She wore her hair down, auburn locks falling over her shoulders and to her waist, adorned with a small, red clip-on bow. She had some eyeliner around her eyes, and was a few inches taller than Eunji. Despite wearing the same uniform as everyone else, she looked different in it. Maybe it was because the material was richer, the tie make of silk, the skirt embroidered with fine thread.
Or maybe it was the way she held herself, confident, as though no one could do or say anything to get in her way.
It took Eunji a second to realize, that it was Kwon Soojin, the shy girl that had arrived at the end of 9th grade. She didn't know Soojin too well but remembered being nice to her when they occasionally talked to each other. Her lack of knowledge of the girl was mostly because she left school 2 weeks into 10th grade.
"Yah, Eunji-ah," the girl beside her addressed Eunji, a friendly grin on her face, "It's been a long time, why did you fall of the map so suddenly, I was worried! I always asked Jinae about you but she said nothing!"
Yeji looked worried despite her smile, scanning her friends figure for any injuries, nervously studying her facial expressions.
Eunji laughed, changing the subject, "How've you been? Dated any guys lately?"
Yeji shook her head, still concerned but she took the hint, dropping the topic completely, lapsing into thoughtful silence.
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Eunji ascended up the stairs, her red tufts of hair flowing down her back, stopping halfway. She attracted a few curious stares from students in the hallway, and the occasional whisper.
She raised her eyebrow, nonplussed as to why her return was so controversial. Even a few freshmen were giving her weird looks.
She brushed it off, skipping merrily into the bathroom, locking the stall, setting her bag on the small counter above the toilet.
A few more people entered the bathroom, their voices high pitched and preppy. The clatter of purses and bags on the sink resonated across the bathroom along with the small thud of the door closing.
"Did you hear that Eunji's back?" Her ears perked up at the mention of her name, eyes narrowing suspiciously.
There were a few low hums.
"I overheard Yeji asking her why she didn't come to school," the one closest to her stall spoke up, her voice slightly nasal, "she completely avoided the question."
There were a few scoffs and another spoke up, "Probably because the rumors of her getting pregnant are true."
They all snickered, the small tapping of their makeup items being set down on the counter filling the room as they subsided into silence.
Eunji held back a scoff and the urge to punch the wall, listening intently to what the one with the slight nasal voice had to say again.
"Imagine how shameless you have to be to have the guts to show up at school after everyone finding out you got pregnant," she let out a false laugh, everyone else following her.
Eunji huffed, grabbing her bag, unlocking the stall and walking out, a sarcastic smile on her face.
The girls all looked at her, horrified, their mouths dropping open.
Eunji ignored them, fixing her hair, humming a song to herself before finally turning to them.
She licked her lips before speaking.
"Just to be clear, I did not get pregnant, and," she paused looking at them as if they were some nasty thing she found under her shoe, "even if I did, that is none of your fucking business."
They all gaped, some of them turning red in embarrassment. Except the one nearest to her.
"Well if that wasn't it, then why were you not at school for a whole year?" She shot back, towering over Eunji.
"That," she turned on her heel and moved towards the door, "is personal and unfortunately, none of your business."
As soon as she left the bathroom, her features contorted into anger.
How could they just assume something like that?
No wonder everyone was looking at her in such a queer way.
Preoccupied with her thoughts, she didn't even notice she where she was going until she walked into someones chest, the impact making her fall backwards.
She landed on the floor with a thump, everyones attention on her and the other person.
"Are you okay?"
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