FRAGILE - Hierarchy

• 008 •

The night had been long and restless for Ellie. She tossed and turned in her small apartment, replaying the events of the evening in her mind. Hera's unexpected announcement about In Ha being Jae-i's boyfriend still echoed in her ears, and the tension of the night weighed heavily on her. She finally drifted off to sleep, only to be awakened by a soft knock at her door.

Groggily, Ellie glanced at the clock. It was far too early for visitors. She rubbed her eyes and pulled herself out of bed, making her way to the door. When she opened it, she was startled to see In Ha standing there with one of their schoolmates, a boy named Min Ho.

"In Ha? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep and confusion.

In Ha looked slightly uncomfortable but determined. "We're going to school," he said simply.

Ellie blinked at him, trying to process his words. "At this hour?" she asked, dumbfounded. "It's still dark outside."

Min Ho nodded, looking a bit anxious. "Yes, we need to look for something important."

Ellie frowned, still not fully understanding. "But it's not even morning yet. What could be so important?"

In Ha sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's complicated, Ellie. But trust me, we need your help."

Ellie's mind raced. She felt the weight of last night's drama pressing on her shoulders, but she also sensed the urgency in In Ha's voice. She realized this might be his way of coping with the situation, and perhaps, it could help her too.

"Alright, give me a minute to get ready," she said, finally relenting.

As she hurried to change and gather her things, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of irritation and concern. In Ha had always been a bit of an enigma, and his sudden appearance at her door only added to the mystery. But she also felt a sense of camaraderie with Min Ho, and the idea of focusing on something else was somewhat comforting.

When she emerged, In Ha and Min Ho were waiting patiently. They made their way out into the early morning darkness, the cool air helping to wake Ellie up fully.

The walk to school was quiet, the streets deserted and eerie in the pre-dawn light. Ellie couldn't help but glance at In Ha, trying to read his expression.

He seemed deep in thought, his brow furrowed slightly. She wanted to ask him more about what had happened last night and why he had come to her, but she decided to wait. There would be time for questions later.

They arrived at the school, the gates still locked. Min Ho produced a key from his pocket, explaining that his father was a custodian and had given him a spare key in case of emergencies. Ellie raised an eyebrow at this but said nothing.

They slipped inside and made their way to the boys' locker area. The usually bustling space was eerily silent, the rows of lockers casting long shadows in the dim light.

"So, what exactly are we looking for?" Ellie asked, breaking the silence.

In Ha exchanged a look with Min Ho before turning to Ellie. "There's something hidden in one of these lockers. Drugs. I saw Yun Seok giving Rian some drugs," he said, making Ellie look at him dumbfounded.

"He put them in a locker. Ms. Han said it was antidepressants, but there was more," he continued.

Min Ho nodded, his face serious. "I've heard about them dealing things like edibles and GHB," he said as he entered the combination to the locker.

In Ha quickly opened the locker, but instead of finding drugs, they found pictures-pictures of Jae-i. Ellie, who had been looking into the same locker, froze at the sight of the photos, her breath catching in her throat.

She bit her lip and decided to look away, her emotions in turmoil. Suddenly, something caught her eye. Ellie picked up a stack of photos showing Rian and Jae-i together, smiling and happy. A feeling of something building up in her chest made her sigh deeply as she sat on the bench, trying to ignore the surge of emotions.

Min Ho, noticing In Ha's frozen stance, asked, "What did you find?"

In Ha didn't respond immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was filled with a mix of sadness and awe. "This is the first time I've ever seen her true smile."

Ellie turned to look at In Ha, then at the picture he was holding. Jae-i's genuine smile lit up the photo, a stark contrast to the tension and drama of recent events. The sight of her unguarded happiness stirred something in Ellie, making her feel a pang of envy and longing.

On the other side of town, Rian made his way to Woojin's place. In the warm kitchen, he was greeted by the sweet smiles of Woojin's parents. Woojin's mother handed Rian a bowl of food.

"Hey, Woojin, your mom is so clueless. If I were running for president, I'd need to impress the Josshin heir. This seaweed soup isn't going to cut it," Woojin's dad joked, making Rian chuckle.

"I made it because he asked for it," Woojin's mom replied, earning a chuckle from her husband. "I'm sure Rian will enjoy it though, he likes seaweed soup," Woojin added, prompting his parents to leave the boys alone.

As Rian took a taste, he sighed in disappointment. "It's just seaweed soup, but why doesn't it taste like it does at home?" he pondered aloud.

"You have the best chefs on staff; they can reproduce any taste," Woojin reassured him.

"Not every taste," Rian countered. "It's not just about the flavor; it's about the warmth. The taste that normal families have, like ramyeon that tastes like it was made by someone who cares. It's warmth that our food doesn't capture," he explained, gazing into the soup.

Woojin seemed to notice something about Rian as he spoke. A smile played on Woojin's lips as if he understood something profound.

"There's a place I've never seen before, a small place filled with many books, especially romance novels," Woojin mused aloud before shaking his head slightly.

"Do you visit there often?" Woojin asked. "My parents would love to have you around more," he added with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"If you say so, but right now, I just want to go back to a place with ramyeon," Rian replied with a chuckle.