".........What..?" A million pieces of salted sword made their way to her chest, crushing every hope of love that was left. 

Hakyeon was too disheartened to look at his master's depressed face. "Madam Hyosung.....I'm sorry....! Look...I'm saying this because I care for you....This guy, you don't know much about him, do you? I've always thanked him for the change he brought to you....but if you were to pursue him and end up in a doubled misery than when you were with your father, then I wouldn't like that.....I'm sorry again for these words but...

Don't be a fool for love!"

This was the last words from Hakyeon before he left that printed itself in her mind. Hyosung was in deep confusion. This moment of truth crushed her heart. The dream that gave her this big happiness in life seemed to be the one that will cause her its counterpart of pain and sorrow. She realized she couldn't trust Kikwang anymore. But it was hard to fulfill, especially when he was the one who gave her light; the one who caused her happiness; the reason she had such friends. However, it was something he didn't intentionally do. She thought, what if those things were just side-effects from his plans of gaining my trust, that he didn't intend to happen?

 Problems of the mind keep chasing after her. 

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

"We'll be having a field trip to Busan!" the class adviser announced, as the students exalted.

"Prepare your bikinis ladies!!" their ert classmate shouted. His seatmate silenced him by a punch in the chin. "Your vice-principal will tell the details, miss Sunhwa please do the honor" Sunhwa went to the front.

"Goodmorning classmates. So this year, the school rewards us, all the A classes of 2nd year high school, with this trip to Busan. The principal is quite generous enough to organize this so we must give our best behaviour. This means we will be with 2 classes, along with the representative of freshmen and 3rd year, as we go to the place. It's not an ordinary trip, however, because we will be meeting up with our sister school in Busan for an interschool academic competition on the first day. There are already chosen representatives for such, but it still entails all our participation in the audience portion. When it's over, we will be heading to a resort....where we can have our fun! This will be for 3 days and 2 nights." she finished.

"Wooooooo!!" the class were excited.

"Ravi-yahh, we'll be going back to our hometown!" Ken exclaimed as they hugged each other. "I might see my.... ex-girlfriendSS..." he bragged.

In her seat, Hyosung grew uncomfortable. It would be dangerous to go on this trip. But she considered that it would only be for 2 nights and 3 days, maybe it will turn out all right. But Hakyeon says father already knows about where I study...And they would know...if I step on the land of Busan...it's their territory for goodness sake. she contemplates.

"Is this compulsory?" she raised her hand.

The adviser chose to answer her. "Why...I didn't think anyone would have second thoughts in going to this trip....It's not compulsory; but...if you were to sit out on this, the principal would know....and if you're thinking about that, miss Jeon...remember also that you had a cheating incident....and I'll remind you that we have 2 A classes in the 2nd year. If he knows one didn't join, he might choose to only let the other A class to go....so it affects your classmates too.....But I'm not forcing you..." he coughed.

Her classmates gave her glaring expressions. "What's with her? Is she trying to create trouble again?" they whispered.

"We can't let that happen; we deserve this trip! Oy Hyosung don't ruin our chances. Although you don't deserve this reward, if I were you, I would at least grab the chance." they suggested.

Hyosung contemplated in immense sweat and couldn't avoid their glares. "I was just asking...of course, i'm going...." she weakly lied.  She perched on her seat and continued to worry.

The adviser smiled. "Well, then. tell your parents 'cause we'll be leaving in 3 days."

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

"I never realized you were in such a painful situation! You are so strong..chief!" Ravi cried out. Hyosung finally decided to throw out everything from her heart. She shared to them her secrets and encounters from the past few days, with Himchan and Leo backing up in times she couldn't utter the words. Everything was revealed, except Kikwang's case. The last she shared was about the field trip.

"I still wonder, why Busan all of a sudden? When we had this field trip last year, it was only in Seoul. Buut, i'm still excited. hehe." Himchan shared brightly. 

"Himchan hyung, you're also going?" ravi wondered.

"I'm the school's campus press photographer, of course I'm going!" he smiled. "Yongguk here is also going! He's 3rd year's representative."

"Woooooooahhh" they were amazed. "Yongguk is first in his class, right? That's really something." Yongguk was flustered.

"Jieun helps me really well." he responded. At this moment, Jieun was approaching the circle. "Himchansshi, Yongguk-sshi, you're really going on a field trip?" she asked.

"Ahh yeap. We won't be seeing you for a while. Take care in class." Himchan patted her head. Yongguk overlapped his hands over himchan's and smiled like an angel. "....We'll bring souvenirs."

Jieun pouted. She didn't have anyone to hang out with expect the two delinquents. "You were my only companions....I'll be waiting patiently....Yongguk-sshi you really broke my expectations. Congrats..." she sighed, being regretful that the student gained higher than the tutor.

Hyosung slightly smiled at the sight. Jieun, who was a normal hard-working student, doesn't mind being seen with the two delinquents. Hyosung grew ashamed of herself. 

"Well, he's doing his best. He made a deal with his mother that if he were to graduate that way, she'd let him pursue a career that he wants." Himchan explained. "Putting that aside, are you sure you're okay Hyosung?" 

"Eh?" she snapped out from her pool of thoughts. "Ahh....I can't help but go..." 

"I'm sorry unnie....I don't know either why it's in Busan. Maybe the sister school insisted for ours to go there, but the principal never said the details." Sunhwa shared.

Ravi turned serious. "We'll protect you, chief! Although there's only two of us, Ken hyung and I will make sure to guard you...." he shyly continued. "I really wouldn't want to go to school not having you around anymore...."

Himchan patted him. "We'll do our part too. If it's a female who's trying to get you back to your father, I can handle it." he winked.

Sunhwa punched Himchan and proceeded to hug her unnie. "...just try not to volunteer for class chores. Especially when the adviser likes to pick on you a lot...."

"...Okay, thanks" Hyosung sighed. 

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

"...come back safely." Old Lady greeted her goodbye. It was the day of the field trip. May things turn out well. 

They arrived and landed in Busan. Hyosung firmly walked with her hands clenched. She wore a hat and a skarf in an attempt to cover her face. Ravi and Ken were walking behind her like bodyguards. In the crowd of students, Himchan and yongguk could not spot their friends. Himchan was also preoccupied with his duty as a photographer. From then, he started taking pictures every step of the way.

Hyosung locked eyes with Kikwang for a moment as he smiled and nodded, while her eyes only stared and looked away in an instant. Kikwang.....I have so many questions.....she remembered Hakyeon's testimony. But deep inside, she still wanted to spend moments with him in this perfectly timed field trip. She was heartbroken; but she invested high hopes. Everything I've given up was....for the dream of reaching Kikwang again....but now, my desires have all seem to change. She was forced to a confusing blackhole.

"Hey, isn't it nostalgic...seeing this town again" kikwang approached her with his usual smile.

She was startled; and a rush of emotions passed by her when he said 'nostalgic'. These emotions, were hard to decipher, whether it was of good memories or of bad. "It...is nostalgic. Do you....feel happy going back to this town?" She forcely replied. 

".....Not really....I was forced to go...." he looked down on the ground. Hyosung felt exactly the same way, and she wanted badly to exalt. "...Remember what I've told you before...I was often bullied, beaten up and Busan to me is filled with horrible memories." You took the right words from my mouth. I badly hate this place of monsters. "And today plus tomorrow...it's gonna add up to my bad memories of Busan. It's weird why it has to happen in this place..." hyosung squinted her eyes as she didn't understand this part. kikwang seemed to hint that something will happen in this trip that wouldn't like.

He continued as his eyes were locked in reminiscence "It keeps haunting me...the day my parents were accused; and the day they died without me knowing. Aaah, everything I do is for them....you still remember my dream right? I built up so much things just to give justice to them. But....I wonder if...I try too hard? aah, what will I do..." It was the first time hyosung shas een kikwang problematic. She was honored to have seen this side of him.

Kikwang....hyosung felt bad, and realized she's even more confused. Her hands clenched and her heart shut out. Don't....be a fool....hyosung....

"But...one memory does stand out. When we met in your birthday! It's funny how I met you with a swollen wound on your face, which i caused, and with a crying face, that I was able to witness." his eyes didn't seem to lie. 

Her heart became flustered in its place and she didn't have the sanity to walk straight. Kikwang, noticing ken and ravi behind them, ignorantly left her side to catch up with his class while not knowing the butterflies he caused to fly. "See you soon." his voice seemed sad when he uttered 'soon'.

Two overly reacted delinquents were sniffing their tears up loudly. Hyosung's flattered heartbeats was interrupted by the two men. "....Why the are you crying..." she angrily asked, already knowing the answer.

"It's so sad!! Waaaghhh!!" Ken cried out.

"Chief! You are so alike!! I feel like if we keep following you, we'll be interrupting your talks!" ravi exclaimed. He dragged Ken and gave her enough space.

"Ravi!" she tried grabbing him but the crowd made him disappear in her sight. "Stupid....What if they'll find me...Don't leave..." her heartbeat became faster. She was nervously sweating as she buried her face deep inside the hat. Calm down....I can't believe I'm this scared. It's never happened....She realized these days she became so dependent on her friends that she ignored the fact that they could be harmed because of her. I mustn't let them worry. I'm the chief. 

The day passed without any odd happenings. They met up with the sister school and the representatives were calmly in their seats in the competition. In the end, Yongguk claimed the win in the academic quiz show.

At night, before they were released to their own rooms, the adviser put up a job for one student. Hyosung hid deeply in the crowd so as to avoid being picked for a class duty. This would make her go alone giving chances of the groups that Hakyeon mentioned, to begin their move on her.

All the girls were in one room. As expected of a field trip, they didn't sleep until it was midnight. The usual cat talks and gossips occurred with separate groups being formed. Birds of the same flock were together. Hyosung and Sunhwa were talking at the corner in their own world.

Hyosung, in front of Sunhwa, hid her worries and painful nostalgic feelings to prevent her from not enjoying the trip. "Sunhwa....what's your brother like?"

Sunhwa giggled. "He's...really responsible. He always studies deep at night. When we transferred to Seoul from Busan, he totally changed. He was even more diligent, and more busy. Everytime, he comes home tired. I always want to ask if he's okay...but his smile would throw all my concerns to the trash."

"....has he done something bad that you didn't like...?" hyosung hoped for none.

Sunhwa sighed. "Of course, silly. As siblings, we know each other's flaws. His was lesser than mine, I always believed. There was a period where I thought he didn't like me though. But that was when I was too young that I can't remember. The one thing for sure that I hate is....how he seems so perfect and calm, as if he doesn't have problems...But I know he does. What I hate is how he never tells me. He's never dependent on me. It...makes me sad."

"But....I wonder if...I try too hard" Hyosung remembered what kikwang said. He does have problems of his own....yet he never shows such a side.

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪

In another room, where leo's male classmates reside, everything was a mess. Leo sat there in perfect tranquility while the rest were of excited moods. Himchan was amazed at this ability of Leo. On the other hand, there was another man who didn't join the celebrative atmosphere. It was Kikwang, who was already in his bedsheet trying to sleep. 

"tomorrow...is the day. Will everyone be able to forgive me?" he whispered.

Leave your comments! I'd appreciate it <3 what are your thoughts?

-fairy