After having a small talk with Jung Kook, you decided that you should clarify the situation with B.A.P with Yuki too. However, she had already left the school.

Lucky for you, after you had rushed to school to find her this morning, you had finally gotten her number for any emergencies that might occur. You realized that since you had her number, you could just explain over the phone.

You were afraid that if you had called her, your voice may give any unnecessary information away – You had finally realized you were an incredibly horrible liar.

Pulling out your phone, you had slowly typed:

To: Ichinose Yukiko

Sorry I got pulled out of the classroom so quickly today. I wasn’t even able to say goodbye to you properly when school was over. I wanted you to know that I lied today. I do know B.A.P. They were my old friends from the past. Sorry for lying. Please forgive me?

From: Lee Yujin

You held the phone tight in your hands and waited for her to reply. Sure enough, within seconds, you had received a message.

To: Lee Yujin

It’s alright! Don’t worry about it. Some things are better to stay a secret, right? Like the situation with me and my brother – I totally understand. I won’t force you to tell me anything you don’t want to say!

From: Ichinose Yukiko

You couldn’t help but smile at her text. Anything she said could make you smile. You wished you had more friends like her. Carefully, you tucked the phone into your pocket and began to head home.

As you walked pass the school front gate, however, someone pulled you to the side.

You wouldn’t have recognized the person if it weren’t for that small scarf or handkerchief – the cloth – that was over the person’s nose. Wasn’t this Suzuki Akira?

He pulled you with him and then led you two to a secluded area where not much people were around. He had his bass with him just like the last time you saw him.

“Akira?” you looked at him, “What is it?”

Making sure no one was around, he narrowed his eyes at you, “Only my friends call me that. You can call me by my stage name Reita.”

His Korean was heavily accented. You wondered why you didn’t notice that before.

Shaking your head, you focused on what he had said. Actually, you didn’t blame him for sounding so cold. It wasn’t as if the two of you were friends or anything, just like he said. Nevertheless, you were his sister’s friend. Couldn’t he be at least a bit nicer?

“Okay… Reita,” you looked at him, “Do you need something?”

“Yukiko has been coming home every single day with more cuts and bruises,” he began, annoyed, “and every time I ask her what was going on, she told me it was nothing. She told me was going to take care of it.”

Your eyes widened, had the bullying already escalated so much? Why didn’t she tell you anything? You rummaged through your pocket, pulling out your phone, but Reita stopped you.

“She doesn’t know I’m here and if she finds out I did come here, she would kill me. I’m telling you this because yesterday, I found something in her backpack,” he revealed, “As her older brother, it’s my duty to protect her. I know you know that. I will protect my sister to the end.”

He pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to you. You glanced at it and unfolded it, reading it’s content.

You are such a stupid girl. Didn’t we tell you if you stayed away from that you call your friend, all this bullying would stop? What is wrong with your brain? Is it damaged? Well, I guess you really are as dumb as the rumors say.

Your face turned pale. Had Yuki really been receiving notes like these without you noticing? You felt like your heart had shattered into ten million pieces. You looked up at Reita.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know!” you managed to utter, “I-I didn’t –“

He interrupted you and instructed you one thing that made you incapable of moving. You had hoped you heard wrong, but you knew you didn’t.

It had to be a dream.

“I want you to stay away from Yuki.”