Looking out of the car window, the weather looks wonderful that day but Lee Jangmi felt horrible. After three days being admitted to the hospital she finally has to go back to school. She wasn’t quite excited about it and honestly, she hated staying in the hospital but at this moment she rather be staying there than going to school.

“Mom... Can I transfer to a new school?” Jangmi broke the silence in the car. She looked at her mother who was driving, trying to read her face expression. It did not look too good.

“Sweetie.. I thought you like your school? And what about all your wonderful friends, especially Sooji? You know very well you guys are like inseparable twins.” Her mother answered, trying her best to sound and look calm but failed.

“I do like my school and I definitely can’t imagine not meeting my friends anymore let alone Sooji..” Jangmi answered with a pause. “but then.. I don’t want it to happen again.” She said while facing her.

Her mother’s face expression changed after she said that and she immediately parked her car at the side of the road and faced her daughter. “Sweetie, what don’t you want to happen? What do you mean?” She asked while trying her best not to tear up.

“You know what I mean." Jangmi looked at her mother sternly, not blinking her eyes even once. “Mom, I don’t want what happened at Shinhwa Kindergarten to be repeated here too okay?! I don’t want to be treated like a monster!” She shouted, tears in her eyes. This was the first time she raised her voiced at her mother, the first time she ever showed her true feelings inside; all the hurt, pain and anger, unlike her happy-go-lucky self. Like what people always say, the ones who always looked happy on the outside are usually the ones dying inside.

Her mother gasped, placing her hands over her jaw opened mouth with eyes widen, as big as an owl. “Sweetie.. I-I thought.. you didn’t remember about that? But.. that was what Dr. Wu said. Why.. how..?”

“I lied. I remember. I REMEMBER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY.” Jangmi was already glaring at her mother, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Omo sweetie.. I’m so sorry. I thought you were traumatized so you forgotten about it because the next day you woke up you acted like nothing happened. Even Dr. Wu said it was because you were traumatized. Sweetie why didn’t you say anything?” Her mother answered softly while rubbing Jangmi’s hands, trying her best to calm her daughter down.

“And what? See you guys mopping around everyday with your worried and sad expressions? What difference would it made if you knew I remembered?” Jangmi answered and shoved her mom’s hands away.

This time Mrs. Lee was on the verge of breaking down too but she tried her best to hold it in. She turned and faced the road, changed the car gear and drove off to send Jangmi to school.

As Jangmi alighted from the car she slammed the car door behind her and walked through the school gates. She closed her eyes and breathed in, trying to steady herself. Her eyes were slightly red from crying earlier on so took out her tissue wipes from her school bag and wiped her face, trying her best not to look a mess as she already is.

 *Maybe...maybe it will be different this time..?* She thought to herself. She put her hands in her pocket and crossed her fingers hoping for a miracle.

As she walked in through the halls she knew at that instant she should not had expected a miracle to happen because people were already giving her stares and pointing at her. She let out a sigh and tried her best to avoid the stares as she walk to class.

With much difficulty, she held back the tears that were going to fall. She entered her class which was noisy as a flea market. The class fell into complete silence as she walked towards her seat. She ignored the stares she was getting from her classmates, people who she once called friends. The tables were in three’s and her seat was in between of Sooji’s and Sulli.

As she was about the sit on her chair she fell on the ground. She looked up and saw that Sulli had pulled her chair back, not caring if she were to get injured from the fall. “Yah, don’t sit with us anymore. I don’t want you vomiting on my table or even touching my table. Get your germs away from me!” Sulli commanded Jangmi while having her hands on her hips.

Jangmi ignored her and tried to get up when suddenly someone offered her help. She looked up to see the owner of the hands and saw Sooji. She hesitated but Sooji just grabbed her hands and helped her up. “Sooji what are you doing! You’re getting germs from her!” Sulli exclaimed.

“I was about to ask you the same question. Why are you treating Jangmi like that? She’s your friend!” Sooji answered back. Jangmi was lost for words to what was happening.

Sulli’s face expression became dark. “I’m not friends with someone who vomits out blood for no reason! For all you know she might be a vampire, drinking blood from others! Maybe that’s why she vomited blood the other day!” Their classmates started whispering among themselves and some even nodded. Jangmi just looked down and stared at her shoes then Sooji let out a chuckle.

“You know you shouldn’t watch vampire movies when it clearly said it’s PG 18 . Jangmi must had her reasons for what happen the other day, you all know she was admitted to the hospital for three days. Vampires don’t go to hospitals.” More whispering and more nods this time.

Sulli was embarrassed because what Sooji just said made sense. Still, she tried defending herself “Well, if she’s not a vampire then maybe she’s something else. Maybe she has something she’s hiding from us all. “ Sooji stared at her like she just heard a statement as dumb as cows can fly.

“Well, let’s ask Jangmi then, I bet she will tell us. “ Sooji answered and turned to face Jangmi.

Jangmi’s face froze. She had all eyes on her, waiting for her to answer. “I... I have leukemia..” She answered with a shaky voice.

Her classmates still stared at her as if she did not answer them. Sulli then broke the silence. “Aha! See, you do have something! I told you guys!” She smirked, pleased with herself, proving that she was somewhat right.

“But...what is leukemia..?” One of the boys named Tao asked.

“Well, leukemia is... is...well its.. what is it..?” Sulli tried to answer first to sound smart but ended up sounding more dumb than she already is.

“Leukemia is an illness.” Jangmi answered calmly this time. She was tired of hiding her secret already. Since it is already out, she might as well tell them.

“What?! Then you better stay away from us! We might get it from you and end up vomiting blood like you did!” Sulli exclaimed while taking a step back as if she would have gotten infected that instant. The rest of the class did the same.

Jangmi sighed and answered “Yes I’m sick. I’ve been since I was five but leukemia can’t be spread. It’s a different type of illness unlike our common flu or cough. So even if you were sharing eating utensils or holding hands with me you won’t get affected by it.” After saying that, some of her classmates started feel relieved.

“How are we supposed to believe you? It could be a trap since you have been keeping this from us for years already.” Sulli answered back, which for once she made some sense and the rest started to get tensed again.

“Well, and we have been in the same class as her for years now and we’re still okay. None of us are infected.” Sooji answered back. Jangmi stared at her as if Sooji was speaking a different language.

“I.. I don’t care! I still don’t want you close to me!” Sulli stuttered. She was hard headed and she did not like it when someone is right when they are against her.

“That’s why I kept it a secret so you guys wouldn’t treat me like a monster!” Jangmi screamed and ran out of the class. Tears streamed down her cheeks this time she did not care to hold them back anymore.

“Jangmi!  Jangmi!” She heard Sooji shouting out her name from behind her. Jangmi ran through the halls and passed other students until she reached the court. She was already out of breath and she held her chest as she took in deep breaths. Sooji, who was chasing after her, caught up and stood beside her and took in deep breathes too. “Yah.. you know I can’t run as fast as you. Now my legs hurt.” Sooji panted as she gave Jangmi a light punch on her shoulder.

Jangmi straightened her body and looked at Sooji. “Sorry. But why are you even running after me? Aren’t you scared of getting infected?”

“Why would I be scared? You said so yourself that it’s not infectious.” She answered .

 “But nobody ever believes me when I say so. You saw it for yourself in class.” Jangmi’s bottom lip trembled, tears still streaming down her face. She was hurt, not physically but emotionally. She did not try fighting back the tears. Infact she couldn’t hold back the tears even if she wanted to.

“Well, you’re my best friend. Aren’t best friends supposed to trust and believe each other?” Sooji answered without hesitant.

Jangmi cried even more after what she heard Sooji said and before Jangmi could realize what she was doing, she was already hugging Sooji tightly. “Thank you... thank you Sooji, for believing me.” She said while sobbing and leaving a mark of tears on Sooji’s uniform.

Sooji hugged back and patted Jangmi’s head while trying to shush her who was already in a vulnerable state, like a mother would. “No need, what are best friends for?”

They missed three periods of classes while sitting on the benches until one class came in the court for PE. Their PE teacher saw them and was about to scold them for being there when he saw Jangmi’s face; eyes red and puffy from crying and her nose as red as Rudolf the reindeer. “Lee Jangmi, Kim Sooji , you’re not supposed to be out of class now. Sooji, go bring Jangmi to wash her face up and you two better get back to class, understand?”

“Yes teacher, I will.” Sooji answered for them and bowed her head. She stood up and held hands with Jangmi to accompany her to wash up. Jangmi has said nothing at all for those few hours alone with Sooji. All she did was cry and hugged Sooji. Sooji on the other hand tried her best to calm her best friend down. After Jangmi washed her face like the twentieth time that day, Sooji spoke up. “Jangmi, we should get back to our class when you are done or else we might get in trouble for playing truant.”

“Okay. Let’s go.” Jangmi finally spoke up.

As they entered their class, they apologized to their teacher for being late and somehow, their teacher did not even scold them. “Okay, go to your seat and open your literature book to page 34.” They nodded and returned to their seats. Their teacher knew that Jangmi was having a hard time so she did not want to scold them for being late.

When they got to their seats, they saw that their table was no longer arranged three in a row. Sulli moved her table to the one beside them forming four in a row. Not only that, but the other class were all seating far away from Jangmi’s and Sooji’s table.

“Jangmi, come on, take out your literature book.” Sooji said to her as she sat on her seat and patted Jangmi’s chair.

“Okay..” Jangmi weakly answered as she tried not to cry again. She walked over to sit beside her best friend, and the only friend she could count on.