They sat out in front of the school, waiting for Wheein to be picked up. Her mom texted earlier mentioning that she may be a little late this time. The silence filled the air around them, but not like a schism between them, instead it brought them closer. Hyejin laid herself across Wheein’s lap, with Wheein absentmindedly playing with a button on Hyejin’s leather jacket. Both at peace in the presence of the other, both contemplating the information that was given and received. 

“Damn, Wheein, that’s just…...that’s just lame.” Hyejin’s voice finally cut the peace between them.

Wheein could only shrug, not bothering stopping her mindless fiddling, “Looking back on it, it was just poor communication.”

A scoff.

“Piss poor communication! Man, I thought you guys were all the ride or die types.”

A small smile, Hyejin’s good deed for the day. 

“I thought so too, but” a deep breath and a stretch, “despite knowing people for almost all your life they can still manage to surprise you.”

Hyejin stopped staring into space, instead turning her eyes to a whole universe, “Are you ok about it? I mean, it seems like you guys didn’t leave on the best of terms. I saw how those two treated you.”

Wheein looked above, maybe the clear skies can clear her mind, “I did have a hand in the fall out. Maybe if I actually communicated how I felt then maybe things would be different. Maybe if I wasn’t so inadequate in being a decent person then--”

A rabbit hole of self reflection, baited by a simple thread of certain thoughts. Falling, falling, falling ever deeper into the pit of self doubt. The pit welcomed her, waited for her even. It’s mouth open wide to embrace her entire being. Something which she would fall into, maybe even willingly, but not today.

“That’s a lie.” 

A voice. A cut of the thread.

Wheein did not even bother to look at Hyejin. 

“You’re a great person. A little awkward yea, but a way better person than what you give yourself credit for.”

Hyejin sat up, her eyes never once leaving Wheein’s face.

Upon hearing the fallout that Wheein had with her friends, Hyejin could not help but feel bad. Feeling bad that Wheein decided to suffer alone, she admitted to not telling her parents what happened. Feeling bad that Wheein had accepted the fact that it was already too late to gain friends with as deep a bond as she shared with her old friends, if not deeper. Feeling bad that she did not act sooner in becoming friends with Wheein in the first place.

She eyed, no, took notice of Wheein ever since they had their first interaction, one on one. Though, based on how Wheein is acting towards her, it seems like she had forgotten. But it was something Hyejin could never forget. Something she will forever treasure. Something that will drive her to help Wheein, even if they just become superficial friends. She has not been able to act upon such a drive since she only seems to see Wheein in passing, but now is her chance. Bad girl reputation be damned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was not even during the weekend, but instead on a wednesday night. Hyejin was just heading back to her car after a get together with her crew. Sure, it was dark and the streets were a bit dead, but it was not unexpected. Besides, she knew better than to be oblivious to the area around her.

So, she walked. Walked in the proud confidence that spoke on how to not mess with her if you do not want a beat down. And all seemed well. That was, until the cries of a poor animal reached her ears and her heart. Stopping immediately to pick up where it was coming from, she saw the shadows first. The shadows of a group of degenerates that seem to be in a sick glee. 

With a sinking stomach, she sprinted towards them. She ran as fast as she could, every little second mattered. She reached the start of the alleyway and skid to a stop, fully taking in the situation. A group of older teens all huddled around a small whimpering mass on the floor.

“Kick it again. See if it yelps louder.”

“I’m willing to bet on that.”

“ yea me too! I’ll bet two dollars!”

A chorus of vile laughter erupted as one of the teens started to kick the innocent puppy. From there, Hyejin only saw red and with a loud enough growl to garner the attention of the monsters, she made her move.

Relying mostly on instinct, she used the element of surprise to her advantage. Her small size became a valuable asset as they were piss poor fighters and did not know their range. But she did. Using instinct, minor training, and pure rage, her odds seemed good at first. But then one of the monsters got a little clever and used the whimpering puppy as a shield.

“Ey, we got a real vigilante of a now, don't we boys?” In its hands, the shaking mass of the puppy was being flaunted.

No response, the others were busy trying to recover but not seem weak about it. 

“If you wanted this little then you could’ve asked nicely. But listen, I’m a gentleman, and I’ll give you this thing.”

On cue, the creature threw the puppy at her and she caught it as gently as she could. However, the moment she caught the puppy, they all pounced. Caught off guard and with precious cargo, she did the only thing she could. She covered the puppy with her own body as a shield and she took all the punches and kicks without making a single cry.

Eventually the game of violence seemed to get worse before a cry cut through. The creatures turned towards the voice, ready to add another victim today, but they froze.

“, that’s Solar’s kid.”

“.”

They scattered like the cockroaches they are, leaving no trace behind.

Hyejin still did not budge. Their words of fear did not register to her one track mind and neither did the soft footsteps that were approaching.

“Hey, they’re gone now, you can--” A hitch in stopped her from continuing. The sight before her was a bloody mess. The body currently curled into a ball did not budge, and whimpers that were emanating from under the body were the only sounds that surrounded them.

Eventually Hyejin did move, instinct dictating the area was safe, and so she uncurled herself. As she did, Wheein’s breath stopped. The person before her seemed not only bloody with her own blood, but with also a hodgepodge of other various blood sources. Immediately she kneeled down to try to make sure this person was alright.

She cupped Hyejin’s face and gently moved her head so she could get a better angle in wiping the blood off. Good thing her mother made her carry a handkerchief everywhere. However, Hyejin was not having it. There were more important things at hand.

“Th-the puppy.” Hyejin weakly held the puppy out. The pup was just as bloody as Hyejin if not more so. However, it is still clinging to life. A fighter this one is.

Wheein looked between the two, unable to make a choice. 

Hyejin growled in frustration, and pressed the puppy more towards Wheein. There was no way there was a choice now. 

“I--” Wheein took the puppy, but still looked at Hyejin. Unsure if the other was actually alright or in the same state as this puppy. 

“It’s alright. Just make sure this lil guy makes it.”

“But--”

“Just go!” At this point, tiredness and rage still coursed through her and with the added frustration of time being wasted, Hyejin pushed Wheein away.

“Promise that the lil guy will make it.” A haggard cough. 

“Fine. Just promise you’ll make it too.” Wheein stood up and prepared to leave, but she had to hear what the other had to say. The validation that this was going to be the right choice.

A rough chuckle, “If that lil guy makes it, then I promise to be there when you need me, stranger. Now go!”

Validation received. Wheein nodded grimly, she herself unsure if the puppy was going to make it, she still ran. Any effort was better than no effort. Lucky for her, the nearest vet was within a runnable distance. And so, she ran. Focused on honoring the stranger’s wish and nothing else.

As Wheein ran off, Hyejin gave herself a moment to catch her breath. Lurching forward to get up she stood only a moment before she noticed the handkerchief the stranger left  behind. Picking it up, careful to not add any more dirt and grime and blood that began to soak through it already, she examined it. Trying to spot a name, or a clue as to who this stranger was. She could have sworn that the stranger looked familiar but can’t quite place it. Eventually, her brain had enough thinking and she slowly made it back to her car. Good thing her uncle told her to keep a first aid kit in the car. 

Cleaning herself up a bit, Hyejin finally made her way home. She took the long way home, and by the time she came back it was already midnight. Hyejin snuck her way in, a mundane task, and fell straight to bed. She came back home late often enough with bruises and cuts that her parents would not be surprised to find her still in bed, not ready for school in the morning. Good thing she was honest with them. And good thing she always made it up to them. But right now, it was the time to sleep.

But before the sweet embrace of slumber took her away, the last thing on her mind was the image of the stranger. Who was she? There was something familiar about her but the answer was so close that there was no answer. Eventually she was engulfed in darkness, her final thoughts were of giving back the handkerchief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the present, Wheein still not meeting Hyejin’s gaze, she finally had enough. She was going to tell Wheein the truth that she had been observing, the truth of the type of person Wheein really is based on her actions, not just some incoherent thoughts. So, she gently cupped Wheein’s face, to make Wheein finally face her. 

The sudden warmth that cupped her cheeks, froze Wheein in place. Eventually letting the hands that held her lead her. Her eyes eventually meet the passionate and piercing gaze of Ahn Hyejin. 

“Wheein, I know we are not friends yet, but believe me when I tell you, you are a better person than you think you are. You catch on quickly in class and yet you don’t gloat. Instead you offer to help those that struggle. You have an artistic eye and skill and yet you are still eager to see what works others have and take whatever advice they have. You have such a kind soul that you saved a puppy based on the ravings of a bloody stranger.” 

Yes, after a couple of days of recovery, and some time to catch up on school work, Hyejin went on social media to see if the puppy had made it and was on the road to recovery and eventually, adoption. And to her glee, the first post on the vet’s page was a post about a recuperating puppy that is eager to be adopted one day. 

Initially frozen, the mention of the puppy brought Wheein back, and back into a confused as hell state. 

“A puppy??” She did not bother to move out of Hyejin’s hands, but she still cocked her head to the side again, “ how do you--”

This time she cut herself off. Realisation hitting her like a freight train going at supersonic speed and being suplex right afterwards. 

The eyes.

The eyes of a lion

Ahn Hyejin’s eyes. 

The stranger’s eyes.

Wheein’s own eyes widened in recognition, and Hyejin softly smiled. Neither moved from their positions.

“Yea, I’m the bloody stranger.” A broad smile. 

“You--”

“I’m sorry, and I know this is a sweet moment and all, but we need to go home Wheein. I’ve been waiting for the past 15 minutes for you and Byul is looking forward to italian tonight.”

Yongsun’s voice startled both girls enough that they jumped, but that is where the similarities of their reaction ended. Wheein jumped and squeaked, while Hyejin jumped while also quickly taking her hands away from Wheein’s face. However, she moved with such force that she launched herself backwards off the bench and straight into the lame bush. 

Yongsun took note of her daughter’s blushing face, and of the scene before she interrupted. This will be interesting to tell Moonbyul later. But right now, it was time to go home. 

She witnessed her daughter help the other, making sure the other was ok with such care that it brought memories of days long passed. Eventually, both girls bid their farewells, Yongsun’s ears not failing to pick up the mention of having lunch tomorrow. 

As they got into the car and began driving home, the dragon striked. 

“Sooooo, who was that Wheein-ah?” 

A loud groan was the only response.