Dedicated to zeela02Min-areamyloveiswriting7
Creepy_Track_1616 LeeKnowYall
Those who voted and didn't get mention here will obviously be mentioned in upcoming chapter ❤️
Third Person's POV:
Upon seeing the post on the forum, Ji-ah's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. The words in the post cut deep:
"The cyberbully we were searching for isn't anyone else but Kang Su Jin from class 5. I heard Kang Su Jin confess to her misdeeds with my own ears. I was inside the stall and I heard the entire argument, even recorded it. I've shared that video with all of you. Kang Su Jin cunningly posted Lim Ju Gyeoung's photos and videos on the forum out of jealousy over Lee su ho, and cleverly shifted all the blame onto Hwang Ji Ah."
"It's astounding how innocent she appears on the surface, "
"Jealousy can distort one's actions to such an extent. How could someone you consider a friend carry out something so malicious?"
"Her innocent face is nothing but a facade; truth be told, she isn't even that beautiful."
Every single student in the classroom was talking. All these thoughts were being exchanged, and comments were being made about Kang Su Jin, but she remained silent, unmoved. Her attention was solely fixated on Ji Ah, "You!! Did you do all of this?!" Kang Su Jin retorted vehemently, Her outburst silenced the room for a moment, and an eerie hush settled over the entire classroom
"What do you think? You believe you can ruin my life, and I'll just let it happen? You're mistaken," she threatened, her voice laced with a chilling intensity. "If I go down, I'll take you down with me." Kang su jin shouted at the top of her lungs.
Ji Ah wasn't prepared for any of this. She had never imagined that things would take such a drastic turn. She had hoped for a quiet resolution, without tarnishing anyone's reputation, but this confrontation, this spectacle-it was beyond her wildest dreams, or rather, nightmares.
" Su Jin, please listen to me," Ji Ah attempted to calm her, but Kang Su Jin had no intention of remaining quiet. "No! You listen to me," she exclaimed with anger, "in fact, all of you listen to me." She turned her gaze away from Ji Ah, looking towards the entire class. All eyes were on her, witnessing the drama unfold in hushed silence.
"This girl suddenly appeared in the middle of a semester. Did anyone ever wonder why? What could possibly compel her to leave a dream destination like America that she didn't even wait to finish a freaking semester? Why, Ji Ah? Any particular reason you couldn't continue High school?"
A discussion erupted in the class because Kang Su Jin's words had struck a nerve with everyone. "Has anyone ever thought that this seemingly innocent girl might not be as innocent as she appears?" "Kang Su Jin, that's enough, you've gone too far," Lim Ju Gyeoung tried to meddle in, but Kang Su Jin didn't let Lim Ju Gyeoung talk. "You can't silence me; today, I'm going to reveal the truth"
"So everyone..." Kang Su Jin looked back at the whole class and pointed a finger at Ji ah"This girl, couldn't finish her semester because she overdosed on drugs and almost killed herself. She's a psycho drug addict, who got so lost in the grip of addiction that she couldn't even spare herself."
The classroom fell into a stunned silence, followed by gasps her words echoed like a heavy hammer in the air. The atmosphere was tense, and emotions were running high. The accusations and revelations were tearing through the fabric of trust, making way for nasty assumptions.
Darkness descended upon Ji Ah's eyes, as she stood there with her head bowed. Her mind had abandoned her, and she was exhausted, fleeing from accusations that were baseless. She had grown tired of running from falsehoods, of evading an accusation that held no truth, an accusation that had robbed her of half her life.
Ji Ah wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, to tell everyone that Kang Su Jin was lying, but how much of it was a lie? How could she make them understand that she was telling half-truths? How could she explain that she had indeed been in a coma, not due to drugs, that she indeed ditched high school but not because of addiction?
If she attempted to reveal the partial lies, the other half-truths would surely follow, and then what would she do? How would she make them believe? This was why she stood there in silence, while Kang Su Jin continued to speak, and one after another, her classmates grew more astonished.
"Now you all tell me, isn't it the easiest for a psycho bitch like her to backstab her friends?" Kang su jin's voice slashed through the thick silence and a hushed chatter broke out in the classroom.
"Is it true? Is Ji Ah really an addict?"
"When I come to think of the first day she was here, she sure looked like one"
"She stands there silently, not saying a word. Does her silence not signify her guilt?"
These words jolted her back to reality, the feeling of being wronged... the desire to get back at Kang su jin... it all came rushing in.
She had two paths before her: either reveal the entire truth to everyone or vehemently deny it all. But which path should she choose? She recalled what Dr. Park had said to her during one of her sessions. "The urge to go find everyone who heard the rumor and set the record straight. This is a mistake. Just refute the rumor once, and that's it. After that, you just have to let it go"
"So tell me, Ji Ah, didn't you drop out of high school? You didn't spend time in rehab?" This was the moment, now or never, and Ji Ah had made her decision. She lifted her head high, looked straight into Kang Su Jin's eyes, blew out a deep breath, and with determination, she replied, "I was living with my stepmother, and what kind of creatures stepmothers are?... I'm sure you'll have watched Cinderella"
The whole room was silent, listening intently "She had my custody until I was 18 so as soon as I turned 18 I fled and came here to my only blood relation in this whole world my halmeoni" Ji ah stepped a little closer to Kang su jin " And regarding all that drug addiction crap I have no idea what nonsense you're spouting, but whatever it is, one thing's for sure: you're quite skilled at fabricating stories."
Kang Su Jin was at a loss for words. Seeing Ji Ah's straightforward denial, a fire ignited within her, and she lost control. "You bitch!" Kang Su Jin lunged towards Ji Ah, attempting to grab her, while Ji Ah's friends rushed forward to pull Kang Su Jin away. Students from outside the classroom also appeared, forming a crowd outside the room.
But just as the commotion seemed to escalate, a powerful voice cut through, freezing everything and everyone in its tracks "Are you letting go or not?!"
Han Seojun entered the classroom as the crowd automatically made room for him to walk through, He ripped Kang Su Jin away from Ji Ah.
"You heard her answer right? So stop spreading white lies," Han Seojun said, firmly holding onto Ji Ah's hand, meanwhile pushing her body to his broad frame. His action was a clear message to everyone to keep their distance from Ji Ah.
"Yet stories like these don't just spring up out of nowhere. If Kang Su Jin is saying this, there must be something behind it," a student spoke from the back, and others agreed with a nod. "If you all think Saebom High just randomly grants admissions, you're all foolish," another student chimed in, followed by another series of nods around the room.
"If Kang Su Jin's claims do hold even a grain of truth, she should have some evidence, right? Because proof of her crimes is right in front of everyone's eyes, isn't it, Kang Su Jin?" another random voice challenged her.
Kang Su Jin immediately pulled her phone out, as if she had completely forgotten about the weapon in her arsenal, "How did I even forget?" she thought, looking through her phone but to her embarrassment, she found herself staring at an empty gallery. "I had multiple copies, I made sure....This couldn't be happening!?"
"Where did it go? It was right here!" Kang Su Jin was now talking to herself in a frantic, wild manner, tapping her phone as if it were broken. "Guess the photos were imaginary," someone taunted, and the students laughed in the background, mockingly and that's when Kang Su Jin hurled her phone across the classroom in sheer furry.
With that, she turned towards Han Seojun, advancing angrily. She yanked at his collar, her shrill voice cutting t through the tension "What did you do? Where are the photos?" she inquired sternly.
"What photos?" Han Seojun replied calmly, his tone serious and gaze steady "You jerk!" Kang su jin averted her gaze over his shoulder toward Ji ah, She looked like she was about to pounce upon her again
but Just as Han Seojun was about to step forward he was stopped by a gentle pressure on his chest.
Looking down, he saw Ji ah's small palm resting there and with resolve in her eyes, she stepped forward, facing Kang Su Jin head-on. " I'm no longer a 15-year-old scared kid, who you'd spit shit about and she won't retaliate. I'm a survivor and I'm not gonna let you or anybody else humiliate me like that"
Han Seojun has never been more proud of Ji Ah, He would have stepped in a long time ago but seeing her stand with such confidence for herself. He didn't interfere until Kang su jin attacked her physically. And the answer she just gave to Kang su jin; it was for everyone who had ever tried to undermine her. She was done hiding!
"Kang Su Jin can never hold her head high again,"
"I believe she's the one who's a drug addict, didn't you see how she lashed out?"
"She must have gone mad, she's saying anything to save herself."
"Game over Kang su jin" Someone shouted from the far back of the class and a few chuckled mockingly,
It was over!! Kang su jin had nothing else in her arsenal. Her hands trembled as the realization hit her. Slowly tearing her eyes away from Ji ah, she looked around...
Eyes
Eyes
So many eyes, peering at her. Some of them were full of loath and some of them were filled with pity but all of them... all of them were disgusted at her. all of them! except for a few. Except for the few pairs of eyes that belonged to her friends. Their eyes reflected disappointment and... remorse.
"You think you destroyed her? You're the one who is destroyed" Han seojun's voice mocked her. She gulped, desperately trying to keep the tears at bay as her throat constricted with each passing second.
She could see it clearly now...
Everybody on one side of the room... with each other and She?
On the other side... Alone!
Ji ah stood there, numbed by the high of the moment, and watched Kang su jin run out of the classroom. In the heat of the moment, the gust of courage made her stand up for herself. However, as soon as the wave of boldness wore off, realization crept in.
"You're so cool Hwang Ji ah"
"Yeah, you really put her in her place"
Ji ah collapsed on her chair, glad that her classmate were supportive yet unsure of her feelings. They felt mixed; part relief and part forlorn. She had done it, stood up for herself, put an end to that ridiculous fiasco. Case closed. But it didn't feel like closure because there was still one thing left to check off her invisible list.
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"Yah Lee su! You're doing great!" Han seojun yelled making Su ho have some mercy on his opponent and he let him go to face Seo jun.
Han seojun: "Why are you here on a weekend instead of going on a date?"
Lee su ho: "Lim ju gyeoung's busy"
Han seojun: "Awe! Are you upset that she couldn't make time for you? This face isn't that bad to get tired of so quickly"
Lee su ho: "Why don't you answer that, your girlfriend dumped you again? It was a kick this time or another slap?"
Well, that backfired real quick!! "Ji ah has a huge project to submit to her prep school, and I was bored" Han seojun covered up for himself "Why are you learning that from the dojo, learn from me"
Lee su ho: "I don't wanna learn how to lose, so no thank you"
Han seojun: "What's there to learn anyway? Fighting is all about reflexes"
Lee su ho: "It's all about technique, one can't flip a person who was properly taught"
Han seojun: "And what if I flip you?"
Lee su ho: "Are you really that bored?'
Han seojun: "The person who flips the other wins and the loser has to do whatever the winner says, how about that?"
Lee su ho: "Deal!"
.
.
Getting his butt kicked a thousand times later......
Han seojun: "What do you want me to do?" he said panting for his dear life
.
.
.
Lee su ho: "What's your favorite song?"
Ji ah: "Booya? what's with you?'
Lee su ho: "Favorite song..?"
Ji ah: "With you (By Jimin)"
Lee su ho: "Cool!"
Ji ah: "Are you going to tell me what was that?"
No reply...
Ji ah: "Lees su ho?"
No reply...
Ji ah: "Bitch!!!"
Blatantly ignoring her last texts, Lee su ho turned his phone towards Han seojun. With the above chat displayed on the screen, Lee su ho shoved his phone in Han seojun's face. "See that? Now go sing it" Meanwhile Han seojun chuckled at Ji ah's savage reply "That's my girl!" he said.
Lee su ho snatched his phone back, shoving Han seojun forward against his will "Go!" As, if he had any other choice, Han seojun went forward and asked for permission to take over the mike. Sitting there, in front of all those smiling faces and most of all his long lost, re-found friend... he realized how long it's been since he last sang for an audience.
So he closed his eyes, to peer at the face he loved the most. The first time he forcefully shared her air pods to annoy her, the first time she sang to encourage him in the school's music room and almost made his ears bleed, the first time he sang for her... All those moments played before his shut eyes.
Hence, taking a deep breath Han seojun began to sing.
Lee su ho watched his friend, his eyes dripping adoration. With a faint smile, he recorded him sing and sent that video to Hwang Ji ah with the following message attached. "You're one hell of a lucky girl"
To which she replied "You bet I am"
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"Here's your Pizza" Their server placed the food and Han seojun thanked her before digging right in. "You'll never see me play a bet with you again," he told Su ho, with a stuffed mouth. JI ah would have scrunched up her nose at him and lectured him about dining manners. Gosh! He wanted to see her.
"Were you hungry?" Su ho said, serving himself "After jujitsu and singing How could I not be hungry?"
Please! Don't mind Ji ah.. he freaked out in his head, after speaking with his mouth full again. "Your vocalization wasn't as good as back then" Lee su's comment made Han seo jun drop his slice and he pinned him with a nasty look.
"What are you saying? It's become deep and more manly" he countered. "That's what am I saying. With that manly voice, why aren't you singing again?"
" I don't want to" Han seojun replied sipping at his cola.
"I would like it if you sang again" Su ho's voice suddenly turned serious and sincere, making Seo jun pause for a millisecond. "Se yeon would have wanted that too" and now Han seojun has completely stopped eating.
A desperately sincere, Su ho didn't settle right with him. It made him weak. Silence engulfed the table for a good minute before Han seojun composed himself and resumed both talking and eating "You sound just like Ji ah, she told me the same thing"
"Yet, she failed to knock some sense in your pea-sized head... Not that I blame her" Han seojun lightly chuckled at this. "If you won, what would you have asked me to do?" Lee su asked sipping on his drink, and somehow the atmosphere shifted.
Han seojun's smile dropped as a glum look took over his features. "I would have asked you to check how Kang su jin's doing"
That was unexpected for Su ho, totally out of the blue. Judging from his silence Seo jun proceeded to elaborate.
"Ji ah's worried about her. She doesn't say anything but I know... I don't need her telling me what's bothering her. Deep down she won't be completely over this whole thing until Kang su jin's in safe hands" Now his request made a lot more sense to Lee su ho.
"I know it's not appropriate of me to ask you for such a thing and after everything you've done already.." "I understand" Su ho cut in "Ji ah's right. Since day one she has had the nerve to tell me how horrible of a friend I was to Knag su jin. So, whatever I helped you with it was for my sake also. To make up for the ten years I considered Knag su jin a friend"
Han seojun: "So did that lunatic father of hers do anything?"
That night at Su ho's apartment they not only hacked Knag su jin and Park se mi but also hacked into Kang su Jin's father, confiscating all of his dirty crimes in the business world as well as the surveillance footage of his house. They had solid evidence against him for physical and verbal abuse.
They sent a USB drive with that footage along with the trail of his dirty money to his home with the warning to stop his abuse or else he'll face the consequences. To be on the safe side, they also made an anonymous call to the child protection authorities to raid his house, with the intention of shaking him up and making him realize that they weren't bluffing.
Lee su ho: "No, He hasn't got the guts to retaliate"
"I bet his undies got twisted in his pants upon receiving that mail," Han seojun said, earning a snicker from Su ho.
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Three days... Three days have passed since that day when everything changed in Kang Su Jin's life. For the better or for the worse? She couldn't even comprehend it herself.
Three days ago,
With tears in her eyes, Kang Su Jin had reached home and began heading straight towards her room. "Oh, good, you're here. Your father needs to talk to you about something important. He's waiting for you in the living room," her mother said, but Kang Su Jin ignored her completely.
She walked towards the staircase, avoiding her mother's pleading eyes, only wanting to lock herself in her room and cry silently. However, her father's commanding voice didn't allow her to take another step. "Kang Su Jin!! Come here right now!" Exam scores were the last thing Kang Su Jin wanted to discuss. She didn't want to hear any lectures right now, didn't want to go to cram school; she just wanted to lighten her heart a little. She wanted a bit of time... just a little time to be alone.
But life had never really given her a choice before, and today wasn't any exception so she quietly went to the living room and took a seat on the couch. The faster she heard everything, the sooner she could retreat to her room. So, she sat there like a statue. She wasn't really hearing what her father was shouting about. She was physically present but had tuned him out mentally. Her eyes were fixated on the snacks and wine bottle placed on the coffee table in front of her. Then suddenly, her father threw some files on the table and scattered papers all around, diverting Kang Su Jin's attention towards her father's words.
"Tell me! Are you involved in all of this? Who have you been meeting with to do all this? You're not capable of this, You don't have the intellect to pull something like this off. Speak up! Who have you been meeting lately? What was her father asking her? She couldn't understand a thing. What did she do? What had happened that made her father so terrified? She had never seen him so helpless before. What was the matter after all? Kang Su Jin stared at the scattered papers on the table, slowly piecing things together, and her eyes watered along with the appearance of a smile she couldn't suppress.
"Hand over your phone to me now!!" her father yelled. "Why?" Kang Su Jin replied in a serious tone. She was no longer afraid of this person, now that she had seen those papers, she had a pretty good idea of who was behind all this. Kang Su Jin realized that if someone else, whom she had hurt so badly, could take such a big step for her, then why should she be afraid of standing up for herself? If she could ruin her own life just to destroy someone else's, then what was there left to be scared of? She was no longer afraid of this person.
"I said give me your phone right now!" her father shouted again, but Kang Su Jin had made up her mind to torment him more, to rub salt in his wounds, and to not let him live in peace anymore because there was nothing left for her to lose. "I won't give it," she replied in a calm voice, "Are you trying to rebel against me?" to which she remained quiet "You won't listen like this" and before her father could reach out to hit her, she knocked down all the things placed on the table with a loud crash,
and started screaming loudly as if her brain had caught fire.
Her mother rushed in, holding a tray of food in her hands, partially because of her daughter's scream and partly due to the sudden appearance of some uninvited guests "Honey! The police are at the door for you" "What?" her father asked in surprise, just as some people barged into the house and walked into the living room. They were dressed formally and appeared to be some sort of officials.
"We're from the Child Protection Authority, and we have received a complaint against you, Mr. Kang."
And after that, everything changed. The child protection authorities had heard Kang Su Jin's scream, they had seen the shattered pieces scattered on the ground, and they had seen all the evidence including the drive. Kang su didn't exactly fall in the category of a child but she was the victim of domestic violence and physical plus mental abuse hence, Mr. Kang was in deep deep trouble, there was no doubt about it.
If anyone could have saved him from this situation, it was only the victim of his crimes. In times of desperation, you must turn the donkey into a king, and so Mr. Kang was forced to kneel before his daughter, begging for forgiveness. He began making promises, swearing he would never harm her again, but how much truth did those promises hold? Kang Su Jin was well aware.
Seeing her husband in such a state, also gave her mother the courage to protest for the very first time. She had been living with that monster merely for the sake of her daughter's bright future and comfort, but now, that she had witnessed the flames of rebellion in her daughter's eyes. She understood that her husband would never be forgiven, she also knew that he would never truly repent either. After so many years of hardship, Mrs. Kang chose her daughter's present over her unknown future and decided to file for a divorce.
And just like that, Kang Su Jin was liberated from her painful life. No one was there to yell at her or hurt her anymore. It was no longer about her rankings or numbers. It was just her sorry existence and her remorse. "I just want to help you." "I see myself in you." "Did he do this to you?" Ji Ah's voice echoed in her head in every moment of every passing second. And every time she heard it, her regret intensified a thousand times.
Hwang Ji Ah was the only person who had grasped the bitter truth of her life at first sight. She was the only one who had ever cared, who wanted to save her, who understood her pain, and she had not hesitated one bit to destroy everything for that girl. However, In the end, that girl kept her word, and because of her, Kang su jin had a chance at a new beginning.
Certainly, she had lost her true friends and tarnished her social image due to her foolishness, but she had also gained a new life and that was a fact. And for all this, she owed Hwang Ji ah a thankyou and an apology. So, wiping away her tears, and turning the lights on after three whole days, Kang Su Jin placed her phone on the dresser in front of her, took a deep breath, and pressed the record button.
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Yayy!! I went all out with Gifs in this chapter!
The next chapter would be the last one! 🥲Do you guys want an epilogue??? Do let me know or else I might not come up with one!! (Evil Laugh!!) 😈😁Anyways, Don't forget to tap that little star! Until next time! _Max.