Changmin suddenly shrieked - a loud dolphin sound ringing through the cafeteria. His furious eyes immediately searched for Soobin across from him who was covering both of her ears, worried that she would lose her hearing ability.
"Dammit, I can't hear my voice," Kevin next to Changmin started singing in different octaves before he glanced over the cause of the mess. "Must you scream? You just wake my spaghetti up from their deep sleep."
"Kev, your food is not alive," Soobin soullessly said, clicking her fingers beside her right ear in the process.
"Oh, they aren't?" Kevin pondered, dead serious with his joke. As he heard the small laugh escaped Soobin's lips, then only he felt satisfied and turned his attention back to the squirrel-guy-with-dolphin-voice. "What's new, boy?"
Changmin might be exaggerating his reaction. Surely, the tremble of his body when he took a sip of his drink was no need. But, they said, drama sometimes would be needed in a dull life.
"Chae is trending worldwide," he said which then Kevin questioned with a thick 'What?' and the girl herself was blinking in confusion.
However, it wasn't that hard for Chae Soobin to recall what had happened in her life these few days to finally realize what her friends were talking about.
"Legal action?" Kevin pondered after reading the news linked to their female friend's name. "It says here that your father will take action on false accusation thrown on you and Jacob. Wait! Does that mean... your father has found out?"
Soobin sighed, slumping against the chair. Now, she felt the courage to lift her head higher in public without worrying about the weird stares and murmurs from all the onlookers. Even right now, there were still ugly voices whispering among themselves about the sudden article published, but she wouldn't be scared to glare back at them.
For, her father was protecting her - as he should.
"He received some tips from Anonymous. And, that's how he found out."
"Wow..." Changmin clapped like a seal which made Soobin think that he seemed to be collecting animal spirits inside his small body. "Don't get me wrong. I'm happy for you. This should've happened earlier. So that someone like Juyeon could be rid of."
"In the end, your mother couldn't handle it by herself," Kevin added, nodding at every word he let out.
"Hey!" Changmin slapped Kevin's arm. "She never could handle it either. She thought she could handle it."
"Exactly..."
"You two are badmouthing my mother in front of me," Soobin scoffed, jolting up in the process signalling her friends that she was ready to leave which they immediately gathered around their belongings. "Your audacity... needs to be praised."
"I can say that you are the best stepdaughter who ever existed," Changmin said as Soobin leaped around the table to join the boys on the other side.
She was about to pull her smile at the joke the boy made, the corner of her lips was ready to lift but then fell back upon seeing the glimpse of someone familiar walking in their direction.
Sunwoo elegantly walked in, his fierce gaze darted forward but then swiftly shifted to Soobin as he sensed the girl's on him. She probably was delusional because, for a brief moment, she thought Sunwoo would stop for her.
He did not.
He even dodged her to avoid any contact with their bodies which truthfully hurt the girl. She shouldn't have turned around to see him, but she did watching him fist-bump Eric at one of the tables, his goofy smile that she had been missing flashed ever so sweetly.
Eric at one point nudged Sunwoo, beckoning him to glance around because Chae Soobin was still looking at him - intently. The boy obeyed, his jaw was clenched tight as he did. Even from a distance, his features didn't fail to make the girl waver, her abnormal heartbeats were messing with her.
"Chae, look at me," suddenly, Kevin whispered into her ear, the impact made her turn without thinking. Her eyes were wide open, making it evident for the boy to see through her soul. "As expected... you're in love."
Instantly, Soobin took a step back, frowning, "What are you talking about? I'm not."
"Yes, you are..." Changmin interfered, trailing his gaze towards Sunwoo who was still looking at Soobin with dullness on his face.
Soobin growled and her eyes squeezed as she gave her back to the boy over there. There is no point in pursuing the previous feelings - she told herself as she started the first step.
But then, she halted again when someone marched down towards her. After Sunwoo, she thought she shouldn't have expected anyone to stop for her. So, she just aimed for the exit of the cafeteria.
And it happened.
Her wrist was yanked by a person who looked mad for being ignored.
"Who said you can leave?!" Mihee spat, hatred was painted all over her face.
They used to be lovely with each other. They were always a pair, sticking with each other everywhere they went. But, now, they couldn't even stand to be near each other.
"Do you need anything from me?" Soobin lazily asked, not intrigued to talk to the other girl.
"Yes. I want Juyeon back."
Mihee used to say 'How lucky for you to have a boyfriend like Juyeon' which now seemed to be interpreted as 'I want to have your boyfriend'. Well, Soobin should've realized it sooner so that she wouldn't need to be too shocked by the surprise the world gave.
Soobin chuckled as she scooted closer to her former best friend which left Changmin and Kevin on alert if they would start pulling each other's hair. Because girls couldn't be predicted.
"I'm saying this as a friend," Soobin leaned to Mihee's ear, whispering next. "Run... Juyeon is not someone you should be involved with. My life is ruined because of him. Do you want to be next?"
She glared as she slowly pulled away, a subtle gulp of Mihee slightly made her smile. It was satisfying - to have someone who was hating her to finally listen.
"Girls, don't make any scene. We are fine here, right?" Kevin raised both of his hands in a form of surrender, slowly he broke Mihee's grasp around Soobin's wrist. "Alright, let's calm down and -"
"We are leaving," Soobin announced in the third attempt to leave the sacred cafeteria which seemed to be a failure as well.
"Chae Soobin!"
What else? - she cursed.
The third person who had messed with her today was Lee Juyeon. His loud voice garnered the attention of everyone inside there, Kevin quickly scanned around, worried if there would be anyone pulling out their phones to record. Meanwhile, Changmin curiously glanced over at Sunwoo who was gritting his teeth, unfazed watching the unveiled drama.
Juyeon's big hand grasped Soobin's thin wrist - at the same spot held by Mihee, he pulled her closer making the girl yelp in pain. But, she managed to glance over her shoulder, interacting with Mihee through the eyes - See. This is what I'm talking about.
The next thing happened was Mihee gulped, she took a few steps back before she disappeared from the crowd. At the same time, Kevin came holding Juyeon's hand and glaring.
"Let her go," he sternly said, trying to intimidate the other boy though he might have looked funny in Juyeon's eyes right now.
However, as expected, Juyeon never cared. His sharp gaze pierced through the galaxy of the girl's eyes, rage had consumed him wholly.
"Restriction order? Seriously?" His brows furrowed.
"R-Restriction order?" Kevin repeated, and he eventually took a step back. Though he should've expected that at the very least from Soobin's father, it still, shocked him.
He just realized it now: Chae's household was no joke.
"So you've received the notice and yet you're drawing attention like this," Soobin beckoned to their hands with the corner of her eyes. "You're challenging my father. Don't you think?"
"You-"
Juyeon was unable to finish his retaliation when a big impact came crashing over him, the grasp around Soobin's hand eventually loosened, and the boy fell to the floor. His arm stung a lot - it was at least someone had kicked him hard. Whoever it was, their thighs surely were powerful.
"Who is it?!" Enraged, Juyeon quickly stood up, ready to throw a hand but he wasn't able to carry out his plan when he saw Sunwoo gritting his teeth while warming up his ankles. "Huh? Sunwoo..."
"Sorry, bro," the younger then pocketed his hands, sarcastically smiling at his once favourite brother. "You're blocking my way."
Juyeon had lost all patience, he didn't care anymore if it was Sunwoo, his hand itched so much to hit the boy. But then, it failed when sets of footsteps approached.
"Lee Juyeon," one of the newcomers - a man, said, stalling his lanyard high towards the said boy as to introduce himself. "We need you to come with us."
And that was the sign.
Sunwoo glanced over at Soobin who was still shocked by everything that happened just within a few minutes, grasped her wrist, and dragged her out of the area.
Finally, it would be only them.