the hours went by quite fast, haechan, myeong and donghyun went to their next class which is social studies.
"good day, hello!" a new face greeted the students of section y III. "since mr. suh is on leave, i am gonna be your substitute teacher for the next three weeks—i am professor kun and i will be teaching social studies. let's get along well kids" the students acknowledged professor kun and they all stood up in chorus and bowed to him.
"thank you so much please be seated."
professor kun began teaching and it wasn't bad, knowing the great mr. suh, prof kun is actually doing a great job since social studies is quite boring and so far, all are still listening.
"what can be learned from the choices of individuals? anyone?"
professor kun conducted a swift appraisal of his students, searching for the individual who would be inclined to respond to his query.
"you, the girl at the back please answer my question, again this is graded recitation class so please be attentive."
myeong looked at her back and sides, jihyo stood up and was about to answer when professor kun kindly interrupted her, pointing to myeong's direction instead. "you", myeong panicked inside and tried to remain calm about the situation. it may be that professor kun wasn't informed about her condition. it doesn't feel valid, she could talk but decides not to?? maybe it really is just an excuse of her for not knowing the answer.
〄
the saying that "time heals all wounds" rings true for many, but not for myeong. though an ample amount of time has passed, there are still nights when the specter of her past comes to haunt her like a ravenous wolf preying upon a helpless fawn. the physical abuse she suffered was already awful, but the emotional torment inflicted upon her family drove them miles apart, irreparably fracturing their bonds. the scars from the cigarette burns on her back have since healed, yet the echoes of her mother's words urging her to end her own life when she was deemed worthless for accidentally toppling the pots still played in her mind. there was no closure between the three of them; each remained at a distance, afraid to make a move and bridge the chasm that had formed between them. it is likely that myeong's mother has formed a new family, one that she loves and takes great care and pride of.
she often wonders why everything went downhill, was it really all because of her? maybe her mother didn't love her from the beginning. she probably did not, but she likes to think she did.
the class erupted into whispers when myeong stood up from her seat, but instead of verbally saying her answer for professor kun's question, she shyly walked to the front and got the whiteboard marker to write down what she had to say.
"that's good, you may now take a seat" professor kun got the hint and did not question myeong any further since she got the answer he was hoping to get, fair enough, but she still had to go to his office later to clear up the confusion.
haechan felt bad for myeong but he can't help but to also feel admiration in her courage, that much is enough. he gave myeong a thumbs up and myeong swore she felt her heart skip a bit, was it anxiety? or haechan? she sat down and had her head hung low throughout the class.
class went on and was followed with professor kun giving the class a research project due next week. kim jihyo was embarassed with the scene earlier like why does that girl have to ruin everything and steal what's hers? from her childhood crush and now this stupid recitation she had the perfect answer for. it's always disabled myeong. maybe she did not torture her well enough during elementary, and to think that she actually felt guilty with the science laboratory liquids spilling on her, she takes it back because she. deserves. it.
jihyo being seated near the exit of room y III made her closest to the door. it is now lunch break and students would need to pass through the door in order to get to the canteen. jihyo made the perfect start to her round 2 of the anti-myeong act of 2022. half of the class were already out—she saw myeong was nearing the exit and just in time, she had her legs out, tripping the clueless girl. donghyun rushed near myeong and saw her forehead bleed, leaking crimson red drops of what seemed to be blood. it wasn't big but it scared him, he called haechan and the two escorted myeong to the school's nurse.
jihyo went too far with the prank and felt a sense of deja vu hit her but jealousy blinded her and overpowered the tinsy amount of guilt she had left. all she saw was myeong and her lover.