Like many high schools around the world, RBW High has a buddy scheme. Each first year student is paired with an older buddy, who’s responsible for guidance and support through the first few months of the school year. It can be a difficult transition for newcomers. Wheein and Hyejin, indeed, are a bit scared by these new halls, full of so many older students who all seem to be at least a foot taller than them. And, honestly, rather hostile towards naïve freshmen.

Right away on their first day, Wheein and Hyejin find themselves on the receiving end of some hostility. A group of dangerous-looking seniors surrounds them in the hall and start talking all at the same time, teasing them abrasively, threatening to play horrible pranks if Wheein and Hyejin don’t do what they want. One of them even pulls Wheein’s ponytail. The two young girls step backward until they bump against the lockers, terrified.

They get saved by two things: the bell, and a handsome, silver-haired girl in a leather jacket, who apparently has great influence over the group, since they all withdraw when she calls them back, like a pack of wolves responding to their alpha. She looks at them with a disgusted expression on her face. “You think you’re so tough, and yet you bully freshmen? If you want my respect, fight fair. Pick on juniors, at the very least.” Most of the other students lower their eyes. “Sorry, Moonbyul,” one of them mutters.

After this episode, Wheein and Hyejin are more than relieved when they finally get matched to their buddy - Kim Yongsun, a nerdy looking seventeen year old. She’s in the student council; she’s friendly, and not intimidating at all. She values hard work, academics, and kindness, and she hates bullies, she tells Wheein and Hyejin right away when they meet, flashing them a bright smile. They’re under her wing now, and they are so grateful for it that they can’t help but follow her everywhere like two lost ducklings.

In fact, they follow her around so much that they notice things. Unexpected things. For example, they see that the strange silver-haired girl, Moonbyul, often nods at their buddy Kim Yongsun when they pass each other in the halls, and that Kim Yongsun usually responds with a shy smile.

They overhear their unnie talking to a teacher behind a closed classroom door: “I know she was rude to you, Mr Bae, but please don’t fail Moon Byulyi, she’s having a hard time at home…”.

And then again, outside the principal’s office: “Mrs Park, I know wall vandalism is against the ethics of RBW, the student council and I will absolutely help with the cleaning… but please don’t suspend her, she can’t be home with her parents, she’d just end up spending time on the streets and meeting heaven knows what kind of people. Please, Mrs Park, I’m asking this as a personal favor.”

They start thinking it weird that most members of the student council get bullied every day, and yet nobody tries to bother Kim Yognsun. Nobody. Ever.

It’s also pretty weird that, while the only scooter parked in on the school’s lot is Moonbyul’s, Kim Yongsun can often be heard complaining about having helmet hair.

One final example: they see Kim Yongsun smile dreamily at her phone, and when Wheein glances at the screen, she sees her buddy is sighing over a text from a sender called “Byulkong”. Wheein can’t quite read the text, but she clearly sees Yongsun replying with a heart emoji.

It’s all very unexpected.

One day, Hyejin just asks. “Yongsun-unnie, do you know that silver haired punk, Moonbyul?”

“I do know her.” If Kim Yongsun is taken aback by the question, she doesn’t show it.

“Are you two friends?”

“Not exactly. Why are you asking, Hyejinie?”

“I just wanna know what her deal is. She has a pretty bad reputation around her, but she basically saved me and Wheein from some bullies on our first day here. Is she a delinquent or is she nice?”

“You know, Hyejinie, sometimes the world isn’t so black and white.”

“How did you become friends?” Wheein interjects. “You two seem so… different.”

“I got slushied on my way to History class on our first day of school. Byulyi was just passing by, but she saw it happening, grabbed the guy and beat him up senseless against the lockers. He was, like, three times bigger than her. So she got a suspension for that, right away on her first day of school. I don’t condone violence, nor cheating, but I couldn’t help feeling grateful… so I started letting her copy my homework after that. We formed a sort of alliance, you could say that.”

The two young girls gawk in surprise. “But, unnie, why does she act like a delinquent if she’s actually a nice person?” Wheein asks.

“It’s difficult to explain. If you saw her home… let’s just say, Wheein-ah, you’d have behavioral challenges too if you were treated like that at home. Sometimes, people behave badly because they’re getting way less love than they need. There’s so much sadness and rage inside her, and it can’t go anywhere, so she gets destructive. I wish I could…” Yongsun trails off. Wheein and Hyejin stare at her in astonishment.

“You’ll understand when you’re older,” Yongsun sighs. “Anyway, Hyejin, how’s it going with Mr Bae? He told me you don’t listen well, we’ll have to work on that…”.

It’s a Sunday afternoon and Wheein and Hyejin are hanging out. They are in an exceptionally good mood, because, after a hard week of classes and school work, they finally got the chance to recharge, practice their singing, go shopping, and the like. “Let’s stop for ice cream?” Hyejin suggests as they stroll through the mall. She is in the mood for a sweet snack. Plus, when they’re sitting down at the ice cream parlor, she can ask Wheein for advice about that boy from class that she likes.

Once they are sitting down with two huge sundaes, Heyjin is about to start talking when her eye catches something familiar. Or rather, someone familiar.

“Don’t say anything,” she whispers, “but Yongsun unnie is sitting in that booth over there.”

“Why, let’s go say hi to her –“

“Wheein-ah!” Hyejin grabs her friend’s arm, stopping her. “She’s… busy. Turn around – discreetly!”

So Wheein turns around, and she sees the most unexpected thing of all. Her unnie is not sitting alone in the booth. Indeed, she seems to be in very good company, since she’s snogging someone. A silver-haired someone. Yongsun’s sundae, long forgotten on the table, has turned liquid. Moonbyul’s coke is diluted with melted ice. Wheein can’t see their faces, but she sees the back of Moonbyul’s hand caressing Yongsun unnie’s cheek as they kiss, and Yongsun’s arms wrapped around Moonbyul’s waist.

Wheein turns back to face her friend, her eyes so wide open that Hyejin is afraid they’re going to pop out of her skull.

“I thought she said they weren’t friends.”

“That’s not exactly friendly behavior, Wheein-ah.” Hyejin laughs as she dips into her sundae.