＊myungsoo's story

 may fifth twenty ten 

Ever since Jiyeon was nominated to write the script for the class play, whenever I saw her, she would be slumped over at her desk, furiously writing into a school notebook. When I came to class early, there she was writing. If I had to leave late, and by late, I meant real late, Jiyeon was still at her desk. I started to wonder if she even went home. Why did she put so much effort into this anyway? Was that what separated me and her? She placed this much passion and dedication into writing, while I just saw it as a fun past time? Even so, didn't she realize what Jieun was planning?

Entering the classroom in the early morning, once again I heard the familiar sounds of pencil against paper. I finally couldn't take it anymore and decided to approach her. As I reached her desk, I suddenly felt like the floor became slippery. Looking down, I saw several strands of long black hair surrounding her desk. I stumbled backwards, slightly in shock. What the hell?? Gulping down, somehow I managed to compose myself again. 

"I think you should stop writing the script."

I figured she wasn't going to pay me any attention, but to my surprise, she actually stopped. 

"You do realize that no matter how amazing your script is, Jieun will tell you to redo it? She didn't choose you because she wanted a successful play. She just wanted more reasons to harrass you." I stated blankly. Suddenly she dropped her pencil on her desk and slowly turned to look at me.

"I know that much."

My eyes slowly drifted to the notebook as if it were drawn to it. Realizing the awkward silence, I turned to look back at her only to see her with a wide smile, staring unflinchingly at me. My eyes widened, and although I managed to stay calm, all I wanted to do was back away from her. Her rigid smile sent chills through my body. Without blinking. Without even moving. Her gaze and her smile stayed firmly locked onto me. I finally managed to speak,

"T-then why are you..." I began, only to be interrupted by her. 

"That's why I'm writing this..." She murmured softly to herself. With that, she began writing furiously again. Soft giggles could be heard from her as she slouched back over her desk. Walking backwards, I decided to leave the class. That girl...was too strange. Why would she so work hard on a script that wouldn't be accepted?

Of course, the answer to that was revealed soon enough.

During lunch break, I sat with Sungyeol as usual, not really paying attention to my surroundings when a shrill voice broke through my thoughts.

"Hey! As Jieun's co-director, I need to check how the script is going." Sooji giggled, forcefully grabbing the notebook from Jiyeon who was midway writing. Sungyeol and I looked at each other, and he wore a tired expression as if it say, 'it's starting.'

Flipping through the pages, Sooji began scoffing and mocking Jiyeon's work. "What is this? Disgusting. Write it again, please!" 

I expected her to throw the notebook in the trash, or in Jiyeon's face, but Sooji just held on to it, her eyes drawn to the words. She fell into silence as she read the script. 

Was it actually so good that Sooji couldn't even finish mocking Jiyeon?

Not paying any more attention to her, I went back to eating lunch.

---

Finally the bell rang and the teacher arrived into class, signalling the end of our break. Every student slowly made their way back to their seat. The teacher was about to begin his lecture, when he realized that Sooji was still transfixed in front of Jiyeon's desk.

"Bae Sooji. Lunch is over, please go back to your desk." 

This seemed to break her out of her trance and she held the book firmly and walked back to her seat behind me. 

The lecture then began. Resting my head on my hand, I lazily wrote down everything the teacher said. My eyes drifted from the clock, to the blackboard, then back to the notebook in front of me. Math was so dreary. Glancing to my left, I saw that Sungyeol was already asleep. 

Haah...Hahh...Hahh....

I heard the sounds of deep breathing behind me. 

Hahh...Wheeze....Hahh...

What the heck? I wasn't really a person big on patience, and heavy breathing was definitely something that irritated me. Turning around, I was about to give Sooji one of my famous stares when I saw her with her hands tightly clenched onto the sides of her desk. Her eyes seemed to bulge out, and her breathing was reduced to quick gasps of air and wheezing.

"Hahh...hahh...hahh...hahh...nghh...ahh..." She gasped as if something was making it hard for her to breathe. Her hands moved to her neck and she began to claw at .

Slowly the people around her noticed what was going on, including the teacher.

"Sooji?! What's the matter? What's going on?" He rushed up to her and tried to pry her hands away from her neck. 

"Aghhh!! Hahh...hahh!!" She began to choke. Falling onto the ground, she continously scratched at her neck. After watching too many horror movies, I half-expected the skin to tear off, but thankfully all she left were deep red marks on her neck. 

"Is she hyperventilating? Give me a paper bag! Someone!" The teacher demanded. 

I sat there watching the chaos occurring the the class. Jieun and Jinri were behind the teacher, hands covering their mouths in shock. Other people were huddled together. Even students from other classes began gathering outside to try and catch a glimpse. Almost everyone's attention was drawn to Sooji. Almost everyone. I caught a glimpse of Jiyeon leaving the room.

Then before I knew it, a medic was in the room and Sooji was being strapped away to be sent to the hospital. Because of what happened to Sooji, the next class was made into a self-study period. Of course, no one was seriously studying.

Wait.

There was an exception.

Back at her desk, Jiyeon had taken out a new notebook and began writing the script by herself again.

The sound of writing began to sound grating and started to give me a headache.

What was in that notebook?

Somehow, I vaguely felt like whatever was in that book made Sooji like that. 

The next day, we found out that Sooji died.