Welcome to Aoba Johsai || Iwaizumi Hajime

Chapter 10

⚠ Trigger warning if you don't like the mentioning of bullying.

• • •

Haneul was extra cautious since that day. However, whatever the culprit has planned, it wasn't consistent. Thanks to that, she had no idea when will something happen to her. Her friends were cautious as well that they decided that at least one of them should always be with her until the culprit is found. 

• • •

During lunch, Haneul went to the bathroom to do her business. One of her friends wanted to join her, just in case. However, Haneul reassured her it was fine as nothing happened so far. She managed to persuade her friend before she headed to the bathroom.

Once she was done with her business, she was about to open the stall door when a bucket of water was dumped on her from the top. Haneul looked up in shock but did not see anything. She quickly opened the stall just to see the bathroom empty. Haneul bit her lips before smelling her wet uniform. She sighed in relief when it was just plain water. She tried to squish out the water as much as she can before heading back to her class. 

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Oikawa yelled in shock along with the others staring at her with wide eyes.

"It's just water," she tried to reassure them.

"You are going to get cold," Hanamaki said in worry.

"Does anyone have an extra uniform?" Matsukawa asked.

"I have extra P.E. uniform in my locker," Iwaizumi said as he stood up in a rush.

Iwaizumi grabbed his uniform from his locker and handed it to Haneul. She thanked him before heading back to the bathroom to change with one of her female friends and Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi waited for them outside, just in case the culprit might run out before they could see her.

Once she was done changing, she headed out with her friend. "Thanks, Hajime."

When Iwaizumi looked at her, he blushed at the sight of her with his clothes. He quickly turned away before faking a cough. "A-Anyways, let's go..."

Her friend who saw his reaction smirked with a knowing look.

• • •

The bullying got worse as time passed that it reached the point where Haneul's hands were now full of cuts. There were cutter knives refills scattered inside her desk. Iwaizumi, Hanamaki, Oikawa, and Matsukawa were with her in the counselor's office thanks to this. Meanwhile, the counselor headed out to discuss with the other teachers.

"Are your hands okay?" Oikawa asked as he stared at her bandaged hands.

"You think?" Iwaizumi said in frustration.

"This is getting out of hand," Hanamaki said with a frown.

"How about we try to catch the culprit ourselves since the school isn't doing anything?" Matsukawa suggested.

The four of them gathered their heads together as they whispered to each other. Haneul could not really hear what they were saying. Not that she was in the state to ask them about it or want to know. She just continued to stare at her hands that were full of blood-stained bandages.

As she continued to be in her daze, Iwaizumi tried to get her attention. "-neul! Haneul!"

"H-Huh?" Haneul looked at him with tired eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you..."

Everyone gave her a worried look. "Do you want to go home?"

Haneul nodded her head.  "I want to go home..."

That was when the counselor entered the room. "Haneul, how are your hands?"

"I want to go home..." Haneul said in a soft voice.

The counselor nodded in understanding before calling her advisor to inform him. 

• • •

Her father arrived at Seijoh to fetch her. When he saw his daughter's state, he immediately gave her a hug. "I'm here, Haneul..."

Haneul hugged him back tightly as she let out the tears that she held. "Dad... I wanna go home..."

Her father nodded and helped her to their car before driving back home.

As soon as they arrived, her father told her to get a warm bath, hoping it can calm her tense body even just a little. She listened to her father and did as she was told. As she sat inside the tub, her eyes were empty as she just wanted this to all stop. She didn't want to deal with these anymore. She doesn't want to make her father and friends worry about her any longer. 

As dark thoughts filled up her mind, she heard a knock on the door. "Haneul? Are you done? I made your favourite."

When she heard her father's voice, she snapped back to reality as she wiped the tears she didn't know were flowing down. "I'll head out soon!"

She quickly headed out and before sitting across her father on the dining table. "These looks amazing, dad..."

Her father gave her a faint smile. "I made a lot, so eat as much as you want."

Haneul thanked him before digging in. However, as she ate, her tears once again began to be filled with tears, blurry her sight. When her father saw this, he hugged her as he stroke her hair. "Haneul... my baby..."

As Haneul continued to sob in her father's arms, her father asked a question hesitantly. "Do you want to... want to go back to Korea?"

When she heard his question, she froze. "K-Korea...?"

Her father nodded as he pulled away from her, wiping her tears. "If you want to."

Haneul thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I... I'll think about it..."

Her father gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry..."

Haneul looked at her father with confusion. "Why are you a-apologizing?"

"I was the one who brought you here..." Her father said with guilt.

"It's not your fault, dad," she told him. "I actually do enjoy my life here... It's just that I was met with some unexpected events..."

As her father did not say anything, Haneul stood up from the chair. "Dad, I wanna sleep..."

Her father did not say anything aside from nodding his head.

Haneul head to her room and buried herself under her blanket as she curled herself into a ball. She just wanted to sleep to forget the pain on her hand and her weakened mental state. As she cried, she slowly got enveloped by darkness.

• • •

Haneul doesn't know how long she slept when she felt someone stroking her hair. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Iwaizumi looking at her with furrowed brows. "Ha... jime...?"

Iwaizumi seemed to snap out of his daze as his eyes widened slightly. "Hey, Haneul..."

"What are you doing here?" She asked as she sat up.

"I was worried about you... Everyone else is as well."

Haneul didn't say anything as she glanced at her hands. There was a complete silence between them until Haneul broke it. "I'm tired of this..."

Iwaizui looked at her with understanding.

"I just want these to stop... I'm tired... I'm scared..." Haneul said as her eyes got teary. 

She covered her face as tears began to flow from her eyes. "I'm scared, Hajime... I don't know what's waiting for me next..."

Iwaizumi quickly hugged her tightly. Haneul removed her hands from her face before clinging onto Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi did not say anything as his eyes were full of anger and determination. 

'I promise I will find that culprit and end this.' His arms tightened around her at his thoughts. He was going to protect her no matter what.