeyeon and Unnie, isn't it? Just leave them alone.." Minjoo asked, as politely as she could. She herself had some personal issues with Eunbi.. and so she couldn't hide own feelings as she said this. 

 

 

Having heard that from Minjoo, Eunbi couldn't hide the bitterness on her face. So despite knowing about what Sakura did, Minjoo will still side with her?

 

 

....

 

 

Eunbi wasn't going to take it. She wasn't going to let things stay this way. 

 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

 

....

 

 

.......

 

 

"What do you want from me now?"

 

 

A piercing glare was looking directly at Eunbi. Abruptly, she called Sakura out to the rooftop, the girl being unable to reject her request as she was afraid her classmates would make a fuss about them. 

 

 

Sakura didn't even try to hide the true feelings that showed on her face. Kwon Eunbi was a truly tiring person to deal with she honestly never wanted to be the center of this girl's attention. 

 

 

"I don't know what it is that you want to happen but can you clear things up with Chaeyeon already?" Eunbi demanded, and she sounded way too demanding for Sakura's comfort. 

 

 

"Who are you to be telling me what to do..?" Sakura's expression loosened up, a brow raised with a look of contempt that wasn't much of a glare but rather.. judging Eunbi with her eyes.

 

 

"I'm the girlfriend of the person you're getting involved with."

 

 

"Girlfriend.. meaning the person she's been desperately trying to break off that won't let her go..? The one with no sense of consideration for other people's privacy much less other people's opinions?" 

 

 

Eunbi scowled, but couldn't exactly deny what Sakura said. It was true that she was holding onto Chaeyeon while the other continuously tried to break it off. With the way they are now, even if Eunbi tried to defend herself, Sakura wouldn't pay attention.

 

 

What did happen, however, was Eunbi completely losing her temper at the condescending tone Sakura used on her. Without control, she got closer to Sakura and grabbed her by the collar of her neatly worn uniform that was definitely going to get wrinkles from her grip.

 

 

"Ah, yes. Let's get into a fight.. Ms. Student Council President." Sakura continued to push her buttons. "One of those typical k-drama fights in the rooftop like every single 'good student' roles get into.. the scene where the school finds out that the model students aren't what they seem to be, yes?" 

 

 

Eunbi couldn't stop herself, and pushed Sakura against the fence surrounding the rooftop. It would've been painful if it wasn't for the chain links making the impact weaker than what it could've been if it were a solid wall. 

 

 

Eunbi could feel the dangerous aura that surrounded Sakura. She was different from the last time they talked.. She seems to have summoned a completely different side of Sakura that others haven't seen.. and certainly she's showed a side of her own to Sakura that others didn't know about.

 

 

Sakura couldn't care less about what Eunbi thinks. She didn't care much about her image anyways. It's just it was too troublesome to deal with meddlesome people so she kept on with the model student act. The less she shows, the easier it is to keep living. Anyone close enough to her: Hyewon, Seoeon, Yena and maybe Gaeun too, would know that she has quite the twisted personality.

 

 

Eunbi bringing up what happened in the past.. and her constant attempts to pin all of the consequences on Sakura.. she couldn't keep up the act as the hatred she felt kept leaking right out of her. Maybe she seemed like a completely different person; She hasn't lost it so much in a long time that she could barely recognize herself either.

 

 

She found the likes of Jiyoung who physically tortured others for her own pleasure absolutely troublesome.. but what she found more disgusting was Kwon Eunbi. Maybe she was being biased.. maybe she's caught up in the hatred that she felt at this moment.. But definitely..

 

 

To bring up a past that pained someone else.. and using it for her own benefit.. just so she could get Chaeyeon back.. Kwon Eunbi.. is the worst. 

 

 

It takes a different level of annoyance for Sakura to break her peaceful streak and Eunbi was breaking it so hard.

 

 

"I ing hate people like you." 

 

 

Following the voice filled with loathing was thud. She pushed Eunbi away, roughly and with no consideration.. with enough force that she fell back quite violently.

 

 

"You ed with the wrong person, Kwon." Instead of an expression showing her anger, it was instead, a smirk that appeared on Sakura's face. "I'll give you a chance to stop what you're doing.. If you bother me again.. I won't have mercy on you."

 

 

The look in her eyes.. the smirk she showed.. that face would scare anybody.

 

 

....

 

 

Eunbi actually felt fear.

 

 

What did she get herself into..?

 

 

"You don't even know anything.. and yet you come to me acting like you've found your most powerful card.."

 

 

....

 

 

"I didn't have a choice, Kwon."

 

 

....

 

 

"You've seen now how angry I can get.. I wouldn't let Jiyoung get away with this kind of because I wanted to or because I was afraid for myself."

 

 

.....

 

 

"I didn't want Jiyoung to get away with it."

 

 

.....

 

 

"But.. for Anna.. I would do anything for her.. I had to choose her over everyone else."

 

 

....?

 

 

"Anna.. I didn't care about what Jiyoung would've done to me.. but.. Anna's safety.. it was my priority for s sake..!"

 

 

Eunbi quickly got up and backed away when she saw the look in Sakura's eyes grow darker. Anna? Who the hell is Anna? She never heard of anyone named Anna in their school who was close to Sakura.

 

 

"Sakura..!" The rooftop door burst open, causing Eunbi to look back. "Don't do anything you'll regret! Please!" 

 

 

....It's Gaeun. 

 

 

Walking right past Eunbi, she went straight to Sakura, blocking Eunbi from her view. 

 

 

"But.. Ssaem.. She started it." Sakura looked at Gaeun with soulless eyes.. eyes that Gaeun knew very well. Along with it, she noted that Sakura didn't call her unnie.. and so that was a clear sign. Eunbi brought that Sakura back. 

 

 

"Kwon Eunbi!" Gaeun turned to her and rather than anger, it was worry that filled her eyes. "I'm sure you've learned your lesson. I'm not stopping you for her sake.. but for your own sake. Please.. just go."

 

 

There was no hesitation in Eunbi; She wanted to leave as fast as she could because at that moment, she actually regretted what she did. 

 

 

Sakura would have gone after her but now that Gaeun was here, she couldn't do that. She hated it more than she thought she would - letting Eunbi get away. Sakura took a deep breath... And she was feeling a lot lighter. As she expected, as soon as Eunbi was out of her sight, she was fine again.

 

 

"What would you have done if I hadn't come..?" Gaeun let out a long sigh in relief as she saw that Sakura's eyes went back to normal. 

 

 

"I'm sorry.." Sakura could only look down and apologize.

 

 

"Don't.. say that." Gaeun shook her head, and patted Sakura's shoulder. "Whenever that side of you shows up, the other person usually deserves it. Did she try to bother you again like what happened in her room..?" 

 

 

"That wasn't all, Unnie." Sakura looked at Gaeun properly. "After that, she went to my dorm to bother me again."

 

 

"That girl.." Gaeun massaged her temple. She was getting a headache from how nosy Eunbi was being about this whole thing. 

 

 

"I mentioned.. Anna to her.." 

 

 

"....Oh." 

 

 

"I don't think she understood it but.. I'm sure she's going to end up thinking about everything I said." 

 

 

"...If that really happens, I just hope she stops causing more misunderstandings about you.. I can see how stressed you are, Sakura.. You weren't paying attention in class." 

 

 

"I never pay attention.." Sakura tried to lighten up the atmosphere and thankfully, Gaeun rode it with a smile. 

 

 

"I guess that's true.. You're too much of a genius to care about us teachers is what you're saying?" 
 

 

"That isn't what I said but.. maybe.." 

 

 

Gaeun's smile remained, her eyes gentle. She gave Sakura a pat on the head before saying, "Go back to your classroom." 

 

 

"Yes~"

 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

[After school...]

 

Yena looked at Sakura, noting that she seemed uncharacteristically tired. Sakura doesn't even care about classes so she doesn't exactly put much effort in it.

 

 

It could only mean one thing.

 

 

Eunbi did something. 

 

 

Yena was certain both Hyewon and Seoeon had the same thoughts as her and they definitely weren't going to let Sakura go without telling them what happened. 

 

 

It was really sudden, but the three of them suddenly asked Sakura if they could hang out. The destination? Seoeon's place. He lived alone, so often when it has to do with group works, they would just crash at his place and complete things there. They also had group studies.

 

 

Most of the time, they didn't even have Seoeon's permission and show up out of nowhere but this time, Seoeon actually agreed with it. They needed a place where they could talk to Sakura properly without anyone interrupting so what better place than Seoeon's? 

 

 

They were currently walking to Seoeon's and Sakura was already thinking about she should say to them. She didn't really have anything to hide from them. If she were to talk about what happened, there's no question that it would be them. There's Hitomi and Nako too.. but those two are far too innocent to understand her twisted mind so she refrains from telling them about the times when that hidden side of her came out.

 

 

Well.. she just has to keep herself calm. 

 

 

And more importantly, keep Hyewon calm. The thought of it caused her to shudder. If Hyewon would go all the way to talk to Gaeun for her.. there's no doubt Hyewon would have the guys to confront Eunbi. She needs to do whatever she can to make sure that doesn't happen. She'll need Seoeon's help for this one.

 

 

In fact, Hyewon already looked like she was fuming inside. Earlier when Eunbi excused Sakura to talk, Hyewon actually told Sakura not to go because she had a bad feeling about Eunbi.

 

 

She was right. Sakura very much regretted going. Now that she was in the right mind, she could finally process how risky her move was, going against Eunbi of all people. She did remember that Eunbi looked scared for her life so she probably wouldn't do much to hurt both of their reputations.. but even so.. she needs to think about what would happen if Eunbi does do something.

 

 

Sakura stares at Seoeon as they walk, hoping he'd feel her gaze. Eventually, he does look back at her. 

 

 

Help me, she mouthed.

 

 

Getting her signal, he gave her a smile and nodded. Having his help would make a lot of things easier. Yena was also pretty calm when it came to things like these but her mood was significantly lower than usual because of what happened between her and Yuri. Even then, Yena was trying her best to act like she usually would.

 

 

...

 

.....

 

...

 

 

After a while, the apartment building finally came to view. In just a bit more, they've arrived at their destination. Once they got to Seoeon's appartment, the girls just entered a super relaxed mode as if they owned the place. At first, Seoeon complained that they don't see him as a guy at all.. but soon realized that he really didn't view them as girls either. Except for one. Overall though, they were just bros as they liked to call it.

 

 

"Seoeon.. Do you have juice?" Hyewon asked loud enough for Seoeon to hear as he was changing in his room. "Nevermind! I found it.." 

 

 

Hyewon brought the juice and glasses to the coffee table in the living room. For someone who lived alone, it was really spacious. Yena and Sakura were already comfortable on the sofa and after serving the juice, Hyewon joined them. In a few seconds, Seoeon also joined them in more comfortable clothes.

 

 

And so begins their meeting.

 

 

"So.. Eunbi brought me to the rooftop.." Sakura started, carefully looking at everyone's reaction. "And.. hm.. she told me to clear things up with Chaeyeon..?"

 

 

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Yena sounded serious, but her face didn't show that kind of feeling. 

 

 

"Well.. she said she wanted me to.. hmm.. stop getting involved with Chaeyeon? Because.. she's Chaeyeon's girlfriend." 

 

 

"Oh.. so she gets to decide who Chaeyeon hangs out with now?" Hyewon scoffed. "Don't we just love a possessive and controlling partner?" 

 

 

"Well, it can't be helped." Seoeon let out a soft chuckle. "Her attitude as the president really shows what she's like. She's good at getting people to follow her.. so she must hate it when things don't go her way."

 

 

"That's really what it seemed like to me.." Sakura sighed, clearly tired just thinking about it. "After that I.. maybe.. showed that side to her." 

 

 

"You didn't.." Yena looked at her in shock.

 

 

"She pissed me off, Yena. She ed that up big time." 

 

 

"Oh god.."

 

 

Sakura giggled at Yena's overreaction. "She got really pissed and grabbed my collar and stuff." 

 

 

"She just used the surefire way to summon DarKkura-" Seoeon shook his head. The best way to summon DarKkura that he speaks of... is getting physical with her. Sakura is generally frail. She doesn't go out nor does she particularly exercise but if heaven forbid her dark thoughts are triggered, she finds strength through her scars. 

 

 

"So you're really calling it that?" Sakura laughed. She was actually thankful that they called that side of her in such a casual and somewhat funny way. It showed that they were willing to accept that part of her without discrimination. "But hm.. but as you probably expected.. I lost it there. My words started getting sharper.. and eventually I pushed her off."

 

 

"Did she fall?" Hyewon asked. 

 

 

"Yes..?"

 

 

"Deserve."

 

 

Yena and Seoeon shook their heads at Hyewon's bluntness. Sakura was somewhat relieved to see that Hyewon didn't seem to be blowing up as she expected. However, she can't talk to soon. Hyewon could just be thinking about it deeply before blowing up later.

 

 

"At that time.. I thought about.. Anna." Sakura showed a sad smile, the thoughts of the past filling her mind. "Once I thought about her.. I just lost control.. I.. don't know what I could've done to Kwon Eunbi.."

 

 

"What happened then?" Yena looked so into it.

 

 

"Gaeun-unnie came running to the rooftop to stop us.." 

 

 

"How did she know..?" Hyewon looked to Sakura for answers but the other girl just shrugged.

 

 

"I'm not really sure.. but maybe she saw it from below when Eunbi pushed me against the fence?"

 

 

"She what..?!" Now that was the reaction Sakura was expecting from Hyewon. Now she could see rage in Hyewon's eyes. She probably should've been more careful when she said that.

 

 

"M-Moving on.. Unnie broke it off before anything happened.." 

 

 

"Bless." That simple comment made by Seoeon got the atmosphere lightening up a bit, though Hyewon was still very much pissed off by what Eunbi did. "Well, it's simpler having to talk about what happened than.. say.. having to help Kkura hide the body."

 

 

"I think we'd be good at that though." Yena went along with his joke, causing Sakura to laugh. 

 

 

"I know you're all really supportive but you shouldn't support me in that way.. I don't want a criminal record." 

 

 

"You won't have one if you don't get caught." Hyewon joined in, and the other two gave her a thumbs up.

 

 

"I can't believe you.." Sakura sighed.. but then smiled. She was really thankful for these three. "I still have a problem though.."

 

 

"..?" The three of them collectively look at her. 

 

 

"....How do I tell Chaeyeon..?"

 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

 

 

||a/n: I ' m  b a c k.

Hey! Did you miss me? Or did you want to hunt me down just to get me to update? Whichever one it is, I'm back!!

I'm really sorry it took me so long~ It's been around 6 - 7 months since the last update so I know that it's really late but I had a terrible case of writer's block when classes were on-going and even through the quarantine, I just couldn't write the way I wanted to.

I suddenly got the motivation to finally write this chapter! I'll have you know that it's 3am now that I'm writing this a/n..  I'm not sure how frequently I will update but I'll try not to surpass the 7 months I took for this one! 

(; ω ;) It can be really hard to get over writer's block.. I'm sorry it took this long but I hope you enjoyed it!||