With her head hanging in sadness, Chorong walks down the school hallway toward her locker. Her father, after returning from a business trip and finding her still sleeping in bed on a weekday, dragged her to school. Although she had been reluctant and told him more than a hundred times she was ill, he couldn't care less.

     Her hands shake as she unlocks her locker door. She has been trembling ever since she had set foot on school grounds out of nervousness of seeing Bomi. She isn't sure how her own self will react, but what she fears most, is seeing that other girl with her again, smiling and laughing as though she was trying to torture Chorong. It sickened her to no end.

     "Chorong-ah,"

     She nearly jumps out of her skin at the sound of her own name, beginning to tremble more and more by each second that passes.

     "Are you okay?"

     Slowly, very slowly, she turns around and a strong wave of relief washes over her. "I-I'm fine, Hayoung." She sighs with a small shake of her head. She looks the younger girl up and down, staring at every little change that had occurred over the weeks of her absence. She's wearing her glasses now, the ones Naeun thought too ugly and almost smashed the second day of high school. There isn't even lip gloss on Hayoung's make-up-free face and all the changes make Chorong a bit queasey.

     Everything is changing... Chorong thinks, staring at the youngster.

     "You don't look fine." Hayoung says, "You look a little green."

     She shakes her head, "No, I'm r-really f-f-f-fine." Tears form and fall before Chorong can even understand why and soon enough she's wheezing from crying so hard. But slowly and gently, Hayoung escorts her to the restroom and once there, she hands her multiple tissues.

     "Chorongie," She whispers ever so sweetly. "What's the matter, unnie?"

     Chorong has an urge to spill her guts to the younger girl and tell her everything she feels, but even in her frazzled state she is able to decide it isn't a very good idea.

     "Please," she finally speaks after a long moment of silence. She wipes a tear away gingerly, before looking up at Hayoung desperately. "Just hold me."

     Hayoung wraps her arms around her dear, old friend, holding her tenderly as though she would crack into a million pieces if she held her only a little tight. "It's gonna be okay, Chorong, it's all gonna be okay." she whispers.

♡ ♡ ♡

     "What did you do to her?!" Hayoung storms toward Bomi with flaming eyes. Chorong hadn't said a thing, not even Bomi's name, but such a bright girl as Hayoung was able to deduce and would not let whatever horrible thing Bomi had done to Chorong fly by without some type of punishment or confrontation.

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