A group of students lined up in the hallway as new student, Song Ji Hyo passed by. Many compliments were thrown her way.

"야(yah)! Are you really that pretty?" "Let me have a proper look at you!"

However, Ji Hyo placed her headphones over her ears and walked on by without even acknowledging her schoolmates.

"헐~대박!(heol~daebak!)" the students' jaws were left hanging, "Just because she received some compliments, she thinks she's all that already. Look! Look at her hair! Trying to be cool by following trends. She has no personality at all! And her skirt, she must have folded it twenty times!" exclaimed a female student.

Another one chimed in and added, "Does one simply ignore compliments? What a lack of basic courtesy! Come, we must teach that arrogant child a lesson! We shall cease all conversations with her since she seems to be deaf. We shall also accuse her of thievery by placing our MP3s in her bag!"

This was met with much laughter and nods of various heads. All except one; a slightly chubbier girl named Young Jee.

"선생님!(teacher!) Our MP3s have gone missing! We've asked around but no one seems to have seen it. It was obviously here before, someone must have taken it!" Exclaimed the devious female students.

Ji hyo could only sigh. She knew this routine way too well. She knew that this would occur. Nothing has changed and nothing will.

Ji Hyo stood up calmly and said, "선생님(teacher), the MP3s are with me. I never should have taken it, I apologise sincerely." She bowed to express her sincerity.

Sure enough, the MP3s were in her bag.

“Ha! She's probably gonna get several of the cane for this,” the bullies giggled.

Seeing them giddy with laughter, Young Jee was unable to restrain herself and jumped up abruptly.

“Please stop. I heard all about your plans to frame the new student. Don't do this. She only ignored you cause she was afraid. If you were a new student with no friends, wouldn't you be too?”

At this point, all eyes were on Young Jee. No one expected this from timid Young Jee. She too, like Ji Hyo, hardly spoke. However, she wasn't silly enough to subject herself to those emotional complications.

Ji Hyo's eyes however, bore hatred and anger. Young Jee, being able to read one's expressions, knew it screamed, “You don't know me. You do not know me at all. Back off, leave me alone! You have no right. This is not your fight.”

As Ji Hyo was about to open and deny Young Jee's statement, the teacher sighed.

“Seong Im ah...you're new here. You must approach the authorities should you be bullied. We won't allow for that to happen, understood?”

The bullies faced harsh disciplinary action. Upon receiving it, their hatred for Ji Hyo only grew. They could no longer stand the sight of her and wanted to chase her out of their territory.

Meanwhile, Ji Hyo walked calmly to the washroom upon class dismissal.

“She's definitely going to the washroom to cry, I'll just follow her secretly.” Young Jee thought.

Sure enough, Ji Hyo started bawling hysterically upon locking herself up in the cubical. However, Young Jee could also hear a muffled “Nero” playing in the background.

“Oppa...you're the only thing that keeps me going these days. I thought transferring schools would do me good. I thought that everyone would just ignore the new student. I guess I expected too much. If i knew that it would turn out this way, I may as well have stayed at the previous hellhole. What does it matter if i fail to secure a good future? My life is meaningless. It has always been, and always will be. I feel miserable and I want to give up. I wish I could just disappear...I wish I could slip between the cracks of life and cease existing. The end of torment is an invitation to suicide, oppa. I want so badly to accept the offer. Death, freedom, it's synonymous in my head." negative thoughts started looming over Ji Hyo. “NO! I know how much you suffered. And just like you, I will weather through this tough period and emerge tougher! Kim Jong Kook Oppa...I'm so thankful. It is because of you that i have survived thus far. Oppa, I can do it right?”

“OPPA! You're my Nero yah...you're my cute friend that will always be there for me right?” a bittersweet statement escaped from between Ji Hyo's lips.

Her sobs turned into violent spasms as she realised that Young Jee was present when she called out to her.

“Seong-Im ah, I'm so sorry. I'm not your oppa but i can be your cute friend; Nero yah. “Seong-Im ah, don't worry, im not out to hurt you. I just want to protect those who were once like me.”

“GET LOST! I DONT WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE, I DONT WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE JUST DONE? EVERYTHING IS JUST GOING TO GET WORSE FROM HERE. YOU'RE NOT WORTHY OF BEING MY NERO.”

Even though she expected Ji Hyo to be a tough nut, Young Jee was still taken aback. It reminded her of her own days of being a bully victim. For now, Young Jee left her alone.

Days passed and the bullying intensified. Ji Hyo was constantly dunked into the pond full of loaches, and was subjected to much verbal abuse. No one could stop it, really. No one but herself. Yet, Ji Hyo felt incapable. Her self esteem was too low to believe that she could stop the torment. In fact, she thought that she deserved every bit of it. However, she never allowed herself to show any of it. She spent each day with an expressionless face, hiding her fears and her tears, not allowing the bullies to be satisfied.

Young Jee shook her head in exasperation. That girl is really one tough nut. She chuckled bitterly as she noticed their similarities.

“She'll get out of this...seeing that she is so much like me. Seong Im ah, be strong.”

Eventually, the physical and verbal bullying ceased, but not in the way Young Jee hoped for. Song Ji Hyo's blank expressions- or the lack of expressions, frustrated the bullies. They no longer received any satisfaction from bullying a seemingly unaffected girl. Yet, they never accepted her and she was cast aside. However, the physiological warfare still very much existed as no one would speak to her or look at her, and Ji Hyo honestly didn't mind.