Seol Hyorim stood at the sink, staring at her reflection.
She lifted a hand and lightly pressed beneath her eyes, grimacing.
Ugh… they're swollen.
She let out a quiet groan.
I cried way too much yesterday. And I even cried in front of Seojin… seriously, this is so embarrassing.
She picked up her toothbrush and began brushing, foam gathering at the corners of her lips as her thoughts drifted again.
At this rate… is Irina going to collapse?
I don't think this is just gonna pass in just a day or two...
The image from yesterday flashed through her mind.
Her jaw clenched.
Those disgusting bastards…
She rinsed her mouth, she clean the toothbrush just then, the bathroom door creaked open.
Two girls walked in.
Seol Hyorim's eyes narrowed the moment she saw the one with short hair.
Hong Aera was scowling as she rubbed her butt where the teacher smack her with a big wooden stick.
"It fucking hurts,"
she spat. "I'm reporting every last one of those bastards. Just because I didn't cut my hair, they think they can beat me up like that?"
She shot a bitter glance sideways. "You're lucky, huh? Short hair, so they let you off."
Hai-an shrugged, forcing a light laugh. "Yeah. Guess I am. Lol."
Hong Aera glance toward the sink and only then noticed Seol Hyorim standing there while glaring at them.
What the… What's her problem?
Neither of them said anything.
They simply stepped up to the sinks and started brushing their teeth as if nothing was wrong.
Seol Hyorim didn't move.
Her gaze stayed locked on Hai-an.
This shameless bitch.
Her glare intensified at her back.
If I acted on how I feel right now, I'd rip out every single damn strand of hair on her head.
Then Irina's voice echoed in her mind from the night before, broken and soaked in tears.
"Don't get involved I'll handle it myself… I just want to end this.... quietly."
Seol Hyorim sucked in a slow breath.
Huuu…For Irina's sake… I'm holding it in.
Just hold it in.
She turned and walked calmly toward the door.
Behind her, Hong Aera spoke around her toothbrush. "What were you doing yesterday, anyway? You didn't even pick up your phone."
Hai-an paused. "…Ah. I was out for something."
Seol Hyorim's hand froze on the doorknob.
Hong Aera tilted her head. "A plan? Who were you with?"
Hai-an smiled slightly, her tone light and playful. "…Hmm. Secret."
The limit of Seol Hyorim patience snapped.
-
Park Dong stood frozen, staring at Seojin as he beat Kwangwoon into the dirt.
It didn't even look like a fight.
Kwangwoon was already down, curled on his side, arms shaking as he tried and failed to push himself up.
Every time he moved, Seojin was there again, looming over him like a shadow that refused to leave.
Behind them, Kwangwoon's friends finally snapped out of their shock.
"H-Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" one of them shouted, voice cracking. "S-Stop your friend! This is crossing the line!"
"Y-Yeah!" the other chimed in, fear slipping through his forced bravado. "Do you guys have no respect?! We're older than you!"
Suwon and Daegyu exchanged a glance, neither of them daring to move.
They stayed frozen where they were, knowing better than to step between Seojin and his target.
Behind them, Kwangwoon's friends hurled curses nonstop.
"Stop your friend, you crazy bastard!"
"You kids think you can do whatever you want just because there's more of you?!"
Suwon and Daegyu stare at them incredulously .
Why don't you two try stopping him, then?
Their voices blurred into noise.
Park Dong barely heard a word.
How pathetic, I got punched for no reason… but now I get it.
The anger he'd been carrying all this time the irritation, the bitterness he kept taking out on Irina suddenly made sense.
So this is why,
Just like Suwon said.
He stepped forward.
Kwangwoon's friends noticed and stiffened, their eyes darting between him and Seojin.
Suwon and Daegyu let out small, almost imperceptible sighs of relief, assuming Park Dong was finally going to stop this.
They were wrong.
Park Dong reached Seojin first and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Seojin turned, startled, confusion flashing across his face.
Park Dong gave him a gentle push not hostile, not forceful.
Seojin hesitated for half a second, then stepped aside.
Park Dong took his place.
Kwangwoon lay on the ground in front of him, face already swollen, blood smeared across his lips and nose. His chest rose unevenly as he struggled to breathe.
Park Dong looked down at him, expression unreadable.
"It really wasn't me who told her," he said quietly.
Kwangwoon's eyes flickered, unfocused.
Park Dong continued, his voice hardening. "But even if it was… what were you gonna do about it, huh?"
I guess I like Irina.
And with that.
Park Dong swung his fist.
It connected cleanly with Kwangwoon's already bloodied face.
-
Hong Aera shook out her uniform, sniffing at the fabric. "Hey… don't I smell like smoke?"
Hai-an leaned closer, nose wrinkling slightly. "Yeah. A little."
"That could've been bad," Hong Aera muttered. "Guess I should change clothes before smoking next time."
"Or just quit," Hai-an said flatly. "It's not good for you anyway."
Hong Aera reached for the doorknob, snorting. "Try quitting after you've started. It's not that easy."
She pulled the door open.
And froze.
Seol Hyorim was standing right outside.
Before either of them could react, Seol Hyorim stepped inside.
She slammed the door shut behind her.
Click.
She press the lock.
Hong Aera and Hai-an instinctively backed away.
What the? Why is she coming in again…?
She suddenly shoved Hai-an hard by the shoulder.
"Ah!"
Hai-an's toothbrush slipped from her fingers, clattering against the tiled floor.
Before she could even react, her back hit the wooden wall with a dull thud.
Seol Hyorim stepped in close.
Her palm slammed against the wall right beside Hai-an's head cutting off any chance of escape.
-
Kwangwoon's friends stared in shock for half a second before panic kicked in.
Compared to the guy who had appeared out of nowhere and started beating Kwangwoon senseless, Park Dong didn't look nearly as threatening.
That was enough for them.
They grabbed Park Dong by both arms and yanked him back hard.
"Are you insane?!"
"You little bastard have you lost your mind?!"
Suwon watched with his mouth slightly open, nerves screaming in his head.
This is a total mess…They maybe from different a school, but with these Hyungs...
Park Dong didn't struggle as they pulled him away.
He let them drag him back, his eyes never leaving Kwangwoon on the ground.
"Why the hell did you even come all the way to our school?"
Park Dong spoke calmly.
"And you still have the nerve to blame me for what happened?"
His voice was steady, but every word hit like it was been held in for too long.
"It's not my fault you cheated on her. And at the first place does it even matter who told her or how she finds out? You sow what you reap."
His friends shut their mouth hearing this.
"You're the one who messed everything up from the start," Park Dong continued. "You know how much that idiot Irina like you, right? She talked about you so much. It was so annoying to hear."
He clenched his jaw.
"She didn't even realize her boyfriend was cheating on her."
His eyes hardened.
"You're the reason she's like this. So why are you taking it out on us? You should be embarrassed. Seriously."
Kwangwoon lay on the ground, blood smeared across his face, chest rising unevenly.
He didn't respond.
Whether it was because he no longer had the strength or because the weight of it all had finally crushed him no one could tell.