Han Bi's POV

Eighth day of torture.

It's really not doing me good. I would walk to school with loud chatters about me filling my ears. My head is always bowed down low. I always bump into people because of doing that, and even though I say sorry they would try their best to be as rude as they can about it.

It's the typical type of torture. I always get shoved on, there are always nasty remarks on my locker, everyone throws stuff at me in my class and write nasty words on my desk, etc. Hanna always tries to talk to me and help me about it but I couldn't utter a word.

And.. Jin, he still won't stop caring.

I kept on begging him to stop, I don't want him to get hated by people too. In the end, everyone likes him. I don't want people to hate him just because he's on the poor, defenseless girl's side.

But he really won't stop. He kept on showing me how much he cares but I just push him away. He's just going to make it more difficult for the two of us, right?

It's been more than a week and I just couldn't help but be passive about it. My brother always asks me what's wrong, kept on knocking on my bedroom door and never get tired of doing so just to find out what's going on. I want to talk to him so much, but I don't know what he can do.

If I talk to him about it.. he might ask our parents to make me move school, and I don't want that. I'm leaving too many people behind. So I kept my mouth shut.

I could endure it right? As long as I don't leave Hanna, Ye-eun, Soojin, and Seokjin behind. Even if it hurts me so much.

I feel so scared of going to school everyday. Our driver would give me words of encouragement everyday like he always does and I always try my best to get those pieces of encouragement in my mind. I'm really grateful that even if he doesn't know a thing about this, he still tries to make me happy. Just like everyone else in my family.

It's Wednesday today, and I finally made up my mind on how I'm just sick of my fake appearance. I didn't put on my lame pigtails and my fake glasses for once, and that's today.

"Han Bi, don't let people in this school bring you down okay?" Ahjussi told me after I stepped down of the car. I gave him a fake smile. "Arrasseo." I shortly replied.

"Alright, alright. Remember, fighting!" He said and clenched his fist to give me the 'fighting' gesture. "Yeah, fighting.." I said in a low voice. The car disappeared shortly after.

I walked in, taking a deep breath.

You'll get to your classroom fast Han Bi, don't freaking cry. You want to make it through the students' glares without a tear welling up in your eyes, alright?

I trudged to the classroom and immediately stopped in front of it. My hand rested on the doorknob for a minute. I really don't want to go in, I'm still not used to the treatment and I might not handle it when I enter.

I then felt someone shove me hard to the side, "Why don't you just go inside already, brat? Still thinking about more peasant crimes to do? Urgh, get a break. We all know how much you hurt Sang-mi." I heard Seol-na speak.

That's not true. I stood there, speechless. She just rolled her eyes at me and went inside the classroom, the door making a loud bang, making me flinch a little.

I then saw Jin walking slowly to the door, about to go inside he classroom but then he saw me here standing like an idiot. He sighed ang gestured me to go inside first.

I shook my head. "That classroom is a hell hole, in fact this whole school is. I really just want to leave this school." I said in a low, serious voice.

He gave me a short weird look. "Come on, Han Bi. Don't talk nonsense. We need to go inside already." He said.

I became pissed in a heartbeat. "So you think this torture is nonsense, huh Seokjin? You think it's funny getting picked on and geting hated by people for something you didn't do?" I asked in an irritated tone.

I just went in already before he tried stopping me from doing so. I felt the stares and an eraser thrown at my head. After that, more and more erasers got thrown right at me, followed by giggles and boisterous laugh.

"Look, it's the bitch Han Bi! It's still surprising how she's still in this school and hasn't commited suicide yet." One girl shouted.

I bit my lip to prevent tears from flowing down. Hanna was right beside me telling people to shut up, but I'm still here staring at the ground controlling my tears.

Everyone hates me so much.

It's better, right? People hating me than having fake friends.

I suddenly remembered the email Haneul unnie sent me this morning. That email was just like an arrow that impaled me somewhere by the heart. I can't believe everything's done.

Dear Han Bi,

Hey! How's it going? My film was just finished being shot! It's going to be in cinemas in a month.. You don't need to worry about the reason why you're there in your uncle's school anymore. Actually, you don't even need to be in there at the first place.

I'm sending this email just to check up on you if you're sill doing good there and if people treat you nicely. Send me back an email alright? I really want to remind you that you've told a lie to everyone. I want you to tell the truth before things get worse.

You don't have that much time.

- Haneul unnie

The more I think about it, there's really just a non-existent reason left. A non-existent reason why I'm still in my uncle's school. There's no reason why I'm still doing this anymore.

I could leave, right? There are no reasons and I'm getting some shitty treatment from students.

Tears welled up in my eyes already, and I immediately wiped them off.

No, I don't want to leave just yet. I don't know why but it seems like there are so many reasons why I don't want leave, but I can't even enumerate a few of them.

I need to find out what those reasons are.

Maybe Seokjin is one of them— actually, maybe he's a big one.

~

It was 1pm when school was cancelled because of the heavy rain and thunderstorms. I didn't bring any umbrella, and I was still under the shade, afraid to go. I was soaked because it took me ages before finding an appropriate shade.

My brother kept on flooding me with texts, nagging me and telling me to come home early.

But I was too stupid.

I stayed because I saw Jin alone in the shade, sitting on a bench near a classroom. His hair was a little wet and his clothes were too, but he wasn't as soaked as I was.

See how stupid I am?

Staying at school even because I saw the guy I'm in love with sitting alone.

I really need to stop caring.

Yet, I didn't. I slowly walked to him and sat beside him in the bench he was sitting at. "I'm sorry for this morning," I cleared my throat and started. "I was completely out of my mind talking to you like that. I didn't mean it."

He turned his head to me and have me a small smile. My disobedient heart started racing when I mentally told it not to. "It's fine, though I feel very pissed about something."

Huh? "What, why?" I asked.

"Students in this school are assholes." He started. "They're being too cruel to you, they're hurting you so much. And yet you don't mind? Why can't you do that, Han Bi? Stand up for yourself." He continued.

I gulped a little.

"T-There's was really nothing wrong, except for the thief accusation. It was my fault you're not driving your attention to Sang-mi anymore. Maybe I need to stop being the—"

"Bullshit." He cursed. I immediately looked at him in confusion. "I never wanted to pay attention to Sang-mi, she was just making up stupid reasons for the students to hate you with her." He continued.

I really didn't know what to say.

He became silent too and stared at me.

"I really don't know why you're making things up. Whether or not you want to make me believe something else, I don't think I'm going to buy it." I replied.

It took him a while before talking again.

"But why don't you blame me? Don't you know that I was the reason why they're hurting you? You're smart, you should be able to find that out by now." He said back.

I can't even find words to say.

"I'm sorry." I said shortly. That was all I can say. He's too smart, isn't he?

He heaved an exasperated sigh again. "Okay, how about this. We'll stop being friends already. If that's going to do us good, then I'm up for it." He said and stood up immediately.

He doesn't know what he's making me feel, doesn't he? Tears started welling up in my eyes, I then stood up too. "You don't know anything, don't you?"

"Know anything about what?"

My feelings, idiot.

"It's.. it's not that easy. Don't make it sound so easy to do just because you can do it. The thing is I can't do anything like that." I said, careful not to slip any careless confessions.

But wouldn't it be really effective, right? If we stop being friends, I could get over him easily. And if I do, I can leave with ease without shedding any tears, and without caring too much.

"Are you sure? It would be quite difficult at first, but we'll get used to it. It will prevent the pain right? It will." He said and ruffled my hair. I can feel my vision being blurry because of the tears welling up.

"I'll leave." He said and was about to walk away. I quickly grabbed his blazer sleeve, looking down at it so that my watery eyes won't be seen.

"No way.." My knees become weak.

My brain says it's a good idea, my heart disagrees.

"There's still rain, you're going out without an umbrella?" I asked, just to find a reason to make him stay for a moment. He shook his head and smiled. "It's going to be fine, I'm going to find shades everytime I walk."

"Okay seriously. I really think this is not helping anyone, the stop-being-friends thing." I stated in an annoyed tone.

"I want people to stop hurting you okay? Your life doesn't deserve to be any worse." He mentioned and gently removed his sleeve from my touch.

I forcibly tugged on his sleeve. "But.. I.."

Don't tell him a word about your feelings Han Bi, he'll reject you and leave you crying.

Because he loves Hanna.

So don't.

"I will miss you..." I breathed, my heeks flaring red. "I will miss you so much if that will ever happen. I.. I don't want to die just because of missing someone, that's sick." I said and laughed a little too.

He silenced for a moment and didn't turn to face me. I released my hand. He must've hated that. "It's okay. I get it, you think I'm crazy. I probably am. Bye for now, I think I need to get a brain checkup." I decided to say and walked away from the scene.

I was about to run but that would be too obvious.

"Yah, Han Bi." He suddenly called me, making me stop in my tracks. "What?"

"You've fallen for me, haven't you?" He said, with a smirk on his face that I wasn't waiting for. I can't speak since I might stutter, I just blushed. This is going to kill me. What do I say?

Heart, not right now. He might hear you beating like this.

I released a nervous scoff. "Don't try outsmarting me, okay? I-I'm going now." I said, which I admit was very neutral. As long as it didn't make anything obvious, I'm fine.

I thought that he'll give me a reason why to leave.

But he didn't, he's giving me a reason why to stay.

~

Jin's POV (A/N: I waited for this too. This is Jin's side at what happened just then.)

Sang-mi never left my mind since this morning. She's out of her mind, blaming Han Bi on everything.

That girl.. she didn't deserve that. Any of this. What bugs me is that I'm the cause of everything. I told Sang-mi to stop once, but she disobeyed me and told me to not talk to her about her doings to Han Bi, ever.

If only she could open her eyes and realize what she's doing right now.

At the moment, I'm sitting here on a bench with my gaze focused on the heavy rain pouring in front of me. Classes were cancelled because of the heavy storm and the heavy rain. I was planning on going but then I heard a voice speak.

"I'm sorry for this morning. I was completely out of my mind talking to you like that. I didn't mean it."

I turned to look. I was right, the voice I liked the most talked to me: Han Bi's.

Why does she always say sorry? Can't she think for once that everything she does isn't always wrong? "It's fine, though I feel very pissed about something."

"What? Why?" She asked.

It's because you're letting yourself get hurt by others. You think I'd want that?

"Students in this school are assholes." I started. "They're being too cruel to you, they're hurting you so much. And yet you don't mind? Why can't you do that, Han Bi? Stand up for yourself." I started.

Why can't she do that for once? Why is she being too much of a coward now? None of those reasons why they hate her is true anyway.

I heard her talk again. "T-There's was really nothing wrong, except for the thief accusation. It was my fault you're not driving your attention to Sang-mi anymore. Maybe I need to stop being the—"

"Bullshit." I cursed. I rarely do, and my friends think of it as a sign of my seriousness.

"I never wanted to pay attention to Sang-mi, she was just making up stupid reasons for the students to hate you with her." I said in all honesty.

Sang-mi has been around me for ages, and never once did I have any feelings for her. I think of her too much as someone who just exists to annoy me.

I then got to that point, again, staring at Han Bi's face. I should really refrain from doing this, the last time I did was when I kissed her so suddenly.

Me too, I was surprised at what I've done that time. Well.. what can I do? She looked so angelic that time while playing seriously, actually every time. I like it so much when she smiles too—

"I really don't know why you're making things up. Whether or not you want to make me believe something else, I don't think I'm going to buy it." I replied.

Where were we again?

"But why don't you blame me? Don't you know that I was the reason why they're hurting you? You're smart, you should be able to find that out by now."

I tried putting on a mad tone but I just can't, Han Bi is just someone you can't get mad at.

"I'm sorry." She says.

Stop doing that, Han Bi. I sighed again. That's when a very stupid idea crossed my mind.

"Okay, how about this. We'll stop being friends already. If that's going to do us good, then I'm up for it." I said and stood up right after this.

If that happens, they will stop hurting her, and my guilt will fade away.

I then heard a sniff. Like.. crying.

I crushed her heart again.

She's now crying. The part that breaks my heart the most. When I make her cry just because I'm an asshole myself.

"You don't know anything, don't you?"

Yes, Han Bi. I don't know anything, I know just as much as you do. Nothing.

Tell me now why you're crying. You won't be crying if you don't feel anything towards me, right? It's because if you didn't, none of the things I said will affect you.

"Know anything about what?"

"It's.. it's not that easy. Don't make it sound so easy to do just because you can do it. The thing is I can't do anything like that."

I know that it isn't easy too, I really hope you'd understand that.

"Are you sure? It would be quite difficult at first, but we'll get used to it. It will prevent the pain right? It will."

I heard her sniff again, more tears might be falling down right now. It breaks my heart too.

"I'll leave." I said and was about to walk away. I can't bear seeing her in any more pain. She then grabbed my blazer sleeve.

"No way.. There's still rain, you're going out without an umbrella?" She said. I smiled, she was so cute. "It's going to be fine, I'm going to find shades everytime I walk." I lied.

It isn't fine walking alone under the rain. But at least it's better than seeing Han Bi  cry because of my horrible doings.

"Okay seriously. I really think this is not helping anyone, the stop-being-friends thing." It is, Han Bi, but why don't you ever think about that?

"I want people to stop hurting you okay? Your life doesn't deserve to be any worse." I muttered and gently removed her hand away.

She tugged on my sleeve. "But.. I.."

"I will miss you..." She said, making my heartbeat come to a stop. "I will miss you so much if that will ever happen. I.. I don't want to die just because of missing someone, that's sick."

It's her effect working on me again. My heart is suddenly racing.

"It's okay. I get it, you think I'm crazy. I probably am. Bye for now, I think I need to get a brain checkup." She's too adorable.

I watched her while she's trying to walk away.

"Yah, Han Bi."

"What?"

"You've fallen for me, haven't you?" I teased with a smirk.

But it would be really nice if she has.

Because I did.

She then released a scoff. "Don't try outsmarting me, okay? I-I'm going now." She said and walked away, like it was an easy question.

Of course she will never admit.

She still thinks I loved Hanna and I admit I thought so too.

But this girl got me. Ever since when summer started.

Yet I don't expect her to return the same feeling.

~

Han Bi's POV

It was a weekend with surprisingly no assignments when I decided to go out for a stroll in the morning. I thought that maybe it will help me loosen up and make me think life is way better than I think.

I'm still in the dilemma of whether or not I'll leave my uncle's school or not, but if I keep on thinking about that then what's the purpose of walking around in the city?

My mum knew I was going to aimlessly walk around, so she gave me some stranger danger self defense weapons. There was a pepperspray, a taser and a fake grenade for some reason.

The day was cloudy. Only a small amount of sun rays hit my face. There were many women my age jogging around and young mothers with their kids. I was alone, but it felt refreshing.

After an hour of walking, it suddenly became so sunny. I then decided to look for some shade and stayed under the three. There was peace and quiet.

Until..

"BOO!" A guy who's complete upside down suddenly appeared down from the tree, his face inches close to mine. I was so surprised that screamed and non-hesitantly I slapped him in the face. He winced and groaned in pain and dropped himself on the ground.

I was dying of worry when I saw him struggling to get up. I quickly looked over him and held his hand, pulling him up.

I squeezed my eyes shut and said a sincere apologoy. "Oh my God, I'm really really sorry! I didn't mean to slap you, it was just what my stupid reflexes made me do!"

He chortled. "What are you saying, it's alright." That voice is very familiars

I didn't believe it when I saw a clear version of his face.

"Sanghyuk?!" I shouted. He gave me a small smile.

"Hello again, princess."

"But— What- How— Where have you been? You haven't been here for ages!" I exclaimed, my heart racing widly. Wow, that surprised me a lot. I can't believe I'll ever see him again.

"Can we talk about how my whole body– especially my face still hurts right now?" He asked with a laugh. I jolted in panic.

"I'm really sorry! I didn't expect you to fall off a tree like that! What do I do to make it feel better?" I asked. He put on a silly smile on his face.

"How about a kiss? I think that makes me feel better." He said and winked. I was caught in a trance immediately.

My heartbeat didn't race faster.

"I was just messing with you." He chuckled.

Can Sanghyuk be one of the reasons why to stay, and not Jin anymore? Because that will hurt less.

---