A/N: Up here, I will mention if there is any coarse language (none for this!) and tell you the people it will be about. I thought I shouldn't do this in fear of spoiling, but I'll only mention people that are MAINLY featured, in case you don't want to read about idk Miss Kim's personal history or something. I hope you'll read them all though! > < Anyways, this chapter mainly features Jinah, Minjung, and Jaein.

"Up you get, come on!" urged a woman to a young child. She shook the child's small body gently, her voice soothing but authorative, "Come on, wake up or you'll be late for your lessons today." All she got as a response was a sleepy groan. She shook harder but still gently, "Hurry up, we have to wash you up and dress you! Don't you want to eat? It's kimchi stew today."
         The child shot up at that, and the woman moved aside just in time to avoid a forehead collision. "Kimchi stew?" the child asked weakly, rubbing her small eyes as she did.
         The woman nodded. "Yes. Now go to the restroom to brush your teeth and wash your face - don't forget to count up to 200 when you brush your teeth unless you want cavities!"
         "Teeth devils," the child confirmed and nodded. She slipped out of her sleeping bag which was practically twice her size, comfortable nonetheless.
         The woman watched the kid go out of the room and to the washroom. The child was still tired, while everyone else was rushing around to get ready for their upcoming lessons. The woman, who was in her late-twenties, got up from her crouching position and smiled at the little figure disappearing behind the walls. Her black hair was medium-length, just past her shoulders, and her face was swollen from sleep. The kid was always tired in the morning, but judging from the way she was still tired after hearing the words "kimchi stew", clearly meant that the child had been staying up. Being in this particular dwelling, clearly the child had been occupying herself with books instead of sleeping. The woman shook her head lightly as she chuckled softly, "That Jinah."
         The eight-year-old Jinah spat out the foam in as soon as she reached 200 in her head. Other girls were next to her brushing their teeth or combing their hair. Jinah cupped the cold water and put it in before it all spilled out and rinsed . She did this two more times - three keeps the teeth devils away, or so her representative for who-knows-what, Miss Kim, had said. Jinah didn't know exactly what Miss Kim was, but she was kind of like a personal maid. She also thought that Miss Kim was very pretty. Miss Kim was skinny, pale, and had sincere, caring eyes. It made her look friendly and her gentle actions only confirmed this theory. Miss Kim rarely chastised her, and when she did, her voice was melodious so it was hardly a chastisement. Jinah liked Miss Kim very much. When Miss Kim was chosen to be her representative, Jinah was very happy. She was glad that she left Caritatis, which was a very boring dwelling indeed. Jinah had no fun there.
         Jinah washed her face and made sure to scrub places like under her chin and the sides of her cheeks. She combed her hair the way they were instructed to - down, straight, and in every aspect until there were no knots in her hair. Jinah had none luckily. Her representative at Caritatis had harshly brushed it all away. Although she liked having no knots in her hair, she didn't care, and the process of brushing through the knots was very painful. The fact that her Caritatis representative was wordless (which meant no encouragement at all) didn't help. Miss Kim was benign, considerate, and encouraging. Jinah appreciated that.
         She smiled at the mirror. Miss Kim had said they had to practice smiling every morning. Jinah didn't know the point of it though - she thought everyone's smiles were very pretty. Little did she know that she needed to practice this in case she had to fake it in the future. No, Jinah wouldn't even think about faking a smile to hide her true emotions for showed everyone how she felt. If she was angry, she was angry. If she was hungry, she was hungry. If she was excited, she was excited. She didn't see why she had to hide her feelings. Again, little did she know.
         Jinah walked away from the sink and mirror as the girls next to her continued to do whatever. Just then, one of the girls walked away from her sink and mirror. She had a sinister grin on her face as she stood in Jinah's way. Jinah glared at her and she didn't slow down her pace. "Move," she said fiercely when the girl didn't move aside for Jinah to pass.
         "No."
         A few heads turned. They knew what was coming. It was like this almost every morning for the past two weeks. It was a good wakeup call for most of the girls because they paid attention to Jinah's and this girl's quarrel. It's only been about two weeks since Jinah had transferred to Callidum, and she already made an enemy. She didn't ask for it, but the girl purposely tried to make Jinah's days miserable.
         "Fine," replied Jinah bitterly.
         With that said, Jinah tried to maneuver her way around the girl but the girl took a step to the side, blocking Jinah's way again. Her grin was still there and the girl crossed her arms across her chest. Jinah had a short temper, and she was very impatient. So, naturally, she didn't tell the girl to move. Instead, she forced her aside with her shoulder as the girl fell down on the tiled floor of the bathroom. She began to cry and throw a tantrum.
         "Miss Park!" the girl cried. "Miss Park, Jinah pushed me!"
         "I didn't push you, you fell!" Jinah exclaimed angrily. "Stop lying Jaein!"
         The girl on the ground, Jaein, continued to cry. Jinah hated crying. A different woman - not the lovely Miss Kim - walked in as she gasped dramatically and took Jaein into her arms. "Jaein! Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
         "I think I broke my leg."
         The girls around them gasped. Injuries were very serious and the injured girls were often chastised for their clumsiness and lectured. But breaking a limb was unheard of. To them, breaking a leg was their worst nightmare. Even if it was highly unlikely to happen, they knew it was very painful. Mendable, but excruciatingly agonizing. It would also restrict from their daily/weekly activities.
         "No, you didn't, do not worry," Miss Park assured Jaein kindly. Then she looked up to glare at Jinah. It made Jinah gulp. She wasn't scared. Fear was stupid. But she'd be lying if she said she felt absolutely normal. "Violence is not tolerated, Jinah. Pushing is not allowed."
         "I didn't push her!"
         "Are you saying the floor magically pulled Jaein down?" Miss Park demanded.
         "No, it didn't, but I didn't push her," Jinah stated firmly.
         "Then how did she end up on the ground?" Miss Park said, raising an eyebrow. She didn't wait for Jinah to answer. She looked around her at the girls, and the girls swallowed. Miss Park was the scariest representative. No one really liked her except for Jaein. "Can someone explain to me what happened?"
         No one spoke. They were all afraid of chastisement and being recorded. "I see that we don't have any volunteers. Well, Jaein, poor girl, what happened?"
         Jaein sniffled and wiped a non-existent tear. "I j-just finished w-washing up...and then J-Jinah here p-p-pushed m-me! For n-no reason!" Jaein sobbed into her hands again and Miss Park patted her back.
         "I didn't push you Jaein, stop lying you liar!" Jinah felt her lungs tighten, feeling anxious. "She blocked my way. I tried to go around her but she -"
         "Jaein is the one that is hurt on the ground and you are standing. Do you expect me to believe something so absurd as that?" Miss Park said, cutting Jinah off, which, Jinah knew, was very rude and unacceptable. Just because Miss Park was an adult didn't mean she had the right to interrupt. "You will be recorded for violence."
         The girls gasped. Jinah clenched her fists. "I didn't push her!"
         "Really now?" Miss Park said, sounding incredulous. "No one seems to object Jaein's story but you, Jinah. I'm afriad you will be recorded."
         This was bad. This was very bad. Jinah learned that being recorded was a very bad thing. She learned it in her first week at Caritatis, when she asked for seconds. It was considered very selfish and ungrateful so she was recorded. Her own representative turned her in to the Caritatis Headmistress.
         "What's going on?" Miss Kim asked, peeking in to see what was taking Jinah so long. The scene she saw in front of her didn't look good. She immediately rushed to Jinah and checked her face to see if any harm was done. "Are you alright?" she asked. Jinah nodded, holding back her screams of frustration at not being believed.
         Miss Park scoffed. "Your student pushed mine, Miss Kim. Jinah will be recorded for her violent offense to Jaein."
         Jaein stuck her tongue out at Jinah and Jinah stuck hers out too without a second thought or regret. Miss Kim raised her eyebrows at this, but didn't say anything. Miss Park turned a blind eye to this tongue movement of both students. "Ah, I see. And what exactly happened?"
         "Your student pushed Jaein down on the ground, is there any more to it?"
         "I didn't push her!" Jinah interrupted viciously. She hated how unfair Miss Park was.
         "My! And you dare interrupt?"
         "This seems like a questionable situation Miss Park," Miss Kim said calmly, tapping Jinah's shoulder in a rhyhtmic beat. It was steady and it relaxed Jinah.
         Miss Park shook her head as she helped Jaein up, who was enjoying this very much. She grinned sideways at Jinah before bursting into another set of sobs. "There, there," Miss Park comforted. "Jinah, come with me. The Headmistress will have to deal with this seriuos matter. Violence, how foolish!"
         "She didn't push her."
         All heads turned to the voice. It was a small girl, eight years old, black hair with front bangs. She had uniquely shaped eyebrows and a slightly big nose. She had big eyes. The girl fumbled with her fingers, looking down at the ground.
         Miss Park narrowed her eyes at the girl.
         "See? I didn't push her!" Jinah cried. She was surprised at the girl's justice sentence. At least someone was willing to say the truth. "I didn't push her. Jaein blocked my way, and I tried to go around her, but Jaein just blocked me again, so I tried once more but Jaein didn't move at all and our shoulders touched and Jaein just fell on the ground!"
         Miss Park snorted. "So you did push Jaein down!"
         Miss Kim frowned. "Push? It seems like Jaein was bullying Jinah, no?" Miss Park opened to say something, but Miss Kim turned to the girl that was brave enough to speak up. Miss Kim took the girl's hands carefully and looked into her big eyes. "Can you tell us what exactly happened? Is what Jinah said true?" The girl glanced at Miss Park who was glaring at her and she immediately felt fear course through her. Miss Kim shook her head. "Do not be afraid to speak the truth. Honesty has its merits. You will not get in trouble for saying the truth. Lying, however, will. So before you tell me what happened truthfully, will you tell me your name and your representative's name?"
         The girl nodded. She whispered her name and her representative's. Miss Kim couldn't hear the girl's name, but she heard the representative's name: Jung. Miss Jung. She got up and took the girl's hands, and Jinah's. She looked at Miss Park with cold eyes. "Bring your student and yourself to Jinah's dwelling room, please. Let us talk there."
         "No, Miss Kim. Let us go to the Headmistress herself."
         "Very well."
         Both women stared at each other like a lion and a tiger. Jinah was rooting for Miss Kim inwardly. She glared at Jaein who glared back. They went to the Headmistress's office together. Somewhere along the way, Jinah thanked the girl. The girl mumbled something but Jinah couldn't hear it either. Instead of asking for her name again, Jinah smiled at her. She knew that the girl was shy, but everyone opens up in the future. And, luckily, the girl smiled back. Also along the way, the girl's representative, Miss Jung, tagged along. She was given a brisk summary of what happened by Miss Kim.
         The Headmistress invited them in twhen Miss Park knocked on the door prominently. The Headmistress was a somewhat young woman (compared to the other Headmistresses) who organized this dwelling. There were a total of five Headmistresses, one for each dwelling. Jinah had seen Caritatis's Headmistress, who was a female too, when she had her first record (of asking for seconds) was issued. The Callidum's one was younger and she wore glasses. The Headmistress folded her hands on top of her desk. "Yes?" she said, when no one initiated a conversation.
         "We have come to a disagreement and we are unable to come down to a conclusion fairly. On Miss Park's suggestion, we have seeked your guidance for an unbiased and fair judgement for this situation," Miss Kim explained. "I arived at the scene that looks like this: Jaein was on the ground, Miss Park by her side. Jinah was standing. While Miss Park and Jaein claimed that Jinah had pushed Jaein down, Jinah says otherwise. I cannot say for sure for I was not at that scene, but neither was Miss Park. Just then, a witness very bravely spoke up to support Jinah's story. We have come to you to sort this out professionally."
         The Headmistress nodded. Then she faced the three girls, "Well, may I know your name and age?"
         "Lee Jaein, eight," Jaein said confidently, all traces of tears gone. She looked more irritated than hurt or sad.
         "Shin Jinah, eight," Jinah grumbled. She was displeased and anxious.
         "S-Seon Minjung... eight..." the girl mumbled, obviously very nervous.
         The Headmistress smiled at them all. "You all have very pretty names with very pretty faces. How unfortunate it is to bicker with one another. But we are human so arguments are inevitable. Now I ask for all of your attention and consideration; no interruption and you may only speak when you are asked to or you will risk being recorded. Do you understand?"
         The three girls nodded.
         "Very well. Miss Seon, are you acquainted with any of the two girls here?" The Headmistress asked. Minjung shook her head. "Then I can trust you to speak honestly, correct?" Minjung nodded again. "Fantastic. Now, please tell us what happened."
         Minjung nodded. "I finished washing my face. Jinah too. She was about to leave the bathroom but Jaein stopped her -" Jinah shot a proud look at Jaein who glared at her "- and when Jinah said 'move', Jaein said 'no' and then Jinah said 'fine' and she tried to go around Jaein but Jaein stopped her again and when she did, Jaein fell back after their shoulders touched." Minjung took a deep breath very quickly and rushed to blurt out: "In conclusion I believe that Jinah did not push Jaein down."
         The Headmistress nodded, satisfied. "Impressive. You can conclude your argugment very well. Congratulations, Miss Jung, you have taught your student well."
         Miss Jung smiled as she combed through Minjung's hair with her fingers. "Minjung is a very smart girl."
         "Yes," The Headmistress smiled, and Minjung smiled back, feeling more confident. "Well, it seems that Miss Seon's story is very reasonable... is there something you'd like to argue against this, Miss Park, Miss Lee?"

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A/N: Wow this is quite long o.0 Anyways, that's the story of how Jinah and Minjung became friends, and also why Jaein started to target Jinah specifically. If you want to know a certain someone's back story, tell me! If not, I'll probably write about a few years later and how the rivalry between Jinah and Jaein grew and how much Jinah's and Minjung's friendship blossomed. Even with your suggestions, I'll write about the later years, so look forward to that!

Did you notice the personality difference with Minjung here? She was cheerful and outgoing but as a kid, minjung was dubious and quiet. Hehe, good stuff, hey? Hope that was satisfying and interesting! Let me know how it was~

Thanks! ❤

-Seohee