YeongMi was grateful that the ride to the school was long, traffic clogging up the seemingly endless road.

It gave her time to compose herself, build up the concrete walls and perhaps reminisce for just a little while longer before she had to deal with the real world that was bratty, entitled kids and judgemental teachers.

She found herself complaining to Miss Yi, and it greatly reminded her of the early days, whining about her classmates as she sat on the table, swinging her legs wildly and causing Miss Yi to have to dodge the kicks as she made dinner.

She really was a rotten kid. But Miss Yi never seemed to mind.

"They're all so entitled, thinking they're better because of their money. It's sickening."

Miss Yi pursed her lips, and YeongMi scowled at her. "What, you don't believe me?"

"Oh, of course. But, it seems the young mistress has forgotten her previous ways."

"I was not entitled!"

Miss Yi's face remained scrunched up, and YeongMi crossed her arms. "Fine, maybe I acted hostile, but I really did hate the status."

"I know. I wish I could have done something about it for the young mistress."

YeongMi's heart swelled, pushing away the stone that was struggling to freeze it. "Miss Yi, you were the only good thing about living in that house, especially after my brother left. If it weren't for you, I don't know what would have happened. And you helped me leave, didn't you? So there."

"Anything to help the young mistress."

"The only thing that could make you better would be if you called me YeongMi. After all these years, haven't you earned that much?"

"I suppose not, young mistress."

YeongMi smiled to herself; if nothing else, it was comforting to know that Miss Yi hadn't changed a bit. It was comfortable, familiar. A good memory suspended among all the bad.

"So, how about the young mistress tells me about the other kids that got in trouble now?"

"Miss Yi, I don't exactly remember their faces."

"I think the young mistress knows that I mean the classmates."

YeongMi sighed, stretching her legs out and leaned her seat back so she could stare at the roof rather than see them inching closer to the school.

"I guess we used to be friends, but I didn't want to be anymore."

"And what caused that, young mistress?"

"Nothing special, I just don't play well with others."

"I think there's more to it that the young mistress doesn't want to tell."

Maybe it was the way that Miss Yi didn't push the topic too much, or maybe it was the childhood memories of confessions, but YeongMi found herself speaking the truth, rather than lying like she was used to.

"Well, for one I'm not used to being around people. It's nice, but I never really got to be alone, you know?"

Miss Yi was alone for most of the year, but she pretended to understand, nodding softly.

"And then this girl came to school, and everything started falling apart, so I abandoned the whole thing before it collapsed in on me." Okay, maybe she wasn't telling the whole truth. Maybe it had collapsed on her many times before she gave up. Maybe she hadn't avoided getting hurt.

"A girl ruined it for the young mistress? Pardon me, but that doesn't sound like the whole story."

YeongMi huffed, but conceded. It was nice, to tell someone, especially someone she knew wouldn't tell another soul.

"Well, she had dated one of the boys before, but she moved away. And she didn't appreciate me so close to her property when she returned."

"Did this boy have a name?"

"No, funnily enough, he actually didn't."

Miss Yi struggled against the urge to laugh, and her hands clenched on the steering wheel.

"Anyways, she was trying to poison everyone against me. She acts sweet in front of them, but she's rotten to the core."

YeongMi found herself getting angry at the thought of Bora.

"I held on for as long as I could, but then the guys themselves turned on me, claiming they didn't know me, and I realized that they weren't worth the trouble."

YeongMi felt bad, discounting all of them as bad. "Well, maybe that's not fair. Not all of them were bad, but it just hurt too much to be around them, after all that happened."

"So the girl got what she wanted, and the young mistress is in pain while trying to avoid pain?"

YeongMi rolled her eyes, knowing that Miss Yi was right. "Maybe the young mistress isn't always as tough as people think she is."

Miss Yi couldn't resist looking over when YeongMi spoke so weakly. She knew that YeongMi wouldn't give anymore, she changed the subject. "Perhaps there is a lack of suitable girls at the school, if the young mistress only knew this group of boys."

"There's a girl from a different school, but she doesn't get out much," what a lie, "so I don't see her often."

"Is she also nameless?"

"No, her name is Hyjoon. Although I like to call her dumbass instead. She's really short. She's young, but still. What a short kid. So short. The shortest. Mini child."

YeongMi smiled fondly at the thought of Hyjoon, and Miss Yi grinned, seeing YeongMi's face relaxed and happy.