~ Y/N's P.O.V. ~
Today was an odd day. Unexpected things kept on happening to me and I wasn't glad to experience any of those. Firstly, I was touched in a humiliating manner. Secondly, the boy who touched me seemed like he was separating himself from everyone around him. And lastly, whenever I walked around the crowd of students that I'm a little familiar with, they'd give me these mysterious grins that either meant they wanted to make fun of me or something even more than that.
Everything is just starting to feel so unrealistic.
"Oh, hey... Um, Jeongguk?"
This was the first time I've ever approached a senior student. Usually, he approaches me with awkward waves and such but I wasn't sure why I approached him but I guess I just wanted answers again. He turns around with an almost inaudible gasp, widened eyes filled with surprise.
"Oh- Y/N? Y/N! How are you?"
"... I guess, I'm doing great... I'd have to ask a question-"
He scratches the back of his head as his face suddenly turns red. I frowned, knowing that something was definitely going on. God, I wish this day just ended a little earlier.
"... Is there something wrong?"
My shoulders slowly rise up in nervousness as the senior student lets out a sigh, pulling out his cellphone. He hands the phone to me as I look at the set of pictures closely. I didn't know how to react at all.
"Y/N, your pictures are online spread by this unknown account on Twitter."
The tone of his voice changes in a more concerned manner as I fell into the void of my thoughts again. I remember how I didn't approve of any of Jungwoo's malicious intentions towards me so it's completely impossible for me to have pictures like these!
I didn't do any of that, I didn't sleep with anyone, I didn't kiss Jungwoo, and I didn't talk about Chaeyoung in any way.
I don't even have the confidence to approach someone casually without feeling threatened except when I'm being in trouble.
"I... I didn't do any of that."
I stammered, handing him his phone back as Jeongguk tilted his head in suspicion.
"But it looks extremely like your blouse?"
"All of the girls' blouses are similar, Jeongguk."
Both of my hands balled into fists as I felt my heart pounding faster. I didn't know what to do at all as those pictures of "Jungwoo and I" were already spread on Twitter with that short fucking caption that made me look like I was being a slut for that guy, I guess? I don't even go to some of those places that much!
"... Are you sure this isn't you?-"
"Well, I am sure! I don't even talk to Jungwoo."
I grabbed the tangled locks of my hair, closing my eyes shut as the laughs that remained in my memory started getting louder.
"Hey, are you okay?-"
"I- I don't know!"
I yelled, frustrated at the aching pain that pounded against my head as I felt Jeongguk coming closer.
"Hey... You can tell me- Y/N!"
I decided to run away from Jeongguk, leaving him clueless about how I've felt as he stood there with a worried look on his face. I couldn't take the pain in my head any longer. I knew I had to go back into the clinic again and take medication.
However, they were already there.
"Have you heard about the news, Y/N?"
I heard Chaeyoung's voice as I squinted my eyes at her, not seeing her clearly due to the pain of my headache. I felt myself lose my balance, trying to grab on anything to prevent myself from falling on the ground in front of them. I happened to grab onto Chaeyoung's arms as my knees went down on the floor slowly. My state started to get weaker each second that passed by while she chuckled.
"Aw, feeling weak? Is it the insomnia headache?"
She teased as I later felt her hands pull me upwards from the floor harshly.
"What did you do, you sick bitch?"
I bitterly asked as I demanded her for an answer, causing her to only scoff in return.
"Starts with the letter 'F'."
She smirks as I furrow my brows, later realizing that she has framed me. She was probably the one in those pictures, wearing a different wig while mimicking the way I dressed to only resemble a bit of me. Of course, what could I expect from someone who's dating Jungwoo?
"Why did you do it? Why did you frame me?"
I asked once more, drifting back and forth as my body felt heavier.
"You like attention, right? That's it! I gave it to you."
Chaeyoung says with a wide smile on her face that seemed like she's helping me get through my pain. However, she was the cause of why I'm feeling worse about myself. I shook my head slowly as tears were already forming in the corners of my eyes again, resulting in her laughing only at my current state.
"I don't want this attention, Chaeyoung. Please, just stop-"
She later ends up being on the floor purposely, causing the other students around us to stare at what happened to her. One of the teachers, Mr. Choi, noticed what was happening as he walked towards us. I didn't know what was going to happen next and I felt terrified.
"Excuse me, L/N and Son, what is happening between the two of you?"
I couldn't even answer his question as it seemed like I was harassing Chaeyoung, staring down at my shaky hands.
"I was just trying to help her! But... she pushed me!"
She points her finger at me, still being on the floor as I stand there, dumbfounded.
"L/N, what has gotten into you?"
"I didn't do it..."
I answered Mr. Choi as he shook his head in disappointment and shock.
"But you did."
"I didn't!"
The pain inside my head get worse as I clutched the locks of my hair tighter. I later decided to run away from everyone, pushing every other student who got in my way away from me as blinding lights of their phones shone across my eyes. I was screaming, not wanting any of them to ever talk to me again as I wanted to escape the situation.
I've caused a scene that broke my entire reputation... and myself. I wanted to break free from them because everyone assumes the worst things about me already. The skies were already getting darker each time I stepped on the cement road, causing the strangers that I've bumped into to ask if I was crazy or if I was fine. I didn't know where to go, not even trusting my aunt once she finds out about the news. I was known as Jungwoo's alleged side chick who rejected him when he touched me in class. I was known as the weird insomniac who had no one but a loving aunt in her life.
And lastly, I was blamed for putting Chaeyoung into harm.
What can I even do now? I was too late for saying the truth. Now, my aunt's going to hate me for the mess I caused at school.
I didn't mean to do any of that! I didn't mean to cause any type of mess! Why does everyone have to blame me for everything?! Why am I the only one getting blamed?!
I did nothing but my best to make my aunt not regret letting me live with her after my mother died but what happened next?! I became a disappointment!
The darkened skies were suddenly covered by the leaves of the trees around. Because of my desire in getting away from everything, I ended up getting lost. I thought that getting lost was better than being found since the people hated me for whatever I'm made of.
However, the thoughts of my aunt getting worried about where I was started to get louder and heavier. Well, it's impossible for thoughts to be heavy but it felt that way.
It felt too overwhelming for me.
"Why the fuck does this have to happen to me?!"
I yelled at myself, aggressively scratching my head in frustration as the strands of my hair got tangled up even more. I might've looked like a mess already because of the mental breakdown I've had but I didn't care anymore. I was already lost in the middle of a grove without a clue of how to get back.
I didn't even know how I got here.
I must've been lost in my dreadful thoughts, too.
"... Oh, god. Where do I go now?"
I asked myself sarcastically, rolling my eyes at my own actions as I did everything on impulse. I wasn't thinking straight and that led me here in the middle of nowhere. I didn't even know that there was a grove in this city.
Maybe I should try looking around and not get myself murdered by a serial killer.
"Did you lose something?"
I heard an unfamiliar faint voice asked as I turned around, seeing nothing but smoke that moved around in purple shades. For some reason, that same smoke smelled sweet like it was made out of candies but it also smelled too strong. I decided to walk around the grove, trying to find the owner of the voice.
Not like the purple smoke was already weird enough to encounter.
"Lost your ways here?"
The voice asked once more, the tone getting deeper and more masculine than before. I assumed that the owner of the voice was a man since he sounded more like it this time. I furrowed my brows, crossing my arms as I tried to look for the person. I later flinched in a bit of pain, realizing that I stubbed my toe on a big rock as I couldn't see clearly around the dark caving trees of the forest. Oddly, sounds of breaths started to enter my ears clearly as I lifted my head up.
A set of teeth curved into a smile appeared in the air, causing me to take a step back in fear.
"What the hell are you?!"
I let out a scream, falling back on the ground as one of the branches that fell from the trees scratched my knee, causing me to wince in pain. Soon, the smile disappeared in shimmering dust. However, a person was suddenly laying down the tree branch like a cat.
"Ah, what a cowfyne you are?"
The person asks with a smirk on his face, causing me to frown even more. Did he just call me a cow? That's rude.
"Did you just call me a cow?"
"Yes, my dear, but don't worry. It is a compliment for your suiting choice of wardrobe."
The strange man answers, staring at my physique from top to bottom as I grimace. Why do I always get surrounded by perverts?! Isn't Jungwoo enough already? I stood up from the ground, dusting away the soil from the messy piles of leaves and lost branches before walking towards him. I squinted my eyes, later gasping in shock after seeing the way that cat-like ears were on top of his head. He wasn't human.
No, this is probably just a strange dream.
"Curious?"
"I may be... What are you?"
I asked, tilting my head as he chuckled before sitting on the branch casually, putting his leg over the other as he gives me a smile.
"I am the cause of curiosity. Inhabitants of this upper world would say that curiosity kills a cat... but how am I still alive now?"
He says, disappearing in the purple smoke as he later appears in front of me. He was a lot taller than I was, had sharp features, and a very mischievous grin. He didn't seem to be a pervert because if he was, he could've made a move already with those teleporting stuff he did but he didn't.
He seemed intimidating, though. He looks like he could kill someone without remorse.
"Your name is Y/N, right?"
"... Yes, I am... Who are you?"
I asked cluelessly as he straightened his posture, looking down at me with a sly stare.
"My name is Lee Juyeon... and I am specifically here to offer something for you."
That seemed a little suspicious. What if he's someone like Jungwoo too? But in a supernatural form?!
"No, I'm not taking any offers and I don't care whoever the fuck you are or whatever the hell you are."
I said back without hesitating, causing him to widen his eyes in surprise. He puts his hand on his chest, tilting his head as if he's mocking me. Great, now, I'll have to deal with this sarcastic one.
"That's quite... rude? You don't even know what I'm going to offer you."
He responds, shaking his head as if I seemed silly to him. The man later looks down, raising his eyebrow before taking off his necktie. He kneels on the ground, causing me to move away from whatever he's doing.
"What are you going to do?-"
"Let me bind it for you."
He says with a sweet tone, placing my foot on top of his thigh as he ties his necktie around my bleeding wound gently.
"You looked very mad earlier? What's the matter?"
He asks, looking up from the ground as I turn my head away from him.
"Just problems that you shouldn't know about."
I say as I later watch how he gently places my foot back on the ground, standing up before looking into my eyes once again.
"Wouldn't you want to tell me?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't. You called me a cow."
I scoffed, causing him to snicker as he shook his head, probably finding me silly or disappointing.
"I promise you, it's no insult."
He purrs, disappearing and reappearing once more but this time, he's behind me.
"Just because I have abilities like this, it doesn't mean you can't trust me."
He explains himself with a persuading tone, lightly brushing the tangles of my hair with his hand before appearing in front of me once more. This cat-like guy is very confusing! Not only is he annoying but he's kind of using his mysterious charms to probably trick me!
He is very good-looking. Why would I even lie to myself about it?
"Like a cat, I prefer being mean towards others but to the people that I trust, I am very loyal."
He says, levitating into the air as he rests his chin against his palm while he stares at me with a playful gaze. His eyes seemed innocent as if he was only a kid who wanted to make friends. In contrast to that, his body language seemed completely the opposite of it.
He knows what he's doing and he won't stop until he gets what he wants.
"Am I being mean to you now? Remember how I called you a cowfyne?"
"You jerk!-"
I suddenly get interrupted by his finger landing on top of my lips, causing me to stop talking as he snickered.
"It just means that I find you very endearing."
How is being called a "cow" complimenting?
"In a simpler term, I called you a sweetheart..."
He giggles, getting closer to my face as he gives me a wink before backing away.
"Of course, I did some studying about this upper world but I just can't express it the way you people do."
The man laughs as he places his feet back on the ground, walking towards me before taking my hand in his. I noticed how he never really said anything that would make me feel bad about myself while being extremely casual and kind of flirty.
"Come and wander the grove with me? I am just as lonely as you are."