"See you later, Grumpy cat." The male smiled as he shook Soojung's hand. 

"See you, too, Dr.Zhang." 

"Call me Lay, you're not a patient anymore and I'm not your psychiatrist. We're just friends. Good ones." 

Soojung blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall down. She didn't want to cry and ruin everything. She was finally getting discharged after spending ten months in the hospital. 

Even though other patients anticipated their discharge date, Soojung dreaded it the most. She had to return to the hell she abandoned months ago. Even the white walls that she despised so much seemed pleasant compared to the darkness that awaited her.

"If you need anything, call me or Sul." Lay hugged her and she let a lone tear roll down, she didn't want to leave. All these months Dr.Zhang or Lay as he preferred to be called, was a brother figure for Soojung. He reminded her of Sooyeon so much. The kind smile that always graced his lips, the encouraging words that seemed to never stop and the loving gaze he held - it all reminded Soojung of her dear sister. 

"Goodbye, Lay." She finally said and looked around her room one last time. 

"I'm gonna miss this place." 

"Oh, you won't. You'll forget it as soon as you go out." Lay playfully raised his brows and Soojung just chuckled. 

Maybe he was right. Maybe she would forget after all. 

"Hey there." Hana's wary voice greeted Soojung when she came out from her room. 

Her mother had lost a lot of weight for the last months. She also seemed to have gained some wrinkles. But that is inevitable, the stress she had to endure was too much - the pain after her eldest daughter's death, the constant fights between her and her husband and a mentally unstable daughter. No person would've been able to withstand it. 

After eight months of fighting, Soojung's parents finally decided to part. And the most ironic thing was that her father, who always started the quarrels was the first one to suggest a divorce. And Hana instantly agreed, she'd had enough. And she was handed custody over Soojung. 

The family that used to have four members, now consisted of a single mother and a daughter. 

"Ready to go home?" 

"Yeah." 

Home. It was a fortunate thing that her father was kind enough to give them the house. 'Kind enough' - such a word. Soojung didn't even know if she was supposed to think like that. 

"I got a job." Hana announced as she placed Soojung's luggage in the back of the car. 

Soojung raised her brows, her mother had always been a housewife. 

"I'm going to be an elementary school teacher. I've never had the chance to work after graduating." 

"How did you get a job? Seduced the principal?"

"What?" Hana looked back at her daughter with a disapproving look on her face and Soojung fought the urge to break the car window there and then. It was a good thing she had learned self-control at the hospital. 

"Never mind."  

Soojung just shook her head and plugged in her earphones. As the car sped up, she looked through the windows. The familiar buildings flashed before her eyes and the neighborhood she lived in came to the view. The lovely houses, the supermarket managed by the kind uncle - all tore her heart a little. 

She didn't mean to act that way towards her mother. She really didn't want to. But it was unavoidable because Soojung still held a grudge against Hana for abandoning her. Maybe she was just being a brat. Maybe she was just very hurt by Hana's actions. Maybe, she was just a very difficult person. 

The ten months she had spent in the hospital sure helped her change for the good. She didn't feel as suicidal and depressed. But the pain was still there. Bearable, but it still stung. 

Why did it have to be her? 

* * * * * 

"Class, we have a transfer student. So keep quiet!" The homeroom teacher practically begged the students, but they were too immersed in their own conversations to even notice the poor teacher was there. 

"CAN'T YOU ALL JUST ING SHUT UP?!" 

Everyone flinched when the girl shouted with anger evident in her voice. They thought their ears fooled them when they heard it, but it was no doubt that Jung Soojung shouted during class and cussed at that. They all knew she had changed somehow when she returned from her ten months vacation in USA. Soojung had become cold and unfriendly,  always seemed to have a frown on her face. The students just thought she hung out with bad people, and they influenced her. 

But, it wasn't like that at all. She just wanted to spend her last year in high school quietly. And that was why she didn't bother being nice to people and just talked to Sulli. 

"Jung Soojung! No swearing in my class again, got it?" The teacher gritted through her teeth and Soojung half-nodded. 

"Like I said, we have a transfer student. Come in!" 

The door opened and a blonde male came in. His delinquent-like light blonde hair and thick eyebrows gave him an unapproachable, cool and y image. Soojung could already feel the girls in the class look at him with lustful eyes, like predators eyeing its pray. Well, in this case he looked more like the predator. 

"Hello, I'm Wu Yifan. An exchange student from China. Feel free to call me Kris." 

Unlike his chic looks he seemed pretty approachable, even playful. 

"Well, then, Yifan-sshi, sit behind Soojung-sshi. You see the girl there?" The teacher pointed at her and she involuntarily cursed her bad luck. She would have to get herself involved with him. And he just looked like a troublemaker. 

The bell finally rang, announcing the end of the school. Soojung collected her things as usual, but a pat on her shoulders made her drop her notebooks. She turned around, only to see the new guy grinning slyly at her. 

"Why don't you show me around?" He smiled, showing his pearly whites, but Soojung was too tired to even try to be nice.

"Why don't you ask someone else?" 

He looked genuinely amused by her answer. After five seconds of silence he finally chuckled "Well, everyone looks like they're about to jump on me. Girls want a one night stand with me, and guys want to beat the crap out of me. You're the only one who doesn't give two s about me."

Soojung sighed loudly as she motioned him to follow her.

The pair went around the school, Soojung introducing him to teachers and showing him the classrooms.

"We're done." She announced as they stood in front of the school gates. 

"Thanks, Soojung." 

"You're welcome."

"You know what, don't live like this. You're just like a suicidal person who's waiting for a perfect time to die." Kris muttered as his eyes stared into Soojung's. 

"Stay out of my business. Thanks for the concern though." Soojung looked at him with a sour expression before walking away. 

The next day, the atmosphere between Soojung and Kris didn't improve at all. Kris regretted saying something unnecessary, but he couldn't just turn back the time. 

"Hey, I'm sorry about yesterday." He warily mumbled as he tried to make her look at him. But his efforts were futile because Soojung didn't even spare him a glance. 

"I'm sorry." He muttered, finally giving up. 

"Apology accepted." Soojung didn't even blink as she looked at him with a serious expression. 

"Good. Does that mean we're friends?" Kris grinned and extended his hand, but Soojung's answer caught him off guard. 

She smirked "No."

"Then I'll just make you my friend." 

"No." Soojung bit the insides of her cheek, so she wouldn't grin like an idiot. This Kris guy had a stupidly innocent personality, unlike his looks. 

"Your answers are rather short." He mumbled with an annoyed expression and Soojung finally laughed. 

"Fine, we're friends, Kris." 

The following handshake marked the beginning of their tangled futures. 

A/N : Heeeyy guuyz! I finally updated! I'm sorry for not updating for two weeks, I was just soo busy! 

And also, don't worry about the new character - Kris. He will play a big part in the story. ^^ And rest assured, I didn't forget about Sehun and Luhan. They will reappear soon!