YYXY Boarding School

Chapter 19

"Something is wrong I tell you, something is coming, something bad is going to happen," Sooyoung says slamming her book on the table. She and Jiwoo had sat and studied there for a while enjoying their own company, "What are you talking about?" "We're leaving tonight. I just have a really bad feeling. That's okay right?" 

"Yeah sure, are we still leaving Chaewon behind?" "Look, I'm sorry Jiwoo, I know she's your friend, but she won't understand okay?" "I guess..." Sooyoung grabbed Jiwoo's hand, "Let's pack. Isn't this exiting? We'll be free!" Jiwoo laughs, knowing whatever she does now she'll definitely regret. Part of her wants to bid official goodbyes to Chaewon, but the other half thinks it'd be easier to just leave, she didn't want to see Chaewon be sad, even if it was impolite. 

Sooyoung finally led Jiwoo to their bedroom, Jiwoo tries not to shed a tear seeing some of Chaewon's stuff, (the stuff she didn't bring to Hyejoo's room) "W-what if the bad thing you predict is going to happen to Chaewon?" Jiwoo asks innocently, "Hyejoo wouldn't hurt Chaewon, but we're unsafe." Jiwoo opens her mouth to ask a question, but decides not to, despite how desperately they want to be asked. 

What was so dangerous about that girl? She just seems mean, not dangerous. Sooyoung knows better than I do about that, she roomed with her for years. Jiwoo thought to herself, "Look I know you're sad about leaving, but it'll be better I promise." Sooyoung says pressing her forehead to Jiwoo's, "I'm sorry about threatening you, I just want the best for you, you know that right?" Jiwoo nods, grabbing onto Sooyoung's jacket as she hugs the taller girl. 

"If I didn't I wouldn't have came and got you from your parent's house, if I didn't we wouldn't be together, I love you. I just want to keep you safe. I know it sounds crazy that I think something bad will happen but I swear, something is coming, and we need to go." "I understand, and I love you too," Jiwoo says wiping a tear from her cheek with her sleeve. 

Jiwoo pulls away and throws some clothes in her backpack, grabbing her phone, a pack of gum, and the notebook she used to write those letters to Sooyoung she never sent. It included many of Chaewon's doodles back from when they would stay up late talking and goofing around, and now they were here, completely separated. Did either want to be separated? Did Chaewon want to spend time with Hyejoo? Did Jiwoo want to spend time with Sooyoung? Or were they better off without the others, times were so much more simple when she and Chaewon we're still friends. And now she was leaving without a word, without a goodbye, to her best friend for years at this point, but she couldn't stand to tell Chaewon she chose running away with Sooyoung over their friendship.

If they would never see each other again, what was the point?

"Ready?"

Jiwoo nodded, grabbing the backpack and putting on a jacket of her own, the tears falling silently as she followed Sooyoung through the hallways. Her heart ached, and her body threatened to break down with the pain, but she kept moving forward, not looking back. Should she have looked back? To see if Chaewon was watching? Or was she too busy hanging out with Hyejoo to care, no, Chaewon would definitely care. 

Sooyoung slid the window open, pulling herself out. Jiwoo hesitated one more time, if she went through the window there was no going back, it would be so easy to say she wanted to stay, but her mouth remained closed, and she climbed out of the window. 

As they walked through the courtyard their last concern was the pair watching from the overlook as they left.

"I never thought they'd do it," Chaewon says tearfully, trying to hold in her sobs until Jiwoo and Sooyoung were far enough away. "They're stupid Chae," Hyejoo says wrapping an arm around Chaewon's waist.  "Why don't they care about me?" "Because they're stupid." "They used to, what happened?" "I did. I happened, I awoke that inner jealousy. I'm really sorry," "You're sorry? Why?" "Because I made your friends leave you, this is my fault." "What!? No, it's not!" "Well, it's a long story." "Well, what else am I going to do?" "Alright then."

"So if I explain this all, you're going to think I'm insane, and it's true I am, but I am being completely honest. I've never said anything about this to anyone because they'd all just think I'm lying for attention or some shit." Hyejoo takes a deep breath, "Ever since I was very little I got these really horrible graphic nightmares that made it really hard to sleep. It was always just marked as me being a stupid kid or being paranoid, so as I got older I just stopped talking about it, and they only got worse, so much worse. I haven't slept in two days, Chae."

"W-what?" Chaewon says looking at Hyejoo, "But starting from the age of twelve the nightmares continued today, and there is someone always whispering in my ear, telling me to do terrible things, and I can't make it stop. That's where people usually get lost." Chaewon furrows her eyebrows. "They tell me constantly to hurt myself and others, all hours of the day, and I don't understand why. Sooyoung figured about the nightmares and the voice. And something is happening tomorrow apparently, but I've been able to keep these impulses under control whenever they have something planned, so I'm not worried, but Sooyoung is. Plus the headmistress won't let them date, so that's two reasons." 

Chaewon doesn't know exactly what to say, it made sense, but it was generally unnerving. "I-I..." "You don't have to understand, you just have to know that's the reason why she left. And yeah, I wouldn't believe me either." "It's not that I don't believe you, it's just I don't know how to respond to that." "Welp, the bitch in your school is possessed by the devil, how are you supposed to respond to that?"

"You're not like, upset about it?" "I've come to terms with the fact I'm not normal, and there is no use being upset, one day I'll listen to them and blow my brains out, and I won't have to listen anymore. But you know, distant future." "Don't say that... I-" "Don't act like I want to do it, I'm just fine if it does." "Why are you just okay?" "Because I can't fucking control it, okay?" Hyejoo snaps, "I'm just as helpless as you are, and don't forget it."