1. petty little princess

"Ya, Lim Jugyeong," Those were the only words Han Seojun said that entire evening, only for him to get a response of more crying and wailing, even Suho, the supposed boyfriend of the heartbroken girl could not get her tears to stop. "Ya, stop crying will you!" Han Seojun was not frustrated because of the loud incessant sobs of the fragile girl, instead he was very close to crying himself because to see the girl he loves to be this sad, was sadder for him. 

"Ah-nee-oh," Lim Jugyeong cried, water now dripping from her nose as she sniffed, Suho passed her the new set of tissue box while Han Seojun lost half a pound by walking around the duo, in a straight line and back again. "You would not understand, Seojun," Jugyeong sniffed again, taking the tissue box from Suho's hand and looking at the frustrated guy, "you did not get your heart broken..." 

That made both Lee Suho and Han Seojun to look at each other, and while Suho rubbed Jugyeong's shoulder, comforting her, Seojun halted his long strides immediately and sighed . Well, he was the Prince of heartbreak, but Lim Jugyeong was too naive to understand that. But that also meant that Seojun knew exactly what it meant to have someone's heart broken, more than that, the trust and mutual understanding shattered over something so petty.

Suho had bought cup noodles for the three, trying to cheer up the girl with some nice warm soupy noodles, and while Lim Jugyeong appreciated the gesture, Han Seojun had anger written over his face, his hands fisted as he thought about the massive shitty step the smartest girl in their class had taken and what angered him was that how someone can be so mean under their soft exterior. 

Kang Soojin

The very thought of that tall girl, made Han Seojun wanting to beat someone up, if not her. How could she, knowing all about Lim Jugyeong's past, leak that video and moreover, how could she step over their friendship for some petty revenge scheme. She really was fortunate that day since Han Seojun had missed school and Lee Suho was too busy pacifying his girlfriend. Both of the boys were furious, infuritated and just simply mad, Suho more than anyone considering how he often regarded Soojin as his only friend. But comforting Lim Jugyeong was more important to him than confronting Soojin and there was no way he'd waste anymore time on that girl.

But Han Seojun wanted desperately to let Soojin feel the same pain, the same heartbreak which Lim Jugyeong was now suffering with. He wanted that petty little princess to exactly feel how it is to have someone's trust broken.   

"Lim Jugyeong, we should call it a day, why don't you finish this and I'll drop you home and you get a good rest?" Suho suggested, calmly, even though he was anything but that. His voice held contempt for what happened, but he prioritsed his girlfriend's state of mind much more than anyone else. "Maybe we can get ice-cream later?"

Lim Jugyeong nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand as she took the bowl from Suho's hands, "why would Soojin do something like this?" She said, more to herself than the boys, "why would she throw away our friendship, was it me?" Suho only sighed, letting Lim Jugyeong have a little time to herself, patiently waiting for her to finish while Seojun could wait no longer. His clenched jaw, fisted hands, and angry red eyes was a clear sign on how much he wanted to go and confront the girl who could stoop so low. 

"Han Seojun..." Suho said, rather warned him to not do anything stupid because he knew how his best friend was, they were two sides of the same coin, and if Suho would think over before deciding, Seojun would do it and then think over it. "Don't..."

Han Seojun shook his head, eyeing Suho as he stepped back, and with a last glance at the girl who wiped another one of her tears, he was out of the bookstore, and on the dark street. He was seething in rage when he came out, really wanting to scream and go give Kang Soojin a piece of his mind and he hopped on his bike, accelerating through the wind towards the girl's house. However, he stopped midway, coming back to his senses and out of his rage when he realised that speaking to Soojin would just be useless and a waste of time.

If he wanted her to be heartbroken, he would have to break her heart.

"Aish..." He yelled in frustration as he removed his helmet, and hit the tank of his bike, only hitting his finger in the process. Fortunately, his phone rang, and unfortunately, it was his mother who had already called three times that evening and if he did not reach home before the fifth call, he would have to face the wrath of his mother which was much more than his and his sisters' combined. "Kang Soojin," He muttered, like a grumpy old man as he rode his bike home, speeding away even though his mother asked him not to, "tomorrow, I shall deal with you tomorrow." 

"tomorrow," Kang Soojin lowered her head as the sharp vicious words of her father rang in her head, "tomorrow is the result day, and if you have not scored the highest rank, you better don't come home." That was a threat, but Soojin hardly reacted to these threats. She knew she had to come home, because if she did not, her father would resort to other resources and she'd rather take the humilation than be embarassed. 

Soojin replayed the video she had help publish on the school community page, although it did get taken down, it was saved and republished on various other social media platforms, increase in its view count and comments was what facinated her. However, she was not happy, nor was she content. Weird, since all of this was done only so she could feel better, maybe a little more relaxed, a little more... at peace. Yet, the very moment she had clicked on submit, the anxieties seamingly resurfaced faster and Soojin did not even had to wait for the video to be a hit, it already was a low hit to her.

But did she regret doing it.

No, not at all. 

To love a guy, all her life, and to see him in love with someone else, that someone being a two faced, gullible and naive girl with average intelligence, was both heartbreaking and infuriating. Soojin never would have thought that the most naive, innocent looking Lim Jugyeong would ever be the girl to steal Suho from her. She did not just steal the guy whom she loved, she stole her home, her safe haven from her too and to repay it back, Soojin stole Jugyeong's peace of mind by unleashing her secret to the world.

A secret which was deceit since the start and no, Soojin did not think she did anything wrong by revealing the truth to everyone. 

"Soojin-ah," Her mother called from the other side of the door, she was the only reason why Soojin had to live with a monster of a dad, "Soojin, are you not coming for dinner?" Soojin hardly ate at home, she could not sit with her father without wanting to rub the skin off her hand and right now, her reddish hands were begging for mercy. 

"Ani," She replied, loudly, switching off the lights at once, "I ate at school," She lied, and her mother let her be, knowing how tomorrow's dawn would be an anxious await. She heard her mother's footsteps fade in the distance, the house she resided in was huge, but she still felt so lonely and anxious.

Just the thought about tomorrow, about the results, about Suho and Jugyeong, about the viral video, about the people who'd judge Lim Jugyeong, and Suho and Soo-ah who would question her, and having to face all of it again made her anxious, and Soojiin's anxieties always made her feel dirty... the urge to wash her hands now became stronger and she looked at her hands in the dimmed light and although she wanted to fight off the urge, she gave in when she saw a message from Suho. 

He never texted her ever, unless it was a one word reply for her queries, and as Soojin rubbed her hands over the sink, the burning sensation somehow easing her inner turmoil, the dawn of tomorrow became a much awaited concern.

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Kang Soojin hardly got any eyes at her because the very famous Lim Jugyeong was still the talk of the school, especially now that the video kept resurfacing constantly on the school community page. Even if the old ones would be deleted or reported, somehow that video would often remain at the homepage of the community group.

But of course, her friends looked at her with what she knew was contempt, especially the way Soo-ah and her boyfriend, Tae Hoon turned their heads at her, Lee Suho only looking ahead at the teacher and Lim Jugyeong's empty seat garnering attention. She sat down at her place, by herself, as she always was and when the report cards for the mid term were handed, Soojin looked at her scorecard only to see her grades dropping all the more.

That would leave a mark.

She held the piece of paper in her hand, afraid to go back home with this and yet, ready to leave the school to avoid being under the burning glares of her friends. Or were they not her friends anymore?

Suho undoubtedly stood first again, and while Soojin often scored second, this time she fell all the way to the fifth place. That happened because she couldn't stop thinking about Lim Jugyeong and Suho's relationship back when she had first caught them kissing and ever since, all she did was think about them.

The class was dismissed when the period bell rang and while the others headed to the cafeteria for lunch, Suho marched towards the stone cold girl.

"I don't want to," Suho spoke, his cold voice a little more icier, a little more strange as he looked at Soojin, the girl who didn't bother to stand. "But we have to talk. Atleast I know I have to..." Suho could easily hide his feelings and emotions behind his icy exterior, and although he was questioning how his friend could even think of betraying and bullying Jugyeong, he kept a straight face.

"If you're here to ask me why I did it." Soojin looked at him, her signature blank look, which Suho was never accustomed to, kept the conversation on the lower end. "Then I don't have anything to say to you."

"But you have to answer me."

Soojin and Suho turned at that familiar, loud and chaotic voice. Han Seojun never looked this angry as he did then. Soojin hadn't even noticed that he was absent the entire first half but now that he stood at the door, his bag slinging behind and his eyes only glaring at her, she remembered that Lim Jugyeong had another guy wrapped around her little finger.

"Wae," Soojin scoffed, as Han Seojun walked towards the duo, the remainder of their classmates were unbothered about the discussion between the three. "Why would I?"

Han Seojun only rolled his eyes, and grabbed onto Soojin's arm, pulling her up in a swift response, alarming both Soojin and Suho. "Because I said so." He replied, his clenched jaw and Soojin's gritted teeth were enough for the others to now stop chatting and witness the unfolding of a fight.

"Seojun..." Suho said, trying to comprehend the situation and handle Seojun's temper, but Han Seojun heard no one as he pulled Soojin with him, outside the class and away from the crowd.

Soojin didn't fight her way out of Seojun's grip, even though she knew she could easily do so and Seojun didn't create a scene in front of the others, even when he wanted to do so. Their intensity was enough to make the silence between them, a signal for the calm before the storm.

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