Just like that, another day had come.

Haneul knew that the teachers were totally going to lose it if she arrived at school this morning but she couldn’t care less. Her parents were so oblivious of her school life let alone yesterday’s series of events.

Knowing her parents, the teachers probably didn’t manage to get a hold of them anyway so there was nothing to worry about. The home-phone was nothing more than an ornament in the house and they were usually too busy to pick up their mobiles regardless of how many missed calls there were.

Haneul’s parents were business people, and usually, business people were very busy people. They just can’t simply make room for anything else in their lives. Children included.

The only time Haneul actually talked to them was during breakfast – when they didn’t actually leave early. Her mum and dad didn’t come home until late at night either. In a way, she was sort of relieved for this lifestyle. She’d rather not deal with her parents on a daily basis.

The reason they lived probably wasn’t even for her. They’ve continued to live and drag themselves to work and back every single day for the son that was probably dead by now, in hope that he’ll come back.

Some adults are just foolish.

Haneul locked up the house and made her way to school, debating whether she should even go today or not. If she didn’t, she’d probably just spend the day in the city again. Ahreum’s face crossed her mind. Followed by that was that boy’s face.

Haneul remembered the way the whole gang had shaken up her senses and the way their voices boomed in her ears and how simply being in the middle of such a big fight scared the crap out of her but at the same time, it made her feel something she’s never felt before in her entire life.

It was almost as great as freedom.

The thought was tempting but if she repeated what she did yesterday, her parents were definitely going to get involved and that meant too much of the adults were going to lose their s.

Sighing, Haneul unwillingly made her way to school.

 

---

 

School was an absolute bore to get through. Not only that, she spent half her day in the principal’s office, locked up for questioning. They didn’t manage to get much though. Knowing how indifferent Haneul was at school, they just simply let her off this time with a warning.

Haneul usually didn’t talk much at school. It’s just that she couldn’t really be bothered. The people her age were just really different from her and that thought alone made her believe she couldn’t make any friends.

Yesterday, she believed, was one of the days she talked the most, from the scene in the restaurant to the time spent with Ahreum and then to the whole incident where he almost tried to kill her with a stick.

Haneul broke off her train of thought as she heard her phone beeping. Taking it out, she opened the new message and quickly skimmed through it, knowing exactly what it said before she even laid eyes on the first word.

“Dad and I are coming home late today, there’s food in the fridge.”

Haneul’s parents worked in the same office and when one of them says they’ll come home late, chances are the other one will too.

Too early to go straight home, Haneul began making her way to the local library to just read the hours away when suddenly, another thought crossed her mind. The thought that had been stuck in her head for the entire day.

Changing her route, she jogged down the same path she had taken yesterday, passing the same strange shops and entering the same loud heart of the town again. After a couple corners, she reached her destination and pushed through the doors, immediately making eye contact with the other.

“Here for another round?”

Haneul shrugged. “Why not?”

With a smile, the older woman gave a quick wave and disappeared behind the register. “I’ll meet you in ten.”

 

---

 

“So did they find out?”

“Yeah but they let me off.”

“What?” Ahreum arched a brow. “Let you off?”

“Just mentioning the thought of meeting my parents shut their mouths,” Haneul explained. “The teachers only meet them when they have to.”

“Are your parents that scary?” Ahreum asked as the two made their way to the gang’s hang out place.

“No, just difficult.”

“Oh right, I forgot to ask you,” Ahreum turned to her. “Any scratches or bruises from yesterday?”

“I’m fine,” Haneul replied, getting shivers at the thought of almost breaking a leg or two yesterday if it actually weren’t for that guy.

They reached the hang out and it was just in the middle of some park with a fountain. It was a peaceful area. The gang were split up into little groups here and there, chattering amongst themselves with some food and drinks. The sight of so many people gathered in one place having a good time almost took Haneul quite aback.

“We don’t have fights all the time,” chuckled Ahreum, as if she knew the reason for Haneul’s reaction. “Sometimes we meet up just to do this.”

Taking a seat with the group’s leader, Haneul settled down on one of the steps and cast her eyes over each and every one of the people until one person caught her eye. This sight surprised her the most.

He was a completely different person from yesterday. Even the way he talked was different. The whole air around the boy had completely changed. He was more outgoing and his smile, oh God his smile was what caught her eye. He had the most carefree smile she had ever seen.

The only things that remained unchanged were his eyes.

Despite his cheerful and happy-go-lucky exterior, the boy still had the coldest eyes Haneul had ever seen.  

“That’s Jongin,”

Breaking out of her thoughts, Haneul turned over to Ahreum blankly. “Pardon?”

“That’s Jongin,” the leader repeated, smiling. “Caught your eye, hasn’t he?”

“Not really.”

Ahreum let out a small chuckle. “He’s a strange one. Cold and ruthless in a fight but the happiest looking guy in person.”

“Are you sure?” Haneul found herself asking. “He’s got the scariest eyes I’ve ever seen.”

No sooner had she said that, the devil himself walked on over.

“Going already?” Ahreum asked the boy.

He gave her a grin. “Yeah, I’ve got stuff to do.”

Haneul watched the two exchange words with her just silently sitting at the side. Rather than the boy’s obviously charming smile, Haneul was drawn to something much more than that. Something hidden deeper than that. She didn’t know why but it scared her.

It scared her so much.

Without realising it, Haneul had found herself staring straight at Jongin for the past minute. The boy had also noticed that a pair of eyes had been set on him as well. A smile spread on his face as he inched closer to her.

“You’re the girl last time weren’t you?”

Snapping out of her trance, Haneul focused on the now closer view of the boy’s face. Taken aback by his sudden change of heart compared to last time they spoke, Haneul remained silent and just stared back at him.

Jongin arched an eyebrow. “What happened to all that feistiness last time?”

“What happened last time?” Ahreum asked, watching the two closely.

“She yelled at me,” Jongin simply replied. “And kicked me.”

“But he almost killed me!” Haneul burst out, remembering how her face was that close to being punctured with a stick.

“Oh, she spoke,” Jongin said which made her immediately shut up again. Sighing at her silence, Jongin squatted next to her. “Why don’t you speak some more?”

Mentally rolling her eyes at the boy, she chose to be the better person and ignore him.

“Didn’t you say you had some stuff to do?” cut in the leader, breaking Jongin out of his stare. “Get going already, Jongin.”

Flashing her another grin, he stood up and let out a cheerful yell to the gang members goodbye. After that, the boy just left. Haneul continued to watch him until he disappeared off into the distance.

“Looks like the newbie has a thing for Kai!” whistled some guys sitting a bit further away from Haneul.

Immediately snapping her head over to look at them, Haneul arched a brow. “Who has a thing for who?”

“You,” they chimed, “And Kai!”

“They’re talking about Jongin,” whispered Ahreum, sneaking a smile behind her hand.

“Jongin?”

The one word brought the whole group of four boys – but one – scrambling over, breaking from their little group and reassembling next to Ahreum and Haneul with widened eyes.

“Newbie, that’s a taboo name!” said one of them.

“You definitely can’t say that around him!” said another.

“Yo Ahreum, did you even tell her?!” exclaimed the third.

Ahreum only let out a sigh. “Are you kids that scared of Jongin?”

“He is very scary FYI,” said the fourth one.

“How come Ahreum calls him Jongin then?” Haneul found herself asking. She immediately regretted saying anything when all eyes went on her.

Ahreum shrugged. “We have history, I guess?”

What history?

Haneul froze as the question popped up in her head. Exactly when did she ever started giving a damn about that rude guy to begin with?

“Yo, Baek, Yeol, Sehun and shortie! Get your asses over here! Let’s play cards!” called out some guys from another group.

“Hear that? Leave,” said Ahreum, shooing the four away.

“We’re going!” they cried, “Ahreum doesn’t like us anymore!”

“Let us have some girl time!”

“They’re a weird bunch,” Haneul said after the four left.

“But cute,” Ahreum laughed.

The two spent the rest of the night chatting away about numerous things and for the second time that week, Haneul had opened up so much as a person and talked like no tomorrow. She didn’t even utter more than two words at home but at places like this and with people such as Ahreum, Haneul just talked and talked and talked.

After a good two hours or so of talking to Ahreum with people coming in and out of the group and sharing their own stories and jokes, Haneul decided to go home. The time flew by in a matter of seconds with numerous rounds of laughter and as much as Haneul hated to leave, she had to go back to her dull reality eventually.

“What’s with the gloomy look?” Ahreum gave her arm a strong elbow. “You can always come back here, you know.”

“I can always come back?” Haneul looked over at the sea of scattered people, all who of which were smiling and laughing like they didn’t have a care in the world. The sight tugged the corner of her heart and she knew she always yearned for a life like this. Haneul managed a small smile.

Ahreum was right. She could always come back here to escape from reality sometime.

 

---

 

Taking a quicker route home, the one Ahreum had shown her before, Haneul made her way through the streets, eager to make it home before the sky got even darker than it already was. Even the river looked pitch black from here she was standing.

Reaching a bridge, her heart almost dropped out of its cage when she saw a gloomy figure in the distance, sitting on the railing of the bridge.

Whilst in the middle of her heated debate of whether she should continue this route home or just go another way, her eyes focused on the figure and her eyes widened when she realised who it was.

He sat there, looking down at the water with empty eyes, as if he was trapped in his thoughts. A scenario painted itself in Haneul’s brain.

No, he couldn’t be that stupid – she thought but was brought to a halt when panic took over her mind as the scenario she had made quickly began to become reality.

Before she knew it, her feet had moved on its own.

“Kai!” No matter how much she screamed, it wouldn’t reach him. Then, in the spur of the moment, she found herself screaming something else, almost desperately.

“Jongin!”

No sooner had he turned around, Haneul wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and hauled him towards her with all her might, pulling back over the railing with her bare weight. The two landed on the bridge again with a sickly thud with scrapes and scratches on their bodies. Haneul took a second to breath, trying to slow down her heart rate. She looked over at Jongin and caught a small glimpse of the hurt splattered on his face, with eyes that looked as if they were dying to reach out for something, someone.

Eyes that were of a small, helpless child’s.

In a mere second, his look changed and he lifted his head, glaring straight into her eyes which took her quite aback, jamming the air in .

“Who are you to call me that?” he said rather bitterly after a moment.

Without even looking back at her, the boy got up and walked off.  

Haneul sat there for about five minutes to calm down herself down. He almost made her have a heart attack at his suicide attempt and that’s all he says to her after she saved his bloody life?

While being angry at herself for getting so worked up for nothing, at the same time, Haneul couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit relieved and although she couldn’t even properly digest what had just happened, her curiosity for the strange boy only grew.