(Author's Note: Moodboard courtesy of @mintwithchoco and Wooly (the artist formerly known as woolypoison)! I saw the cross and went sideways :>)
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It was winter when your girlfriend broke up with you.
Five years, down the drain in a quick "I can't do this anymore." Five words more painful that a knife to the chest.
You thought you'd be able to get over here quickly—you had friends, family, a whole support system for you to rely on while you tried to pick up the pieces of your shattered life.
But what good is a support system? You just want her.
You're drunk again for the umpteenth time this week. Your feet drag against the concrete with each step as if your body is using the last of its energy to push you forward. Your phone buzzes violently your pocket—no doubt calls and texts from your friends asking where you are at this ungodly hour—but unless one of those notifications is from her, you ignore them.
Snow drifts from the midnight sky, each tiny flake seeping into your skin and chilling your bones. You should've dressed warmer, especially on a night like this. Hell, you should've done a lot of things. Should've loved her better. Should've listened to her more. Should've been more attentive. Should've this, should've that. The list of your regrets goes on and on in biblical proportions.
You keep walking. Concrete sidewalks give way to mushy patches of grass, and the frequency of streetlights becomes less and less the further you go. The familiarity of the town you grew up in is gone, replaced by the gnarled silhouettes of bare trees. In spite of the cold, your body doesn't shiver anymore. It can't. All that's left of your energy is used to push you forward through the growing pile of snow.
You only stop when the path ahead ends abruptly. When nothing but open air is there catch your next step. A blanket of white clouds your vision until it's all that exists. No trees, no stones, no shadows, just pure white in every direction. In your drunken haze, you half-expect her to appear out of the white, to hold you against her chest and tell you that this was all just a test, which you passed with flying colors. You'd rest your chin against the hollow of her palm like you used to and she'd take you home and caress your neck until this nightmare disappeared forever.
You shut your eyes. You wait. And wait. And wait. Her touch never comes.
It's too late to go back. You can't even tell where back is. Back to your apartment, stained in the memories of waking up together? Back to the bar, where you'll inevitably lose yourself at the bottom of another bottle? There is nowhere for you. There is nothing after her.
Your back hits the frozen ground as the last beats of your heart slowly decay into a dying rhythm. The snowstorm picks up, burying you with it. Your body, the one she had touched, loved, and broken, isn't your own anymore. If you looked into a mirror, you'd think it was a stranger. A sad, lonely, drunken stranger. And that's exactly how you're going out.
It's comforting, in a strange way—no more late nights letting your regrets rock you to sleep. No more crying over what could have been. No more staring at the empty spot where she used to read or growing sick at the scent of cherries. No more of anything,
That's what death is, right? Just complete and utter nothingness.
As the cold envelops your body, that's all you can think about—nothing. You embrace that nothing with open arms.
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After the nothingness swallowed you whole, you never imagined waking up again.
The first thing you notice is the temperature. It's still cold, but after being buried under the snow, anything less feels like a sauna.
Every muscle in your body aches as you sit up, letting you know that, despite everything, you're alive. Shit. Death was always a fickle thing. Maybe you could've jumped instead of simply laying down to die, but there was no guarantee there either.
The endless white that once surrounded is gone, replaced by the soulless grays of concrete walls and the rotting browns of cracked wooden floors. Harsh winds seeped through the cracks of the arched windows lining the walls. Wooden pews strewn about, brittle, forgotten. Nature had already claimed more than half of them, with some being nothing more than piles of decaying wood.
Behind you sits a large cross on top an elevated stage. Even as everything falls apart around it, the cross stays untouched. How poetic, you think. You were never particularly religious, but perhaps your survival would be a sign for change.
"You're awake."
Your gaze shoots to the center of the room where the voice came from. Where nothing once stood, now was someone. The first thing you noticed was her skin—pale and colorless, like the snow that raged on outside. Her hair, like raven's feathers, as was her dress, something simple yet elegant.
"Who are you?" you manage to croak out. You instinctively clutch your throat. Every word feels like sandpaper against your larynx.
She doesn't answer, just continues to stare with those pitch black eyes. There was no warmth in her expression. Or anywhere on her, for that matter. For a second, you wonder if the voice was even hers. Maybe you just imagined it and she was nothing but a statue.
Your quickly proven wrong as she approaches you.
Every logical part of you says you should be afraid—after passing out in a snowstorm, you wake up in this old, abandoned church to this strange and eerie woman—but you aren't. All logic was abandoned the second you stepped into the woods.
She stops and kneels in front of you. A subtle chill emanates from her being.
"Did you mean to come here?"
"Where is here?
"Nowhere." She rises from her spot and approaches the cross, each step echoing throughout the empty church. "It's only temporary. Temporary requires no name."
"Are you… temporary?" you ask.
She doesn't answer.
Her slender fingers drag against the old wood of the cross. Something about her silhouette felt familiarly uncanny, like a stranger you've passed a thousand times without so much as a greeting.
Even in this decrepit place with this strange woman, you could feel no fear. You couldn't feel much of anything, really. Perhaps the cold had numbed your spirit, weakening all sense of preservation. Whether you intended to or not, you came out here to end it all. Whatever the "end" looks like still eludes you.
"You will ask no more questions," she turns to you, "and you will only speak to answer mine. Understood." Her words come out with finality, like there's no space for anything but the answer she expects.
A shiver runs through your skin as she stares at you, unblinking and unemotional. "Fine," you submit.
"Why are you here."
"Because…" Saying it out loud is more trouble than you thought. Because a girl dumped me. What a childish notion. And yet, it's your truth. "…Because there's nothing out there for me. Not anymore."
"And you believe this to be true."
"I… yes."
She doesn't speak for a while, simply pacing slowly across the stage. With each step, you feel the pain your chest continue to grow, the same pain that's been lingering ever since you were tossed aside like trash. Like cancer, it seeped into every fiber of your being, infecting you from the inside until you were nothing but a husk of your former self. Your lungs, your bones, your brain, nothing was yours anymore.
"Why did you do it."
Your gaze falls to the floor. "Do what?" you mutter.
"No questions," she reiterates, eyeing you intensely.
On unsteady legs, you rise to your feet. "I was about to ask her to marry me," you start, the pain in your chest like a knife twisting in your heart. "I had everything planned out. I bought a ring, I booked flights, I invited our friends to be part of it.
Your vision blurs, maybe from the burning pain or the tears, you're not sure. Nonetheless, you continue. "She was everything to me. We promised we'd be in each other's lives forever, but then she… she…"
"She left you." She's in front of you now, crossing all that space in an instant without a single noise. Despite the cloudiness, you could make out the obsidian of her eyes, like infinite blackness that lead to nothing. The woman's pale skin seems almost translucent, but where you would expect veins and irregularities, there was nothing—hauntingly beautiful, like something you were never meant to see.
"She did," you utter sadly. "All the time we spent, all the memories made, they all meant nothing to her. I meant nothing to her."
You feel a gentle hand caress your cheek. Instinctively, you sink into the hollow of her palm, your eyes fluttering shut as the tears continue to fall.
"Are you nothing." she asks.
"I feel like it." The pain in your chest throbs with each beat of your heart. "I'm so… tired."
"It'll be over soon." Her voice, now a low whisper, brushes against your cheeks like an icy breeze.
"We were supposed to be forever. We were supposed to be… forever. We were…"
The woman presses her lips against yours, eating up your words. The pain stops, then shrinks bit by bit. You feel your body growing lighter, surrendering all control. A wave of numbness rises from your toes, your legs, your chest, until all you feel is nothing.
You can't open your eyes, fore you have none. You can't cry, fore you have no more reason to.
You are, simply, Nothing.
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Only until his presence had properly faded did Haewon open her eyes—another one's suffering was over. The list was shortened by one, only for another dozen to take his place.
She walked off the stage and down the rows of rundown pews, donning her hood as she prepares to venture back out into the cold. There would be no time for mourning; that was not her responsibility to bare. Her duties lie elsewhere.
The harrowing winter storm continues to roar as she steps outside. The slam of the wooden doors echo throughout the empty church, patiently awaiting their next visitor.
I inhale the evening air, letting the aroma of grass fill my lungs. The full moon watches over us with a gentle gaze, casting an intimate spotlight on me and Minji. She leans over the railing, watching the streetlights flicker on the town below and imagining that they're stars shining from a million miles away.
A cool breeze whistles past. I wrap an arm around Minji for warmth, and she leans into my touch.
It's quiet. Peaceful. Perfect.
"The moon looks beautiful tonight," she comments. I nod, but all my focus is on her: the girl more beautiful than any celestial body could hope to be. Her hair dances with the wind like a stream of the finest black silk; her eyes, so full of wonder and possibility, hide their own galaxy within. Planets, constellations, blackholes, pieces of Minji only revealed to those that can see beyond her surface.
Being here, alone, with her—I could die with a smile.
"Minji," I utter softly in the narrow space between us. She turns to me, a knowing smile on her lips, and shuts her eyes. She's waiting.
With a quivering breath, I slowly lean in, captured in the force of her gravity. As I move closer and closer, warm puff of her breath brush my cheeks, like the first ray of sunshine after an arduous winter. Her soft lips are the last thing I see before my vision grows dim.
And then, nothing.
My eyes shoot open. Minji is gone, replaced by the slow whirling of my ceiling fan. I jolt upright, desperately searching for her, only to be met with the dull layout of my bedroom. A disappointed sigh leaves my lungs—just a dream.
My phone sits on my bedand the memory of my fruitless attempt at texting her comes crawling back. How fucking pathetic. In my dream, I have no problem being all lovey-dovey and shit, yet I can't even think of a single thing to say to her in the real world. My fingers hover over the keyboard, some last ditch effort at searching for the rights words to say, but it's all for naught as I end up texting the group chat instead.
Yuno: Good Morning.
Yujin: GOOD MORNING!!!!
Winter: good morning :)
Yuno: What are you two up to?
Winter: working :/
Yujin: im hanging out with my grandma!!
With the two of them busy, I'm left to figure out how to spend my Sunday alone. I click over to Minji's blank messages one last time, my heart palpitating weirdly. Whatever this feeling is, love or otherwise, it's getting old quickly. Everything is confusing, and unlike most of my problems, I can't just brute force my way through it. What am I even hoping for here? A relationship? I don't know anything about relationships or dating or how to be a boyfriend.
Minji's boyfriend, huh? That sounds kinda nice.
No. We're too different, and I don't exactly have any redeeming qualities. I mean, Minji is like... a shining star—beautiful and radiant, but unattainable. And I'm just a sad cockroach that gets to look at the star. I wouldn't be surprised if my entire existence is just some sick joke played by whatever it is that's up there.
We're just friends, and that's okay. And yet, I can't quite ignore the dull pain in my chest from the thought of being 'just friends'. With a heavy sigh and a couple thousand unanswered questions, I send her a simple "Good Morning" text. Because that's what friends say to each other.
Heading downstairs, the sizzling of melting butter and the heavenly scent of warm maple syrup grows stronger, making my stomach growl louder than a lion asserting its dominance. My dad flips another pancake onto a growing stack, two more still cooking on the stovetop.
"Good morning, Yuno," he greets me with a quiet smile. "I made some breakfast. Help yourself."
I quickly take a seat and stack a couple pancakes onto my plate, practically drooling at the sight of these golden-brown disks of perfection. The warm scent wafts past my nose and I suddenly remember that first morning at Minji's house. Despite being complete strangers, she still offered me a place to sleep to avoid the rain, warm clothes to change into, and even went through all the trouble of making me waffles. She didn't have to, yet she did, and it made all the difference in my measly little life.
Minji is just so... incredible. And beautiful. And intelligent and kind and sweet and—
"Uh, are you okay?" I hear my dad ask. "You've been staring at your pancakes for a while now."
I shake my head, pulling myself back into reality. "I'm fine."
That's a lie. I'm not fine. A girl—THE girl—is taking over my mind, making my heart feel weird and my mouth feel dry. I like a girl that can't possibly like me back and I'm just supposed to be fine with that. How do I even begin to explain this to anyone?
My dad sits across from me at the table and fills up his plate. The silence between us begins to grow as we eat, an air of unease and uncertainty filling the room. On top of my feelings for Minji, I now have to deal with my feelings regarding the state of my dad. It's been years since I last saw him like this. He's fine now, but what if he relapses? How did he even make such an abrupt change anyway when all I saw him doing was sleeping and drinking? I should be happy, but I can't shake the feeling that he could just revert to his older self without warning. I can't cling to hope for too long, otherwise I'll be met with disappointment yet again.
"So, I was thinking," he says, nervously clearing his throat. "Would you wanna go to the mall later?"
I freeze like a deer in headlights, caught off guard by his sudden question. "The mall? Why?"
"You don't have to go if you don't wanna, I just thought..." He sighs heavily, dropping his expression to the floor. "I want to be your dad again, like old times, before your mother... left us. If you don't want anything to do with me, I understand, but if it's okay with you... I want a relationship with my son again."
He looks into my eyes with a sincere expression, tears threatening to pour. A part of me wants to say no, to make up some lame excuse and wander the streets until it's dark instead of spending any time with him. Maybe he's right. Maybe I am harboring some resentment for him for leaving me, a child, alone all these years, left to watch my one remaining parent shatter into a million pieces every day until he's nothing but dust. Maybe I got so used to being alone that the thought of relying on someone else again makes me uncomfortable. Maybe I get into these stupid fights and aimlessly walk around the neighborhood because I know that the only person waiting for me at home is constantly drunk and sleeping.
Despite that, I don't say no. I nod my head and utter, "Okay," because the other part of me wants to have my dad back regardless of what he did. I want to be able to come home after school, into a home with the lights on, where the air doesn't constantly smell like alcohol, and have someone, anyone, ask how my day went. I want someone to rely on when life gets too difficult to handle by myself. I want my family again.
So we eat our breakfast in silence. The uncertainty lingers, but next to it is a warming sense of hope, holding its hand in reassurance.
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Minji's POV
Knock, knock, knock
"Minji?"
Knock, knock, knock
"Honey, are you awake?"
I finally sit up, rubbing the drowsiness from my eyes. "Now I am," I yawn, stretching out my limbs. The clock reads 7:12 AM, about an hour after I usually wake up on the weekends. My phone lay face up on my bed, still on Yuno's empty messages. Like an idiot, I waited all night for a response from him, but all I got was an hour less of sleep. Maybe I shouldn't have held my breath for him.
My mother swings my bedroom door wide open. "Oh good, you're awake," she says, pacing around my room and picking up some of my laundry off the ground. "Go eat breakfast and get washed up. We're going to the mall."
"The mall? Why?" I ask.
"Oh, y'know... Just some clothes shopping," she says with a peculiar smile. "We need to update that closet of yours, dear."
Too drowsy to argue, I get out of bed and head downstairs, where my father is taking a call in the kitchen. Wisps of steam float from the mug of black coffee sitting on the counter next to him, untouched as he presses his phone to his ear with an intense focus. He mouths "Good morning" to me, gesturing to a plate holding a simple cheese and spinach omelet. I dig in, unintentionally eavesdropping on my father's conversation.
"Mhm. Tuesday you said? No, it's not a problem at all. Yes, she will be there, I'll make sure of it. Yeah. Mhm. No problem. We'll see you then."
Finally, he hangs up the phone and sits next to me at the dining table. Wrinkles of exhaustion decorate his face, likely from working early in the morning.
"Did you sleep okay, Minji?" He asks. "You're usually up earlier than this."
"I slept fine. I thought I'd get some more studying done after I got home and forgot about the time," I lie. I can't even imagine how furious he would be if I told him that I stayed up all night waiting for a text from a boy.
He grins proudly at me. "I'm happy that you're working hard on your studies, but good sleeping habits will keep our brain healthy." His phone buzzes in his pocket. "I'll be right back, I have to take this." He leaves the room, leaving me alone in the kitchen with my omelet and my thoughts. Maybe Yuno isn't going to text me. Maybe I should text him first instead. But shouldn't the guy text first...?
A sigh leaves my lips. I'm way in over my head with prom preparations already, I definitely don't have any room for a silly little crush. Perhaps these feelings are just one of circumstance. We've been bumping into each other everywhere, so these feelings will fade if I just avoid Yuno for a bit. Sounds easy enough, right?
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The mall is always busiest on the weekends, full of families and friends looking for new deals while carrying around soft pretzels or pointing out attractive people who pass by. This mall, however, is a bit different from most, reserving its entire top floor for high-end designer shops. There isn't any sort of membership or secret password that prohibits people from entering the top floor, but it generally stays barren aside from the few wealthy shoppers who can afford to do more than just window shop, including my family. The blatantly obvious segregation between social classes is disgusting, but I would be lying if I said I don't like being able to shop without stumbling through the thick crowds on the lower levels.
"What do you think about this one, dear?" My mother pulls a black dress off the hanger, presenting its fine, intricate detailing to me. Shimmering black beads are sewn into the fabric, probably taking countless hours to place by hand.
"It's very pretty," I comment plainly. By all means, it's a beautiful dress, but I much prefer something more comfortable.
"Why don't you go try it on, dear," she says, handing me the dress. I glance at the price tag, causing my eyes to go wide in shock at the $120,000 price point.
"$120,000? Isn't that a bit much for a dress?" I ask, concern painting my face.
"Nonsense, Minji. Don't you want to look good for the party?"
My brow furrows. "Party? What party?" My mother's gaze wanders, avoiding me completely.
"Well, there's no party in particular, but you never know what will come up. Just try on the dress please." She pushes me into the dressing room before I can ask another question.
Right as I close the door behind me, I feel my phone buzz in my purse. My heart skips a beat from the words on the screen - 1 new message from Yuno.
"AH!" I exclaim, nearly dropping my phone.
"Are you okay in there, ma'am?" A worker asks from the other side of the door. I can feel my cheeks heat up from embarrassment.
"I-it's nothing! Just a, uh, a spider! But it's okay!" I silently cringe at myself as I hear the worker's footsteps walking away. I just know Hanni would be laughing her butt off at me getting this excited over a text from Yuno.
With a trembling hand, I open up his text, which simply reads "Good morning." It's a short and simple message, yet I bite my lip, actively stifling a delighted squeal. An overwhelming sense of giddiness washes over me from those two words on the screen, my mind racing as I try to think of a response.
Should I ask him how he slept? Maybe that's a bit too intimate... Oh, what if he had a weird dream? That's an interesting topic of conversation, right? No, that might be too weird... Maybe I should ask the girls for help. But they might just laugh at me. Oh god, what do I do?
Right as my thumb hovers over the keyboard to type up a response, I freeze. This isn't what I'm supposed to be doing. Yuno and I are just friends, and that's all we can ever be. I'm just far too busy for any kind of serious relationship, and my parents clearly don't approve of him either. Even so, a small voice in the back of my head tells me to go for it, that it'll work out if I try hard enough. Anything can be achieved through hard work, right? That's what my parents always tell me. A heavy sigh escapes my lips as my heart and mind devolve into war with no clear victor. I don't even know for sure if he feels the same, yet here I am, getting all excited over his words on a screen.
A knock at the door snaps me out of my rambling thoughts. "Honey, are you okay in there? You've been in there a long time, I only gave you one dress to try," I hear my mom ask.
"S-sorry!" I quickly toss my phone back into my purse and grab the dress off the hanger. Maybe I just need some time to think about it.
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"Thank you for shopping with us, Ms. Kim! Have a wonderful day!" The worker exclaims as we leave the store with a plethora of shopping bags and a long receipt to match. My mother takes a single bag, leaving me to carry the rest. My family definitely has the means to live a "comfortable" life, but even exorbitant purchases like these are uncharacteristic of them.
"Why... huff... do I... huff... need all these clothes?" I ask, struggling to carry everything. "Isn't this... huff... a bit much just to update my closet?"
"Think of it as a gift from your mother, dear," she replies, not looking in my direction. "I barely get to see you because your father and I are always working. Don't you want to spend time with your mother?"
"I guess so..." But not like this, I think to myself. As we descend the escalator to the lower levels, the frequency of people increases, making it nearly impossible to take two steps without accidentally hitting someone with the bags. My cheeks burn with embarrassment as I offer an apologetic look to everyone who passes by.
Amidst the chaos, I trip over my foot, sending shopping bags and expensive dresses flying everywhere. My mother continues on without even so much as a glance backward, leaving me to pick up the remnants of her wealth as passersby give me weird looks or downright ignore me. As if things couldn't get any worse, a man snatches my purse off the ground and dashes toward the mall exit.
"H-hey! Give that back!" Of course, my words fall on deaf ears as the thief gets farther and farther. No one moves to stop him, too scared or confused to intervene. My phone, my wallet, the little knick knacks my friends have given me over the years, all of it is gone...
Out of nowhere, a person tackles the thief to the ground, wrestling my purse from his hands. The scuffle ends with the heroic stranger standing over the thief's now unconscious body, a crowd surrounding and applauding his efforts. An overwhelming sense of gratitude fills me, and without thinking, I run over to my savior and capture him in a big hug,
"Oh my god, thank you so much for getting my purse back, I don't know how I can—" Panic replaces gratitude as I look up at him for the first time.
"Y-Yuno?!"
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Yuno's POV
I glare at the black screen of my phone, taunting me by reflecting my own ridiculous emotions. My body is restless, itching for any sign of life, a vibration, a notification, just anything to quench my frustrations. And then it happens: the screen lights up with life. Frantic, I grab the phone, bringing it up to my eyes to read the notification.
Yujin: Heeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyy guyyyyyysssssss. I made kimbap for my grandma, what do yall think?
A photo of Yujin is attached to the text, depicting a clumsily put-together plate of what I assume to be kimbap. Out of the billion notifications I've received in the past hour, all of them have been from Yujin, and zero have been from Minji. My head drops in disappointment. Despite my own warnings, I can't stop thinking about her. She plagues my mind with her pretty eyes and cute face and gentle voice and—
"You alright, Yuno?" My dad sits across from me at the table, his brow furrowed in concern mid-chew. "You haven't touched your burger at all."
I shake my head, gathering my bearings. '50s rock music blasts from the speakers above, fitting the atmosphere of the classic American-style diner my dad ended up choosing. With no plan in mind, my dad suggested that we get some lunch first, although his words fell on deaf ears since I was too preoccupied staring at my phone.
"It's nothing," I utter, avoiding his eyes. He sighs heavily, his expression darkening.
"Look, I... I understand if you don't trust me completely, and I will work harder to earn your trust, but I don't want you to suffer in silence," he explains. "If something is going on, I want you to know that you can come to me for anything, no matter how big or small. I don't have the answers to everything, but I'm here to listen if you need me."
My lips part to speak, but the words get caught in my throat, too scared to make themselves heard. I choke them down, guilt arising within me due to my silence. What am I supposed to say? "Hey Dad, you are right, I feel weird seeing you like this after so long and so suddenly, but also my life in general has just become so weird. In less than a week, I slept over at the student council's president house, got two friends, got into several fights, went to the fair for the first time, and I also really like the student council president. Maybe even love her, I don't know."
This whole thing is ridiculous. I am ridiculous.
"I'm fine, really," I assure him, and myself partially.
He looks at me, unconvinced, but doesn't pry any further. "Alright, just... I want you to know."
God, this sucks. I can't even eat a meal with my own dad in peace because of my inability to function like a regular human being. Part of me wishes I could just pretend like everything is alright, but since when have I ever felt alright?
"What about you?" The words eject from my mouth without thought. Call it curiosity or not wanting to eat in awkward silence for the second time today. Either way, the question is out there now.
"What about me?" My dad asks, rightfully confused.
"I mean..." Fuck, why is it so hard to talk? "You... You're up and alive, I guess. What changed?"
He places his burger down and looks up with a thoughtful expression. "I, uh, went out for another drink one night and ran into an old friend from college. We just talked for a while, maybe even all night, just catching up like no time had passed. Y'know, he introduced me and your mom way back when. Seeing him reminded me of my old college days, living like I was on top of the world, and... I just knew something had to change."
"That's... great. Really." And I mean it. A smile grows on his face at my sincerity.
"Yeah, it really is. He basically saved my life. I hope you're able to find good friends like that, Yuno."
My phone buzzes with a new message from the group chat.
Winter: that looks really great yujin :D
Yujin: hehe thanks !!!
A small grin grows on my face. Maybe I already have. If only I could get a text from one other friend...
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We walk into a clothing store full of people my age dressed much more stylishly than I am. I didn't particularly need to update my closet, but the potential guilt of declining my dad's offer to buy me clothes was too overwhelming. Besides, what else are you supposed to do at a mall other than spend exorbitant amounts of money on material things?
"Go look around. Let me buy you something nice for once," he quips. His mood seems to have significantly brightened after our talk at the diner.
Looking through all the racks made me realize just how out of my element I am. Outside of my school uniform, most of my clothes are just sweats and hoodies - comfortable and don't draw too much attention. Everything (and practically everyone) in here is basically a giant billboard that says "Hey, look at me!!!"
Then, something catches my eye: a forest green sweater with a bear wearing overalls screen printed on the front. I try to move on, but the beady lifeless eyes of the bear stare into my soul, demanding that I take it home. It's ridiculous, It's childish, it's...
"I want it," I blurt out.
"Really? This?" Dad chuckles, examining the sweater. "Didn't think you would be interested in this kind of thing, but hey, what do I know about fashion?"
I cough awkwardly, my face growing warm. I didn't know anything about fashion either. Hell, if I didn't have the reputation I have, I would probably be a prime target for bullies if I wore that around. Out of everything in the store, why did I want that sweater? Who in their right mind would even like this sweater?
Minji. Minji would. Half of her bed is covered in teddy bears. I want that sweater because, for some stupid reason, I think it'll magically make her like me. Or something. I don't know. She hasn't even texted me back yet, what good is a sweater with a bear on it gonna do?
Before I could protest, my dad hands me the sweater in a plastic bag, already paid for. "You wanna stop by a couple more stores?" he asks.
"Sure," I concede, still feeling embarrassed. A part of me feels oddly glad that I took it, imagining Minji's reaction to seeing the sweater. "Wow Yuno, your sweater is so cute, we should go out sometime!" Yeah right. Still, I can't stop the small grin dancing on my lips.
"H-hey! Give that back!"
A familiar voice rings from the center of the mall. I glance upwards to see a man barging through the crowd, clutching onto a purse that definitely isn't his. Without thinking, I spring into action, dashing towards him as fast as I can.
"Yuno!" My dad calls out from behind me, but his words are left unheard as I continue my pursuit. Right before the man reaches the exit, I jump onto a bench and dive at him, tackling him to the ground
"What the fuck man, get off of me!" The thief yells. He lands a punch to the side of my head as I try to wrestle the purse from him. While it isn't the hardest blow I've received, it's enough to piss me off. I grab his throat, digging my fingers into his windpipe, nearly crushing it in my grip. He squirms underneath, the desperation welling in his eyes as he fights for breath. I reel back my fist and let it fly, aiming to crack his skull against the ground.
As my fist gets closer and closer to his head, time crawls to a standstill. Minji's voice echoes in my head: "You're a good person, Yuno. I just wish you would stop getting into trouble." I mean, he deserves it, he's a thief. He steals some poor girl's purse, he deserves a good beating. And yet, I pull back at the last moment, knocking him out instead of outright shattering his jaw. His skull is intact, but he'll surely feel it when he wakes up.
The sound of scattered applause around me pulls me from my adrenaline-fueled haze. It's only now that I realize people are recording me like a zoo animal, upholding me like I'm some kind of "hero" or something. In reality, I just did what they were too scared to do, but they're too busy creating their own narratives to see that.
Suddenly, a pair of arms wrap around me in a familiar and oddly comforting anaconda grip.
"Oh my god, thank you so much for getting my purse back, I don't know how I can—Y-Yuno?"
That voice. Is it...?
"M-Minji?"
I suddenly find myself mere inches away from Minji's face, staring straight into the blacks of her eyes. I take in the perfect slope of her nose, the roundness of her eyes, down to the soft puff of her lips. My first instinct is to pull away, but frankly, I don't want to. God, I think I'm going insane.
Fortunately (or rather unfortunately), Minji lets go, finally giving me room to breathe. But as my lungs fill with breath, so does my stomach fill with the incessant flapping of butterflies.
"S-sorry about that, uh... Th-thanks, Yuno..." She mutters, her gaze never leaving the ground.
"Y-yeah, no problem..."
"Yuno!" My dad calls out to me, running in our direction. "Jesus, you're fast... huff... Are you alright?" He glances over at the thief's unconscious body as two mall cops drag him away. "You certainly did a number on him, huh? Impressive." He pats my shoulder, giving me a proud smile.
The clop of expensive high heels draws our attention, growing louder and louder with each step.
"Minji! Are you okay, dear?"
Minji's mom appears, checking her for injuries.
"I-I'm okay, mother. Um, you remember Yuno, right?" She awkwardly gestures towards me, leading her mom's gaze. With her cold gaze studying my expression, It's like I have a sniper dot placed firmly onto my forehead, ready to blow my brains out if I so much as cough in her direction.
"Ah yes... I remember." Mrs. Kim's lips curl into a curt smile that does little to hide her disdain. "Thank you, I suppose. Although, I could've easily bought her another one." The tension rises as we lock eyes in a stalemate that neither of us are willing to lose.
"Hello!" my dad chimes in, unknowingly diffusing the situation. "I'm Ian Lin, Yuno's dad. It's nice to meet you!" He extends a hand towards her, which Mrs. Kim accepts with clear reluctance that he somehow doesn't notice.
"Well... I would love to chat, but we must get going." She steps past us, her heels clacking violently against the floor. "Minji dear, pick up the bags please. We need to get your new dresses fitted at the tailor." She doesn't even look back, leaving Minji to pick up the mountain of shopping bags by herself. It's a wonder that someone as unconditionally kind as Minji was born from someone like her. Maybe Minji is adopted or something.
"I should get going," Minji sighs, barely able to take a full step forward. "Thanks again, Yuno."
"Wait." I reach out and grab some of the bags from her. "Let me help you."
"Oh, you don't have t—"
"I want to."
Minji's cheeks turn peachy as she hands me a few of the bags to carry. Meanwhile, my dad whips over to the other side of her and offers his assistance.
"May I?" he asks. Minji concedes with a sigh, shooting him a grateful smile.
"Thank you. I was, uh, really struggling before," she admits.
The three of us follow loosely behind Minji's mother. No wonder she didn't text me, I don't think I would have the luxury of breathing when I'm around a terrifying woman like that. Still, it does put me at ease a bit knowing Minji wasn't exactly ignoring my text. Seeing her in person is way better than a couple of words on a screen.
"Minji, right?" my dad asks her. "Are you a friend of my son's?"
"Yes, Mr. Lin, we are friends."
Friends. The title feels bittersweet at best, but hearing her admit that without any hesitation in her voice makes my heart do a leap. I fake a cough just to hide my smile.
"That's great, I don't get to meet a lot of Yuno's friends. By the way, just call me Ian, Mr. Lin makes me feel older than I already am," he quips, earning a chuckle from Minji. "I have to ask, what's Yuno like at school?"
"Yuno is..." She turns to look at me, but my gaze is glued to the ground, too nervous to meet her eyes. "...a bit of a troublemaker..." Damn. "...but he's a good guy." Hell yeah.
"That's good to hear. Y'know, he gets his personality from his mother." His grin fades for a second before going back to normal. "And he gets his good looks from me."
The two of them laugh while I silently cringe to myself, a dull throb hitting my temples. Never in a million years did I imagine the two of them ever meeting, let alone holding a conversation like this. It's kinda nice, in an off-putting way. Better than letting Minji meet him as a grieving alcoholic.
"Hurry up dear," Minji's mom calls out to her, walking into the tailors.
"Welp, this is my stop. Thank you for the help, but I can take it from here," Minji says. She takes the bags from us, lightly gracing my hand and sending a jolt of electricity through my body. "Bye Yuno and it was nice meeting you Mr. Li—er, Ian."
A disappointed sigh leaves my lips as I watch her disappear into the shop. She was right there, close enough for me to catch a whiff of her lavender-scented perfume. I've been waiting all day for a text from her, yet my stupid feelings made me too nervous to speak.
"You like her, don't you?"
My head snaps towards my dad, a sly smirk dancing on his lips. My eyes grow wide in shock, "W-what, n-no... I-I just, uh... W-whatever..."
"I know that look anywhere, Yuno. It's the same one I gave your mother before we started going out," he explains. My face sinks into my hands, the overwhelming urge to disappear consuming me.
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Minji's POV
My family has frequented this specific tailor shop at the mall for numerous occasions over the years, we even went here to get my school uniform properly fitted before the school year started. The shop has one sole worker, a kind yet quiet old man. He's skilled at his job, but my only issue with him is that he continuously pokes me with sewing pins while taking my measurements.
"Mother, why do I—Ow! Why do I need so many new dresses for my wardrobe—Ow! None of these clothes are things I would wear casually."
She sighs. "I suppose we'll have to tell you eventually."
"Tell me what?" I ask, my brow furrowing.
"We're starting a new business venture with the Park family and we thought it would be a good idea to hold a banquet this Tuesday to mark the beginning of our partnership. We haven't seen them in a while, so we figured it would be a good idea to catch up."
The Park family? "Okay, but if it's for the business, then why do I have to go?"
"Their son, Sunghoon, will be in attendance, so we expect you to do the same."
Sunghoon. Just the name alone sends a shiver down my spine. I thought I finally got rid of him after he moved away in middle school, but no. He's finally come back to haunt me.
"U-uh, I have school that day a-and I have a test coming up that I need to study for and—"
"Your father and I think that the opportunity to network and make connections with influential people in the industry will be more beneficial to you than a high school test that you can make up anyway. Besides, don't you want to see your old friend Sunghoon again? I remember how hard you cried after he moved away."
No, Mother, those were tears of joy. My parents have been close friends with the Parks since they attended the same college together, so naturally (and incorrectly), they assumed that their kids would be close as well. Sunghoon got along well with my brother, but he was an absolute menace towards me. He would call me names, steal my things, and talk bad about me to his annoying group of friends. No matter how much I cried to my parents about him, they always gave me the outdated, misogynistic line of "boys will be boys." When his family finally moved away during middle school, I couldn't have been more thrilled, literally crying tears of joy knowing that I would never have to see him ever again. But of course, fate is a cruel mistress, making everything go right for a couple of years before stabbing me in the back with a Sunghoon-shaped knife.
"But mother, I—"
"We're just asking you to attend the banquet for a couple of hours and mingle. Why do you have to make things so difficult?"
A dejected sigh leaves my lips. There's no getting through to her at this rate. At least I have a day to mentally prepare myself before the banquet. Right now, I plan to say hi to him to keep up appearances and then avoid him like the plague for the rest of the event. Piece of cake, right?
My gaze falls to my purse, sitting on a bench a few feet away. A thought plants itself into my head like a seedling, growing and growing into a full-blown idea. Maybe there's a way that I can make this banquet a little more bearable.
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The second we make it into the house, I kick my shoes off by the front door and dash upstairs towards my room, ignoring the calls from my mother to put them away properly. By the time we finished up at the tailor, my phone had somehow died in my purse, making me antsy the whole drive home.
I burst through my room, practically leaping towards the charger.
"Come on, hurry up," I plead, praying that it will somehow make the phone turn on faster. Thankfully, it only takes a few seconds to light up with life. I quickly scroll through my messages, typing up a quick text to the person who will be most vital to plan.
Yuno: Good Morning.
Minji: heyyy! can i call u? i have something important to ask
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Yuno's POV
I stop dead in my tracks, nearly dropping the groceries all over the kitchen floor as I reread Minji's text over and over again. My mind can't help but wander through all the possibilities of why she would want to call me. Maybe it's her mom using Minji's phone to get revenge on me for simply existing. Or maybe she got kidnapped and I'm about to be called to pay for ransom. But why would the kidnappers call me? Maybe she—
"Hello? Earth to Yuno." My dad waves his hand in front of my face, pulling me from my thoughts. "I can't have you stand in the middle of the kitchen while I cook dinner," he chuckles.
"A-ah, right. Sorry." I move to put the groceries away, but he stops me.
"I can put the rest of the groceries away. It's clear you would rather be doing something else right now." He gives me a knowing smile as he hands me the bag with my new sweater in it. Right before I head up, I turn to him one more time.
"Um, thanks for taking me to the mall. It was... nice," I say.
He chuckles to himself before waving me off. As soon as I'm in my room, I shoot Minji a quick reply.
Minji: hey! can i call u? i have something important to ask
Yuno: Sure.
An overwhelming wave of suspense hits me, filling my mind with an endless mountain of questions. After a beat, my phone buzzes to life with Minji's name and I quickly swipe to answer her call.
"Hello!"
Her voice rings clearly through the speakers like the soothing sound of a gentle breeze. I'm somewhat glad she didn't ask to talk in person, otherwise, she would see the obvious blush on my face.
"H-hey. Um, what did you want to ask me?"
"Oh right! It's kinda weird, but... Are you doing anything on Tuesday night?"
My heart thumps loudly in my chest. Is she asking me on a...?
"N-no, why?" I can't stop my voice from quivering nervously.
"Well..." She sighs. "It's a bit of a long story, but basically, my parents are holding a banquet for the family business on Tuesday and if you're not busy, I was wondering if you wanted to go... with me."
"A-as your date?" I slap my hand over my mouth, but it's too late. Why couldn't I just think for one second before blurting that out like an idiot? "Sorry, I didn't mean—"
"N-no, it's okay! Um..." She clears her throat. "Technically speaking, I guess you would kinda be my, uh, date."
I don't speak for a long while. I can't. The thought of being Minji's technical date sends me into a long, euphoric spiral. Is this what true happiness feels like?
"Um, hello? Yuno?"
"Yeah, sorry, I'm still here," I croak awkwardly. "Uh, why me? Why not invite any of your other friends?
"There's this guy that's gonna be there and I would really like to avoid him, so I figured I could bring you instead of the girls and maybe he'll... y'know."
My heart sinks a little. "You just want me to be there to scare him off?"
"I... yeah, technically." Her tone turns apologetic. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... Just forget what I said—"
"I'll go."
Maybe I'm just a hopeless love-stricken fool who's willing to toss away any ounce of self-respect I have left for a girl he likes, but it's not like I'm doing anything interesting on a Tuesday night anyways. Plus, banquets usually have free food, and if Ms. Kim's cooking is any sign of things to come, it'll probably be good.
"I'm sorry if it seems like I'm using you. I just really need a friend to help get me through the banquet," she says.
"Hey, it's fine. You want me to rough him up for you?" I quip. I'd gladly wrestle a bear if she asked me to.
She laughs softly through the phone. "No, nothing like that. I want you there as my friend, not my bodyguard."
"I can do that." I lay back in my bed, staring at the ceiling as I listen to Minji's voice. I can't help but imagine what she must be doing now. Maybe she's hunched over her desk, working on some student council business. Or maybe she's laying down in her own bed, her phone next to her ear as she clutches one of her many teddy bears to her chest. The simple thought of her existing sends my heart into a frenzy.
"Thanks," she utters. "Y'know, it feels like you're always helping me with something and I haven't paid you back at all."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"First, you saved me from that drunk guy in front of the convenience store, and then the spider in the Ferris wheel, and then today with the purse thief, and now I'm asking you to go to a banquet with me because I don't want to see some guy. You're always doing things for me and I haven't done the same for you."
"That's not true," I refute. "The day we first met, you let me, a total stranger, sleep on your couch so I wouldn't have to walk home in the rain."
"Well, I only did that because you offered to walk me home first," she argues. "See, you've done a thousand things for me, and I've only done one thing for you."
"You've... done a lot for me."
"Like what?" she asks, still in disbelief.
"You... listened to me when you didn't have to," I start. "Anybody could've easily disregarded me as just another brute. After all the times I've been stubborn and gotten myself into trouble, you still treated someone like me with kindness and understanding. I guess what I mean is... you're existence itself has helped me more than you realize."
Minji says nothing for a while. As each second of silence passes, I worry if I might have something wrong. Maybe we're not close enough to get this vulnerable and I scared her off. Regardless, I meant every word I said, even if I didn't think I would be saying all of this out loud to her.
"Um, thank you, Yuno," she says after what feels like forever. "That was... really sweet."
"Yeah," I mutter because I have no idea what else to say. "I should probably go, you're probably busy with something—"
"Wait!" Minji interjects. "Not yet. I mean, unless you wanna go?"
Heat rises to my cheeks. "You wanna stay on the call?"
"Um... yeah, if that's okay. I, uh, don't feel like hanging up yet."
I bury my face into a pillow, trying to hide my smile even though I know she's not here to see it. God, Minji Kim, you'll be the death of me one day. The cautious part of me continues to nag at me, telling me that this will go nowhere, that I'm a fool for being hopeful—but I don't care. I want to keep talking to her. I want to keep hearing her voice and thinking about her and being friends with her. Minji is a drug and I'm the hopeless addict looking for his next fix. Even if it hurts me in the end, I'd rather die know her warmth than live in constant fear of getting burned.
I shut my eyes, turning off all my senses just to focus on Minji's voice. "What did you wanna talk about?" I ask.
"Haerin—you remember her, right?" Maybe it's just my imagination, but I can practically hear her smile in every word. "She's been talking my ear off about this club idea that she has..."
(Author's Note: All re-uploaded chapters of UD are edited! Hopefully it's a better reading experience this time around :>)
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"Yuno Lin! Detention! NOW!"
The sight of Principal Geier's screaming face is nothing new to me. The bright shade of red on his furious expression combined with his shiny bald head made him look like a ripe tomato. I'd chuckle at the thought if my chest didn't hurt every time I so much as breathe.
A crowd of students and teachers had huddled around Bryce Merten's unconscious body. The football player's face was all bloodied and bruised, but he was breathing, for better or for worse. I grab my bag I had tossed on the ground and trudge my way back into the main building of the school.
It's the end of the school day, some students are still hovering around their lockers, getting their stuff or talking to their friends. My footsteps echo throughout the hallway, alerting others of my presence. The look of fear and confusion as they notice my face full of cuts and bruises is nothing new. I pay them no mind as I walk the familiar route to the detention room.
I push open the door, its creak announcing my entrance. Instead of the usual stern expression of Ms. Rusnak's wrinkly face, I find myself face to face with Minji Kim, the golden girl of Evergreen High School—student council president, rank #1 in the entire school, the poster child of perfection. Seeing her from up close like this really puts into perspective just how seriously she takes herself. Uniform pressed and polished, posture straight as an arrow, not a single hair out of place. She's... pretty, in a way that makes sense for someone like her. But what is she doing in detention of all places?
"Oh my god, are you okay?" Her voice is laced with an unexpected sincerity that catches me off guard. I shrug and walk past her, fully expecting words of judgement or disdain as I take a seat in the front row of desks. Minji sits across from me at the teacher's desk, a mile high stack of paperwork cluttering its surface, and traces my wounds with her eyes. Figures.
"What happened to you?" she asks.
I hesitate, not used to hearing genuine concern. Most would avert their gaze, thinking one wrong look at me would set me off. If it were Ms. Rusnak in that chair, I would no doubt be getting an earful about how I should "stop getting into so much trouble" and "you're a senior, you should be thinking about your future". With the way life has panned out up to this point, the only future I see is an early grave.
Reluctantly, I recount the events that led to my fight with Bryce—how he had been tormenting a freshman for weeks, how everyone refused to do something about it, and how I stepped in and put that motherfucker face first into the concrete where he belongs.
Minji listens intently, her expression shifting from stern to contemplative. When I finish, she sighs, her shoulders slumping.
"I understand that you wanted to help, but you shouldn't resort to violence," she says, gentle yet firm. "Why didn't you alert a teacher about what was going on?"
I scoff, bitterness seeping into my tone. "You think they would have done anything? They knew about it the entire time, but that fucker is on the football team, so they turned a blind eye to the whole thing." I let out a deep breath, glaring at her. "He needed a good punch to the jaw. I just happened to be the one doing it."
Minji frowns, her eyes searching in mine. "I know it's frustrating, but taking matters into your own hands isn't the solution. You could get expelled for this, and then what? You won't be able to help anyone."
I avoid meeting her eyes, my gaze fixed on the scuffed surface of the desk. "I had to do it," I muttered. "No one else would."
She sighed, realizing the impasse between us. "Just... be more careful next time. I'm sure your friends wouldn't want to see you hurt," she remarks, turning back to her pile of paperwork.
Her words echo in my head as I continue to stare at the desk. She's right. Of course she's right. If the teachers actually did their job and reprimanded him the first time, then I would have never had to fight. Hell, I never enjoyed fighting in the first place. But I had to do it. Someone had to knock some sense into these sons of bitches and that responsibility was bestowed upon me for whatever reason. And... Did she say "friends"? What friends? Everyone was too afraid to even look at me. Surely she knew that... right?
Not like it matters. I guess.
The minutes tick along, our conversation lingering in the air. Eventually, the bell rings, and I am officially free to leave detention. Without a word, I grab my bag and start to leave, but something stops me. I glance out the window and notice the darkness settling over the school grounds. It would be easy for me to leave and move on with my life, but a voice back of my head urges me to do the right thing. Despite my better judgment, I turn back around.
"I'll walk you home," I said, the words leaving my mouth before I have the time to process them.
Minji's gaze flicks up at me, eyes wide with surprise. "O-oh, you don't have t—"
"It's dark outside," I interrupt, my tone leaving no room for argument. "It'll be too dangerous if you walk home alone."
Minji offers a small smile of appreciation. "Thank you for the offer, but I can manage. I don't live that far anyways."
"Let me walk you home then," I insist, my voice surprisingly unwavering. "If you don't live far, then I'll be out of your hair in no time. Just let me make sure you get home okay."
She studies me for a moment, uncertainty flickering on her face. "Fine," she relents with a small nod. "But just this once."
I merely grunt in response as I hold the door open for her. We walk through the dimly lit hallways and exit the main building into the cold, gray night. A heavy silence hangs between us as we leave the campus, our path marked by a few dingy street lights that cast long shadows on the pavement.
We walk side by side, the echoes of our footsteps reverberating through the empty streets. Minji seems lost in her thoughts, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. I don't blame her—I didn't exactly imagine tonight going like this. I maintain a distance from her, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.
As we near her house, the first droplets of rain patter onto the pavement, warning us of the impending downpour.
Minji glances up and snaps out of her trance, her expression shifting from contemplation to annoyance. "That's just great," she sighs. "We're gonna get soaked." We exchange a brief glance and quicken our pace, hoping to reach her house before the rain hits us.
Our slight jog turns into a sprint as the rain intensifies. Pretty soon, it's hard to discern sweat from rain as our sneakers slap against the ever growing amount of puddles. In the distance, the glow of Minji's porch lights beckon to us, like a lighthouse guiding lost ships through stormy weather. As we reach the shelter of her porch, the rain gets heavier and heavier, transforming the world around us into a blurry, mesmerizing dance of droplets.
I take a moment to catch my breath, not bothering to wipe the rain off my forehead as I look back into the unyielding downpour. But before I can make a move, I feel a gentle tug on my sleeve, stopping me in my tracks.
"W-wait," she utters, barely audible over the rain hitting her roof. "Stay here."
My eyes grow wide with confusion. "What?"
Her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink as she shakes her head. "I-I mean until the rain lets up."
"I'll be fine. It's just a little rain," I say. As if on cue, the sound of thunder booms in the distance.
Before I could protest anymore, Minji opens her front door and gestures for me to come inside. "You'll catch a cold if you go out like this. And it's the least I can do to repay you for walking me home."
I glance back at the unrelenting rain one last time, weighing the options in my head, and sigh. "Okay. I'll leave once the rain lets up."
Minji grins, leading the way inside. The warmth of her home envelops us, a welcome contrast to the cold outside, but all I can do is stand awkwardly in the foyer as the rain becomes mere background noise.
"Wait here, let me get you something dry to wear," Minji says as she kicks off her shoes and disappears up the stairs. Curiously, I peer into her living room while I wait, being careful not to drip any water onto the carpet. A comfy-looking brown coach faces a large flat-screen TV, one that I've only seen in the electronics aisle at Walmart. Various pictures line the shelves and the walls, including family photos, a wedding photo of what could be her parents, and a graduation photo of an older boy I haven't seen before.
The sound of Minji's footsteps breaks me out of my thoughts. She appears in front of me with a blue sweater and black sweatpants neatly folded in her hands. "Here, these my older brother's. He's away for college right now, so I'm sure he won't mind if you borrow them," she says, a small smile on her face.
I take them from her, subconsciously scanning her outfit: a simple graphic T-shirt and black cotton shorts, a far cry from the school uniform she usually wears. A sudden realization hits me—by some odd twist of fate, I find myself standing inside Minji Kim's house. Just like that, I remember who I'm talking to, and my guard goes right back up.
"T-thanks," I mutter, unsure of what else to say.
"No problem, uhh..." Minji's voice falters as she suddenly brings her hands up to her face, light pink hues peeking through the cracks in her fingers. "Oh my god... I never asked for your name..."
I bite back a smirk at her reaction. Never expected someone like her to miss that. "Yuno Lin."
She uncovers her face, embarrassment shown through a sheepish smile. "Right, Yuno. I'm so sorry, it's been a long day." She walks past me into the living room, avoiding my gaze. "There's a bathroom right around the corner that you can change in. I'll make us some tea in the meantime," she says with an apologetic look. I simply nod and kick off my shoes before following her deeper into her house.
While she heads to the kitchen, presumable to make the tea, I head into the bathroom and peel off my drenched uniform shirt. Fist-sized blobs of bluish-purples and red adorn my chests like shitty tattoos, alongside another one on my arm and a couple of cuts on my face. All things considered, this isn't the worst thing that's happened to me.
I quickly remove the rest of my wet clothes and change into the ones Minji gave me, leaving my soaked school uniform in a messy pile on the bathroom counter. The warm fabric felt foreign against my skin, but not entirely uncomfortable. As I step out of the bathroom, the comforting scent of black tea hit my nose, leading me to the kitchen where Minji is steeping two cups of the stuff.
She notices my presence and offers me a smile. "The tea is almost ready." I watch as she reaches into a drawer and pulls out a first aid kit. "Let me help you with the cuts."
I shake my head. "I'm fine."
Minji frowns and gently pushes me back into a chair. Before I can protest, she's already cleaning the cuts on my face with antiseptic, her touch surprisingly gentle. I feel an odd sensation in my chest as I steal a glance at her, her face almost uncomfortably close to mine as she focuses on her task.
"There," she says, finishing up with a small bandage on my cheek. "You're good to go."
I grunt in response, still feeling a little flustered. Minji hands me a cup of warm tea, our fingers brushing briefly. I take a sip, the warmth of the liquid heating me up from the inside.
"Thanks," I mutter, avoiding her gaze as I stare down at the contents of the mug.
Minji, oblivious to the hint of awkwardness that I feel, plops onto the kitchen counter across from me. "No problem. It's the least I can do."
I bring the mug to my lips, unsure of how to navigate this foreign environment. I rack my brain in search of something to fill the growing silence, but my mind stays blank. What the hell am I supposed to talk about with the student council president anyways?
"Soo..." she starts, her eyes peering into her cup. "What do you usually do when you're not, y'know... getting into fights?"
I glance at her, both relieved and surprised by the question. "Um... I don't know. Nap, I guess."
Minji giggles softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Really? That's quite... unique." She flashes a bright smile at me.
I shrug, feeling a little embarrassed by her reaction. "What about you?"
Minji chuckles, a smile lingering on her face. "It's a bit embarrassing, but when I'm not studying or dealing with student council stuff, I like to sing."
"Really?" I tilt my head with interest. "Huh. I never would've guessed that."
"Yeah, I haven't really told anyone this aside from a few close friends. Sometimes I would tell my parents that I'm studying at the library, but in reality, I'm at the karaoke place with them." She giggles to herself before her expression suddenly darkens and her gaze drops to the floor. Minji lets out a sigh before saying, "My parents would never approve. They want me to go to a good college and probably become a doctor or something."
The room falls into a thoughtful silence, the thunder and rain filling in the gaps. I don't know why she would entrust that kind of vulnerability to me of all people, but I can't help but feel sympathetic. We all have our demons, even those you would never think twice about.
"I-I'm sorry," I utter, feeling regretful that I can't offer more than that.
Minji meets my gaze, and for a brief moment, I can see a deep sadness within them. On the rare occasion I see her in the hallways, they're usually bright and cheerful. This was something else entirely. "It's fine. Just a silly hobby anyways," she sighs, looking back down at her mug.
She downs the rest of her tea and places it in the sink before glancing up at the clock on the wall, the arms reading 9:00. "It's getting late, but..." Her gaze drops to the window above the sink, a shaky breath escaping her lips. "The rain isn't letting up."
I stand up from my chair, mentally preparing myself for the treacherous walk home. "It's okay Minji, I ca-"
"You can spend the night here."
My eyes grow wide in shock, staring at the back of her head as she continues to face the window. "H-huh?"
A million thoughts run through my mind as her unexpected offer hangs through the air. Spending the night? At Minji's place? It feels like I woke up in an alternate reality and didn't notice until now.
Minji slowly turns to look at me, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush as she met my bewildered gaze with a sheepish smile. "Yeah... Look, it's pouring outside and you could get sick. My parents are both gone for a business trip, so they won't be back until this weekend."
I hesitate, completely baffled at the situation I'm faced with. No words come out, other than a blabbering mess of, "I-I, uh... W-what?"
"You can crash on the couch. I'll get you some blankets." Minji zooms past me before I can protest, her cheeks growing redder by the second.
I suddenly find myself alone in Minji's kitchen. Me. In Minji's house. Alone. With Minji. An eternity passes by where I stand there like a clueless statue. This odd feeling lingers in my stomach, like something could happen if I stay here a second longer.
"Yuno?"
My head snaps towards the voice. Minji's head pokes out behind the wall leading to the living room. "Are you okay?"
I scratch my head, feeling a bit awkward. "Y-yeah, I'm good." I come to my senses and head towards the living room, where Minji placed a couple of pillows and two neatly folded blankets on the couch.
"Make yourself comfortable. Oh, I went ahead and put your uniform in the wash. It should be all nice and dry in the morning." She says, flashing me a reassuring smile. I notice a twinge of anxiety deep within her eyes.
"T-thanks," I reply awkwardly.
"If you need me, I'll be upstairs in my room. Just knock." Minji begins to walk away but stops at the foot of the stairs. "Um... Good night, Yuno." She gives me a small smile before disappearing up the stairs.
I sink into the couch and stare at the ceiling, a long sigh blowing past my lips. Today's events replay in my head—A mundane school day, punctuated by me kicking Bryce Merten's ass. Meeting Minji in the detention room. The rain. And now I'm in Minji Kim's house, drinking Minji Kim's tea, and sleeping on Minji Kim's couch. What the fuck.
The exhaustion of everything catches up to me as the couch cushions start to swallow me whole, enveloping my body in a plush prison. My eyelids grow heavier and heavier until my vision eventually goes black.
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Minji's POV
"Hanni!! What should I do?!" I whisper-scream into the phone.
"Girl, you're gonna have to explain all that again, I could barely understand you," I hear my friend reply in a snarky tone.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves before I relay the events again. "Okay, so I was just doing paperwork in the detention room because Ms. Rusnak was out and all of a sudden this guy named Yuno walks in with his face all bloody because he got into a fight somehow, and then I was gonna leave after detention ended, but he offered to walk me home, which was nice I guess, but then it started raining so I invited him to wait inside until the rain calmed down because I didn't want him to get sick, but for some reason, the rain NEVER calmed down, so now he's sleeping on my couch." I stop to catch my breath at the end of my rambling, waiting for Hanni's response.
"Wait, Yuno? As in Yuno Lin? The guy who knocked out Bryce Mertens?" she asks.
"Y-yeah... I think so," I hesitantly admit.
"I mean, I didn't know you were into bad boys, but whatever floats your boat," Hanni teases.
I groan in annoyance. "Hanni now is not the time for jokes! My parents will kill me if they find out I have a boy staying over!!"
I hear Hanni chuckle at her own joke. "Relax, Minj. Your parents won't be back for three more days, you'll be fine."
I collapse face first into my bed, feeling defeated. "I guess so..." I let out a long sigh, turning onto my back and staring at the ceiling.
"Sooo, what's he like?" Hanni asks. "I always see him alone all the time, so I assumed he was just some creepy weirdo or something."
I pause, contemplating my answer. "He's... different from what I thought he would be. He's not a creepy weirdo at all. He's quiet and a little awkward, but he means well and seems nice enough."
Hanni's curiosity piques. "Oooh, mysterious bad boy with a soft heart sleeping with the student council president. Sounds like a plot to a K-drama."
I quickly sit up, my cheeks burning red with embarrassment. "Hanni!! It's not like that at all!!"
Hanni's laughter fills up my entire room, I swear Yuno can hear it from downstairs. I quickly hang up and collapse back onto my bed, too tired to deal with her shenanigans for tonight. Maybe if I shut my eyes tight enough, this entire day will turn out to be just some weird dream.
Like a cliche, gray clouds gather in the sky, promising a downpour on a day like this—the day I hit lower than rock bottom. The only silver lining I can find in all this shit is finally being able to see Minji after what feels like forever. I just wish her parents weren’t also here.
“Here,” Mrs. Kim says, sliding a paper cup of water and a wrapped pastry towards me. “You should eat.”
The coffee shop, in all its efforts to appear lively and casual, just feels like another wing of the hospital—quiet, heavy, and full of people barely holding on. I take the flimsy paper cup and sip at the stale water. The pastry stays untouched. I'm not sure I can stomach it right now.
“Thank you,” I utter, not quite meeting their eyes. The usual disdain in them doesn’t feel as strong today.
Minji fidgets with her hands under the table. Everything that happened after she found me in the hallway went by in a blur. Part of me still can't believe that it's really her. The other part of me wishes she didn't find me in such a sorry state.
Mr. Kim clears his throat. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah.” I stare into the empty paper cup, rolling it idly in my hand. “It’s my dad. He…” My voice gets caught in my throat. I grit my teeth in an effort to compose myself. “...He’s sick."
A beat of silence passes as my words slowly sink in. “We’re sorry to hear that. Truly,” Mr. Kim offers.
I just nod, unsure of what to say. A heartfelt apology feels so foreign, especially coming from him.
“How is his condition?” he asks.
“Stable, I think,” I mutter. “He’s breathing.”
“Breathing is good,” Minji utters, her voice so soft I almost miss it. She opens her mouth like she wants to say more, but decides against it in the end. As small as they are, those words mean more than anything.
Mrs. Kim slides the untouched pastry closer to me. “You need to eat something if you’re going to be there for your father,” she says, not unkindly.
I glance at her with uncertainty. The lack of iciness in them feels especially jarring. Nonetheless, I take the pastry, offering a small yet grateful nod.
“We should get going,” Mr. Kim says as he glances at his watch. As Minji’s parents head towards the exit, Minji’s lips quiver as if she wants to say something.
“U-um,” she stutters, “Father, may I—”
“I’ll bring the car around,” he says, wearing an expression I can’t quite read. “It looks like it’s about to rain.”
“Don’t take too long, dear,” Mrs. Kim adds, sparing us a brief glance.
Minji lets out a long exhale as her parents exit, leaving the two of us alone to speak. There’s so many things I want to say to her, yet so little time.
The first thing that comes out is a small, “Thank you.”
She lets her lips lilt into a gentle smile, the mask she wears in front of her parents melting away. “I haven’t even done anything,” she says.
“You’re here.” I let out a short breath. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t found me.”
Minji’s eyes turn glassy as they peer into mine. “I’m sorry about everything. You don’t deserve any of this.” She leans forward a bit, her expression growing stern. “And you better not say you do, because you don’t.”
I can’t help but smile at her remark. “Okay. I won’t.”
“Good.” Her eyes soften and I get lost in them like a maze I don’t want to escape. The last time I was able to stare at them like this feels like a lifetime ago.
“How are you holding up?” she asks. “Every time I see you, you seem so… tired.”
I sigh, my body sinking into the chair. “I am,” I admit. It’s been forever since I’ve been able to properly eat or sleep. My sanity is holding on by a thread and I can barely control what's left of me these days.
Minji tentatively reaches out, interlocking her fingers with mine. Every muscle in my body loosens as our palms mold against each other like puzzle pieces. Who knew a touch could be so gentle?
“I… don’t know what this means,” I utter, staring at our intertwined hands. “But I want to know.”
Minji’s lips quiver with hesitation. I wonder if that was the correct thing to say. Was it too soon? Should I have just kept my mouth shut? Before I can linger on the thought for any longer, a black car rolls up to the front of the coffee shop. From outside, Mrs. Kim waves at Minji to leave.
Both of us jolt our hands back in fear of being caught. Why does this have to feel illegal? Why is it so hard just to hold her hand?
“I have to go. I’m sorry,” Minji mutters, a sigh drawing from her lips. “I really, really, really want to talk more, but…” Her gaze falls to the ground.
“It’s fine,” I breathe. The words feel bitter on my tongue. “You should go.”
Minji reluctantly trudges towards the exit, looking back just one more time. I can see it in her eyes, all the things she wants to say dancing at the tip of her tongue. It feels comforting in a way, knowing that I’m not the only one who feels like this.
“Bye, Yuno.”
“Bye, Minji.”
I watch her car leave until it's nothing but a black dot in the distance. Once again, I'm alone.
I sink into the chair, the weight of everything pulling me down. But, for a single fleeting moment, resting in Minji’s palm, I felt like I could finally breathe. Like fate threw me a damn bone for once.
The unopened pastry sits idle in front of me. Tentatively, I tear open the plastic wrapping and bring it to my lips. It tastes… stale and cold—but it’s enough. Enough to make me realize that, despite it all, I have to keep going. Too much is at stake if I give up now. And I’m not ready to say goodbye to the people around me, the ones that saw a reason to stay that I haven’t been able to find in myself.
So, I force myself to chew through the tough pastry. Because I need to eat something if I plan on moving forward.
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The brief talk I had with Minji yesterday didn’t change much. It didn’t magically make my dad recover overnight. It didn’t erase Sunghoon from existence. But at the very least, it made me feel a little lighter. The problems I’m facing are my own, but I have people around me now—people that care enough to make my burdens more bearable.
And right now, there's two people that I've been pushing away for far too long.
My footsteps echo throughout the empty hallways as I walk towards my locker. I’m never at school this early, but I need a second to breathe before I face Yujin and Winter. I’ve been a shitty friend to them these past few days, stumbling around like a zombie while pretending that everything’s fine. Yujin’s constant worry, my outburst against Winter, I need to apologize for all of it.
“Hey.” I hear Yujin’s voice approach me from the end of the hallway. Winter trails behind him, like she’s bracing for another outburst. “We got your text. You wanted to talk?”
My gaze falls to the ground, unable to meet their eyes. “Hey. Yeah, just… sorry. For everything.” I suck a breath in through my teeth and release it back into the air.
The air between me and them is silent and distant. Maybe I really have fucked things up for good. “When shit hits the fan, I shut down,” I continue, fist balled inside my pocket. “Don’t talk for days, sometimes weeks if it’s that bad. It happened back then when… when my mom died.” I feel the words tangle up in my throat, threatening to choke me, but they need to know the whole truth. They need to know why I am the way I am. Why I’m so bad at shit like this. If I’m gonna be better—for them, for Minji—they need to know the truth.
“Back then, it didn’t matter. There was no one around me I could talk to. Everyone knew me as the shy kid with no friends, so on the outside, I seemed fine. My dad did the same. I would always find him staring at pictures of mom. He wouldn’t cry, just… stare. Like if he stared long enough, she’d step out of the frame and everything would turn back to normal.”
The first few nights after mom died were the worst. When the news finally hit that she succumbed to her injuries, dad and I both shut down. We were all we had left, but neither of us could bring ourselves to talk about her openly. The house we had lived in our whole lives felt so hollow without her. She was in everything—the couch she fell asleep on during movie nights, the kitchen that was filled with the smell of her cooking, the hallways lined with memories that I’m still grieving.
A shaky breath brushes past my lips as I fight to hold back the tears. “Before you guys, I had no one. Once dad got a hold of alcohol, there wasn’t a single person I could talk to about any of this. And I was fine with that. Or, at least I thought I was.” My nails dig into my palm, a desperate attempt at keeping myself together.
“It’s why I got into so many fights—there’s no space to think about anything else when your life's on the line. Over time, my reputation grew into what it is today. People avoided me, like saying the wrong thing would make them my next target, and I continued on like this because I had no fucking clue what else to do.”
I let out a long sigh, the weight of everything I’ve kept inside finally lifting off of my shoulders. Even as the ghosts of my past claw at my chest, a sense of relief washes over me. Like I can finally breathe again. “This isn’t an excuse for the way I’ve been acting, I just… thought you guys should know.”
Before I even have a chance to think, I feel two pairs of arms wrap around me tightly.
“Dude…” Yujin says, his voice a mere whisper against my ear. “I’m so sorry.”
“Me too,” Winter adds gently, squeezing my shoulder. “No one deserves to carry all that alone.”
I open my mouth, ready to brush off their comments with an “I’m fine” or an “It’s not a big deal”. But instead, I say, “Thank you. For being here.”
I pull them close, careful not to crush them in my arms. The three of us stay like that for a while, not caring about the weird looks from students passing by. When we finally let go of each other, something in me feels different. Lighter. Like I’m truly not alone anymore.
Yujin looks at me, brows knit together. “So, what happened that made you shut down like this?” he asks.
I explain everything—the banquet, the kiss, Sunghoon, Minji’s parents, and what happened with my dad. The entire time, they just listen, letting me pour out everything that’s been keeping me down. It really does feel good to have friends.
“Wow…” Yujin sighs. “I knew something was off, but I didn’t know it was this bad. Why didn’t you tell us all this earlier? We could’ve done something to help you.”
“I don’t know,” I utter regretfully. “I didn’t want to burden you guys with all this shit.”
“You’re not a burden, you’re our friend,” Winter says softly.
“Thanks.” I look her in the eye. “And sorry for my outburst yesterday. You didn’t deserve that.”
Her lips curl into a small smile. “It’s okay. It was… scary, but I know you. We both do. And we know you wouldn’t hurt us unless you were hurting yourself.”
I truly don’t deserve these two.
“Oh!” Yujin exclaims suddenly, pointing at my face. “Are you crying?”
“What, I’m not—” I brush my eye, tear droplets rubbing off on my finger. Sniffling, I wipe them away, hoping that’s the last of them.
“Come here, man.” Yujin, arms outstretched, tries to hug me again, but I keep him away with my arm.
“Get off of me, I’m not crying—”
“—Don’t fight it, we’re here for you, bud—”
“—Yujin, I swear to fucking—”
“—C’mon, love me!”
The hallways begin to fill with chatter as the first period draws nearer. Winter giggles to herself, ignoring my pleas for help, while I try to keep an annoyingly persistent Yujin at arms reach. I should be annoyed, but for the first time in a while, I feel normal. Happy, even. Happy in a way that I haven’t felt in forever.
“Yuno.”
I whip my head around to see Principal Geier looking at us, holding a serious expression.
“Winter. Yujin. Good morning,” he greets with a nod.
“G-good morning, s-sir.”
“G’mornin!”
“I just need to borrow Yuno for a moment,” Geier says. “There’s some things we need to discuss.”
Winter and Yujin exchange uneasy looks, but I put a hand on their shoulders, squeezing them for reassurance. “I’ll be fine,” I tell them, and for once, I mean those words. “I’ll see you guys later.”
I shoot them a grin before following Geier along the familiar route to his office. Whatever he has to say, I’m ready for it. Fate be damned.
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“Sit,” Geier says, his tone gentler than usual. I expect him to bring up what happened with Sunghoon. Knowing that prick, he probably snitched to get me suspended or something.
“How are you doing these days?” he asks, catching me off guard with his sincerity. “I’ve noticed you’ve looked a bit down recently. Everything alright?”
“Uh…” I’m not about to dump all my emotional baggage on the principal of all people. “I’m doing better now,” I utter.
“Good, good,” he nods, hands folded on his desk. “Back there, are they your friends? Winter and Yujin?
I feel a smile creep up onto my face before I can stop it. “Yeah, they’re my… best friends.” The words sound foreign yet pleasant coming out of my mouth.
“Hey, that’s great to hear.” Geier grins at me, which freaks me out a bit. I’m much more used to the angry tomato he turns into than whatever this is. “It took a while, but you found your people.”
“Yeah, I guess… So, what is this about?” I ask, skepticism in my tone.
He scoffs, offended. “What, I can’t check up on my students? I’m the principal for pete’s sake, this is my job, Yuno.”
“Right.” I still can’t quite shake the feeling that something is off here.
“Look, I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but if there’s anything you would like to discuss while you’re here, I’m happy to listen.” He leans forward in his chair like he’s half-expecting me to suddenly pour my heart out. I’d rather he just yell at me at this point.
“Uh… Nope. Nothing,” I say.
“Nothing?”
I shake my head. If he wanted me to dump my entire tragic backstory on him, he should’ve come a minute earlier in the hallway.
Geier leans back in his seat with a defeated sigh. “Fair enough. Get back to class,” he says as he waves me off.
As I gather my backpack off the ground, I stop—as much as I hate to admit it, he’s saved my ass more than once. The least I can do is throw him a bone.
“I guess… I could use some advice,” I mumble reluctantly.
“Yeah?” His eyes light up just a smidge. “What’s going on?”
“My dad is… unwell.” I clear my throat, pushing each word through. “I don’t really, um, know what to do or, like, say to him, I guess? He’s been doing better recently, but then this happened, and now… I’m terrified.” My vision blurs as tears threaten to pour from my face. Fuck. I’m trying not cry in front of my principal of all people, but it’s the truth—I am fucking terrified. Even if he’s stable now, what if something bad happens later? What if, on top of all the shit that’s been going on lately, I lose my dad after I just got him back?
I can’t go through this again. But I don’t know if there’s anything I can do to stop it.
Geier lets out a heavy sigh into the air, his expression noticeably darker. “I’m so sorry, Yuno. I can’t even begin to imagine what you’re going through,” he begins, slowly, calmly. “It’s hard not to feel powerless when it feels like your world is collapsing all around you. But I can promise you this—you are not alone.”
He leans forward in his chair, making sure that I hear every word. “You have a support system, Yuno. Lean on them. Don’t try to shoulder all these problems alone, because you aren’t alone. You never are. And speaking as a father, I can tell you right now that all your father needs is you. Be there for him. Show him what he needs to fight for.”
I wipe my tears against my sleeve as his words hang in the air. God dammit—he’s not so bad at this whole “principal” thing after all. “O-okay…” I mutter, sniffling.
Geier scribbles his signature on a slip of paper and hands it to me. “Here’s a pass. If you need anything else from me, you know where I am, alright?”
“Yeah.” I take the pass from him and trudge towards the door. “Uh, thanks, Geier.”
He gives me a final nod as I shut the door behind me. In the now empty hallways, I lean against the wall, getting my bearings for a quiet moment. Christ, when did I get so emotional? I feel like I’ve shed more tears in the past two days than I have in the past couple years. Thank God no one burst into the room while I was being a big fucking cry baby.
I feel my phone buzz in my pocket, probably my friends wondering what Geier wanted. But as my eyes scan the notification, my jaw drops to the floor in utter shock.
Minji: hey :) meet me in the music room after school?
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The end of the day can’t come fast enough. As soon as the final bell rings, I jump out of my seat and sprint all the way to the music room. Having never been anywhere near the music room, I get lost a couple times, but it doesn’t matter. I would scale the entire world on foot if it meant Minji was somewhere waiting for me.
I skid to a halt outside the door as I finally find it, tucked away in a quiet corner of the campus. Taking a second to catch my breath, I gently push the door open, finding Minji sitting in front of a grand piano. Her slender fingers lightly dance along the keys as she sways her head to a song playing through her earbuds. Golden afternoon light cascades from the windows and rests on the soft skin of her cheek. I almost cry again from the mere sight of her—she’s so beautiful.
Finally, after staring at her for way longer than I probably should, Minji notices my presence, her lips curling into a soft grin. “Yuno.”
I feel my chest tighten from the sound of her voice. “I, uh, got your text.”
“So you did.” She pats the spot next to her, inviting me over.
The last time we were this close, we were in a dreary coffee shop on a rainy day after I just went through one of the worst experiences of my life. But now, we’re here, in the sunny quiet where no one can disturb us. Our own little pocket of the universe, even if it’s just for a fleeting moment.
“I didn’t know you played,” I comment, glancing at the piano keys.
“Kind of,” she breathes. “I used to come here all the time when I was a freshman and teach myself piano whenever I had free time. Sometimes the music teacher would come in and teach me a song or two.” Her smile widens at the memory. “But after I became student council president, I haven’t been able to stop by as often. I was never that good in the first place, but it was always fun to learn something new. Something that my parents didn’t force me to do.”
“I’d love to hear you play.”
“Maybe.” She gazes longingly at the piano, fingers brushing against the keys just light enough so that they don’t make a sound. “Y’know, I never really wanted to become student council president.”
My brow raises in surprise. “Really?”
She nods. “I don’t regret doing it—I like being able to help people on a larger scale and trying to make things better from the inside out—but this was always what my parents wanted me to do.”
“Huh,” I breathe, letting her words sink in. “What do you wanna do?”
“I don’t know,” Minji sighs. “I mean, I do know, I’m just not sure if I have the courage to do it.”
It’s entirely unfair that someone as talented and hardworking as Minji has to go through all this shit. It makes sense for me, but what did she ever do to deserve this? Tentatively, I reach for her hand, lacing my fingers with hers. Her eyes widen at me, cheeks turning a rosy pink, but she doesn’t pull away.
“You’re stronger than you think,” I say softly, looking into her eyes. “I know it doesn’t mean much coming from me, but I believe in you.”
Minji’s lips curl into a smile, and I swear it’s the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen. “That means a lot. Thank you.” Her gaze falls down to our hands, still tenderly intertwined. “I guess we should talk about what this is.”
I gulp nervously. “Do you want me to let go?”
She shakes her head. “Do you want to let go?”
“No,” I admit. I’d much sooner cut my own arm off then willingly let go of her hand.
“Good.” She gently squeezes my hand in hers. “So I guess this means we’re… dating?”
As much as I would like that, it just doesn’t feel right. Not yet, at least. “I'm… not sure,” I utter.
Minji lets out a long sigh, her thumb gently caressing the back of my hand. “Honestly, me neither. Things have been so hectic lately that the thought of us happening just feels… unreal.”
I nod in agreement, but I can’t quite quell the gnawing insecurity in the back of my head. After everything that happened, we’re finally here, together, but the thought of messing it all up before we even start scares the hell out of me.
I like Minji. I want to be her boyfriend. I want to hold her hand and keep her close and be hers in every sense of the word. Fearful yet determined, I suck in a deep breath. “Maybe we can start things slow. No labels, just us,” I suggest sheepishly. “I… like you, Minji. A lot. And I really don’t want to mess this up.”
Minji bites her lip, failing to fight back a smile as her cheeks turn as pink as cherry blossoms in spring. “You’re stronger than you think. I believe in you,” she teases. “And I like you too, Yuno. A lot.”
As those words grace my eardrums, I feel my heart burst out of my chest, growing wings and flying to the Heavens above. Eat shit, Sunghoon. This girl—this beautiful, amazing, smart, kind, angel of a person—said that she likes me. I don’t care about what her parents think, or what those other rich fucks think, or what anyone else in the world thinks.
Minji Kim likes me. And that matters more than anything.
“Uh, do you have to be anywhere soon?” she asks, a shy look in her eyes.
“Not for a few hours,” I reply. “Why?”
Minji offers me one of her earbuds. “I told my parents I had a student council meeting today so they won’t expect me home for a little while. Do you want to listen to music together?”
As if I could ever say no to her. I take the earbud and place it into my ear, watching as Minji scrolls through her playlist. After a second, the sound of a gentle piano plays straight into my ear, making my body sway side to side. As each note plays, I feel my body growing lighter and lighter, like I might float away if Minji’s grip wasn’t tethering me to the ground.
Outside of these four walls, things are still a mess. My dad is in the hospital. Sunghoon is still creeping around somewhere. Minji’s parents still don’t approve of me. But right now, none of that matters. It’s just us. Not quite friends, not quite dating—something in the middle that’s uniquely our own.
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Dad’s condition has improved since I last saw him passed out and barely breathing. The doctor says he won’t be 100% for a couple more days, so I’m making an effort to visit him when I can. Like Geier said: ”Show him what he needs to fight for.”
“Are you sure these flowers are okay?” Winter asks, a vase full of pink carnations in hand. “I don’t even know if your dad likes pink.”
“It’s fine,” I reassure her. “He’ll love them.”
“It’ll really stand out against all these white walls, don’t you think?” Yujin adds with a chuckle. Hospitals never fail to make me feel some type of way, but at least I’m not alone this time.
As we enter my dad’s room, we see him scraping down the remnants of a jello cup while watching a rerun of Jeopardy on TV. “Hey kiddos,” he says, his eyes lighting up once he notices us.
“Hi, dad,” I say, mirroring his grin. “I brought some friends from school, Winter and Yujin.”
Winter nervously sets down the vase on his bedside table. “H-hello, Mr. Lin. We got these f-for you.”
“Thank you! How’d you know my favorite color was pink?” my dad jokes. Compared to how he was on day one—just barely clinging on to life—seeing him so animated puts my mind at ease.
Yujin approaches him, hand outstretched. “It’s nice to officially meet you, sir! I must say, you’ve done a fine job raising your son!” As nice as the sentiment is, I can’t help but cringe on the inside.
Dad matches Yujin’s energy, shaking his hand with the same fervor. “Did I?” He glances at me, and for a moment, I can see a crack in his expression. It’s just a mere flash, but I know what it means—all the regret of not being there for me these past couple years is still eating at him from the inside. “I can’t take all the credit. His mom did most of the work. Isn’t that right?”
I shake my head and quickly change the subject. “How are you feeling, dad?”
“Amazing, if you can believe it.” He reclines back in his bed, his hands resting behind his head with a content sigh. “They got all the streaming services here, and I get as many jello cups as I want.”
“Even the lime ones?!” Yujin asks, his eyes widening as if all-you-can-eat jello is the epitome of luxury.
“Absolutely, my friend,” Dad chuckles. With how sociable he is, it’s a wonder how I’m his son. “So how’d you two meet Yuno?”
A flash of panic hits me. “Well, uh—”
“He beat up my bully for me.” Yujin beats me to the punch, casually explaining my violent past in less than a dozen words.
“He… did?” Dad glances towards me with an expression I can’t quite read. Disappointment? Anger? Confusion? Maybe all of it. My gaze falls to the side, cheeks burning with shame.
“M-mine too, technically,” Winter adds. Well that’s just great.
An awkward tension hangs in space between me and my dad and I can’t bring myself to meet his eyes. Part of the process of becoming a better person is coming to terms with the fact that I did shitty things, noble intentions or not. I hurt people. I probably put them in this same exact hospital. Maybe even the same bed my dad is in at one point in time.
This feeling sucks, but I have to come clean eventually. I can’t keep my dad in the dark forever, right?
“Yeah,” I utter carefully. “They were being bullied, and no one else would do anything about it, so I… stepped in.”
My dad doesn’t say anything right away, leaving me to guess what he’s thinking.
‘When did I raise such a monster?’
‘Your mother would be so disappointed in you.’
Something along those lines, probably.
"So, that time you came home with all those bruises…" my dad mutters, putting the pieces together.
I nod. "These guys were threatening Winter. I didn't want her getting hurt, so…"
A tense moment passes. And then, a laugh.
"You really are your mom's son," he chuckles.
"What?"
"Oh yeah, she was a real firecracker when she was your age." My dad's eyes wash over with this dreamy look as he recalls the past. "She couldn't stand bullies. Half the time, I was there to calm her down, but if I wasn't? Oh boy. She once took down five other girls by herself and walked away with nothing but a broken nose!"
Yujin, Winter, and I exchange confused looks. "Mom was really like that?" I ask.
"You should've seen her, Yuno! If it weren't for your grandma forcing her to become a nurse, I bet she would've been a world champion MMA fighter!" he guffaws.
To think, my own mom, who I only remember as being kind and compassionate, used to be just like me?
I imagine what she must've been like in her younger days. Was she enraged by the lack of action from the school? Did she take matters into her own hands to protect others, even if it meant getting herself hurt? Did grandma ever scold her for always getting into trouble? If Mom was still alive, would she have scolded me the same way? Or would she see part of herself in me?
I'll never know. And yet, I feel closer to her than ever.
"Wow!" Yujin stares at me, all starry-eyed and awe. "Your mom sounds so cool!"
"Oh, she was the coolest!" Dad lays back with a satisfied grin. "But that's a story for another time. Sorry kiddos, this old man is getting a little tired."
"Can we come visit you again, sir?" Yujin asks.
"Of course."
"It was a pleasure meeting you," Winter says.
"Likewise." He lets out a long yawn, his eyes fluttering shut. "Take care of Yuno for me, will ya?"
I roll my eyes. "See ya, dad."
"See ya, son."
The last thing I see before we shut the door is my dad's resting face—so peaceful. So alive.
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Minji's POV
Yuno and I are something.
More than friends, not quite dating yet—just something.
The thought of it is enough to force a smile out of me. A couple months ago, I never would've believed I would be part of something, let alone with Yuno, but now, our little something is all I can think about.
I know we said we would take things slow, but my god, all I can think about is holding his hand. They're so warm and a little rough around his knuckles, I could trace his calluses for hours. And the way his eyes dilate whenever he looks at me? So cute. I feel like I'm going to burst into a billion specks of light just thinking about him.
But alas, all good things must come to an end.
I barely have enough time to kick off my shoes before the smile is wiped off of my face.
"Welcome home, dear," Mother greets me from the living room. Next to her are the Parks, and that slimy gremlin that they call a son.
I muster up the most convincing smile I can. "Hello, mother. Mr. and Mrs. Park. Sunghoon." Why does he always have to be here at the most inopportune moments? Not like there's ever an opportune moment for him to be around, but I digress.
"Why don't you join us for some tea?" Mother offers.
"I'd love to, but I have a, uh, bio test I need to study for."
"Why don't you have Sunghoon join you?"
Ah. Just great.
"Mrs. Park has been telling us all about Sunghoon's tutors," she says.
"If you'd like, I can get you in contact with them," Sunghoon adds with that cheesy grin.
"Thanks, I'll, uh, think about it," I mutter.
I trudge up the stairs with Sunghoon in tow. As soon as the door shuts behind us, his grin drops, revealing the true slime ball underneath. He can stay here to keep up appearances with our parents, but I'm not speaking to him if I can help it.
"What? You're just going to ignore me now?" he scoffs.
I do just that, idly scrolling through my phone.
"Fine. Be that way." The room fills with a tense silence. I can feel his eyes burning a hole through me, but I don't dare look up from my phone.
"You know what," he begins again, "you're lucky that I haven't said anything to my parents about Yuno's attack against me." Sunghoon touches his throat where Yuno had choked him just days ago.
I know what he's doing—just trying to get a rise out of me. I won't give him the satisfaction.
"I could have him expelled!" he all but yells. "He attacked me, Minji! And you're siding with him? What is your deal?!"
Any louder and our parents will storm upstairs to find out what all the ruckus is about. Will he really go that far? Who knows what this psychopath is capable of?
Sunghoon rakes his hands over his face, clearly irked by my silence. "One more slip up from him and I'll get him expelled in an instant, do you understand me?" he growls.
"Touch him and I'll choke you myself," I say before I even have the chance to think about it.
He laughs. "Oh, I'd love to see you try."
"Ugh, gross." I scoot away from him. "Why can't you just leave us alone?"
Sunghoon's eyes grow wide. "'Us'? Since when we're you two an 'us'?"
"It… doesn't matter," I stutter.
"Are you two… dating?"
I bolt to my feet. "Get out of my room."
"Minji—"
"Get out."
"You are making the biggest mista—"
"I'll scream," I threaten. I'm not sure what exactly screaming will accomplish, but it seems to be enough to get him to back off.
He scoffs. "Maybe I won't even need to do anything. Eventually, he'll screw this all up himself." The door slams behind him, and I'm finally left alone.
Sunghoon can say whatever he wants. I'll protect Yuno with my life if I have to. This is my first something and I'm not gonna let this slime ball take that away from me.
I collapse back onto my bed, phone in hand. With how much of a roller coaster life has been lately, I need a good distraction.
(Author's Note: Written for promp run by @azelfty and @jmuns-kpop! For a much better reading experience, check it out on Fanprose!)
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1/5
maltijoo, 17:34: hello! sorry for the random question lol i was wondering if u could send me the notes for ap chem?
merkury83, 17:36: who is this?
maltijoo, 17:36: oh sorry LOL its jiwoo, i sit behind u in gardener's!!!
merkury83, 17:40: oh okay
merkury83, 17:41: 4 images attached
maltijoo, 17:41: THANK UUUUU ur a lifesaver lol
maltijoo, 17:41: i'll see u in class tomorrow :)
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1/9
maltijoo, 18:01: heyyyyy, sorry to bother u again lol but could u send me the notes for today? i was soooo lost and ur notes are way more organized than mine lol
merkury83, 18:02: sure
merkury83, 18:02: 6 images attached
maltijoo, 18:03: thank u!! again lol
merkury83, 18:05: np
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1/13
maltijoo, 14:37: hey are u still on campus?
maltijoo, 14:38: 1 image attached
maltijoo, 14:38: i found ur student id on the ground!!!
merkury83, 14:53: ah i just got home
maltijoo, 14:56: damn :/
maltijoo, 14:56: i can just give it to u tomorrow during class?
merkury83, 15:01: that's fine
merkury83, 15:01: thanks
maltijoo, 15:03: ofc!!! ill see ya tomorrow :))
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1/17
12:45: maltijoo sent you a post.
maltijoo, 12:45: OOPS sorry i meant to send that to my friend lol
merkury83, 12:48: it's okay
merkury83, 12:48: what show is that?
maltijoo, 12:49: heated rivalry!!! have u seen it??
merkury83, 12:50: no
merkury83, 12:50: what's it about?
maltijoo, 12:52: omg it's about these two hockey players on rival hockey teams that end up falling in love :)
maltijoo, 12:52: u should check it out! i'll warn u, some of the scenes are kinda spicy lol
merkury83, 12:52: i'm not really into hockey
maltijoo, 12:55: me neither lol but the writing is SO good and the chemistry between the main couple is so UGH i love it so much
merkury83, 12:56: maybe i'll check it out
maltijoo, 12:57: u definitely should!!!!
maltijoo, 12:57: let me know how it goes lol
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merkury83, 22:12: i couldn't really get into it
merkury83, 22:12: sorry
maltijoo, 22:14: lol it's okay, i understand if its not everyones cup of tea :)
maltijoo, 22:15: thanks for checking it out anyways, i didn't think u would actually watch it lol
merkury83, 22:18: my mom walked in on me while i was watching and we had a very long and uncomfortable conversation about sexuality
maltijoo, 22:18: OMG im so sorry but that's so funny LMAO
merkury83, 22:19: at least i know my mother isn't a homophobe
merkury83, 22:20: lol
maltijoo, 22:21: LMAO
maltijoo, 22:26: what shows do u usually watch?
merkury83, 22:27: i don't really watch tv
merkury83, 22:27: the last show that i really kept up with was Smiling Friends
maltijoo, 22:32: OMG I LOVE SMILING FRIENDS
merkury83, 22:35: really?
maltijoo, 22:36: YESSSSS its so funny
maltijoo, 22:37: my best friend kyujin thinks it looks ugly so she won't watch it with me lol
merkury83, 22:40: is kyujin the friend you meant to send the post to?
maltijoo, 22:42: yup lol
maltijoo, 22:43: i'm the one that got her into heated rivalry, idk if she would've ended up watching it on her own lol
merkury83, 22:45: everyone has their own tastes, i suppose
maltijoo, 22:45: yeah lol
maltijoo, 22:48: im gonna go to sleep, but thanks for checking out heated rivalry!! even if u didnt end up liking it lol
merkury83, 22:50: np
merkury83, 22:50: goodnight
maltijoo, 22:51: goodnight :)
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1/18
22:43: merkury83 replied to maltijoo's story
merkury83, 22:43: what song is that?
maltijoo, 22:50: twilight zone - ariana grande
merkury83, 22:53: thanks
maltijoo, 22:54: np!!!
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1/21
merkury83, 12:07: hi
maltijoo, 12:09: hi! whats up?
merkury83, 12:10: i wanted to ask if you were okay
merkury83, 12:10: mr. gardener was giving you a hard time this morning
maltijoo, 12:12: im okay!! i mean it sucks but ill live :/
maltijoo, 12:13: thanks for asking tho :,)
merkury83, 12:14: okay
merkury83, 12:18: do you wanna talk about it?
maltijoo, 12:20: nahhhh theres really nothing to talk about eneewayzuh :p he was just being a dick, thats all
maltijoo, 12:21: i do appreciate ur concern tho, its very sweet <3
merkury83, 12:25: np
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1/26
17:02: maltijoo sent a post
maltijoo, 17:02: LMAOOO
merkury83, 17:33: lol
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1/30
merkury83, 13:35: i didn't see you in class today, are you okay?
maltijoo, 13:39: awww did u miss me? ;)
maltijoo, 13:40: lol jk
maltijoo, 13:40: i got food poisoning :/
merkury83, 13:41: that sucks
merkury83, 13:41: how are you feeling now?
maltijoo, 13:41: lowkey dying but i think ill live lol
merkury83, 13:41: did u eat something bad?
maltijoo, 13:42: idk, kyujin and i got tacos last night but shes still fine so
maltijoo, 13:42: maybe im just unlucky :,)
merkury83, 13:44: 5 images attached
merkury 83, 13:44: here are today's notes if you need them
merkury83, 13:44: and mr. gardener mentioned that we have a quiz next week
maltijoo, 13:44: OMG thank u so much!!!
maltijoo, 13:44: u really are a lifesaver lol :)
merkury83, 13:45: np
merkury83, 13:45: i gotta go to class, i'll talk to you later
merkury83, 13:46: get well soon
maltijoo, 13:46: thanks!! lol
maltijoo, 13:46: ttyl :)
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2/1
15:35: maltijoo sent you a post.
maltijoo, 15:35: LMAO
15:40: maltijoo sent you a post.
15:43: maltijoo sent you a post.
maltijoo, 15:44: omg this sea otter is so cute im crying :,)))
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merkury83, 20:03: sorry, fell asleep
maltijoo, 20:06: it's okay!!! lol
maltijoo, 20:07: how was ur nap? :)
merkury83, 20:10: okay ig
merkury83, 20:11: my head kinda hurts
maltijoo, 20:12: oh no that sucks :(
maltijoo, 20:13: maybe just drink some water or take an ibuprofen if its bad!!
merkury83, 20:15: sure
maltijoo, 20:23: 2 images attached
maltijoo, 20:24: OOPS SORRY those were meant for kyujin omg
maltijoo, 20:24: i bought this new jacket and i wanted to show her lol
merkury83, 20:27: it's okay
merkury83, 20:28: it looks nice
maltijoo, 20:28: thanks :)
maltijoo, 20:29: i got it on sale too!!! 40% off!!!!
merkury83, 20:33: nice
maltijoo, 20:34: lol
maltijoo, 20:41: how was ur day?
merkury83, 20:41: fine
merkury83, 20:42: hbu
maltijoo, 20:45: it was okay, just went shopping with my mom after school lol
merkury83, 20:47: that's nice
maltijoo, 20:48: yeah lol
maltijoo, 20:53: sorry if im boring u :p
merkury83, 20:53: you're not
merkury83, 20:53: sorry
merkury83, 20:54: just tired
maltijoo, 20:56: didnt u just wake up tho?
merkury83, 20:59: yeah
merkury83, 21:00: i just always feel tired ig
maltijoo, 21:02: aw :(
maltijoo, 21:02: have u tried coffee?
maltijoo, 20:03: not now obvi lol
maltijoo, 20:04: i can grab u a coffee tomorrow morning if u want!! kyujin and i always get coffee together before class
merkury83, 21:07: it's okay, u don't have to do that for me
maltijoo, 21:09: no i insist!!! its the least i can do since u always give me ur notes lol
merkury83, 21:13: okay
merkury83, 21:13: thank you
maltijoo, 21:14: np!!! :)
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2/2
maltijoo, 7:45: 1 image attached
maltijoo, 7:45: coffee delivery!!! lol
maltijoo, 7:45: meet me at the front gate :)
merkury83, 7:48: okay
merkury83, 7:49: omw there
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2/6
maltijoo, 12:31: yo
maltijoo, 12:31: 1 image attached
maltijoo, 12:31: i can see u lol
merkury83, 12:32: lol
maltijoo, 12:32: u should come sit with us!!!
merkury83, 12:32: thanks, but i don't want to disturb you guys
maltijoo, 12:33: omg im literally inviting u lol its okay
merkury83, 12:33: are you sure?
maltijoo, 12:33: yesssss come sit with us come onnnnnnnnn
merkury83, 12:33: okay
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18:49: maltijoo sent a post.
18:51: merkury83 sent a post.
maltijoo, 18:51: LMAOO
18:51: maltijoo liked a post.
merkury83, 18:51: lol
merkury83, 18:54: sorry if i was awkward at lunch today
maltijoo, 18:54: omggg nooo u werent awkward at all!!
maltijoo, 18:55: sorry i shouldve warned u about me and kyujin's energy lol
maltijoo, 18:56: i completely understand if we were way too mcuh lol
maltijoo, 18:56: *much
merkury83, 18:57: you two were fine, i'm just not good at talking in person
maltijoo, 18:57: its okay!!! im not good at talking to people either lol
merkury83, 18:57: u talk to me just fine
maltijoo, 18:57: lol i mean outside of u and kyujin
merkury83, 18:58: but we just met
maltijoo, 19:00: idk u just have a chill aura ig :p
merkury83, 19:01: is that a good thing?
maltijoo, 19:01: yeah lol
maltijoo, 19:01: ur just easy to talk to!!!
maltijoo, 19:01: or maybe i just yap too much lol
merkury83, 19:01: that's okay
merkury83, 19:01: thanks
maltijoo, 19:01: no prob bob B)
2/10
maltijoo, 5:01: good morning!!
merkury83, 5:05: good morning
maltijoo, 5:06: do u wanna meet up before chem to go over the study guide? im not prepared at all for it and its stressing me out ;(
merkury83, 5:09: sure
maltijoo, 5:10: thank u so much!!!!
maltijoo, 5:11: i gotta go get ready lol i'll see u in a bit!!!
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maltijoo, 6:59: im by the front gate, where u atttttttttt
maltijoo, 6:59: my hands are freezinggggg
maltijoo, 7:00: lol nbm i see u
maltijoo, 7:00: *nvm
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2/12
maltijoo, 15:07: 3 images attached
maltijoo, 15:07: OMG kyujin and i found this bunny while walking home!!!!
maltijoo, 15:07: it's so cute im crying :,)
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2/14
maltijoo, 10:57: heyo!
merkury83, 11:15: hey
maltijoo, 11:17: 1 image attached
maltijoo, 11:17: happy valentines day brochacho B)
merkury83, 11:20: lol
merkury83, 11:21: happy valentine's day
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2/17
maltijoo, 19:20: 2 images attached
maltijoo, 15:21: this new boba place just opened up nearby!!
maltijoo, 15:21: it's pretty good, i got an oreo smoothie B)
maltijoo, 15:22: u should come with us next time!!!
maltijoo, 15:22: u seem like a regular milk tea kinda guy lol
maltijoo, 15:23: NOT IN A BAD WAY THO ksdfkjsdanbfk i mean like u would probably like something simple and classic
maltijoo, 15:25: idk sorry lol i think all this sugar is wrecking my brain :p
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16:41: maltijoo sent a post
16:59: maltijoo sent a post
maltijoo, 16:59: omg i thought this was mr gardener at first LMAO
17:02: maltijoo sent a post
17:05: maltijoo sent a post
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merkury83, 19:33: sorry, i was busy
merkury83, 19:36: i prefer mango smoothies over regular milk tea
maltijoo, 19:37: u dont need to apologize at all!!! sorry for blowing up ur phone earlier lol
maltijoo, 19:39: i was actually stuck between getting oreo or mango today lol
maltijoo, 19:42: do u have any plans this weekend? we should go if ur not too busy!!!!
merkury83, 19:50: sure
maltijoo, 19:52: are u sure lol
maltijoo, 19:54: u dont seem too excited about it and id hate to force u to do something u dont want to :/
merkury83, 19:56: no, i want to go
merkury83, 19:56: my head is just hurting, sorry
maltijoo, 19:59: oh im sorry :(
maltijoo, 20:00: maybe u should eat a snack and drink some water
maltijoo, 20:01: sometimes ill be so busy with something that i forgot to eat all day and i end up feeling like garbage later lol
merkury83, 20:02: i'll try to find something to eat
maltijoo, 20:02: do u get headaches normally?
maltijoo, 20:03: maybe u should see a doctor or something
maltijoo, 20:38: which one is ur house? asking for a friend :))))
merkury83, 20:39: what???
maltijoo, 20:39: HURRY im freezing lol
maltijoo, 20:40: i brought snacks!!!
merkury83, 20:42: what
merkury83, 20:42: hold on
merkury83, 20:43: i'll be out in a sec
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2/21
merkury83, 13:21: where are you?
maltijoo, 13:22: SORRY im like 5 min away!!!
maltijoo, 13:22: i couldnt find my jacket when i was getting ready earlier :(((
merkury83, 13:22: it's okay
merkury83, 13:22: i'm just waiting inside
maltijoo, 13:23: ill be there soon!!! sorryyyyyyy
merkury83, 13:25: it's okay, really
merkury83, 13:25: i'll see you in a bit
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maltijoo, 17:38: how much do i owe u for the drink? i forgor :p
merkury83, 17:40: don't worry about it
maltijoo, 17:42: noooo i insist!!! my drink was so expensive :,)
merkury83, 17:45: i don't mind
merkury83, 17:45: it wasn't that much
maltijoo, 17:46: are u sure?
merkury83, 17:48: i'm sure
maltijoo, 17:50: thanks :,) ur very sweet lol
merkury83, 17:51: np
maltijoo, 17:54: i had a lot of fun today!!! lol
merkury83, 17:56: me too
merkury83, 17:56: i don't really go out too much
merkury83, 17:57: it was really nice, being with u
maltijoo, 18:00: awwww wtf thats so sweet <3
maltijoo, 18:02: we should def hang out more often!! even if its just to study or something lol
maltijoo, 18:02: i could use the extra help with chem :,)
merkury83, 18:03: i would like that
maltijoo, 18:05: YEAHHHHH!!!!!!
maltijoo,18:07: 1 image attached
merkury83, 18:09: lol
merkury83, 18:10: thank you again for inviting me out today
maltijoo, 18:12: ofc!!! :)))
maltijoo, 18:13: thank u for the drink!!! i got u next time lol
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2/25
maltijoo, 7:01: good morning!!!
maltijoo, 7:01: 1 image attached
maltijoo, 7:02: kyujin and i are by the front gate!!
merkury83, 7:03: on my way
merkury83, 7:04: did you do something different with your hair?
maltijoo, 7:05: i got a haircut yesterday ehe
maltijoo, 7:07: what do u think? :p
merkury83, 7:10: it's pretty
maltijoo, 7:10: thanks <3
maltijoo, 7:14: kyujin says to hurry up lol
merkury83, 7:15: i'll be there soon
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16:01: maltijoo sent a post
maltijoo, 16:02: aw damn theyre cancelling smiling friends :(((((
merkury83, 16:04: aw that sucks
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2/27
maltijoo, 17:27: buh
merkury83, 17:28: ?
maltijoo, 17:30: ehe hai :)
merkury83, 17:31: what's up?
maltijoo, 17:32: just working on a study guide for math
maltijoo, 17:33: u wouldnt have ms petersen perchance? :p
merkury83, 17:35: i do not
maltijoo, 17:36: damn </3
merkury83, 17:40: do you need help?
maltijoo, 17:42: nahhh i think i got it
maltijoo, 17:44: i just want u to keep me company :)
merkury, 17:46: okay
maltijoo, 17:52: damn bruh what happened to keeping me company ;(
merkury83, 17:58: 1 image attached
merkury83, 17:59: this is your house, right?
merkury83, 17:59: asking for a friend
maltijoo, 18:01: omg ur kidding
merkury83, 18:02: 1 image attached
merkury83, 18:02: i brought snacks
maltijoo, 18:03: wtf ur the sweetest <333
maltijoo, 18:04: ill be down in a sec!!!
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maltijoo, 20:12: thanks again for stopping by :)))
merkury83, 20:15: np
merkury83, 20:16: i'm just happy i could be useful
maltijoo, 20:21: <333
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3/1
13:41: maltijoo sent a post
13:45: maltijoo sent a post
maltijoo, 13:45: AWWWHFJHAKJNAFL
merkury83, 13:48: cute
13:52: merkury83 sent a post
maltijoo, 13:54: LMAOOO
13:59: maltijoo sent a post
14:02: merkury83 sent a post
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3/5
maltijoo, 7:50: ayo are u okay? i dont see u in class
merkury83, 8:12: i'm at home, i don't feel good
maltijoo, 8:15: awww :(((
maltijoo, 8:17: want me to sneak out of class and grab u some meds or something? lol
maltijoo, 8:18: cuz ill do it!!! NO hesitation >:)
merkury83, 8:20: no its okay
merkury83, 8:21: i just need some space
maltijoo, 8:30: just let me know if u need anything okay?
merkury83, 8:32: i will
merkury83, 8:32: thanks
maltijoo, 8:33: get well soon!!
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3/7
17:40: maltijoo sent a post
17:49: maltijoo sent a post
maltijoo, 17:49: OH.
18:01: maltijoo sent a post
18:31: maltijoo sent a post
maltijoo, 18:31: #needthat
maltijoo, 18:32: OHDOFOADNBFJ sorry i meant to send that to kyujin omgkjdasnvjlsns
18:45: maltijoo sent a post
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3/9
merkury83, 2:06: sorry for the late reply
maltijoo, 2:08: its ok!!! is everything alright?
mekury83, 2:11: idk
merkury83, 2:11: i just can't seem to get out of bed
maltijoo, 2:12: why, whats wrong?
merkury83, 2:16: probably just an off day
merkury83, 2:16: i'll be fine
merkury83, 2:17: sorry for texting you so late
maltijoo, 2:18: u dont need to apologize at all, im always here if u need me
maltijoo, 2:19: besides, i can sleep better if i know ur alright :)
merkury83, 2:21: thanks jiwoo
merkury84, 2:22: goodnight
maltijoo, 2:25: goodnight and i hope u feel better soon <3
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3/13
15:29: maltijoo sent a post
15:43: maltijoo sent a post
16:02: merkury83 sent a post
maltijoo, 16:05: omgggg that looks so good, we should try it next weekend? if ur free ofc :)
merkury83, 16:11: maybe
16:29: maltijoo sent a post
17:13: maltijoo sent a post
17:44: maltijoo sent a post
maltijoo, 17:44: lmao
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3/17
maltijoo, 15:29: hey is everything alright?
maltijoo, 15:31: u sat in the back again in gardeners, i didn't get a chance to talk to u at all today
maltijoo, 15:31: i didnt see u at lunch either :(
maltijoo, 15:33: i know ur going through something rn and i wanna give u space like u asked but it scares me when idk whats going on with u:((
maltijoo, 15:36: just text me when u can, okay? pls
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3/22
2:06: maltijoo sent a post
2:14: maltijoo sent a post
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3/25
23:21: merkury83 sent a post
maltijoo, 23:21: hey! how are u?
merkury83, 23:26: i'm okay
merkury83, 23:27: hbu?
maltijoo, 23:28: honestly ive been worried about u like crazy
maltijoo, 23:30: u dont text, u avoid me like the plague, and i have no idea why. did i do something wrong?
merkury83, 23:37: no it's not you
merkury83, 23:37: i'm sorry, jiwoo
merkury83, 23:43: sometimes i just get in these moods where i shut down. i can barely get out of bed in the morning and even the simplest tasks feel impossibly heavy. i know i should've said something to you sooner. again, i'm so sorry
maltijoo, 23:48: its fine, just give me a heads up next time ok? ik im not ur mom or whatever, but i still care about u and i want u to be okay
merkury83, 23:50: okay, i will
maltijoo, 23:51: thanks
maltijoo, 23:55: did anything happen that triggered this? if u dont mind me asking
merkury83, 23:58: nothing specific
merkury83, 23:59: this is just how i am
3/26
maltijoo, 00:01: aww im sorry :((
maltijoo, 00:03: if ur up for it, maybe we can go watch a movie or something soon? im pretty busy this weekend, but im free next weekend
merkury83, 00:06: sure
merkury83, 00:07: i would like that
maltijoo, 00:07: great!! im pretty tired, but if u need anything, just text me, ok? and it doesnt matter what time it is or if im busy or sleeping or whatever, u can text me. ur not a burden or anything like that, ur my friend and i care about u
merkury83, 00:10: i will
merkury83, 00:11: thank you for everything, jiwoo
maltijoo, 00:12: anytime :)))
maltijoo, 00:12: goodnight <3
merkury83, 00:14: goodnight
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3/29
22:12: merkury83 sent a post
maltijoo, 22:14: omggg why are they so mean to pim :,(((
merkury83, 22:15: lol
22:25: maltijoo sent a post
22:47: maltijoo sent a post
23:04: merkury83 sent a post
maltijoo, 23:06: WAIT this song eats omggg
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4/1
maltijoo, 16:48: AH i forgot to return ur chem notebook!!! sorry ;(
merkury83, 16:50: it's okay
maltijoo, 16:51: ill return it tomorrow!!
maltijoo, 16:54: or maybe i can stop by ur house and drop it off :)))
merkury83, 16:59: now isn't really a good time
merkury83, 17:00: sorry
maltijoo, 17:01: oh thats okay! youll just have to spend the night without it ig :p
merkury83, 17:03: u can keep it
maltijoo, 17:04: lolll thanks for the thoughtful gift
maltijoo, 17:05: i dont need ur notes that badly, just come get it tomorrow
merkury83, 17:08: ok ill see u tomorww then
maltijoo, 17:09: is everything alright?
merkury83, 17:10: justbusy sorry
maltijoo, 17:12: okkkk ill see u tomorrow then
maltijoo, 17:15: if u need anything just let me know, ok?
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4/2
maltijoo, 7:10: ayooooooo im by the front gate
maltijoo, 7:11: 1 image attached
maltijoo, 7:12: the weather is so nice today :)))
maltijoo, 7:12: i saw this patch of flowers already blooming!!! i forgot to take a pic tho :/
maltijoo, 7:22: hellooooooooo
maltijoo, 7:23: did u oversleep or something? lol
maltijoo, 7:28: i have to get to class, just text me if u need anything, ok?
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4/3
maltijoo, 9:05: hey are u ok??
maltijoo, 9:05: there's a rumor going around, idk who started it but its really fucked up
maltijoo, 9:07: hello??
maltijoo, 9:10: this better be some sick joke
maltijoo, 9:17: im coming over idc
maltijoo, 9:18: pls text me back
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4/4
maltijoo, 00:38: im so sorry. i shouldve went to ur house that night to drop off ur chem notebook. i knew in my gut that something was off but i didnt want to pry. u would still be here if i had just done something. im so so so fucking sorry.
maltijoo, 00:43: things were back to normal just a few days ago. i thought they were. why couldnt u have just talked to me? i wouldve listened, i wouldve done everything i can do to just to make ur okay. i love u. i wish i couldve told u that in person but i was too fucking scared
maltijoo, 00:49: we were supposed to go to the movies this weekend
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4/6
maltijoo, 14:48: we had an assembly this morning. idk how but i managed to get through it without sobbing. ig this means that its real then. ur actually gone
maltijoo, 14:52: it still feels like ur here. whenever i close my eyes, all i see is u. the u that i see in my mind isnt looking straight at me tho. its always to the side, like theyre hiding something from me. i wish u didnt have to hide so much
maltijoo, 14:53: i miss u so much
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4/15
maltijoo, 13:15: 3 images attached
maltijoo, 13:17: i went to the park today. ive been going on walks a lot more lately just to clear my head. the guidance counselor recommended it. i think shes being overworked these days
maltijoo, 13:20: deep down, i feel so angry. the weather is nice, the flowers are blooming, but i cant enjoy any of it without u. its so unfair. why should the flowers bloom when ur not here to witness them?
maltijoo, 13:25: i think im gonna take a nap. idk why i type these things as if u can read them. id like to think that u are, somewhere
maltijoo, 13:26: goodnight. i love u
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5/1
maltijoo, 4:10: hi
maltijoo, 4:15: ik its been a while. school has been hectic lately, but that doesnt mean ive stopped thinking about u. ur always on my mind in some way, shape, or form
maltijoo, 4:18: i had a dream about u and then i woke up suddenly. maybe ur trying to send me message. it was a nice dream. we were spread out on an endless field of grass with a perfect blue sky hanging above us. i couldnt see u, but i could feel the warmth of ur hand in mine and i knew instantly that it was u. we didnt talk much, but we didnt have to. it felt so real
maltijoo, 4:19: god im about to cry again lol i managed to make it a couple weeks without crying, but here u are, trying to break my streak
maltijoo, 4:23: idk if i ever told u how happy i was with u. u did so much for me even when u were struggling by urself. id give anything just to hear ur voice again. even just a simple reply from u would be nice
maltijoo, 4:25: i dont think ill ever get over u, but maybe thats not such a bad thing. even if ur not around physically anymore, just knowing that i was lucky to meet u fills me with so much joy. ill always cherish the time we had together
maltijoo, 4:31: i gotta get ready for school soon. ill talk to u later, ok? i love u <3
The rain gently taps against the windows—a reminder of how this whole thing started. A chance encounter, a gut feeling, a kneejerk gesture, and now I'm here, eating dinner with Minji and her parents. A girl who's first impression of me is my fucked up mug, fresh after a fight. A girl who I can't properly look at without my stomach doing somersaults. All this because that tiny grinning devil couldn't return Minji's phone herself.
"The rain is getting bad out there," Minji's mom remarks. "I'm glad we caught you before you went out, it would be a shame if you got sick." Her lips curl into a smile in my direction, yet the warmth is jarringly vacant from her eyes. The alarms going off in my head tell me to bolt for the front door, but all I can do is sit there with my leg bouncing nervously underneath the table.
Minji sits silently next to me, an unreadable expression on her face. I tug at my sleeve, hoping the blood stain is covered. I have no idea what she could be thinking of right now, and that scares me for reasons I can't explain, reasons that are eating me up inside with every passing second. But with all this tension in the air, I can barely breathe, let alone get a word out.
Mrs. Kim sets tray after tray of food on the table, filling up every inch with dishes I had never even dreamed of. An array of pleasant smiles waft through the air, making my stomach grumble loudly. I clutch it, hoping none of them can hear it over the backdrop of rain.
"Eat as much as you like, dear," Mrs. Kim says. Without thinking, I quickly grab a little bit of everything and pile it onto my plate, eager to quell the hunger pains. Right before the spoon hits my lips, I notice Mr. and Mrs. Kim staring at me, eyes wide like they're watching some starving animal. Compared to the mountain of food on my plate, their portions seem like enough to feed a single mouse.
My appetite disappears underneath their judgmental gazes. "Uh, sorry," I utter sheepishly, setting my spoon down. If only a little rain hadn't gotten in my way.
Minji suddenly coughs, her cheeks bulging with food. I bite back a grin at the sight as she brushes a piece of rice off of her lip.
"Your table manners, dear," Mrs. Kim gently scolds her.
"Sorry, Mother," Minji says. "I'm quite hungry." She quickly glances at me and offers a small nod before looking back at her food with that same expression from before—prim, proper, and completely soulless. It's almost scary how quickly she turns pulls it on and off like a mask. Still, it's good to know that I'm not completely alone in here.
"So, Yuno," Mr. Kim says, "Minji has never mentioned you before. How did you two meet?"
"Biology class," I reply, reiterating Minji's earlier lie. "We got partnered up for a project."
"I see." He nods, eyes squinted as he scrutinizes my expression. I almost wonder if he can see through our lie. Maybe there's some fancy, high tech stuff in his glasses that can sense that shit.
I sneak a peek at Minji, her movements almost robotic, rehearsed, as if the moment she tilts her fork at the wrong angle, the room will burst into flames. Nothing like the Minji that I'm used to seeing. Is this what having her parents around does to her?
"What do your parents do for work?" Mr. Kim continues his interrogation. I inhale, hoping this will all be over soon.
"My dad's a night shift guard." When he's not passed out drunk, at least.
"And your mother?"
"She's..." My throat tightens slightly at the mention of her. "She passed away."
The room falls silent as each member of the Kim family looks back at me with a mix of shock and sympathy. My gaze falls to my plate, barely a dent made in the large pile of food.
"I'm... sorry to hear that, dear," Mrs. Kim offers. It's the first hint of genuine emotion I feel from her all night.
"It's fine," I shrug. "It was a couple years ago. I'm okay now." Yet, as the words drift through my lips, it feels like an even bigger lie than the one I told before. How can I be okay when I find myself craving the feeling of crushing someone's windpipe in my hand? How can I be okay when the person I see in the mirror is unrecognizable to who I was before she died? How can I be okay when every night, I go back to a home that hasn't felt like a home in years?
I keep all this to myself, of course, because was else am I supposed to do? Cry in front of them? Crying won't fix any of the mistakes I've made. Crying won't bring her back.
Mr. Kim starts to speak, but Ms. Kim stops him with a touch of her hand. "Let him eat," she utters solemnly. A sense of relief washes over me for her intervention, grateful for the opportunity to move on. Minji quietly reaches under the table to gently pat my knee. A small gesture, but one that lets me breath easier. The rest of the dinner is spent in silence, accompanied by the clinking of silverware against fine china and the rhythmic downpour outside.
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I lean back in my chair, my stomach full for the first time in God knows how long. As intimidating as Minji's mother is, she's also a hell of a cook.
As Mrs. Kim clears the table, I peer out the window and find not a single drop of rain falling from the sky. I quickly excuse myself from the table, taking my chance to finally escape.
"Thanks for the meal, but I should get going now," I utter hastily before beelining it straight for the front door.
"W-wait!" Minji exclaims, trailing after me. "I'll walk you home." My brow furrows in confusion at her, but she's already turned to her parents. "It'll give us a chance to discuss our project some more."
Mr. Kim contemplates for a moment before nodding. "Alright then. Be careful, and don't be out too late. Your mother and I want to talk to you once you get back."
Minji follows me outside and shuts the door behind us, releasing a long sigh as she leans against the wall. "That was soooooooooo stressful. I'm sorry you had to go through all that, Yuno."
I slump on the wall next to her. "I've been through worse," I shrug. We stood together in silence for a while, the chilly evening air gracing our faces, infused with the lingering scent of rain. Minji is the first to break the silence as she turns to me, a look of sadness in her eyes.
"I'm sorry about your mom. I had no idea she was..." Her voice trails off as she avoids saying 'the word'.
"It's fine. Really," I assure her, although I can't meet her eyes. We start the walk towards my house, our path lit up by the moonlight reflected in lingering puddles. With all this talk about my mom, memories of that night creep into my mind like a virus I can't stop—the sirens. The hospital. The tears.
"She died in a hospital fire three years ago," I began, my voice carrying the weight of the past. Minji looks up at me, listening intently. "She was a nurse. Very caring and loved helping people. Constantly reminding me to always look out for others."
My legs freeze in place like their chained to the ground. What would she think of me now?
A hand softly grips my shoulder. "Yuno?" Minji murmurs. I breathe, and continue.
"My mom, she, um... There were times where she would forget that she mattered too. She was selfless, but never put herself first. Even when the building was burning around her, she spent the, um... last moments of her life helping people." I fall quiet. Another word and I'm not sure if I could hold back what I've been keeping inside.
"I'm... I'm so sorry, Yuno." Minji squeezes my shoulder, her touch gentle yet firm, reminding me that I'm not the only on here. I meet her eyes and see them glistening with tears—tears for someone she never knew about until tonight.
That someone will never get to know that Minji exists. They'll never see their only son go through high school, or spend another late night on the couch with their husband. Mom will never know about the home that she left behind. The home that can't function without her. Her husband, turned to alcohol, her son, to violence. It's almost funny—out of the three of us, maybe she's the one that got out lucky.
I move Minji's hand from my shoulder and unravel my sleeve, revealing the blood stain, now dark red and ugly. "I got into another fight today," I breathe.
"I—you, what?" Minji stammers, a mix of shock and disappointment growing on her face.
Blood stains are the hardest to get out, especially when they dry. You could toss it into the wash a million times, yet remnants of them will always be there, small maybe, but present nonetheless, a lingering reminder of every mistake I've made. The easiest way to get rid of them is to throw out the stained garment entirely, replace it, forget about it, pretend that it never happened.
Or, you can salvage the garment; keep washing it, face the problem head on, find the right tools to treat it until its spotless. Maybe you'll be lucky and it'll disappear right away. Maybe no matter what you do, the stain will never wash out. Even then, it's better than trying to forget about it completely.
"It was Tyler," I continue, despite the thumping in my chest. "He was beating up a, uh, friend. I couldn't control myself. I'm sorry."
Minji remains silent as she processes my words, her expression unreadable under the shadows. With every passing second, I wonder if all of this was a huge mistake.
Finally, she lets out a heavy sigh. "How is your friend?" she asks, gaze fixated on the ground. The disappointment in her tone stabs through me like a knife.
"He's okay, I think. Your friend with the glasses helped us out."
"Danielle?" Her brow furrows in surprise before she clears her throat. "That's, uh, good to hear. What about Tyler?"
I gulp, averting my gaze as I search for the right words to put this gently. "He'll be... out for a while."
"You were just... protecting your friend," she mutters. "I'm not gonna fault you for that."
Minji pushes past me, leaving me in shock at her unexpected understanding. After noticing that I wasn't following her, she turns around, still baring that cold glare. "What are you standing around for? I said I'd walk you home. Come on."
"R-right."
I quickly get my bearings and catch up to her. The rest of our walk is spent in silence with an uncomfortable tension hanging in the air. I can't help but steal a couple glances, wondering what she must be thinking about. Should I say something? Does she hate me? Before I could find the right words, we were face to face with my front door.
"This is me," I utter awkwardly, almost embarrassed at the state of my house despite it looking identical to the entire block.
Minji doesn't bother to look at me before turning away. "Bye," she says with an unusual lack of warmth.
"W-wait."
I watch her shoulders rise and fall with a heavy sigh before she turns around, an almost annoyed look on her face. "What?"
"I, um... Are we still, uh, friends?" I cringe at my own vulnerability for the umpteenth time tonight. However, whatever worries I had dissipate as Minji's lips curve into a smile of amusement.
"Yes, we're still friends, dummy," she says, punctuating her words with a soft punch to my shoulder. A weird fluttering feeling fills my stomach. "You're a good person, Yuno. I just wish you would stop getting into trouble, alright?"
"U-uh, yeah, I can do that. I think."
"Good." Minji's smile widens, sending a wave of warmth to my cheeks. I suddenly become very aware that it's just the two of us, alone, with nothing but the moon and the chirping of crickets to keep us company. The fluttering feeling expands, reaching to the outer edges of my body until it almost feels uncomfortable.
"Y-you should, uh, probably get going," I stammer like an idiot.
Minji giggles. "Yeah, I probably should." She turns to leave, stopping underneath the streetlight in front of my house. It casts its yellow ray down on her like the limelight to a singer. "Good night, Yuno."
"Night, Minji. Um, get home safe."
Her smile imprints itself into my brain as I watch her silhouette fade into the night. Even after she disappears, that fluttering feeling stays as I think back on the unexpected night I've had.
A wave of exhaustion hits me the second I lay back on my bed. My own mattress feels foreign now after spending the past few nights at Minji's.
God what a night. I met Minji's terrifying parents, trauma dumped to them about my dead mom, and humiliated myself to basically the entire Kim family line—all because that smiley little devil didn't want to return Minji's phone herself. Definitely need to keep an eye out for her in the future.
As my eyelids slowly flutter shut, visions of Minji flash through my head—her laugh, her voice, her smile—eventually invading my dreams.
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Minji's POV
The second I enter my home, I spot my parents waiting for me in the living room, a heavy tension hanging in the air like an anvil tied to a piece of loose string. I take in a deep breath to quell the anxiety in my chest.
"Have a seat, dear," my mother says, her tone calm yet deathly serious. As I sit across from them, I can't shake the feeling of dread building up within me.
My father clears his throat, eyes meeting mine. "This Yuno boy," he starts, "What is he to you?"
"Yuno? He's my friend." I stifle a grin as I remember how Yuno had asked something similar. The look of relief on his face when I reassured him that we're still friends. It was almost... cute.
"We don't want you hanging around that boy anymore."
The joy from that memory is short-lived as my heart drops from my chest. "W-what? Why?"
"He seems... sweet, but we don't think he'll be of any benefit to your future," mother explains. "Once you two are done with your project, we want you to cut all contact with him."
A flurry of emotions well within me. "B-but—"
"No buts, Minji," father interrupts. "You should be grateful that we still let you talk to Hanni. If you want to be successful in life, you must surround yourself with those that are like-minded. Frankly, I don't see that boy amounting to anything."
I try to argue, but my voice gets caught in my throat. It would have been pointless anyways. They never listen.
Without another word, I storm upstairs to my room.
"Minji!" my father calls out. I ignore him, slamming my bedroom door behind me and collapsing onto my bed. Why are they always like this? Why can't I just be friends with anyone? Tears well within my eyes as I take out my phone to call Hanni. After just one ring, she picks up.
"Heyyyy girl, looks like you got your phone back. I wonder who gave it to you," she giggles.
"Hi Hanni..."
"Oh no, what happened?"
I sigh, snuggling one of my teddy bears close to my chest. "I'm just so... frustrated. It's barely been a day since my parents have been here, yet I'm already so exhausted."
"I'm so sorry, Minj. You wanna talk about it?"
"Not really. I'd rather forget all about it.
"Hey, why don't we go the fair tomorrow with the girls? You've been stressed enough with all this prom junk, you deserve a break," she suggests.
"Ehhh, I'm not sure, Hanni. I would love to, but I'm not sure if my parents would let me go."
"Girl, just tell them you're going to the library with Dani or something. They won't say no to that!"
I hesitate, weighing the pros and cons in my head. On one hand, my parents would absolutely kill me if they found out, but on the other hand, a break does sound nice. For the past couple months, my life has been nothing but school work, studying, student council meetings, and prom preparations. I've rarely had any time to just have fun. As long as my parents don't find out, it should be fine, right?
"Okay. Let's do it," I say, my heartbeat quickening with excitement and anxiety.
"WOOOOOO!!!" Hanni cheers, her voice blaring through my phone speaker. "We'll pick you up at three!"
I can't help but chuckle at her elation. "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then. Good night, Hanni."
"Night, girl!"
Silence envelopes my room as I hang up the phone, giving room for my thoughts to run wild. Tomorrow would be fun for sure, but what about after that? What if my parents find out I lied to them? Would I be able to live with the consequences?
I shake my head, trying to dispel the worries from my mind. Despite my parent's expectations for me, I'm still human at the end of the day, and human's need breaks. Tomorrow will be fun.
I'm sure of it.
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Yuno's POV
I jolt awake as an aching pain shoots down my back. My body got so used to sleeping at Minji's house that it forgot how shitty my own mattress is.
As I rub the sleep from my eyes, I notice a strange scent wafting past my nose—food. Common sense falters against the rumbling in my stomach as I follow the smell down the stairs. But the second I get to the bottom, I freeze and wonder if this is all just a weird dream.
My dad—awake. And cooking, of all things.
"Yuno," he says as he finally notices me standing at the foot of the stairs. A beat of silence passes between us, save for the sizzling of bacon in a pan. "Morning."
"Uh... Morning," I mutter, unsure of what to do. I almost forgot how his eyes look like when they're open. The sound of his voice louder than a drunken grumble is so foreign too. It's like a vaguely familiar stranger broke into my house and started cooking breakfast, only this stranger I could never raise a fist to.
"You hungry?" He sets down a plate of food onto the counter. "I made you some breakfast."
I nearly decline, but my hunger trumps my confusion, pushing me to that freshly made plate of food. It's nothing extravagant—some slightly burnt bacon, an egg, and a small stack of weirdly-shaped pancakes—but it's more than I ever get to eat in the morning. I quickly dig in, almost choking in the process.
"Slow down there," my dad chuckles lightly. "Guess I haven't been doing a great job at feeding you, huh." The gloom and regret in his tone were palpable, even as his eyes sank to the floor.
I pause mid-bite. "It's fine. I managed."
"It's not fine," he says more to himself than anyone else. "I should've... I should've done more. I should've at least been there, but I..." His voice falters as he tries to hold himself together. Even in the silence, I could feel everything he wanted to say, every regret he's every held, everything he wish he did better.
Mom's death wasn't something we could ever prepare for. It was so sudden, like she was there for a moment and then gone the next. I never blamed Dad for the way he ended up; he lost his entire world that night. I don't know anyone who wouldn't go mad with grief after something like that.
"It's... fine. Really," I repeat, yet uncertainty lilts my voice.
He breathes a soft sigh. "I'll try to be around more often. I know my words don't mean much, but... it's a start, I hope."
A flood of emotions constricts my throat, making it harder and harder to breathe. What does he even mean? Is he just... back? Just like that? One day, he decided to just stop drinking? To start being a father again? What the fuck? I've been fine without him for years, who says I need him now? Do I need him?
Without thinking, I stand up from my seat, the chair scraping against the floor with a screech. "I, um, I'm gonna head out."
Dad's brow furrows in confusion. "To where?"
"Just out. With friends." What the hell am I saying? I have nowhere to go—but I just can't be home right now.
His eyes widen a smidge. "Friends? You have— That's really great, Yuno." For the first time in what feels like forever, I see my dad smile at me. "Go ahead, get on out of here. I'll just be at home cleaning if you need me."
Too deep in the lie to back out now, I grab a hoodie from the closet, wondering how the hell I'm gonna spend the rest of my day. As my hand grips the door knob, I turn back to look at my dad. He's really awake.
"Uh, bye," I mutter.
"Bye, Yuno. I'll see you later," he waves as I shut the door behind me.
My dad sobering up after all these years is a good thing. I should be happy—and yet, I can't knock this strange feeling in the back of my mind, as if all of this is too good to be true. Like I'll wake up from this dream, back into my own dreary reality. With no plan in mind, I walk to the convenience store, hoping a change in scenery helps clear my mind.
The jingle of the entrance and the pungent scent of rotisserie hotdogs great me as I step into the store's stale atmosphere.
"Good morning, welcome to— Yuno!" Winter greets me with a mop in her hand, her demeanor much more upbeat than what I'm used to seeing from her.
"Oh, hey. Didn't know you were working today."
"I'm just filling in for one of my coworkers who's out sick. Are you looking for anything in particular? We just restocked on the ramen you got last time," she offers.
I shake my head. "Nothing, really. Just needed to get out of the house."
Winter tilts her head at me curiously. "Are you alright? Did something happen?"
"No? I don't know, I'm all conf—"
"YUNO!!"
My body jolts to the right, dodging the incoming attack from behind and grabbing onto the back of my assailant's collar.
"Who the fuck—" My eyes widen in confusion as I see none other than Yujin looking back at me. A white medical eyepatch covers his black eye, but the rest of the wounds on his face seemed to have healed overnight. "Yujin? What are you doing here?"
"He came to visit me at work," Winter answers. "It's been a bit slow this morning, so he offered to come hang out until my shift ends."
"Yeah, I even told her all about your epic battle with Tyler!" Yujin says, beaming at me. I release my grip on the back of his shirt as my cheeks burn slightly from embarrassment.
"It wasn't epic, it was... Whatever. Where the hell is the ramen?" I sigh, already regretting this stupid lie.
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The three of us sit at a table in front of the store, the gentle breeze brushing past our faces. Warm, spicy ramen broth slides down my throat as I finish the bowl.
"It's such a nice day outside," Winter comments, eyes shut with contentment.
"We should all do something fun together! We've never hung out outside of school before!" Yujin beams.
"Why the hell not," I utter. With no actual plans for today, I really have no other option than to tag along.
Winter nods in agreement. "Where do you guys wanna go?"
My mind goes blank. I have no idea what people do for fun, let alone these two. When was the last time I had fun anyways?
Yujin hops out of his seat, a twinkle of elation in his smile. "We can go to the fair! It's been forever since I last went. What do you guys think?"
I scratch my head in contemplation. It's not how I imagined spending my weekend, but my life hasn't exactly been predictable as of late. The fair did sound... intriguing. "Okay, I'm down."
"Me too," Winter chimes. "I haven't been to the fair since I was seven. I wonder if they still sell those chocolate chip cookies I used to love."
"Ooh, I remember those! The fair always had the best cookies!"
In the middle of these two reminiscing, a group of students head into the store. "O-oh, I should probably head back to work. I'll text you guys when I'm done," Winter says as she heads back inside.
"We'll see you later, Winter!" Yujin calls out to her before turning back to me. "Hey Yuno, what's your number? I'll make a group chat with the three of us."
"Don't bother. I don't have a phone," I utter.
Yujin's jaw drops with bewilderment. "What?! What do you mean you don't have a phone?! How do you even live?"
I shrug. "I don't know. Never needed one," I answer simply. It's the truth—up until now, I had no one to text or call, especially with my dad being too drunk to wonder where I was. Even before mom died, I never felt the need for one since I rarely go out anyways.
"That's crazy. Let's stop by my house real quick, I can lend you my old phone," Yujin says, already walking away.
"You don't need to do tha—"
"You helped me out twice, alright? This is the only way I can repay you, so just take it." An adamance in his voice made it difficult to refuse, so with a sigh, I get up and follow behind him.
"Lead the way, I guess."
Yujin looks back at me with an impish grin as we depart towards his house. The bright rays of the sun wash over us, filling me with a sense of calm. With how weird the last couple of days have been, it feels nice to not be cooped up inside.
"By the way, my grandma doesn't speak much English, but I can translate for you. I don't bring friends over often, so she'll probably want to talk your ear off," Yujin chuckles.
"That's fine. What about your parents?" I ask. His expression darkens, sending a pang of guilt into my chest. "Sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"It's okay, Yuno," Yujin reassures me. "I lived with my parents back when I was still attending my old school. I wanted to stay with them, but they thought it was best for me to live with my grandma after they found out how bad I was being bullied. They would freak out if they ever found out I was being bullied here too..." His gaze and his shoulder droop to the ground, dissipating his usual vibrant energy. Feeling guilty for bringing up this whole mess, I awkwardly squeeze his shoulder, hoping the gesture cheers him up even a little bit.
"Don't worry about it. No one's gonna mess with you anymore."
Thankfully, Yujin's frown quickly goes back to a grin as he meets my eyes. "Thanks, Yuno. I think my parents would like you."
Right. Because your parents would love that you're hanging around with a violent maniac.
Soon, we arrive at Yujin;s house, practically identical to all the houses in the neighborhood, save for the pair of rocking chairs decorating the front porch.
"Before grandpa died, my grandparents would sit here together and watch the sunrise every morning. That's kinda cute, don't you think?" Yujin's words hung in the air as he unlocks the door. I could only offer a nod as my understanding of romance and the like is basically nonexistent.
Yujin's grandma practically bombards us with greetings as we step inside, her voice somehow carrying all the way from her reclining chair in the living room. Despite her small stature, she somehow manages to make Yujin seem like a monk taking a vow of silence with how overwhelming her own energy is. I guess it runs in the family.
His grandma says something to him in a language I can't quite pinpoint, making him laugh as he turns to me.
"Grandma says that you're very tall and handsome," he says with an impish grin. A rush of warmth tinges my cheeks, caught off guard by the unexpected compliment.
"O-oh, uh, tell her I said thanks. I guess." Yujin relays my message, triggering a bout of laughter from his grandma that eventually transforms into a coughing fit.
"Yujin, are you back alre— Oh jeez." Suddenly, Danielle of all people rounds the corner, carrying a saucer with a cup of tea balancing on top of it. Her casual attire of a simple yellow t-shirt and jeans was a far cry from the cold aura she normally exudes in her school uniform. She places the cup of tea on the table next to Yujin's grandma before turning her attention back to me.
"What are you doing here?" she spits as she places the tea next to Yujin's grandma.
"I could ask you the same thing," I shoot back,
"Danielle and her mom are helping me take care of grandma," Yujin explains. "They've been really helpful ever since yesterday." A genuine smile illuminates his face, inadvertently softening Danielle's expression. It immediately hardened as her gaze went back to me. "We just stopped by so I could give him my old phone to use. Apparently, Yuno has never had a phone! Isn't that crazy?" he says to Danielle.
She scrutinizes me with those steely eyes through those glasses, sending a chill down my spine even as I try to look tough. Minji's parents may have been scary, but Danielle was a completely different beast.
"You're just giving it to him? He's not, I don't know, threatening you to give it to him?" she interrogates. I instinctively roll my eyes at her words while Yujin laughs it off.
"It's the least I could do to repay him for..." He gestures to his eyepatch, cautiously glancing at his grandma, who drifted off to sleep without anyone of us noticing. Yujin's phone suddenly buzzes in his pocket, revealing a text from Winter. "We should hurry, Winter's shift is ending soon. Come on, Yuno!" he says before running up the stairs. I quickly follow behind him, not wanting to be left alone with Danielle.
Yujin's room is the epitome of a stereotypical geek's paradise. The walls are lined with a colorful variety of superhero posters, accompanied by some drawings he had done himself. On the far side of the room, a shelf is filled to the brim with action figures, fake weapons, and a single first place trophy for a "Junior Art Competition". His desk is the complete opposite of Minji's—half-finished drawings, eraser shavings, and colored pencils scattered along its surface.
"Sorry about the mess, I would've cleaned up if I knew you would be coming over," Yujin says as he rummages through a desk drawer for a phone. "Here. It's not much, but you'll be able to call and text people, and you can download some games on there if you want."
It was smaller and less impressive than most phones I've seen people carry, but I couldn't complain. It was better than anything I've had before (which was nothing, so). "Thanks," I utter as I take the phone from his hands. "I'll, uh, keep it safe."
We head back down to the living room, but the second we reach the bottom of the stairs, Yujin immediately turns and darts back up to his room. "Shoot, I forgot the charger! Be right back!" he yells back at me.
As I turn around to wait in the living room, I find Yujin's grandma beckoning me with a wrinkly hand. As if in a trance, I suddenly find myself inching towards her, like a snake being hypnotized by a flute. Once I get close enough, she whispers into my ear in perfect English: "Please take care of my Yujin." Before I can say anything to her, she simply pats my shoulder and nods back off to sleep.
"Uh, what?" I ask softly. She doesn't budge. "Um, ma'am? Hello—"
"What are you doing?" Danielle asks, eyeing me weirdly from across the room. I quickly straighten up, not wanting to look any weirder than I probably do.
"N-nothing, she just, uh... Sorry," I stutter awkwardly. With impeccable timing, Yujin appears from the stairs with a phone charger in hand, saving me from this awkward situation.
"Here you go, Yuno. We should head out now, Winter oughta be done with her shift by now," he says. "Bye, Danielle!"
Danielle waves at Yujin as we leave, shooting one final glare directed at me right as the door closes. Finally outside, I inspect Yujin's old phone, turning the small silver box in my hand. Aside from a couple apps like 'Notes' and 'Settings', the whole thing is completely bare bones. Even the lock screen was nothing more than a plain blue rectangle.
"I should probably add your number to the group chat now, huh," Yujin says, tapping away at his screen. After a brief moment, the phone buzzes with a notification that reads, "You have been added to a group chat!"
"There you go! If you ever need to talk to either of us, just send a message and one of us is bound to answer!" He flashes me a wide toothy grin that I feel myself smirk at.
A vivid memory of my childhood suddenly plays in my mind - a timid only child playing with his imaginary siblings. I never brought it up with my mother when she was alive, but I always wanted a younger sibling to play with and take care of. That want manifested itself into an imaginary younger brother that played with me when no other kid would. Of course I've long outgrown that phase by now, but something about Yujin is eerily similar to the imaginary younger brother I had before. Or maybe I've finally gone insane.
"So... the fair. What's it like?" I ask him.
"What?! You've never been to the fair before either?! How on earth are you even alive right now?!" Yujin exclaims, his eyes growing wide with disbelief. "As your friend, it's my job to ensure that you have the best and funnest day of your life! Now let's go, adventure awaits!" He grabs my arm and makes a full dash in the direction of the convenience store. The wind rushing past my ears has never felt so freeing.
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"Are you two ready?" Winter asks us as she steps out of the convenience store. Instead of her plain work uniform, she's changed into a flower sundress with a forest green cardigan layered over top. She looks nice.
"Yup, we're all ready!" Yujin exclaims.
"Where is the fair anyways?" I ask as I follow behind the two of them.
"Just a short subway ride away," Winter answers.
My head tilts curiously to the side. "Subway?"
Yujin looks back at me like I'm some kind of anomaly. "Do you not know what the subway is either?!"
"I know what the subway is," I huff. "I've just... never been on one."
"It's not so bad, Yuno. Besides..." Winter pulls out a silver card from her purse. "I have a metrocard we can use, so don't worry about paying."
I simply nod, pretending I know what a metrocard is.
"Let's hurry before the lines get too long!" Yujin skips ahead of us with the excitement of a child, eliciting a giggle from Winter.
With each step I take under the warm glow of the sun, a light fluttering palpitates through my chest, a strange yet pleasant sensation. For once, I feel almost certain that nothing could go wrong today. It's downright terrifying, clinging on to that kind of hope, but with how weird my life has been as of late, it feels like anything is possible—and I want to believe good things can be part of that possible, too.
Sunghoon's gaze sears right through me and Minji. My skin grows cold. I don't move. Don't breathe. Hell, I can barely think—just moments ago, I was basking in the warmth of Minji's lips, and now I feel like I'm drowning in an endless ocean.
Minji breaks the silence first.
"Sunghoon, I—"
"Don't," he interrupts her. "Don't even think about trying to talk your way out of this one, I saw what you two were doing. Minji, what the hell are you thinking?!" He glares at me with the same look of disdain I've been receiving all night. I'm sick of it. But I can't do anything about it. Not with Minji here. Not after what I promised her.
"I-I was... I just..." Minji squeezes her eyes and lets out a frustrated sigh. "Look, it doesn't matter what we were doing, it's none of your business."
"Actually, it is my business. Your parents told me to look out for you tonight and make sure that he doesn't cause any trouble," he retorts, pacing back and forth. Even after he calls me out, he doesn't dare spare me a single glance—like I'm something filthy, not worth being in his vision.
"He didn't!" Minji argues, her breath growing heavier. "I'm the one that kissed him, alright?! It was me! It's all my fault! So don't point your dirty fingers at him!"
Sunghoon scoffs, like we're some unfathomable impossibility. "How naive can you be?! Do you really think someone like him is right for you?! You're making a mistake, Minji."
"The only mistake I made was thinking you could grow into a decent person!"
The last of her words echoes into the night air. Sunghoon's expression drops, just a smidge, but I can see it. She cut deep. Deeper than I thought she was capable of.
Shards of Sunghoon's broken glass crunch under his feet as he takes a tentative step back. The fire in his eyes is gone, replaced by something I can't quite understand. They're emptier, maybe even sorrowful.
"I'm sure your parents will love to hear about this," he mutters before walking back inside.
Minji and I freeze like statues, lost in thought. My gaze stays fixed to the ground, unable to meet her eye. What the hell can I say anyways? I can barely process my own feelings as it is, and now, I'm left dealing with a whirlwind in my head. How am I supposed to face her? I don't know what will happen now. Everything happened so quickly. What the fuck do I do?
"U-um..." Minji breathes, all the heat gone from her voice. "You should probably go."
My eyes shoot up towards her. "What about you?"
"I-I'll be fine. I think." She takes off my sweater from around her shoulders and hands it back to me. "H-here. You're probably cold."
I am cold. Freezing. But she's the only one that can warm me up. Not some sweater. Her. "Minji..."
She pushes the sweater into my hands, her touch lingering against my skin for a bittersweet moment. "It's okay. I'll be okay," she says, more to herself than me.
Before I can utter another word, she walks back inside, sparing me one more glance before she disappears behind the doors. There's an uncertainty within them. She sounded so confident before, but I can see it in her eyes that it's all just a front. God, I hope she'll be okay.
I sneak out of the building, carefully avoiding everyone from the banquet, and leaving this place of opulence behind. I never should have come. I never should have kissed her. Minji took the fall for me and I'll regret it every day. What was I even thinking? No matter what, something always goes wrong. I should've listened to myself.
I plop down onto the curb and send a text to my dad to come pick me up. The wind howls around me, laughing at my predicament, cruel and mocking. The moon watches from above, a silent witness to everything that just happened tonight. I wish it would tell me what to do. Whatever higher being that exists up there, I wish it would just give me a straight fucking answer—in fact, I wish it would just spare me some mercy and end it already. Quit giving me hope just to throw it down the drain. Fuck.
It's so goddamn cold.
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Minji's POV
The city passes by in soft blurs through the car window, streetlights smearing golden hues across the glass. Stars dot the night sky with their shimmering light, and a full moon trails by our car like a guardian of safe nightly travels. As beautiful as it is, my gaze is fixed on the window, not to enjoy the view, but simply to survive. One wrong look at my parents could be the final crack that breaks the dam.
Tense silence fills the car. Only the hum of the engine and the occasional bump in the road remind me that this is all real. My parents' silhouettes loom in front of me, and I don't dare look or think or even breathe in their general direction. I would be lying if I said I wish they didn't just yell at me and get it over with. The suspense of waiting is always worse than the actual punishment.
The familiar layout of our neighborhood enters my vision and it doesn't take long until we're rolling into our driveway. The car comes to a complete stop, the engine deafens, but none of us move. I clench my teeth to slow my breathing, afraid that one small peep will set them off, but I fear the uneven pounding of my heart can be heard from the front seat.
Mother leaves the car first. I start to unbuckle my seatbelt, but a single, frigid word from my father stops me in my tracks.
"Stop."
I gulp, sitting upright in my seat. Despite my mother's absence, the space inside the car feels impossibly smaller.
"Y-yes, father?" I say.
He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We trusted you to do the right thing. I let you invite that boy because I thought he was actually taking steps to better himself, but instead, you..." He trails off into a frustrated exhale. My mother's anger, for all its fire, is at the very least predictable—bearable. But my father's anger is something else entirely. Colder. Sharper. He doesn't even have to raise his voice.
"What do you have to say for yourself, Minji?" he utters.
I rack my mind for an answer, debating on defending Yuno or giving him a response that will satisfy him. If they just give Yuno a chance to show them who really is, that he's not at all what he appears to be on the surface, then they'll know that he isn't as bad as they think he is.
But they won't listen. They never do. Not when it matters.
"I... I apologize, father. What I did was a... mistake," I utter. Another lie leaves a bitter taste on my tongue.
"A mistake," he repeats, sending a chill down my spine. "What have I told you before about mistakes?"
"Th-that we..." It's getting harder and harder to breathe properly. "That we learn from them."
"I will make sure you learn from this then. Give me your phone." He glares at me through the rear view mirror while he reaches his hand back towards me. A sense of panic rallies itself within my chest.
"W-wait, I need my phone," I beg, my voice faltering. "I-I need it to coordinate with the other student council members for prom prep, a-and I—"
"You should've thought of that before completely taking advantage of my trust," he shoots back. "Minji. Give it. Now."
With a shaky hand, I retrieve my phone from my purse. My fingers curl around it like it's the last piece of control I have left. Truthfully, prom preparations are the last thing on my mind at the moment. My entire world is contained in this little box. My friends. My life. Yuno. I need to make sure that he's okay. After everything that just happened, I just need to talk to him. To talk about everything. To talk about us.
"Minji," my father all but barks at me. "Phone. Now."
Maybe one day, I'll stop listening. Maybe one day, I'll speak up. But the words never come. I relinquish my phone, my lifeline to the outside world, into his palm. I can only watch helplessly as it disappears into his coat pocket.
"I'm only going to say this once," he continues. "You are not to see that boy ever again. If you have a project with him, switch partners. If he walks the same direction as you, you go the other way. Don't even think about going behind our backs this time because we will know. Do you understand?"
A shaky breath releases itself from my lungs as I fight back a tear. I want to scream, I want to fight back, tell him that he's being unreasonable and controlling. But I can't. I can barely breathe as it is.
"Y-yes, father. I understand," I answer.
"Good," he speaks. "Now go to your room. It's late."
I don't say another word as I get out of the car and head inside. There's no point. He won't listen. He won't change. Neither of them will. The house feels cold and soulless as I shut the front door behind me. The living room is furnished, the fridge full of food, the walls decorated in old family photos, but there's no love in these four walls and there hasn't been for a long time. This place is nothing more than a glorified prison.
Even my room doesn't feel like mine anymore—just another cage for me to sit in. I collapse onto my bed, not bothering to change or get ready to sleep. I just stare at the ceiling fan, watching the blades go around in a circle.
All that energy, just to stay in the same place and serve one purpose. Forever.
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Yuno's POV
I'm fucking exhausted. My mind wouldn't let me sleep—just constantly looping that same scene over and over. I could have let Sunghoon have it. I could have explained to Minji's parents that she did nothing wrong. I could have just stayed. Let them hate me. Blame me. I wouldn't have cared.
But instead, I just... left.. And now I don't know what happened to Minji or why she isn't texting me back.
My dad clears his throat. "Um, aren't you gonna eat? You've barely taken a bite out of your pancakes."
I glance up at the table, my breakfast practically untouched. "I'm... not hungry," I mutter. I'm starving.
"Ah, okay..." he nods. "Is this... Is this about last night?"
I don't answer. What's the point? He can't fix it. Ican't fix it. Nothing will change the fact that I didn't do anything. Minji went through all that trouble to defend me and I didn't do anything.
My dad sighs. "Look, um... I can tell something happened, but I don't want to force you to talk about it if you don't want to. Just know that I'm here for you whenever you're ready, okay?"
"Yeah. Okay," I breathe. My phone buzzes in my pocket. I snatch it out like a reflex—just another message from Yujin. I don't bother reading it this time. I just shove it into my bag, letting it sink to the bottom where I can forget about the damn thing. "I should get going."
"Then, why don't I, uh, put your pancakes in some tupperware and you can have them later if you're hungry?" my dad suggests with a small grin. Truthfully, I don't know if I'll have the appetite later. Or at all. But he's trying, despite everything.
"Yeah. Go ahead," I answer before heading to the front door. He nods from his seat, but I don't look back.
The sun's out. Not a cloud in the sky. Birds overhead. People jogging, laughing, talking to neighbors. It's a perfect day.
And I hate it.
Every step is heavier than the last, like the weight of my emotions are dragging me down into the dirt. I try to keep my head down, shove my hands in my pockets, pretend that everything is okay, but I can't quite shake the constant throbbing in my temples. The pit of dread in my stomach keeps growing bigger and bigger, threatening to swallow me whole if I let it. And maybe I'll just let it. But not before talking to Minji.
I trudge through Evergreen's hallways straight to my locker. Winter and Yujin are waiting there, worry painted on their faces.
"Yuno!" Yujin exclaims as he sees me. "Are you alright? We waited by the convenience store, but you never showed up."
"A-and you didn't answer any of our t-texts or calls," Winter adds.
"I'm fine," I sigh, pushing past them to my locker. For a second, I want to tell them everything. The banquet. The argument. The kiss. God, the kiss. But the words don't come. They never do.
"Are you sure?" Yujin asks. "You look... not great."
"It's nothing. Just..." I can barely finish my thought as a crowd forms at the end of the hallway. The sound of chatter grows louder, seemingly centering around one person. I can just barely make out the top of their head.
"No clue." I could care less if it's some celebrity or the president or whoever the fuck. As far as I'm concerned, this day has already gone to shit. The last thing I need are any surprises. I shut my locker and turn to head to class, but someone running towards the crowd bumps against my shoulder. "Watch it, you fucking—"
The crowd parts just enough. And there he is. Sunghoon. Grinning. Laughing. Like none of it ever happened. He notices me watching. He fucking smirks.
My blood starts to boil. I don't care why he's here or why he has on the Evergreen uniform, all I know is that I need to hurt him. I stomp towards him, my breath growing heavier and my fists clenched, ready to give that son of a bitch what I should've given him last night. I barely register the sound of Yujin and Winter calling out to me. He needs to pay for what he did. I need to hurt him. I need to—
"Wait."
A hand grabs at my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.
"What the fuck do you—" I look back and see Danielle's serious expression glaring back at me.
"Come with me. Now." Before I can answer, she pulls me down the hallway and away from Sunghoon. Yujin and Winter look back at me, confused, right before I turn the corner.
I groan in anger. "What are you doing?! I was right about to—"
"Shut up," she commands. "Minji told me everything. If I let you do what I think you're about to do, you would've regretted it."
"M-Minji?" All the anger leaves my system at the mention of her name. I stop resisting as she pulls me along, the echoing of voices growing fainter behind us. "Is she... Is she okay?"
We stop in front of a supply closet. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" she says, opening the door to the closet. In between the dusty shelves lined with cleaning supplies is Minji. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"You only have a couple minutes before class starts. Make it quick," Danielle explains before pushing me in and shutting the door, leaving the two of us in this cramped space.
We can barely meet each other's eyes. My skin suddenly feels very warm. Not uncomfortably so, just... warm. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. I spent all night and all morning wanting to do nothing more than talk to Minji, and yet, I have no idea where to start. So, I start with what anyone would start with.
"H-hi."
"Hi," Minji utters, her voice small yet steady.
"Um..." I gulp, trying to calm my nerves. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I think so."
"I, uh, I texted you. You never, y'know..."
"Right." She lets out a long sigh. "My parents took my phone away."
"Oh." At least she wasn't ignoring me on purpose this time. "I'm sorry."
She offers me a small yet reassuring smile. "It's okay, I'll just—"
"I'm sorry for leaving you," I blurt out. "Last night. I, uh... I should've stayed. I should've done something. Anything. You stood up for me, and I..."
Minji grabs my hand, cradling it gently in her palm. The words get caught in my throat and my heart stops for a moment, her touch like electricity against my skin. "Don't apologize," she says gently. "I'm the one that... did that to you. It was my fault. And I don't want you getting yelled at because of something I did."
I finally build up the courage to look her in the eyes. Even in the dim light of the supply closet, they somehow shine like the brightest stars in the night sky—Beautiful, yet unreachable. "It wasn't entirely your fault. I also... did that to you."
Minji chuckles softly, and I forget everything happening outside. Right now, it's just the two of us, hand in hand, in our own little pocket of the universe. No Sunghoon, no parents, no expectations—just us.
The one-minute warning bell reminds me that life isn't that simple.
"Hurry up, you two," Danielle reminds us from the other side of the door.
Minji lets out a heavy sigh, her gaze falling to the floor. "I'm sure you saw already, but Sunghoon enrolling here isn't just some coincidence. My father told me that I can't be around you anymore, and Sunghoon is here to make sure that I don't disobey him," she explains, her voice small.
My heart drops from my chest, free falling into the pit left in my stomach. "W-what? But—"
Danielle peeks her head through the door. "We have to head to class now or else we'll be late," she warns us, an apologetic look in her eyes.
"W-wait, I—"
"I'm sorry, Yuno," Minji says, letting go of my hand. "I'll think of something. Just... avoid me for now."
I can't get another word out before her and Danielle run off to class, leaving me alone in this musty supply closet. The space she occupied just seconds before seems so vast and empty now. Her warmth still lingers on my fingers. I don't want it to fade.
If I knew this would be the first and last time I got to hold her hand, I would've done everything I could just to hold her for a second longer. Now all I have is the ache of her hand leaving mine.
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My spork picks at the mush sitting on my lunch tray, completely untouched. No matter how loud the grumbling in my stomach gets, I just can't seem to bring myself to eat anything. Not after what just happened.
Minji's words echo through my mind. How am I supposed to just avoid her? A couple of weeks, that would've been easy—we were nothing more than passing faces to each other. But now, she's all I ever think about these days. I want to talk to her. I want to hear her voice. I want to be with her. But I can't. And it's all because of that rich piece of shit.
"U-um, Yuno?" Winter asks, her voice barely heard over the whirlwind in my head. "A-are you a-alright? You've b-been really quiet."
"Quieter than usual," Yujin adds. "It's getting a little worrying, man."
I sigh. "I'm just... having an off day. I'll be fine."
Yujin frowns, but doesn't push. "You'd tell us if something was wrong... right? We're your friends," he says. All I can give him is a small nod. I know I should tell them and quell their worries, but I just can't. I'm weighed down enough as it is. I don't need them going down with me.
A burst of laughter shoots out from the center of the lunch room. Sunghoon is at the middle of it all, chatting and laughing with Bryce's group of all people. Of fucking course. Trash attracts trash. He notices me looking at him, but I don't even bother trying to mask the anger in my eyes. Let him fucking glare back. In fact, I wish he would come up here and do something about it. My life is already fucked up as it is. I don't mind putting the last nail in the coffin if it means I get to slam him into the pavement.
"Y-Yuno..."
"WHAT!?" I bark, my chest rapidly rising with heavy breath. Half of the lunch room goes silent as they look back at me, confused and scared from my sudden outburst. It takes too long for me to comprehend Winter's eyes squeezed shut and her shaky hands shielding her face.
Shit. "S-sorry, I didn't..." I sigh, taking a moment to calm down. "I'm sorry, guys, I just... I-I..." What the hell is wrong with me?
Winter lowers her hands slowly, blinking at me with wide, glassy eyes like she doesn't even recognize me. I pick up my tray and toss it into the trash as the whole lunchroom watches me leave. I just need to be alone right now. I glance back at Yujin and Winter one last time, but I can't meet their eyes. All I see is Sunghoon's shit eating grin as the doors shut behind me.
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Minji's POV
I sigh, refreshing my email for the hundredth time, waiting for a response from my treasurer. Do people not check their emails nowadays? I could get a reply in seconds if I just had my phone.
I shut my laptop and rest my forehead on the table, feeling utterly exhausted despite barely making any progress on prom. The library is supposed to be a quiet place to get work done, but with all the noise rumbling around in my head, it's impossible to even think straight. Every time I try to get on track, Yuno's face pops up in my mind like an ad that I can't get rid of. One I don't even want to, honestly.
He looked so sad when we talked in the supply closet. So tired. We finally got a chance to talk last night, and now I have no idea when I'll be able to see him again. And that kiss. Everytime I close my eyes, it's like I can feel him on my lips again. That same electricity, that same warmth, that same tenderness.
"Yo Minj."
"AH!" I jump up in my seat, my yelp echoing throughout the library and receiving a harsh shush from the librarian.
Hanni points and laughs at me as my face grows warm from her ridicule. "Girl, what's got you all jumpy? Daydreaming about Yuno again?" she teases with that impish grin.
I sigh and faceplant into the table. "No... Maybe, I don't know..." I grumble.
"Aww, look at you, all in love and stuff." Hanni plops down into the chair next to me, laying her face down next to mine. "So how'd the banquet go? You never texted us back last night."
I let out a long groan, muffled by the table. "My parents took my phone."
"What? Why?"
"It's a long story."
"Ooh... Sounds serious." She scoots her chair closer to me. "I'm listening."
I sigh, mentally preparing myself to relive last night's events over again. "Okay, so... God, where do I even start?"
"Whatever you feel like telling me," she says, patting my back.
"Okay, uh... The banquet itself was fine, just a lot of talking to people. I could tell Yuno was overwhelmed, even if he tried not to show it. He ended up sneaking outside to get some fresh air, and then we had a chance to talk, just the two of us. I apologized to him for freaking out about the, uh—"
"The kiss you almost had in the nurse's office?" Hanni interjects with an impish grin.
Is she trying to spill my secrets to the whole library?! "Hanni!"
"What, am I wrong?" she giggles.
"...N-no." I swear, she's going to give me a heart attack one of these days. "A-anyways, I finally got to apologize, and then we just continued talking, and then, uh... We, uh..." Oh God. I kissed him for real. That wasn't an "almost" or a dream or some hallucination—that was real.
The way I go silent and red in the face must have set off an alarm in Hanni's head because all of a sudden, her grin spreads so wide, the Cheshire cat would look like a regular stray kitten.
"You...! Did you two...?! You did, didn't you?!" Hanni rapidly fires, smacking my arm in excitement. "Minji, Oh my god!"
I bury my face into my hands, the delayed realization hitting me like a speeding train. I kissed Yuno Lin. For the first time in my life, I, Minji Kim, kissed a boy. And it was amazing.
And now I can never see that boy again.
I let out a long, sad groan into my hands at the thought. I've been a straight-A student all my life, I've helped out whenever I could, I try my best to show everyone kindness and respect, can't the universe throw me a bone and let me have this one thing go right? I love my parents, but why should their opinions matter when it's my life at the end of the day? I just want to date a stupid boy.
"Hello," I hear Danielle's voice greet, followed by the sound of her taking the seat next to me. "What's her problem?"
"Did you know about this?!" Hanni asks her.
"The banquet? Yeah, Minji filled me in earlier. Yuno was there, Minji got to apologize, and then that one guy she hates got her in trouble, and now she has no phone and can't speak to Yuno. Did I miss anything?"
"So you knew about the kiss and didn't tell me?! Dani!"
"Kiss? What kiss?"
I peek through my fingers, catching Danielle's eyes, wide with concern, aimed straight at me. "I, um... I may have, uh..." I stutter.
Danielle gasps, clapping her hands over her mouth. "Minji!"
"Shhh!" the librarian shoots at us from her desk. "Ladies, keep it down!"
"S-sorry..." I mutter with an apologetic smile.
"Wait, who's the guy that you hate?" Hanni asks.
"Sunghoon," I grimace, his name leaving a bad taste in my mouth. "He's just an awful human being. Our parents are friends, so I was forced to be around him basically my entire childhood. He caught Yuno and I... y'know... and told my parents about it, so now I don't have my phone, and he enrolled into Evergreen today to make sure that Yuno and I can't be around each other."
"Jeez, dude," Hanni sighs, resting her head on my shoulder. "That really sucks."
Danielle pats my knee, nodding in agreement. "We'll do whatever we can to help, okay? This is a very... complicated situation, but you shouldn't have to deal with all that alone."
I breathe, feeling slightly lighter than before. "Thanks. That means a lot."
The hair on the back of my neck suddenly stands up as I feel an off-putting presence enter the room. My gaze shoots the library doors, and the devil himself walks in, strutting around like he hasn't just ruined my life. Sunghoon leans against the librarian's desk, shooting her that cheesy smirk. It's all just an act, a mask that he puts on to trick other people into thinking he's a good person. But I know the truth. Underneath that mask is nothing but an ugly slimeball of arrogance and egotism.
He notices me glaring at him, grins, and shoots a wink in my direction before walking off. Disgusting. If karma exists, I hope it takes everything Sunghoon ever did to me and gives it back to him tenfold. If only fate were that kind.
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Yuno's POV
Yujin and Winter exchange concerned glances as I lean against my locker, just barely holding myself up. As if yesterday wasn't bad enough, today I somehow feel so much worse. Still couldn't get a wink of sleep, still couldn't bring myself to take a bite of breakfast, and I'm honestly surprised I managed to make it to school without passing out in the middle of the street.
"Winter, this is getting really bad," Yujin mutters to her. She whispers something back into his ear that I can't quite make out. Fuck, I still haven't apologized about my outburst at lunch yesterday. I just left without another word. It seems like that's all I'm good for these days.
I open my mouth. Try to say anything. But all that comes out is a grunt, like even my throat has given up on me.
"Yuno, we've tried being patient, but this is getting too much," Yujin says, raising his voice a bit. "What is going on?"
I look at them. I see the worry in their eyes, their lips pressed together into thin lines, waiting for me to say the magic words that'll make all of this go away. I want to tell them. God, I really want to. But I can't. What good would it do?
Maybe they'd want to help, but there's nothing they can do to change the fact that I'm still the same piece of shit that Minji's parents believe I am. If they somehow get rid of Sunghoon, then what's next? They send another ten Sunghoon's to spy on us in his place? They move Minji to a different school halfway across the world? Hell, they probably have enough money to pay a hitman to make my death look like an accident. And with how my life is going, maybe I wouldn't mind that.
"I'm... fine," I lie, my voice scratchy and low.
Yujin just sighs, his head hanging low. "No, you're not..." I hear him mutter under his breath.
I just need a moment for myself to think. Some peace and quiet. That'll help. Surely. I stumble past the two of them, dragging my feet underneath me, my vision just clear enough for me to not bump into anyone else in the hallway. I don't know what I'm gonna do or how I'm gonna do it—I never have—but the fluorescent lights are too bright, and the colored tiles on the ground are too dull, and everything is just so loud, and I just need to be alone right now.
Through the vague silhouette of students, I meet a certain pair of honey brown eyes at the end of the hallway and time stops. It's quiet now. It feels like forever since I last got to peer into Minji's eyes. She's so close—yet, we couldn't be farther apart than now. There's so much I want to say. I miss her. No amount of physical pain I've ever suffered compares to the aching in my heart when I think about her. I almost wish I never met Minji just so I never have to feel this way.
The illusion breaks as Sunghoon steps into my sight, towing around the worst kinds of people Evergreen has to offer. That son of a bitch. Worse yet, he approaches Minji, and they all crowd around her. I can't make out what they're saying. They're all laughing around her, but she looks uncomfortable. Sunghoon just keeps on flapping his lips, spewing some bullshit probably.
And then he puts his arm around her—before I can take a second to think, my legs are already dragging me towards him. My heart beats loudly in my chest, pumping adrenaline into the rest of my body, preparing me for what I'm about to do. I don't care anymore. I don't care who he is or what Minji's parents will do if I touch him. I'm sorry, Minji, but old habits die hard.
"...Minji and I are actually old childhood friends—AGH!" I interrupt whatever stupid story he was telling and grab his neck, slamming him into the lockers with a loud thud that echoes throughout the hallways. Everyone goes silent, watching this whole scene with bated breath. Fuck it. Let them watch. I want everyone to see the beating I'm about to give this son of a bitch.
My ears ring like sirens going off in my head. My chest rises with rapid breath. I squeeze my hand, tightening my hold on Sunghoon's neck, desperately wanting to see the life drain from his eyes—but all he does is laugh. Like this is some fucking joke. Like taking away the one thing that made me happy was some harmless prank.
"I-I'm sure... Minji's p-parents... would love to h-hear about this," he manages to choke out. Tell them for all I care. Let's see how you talk with a broken windpipe.
"Yuno!"
I hear Minji's voice, and all of a sudden, I come back to my senses. The way she says my name, her voice cracking like she's stepping carefully on thin ice, trying not to fall under. Regret fills my head like a thick smoke, making it hard to decipher what's right and wrong.
"Put him down. Please," she urges gently. Reluctantly, I loosen my grip on Sunghoon's throat and drop him to the floor. My hand shakes like it has a mind of its own, yelling at me for not following through. It would have been so easy to end everything right then and there. But I didn't. Because of Minji.
I glance back at her, at Yujin and Winter, at the crowd of students watching, bewildered and completely terrified. I don't say anything—What could I even say in a situation like this?—and I just walk off to god knows where.
Everyone's staring. I can feel Minji's eyes on the back of my head, the words I didn't say burning holes in my throat. I don't turn. I don't stop. I just need a single fucking moment.
To think. To breathe. To not exist.
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Minji's POV
My laptop is open. The student council room is peaceful, quiet, the kind of calm I crave when I'm working—but all I can do is stare blankly at the screen. How can I possibly focus after witnessing all of that?
It was... scary. I've never seen Yuno look like that. Sure, I'm aware of his past and the things he's done, but he didn't seem like his normal self. I'm worried about him. My mind keeps replaying that same scene over and over again, Yuno's hand wrapped around Sunghoon's throat, trying to make sense of it all. I keep seeing that look in Yuno's eyes. That wasn't his normal self. It was something much, much darker.
I don't know. I just hope he's okay.
"Hey there," a voice says from the doorway.
I flinch. Speak of the devil. Sunghoon steps into the room, that same off-putting grin plastered on his face as he looks around the room. "Nice place you got here," he comments, chuckling at his own joke.
I don't look at him. "What do you want?"
"I come bearing gifts." He sets a wrapped pastry in front of me. "You look tired. You should eat something, y'know, fuel for the brain."
I slide the pastry back towards him. "No thanks."
"C'mon, Minji. I insist." He slides it back towards me, and it takes me every ounce of my self-control to not blow up in his face.
"Is this all you came to do?" I ask curtly, not sparing him a glance.
"Well, no. I actually came to talk to you. Heard you were in charge of prom preparations."
"Yeah. So what?"
"Just wanted to know how things were going." Sunghoon sits back onto the table, relaxed and slow. How pleasant it must be, to live so selfishly. "Do you... have a date for prom?" he asks, looking up at the ceiling.
I slam onto the keyboard a bit too hard, grabbing his attention. "If you don't have anything useful to say, then I suggest you leave. Only student council members are permitted to enter this room."
"What's got you so worked up?" he chuckles, as if I said something funny. Surely, he has to be doing this on purpose? There's no way he's this oblivious, right?
"Look, can you just leave already? I'm trying to get work done."
He scoffs. "What is your problem? I'm trying to be the nice guy here and you're acting like I kicked your dog."
I huff, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration. "Are you kidding me? After everything you did, you think you're still the nice guy in this situation?"
"Oh my god, is this about what happened with Yuno?" He lets out a laugh full of amusement. "He's the one that attacked me, I'm the victim here!"
"Maybe you deserved it," I mutter.
The smirk from his face drops just a bit. "You don't mean that."
"Why wouldn't I? You've only been here two days and you've done nothing but make life harder for both of us."
Sunghoon squeezes his eyes shut and lets out a long exhale. "I can't believe you're still hung up over him. Can't you see that he's wrong for you?"
"You don't even know him—"
"I don't need to know him!" he lashes out, jumping to his feet and pacing around the room. His mask slips, just for a moment. There he is. "He's nothing but a knuckle-dragging gorilla that only knows how to solve problems with his fists!"
"Sunghoon, shut up—"
"You've only known this guy for what, a couple weeks?! I've been there for you my whole life! I've always looked out for you!"
"I don't need you looking out for me! I never have!" I shoot back. My vision stings. My chest is about to explode. But I won't cry. I won't give him that satisfaction.
"Oh my god, do you know how insane you sound?! You're making the worst decision of your life by choosing him!"
I slam my laptop and stand up to meet his level. "Get out," I command, low and firm. "Now."
He scoffs in my face. "Minji, let's just—"
"OUT!"
The echo of my own voice rings in my ears. My throat burns from the scream. But I don't regret it.
Sunghoon flinches at my outburst. "Fine," he mutters, straightening out his uniform. I don't stop glaring at him until he leaves the room, and even then, my gaze stays focused on the door for a few minutes after he leaves like I'm expecting him to pop his stupid little face back through the doorway.
After standing there for a while, I finally collapse back into my chair—exhausted, frustrated, and utterly lost.
All this stress because I kissed a boy.
One moment of happiness. And somehow, everything fell apart.
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Yuno's POV
I should've kept my head down.
I should've walked away.
I should've known better.
But I didn't. And now...
God, what the hell am I even doing anymore?
I don't know how long I've been sitting here in this empty classroom. Could be hours. Maybe the bell rang. It doesn't matter. I'm just... tired. Not the kind of tired that a couple hours of sleep can fix. I can feel it rooted in my bones, eating away at my organs like a cancer.
My phone keeps buzzing every now and then. I don't bother to check them anymore. It's just Yujin and Winter. I don't even know where to begin with them. I feel sick, pushing them away like this. But I can't move. I can't speak. I can't do anything but sit here and stare at the dusty shelf by the windows.
Maybe I would've been content never meeting Minji. If I hadn't offered to walk her home, if I hadn't spent the night at her house, if I hadn't ridden that Ferris wheel with her, then maybe I would never have learned the pain of having someone so close to your heart, only to be ripped away in the blink of an eye. That night underneath the full moon where we shared our first and final kiss felt like so long ago.
She was right there. In my arms. The stars reflected in her eyes, her hair draping down her neck like silk, her lips gently pressed against mine, soft and delicate. I wonder if it was all real or just a mirage created by fate to trick me into thinking something good could happen.
For a moment, I try to picture life without Minji. Floating from class to class, head down and my hands in my pockets. Probably continue sticking my nose into places where I shouldn't be, getting into more fights, gaining some new bruises. Maybe I would be expelled at this point. Or worse. But at least I wouldn't have to feel like this. I would never have to know what I was missing.
My phone buzzes against the desk. Then another. And another. I groan and finally check it, expecting another text from Yujin or Winter.
But it's not them.
An unknown number flashes on the screen, calling me. I answer it. I don't know why. Maybe curiosity or a random gut feeling.
I say hello, I think. It comes out more like a grunt than a greeting. An unfamiliar female voice comes through the speaker. She asks me if I'm Yuno Lin. I say yes. Her words come in vague blurs, but her tone sounds urgent. Something about a hospital. Alcohol withdrawals. Passing out on the street.
My dad.
I hang up before she can finish and sprint out of the room. My feet slam against the ground with each step, trying to navigate through the halls. I get weird looks. I knock a few people over. But I don't care.
I just need to get to the hospital as soon as I can. Please be okay. Please, please, please...
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The doors of the ER blast open and I stumble in, sweat dripping down my face and my legs on fire from running all the way here. Everything is immediately overwhelming—the fluorescent lights, the onslaught of chatter, the sharp scent of chemicals. I rush over to the front desk, gripping the counter to keep from falling over.
"I-I got a call," I gasp. "M-my dad, Ian Lin. They said he was brought here."
The nurse behind the counter glances up at me, already typing something into the computer. "Your name?"
"Yuno. Yuno Lin."
She types some more, picks up the phone, and says something into it that I can't make out over the roaring in my ears
"He's in Room 12. A nurse will come shortly to escort you there."
My eyes dart around to the various hallways leading to who knows where. Fuck. Where's Room 12? Where am I supposed to go? The last time I was at the ER was when my mom...
"Yuno Lin?" A woman in navy scrubs calls out my name, beckoning me gently. "This way."
I follow her down the white hallways, passing by rooms full of sick and injured people. White's supposed to make you feel at ease, but all it does is conjure up old memories of the worst day of my life. The constant beeping of machines, nurses and doctors talking over each other, the fear in my mind making me unable to think straight. For fuck's sake, I can't go through this again.
We arrive at Room 12 and I see my dad laying there, unconscious and hooked up to various machines. His hands tremor against the sheets. Sweat covers his body. His skin's gone pale like wax. He's never looked this small before.
But he's breathing. It's weak, but he's breathing.
"Your father was brought in after having a seizure, likely triggered by alcohol withdrawals," the nurse says gently. "He's stable for now and getting the care he needs, but we'll be monitoring him closely for the next 24 to 48 hours. He's dehydrated and his vitals were erratic when he came in, but we've got him on fluids and medication to manage the symptoms."
I don't speak. I just watch my dad's chest rise and fall slowly with breath. The nurse gives me a soft pat on the shoulder before exiting the room, leaving me alone with him. I don't move. I can't. Like there's an invisible barrier between me and the hospital bed. Like I'm just watching him through a screen. I'm afraid if I get any closer, it'll all be too real.
Eventually, I turn around and leave, only to be met with the same sad white walls that line the inside his room. My legs can only carry me a couple steps before I collapse onto a bench in the hallway. I'm so fucking exhausted. Not just from today or yesterday—from the past 18 years of my life. I don't know why I bother waking up when this is all there is. This lonely, draining, shitty existence.
I let out a single, shaky breath. And then the tears start to fall. They drain from my eyes like a dam that finally breaks, leaking through my fingers even as I try to cover it up. Is this really it for me? Dragging myself through life, just to end up here again—same tragedy, same helplessness, same shitty story. Just with a different parent in the bed this time.
The gentle hand of a stranger rests on my shoulder as I cry. I don't turn to see who it is. I couldn't face anyone. Not like this. But as the tears dry up and there's no more left to cry, I'm forced to confront the fact that the world is still turning. I'm still here.
"Th-thanks," I mutter softly, sniffling. I turn my head to meet the kind stranger that sat by me, but with the tears clouding my vision, I swear they look like Minji for a moment.
I can't help but let out a low chuckle. "God, do I really miss her that much?" I ask, more to myself than them. "I'm sorry you had to—Minji?"
A small smile breaks through her trembling lips.
"Hey," she whispers.
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Minji's POV
The hospital room smells like bleach and wilted flowers. The TV's stuck on some stock report that I don't care to understand and the constant beeping feels like it's coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once.
I sit quietly, smiling like I care—but I don't know this man. He's just some high-ranking executive at my father's company. I don't know why he's here, or what illness he has, or what I'm supposed to feel. Frankly, I couldn't care less. I'm just here to keep up appearances that the Kims are a put-together, stable, nuclear family.
"Thank you again for visiting me, sir!" the man says to my father. "And Minji, it's so good to see you again! You've grown up a lot since I last saw you."
I give him a polite smile. It doesn't reach my eyes. "It's a pleasure to see you as well."
My father checks his watch. "We should get going. We do hope you feel better soon, Mr. Nam." It's almost impressive how a kind sentiment like that manages to lack so much warmth, even as he says it with a full smile. I wonder if that's where I learned it from.
As soon as the door shuts behind us, the curtains close and the three of us are back to our regular selves—cold, distant, and silent. The hallways echo with the sound of expensive shoes, too expensive to be sensible for a hospital. Appearances are appearances. They tell me what to wear and how to act, like I'm their perfect little doll instead of their living, breathing, human daughter. It's all about the illusion—give everyone a good look so they think you're fine.
"How were classes today, dear?," my mother asks as we step onto the elevator. It descends to the first floor with a monotonous hum.
"They were fine, mother," I answer. Succinct, poised, and proper—exactly how they told me to speak.
"Just fine? I can set you up with a private tutor if those classes aren't challenging enough for you," she says, taking out her phone. "Mrs. Park recommended me all of Sunghoon's tutors, their résumés are truly remarkable."
I fight back a sigh. The last thing I need is to start an argument in this cramped space. "I will... think about it."
Thankfully, she leaves it at that. The doors open to the first floor, and as we make our way towards the exit, I feel an odd tingling sensation on the back of my neck. I freeze in my tracks, an invisible force keeping me from moving.
"Minji?" my father says, looking back at me. "What are you doing? Let's go."
I shake my head. "Sorry, I just feel... odd." I look around at the hospital, searching for something—but I'm not sure what. My eyes dart from person to person, looking for a hint of familiarity within them.
"Is something the matter, dear?" my mother asks, but I don't answer. I'm not sure what it is, but I feel like if I exit those doors, I'll regret it for the rest of myself. Through the haze of sterile white coats and tired faces, I spot him—a lone boy, hunched over on a bench, shoulders trembling, hands in his face.
My breath catches in my throat. In an instant, I know who it is. I make a dash for him, ignoring my parents calling out to me as a thousand questions float around in my head.
Why is Yuno here?
Is he okay?
Why is he crying?
I slow down as I near the bench, not wanting to startle him. My heart breaks in two seeing him like this—crying, alone, in the hospital of all places. I sit down next to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Each sob sipples through his body and it takes all my restraint not to cry with him. Whatever happened, he needs support. And I want to be that for him. So many words dance on the tip of my tongue, but I keep them to myself for now. We'll have a chance to talk later. I'm sure of it.
I stay with him until the end. Eventually, Yuno calms down and lifts his head up. He looks... beat down. Like he hasn't slept in days. His words back at the banquet echo in my head, reminding me of just how much he suffered in his life. He doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve any of this. I want Yuno to be happy. I want to see him smile without fear. I want to see him laugh without constantly looking over his shoulder. I want to see what he looks like when he's freely and truly happy.
I don't care about what my parents think, or what Sunghoon thinks, or what anyone else thinks about him for that matter. He deserves to live a life where pain isn't the only thing he knows.
"Th-thanks," Yuno mutters softly as he turns to face me. He lets out a low chuckle, wiping the tears from his eyes. "God, do I really miss her that much?"
I grow curious for a moment. Who does he miss?
"I'm sorry you had to—Minji?"
I push the thought to the back of my mind, a small smile breaking through my trembling lips as I gaze at Yuno's face for the first time in what feels like forever.
My parents have always drilled into me the importance of being well-rested in order to set yourself up for a successful day, and subsequently, a successful life. Ever since I was born, I had stuck to a strict sleep schedule of 10PM to 6AM to hit the recommended eight hours of good quality sleep each night—and then I broke that schedule just for a boy. The worst part is I don't even care.
Hanni has given me her fair share of complaints about my bed time, yet here I am, throwing my morals out just to listen to Yuno's voice a bit longer. There's a certain roughness to his voice that I can't help but play over and over in my mind. The way he speaks so gently, and that awkward charming lilt in his voice when he's uncertain—I feel like a swarm of butterflies is about to burst from my chest.
But enough about that now. I need to stay focused on the task at hand: convincing my parents to let me bring a plus one to the banquet. Specifically, I need them to let me bring Yuno, the one person they told me to stay away from.
Like usual, my parents are on their phones, responding to emails and such over breakfast. I set down my utensils and inhale deeply, firming up my resolve as best as I can. "Um, Mother? Father?" I mutter.
They both look up at me. "Yes, dear?" Mother answers.
"About the banquet tomorrow—"
"Right, Ms. Park told about how excited Sunghoon is to finally see you again after so long. Isn't that nice?"
I bite my tongue to keep myself from cringing over how not nice that sounds. "Y-yeah, that's great!" I lie through a smile. "Actually, I wanted to ask if I could, um... bring a friend to the banquet."
My parents exchange looks that I can't quite decipher, communicating in that special telepathy that married couples seem to have. "Who did you want to bring, dear?"
"Um..." Here goes nothing. "...Yuno."
"Absolutely not!" Mother exclaims a bit too quickly. "We explicitly made it clear that we don't want you associating with that boy! Why not bring Danielle, or even Hanni would be more acceptable than him."
The grimace on her face makes my blood boil, but now is not the time for my feelings to get in the way. "Well, he... wants to learn more about the business!" I blurt out. Mother's expression remains unwavering, but I notice Father's brow raising with the slightest bit of intrigue. It's not much, but I need all the help I can get.
"The topic of our family business came up, and he was so inspired by Father's origin story and how he managed to make a million dollar company from completely nothing." I put on a wide smile, hoping, praying that my father takes the bait. Please, I need this to go well.
Neither of them say anything for a while, so I continue. "I thought the banquet would be a good opportunity for him to get a foot in the door, maybe even do some networking." As a final act of desperation, I reach for my father's hand across the table and put on the best puppy eyes I can muster. "I feel like Yuno could really learn a lot from you, Father. You two are always emphasizing the importance of making strong connections to further my career, so why can't I be the connection that helps Yuno?"
Mother scoffs. "Do you really expect us to—"
"Hold on, dear," Father interrupts her. I hold my breath as he falls into a pensive silence for what feels like an eternity.
"I believe we should give this boy a chance."
Fireworks go off in my head. My plan is actually going to work. I'm so happy I could cry.
"I've always had a firm belief in education, both in and out of the classroom," he explains. "This banquet could be an opportunity for him to better himself. He clearly has no plans for the future otherwise."
Mother opens her mouth to argue, but all that comes out is a sigh of defeat. "Fine, we will permit that boy to come to the banquet."
It takes all my self control to not immediately burst into cheers. "Thank you, Mother," I utter calmly.
"But," she adds, "If he causes any trouble whatsoever, we will personally ensure that you never speak to that boy again, understood?"
"Absolutely, I will make sure he stays out of trouble, and—"
"And I don't want you being alone with him. We'll have Sunghoon stay with you two the entire night."
She casually brings her mug to her lips as if she didn't just drop a huge bomb on my entire plan. All my efforts, dashed in the blink of an eye.
It's only morning and I'm already exhausted.
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Yuno's POV
As I wait in front of the convenience store, I can't help but notice how warm the morning sun feels against my skin. A small flock of birds fly overhead, whizzing this way and that in their own choreographed dance. An unblemished sky hangs overhead, the same blue as the ocean. Does the outside always look this pretty?
"Yuno!!"
Yujin sees me and bolts from across the street, a gleamy-eyed Winter following behind him.
"Good morning, Yuno!" she says.
"Hey guys." I greet them with a wave. They both suddenly stop in their tracks, eyes going wide. "...What?"
"You're smiling," Winter states as if its the most insane thing she's ever seen.
I turn my head away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "So what?"
"Aw Winter, you ruined it," Yujin teases. "He looked so happy."
I sigh. "...Let's just go." The two of them laugh, taking their spots on either side of me like it's where they belong.
Alright, maybe my mood has improved a little bit. A whole night spent talking to Minji over the phone will do that to a guy. In the quiet hours of the night, I felt like I had learned so much about her and the life she lives when I'm not around. She talked about her older brother, Minhyuk, a soccer prodigy that's currently studying computer science at a prestigious university, her memories of cooking food with her grandma during trips to Korea, how her and Hanni ended becoming best friends during freshmen year. All these memories and stories that make up who she is, and she shared all of that with me? How could I not be happy?
Part of me feels like all these good things could just be some dream. That I'll wake up suddenly and none of this is real. How could the sky look this blue? How could the air smell this fresh? How could the same route I walk to school every day suddenly seem more alive?
But the way Yujin nudges my side to show me a drawing he's working on or the way Winter clutches my shoulder after tripping on a rock lets me know that all of this is real. All of these good things are real. The world that I used to hate waking up to is now a world that I can look at with a smile.
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The facade had to end at some point. Navigating through the halls of Evergreen, I can feel the familiar stares from others as I pass by, eyeing me like some kind of untamed beast that could attack at any moment. Even with everything else changing around me, I can always count on the student body to stay consistent. Although, something in their eyes feels a little peculiar. Instead of just fear, there's something else hiding behind it. Intrigue? Admiration?
"P-people sure d-do stare a lot, h-huh?" Winter asks, her voice shrinking to a mere whisper.
"Yeah, I guess they do." I glance back at them, both their gazes glued to the ground, clearly not used to the unwanted attention. "Sorry."
"It's okay, Yuno, it's not your fault," Yujin reassures me.
"Y-yeah, I'm sure w-we'll get used to it," Winter adds with a small grin. Man, what did I do to deserve these two?
The five minute warning bell rings, sending the students still left in the hallways in a hurry. I say my goodbyes to Winter and Yujin as we part ways, enduring the usual stares and hushed voices as I make my way to my seat in the back. Still, something feels odd about the way they're looking at me today. I try to meet their eyes to get a better look, but everyone keeps looking away, pretending like they weren't whispering about me to their friends. If this keeps going on for the rest of the day, I'm gonna be pissed.
"Yuno Lin to the principal's office, Yuno Lin to the principal's office. Now," the PA system announces, giving me a wave of deja vu. I have a couple guesses for what this could be about...
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Instead of coming out the gate swinging, Mr. Geier just sits at his desk, his hands clasped in deep thought. Normally, I would be pretty indifferent to whatever he has to say, but after everything Minji said to me, I suddenly feel guilty sitting in front of him. It probably isn't easy dealing with my shit on a weekly basis.
"So..." he starts, finally looking up at me after a few minutes of silence. "I'm sure you know why you're in here, Yuno."
"Yup..."
He sighs. "The McGraw's donate a lot of money to this school. They didn't exactly take well to receiving a call that their son was found unconscious in the bathroom with a broken nose."
Ah shit. This is it. The consequences of my actions have finally caught up to me. Fate, you cruel bastard, making me wake up in a good mood for the first time in years, only to send me to jail before the day even starts. Goodbye dad, Yujin, Winter, and Minji. Minji...
"But..."
But...!
"...They've decided not to press charges."
"What!?" I exclaim, relieved and deeply confused.
"We received a tip from one of the boys on the football team that Tyler had been bullying a group of freshman boys for months. They still wanted to press charges anyways, but I may have... insinuated that if they did, I would ensure Tyler could only set foot into a community college at best."
My eyes widen, slowly connecting the dots. "Did you...?"
"No, it was not for you," he states matter-of-factly. "It was for the sake of all the freshmen that suffered because of him."
"Right." I sink back into my chair, feeling sheepish. "So... what happens now? Detention? Suspension?"
"No, I have something else in mind for you."
Just then, the door to Mr. Geier's office swings open, sending in a wave of lavender and rainbows into his office as the girl of my dreams walks through.
"You wanted to see me, Mr. Geier?" Minji says before turning to me, a quizzical look in her eyes.
"Perfect timing, Minji," he says, "This is Yuno Lin. Yuno, this is Minji Kim, the student council president."
Minji shoots me a confused look, but I'm too distracted by her beauty to pay full attention. Her hair is in a ponytail today with two strands of hair framing her perfect face. The sound of my thumping heart gets louder in my ears, drowning out whatever Geier is saying. Hopefully it's not anything important. What could be more important than Minji? God, she's so pretty, I—
"Yuno, are you paying attention?" Mr. Geier snaps at me.
"S-sorry, what?" Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Minji stifling a giggle, making my cheeks burn red.
"As I was saying, your punishment will be to help Minji with prom preparations. Whatever she asks you to do, you do it. If you cause any trouble for her, she'll report it to me and you will face the consequences, understand?"
You mean I get to spend more time with Minji? As a punishment? "Yup, I understand," I say, trying not to look too eager.
"Good." He turns towards Minji. "Just make him lift the heavy stuff or something. He can be a handful, but he, uh... He means well." How sweet, Geier. I'm blushing.
"That shouldn't be much of a problem," she says, smirking. "We've actually met bef—"
"U-uh, it's nice to meet you for the first time ever, Ms. President!" I exclaim, shoving my hand towards her before she can utter another word. If Geier finds out that his "punishment" is more like a "blessing" for me, he'll probably give me some other grunt work to deal with.
Minji awkwardly shakes my hand, giving me a curious expression. "It's, uh, nice to meet you too, Yuno." The feeling of her soft hand against mine beats out any kind of embarrassment I should be feeling right now.
"Alright, you can head back to class now, Minji," Mr. Geier dismisses her. She gives me a small yet bewildered grin before exiting his office, leaving me alone with the principal yet again. My gaze lingers towards the door even after it closes, wishing she'll pop back in for a few more seconds.
"So," he begins, taking me out of my daydreams. "You got lucky. Extremely lucky. However, that doesn't mean you can keep doing this and expecting to get out scot-free just because I stick my neck out for you. There are rules here, and I understand that you may not agree with those rules, but they are there regardless, which means you must follow them just like everybody else. No more playing vigilante just because you can, you understand?"
"Yeah, I understand. I'm sorry."
"I—you what?" He asks, his eyes wide with surprise.
"Uh, I said I understand and I'm sorry," I reiterate sheepishly.
"Oh. Okay. Well. Good. As long as you understand." It's almost offensive just how shocked he is, as if I didn't know my own actions were wrong. I might be stubborn, but I'm not stupid.
"I'm going back to class," I state, getting up from my chair. Right before I exit his office, I turn to Geier one last time. "Uh, my dad is doing better now."
He looks up at me, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile. "Really? That's great to hear, Yuno."
I give him a nod before shutting the door behind me. I'm not sure what exactly compelled me to tell him that, just a hunch that told me it was the right thing to do at the moment. Geier did ask about him last time, so it only makes sense. I guess.
As I turn the corner, I catch Minji leaning against the wall right outside of Geier's office. Was she waiting for me?
"Oh. Hey," I greet her with a small wave.
"Hey!" She says, flashing me a smile that could bring about world peace. "What did Mr. Geier talk to you about? If you don't mind me asking, of course."
"It was about the, uh... thing that happened with Tyler."
"Ah, right. So his idea of a punishment for you is to be around me? Ouch," she jokes.
"If it makes you feel any better, I don't think it's a punishment at all," I say, thinking out loud.
"That's very kind of you, Yuno," she chimes, a hint of pink gracing her cheeks. Simply being around her is making my heart pound like crazy. Can she hear it? God, I hope not. How am I supposed to control myself when she's this cute? I just want to—
"Oh!" Minji suddenly stops and points at my face. Shit, was I thinking out loud again? Is she secretly psychic and can hear all my thoughts this whole time?
"W-what?" I ask, flustered.
"You're smiling."
I awkwardly clear my throat, wiping the smile off my face. "Y-yeah, so what? Am I not allowed to smile?"
She giggles at me. "No, you're allowed to smile. In fact, I think you should smile more often, I rarely ever get to see it."
"W-whatever," I mutter, trying to hide the growing blush on my face. "About the banquet tomorrow, is there a dress code or something? I, uh, don't own a suit," I ask, changing the subject.
Minji's expression suddenly darkens as a dejected sigh floats from her lips. "Oh right, the banquet..." she groans.
"Sorry for bringing it up."
"No, it's fine," she assures me. "My parents just told me this morning that if I'm gonna bring you along, the guy I'm trying to avoid has to stick around us the whole time, rendering my whole plan basically useless."
"This guy you're trying to avoid, is he, um...." I gulp nervously. "...your ex?"
"Ew! Oh my god, no!" Minji exclaims. "He's the son of my parents' business partners. He used to be a complete menace towards me when we were kids until he moved away during middle school. Oh my god, the thought of us ever dating is just..." Her entire body shivers in disgust.
I try my best to appear neutral, but inside, fireworks are going off in my head. It's like Christmas came early this year. I have to physically fight off another smile from growing on my face.
"So, what are we gonna do now? Maybe..." I search my mind for another possible solution for her problem, but only one comes up, and frankly, it's the best possible case for her and the worst possible case for me. I sigh in disappointment. "...maybe I just shouldn't go."
Her gaze shoots up at me. "What?"
"If I don't go, then you won't be forced to be around him the entire time," I explain.
"But I—"
"I'll probably stick out like a sore thumb anyways, being in a room full of a bunch of rich business people. Your parents already don't like me, what would they all think of me being around you? Maybe it's best if I don't go—"
"Stop!" She suddenly exclaims, a fire burning in her irises. "I invited you because I want you to go, okay? Screw my original plan, screw everyone who judges you, and especially screw Sunghoon! You're my friend and I want you to be there, don't worry about all that superficial nonsense." Her chest rises and falls with heavy breaths, carrying the determination of her words. No wonder people voted for her as student council president, a speech like that could move anyone to action.
After a short pause, I concede. "...Okay, I'll go."
A smile replaces the serious expression she had, sending my heart into another frenzy. "Thank you, Yuno. All you have to do is enjoy yourself, don't worry about scaring him off or anything dumb like that."
Enjoy myself. At a banquet. That I certainly don't belong in. Sure, I can do that.
"I should probably head back to the student council room, I still have a lot of work to do," she says. "I, um... I'm glad we had this talk. I'll see ya later." And just like that, Minji disappears down the halls, leaving me standing here like a fool in love. The warmth in my chest feels like it's gonna get hotter and hotter until I explode. I desperately hope she needs my help with prom preparations later.
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The presence of a substitute would normally mean all chaos ensues, but the odd tension hanging in the air during English practically suffocates any chances of socialization. I didn't exactly mind nor care, but the silence only made the nervous glances towards me even more obvious. Furthermore, thanks to Tyler's "disappearance", his friends on the other side of the room don't even try to hide their accusatory pointing and disdainful glares. Their sentiments aren't exactly wrong, but it's still annoying being on the receiving end of them. Surely, they know better than to start any dumb shit right now.
And yet, I'm unsurprisingly proven wrong as one of them, a tall boy with blonde hair (is his name Connor? Colton? I have no clue), stomps towards me with fury in his eyes.
"Hey," he growls at me, "You wouldn't happen to know what happened to Tyler, would you?"
A sigh escapes me. Welp, that's what I get for getting my hopes up. "Is he not here today? I had no idea," I mutter, not giving him so much as a glance.
He slams his fist into my desk, causing everyone to look back at the commotion with fearful glances, including Winter. I shake my head reassuringly at her, but unfortunately, Tyler's friend notices this and scoffs to himself.
"Behind the gym during lunch. Don't be late." He glances in Winter's direction with a smirk on his face. "Or else."
My fingernails dig into my palms as I ball my fist up in anger, my heart pumping with anger. For the first time since he came over, I glare at him, watching his cocky facade crack in front of my eyes as he scurries back to his little group with his tail in between his legs.
Dammit. God fucking dammit. Is it so hard for me to have one good day without having to deal with anyone's shit? I notice Winter still staring at me with a worried look, so I conjure up my best convincing smile. She nods and turns back to her book, but I'm not sure if it ends up working.
It's clear that he wants a fight. Of course he wants a goddamn fight.
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Yuno: I won't be at lunch. I have something I need to deal with.
I send the text to the group chat as I pace around, waiting for Tyler's goons to show up. The area behind the school's gym is basically a cesspool for rule breaking; half the concrete is covered in cigarette butts, glass shards, and other mysterious stains from other's unseemly activities that I'd rather stay unaware of. It's a wonder how none of the teachers look back here with how often students frequent this place.
Finally, the boy from English class (Kayden? Kenneth? It starts with a K sound, I know that much) appears, alongside a dozen other boys that I've seen hanging around Tyler. A few of them are unarmed, but most are carrying wooden bats. One guy has a pocket knife, so that's something at least.
"Hey fuckface!" The blonde boy yells. "You think you can mess with Tyler just because you think you're all high and mighty? Well, newsflash pal, you're not!"
"Yeah!" His entourage cheers him on.
This is comical. These guys attend a high school in the suburbs, and yet they're parading around like a bunch of wannabe gangsters. Did they rehearse their lines or something? Why does he talk like a movie bully from the 1950s? It's taking every fiber of my being not to burst out laughing right now.
"You made a big mistake pal, and we're gonna make you regret—"
"Fuck, alright!" I groan in annoyance. "Are we doing this or not?"
I stretch my arms, loosening myself up as they timidly inch closer, gripping their bats as if its enough to save them. This could be over in the blink of an eye if I want it to, but I promised Minji I would stop fighting, so I won't. Not exactly sure what that means, but I'm not exactly known for planning these things out.
I'm not a fighting expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I've been in enough to recognize certain patterns. Shaky eyes. Quivering breath. Their knuckles burning white as they clench their fists too hard to compensate for the fact that they have no idea what they're doing. With each step they take, it only becomes more apparent how downright terrified they are. I almost feel bad for them.
It's not like I wanted this either, but I brought this upon myself of my own volition. These guys could have said no and went about their day, living their regular high school lives, but instead, they're rallying behind some guy they're probably not close with just for a measly ounce of street cred they get for "showing their loyalty," effectively reducing themselves to lap dogs that get the "privilege" of calling themselves popular. I'm not doing this for street cred or privilege or any of that bullshit that they care too much about. I'm doing this because the asshole that they're rallying behind threatened my friend.
Inevitably, one of them gets brave enough to make the first move. He swings his bat, hollering at the top of his lungs, and misses wildly as I dodge to the side. The next guy gets lucky, breaking the old wood against my arm as I block the side of my head. My arm stings like hell, but I can't focus on that for too long before the rest of them start getting confident and lunging at me.
Even in the midst of the frenzy, as I dodge a swing aimed towards my head or suffer a kick to the stomach, all I can think about is Minji. I made a promise to her, one I have no intention of breaking. Rather than a fight between me and the dozens of Tyler's lackeys, it feels more like a fight between me and my instincts, actively trying to suppress the years of bad habits just for Minji. A part of me feels stupid for doing it—it's not like she'll ever see this anyways—yet I continue to subdue my instincts, even if it means sustaining a couple brutal blows to the body.
One of the bigger guys in the group tackles me to the ground, taking the wind out of me as my back collides with the hard concrete. My ears start to ring as he lands two solid punches to my cheek. I flail my hands wildly to the side, desperate for something to grab, before landing on a pile of broken glass. Ignoring the blood rushing to my palms, I chuck the shards at his face. He yelps in pain, allowing me to push him off and get back to my feet. Before I can even blink, my head begins to spin as another punch sends me careening towards the brick wall. Warm blood leaks through my lips, staining my shirt. Two more guys stand over me before hoisting me up by my arms.
I'm fucking exhausted. My vision is blurry and the ringing in my ears grows louder by the second. Each inhale burns just a bit hotter than the last. I'm covered in blood again, but this time, it's all my own. Every cell in my body screams at me for getting into this situation in the first place, berating me for my own stubbornness. Yet the blonde boy, Kyle or whatever the fuck his name is, stands in front of me unscathed, not even a drop of sweat on his brow. The rest of his buddies are on the ground, breathless and covered in injuries they got from tripping over each other. I cough out a weak chuckle, sending a jolt of pain through my chest.
"W-what the fuck are you laughing at?!" Even his threats are starting to get shaky.
"Just funny... You called me out here... Yet... You didn't do shit..." I mutter, spitting a glob of blood at his feet. "Fucking... coward..."
The fury ignites in his eyes, the same one present when he first called me out in English. He grabs a broken bat off the ground and swings it overhead, aiming for my face. This is it. Started this day off with a smile, and look where I'm at now. In the back of my mind, I always knew I would go out like this. It's a shame this had to happen after I finally found something to look forward to. With a shallow breath, my eyes flutter shut as I unwillingly accept my fate.
Suddenly, a loud siren blares through the air. The bat that was sailing towards my head mere seconds ago now clatters to the ground. Mr. Geier pops up from behind the building with a megaphone in his hand, alongside two teachers, Winter, Yujin, Danielle, and Minji.
"What the hell are you doing!? Put him down now!" Geier yells through the megaphone. I collapse to my knees as the two idiots drop me to the ground. A mix of emotions swirl through my head, but the sense of relief shines clearest through the storm. The fact that I'm alive almost makes everything feel more painful.
As the teachers reprimand the other guys, Minji and the others rush over to me, their overlapping voices of worry combined with the ringing in my ears making it impossible to make out anything. I want to tell them that it's fine, I made it out alive. In a shit ton of pain, but alive nonetheless. No words come out. My vision is starting to blur again. Minji's face is the last thing I see before everything turns to black.
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Minji's POV
I lean back in my chair, stretching my arms as I let out a long, exhausted sigh. It feels like no matter how much progress I make with prom, there's still a whole mountain of things I still need to do.
Danielle walks through the door of the student council room, carrying a pile of papers with her. I nearly burst into tears just looking at the size of the stack.
"Relax," she says reassuringly, reading my expression. "These are all taken care of."
I slide farther into my chair, releasing a deep breath. "Oh thank god, I don't think I can handle doing anymore paperwork."
She grins, taking a seat next to me. "The principal approved the caterers and our 'Red Carpet' theme, I informed the club leaders to start working on their floats for the prom parade, and Woohyuk and Julie from the art club agreed to paint a mural in the gym. All we have left to do is pick a venue, find a DJ, and prepare decorations."
"You say that like it's an easy thing to do." I sigh, resting my head on the table while Danielle merely shrugs her shoulders. A couple minutes of silence pass, both of us exhausted and overwhelmed by the ever growing pile of work. "Are Woohyuk and Julie dating?" I ask, making small talk.
"I think so. They seem to have gotten a lot closer after the school festival, and they wouldn't stop shooting each other heart eyes when I asked them to paint the mural. It was sickening," she jokes.
Dating in high school always felt like an enigma to me. Statistically speaking, only 20% of couples last until college, and only 10% ever get married. High schoolers are the most emotional, stubborn, immature, and hormonal people on the planet (according to my parents), why would you want to date someone like that? But it's not like I don't want to date... I just never had the chance to. I would be lying if I said I don't look at couples walking arm-in-arm through the halls with some kind of envy. Wouldn't it be nice to go through the struggles of your teen years with someone that understands you because they're going through the exact same thing? I say that, and then I look out the potential dating pool at Evergreen, only to be reminded of why I haven't dated anyone. I mean, there is one guy I wouldn't mind dating...
"Why do you ask?" Danielle says, interrupting my train of thought.
"U-uh nothing, just curious." My cheeks suddenly flare up with heat as she leans forward, scrutinizing my expression.
"Are you thinking about that boy again?
My eyes go wide as I shake my head profusely. "W-what, no! Why would I be thinking about Yuno?"
"Because I didn't even mention a name, yet your mind automatically went to Yuno." She raises her eyebrows in an 'I told you so' expression, causing me to shrink in my chair. "Are you really gonna fall for someone like that just because he saves your purse from a thief?"
"I told you I—Huh? How do you know about that?"
Danielle takes her phone out and pulls up a video from a local news account titled, "Heroic Man Stops Mall Purse Thief." My eyes grow even wider as the video plays, showing Yuno tackling the thief who stole my purse and the... awkward hug I gave him afterwards. Apparently, someone had recorded the entire altercation and uploaded it to social media. It now has...
"Five million views?!" I exclaim. That explains all the weird looks I've been getting today. I faceplant into the table, my face burning with a fire of a thousand suns. So that means the entire school saw me... hugging Yuno... I mean, why do I feel so embarrassed in the first place? Hugging is a perfectly normal way to show gratitude towards someone. He got my purse back, so a hug seems pretty normal, right? It's not like people are gonna assume we're dating. Not that I have any problem with dating him, it's just...
I let out a sigh. "Danielle..." I groan, my voice muffled by the table.
"Hm?" I feel her gently pat my shoulder in support. I lift my head, turning towards her.
"What do I do?"
She tilts her head at me, confused. "Do you want them to take the video down?"
"No, it's not that, it's... I don't know. I'm so lost. There's a lot going on with prom and my parents, it feels like I'm being tossed back and forth in a tornado with nothing around to hold onto for support. There's things that I want to do that seem so... impossible given the circumstances. I wish I could freeze time just so I could have a moment to myself to think." I slump back onto the table in defeat while Danielle continues to rub my shoulder.
Compared to the rest of the girls, Danielle is the most logical one. Hanni does everything she can to cheer me up, Haerin lends an ear and a shoulder to cry on no matter what, Hyein is always there to show me the brighter side of things, and Danielle is prepared with an easy 3-step solution to virtually any of my problems. If I'm drowning in a sea of doubt and anxiety, I know she'll be there with a spare life vest and an intricately made wooden raft to hoist me out of the water. But not even she has the answers to everything.
Suddenly, the door to the student council room swings open.
"We need help," a familiar voice shoots through the door. "Quickly."
Yuno's friends stand in the doorway panting, worry painted on their faces. Winter looks like she's on the verge of tears while Yujin's normally cheery disposition is hauntingly absent.
"What's wrong?" Danielle asks.
"I-I'm not sure, b-but I think h-he's in a fight right n-now, behind the g-gym," Winter stutters.
I hurriedly jump to my feet, my mind racing. "Danielle, Yujin, go get Principal Geier. Winter, come with me," I command, panic evident in my voice. The four of us promptly leave the student council room, with Danielle and Yujin diverging to the principal's office while Winter and I walk briskly towards the gym.
"Tell me everything. What do you mean Yuno might be in a fight?" I ask her.
"D-during English, Cameron w-went up to Yuno and he looked r-really angry. I-I couldn't hear everything th-they were saying, but it s-sounded like he told him to m-meet behind the gym during l-lunch," she explains. I pick up the pace, adrenaline pumping through my body. With each passing step, all I can think about is one thing.
Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay.
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As we turn the corner to the back of the gym, my heart sinks into the pit of my stomach while my breath gets completely sucked from my lungs. Two boys hold up Yuno's limp body as a third prepares to swing a stick straight towards his head. I wanna scream, I wanna run to him and make sure he's okay, but my entire body stays frozen in place. Why does it have to be Yuno? Why couldn't it be anyone else? I was just talking to him a few hours ago, he was fine. He was smiling. I wish I could see that smile on his face again. Please.
"Minji," Danielle softly calls out my name, wiping the tears off my face with concern in her eyes. I didn't even realize I was crying. She holds me as I uncontrollably sob into her shoulder, my heart aching with an indescribable pain. It feels like I'm being torn apart from the inside. I need him to be okay. Please.
"C'mon, let's go," she says, patting my arm. I look up from her shoulder, wiping away my tears, to see Yuno collapse to the floor. Mr. Geier and the other two teachers with us yell at the rest of the boys to line up against the wall using harsh language I've never heard him say before. The four of us get down by Yuno's side, desperate to make sure he's okay.
"H-he's fine, right? He'll be okay, right? Dani?" Yujin asks, his voice quivering as he looks up at her for reassurance.
"Just, um, give him some room to breathe for now."
"Y-Y-Y-Yuno..." Winter's entire body shakes as she weeps into her hands. I should comfort her. I'm the student council president, it's my responsibility to make sure everyone's okay. But my own tears won't stop flowing as I gently cup his cheek, swollen and red with cuts. You were awake earlier. Your eyes were open and you were smiling. Please wake up. Please smile again, Yuno. Please.
"We have to take him to the nurse, now!" Mr. Geier exclaims, grabbing Yuno by the arms. "Help me get his legs up!"
The three of them lift up his legs while I'm still too busy crying to help. My body is moving, following close behind them, but my mind is too muddled to properly process anything. The next few minutes are nothing but a blur of hallways and odd stares from students exiting the lunch room. I don't care. I don't care about what other students think of Yuno. I don't care about what my parents think of him. I don't care about what people at the banquet will think of him. All I care about is him and making sure that he's okay.
Once we arrive at the nurse's office, they gently lay his body on one of the cots. I sit down next to him, just staring at his face. His chest slowly rises and falls with breath. That's good. He's breathing. He's alive.
Mr. Geier says something to us that I can't quite make out. All of their voices fade into the background of my mind like nothing was ever said in the first place. Mr. Geier leaves, with Winter and Yujin following soon after. Danielle sits down next to me and says something, but I'm too distracted to listen right now. She ends up leaving soon too. All I can do is sit here and wait for him to wake up. Please wake up soon. Please.
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Yuno's POV
My eyes blink open to a blotchy field of grays and blacks. I try to sit up, but a stabbing pain shoots through my entire body. Every breath feels like hell to get through. Memories of what happened moments before I passed out come back to me. I almost got my skull busted open, and then there was this loud siren. I thought I saw Minji before I passed out, but I'm not too sure. Fuck, my body hurts like hell. Where am I anyways?
As my vision begins to focus, I see the familiar fluorescent lights of the school glaring back at me. I finally sit up, doing my best to ignore the pain in my back, and look around - the nurse's office. The school's nurse, a skinny woman with giant glasses and violently pink scrubs, sits at her desk and types away at her computer, oblivious to my consciousness. I consider saying something to let her know I'm awake, but my throat is too dry to produce any noise.
I turn to my left and my heart stops in my chest. Minji is lying on the cot next to me, sleeping peacefully. I start to wonder if this is all just another weird dream, but as I reach out and gently brush the hair from her face, the soft skin of her cheek feels too real. Even when she's sleeping, she's so beautiful. But... Why is she here?
"Oh good, you're awake," the nurse says, rising from her desk. I quickly retract my hand from Minji's face. "Principal Geier explained everything that happened. How are you feeling?"
I stretch my limbs, testing how much I can withstand the pain before it becomes unbearable. "Could be better, but I'm alive and breathing at least," I say. "Uh, what is she doing here? Did she get hurt?" My voice raises slightly as I gesture to Minji's sleeping form. If those fuckers did anything to her, I swear to God...
"I think she's fine. She came in with you and wouldn't move or speak, even after Principal Geier told the rest of the kids to get back to class. She just sat there, watching over you until she fell asleep," the nurse explains.
I sign in relief, thankful that she's not hurt, but the nurse's explanation only produces more questions. Why didn't she leave? I'm sure she's busy with a million other things, watching over me will only set her back even more. It's not like this is the first time this kind of thing has happened to me. Something similar happened right before I met Minji. I'll feel like shit for a few days, but I'm relatively fine.
So why did she stay?
The nurse pats my shoulder, handing me an ice bag. "I have to go, some kid threw up in the library, just put this wherever you feel like it. Will you and your girlfriend be fine here alone?"
Heat rushes to my cheeks. "She's not m—Uh, sure, we'll be fine."
She exits the room, leaving me alone with Minji. The silence gives me a moment to get my thoughts straight as the ice bag partially soothes my headache. Her face is so still and peaceful, I slow down my breaths despite the pain just so I don't wake her up. The last time I saw her face like this was when we slept in the same bed after she almost got attacked in front of the convenience store. My heart still burns with anger at the thought of Minji nearly getting hurt. I want to protect her. Even if she doesn't feel the same, I want to be there for her in any way I can. In the short time I've known Minji, it feels like I'm becoming a better person, or maybe I'm just becoming more and more foolish. I don't know. Feelings are confusing.
Minji's eyes suddenly flutter open, and as soon as they meet mine, she jumps up, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. "Y-you're awake! Oh my god, you're awake!" She sobs into my shoulders. I completely freeze in her arms, the surprise overtaking the pain.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine, Minji. Are you okay?" I ask, awkwardly patting her back. She separates from me, tears overflowing from her eyes. With each drop that falls, I feel my heart crack into a billion pieces, this pain worse than anything I've ever felt before. Hesitantly, I wipe away her tears with my uninjured hand, making sure my movements are gentle.
"H-hey, it's okay. What's wrong?" She takes a moment to calm down, sinking her cheek into my palm as she controls her breathing. I don't dare move my hand, even after most of the tears stop flowing.
"I-I was... so worried... that y-you wouldn't... wake up..." She stutters in between sniffles. "I-I thought you w-were... th-thought you were... dea—"
"I'm okay, Minji," I interrupt her, afraid she'll start bawling again if she finishes her sentence. "U-um, please stop crying. I'm okay."
She takes one more deep breath before sitting back down, regretfully moving my hand from her cheek. We sit in silence for a while, unsure of what to say. She cried after getting attacked by the convenience store, but this time seems different. This time, she wasn't crying for her, she was crying for me.
"Wait here," Minji mutters before getting up and walking over to the sink in the corner of the room. I watch silently as she pulls out a few things from the cupboard and fiddles with the sink for a moment before walking back over to me. She gently places a bowl of water and a hand towel next to me before taking out a juice box and poking a straw through the top.
"Here." She brings the straw to my lips, making me flinch slightly.
"Oh. Thanks." I take it from her, drinking it as she dips the towel into the water and gently tends to my cut up hand. My body recoils from her touch more than the pain itself. It still feels foreign to me, being cared for like this. Never in a million years did I imagine someone like Minji Kim to pop into my life. She's way too good for me. What good would I be as her boyfriend? What good am I as her friend for that matter? I don't want to be a nuisance in her life. I want—No, I need to be better. For her.
She finishes wrapping the gauze around my hand. "Is that okay? Not too tight?" She asks, her voice slightly hoarse from crying.
"Yeah, it's fine. Thanks." I look at her, meeting her eyes. "You didn't have to do this. You should've just left—"
"Why did you get into another fight? I thought you said you wouldn't fight anymore." Her tone turns stern, softly reprimanding my decisions.
"I didn't fight," I assure her. "If I didn't show up, they were gonna go after Winter, but I promise, I didn't try to hit them or anything."
"So you just let them beat you up!?" Minji shoots me a look of disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes.
"N-no! I-I dodged and stuff, they just got a few lucky hits in!" I hastily try to explain myself, hoping she doesn't cry again. In hindsight, it sounds even more stupid when I say it out loud. I went to the back of the gym, fully expecting there to be a crowd of people wanting to kick my ass, and the only plan I had was to... not fight? Even if I did make it out fine, did I just expect Minji not to say anything about the sudden abundance of injuries all over my body? God, I'm such a dumbass.
"Why didn't you tell anyone!? A-a teacher!? Principal Geier!? Me!?" The look of outrage alone is enough to make me feel like a child getting scolded by their parents. My gaze falls to the ground, hiding my embarrassed blush.
"I, uh... I didn't think of that..." I shamefully admit. She sits next to me, sighing into her hands. Seconds stretch into entire years as tense silence overtakes the room. Even my own breathing feels comparable to a car engine with how quiet everything is.
My entire body freezes as I feel Minji rest her head on my shoulder. Her silky black hair tickles my neck while the scent of her lavender perfume wafts through my nose, giving me visions of running through a clear field full of nothing but lavender stems. "Do you know why I'm mad at you?" She asks, her voice surprisingly mild.
"Uh, because I'm... stupid?"
She chuckles lightly at my half-joke. "You're not stupid. What you did was stupid, but no, that's not why I'm mad."
"Because, uh... I didn't talk to you first?"
"Bingo." She lifts her head up to look at me. Her face is close, I can feel the warmth emanating from her soft cheeks. "I know you wanted to protect Winter, but you ended up getting hurt in the process. If you had just gone to a teacher, those boys would've been reprimanded without you having to get hurt."
"They would not have been reprimanded—"
"Okay, fine, they probably wouldn't have been seriously reprimanded without any solid evidence," she concedes. "But that doesn't mean you should go through these kinds of things alone. Your friends were worried sick about you. And I..." Her voice cracks like delicate porcelain. "...I was worried sick about you."
I gulp, finally feeling the weight of my actions. For years, everything I've done has only affected me. I never had to second guess anything. But things are different now. I have people around me that care about my well-being, which means all of my actions have some kind of effect on them. This whole thing sprouted from me wanting to protect a friend, but in the end, they got hurt because of me.
"I'm sorry, Minji. For being stupid and not talking to you and letting myself get hurt."
She nods, offering an appreciative grin. "Next time something like this happens, just text me first so I can at least try to talk you out of it, okay?"
How could I ever say no to a face like that? "Okay."
Minji's smile widens, and like a mirror, I can feel my own lips curling to reflect her joy. She's so... amazing, unreal even—like someone plucked a princess straight from a fairy tale and placed her right in front of me. Kind, caring, courteous, beautiful, strong, intelligent, absolutely perfect in every way possible that it almost feels unfair. I might be fated for nothing more than an early grave, but for once, I want to defy fate and entertain the possibility that something good could happen to me. Maybe Minji is the good thing that happened to me, and maybe, just maybe, there is a future where me and her... y'know.
A whole minute passes before I realize that neither of us have stopped staring at each other. Something in my head clicks. I find myself leaning in, inch by inch, closer to Minji's lips, just like I've done many times in my dreams—but this time, it's real. Her breath dances against my skin, making my cells tingle in anticipation. Something in her expression shifts. Her eyes widen slightly, flickering downwards every so often, but she doesn't pull away, even after my intentions become crystal clear. She opens her mouth as if to say something, a protest maybe, but no sound comes out except for her shivering breath. My heart pounds in my ears like a warning alarm telling me to stop. "This is a bad idea, Yuno! What are you doing!?" Yet I continue onward until the tension is palpable. So close, I can almost taste it.
The door to the nurse's office swings open. "Oh good, you're both awake!"
Minji and I jump to opposite sides of the cot, my face burning hotter than the sun. The nurses waltzes in with another kid sporting a gross vomit stain on his shirt, tossing any kind of sentiment I had mere moments ago out the window. My heart chugs with the force of a speeding bullet train; it's a miracle I haven't succumbed to a heart attack by now.
"U-um, I should, um..." Minji stutters frantically, her eyes darting everywhere but in my direction. If it's any consolation, I feel too overwhelmed to look at anywhere except the floor. She hurries out of the nurse's office without uttering another word.
"What's up with her?" The nurse asks. I'm too busy freaking out to even register her question properly.
What the fuck did I just try to do.
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Minji's POV
Oh my god. Oh... my god. Ohhhhhh. My god. OH. MY. GOD.
"Minj? Are you alright?"
I jump in my seat, my gaze flying wildly around me. "H-huh?"
Hanni and Haerin exchange odd glances as they take their seats on either side of me. "Girl, what's wrong with you?" Hanni asks, her eyebrow raised in concern.
"I-I'm fine, just working on prom stuff like usual." That's only somewhat of a lie: after getting permission to excuse myself from the rest of the day's classes, I came into the student council room with the intent to work on prom stuff to get my mind off of... that. However, I ended up spending the last hours of the school day staring at my blank computer screen while my mind spirals out of control. "Where's Danielle and Hyein?" I ask, changing the subject.
"Home stuff," Hanni answers, sliding an iced coffee towards me. "Are you sure you're fine? You look... shaky."
"It's probably just stress, you know how I've been lately," I awkwardly chuckle. Caffeine is probably the last thing that I need right now, yet I take a sip to keep up appearances. Haerin's cold, analyzing glare seems to notice this.
"Mmm..." She grumbles to herself, her gaze never leaving mine as she takes a notebook from her backpack and starts to scribble in it. Haerin always had a knack for knowing things before they happen, but not even she could've possibly known about the nurse's office... right?
"Ugh, all this talk about prom is making me sick," Hanni groans. "Spending over $1000 on hair, makeup, a dress, and a limo, all for what? Three hours of some sweaty boy's hands on my waist? I think I'll pass."
"You can think that, but some people wait their entire lives for this one magical night. I just want to make sure everyone has fun," I reason.
"Pfft, you just want to slow dance with your little boyfriend, Yuno."
The shock from her words makes me choke on my drink, devolving into a mad coughing fit. "What?! N-no I don't! He's not my—shut up!" Hanni throws her head back in laughter, clearly amused by my near death experience at her hands.
With how insanely stressful prom preparations have been, the thought of procuring a date to the event never crossed my mind. At this point in the year, most people have found potential dates to take or a close group of friends to go with, with Danielle, Hanni, and I falling into the latter. All this time, I never even thought what prom would be like for myself. I've seen it all the time in movies and TV shows: the main character boy asks the hot cheerleader girl to prom, they slow dance together to a popular song fitting of the time, they kiss, credits roll. A simple, predictable formula riddled with a mess of cliches, but one that many dream about for their own special night. But what did I want out of prom? Would he even want to...
Nevermind. I can't even think clearly about that right now.
Haerin tosses her notebook over to me. "I drew this," she states.
I peer down at her drawing, growing more confused with each second. It seems to depict some kind of misshapen blob and a... girl? I think? They're sitting on some kind of bench really close together. Haerin never showed any interest in the arts before this, so why would she be into drawing all of a sudden?
"Um, it's nice? I think? What is it supposed to be?" I ask.
"It's you kissing a shadow monster."
My arm lurches wildly to the side, inadvertently tossing her notebook across the room. Does she know? How does she know!? She wasn't there, right? Right!?
"That wasn't very nice, Minj," Hanni chides, picking the notebook off the ground. "I think it's very unique and has a lot of character. She even got your ponytail right. Good job, Kitty Kang." She pats Haerin's head, bringing a pleased smile out of her, yet her eyes stay glued to me like a predator stalking its prey. I'm starting to wonder if she ever even blinks.
"Sorry, Haerin, I just feel out of it today. It's a, uh... lovely drawing," I sigh, resting my head onto my palm.
"Yah, you're bumming me out, Minj. Let's do something fun instead of all this prom garbage. Karaoke?" Hanni suggests. They both look at me expectantly, which only makes my answer even more painful.
"I would love to, especially today out of all days, but I have to prepare for a banquet tomorrow."
"A banquet? You never told us about that. Ooh, can we come?" Hanni pleads, flashing her big eyes and pouty lips.
"I, um... It's for my family's business. They said I couldn't invite anyone, sorry." Oh god. Lying to my parents is one thing, but lying to my best friends? The people I trust more than anybody in the entire world? My own words leave a bitter taste in my mouth, more bitter than the strongest black coffee. But what am I supposed to tell them? That I invited Yu—him instead of my own closest friends? Even if his presence serves some kind of purpose, I still can't imagine how they would react if I told them I basically chose a boy over them. No matter how I try to justify it, it still feels wrong.
"Aww," Hanni pouts. While she's distracted, I notice Haerin picking up her notebook and pointing at the "shadow monster" in her drawing with a scrutinizing squint. I try to ignore her, keeping a straight face, but it's becoming more clear that she knows something's up.
"I'll make it up to you guys some other time," I say, gathering my things. "Next time we go to karaoke, I'll pay for everything, snacks, drinks, whatever, alright?"
"Woo! I won't say no to that!" Hanni cheers, skipping out of the student council room. I get up to follow her, but a tug on my sleeve stops me. Haerin stares at me blankly, unblinking, for what feels like forever. It's normally hard to read her, but especially now when my mind has been in a constant whirlwind for the last couple hours, all I can come to are a few thousand anxiety-ridden conclusions. She suddenly moves her hand upwards with the focused intensity of a cat, waving it around before finally landing her index finger on the middle of my forehead.
"U-um, Haerin, what are you—"
"You're overthinking things. Go with your gut," she states before putting her notebook back into her bag like nothing ever happened.
"What are you talking about—"
"If you're not gonna admit it to us, at least admit it to yourself. It's not healthy to keep things bottled up, you're barely floating as it is." Haerin goes up to the door, stopping to look back at me. "Are you coming with us or not?"
"Uh, right, yeah." I can barely process her words as I follow the two of them off campus. What does she mean by "overthinking"? I'm not overthinking. I'm thinking a perfectly healthy amount. I just have a lot on my plate, so there's a lot I need to think about. That's not overthinking, that's just... thinking a lot. I need to be thinking a lot, or else I run the risk of letting a ton of people down. My parents, the entire student body, my friends. Once I get a quiet moment to myself, I'll be fine. Right? Right?
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I kick off my shoes by the front door, ready to land face first into my bed and turn off my brain for a couple hours. Unfortunately, fate has other plans for me.
"Minji! Welcome home, dear!" My mom announces from the living room, her tone a bit too cheerful to not raise any immediate red flags. "How was school?"
I fight back an exhausted sigh. "It was fine, Mother. I'm just gonna go up to my room and—"
"Oh, well don't go upstairs yet! The Parks are here, come say hello!"
The Parks are what!? My eyes shoot up, scanning the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Park sit on the sofa, offering me kind smiles. But if they're here, does that mean...
"Minji! Long time no see!" My worst nightmare rounds the corner with my father in tow, laughing like they're old buddies or something. My skin crawls as he walks towards me with his arm spread out like he's about to hug me. I wanna run and hide, but I'm too terrified to move. In the end, all I can do is try not to vomit on his shoulder as he wraps me up in an awkward hug.
Is this real? Surely this isn't real, right? Maybe this is all just some sick nightmare and I'm still sleeping in the nurse's office. Please let this be just a nightmare.
"Cat got your tongue or something?" He jokes, finally releasing me from his grasp.
"Sunghoon, it's uh... good to see you."
Father walks up and clasps his hand on Sunghoon's shoulder. "Sunghoon was just telling me that he's considering transferring over Evergreen for the rest of the school year. Isn't that great, Minji?"
"He WHAT!?"
Everyone turns to look at me, shock and concern written all over their faces. "I-I mean what a great surprise! That's just... so, so, sooo great to hear," I say through bared teeth. "I have an, uh, important test tomorrow that I need to study for, so I'm just gonna go up to my room and—"
"Why don't you bring Sunghoon with you, dear?" Mother suggests, oblivious to the fact that she's slowly destroying my life. "It'll give you two time to catch up without us adults getting in the way."
I muster up the most convincing smile I can and say, "S-sure. That would be great. Just... great."
I stomp up the stairs to my room with Sunghoon in tow, immediately collapsing onto my bed without giving him a second thought.
"Your room is nice," he says, shutting the door behind him and effectively taking away my only way of escape. Maybe there's some soft bushes I can land on if I jump out the window. If not, at least death seems more favorable than being stuck in here with the worst human being alive.
"Mhm," I mutter, half-listening to whatever he has to say.
Sunghoon paces around my room, looking around at my posters and my desk before picking up Mr. Bear from my bed. "I see you're still into teddy bears," he chuckles to himself.
"Put that down!" I grab Mr. Bear from his grasp and glare coldly at him, causing him to back off with his hands up.
"Alright, it's clear that there's still some bitterness so I might as well just go ahead and address the elephant in the room: I'm sorry for the way I treated you when we were kids. I was an immature little brat and I should've treated you better. Will you forgive me?"
That was... surprisingly mature. Did the original Sunghoon die in an accident and got replaced by a nicer clone? Does he have an illegitimate twin brother that replaced him and took his name after Mr. and Mrs. Park realized how much of a gremlin their son is? Any of those explanations seem more plausible than Sunghoon actually maturing.
"Uh... sure, I guess," I say, still weirded about this sudden revelation. He grins at me, sitting next to me on the bed. "Um, I'm sorry for yelling. It's been a, uh... long day."
"No worries, I deserved it." Jeez, this new understanding side of Sunghoon is so off putting. If he acted like old self, at least that would be predictable. This feels like walking through uncharted territory without so much as a map or even a flashlight.
"Your mother told me that you're inviting a friend to the banquet tomorrow," he continues. "Some guy named Yuno. What's he like?
"He's..." Oh god, I can't even think properly about him right now after what happened in the nurse's office. I still haven't been able to process my own feelings about it. What was he thinking? What was I thinking? I can't even remember where my mind was during that whole thing, yet I can remember everything else so vividly; his warm breath dancing against my skin, his kind eyes peering into mine with so much care behind them, his soft lips inching closer and closer.
"Minji? Are you alright?" Sunghoon nudges my shoulder, taking me out of my impromptu trip down memory lane. I sink my face into Mr. Bear's head, hiding the growing blush on my cheeks.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Like I said, long day," I reason. "Um... He's nice. A little shy, but he means well."
"Are you sure you two are friends?" He chuckles at me. "It doesn't seem like you know him very well."
"We, uh, haven't been friends very long," I explain. As weird as it is, Yuno and I have only known each other a couple of days, yet it feels like so much longer than that. Now that I think about it, we've run into each other everyday since we met, even on the weekend. For the past three years of attending the same high school, he's been nothing but a body walking through the hall or the utterance of a name whenever he stirred up trouble, but now, we're so intertwined in each other's lives like he's been there from the start. Without him, I probably would've gotten attacked by that drunk man and I never would've gotten over my fear of spiders. His presence has become so integral to my life, I can't imagine him not being there in some way.
"Do you like him?" Sunghoon asks suddenly, glancing at me.
I... I don't know. I don't know what to think or feel about him. He is a part of my life, but I just... I don't know. "As a friend, yeah," I utter, unsure of the words coming out of my own mouth.
He nods, grinning to himself. "Good."
"What do you mean 'good'?" My eyebrows furrow in confusion.
"Oh, nothing, just, uh... thinking out loud." He gets up from my bed and walks towards the door. "I'll let you study for your test now, I'd hate to interfere with your academics. See ya tomorrow, Minji."
"Yeah, see ya..." He shuts the door behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Instead of getting up and doing something productive to distract myself, all I can do is lie there and stare at the ceiling, wondering when everything became so complicated.
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Yuno's POV
"Yuno, are you okay? You're blanking out again," Winter says.
"Hm? Oh, it's nothing. Just a little headache," I utter.
Honestly, I would prefer it if it was just a little headache rather than the fucking tornado that's been running rampant through my mind. During the entire walk from the school to the convenience store, all I could do was stare at the ground and let my legs blindly follow behind Winter and Yujin. Hell, I barely even noticed we came to the convenience store until just now.
"Shouldn't you go to the doctor? You don't look very good," Yujin says.
"I've been through worse." Both of them still stare at me, unconvinced of my wellbeing. "I'll feel better after I sleep it off, alright? You guys don't have to worry about me."
"How can we not worry about you, you got hurt b-because of me..." Winter's voice falters as tears begin to well within her eyes.
"Ah jeez. Look, I..." My mind wanders back to what Minji said to me in the nurse's office before I did... that: But that doesn't mean you should go through these kinds of things alone. Your friends were worried sick about you.
"I'm sorry. To both of you. I should've let you two know what was going on instead of running in alone and letting myself get hurt. It won't happen again, okay? I'm done fighting," I say. Both of them look up at me in surprise.
"So no more Super Yuno?" Yujin asks.
"Uh yeah. No more, uh, 'Super Yuno'." If there's a silver lining in any of this, it's definitely getting rid of that ridiculous nickname.
"Hmm..." Yujin grows silent, his gaze pensive. "When superheroes in comic books get hurt, they usually have some kind of healing factor or revival ability that helps them get back up no matter how much damage they take. But you..." He looks up at me, his own eyes glossy with sorrow. "...You're real. You don't have any superpowers to help you. It was really scary seeing you not wake up, Yuno. I-I don't... I don't want to see you get hurt anymore."
"Me neither," Winter adds.
The three of us sit in silence with nothing but the crickets and the gentle howl of the passing breeze to let us know the world is still moving. The weight of their words sink deeper into me, making me feel even more guilty for my lack of consideration. Things are different now. I can't act like I'm still living the same life I was a couple days ago, and frankly, I don't want to go back to that life of solitude and pain. I need to change for the better. For me. For my dad. For my friends. For Min... For her.
I clap Yujin on the back, ruffling his hair. "You guys won't have to see me get hurt anymore, alright? I really am done fighting."
Winter smiles at me, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm glad."
"Me too," Yujin chuckles.
My lips form into a grin, a feeling I'm starting to get used to. "But if anyone messes with either of you, I don't mind coming out of retirement for a little bit."
The sounds of their laughter float with the wind, carried wherever fate takes them. I always viewed fate as cruel and unyielding, rendering our sense of choice to nothing but dust. But every once in a while, it'll surprise me with something new, not necessarily good or bad, just different. This, however, is good. Unequivocally good. It can be convoluted and annoying at times, but still good.
"How's the student council president?" Winter asks, making my shoulders tense up suddenly.
"Oh yeah, she looked really worried about you. Danielle told me that she's never seen her act like that before," Yujin says.
My gaze drifts to the side, unable to meet their eyes. "U-uh, she's fine. We talked. We're, uh, cool." I can't even imagine how she must be feeling right now after I did all that. What am I supposed to say to her? Do I just pretend like nothing happened? That I didn't just try to kiss her? Out of nowhere? I clutch my head as I devolve into another tumultuous storm of uncertainty and anxiety. I need to get this feeling out of me. I need to... I...
"I almost kissed her," I blurt out. Winter and Yujin's jaws drop in utter shock at my confession. My entire face burns with shame, but my soul feels lighter now that I finally acknowledged it.
"Uh, what do you mean almost?" Winter asks after several seconds of stunned silence.
"I-I, uh... Fuck..." I inhale deeply, steadying my breath. "We were just talking and then suddenly her face was really close and I kinda just... leaned in... uh..." The more I blabber, the warmer my entire body feels, yet going back and reliving that moment so clearly feels oddly nice in a way. Instead of it being a dream, it was real. I almost got to see what happens at the end of that dream instead of waking up in my bed.
Both of them lean in with amused smirks, completely intrigued by my stupid little accident. "Do you like her?" Winter asks.
"Y-yeah, I do. A lot."
"Aw, look at him, he's blushing," Yujin teases.
"Ugh, shut up." I turn my head, hiding my face into my hands.
"I think it's very cute that you have a crush on her. Minji seems like a really nice girl," Winter says, amused. "Are you gonna ask her out to prom?"
"I, uh... I don't know."
"Why not? I think you should go for it if you really like her."
"I don't know how she feels about me. I mean, I know she thinks of us as friends, but more than that..." I sigh, my shoulders slumping towards the ground. "Minji has a lot going for her, and I'm just me."
"How did she react when you almost kissed her?" Yujin asks.
"She, uh... She ran out of the room in a panic."
Both of them turn to each other in contemplation. "Well, that could mean anything," Winter says. "Regardless of what you think she feels, you should ask her out or else you're gonna regret it for the rest of your life. I didn't think Karina would ever like me, but look where we're at now."
"Yeah, Yuno!" Yujin adds. "We'll even help you with your promposal! I can make posters and—"
"No!" I interject. "No posters. I don't want to make a big deal out of it. I already know what people think of me, so to put that kind of attention on her would be cruel."
Amused smirks grow on their faces as they exchange knowing glances at each other. "That was really sweet, Yuno," Winter says, gushing.
On second thought, maybe it's better if I didn't tell them all of this; God knows I won't hear the end of it for the next week. But as I look at the sincerity in their smiles, a warm feeling stirs within me. Maybe it's better I did.
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My hand rests on the doorknob of my home, frozen by the impending dread of having to come clean and explain the sudden influx of cuts and bruises marking my body. If he's going to be in my life again, he'll have to deal with the fact that I made and will continue to make really shitty mistakes. I just hope I'm able to learn from them every once in a while.
With a deep breath, I enter my home to find him sitting alone at the dining table, his leg bouncing restlessly as he stares blankly at nothing. All the lights in the house are off, save for the single one floating right above him, creating an ominous tension that blasts me from the doorway.
"Uh, hey, Dad."
"Yuno!" I expected anger, disappointment, maybe even disgust, but instead I'm met with relief as he walks over to me, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Your principal called me earlier, I was worried sick about you. Are you okay?
"Yeah, I'm fine." I thought I would get tired of reiterating for the umpteenth time that I'm fine, but having people around me that care enough to worry gives me this tingling feeling in my chest. It feels... nice, actually.
"Are you getting bullied at school?" He asks worriedly.
"No, it's nothing like that. It was just a stupid fight." Some could argue that I'm the bully at the school, and maybe they're right, but at least I pick on people that deserve it instead of defenseless underclassmen.
"Do you need me to take you to the hospital or something?"
"I'm fine, I've been through worse. Just need a little rest," I say. He begins to speak, but stops and sighs instead.
"Alright. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?" I nod. "I trust you know how to take care of yourself by now, but I'm always gonna be here if you need me." He walks over to the kitchen and pours himself a cup of water, but instead stares pensively at it, watching his reflection in the cup.
"Actually, I could use a ride after school tomorrow," I say. "I was, uh, invited to a banquet."
He looks up from the cup, his brow raised in curiosity. "Really? What for?"
"Minji—the girl you met at the mall—she invited me," I explain.
My dad smirks, finally showing a positive emotion for the first time since I got home. "Sure thing, I can drive you."
"Thanks, dad." I grin at him before heading upstairs to my room.
The easy parts are over. I apologized to Winter and Yujin, and accidentally let my feelings for Minji slip out. I talked to my dad and he seemed to take things better than I thought he would. Now there's just one person left I have to talk to, arguably the most important I need to talk to: Minji.
I stare at my phone, my eyes rereading our previous texts over and over again. Should I call her? What would I even say? Even texting her seems like an impossible feat at this point. After she freaked out and ran out of the nurse's office, I've been struggling to think of how I should address the incident. Hell, I've been struggling on how I should feel about it myself. I did, technically, want it to happen, but couldn't I have chosen a more opportune moment to do it? Y'know, like after knowing for sure what she feels about me? God, I'm a fucking idiot.
To add salt to the wound, I end up going for the coward's way out, typing up a message that avoids the issue entirely because acting like everything is fine is surely the best course of action.
Yuno: Hi. What should I wear to the banquet? And what's the address?
Feelings are so exhausting.
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Compared to how "eventful" yesterday was, Tuesday went by in the blink of an eye. The weird stares were still there, even more so thanks to my injuries, and Tyler's group of friends in English class seemed to be down a couple of guys. Not my problem anyhow. Just less trouble for me and it's not like I even hit any of them.
Minji never responded to the text I sent last night. To make matters worse, every time I saw her in the hallway, she avoided eye contact completely and ran the opposite direction. If she told me that what I did was disgusting and to never talk to her again, I would at least understand, but to avoid me completely when I'm literally going to a banquet with her feels like cruel and unusual punishment.
I sigh, banging my head into my locker. Not the greatest decision given my condition, but I don't give a shit anymore. I just want the girl I like to talk to me.
"Is she still avoiding you?" Winter asks.
"Yeah," I utter sadly. "Maybe I messed up. Maybe she doesn't want to be friends anymore."
Yujin pats my shoulder in support. "Don't worry about it, Yuno, you'll get a chance to talk to her eventually. Didn't you say you were going to that banquet with her tonight? You can talk to her then!"
"She hasn't even given me the address, how am I supposed to get there?" I reason. "Maybe this is her way of telling me not to come."
Winter and Yujin exchange worried glances while I lean against my locker, thinking about everything and nothing. Is this what it feels like to have something good ripped away from you all of a sudden? It sucks. It fucking sucks. Part of me wishes I never met Minji in the first place just so I never have to feel like this.
Just then, Minji's tall friend walks past, offering a polite wave. What's her name again? It starts with an H... Not Hanni... Harry... Halsey... Hyemi...
"Hyein!" I call out, rushing over to her.
"Hello, Minji's friend!" she says. "What's up?"
"Have you talked to Minji at all today?"
"Of course I have!" She smiles like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Why?"
"Has she, um, said anything about me?" I may sound feeble and desperate, but that's because I am. If Minji hates my guts, then I need to know, or else I'm gonna be walking around like a hopeless idiot.
"Hmm... No, I don't think she's said anything about you."
"Oh..." I hang my head, completely dejected. "Well, next time you see her, can you ask her to check her texts? She hasn't given me a response yet."
"Why can't you tell her yourself? Did something happen between you two?" Hyein squints at me.
"N-no! I mean..." You tried to kiss her, you dumbass. "...maybe. I don't know. Can you tell her that I want to talk? Please."
"Hmm..." She studies my expression with an intense glare. "Okay, but I can't promise anything. Whatever you did must've upset her a lot if she's not talking to you all of a sudden."
I sigh, feeling my heart being ripped out of my chest. "Yeah, I figured. Thanks." With my gaze fixed on the ground, I trudge back to my locker where Winter and Yujin are waiting. I wanna bash my head into the metal door so I can stop feeling like this, but I can't even muster up the energy to do that. If only I didn't catch a stupid crush on her. A stupid, hopeless, foolish crush.
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Minji's POV
Schoolwork. Study. Test. Prom. Schoolwork. Study. Test. Prom. Schoolwork. Study. Test. Prom. I feel like a robot running through a constant cycle to maintain peak productivity. I've accomplished so much in the day that I don't even have time to think about anything else. With prom slowly approaching, my continuous cycle of work will eventually pay off and everyone will finally be happy.
The door to the student council room clicks open, but I don't even flinch. Eyes are glued to the screen, typing up emails and researching venues until calluses form on my fingers.
"Uh, Minji?" I hear Danielle's voice ask. "What are you doing in here with the lights off?"
Oh right. The lights are off. I didn't even notice. The blue light from my laptop has burned itself into my retinas. Even when I blink, all I see is the screen.
"Just working," I mutter.
"Hey, girl," Hanni says, concern laced in her tone. "We got you an iced coffee if you want it."
"Thanks." I take a sip, the caffeine having an immediate effect on me like adding coal to the furnace of a speeding steam train. Email sent. New tab opened up. Check notification. Look at potential venues. Don't think. Just work.
A hand slams my laptop shut. "Hey! What are you—" I look up for the first time to see all of my friends looking down at me with worry all over their faces.
"I told you keeping things bottled up isn't healthy," Haerin states, her hand holding my laptop closed.
"W-what are you talking about?" I ask, annoyed. "Can't you see I'm trying to work!?"
"Minj, look at yourself! This isn't just stress anymore, you look like a zombie!" Hanni exclaims.
I scoff, rubbing my hands over my face. "I'm fine, I'm just working on prom like usual. Haerin, give me back my—" I reach for my laptop, but Haerin snatches it away. "Haerin, what are you doing!? I'm in the middle of something important!"
"Minji, what is going on with you?" Danielle asks in a calm yet concerned tone. "You've been acting weird ever since yesterday."
I feel like my head is about to explode. What are they not understanding!? Of course I'm going to be mad, they just took away my laptop! If anything, they're acting weird! "I told you guys, I'm fine!"
"Is this about what happened between you and Yuno?" Hyein asks from the corner of the room. My gaze shoots towards her. Her hands are trembling by her sides like leaves in a heavy storm, barely holding onto the branch they're a part of. Tears threaten to burst from her eyes. She's scared, terrified. Of me.
My legs give out from underneath me as my vision becomes blurry with tears. A blanket of warmth covers me as the girls hold me in their gentle embrace. I don't deserve them. I've been lying and keeping secrets from them, and now I yelled at them. All for what? A boy? Have I lost sight of what really matters in my life just because I think I have feelings for someone?
It takes a while for me to come down from the overwhelming wave of emotions. By the time my tears stop, I find myself surrounded by my friends' caring gazes. The four people I trust most in the world, but also the ones I need to apologize to.
"I'm sorry guys," I begin. "I know I said I've been stressed, but that doesn't excuse my outburst. You guys don't deserve to be yelled at like that."
Hanni tenderly brushes my hair with her fingers, letting me rest my head on her shoulder. "It's okay, Minj, we know you didn't mean it. We're just really worried about you."
"Yeah," Danielle adds. "It's clear that this isn't just about prom anymore."
"What did Yuno do to you?" Hyein asks.
"He didn't, um..." I take a deep breath, steadying my heartbeat. "When he got into that fight yesterday, it really scared me. Seeing him pass out like that, I was terrified that he wasn't going to wake up. It felt like I couldn't breathe properly until I knew he was alright. All I could think about was 'Why did this have to happen to him? It's so unfair. He doesn't deserve this at all'. When Yuno finally woke up, it was like... everything felt right again. I was so relieved. And then I looked into his eyes and thought 'I never want to see you get hurt again'. And I..." My cheeks start to burn as my voice falters. The girls begin to stare at me with intrigue, waiting for me to finish my sentence.
"I-I... I almost kissed him."
The room fills with collective gasps as each of them freeze in shock. I bury my face into Hanni's shoulder, each passing second of silence making me feel even more embarrassed.
"W-what do you mean almost?" Danielle asks, the most disturbed out of the four of them.
"The nurse came in before we could, uh... finish," I say, my voice muffled by Hanni's shirt.
"OH. MY. GOD." Hanni squeals. "Girl, tell us everything! Who initiated? What did he say to you? Did he go right or left—" Haerin clasps her hand over Hanni's mouth, shaking her head disapprovingly. Thank god, I don't know how much longer I could've taken her questions.
"Is that why you were avoiding him all day?" Hyein asks.
I sigh, nodding sadly. "Every time I saw him, I panicked and ran away like an idiot," I admit. "I don't know what to think or how to feel."
"Do you like him?"
I stare at the ground in contemplation, thinking about the past few days with Yuno. Despite what others think of him, he's proven himself to be kind hearted and loyal, oftentimes putting his friends above his own well being. He's saved me countless times, never once asking for any sort of recompense, and he's shown that he's willing to change for the better, even if it might go against his own ideas of justice. Yuno is a good guy, a great friend, and...
"Yeah," I nod. "I think I do like him."
"You think?" Danielle asks, unconvinced.
"I don't know, I've never had a crush on anybody before."
"Minj, that is so cute!" Hanni chimes. "You should ask him to prom!"
"Shouldn't he ask me...?"
Haerin shakes her head. "It's 2024, subjecting yourself to outdated ideals will only leave you disappointed. Get with the times, grandma."
I side-eye her, grimacing at her insult. "Whatever. I don't even know if he feels the same and I'd rather not do something drastic to ruin our friendship."
"But you'll never know if you don't try,' Hanni says. "You're gonna regret it if you don't tell him how you feel."
"I know, but I can't just rush into something like this without thinking first," I argue. "Besides, I'm busy with a thousand things right now, I don't even think I have time for a relationship."
Danielle takes my hand in hers, looking me in the eye. "You should do what makes you happy, Minji. I mean, look what happened when you bottled up everything inside and put other people's feelings above your own. Forget everyone else right now and focus on your own happiness for once."
"But—"
"No buts," she snaps. "I can get the other student council members to pick up the slack on prom preparations, so go out, have fun, and date a stupid boy. And if he hurts you, then you have the four of us to fall back on." The others nod in agreement, smiling brightly at me.
"Thanks, guys." I quickly clap my hands over my eyes in an attempt to stop another onslaught of tears. "God, I feel like I'm gonna cry again."
"Aww, you big softie," Hanni says. "Come here."
The four of them pull me into a warm group hug that melts all my worries away. Honest to God, I don't know what I would do without them. These girls are like my own little life raft, keeping me afloat even when I fall overboard.
I take out my phone and send a text that I should have sent ages ago.
Yuno: Hi. What should I wear to the banquet? And what's the address?
Minji: hey :) just wear something nice! the address is 0507 Ador Ln. don't be late, there's something i want to talk to you about.
⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚✩࿐
Yuno's POV
I stare at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, checking if my outfit is okay for the millionth time. "just wear something nice!" she says, yet the only nice clothes I have are some light blue jeans and the bear sweater that I bought on a whim. I'm not sure if "nice" is how I would describe this outfit, but I don't exactly have any other alternatives.
I would be lying if I said her text didn't make my heart feel so much lighter. It doesn't matter how stupid I look as long as I finally get to clear things up with her. Not being able to talk to her at all for the past day has been complete hell, I wouldn't wish the feeling on my worst enemy. Yet, a part of me feels downright terrified. What is she gonna say to me? Will we still be friends after this? I'll have to hold onto this dreadful suspense until I see her, and probably even longer depending on how the banquet goes. Hopefully we can get over this quickly so I can finally breathe normally.
My dad knocks on the bathroom, peeking his head through the open door. "You ready to go?" He asks.
"Yeah, uh..." I pause, awkwardly looking at the ground. "Do I look okay?"
He chuckles at me, patting my shoulder. "You look great. I'm sure she'll like it."
I take one last look at myself in the mirror before heading out to the car, my heartbeat ringing in my ears as we head to the banquet.
Naturally, the banquet takes place on the far side of the town where all the rich people live. Grandiose buildings line the streets as opposed to the regular suburban houses I'm used to, larger and shinier than anything I've ever seen, their opulence almost blinding under the streetlights. Even my dad looked impressed, staring at all the different houses that we could never dream of affording. All of this only serves as a reminder that I don't belong in this world and never will. To Minji, this is just another Tuesday for her. I sigh, the pit in my stomach growing deeper and deeper.
The banquet hall sits atop a hill overlooking the town as if it's looking down on everyone else with disgust. As we drive up to the building, the frequency of luxury cars increases, making our car look like garbage on wheels in comparison. The closer we get, the more I'm starting to regret my decision to come along. A few guests are talking outside, dressed in their finest tailored suits and elegant gowns. I look down at the bear on my sweater with shame. I didn't want to stand out, yet I'm basically wearing a giant sign that says "look at me, I'm an idiot."
Near the entrance, I spot Minji wearing a stunning black dress that compliments her natural beauty. Simple yet sophisticated... And I'm wearing this god damn bear sweater. Maybe it's not too late to turn around and go back home. I'll tell her my body started hurting all of a sudden and I can't move and—
"Hey," my dad says, patting my shoulder. "It'll be okay. Go have fun."
I nod, taking one more deep breath before stepping out of the car. "Right. Uh, thanks for giving me a ride."
He smiles at me. "Of course. Text me when you want to leave and I'll come right away. Bye, Yuno." I watch as the car disappears down the hill, leaving me completely stranded with no way of escaping. All I can do is face this head on, like I've always done.
With each step I take towards Minji, my heart beat rings louder and louder in my ears. The gnawing insecurity in the pit of my stomach makes it hard to breathe, yet I continue forward towards the impossibly beautiful girl that I've fallen completely in love with. Her black hair flows like waves curling from a waterfall, light and airy, as she exudes an air of elegance and grace. If I survived a beating from a group of guys, then I can survive this one night.
"Min—"
"Hey Minji!" A loud voice calls out from behind me. The source of the voice, a tall guy wearing a sophisticated suit, walks over to her and pulls her into a hug. My blood immediately begins to boil with rage. Who the fuck is this guy?
"You look great! How are you doing?" I hear him ask her.
"U-uh, thanks, I'm fine, um..." Minji spots me, her face lighting up instantly. "Yuno!" I do my best to hide the growing smirk as he looks back at me with bewilderment.
"H-hey. Hi," I utter.
"I'm glad you could make it," she replies, smiling at me. God, I missed that smile. I missed hearing her voice. It's only been a day, but it feels nice to finally talk to her again.
"Um, hello? Aren't you gonna introduce me to your friend, Minji?" The tall guy says. He must be the one Minji was warning me about, I can already tell he gives off a pompous energy.
"Ah, right. Yuno, this is Sunghoon, Sunghoon, this is my friend from school, Yuno," Minji says.
"What's up, man?" Sunghoon reaches his hand out towards me, which I nearly shake before realizing I still have the gauze wrapped around my hand. "Oh damn, what happened to your hand? Are you some kind of fighter or something?" He jokes. Minji gives me an apologetic look while I simply shake my head.
"Cooking accident. I'm fine," I say, lowering my hand.
"That sucks, man, uh..." He looks down at my sweater, his lips widening into an amused smirk. "Cool sweater, man, where'd you get it? Balenciaga? Armani? Target?" he chides, laughing at his own shitty joke. I shoot a glare at him which makes him shut up pretty quickly.
"I'm just joking man, jeez," he says. "I'm gonna head inside, Minji. I'll get us a good table." Sunghoon winks at her before walking off towards the building, leaving me and Minji alone finally.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry about him, Yuno," Minji apologizes.
"It's fine." I gaze into her eyes for the first time since arriving, my heart skipping a beat as I got lost in the deep browns of her irises. The stars reflect off of them, containing the beauty of an entire galaxy right in front of me. "U-um, is this sweater okay? I, uh, didn't really have any nice clothes to wear," I blabber awkwardly.
"It's cute," she says, her face lighting up as she looks at the bear. "Aw, he's wearing little overalls. It's like he's a little farmer bear."
I turn my head, quietly giggling to myself. How can someone look so ethereal, yet act so adorable? "Oh right, you said you wanted to talk to me about something," I say, fixing my expression.
"Oh, um... Uh..." Her gaze nervously shifts side to side as she messes with her fingers. "Can we, uh, talk about that later? My parents are probably waiting for me inside."
I sigh, disappointed but also understanding. "Sure thing."
She offers an apologetic look before leading the way into the building. As we walk through the doors, my jaw hits the floor from utter shock and awe. The banquet hall is a giant room adorned with pillars of flowers and a giant golden chandelier hanging overhead, illuminating the room with a brilliant light. Fancy-looking tables are spread out throughout the room, seating even fancier-looking people, laughing and sipping from skinny glasses of champagne as they talk. The looks I get from school are a little annoying, but bearable enough—They're all just kids trying not to get into any trouble that I'm usually a part of—but being in this room, looked down upon by these people is a different beast entirely. Instead of being viewed as some scary monster that could act up at any moment, it feels like they're scorning at me like a rat that wandered into the wrong place. It's like Minji's mom times a thousand in here.
"Are you okay, Yuno?" Minji asks, lightly grabbing onto my sleeve with a worried look.
"I'm fine," I assure her. Before she can say anything else, an older man walks up to her, smiling.
"Minji! How are you doing, dear?" He says.
"Hello, Mr. Park! I'm doing well, how are you?" She replies, seamlessly slipping into a more professional tone.
"I'm doing great, of course. It's great to be doing business with your parents." He looks towards me, his face subtly shifting into that of disdain. "Who's your friend here, Minji?"
"This is Yuno, we go to school together."
"H-hello, sir." I reach out to shake his hand only to be met with a confused expression as he stares down at my gauze-covered hand. Sheepishly, I retract it, my gaze falling to the ground in embarrassment.
"Right... Well, my wife is probably wondering where I am and I wouldn't want to keep her waiting," Mr. Park says, not even glancing at me. "Good bye, Minji."
I sigh dejectedly as he walks off, both grateful that he's gone and annoyed at myself for not making a better first impression. "That was... awful," I mutter.
"Hey, it's okay," Minji soothes. "On the bright side, you'll never have to talk to him again after tonight."
"I don't know, Minji, maybe me being here is a mistake—"
"Oh!" She takes an empty glass from one of the tables and hands it to me. "Here, hold this."
I take it from her, giving her a quizzical look. "What do you want me to do with this?"
"Just hold up this glass with your right hand and people won't shake your hand anymore. Problem solved, right?"
She's trying so hard for me. What a saint. I truly don't deserve her. "Yeah, okay," I nod, mustering up a smile. "Thanks."
"No proble—"
"Ay, that's where you guys are!" Sunghoon pops out of nowhere, wrapping his arm around Minji. It's taking every fiber of my being not to knock his lights out right now. "I was wondering where you two were."
Minji pushes his arm off of her, side-eyeing him with contempt. "We were just talking," she states.
"Well, I'm sure there's a lot of people that would love to get to know Yuno. Isn't that right, man?" Sunghoon firmly grasps my shoulder, pushing me towards a larger crowd of people culminating in the middle of the room. I could kill him if I want to (and I do want to), but with Minji here, I'm left at the mercy at whatever the hell this rich fuck plans to do. Whatever. I can survive talking to old people for a little bit.
The next hour crawls along as I'm swept through countless bouts of small talk with increasingly important people, constantly bombarded with questions that I don't have the answer to.
"What are your plans after high school?"
"What university are you thinking of attending?"
"Have you started on your college admission papers?"
Minji and Sunghoon handled everything with ease, accustomed to the talk like they're fluent in a second language, whereas I was barely floating by. Overwhelmed doesn't even begin to describe how I felt. Minji tried her best to help me out, but with an abundance of other people talking to her, her plate was already full as it was.
Finally, after another uncomfortable conversation with a woman that didn't even try to hide her disapproval, I found myself on the outer rim of the conversation. Minji and Sunghoon were in the middle, keeping everyone distracted, giving me a chance to escape. I spot a door at the edge of the room leading towards the outside. I take one last look at Minji, feeling guilty for leaving her like this, before scurrying out the door.
Fresh air fills my lungs, a luxury I didn't know I had until now. I scramble over towards the railing, letting myself breath for the first time in what feels like years. Getting another beating would be more favorable compared to the hell that I just went through inside. I don't know how Minji does that on a regular basis, I could barely get a coherent word out the entire time.
I lean against the railing, watching the full moon float slowly above the town as I ponder whether or not me being here is a good idea. Maybe I should've just given Minji a lame excuse and stayed home. Like a dazzling star in the sky, it feels like all I can do is watch her from afar while I'm trapped by the gravity of my own miserable little planet, destined to fade into mediocrity as she illuminates the night sky with her light. A part of me wishes I never offered to walk her home in the rain just so I would never have to feel this pain. But I did and now I'm paying the price for it.
Isn't it so tragic? To fall for someone that's so close yet so far?
"There you are."
The clacking of high heels against the concrete gets louder with each step as Minji walks up next to me. "I was worried you got lost or something. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," I answer, not quite meeting her gaze. Minji slumps against the railing next to me, watching the moon.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I invited you here for a selfish reason, and after that backfired, I thought I could salvage it, but all I did was make you uncomfortable."
"Hey, it's okay—"
"And I'm sorry for ignoring you all day," she quickly adds, her gaze falling to the ground. "I should've just talked to you instead of running away like an idiot."
I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful that she finally acknowledged it. "It's fine. I'm sorry too, for, um... y'know." Heat rises to my cheeks as I'm reminded of why we're in this awkward spot in the first place. If I just kept my urges in check, neither of us would've felt like this.
"U-um, it's okay, that's partially my fault too anyways," she says, chuckling nervously. Minji looks up at the moon and inhales deeply. "It's really pretty tonight." Something in my head shifts as she utters those words, and I'm suddenly hit with a wave of deja vu as Minji shifts from "The daughter of the founder of a highly esteemed multimillion dollar company" to "The girl who's afraid of spiders and likes teddy bears and dreams of becoming a singer one day against her parents' wishes". The girl that I fell in love with.
I nod in agreement, but all my focus is on Minji, more beautiful than any celestial body could hope to be. The wind makes her long, black hair float and ebb like a stream of the finest silk, while the Milky Way traps itself in her irises, containing the beauty of an entire galaxy in just her eyes alone. She shivers as another gust of wind floats past, and I contemplate whether or not I should give her my sweater. I'm wearing a tank top underneath, so it's not like I would be flashing her all of a sudden...
Without anymore hesitation, I take the sweater off my back and hand it to her. "U-uh, here. Y-you seem cold," I stutter awkwardly.
"O-oh!" Her cheeks turn a bright pink as she eyes my upper body, her gaze flying back and forth. "Thanks, that's very, um, sweet of you," she says, wrapping the sweater over her shoulders.
"Y-yeah, no problem..."
We stand there in complete silence, simply watching the moon as the crickets and the wind play their abstract melodies. The breeze may be cold, but it's nothing compared to the warmth I feel in my heart for Minji. I want to tell her how I feel. I wanna scream it from the top of this hill for everyone to hear.
But I can't. What good would it do, knowing that it won't work out? I know life has been nothing but cruel to me, but having the person who fills me with nothing but joy be this close to me yet still so far away is this cruelest act it's committed. I'm cursed to live a life of mediocrity while Minji undoubtedly skyrockets to a space among the stars, a place that I can never hope to reach.
Minji glances at me, scanning the bruises on my arm. Without a single utterance, she gently traces her finger over them, leaving a line of electricity in its wake. "How are you feeling?" She asks softly.
"I'm fine. Like I said, I've been through worse," I say.
She sighs, moving closer to inspect the injuries. "I'm sorry to hear that."
I turn to her, her face much closer than before. "Y'know, I think you're the first person to ever say that to me."
"What do you mean?"
I shrug. "People don't really talk to me in general. They'll look at the cuts and the bruises and think that I probably deserve them. And maybe they're right."
"Hey," she lightly chides. "Don't say that, they're not right at all."
"I'm always sticking my neck into situations that I don't belong in, it's only natural for me to get hit every once in a while."
"Still, that doesn't mean you deserve to get hurt." The worry in her tone begins to grow with each word.
"I've hurt countless people in the past, Minji. There's literal blood on my hands. To say I don't deserve some kind of divine punishment would be wrong."
"O-okay, but—"
"And maybe this is it. This is my punishment." I look in her eyes, tears slowly welling up within them. "My mother's dead. My father became an alcoholic. I'm left to survive alone while people look at me like a monster. I constantly get into fights because I'm hard-wired to have this fucked up sense of justice that I have to act on for some reason. A-and..." And you. The greatest punishment of all is meeting you. Because I know that I'm not good enough for you and I never will be. No matter how much I like you, you're always going to be light years away.
"...My life has been nothing but a punishment, one after another. I deserve to—"
"Stop!" Minji shouts, pushing me back a bit. "Just... stop, Yuno. You don't deserve any of that. When I look at you, all I see is someone that's been treated unfairly their whole life. You deserve to be happy. I-I mean, look at where you are now! You have friends that care about you, your dad is doing so much better now, and I..." She looks at me with steely determination. Her chest rises and falls with breath, as if she's made up her mind about something.
And then she kisses me.
Her arms clumsily wrap around my head, pulling me into her lips. It's rough and messy, yet so sweet and soft. The heat in my chest expands, hitting every cell in my body. I melt into her, placing my hands gently above her waist. All of my feelings for her are contained in my lips, transferring over in a silent exchange. Her lips are everything I've ever dreamed of and more.
Minji pulls away slightly to catch her breath, warm puffs of her dancing against my cheeks. We look into each other's eyes, not a word spoken but so many things said before going back in for another, this kiss more gentle than the first. She softly cups my cheek, caressing me with her fingers. I pull her in, wanting to be as close to her as physically possible. I want nothing more than to be here in this perfect moment with her forever.
A glass shatters against the concrete, ripping us out of our blissful space. We scramble to get off of each other as Sunghoon stands there, his jaw dropped in shock.
