– Chapter 4
The whispers had not died down. As Anna stepped into her classroom the next morning, a hush fell over the room. She could hear the murmurs, the stolen glances.
"She punched Yo Chan…"
"She's not afraid of anyone."
Anna ignored them, her expression calm and detached, though her chest felt tight. Seirin followed close behind, as if her presence could shield Anna from the stares. Anna slid into her seat, refusing to let the judgmental eyes pierce her mask.
---
The first period ended with the heavy silence of an English test. When the bell rang, the teacher stacked the papers and called out, "Seirin, please take these to the office."
Seirin nodded and turned immediately to Anna. "Come with me."
Together, they walked down the hallway, Seirin balancing the stack of papers in her arms. Before they could reach the office, a girl darted toward them. It was Hyejin—the same girl who had been bullied mercilessly before. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with desperation.
"Anna… please!" Her voice trembled. "They won't stop bothering me. I don't know what to do anymore!"
Anna froze, her fists curling instinctively. She was ready to turn back and fight for Hyejin, but Seirin placed a firm hand on her arm.
"You should complain to the principal," Seirin said firmly, her voice colder than usual. "That's the proper way."
Hyejin shook her head, her eyes brimming with hopelessness. "I already tried. It doesn't work."
Seirin exhaled heavily, choosing not to argue. She tugged Anna gently. "Let's go."
Anna looked back at Hyejin, conflicted. For a moment, she wanted to drop everything and defend her. But Seirin's grip was steady, pulling her forward. Anna turned away, her heart unsettled.
---
That evening, the air inside Anna's house felt heavier than usual. She sat across from her father and Minjun, both watching her in silence.
Her father's voice broke it first—low, stern, and unyielding.
"Anna, you must stop fighting. Do you think I don't notice? Every time you come home with bruises…" His voice wavered, softening. "I see her in you."
Anna's chest clenched.
Her father lowered his tone even further, as if confessing a secret. "You resemble your mother too much. That's why it scares me."
Anna bowed her head, hiding her emotions beneath her long hair. She clenched her fists under the table, silent.
---
Across town, Yo Chan faced his own father in a dimly lit living room. The older man's face carried guilt, the weight of years pressing into his tired eyes.
"Yo Chan," he said quietly. "You can't go on like this. I don't want you repeating my mistakes."
Yo Chan smirked coldly, leaning back in his chair. "Your mistakes? Don't act like you suddenly care about right and wrong."
His father flinched but said nothing. The silence stung more than words. Yo Chan stood, scoffing, and walked out of the room.
---
That night, Seirin sat at her desk, pen hovering over the familiar pages of her diary. She pressed the ink into words that only she would ever see.
"She says nothing, but I know Anna is hurting. She hides behind anger, but her eyes… they always give her away."
She closed the diary softly, her heart aching.
---
Minjun curled beneath his blanket, tears streaking silently down his face. His small hands gripped the fabric tightly.
"If only I was stronger," he whispered into the dark. "Noona wouldn't have to fight for me."
---
Later, Anna walked home alone beneath dim streetlights. The world around her was quiet, shadows stretching long across the pavement. She wasn't afraid, but when a man stepped into her path, blocking her way with a crude grin, her body tensed.
"Hey, pretty girl," he sneered, reaching for her wrist.
Anna glared, ready to strike, but before she could move, another hand intervened.
"Let her go."
The voice was calm, firm, and unwavering. Song Kyeo stood between her and the man, his expression sharp enough to slice the air. The stranger scoffed, but the intensity in Song Kyeo's eyes made him retreat. Muttering, the man stumbled away into the shadows.
Anna pulled her wrist free, startled. "You didn't have to— I can handle myself."
Song Kyeo's lips curved faintly. "Even strong people shouldn't fight alone."
She studied his face under the streetlight, finally recognizing him—the restaurant owner she had seen before. For some reason, her guard softened.
They walked side by side toward her house.
"Be careful at night," Song Kyeo said casually. "The world isn't kind, even to the strong."
Anna gave a small nod. His words lingered longer than she expected.
---
Meanwhile, Yo Chan lay sprawled on his bed, one hand over his cheek where her fist had landed. His smirk spread wider the more he thought of it.
"That crazy girl," he muttered under his breath. "She really dared to hit me."
A strange mixture of irritation and admiration glimmered in his eyes, leaving him restless.