Genre: Drama, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, School, Slice of Life

Summary: “I hate you. I hate you so, so much. I really do. I hate every bit of you.

But…”

This is neither your typical “the more you hate, the more you love” cliché, nor an “enemies into lovers” kind of trope.

Word Count: 8513

Hashtag: #KwonChaeng_FactSheHatedMe

 

Fact: She Hated Me

 

>>tw/ mentions of bullying<< 

 

Lee Chaeyeon. 

 

A certified top. 

 

You read it right, a ‘top’. 

 

Oh, is it already mentioned that she’s a top?

 

If it wasn’t clear yet, then yes, to reiterate, she’s a top.

 

Even Choi Yena, her closest friend, acknowledges such fact. 

 

“You’re on top again, Chaeng! As expected of you! You just transferred here this school year and yet you managed to claim the top spot in the academic ranking. How I wish I have your brains.” Yena said, scratching her cheek after cheerfully congratulating Chaeyeon who just shyly smiled in return. 

 

They were in front of the bulletin board of the High School Department, eyeing the white paper which contains the printed results of their midterm examinations that had happened over the past week. 

 

“Oh, you’re here too, Eunbi! Congratulations for claiming the second spot! That’s some huge brains you both have there. You guys really are geniuses. Can’t relate. Well, I think I’m just simply not cut out for acad-related stuff.” Yena said, she was about to hug Eunbi but she halted when she saw that the short-haired girl was glaring at the brunette; maybe even doing some sort of incantations to kill the other on her mind. 

 

“This wouldn’t be the end of it, Lee. I’ll make sure I’ll defeat you on the next set of examinations. Just so you wait on the finals.” Eunbi said, walking passed the two, intentionally bumping the brunette’s shoulders (like some sort of a cliché antagonist in a mainstream drama that people love to watch during afternoons in their favorite channel). 

 

“I don’t know why she’s like that to you. She’s a very sweet girl, you know. I could even vouch for that. You see, I was kinda the troublemaker of our class and I’ve been reprimanded a lot of times already but Eunbi would always lower the punishment I’m receiving. Well, in my defense, I was just breaking some classroom rules, but I never did cause harm to others in the process. I even remember being caught sleeping or sneaking a bite of corndog during classes. Ms. Shon’s face whenever she reprimands me was really funny! You should try doing it too, for fun.   

 

And oh, going back, before I completely got lost in narrating my shenanigans, I wonder what’s behind her being hostile towards you, and you alone.” Yena, after her lengthy narration placed her hands on her chin, pouted her lips, thinking deeply. 

 

“I wonder too. I kind of remember knowing her in the past though the memories I have of her are kinda blurry. Have I done something wrong to Eunbi for her to treat me like this?” Chaeyeon said sighing, searching her mind for her possible offenses, but she really couldn’t find any. 

 

“Don’t think like that. We’ve only met this year, but I think you’re a very nice person. Must be because of her parents pressuring her into being number one. You know, parent’s expectations and stuff. I heard the Kwons are a family of prodigies. Must be hard for her living like that. But oh well, come on, let’s go to the cafeteria.”

 

-----------------------

 

Eunbi was a social butterfly. She was so kind to everybody. She even helps her classmates whenever they needed guidance when it comes to understanding their lessons and answering their assignments. Whenever she sees one of them struggling, without them asking for help, she would lend them a hand, making it easier for them to understand the topic at hand. 

 

Everybody loves Eunbi because of that. All of their classmates admired how she managed to maintain good grades despite being the school’s student council president. She’s also extremely beautiful; associating such an adjective with her would be an insult because it wouldn’t be enough to describe how enticingly gorgeous and flawless her features are. With those perfect eyes that seems to stare directly into one’s soul, her lips that forms a smile which could melt anyone who would look at it, she’s just… 

 

 A piece of art worthy to be given a great deal of admiration. 

 

She’s just so lovely, one couldn’t help but adore her. 

 

However, she’s different when it comes to Chaeyeon. Way, way, different. 

 

Chaeyeon was naturally shy and quiet. Good thing Yena, another social butterfly in their class, talked to her first and made friends. 

 

Despite being an introvert, Chaeyeon is a really caring and soft person inside. She too, wanted to help her classmates whenever she sees them struggling but she doesn’t have the courage to approach them first. 

 

All their classmates both admired Chaeyeon and Eunbi for being pretty and smart. Well, it was an open secret but everybody sure respects Chaeyeon because she’s an outstanding student. They also find her cute because of her shy and quiet demeanor. 

 

Chaeyeon had always been saddened by the fact that Eunbi is hostile towards her because she could see that Eunbi is a kind person. 

 

‘Have I done anything that could have angered her?’ 

 

She was so, so, bothered to the point that she even planned to give up being number one because that’s the only reason she could think of on why Eunbi hates her.

 

“Oh come on, Chaeng. Don’t do that. You deserve all the recognition you are getting because you clearly worked hard for it. Don’t worry, you just have to wait and show Eunbi that you’re a nice person and she’ll eventually change the way she acts around you.”

 

 “I hope so.”

 

“Why don’t you try talking to her first? You know, just to make her feel that you wanna be her friend as well?”

 

“I should really do that. I don’t want unnecessary fights. I just want to study here peacefully.”

 

And so Chaeyeon went out of her way to try and casually talk to Eunbi. She started sharing tables with her in the library (though Eunbi would immediately move to another one whenever she notices Chaeyeon’s presence). 

 

Yena even helped her by asking Eunbi to join them for lunch but the latter always refuses because she knew Chaeyeon would be there. 

 

“It’s fine Yena. Maybe there were really people who won’t get along with each other and that’s the case for me and Eunbi. Let’s just…give up and forget I even tried all these stuff.”

 

“That’s a good decision, Lee.” 

 

They heard a voice from behind. 

 

It was Eunbi. 

 

“After all, you’ve already mastered the art of forgetting things, you even forget about people. And for the record, we would stay as enemies forever. Don’t even dream of becoming close to me,” Eunbi closed the gap between them, whispering in Chaeyeon’s ear, “I disgust you.” After saying that, she looked at Chaeyeon’s eyes, the intensity of its grim would make one quiver in their seat, leaving the brunette behind, mind still full of unanswered questions.  

 

Chaeyeon was still confused, she doesn’t have a single clue of what Eunbi meant. However, for Chaeyeon, she had already gone out of her way to woo the short-haired girl, but her efforts were all in vain. Now, all she just wants was to give up reconciling with her (when she herself knew that she didn’t do anything wrong) and just resort into treating her a stranger. 

 

Chaeyeon was getting used to that set up of Eunbi hating her guts and her ignoring the latter. 

 

Though it still bothers her every now and then, she had learned to accept the fact that she cannot really be friends with everybody. 

 

She just decided not to… care anymore. 

 

Not until this day. 

 

“Eunbi, why did you do that? Now everybody doubts Chaeyeon. We all know she’s a genius, there’s no way she would’ve cheated her way towards becoming the top student!” Yena said, she was fuming mad, her brows were creased and anger’s evident in her voice. 

 

“Maybe you just didn’t know the real her, Yena. A fake a*s b*tch hiding in the guise of an angel, I guess she really did fool you too. I just wish we won’t have the same fate but knowing her, that was far from happening.” Eunbi spare Chaeyeon a quick glance, with her eyes burning with hatred and was about to leave when she felt a hand hold her wrist and stopped her from doing so. 

 

“So, you did it? You set me up? Just what have I done to you Eunbi? Tell me? Why do I deserve such a treatment?” Chaeyeon said, droplets of water were starting to blur her vision. 

 

“Why do you even care now? You’re good at acting like you don’t know anything, right? You knew very well where I am coming from, Lee. You, of all people, knew it very well.” Forcefully shoving the hands of the brunette away, Eunbi replied freeing herself from Chaeyeon’s grasp.  

 

After that incident, some of their classmates started to bully Chaeyeon. Those who had harbored jealousy towards her and but couldn’t lift a finger because she’s famous and she’s revered by everyone, now had the guts to harass her face-to-face. 

 

The others, who used to admire her, had felt very awful that they used to have a high regard of and respect someone who resorts to cheating just so she could be at the top. That is why; even if they are witnessing blatant bullying in front of them, they just chose to kept mum and ignore such like it wasn’t happening. 

 

At first it was just simple verbal oppression. Eunbi even joins the bullies when it comes to saying horrible things about Chaeyeon. 

 

Not until the words became something physical. 

 

Yena was always there to defend her from them but of course, the duck couldn’t be there for her all the time even if the former wants to. 

 

It was one afternoon when their class was dismissed earlier than usual. Yena did not attend their classes because she got sick so Chaeyeon was left by herself, alone, during that particular day. 

 

The bullies find that it was such a perfect opportunity to bully Chaeyeon yet again. 

 

However, they were not satisfied with just mere words anymore because Chaeyeon had learned to ignore them completely. While Yena would always think of witty comebacks and equally stingy retorts to defend her friend, Chaeyeon on the other hand would just simply place earphones on her ear, not caring about the world. 

 

But today, they wanted to hurt her physically—hear her scream and be sorry for what ‘she had done’. 

 

“So, Chaeyeon…You’ve managed to get perfect scores again in our Calculus exam today. But come on, you wouldn’t be able to fool us anymore. We all know you’ve cheated. Again.” The bullies with one of their brows arching up, crossed their arms. 

 

Chaeyeon wanted to say something; she opened and was about to speak, but she chose to close it again. 

 

She wore her AirPods and ignored the bullies, walking past them. 

 

“HOW DARE YOU IGNORE US YOU CHEATING SH*T!” One of the bullies pulled her hair. 

 

Chaeyeon screamed in pain. She felt helpless…

 

She couldn’t fight back…

 

She wasn’t as brave as Yena… she was scared to fight back because she felt that even if she would have the energy and the courage to do so, she still wouldn’t win against them.

 

“STOP PLEASE! I’m begging you…I didn’t do anything bad to all of you…Why are you all doing this to me?” Chaeyeon was already crying, trying to free herself from the grasp of the bullies. 

 

“You didn’t do anything? Oh, come on. You have already fooled us once when we believed you’re some kind of a genius, but you wouldn’t be able to fool us twice.” One of the bullies slapped her. 

 

Holding her left cheek that had received the impact, she winced in pain; the redness and the visible mark of the hand on her face indicates that it was a really strong one.

 

“But I didn’t really cheat…I….”

 

“Still claiming that you didn’t, huh? Just how calloused face are you, Lee?”

 

One of them was about to kick her in the stomach when somebody came. 

 

“What are y’all doing?” A voice came out of nowhere.

 

“Yena?” Chaeyeon absent-mindedly called her friend’s name hoping that somebody had come to rescue her from such fate. 

 

Because she couldn’t save herself. 

 

“E-Eunbi?” One of the bullies said. 

 

Chaeyeon’s hope was crushed when she found out that it was Eunbi who came. Rather than helping her, she might even join the bullies into hurting her. 

 

“Oh, this is a great chance, Ms. Kwon! Come and join us. We all know you also wanted to do this to her.” The leader of the bullies was about to continue the interrupted kick on the stomach when she felt a hand pulling her hair. 

 

It was Eunbi.

 

Chaeyeon on the other hand closed her eyes, anticipating the pain that she was about to receive but she was surprised when she didn’t feel any. 

 

She opened her eyes again, astounded to see Eunbi pulling the hair of the leader of the bullies. 

 

“President…what are you doing?” One of the bullies asked, shocked about what they’re seeing. 

 

Eunbi was the last person they would think of who would save Chaeyeon from being bullied.  

 

“I did say I hated her and told her hurtful things, but I never had gone physical with her.” Eunbi said glaring at the bullies. 

 

“You know what, you’re a hypocrite, Eunbi. We all know you set Chaeyeon up just so you could become number one.” The leader said. 

 

“So, you’re all aware that I didn’t cheat? But you’re still doing all these, nonetheless?” Chaeyeon said, anger apparent in her eyes. 

 

“Of course, the teachers may believe her because she’s their pet, but we’re not dumb enough to believe Eunbi’s little show. It’s just that, it’s fun seeing you getting bullied and all. Especially because you don’t fight back.” Said the leader, who had finally freed herself from Eunbi’s grasp. 

 

“You piece of sh*ts!” Eunbi yelled, trying to take a hold of the leader’s hair again. 

 

But the two other bullies came to their leader’s rescue. 

 

Eunbi tried to fight them, but even Chaeyeon could see that Eunbi is being outnumbered; her strength is not enough to stop the three of them. 

 

So even if she’s terrified to fight back…

 

Even if her head’s telling her to just run away…

 

Instead of doing that, she helped Eunbi fight the bullies. 

 

It was a really, really weird feeling for Chaeyeon…

 

It was as if she had been a brave girl in the past, but she couldn’t recall any memory being such. 

 

She’s a coward, and she knew that. 

 

She had always avoided fights. She hated getting into fights. 

 

In fact, she had never been into any fight all her life. 

 

But it was odd. 

 

This was really weird. 

 

Because despite of the numerous scratches she’s been getting from the newly manicured nails of the bullies and a handful of her hair strands getting pulled out, she felt happy. 

 

Who even feels happy being in such a situation?

 

Strange, right?

 

“Students! To my office! Now!” A teacher, more specifically the Prefect of Discipline who was about to head home saw them all right on the act, brawling. 

 

And of course, that lead them to detention. Even Eunbi, the student council president. 

 

“I’m so disappointed in you Ms. Kwon! You were the last person I would think of to engage herself in a petty fight like this!” The POD says, leaning on her swivel chair, massaging her temples due to stress. 

 

“I’m sorry, Ma’am but they were the ones—” Eunbi tried to reason out from her seat but to no avail. 

 

“No more excuses. God, I am really disappointed in you. You and Ms. Lee will be cleaning the storage room. As for you three, you’ll be cleaning the comfort rooms. Now get out of my office!” Removing her eyeglasses, placing it on her table, the POD said with much fury in her voice.

 

“But Ma’am, can I ask you to just please assign me to the comfort rooms as well?” The three bullies were halted from leaving the room, collectively rolling their eyes upon hearing Eunbi’s request. 

 

“And then what? You’ll start a fight again? No. My decision is final. Now go.” The POD said, clearly annoyed, she couldn’t even look at Eunbi whose face was now painted with dejection.

 

With a heavy heart, the five proceeded to their assigned place. 

 

Eunbi walked faster just so she wouldn’t walk alongside Chaeyeon. 

 

The two arrived at the place. It was just a small storage room, there were little space inside because it was loaded with papers—examination papers of students, worksheets, activity sheets and some books that were pulled out from the library because they were now outdated.

 

One could sniff a scent of old papers that have already turned yellowish brown and had accumulated dust on it, as well as some spider’s web hanging on the ceiling and on some of the corners of the cabinets. There was only a single lightbulb in the room, though because of its small size, such was enough to illuminate the place. 

 

While Eunbi was busy distracting herself from Chaeyeon’s presence, thinking ways on how they could immediately accomplish the task just so she could already leave and part ways with her, the brunette approached her. 

 

“Hey Eunbi…Thank you for earlier. I didn’t know you’ll come and save me.” Chaeyeon smiled at her. 

 

That smile was very, very familiar for Eunbi. 

 

With that single gesture, she was immediately flooded with memories. She looked away, thinking that she might get soft and eventually look weak in front of the brunette if she continued staring at her eyes and Eunbi doesn’t want that to happen.

 

“I hate you. I hate you so, so much. I really do. I hate every bit of you. 

 

But…

 

…I could still see her in you so I wouldn’t be able to just stand there and do nothing.

 

You said you didn’t know anything. But how could you? You’re the closest to her! It still hurts, you know. Right here.” Eunbi pointed to her heart. She tried so hard to hold her tears back, but at the slight mention of ‘her’ Eunbi’s eyes had betrayed her. 

 

“‘Her?’ What do you mean, ‘her’? Eunbi I’m… I’m sorry… I’m sorry if I’m the reason why you’re hurting right now…but I really don’t have any clue about what you’re saying. I don’t know if you’ll believe me but Eunbi…I’m not pretending not to know because I truly do not know.” Chaeyeon said, she tried to look as sincere as possible. 

 

She just wanted to know the reason behind Eunbi’s attitude towards her because after the incident earlier, she had felt like her relationship with the short-haired girl could still be repaired after all.    

 

Also, during that particular moment, seeing the pain in Eunbi’s eyes as she softly sobs, she wanted to hug her but knowing that the girl hates her, she couldn’t bring herself to do so. So, she just stayed still, maintaining a reasonable distance with the other, not knowing what to do. 

 

Chaeyeon’s mind was still lost in thought when Eunbi brought her wallet out, snapping her back. She pulled out a certain picture from it. 

 

A picture of three girls, to be specific. 

 

Chaeyeon was surprised by what she is seeing. 

 

Eunbi was smiling wide in the middle, winking at the camera with her arms clung on the shoulders of two other girls on both of her sides pulling them close, of which Chaeyeon had recognized as her being posing a v-sign on the right and on the left was…

 

…a girl who looks exactly like her beaming an eye smile. 

 

‘But how… just… how…?’

 

“She was your twin sister, Chaeyeon. She’s Chaeryeong.”

 

“But…how...? As far as I know, I am an only child.” Chaeyeon said, clearly taken aback of what she had seen. 

 

“Ask yourself, Chaeyeon. You think I’ll go so far as to edit a picture? You think I’ll willingly show my vulnerable self to you? Hell, no.” Eunbi seriously said. 

 

The room was now being clouded with heavy air when without a warning, they were both startled at the abrupt closing of the room’s door and sudden darkness that had engulfed them. 

 

Chaeyeon screamed. For some reason, she hates being enclosed in a room with little space to breathe in. Eunbi panicked because of Chaeyeon’s unexpected reaction; she did not peg for the brunette to be someone who gets scared of dusky places. 

 

She immediately reached for the switch of the lights, but it won’t lit up. She tried opening the door but it was as if it was locked from the outside.  

 

It was too dark which made it difficult for her to see anything, however, Chaeyeon’s squeals are ringing in her ears, she could imagine the brunette frantically crying in a corner. 

 

“C-Chaeyeon. Stop crying I’m here.” Eunbi said awkwardly, trying to touch things to serve as her guide not to stumble while she was moving closer to Chaeyeon’s position.  

 

“I…I…my head hurts…”

 

“Shh…Sh…I’m here. Don’t be scared.” Eunbi comforted Chaeyeon by hugging her. 

 

But she won’t stop crying, repeatedly chanting that her head hurts. 

 

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