For several days, Mayumi had not been attending to school until a call was made to her home.
"Hello?" Mayumi picked up the call.
"Mayumi shii? This is your teacher from school," The teacher said.
"Ah..ye..," Mayumi stuttered, knowing what she will be asked.
"Why have you not been coming to school? And I heard about the news about you and L.Joe shii?" The teacher asked.
Mayumi just kept silent but her breathings can still be heard through the call.
The teacher continued again,"Mayumi shii, your exams are around the corner and you can't afford to skip these important exams."
"I...know..songsaeng nim..but..," Mayumi paused thinking of the reporters.
She then continued saying after a long sigh,"I'll come to school tomorrow.."
After she hung up the call, she thought of the possibilities that she will be mocked by the students in school.
"The teacher is right..I can't keep avoiding school because of this..Exams are important too," Mayumi thought.
======
The very next day, Mayumi walked into the school ground nervously. She had already put on her usual outfit that covered her top part of her face. However, she felt an egg was thrown towards her from the top floor and followed by a shout,"Yah! It's her!"
Mayumi ignored them and wanted to quicken her steps when she bumped into a couple of students in front of her. She dropped to the floor and one of them kicked her leg and said,"Trying to get away?"
Mayumi slightly looked up and saw the girls gathered around her.
"We're not like the fans at the concert who easily accepted your relationship with our L.Joe," One of them said.
"What right do you have to be with him?" Another firmly asked while kicking her oher leg.
"What are you girls waiting for? Let's ruin her!" Another retorted and threw eggs towards her.
The rest join in and laughed at her messy look. Then, one of them poured a bag of flour and scoffed,"All we need now is a frying pan and an oil to complete our "pancake", don't you think girls?"
They agreed and laughed evilly. Just then, a voice echoed through the school hall,"What are you guys doing?"
The girls stopped laughing and froze as soon as they heard the owner of the voice. They heard his footsteps getting closer and he asked again,"I asked you..What are you guys doing?"
They did not dare to turn to face him and did not dare to answer too. L.Joe then pushed the two girls lightly to the side for him to make way. He knew who was being bullied and clenched his fist while saying in gritted teeth,"Did you guys do this?!"
No one dared to open her mouth except one girl with short wavy hair who was the first started all this. She answered his question,"Yes. But she deserved it! She's the one who made you hurt till you landed in the hospital! Don't you see that she is just using you?"
"In what way?" L.Joe firmly asked her.
The short wavy hair girl started to stutter as she had no idea to reply,"In..wanting to share fame with you..right...girls?"
They slowly nodded.
Mayumi who heard that, narrowed her eyes and was about to say something when L.Joe said,"You all get it all wrong. Firstly, she is not after fame like you think and I know her better than you do. Secondly, she has a kind heart than the rest of you. And lastly, I was the one who chased after her because I love her. Do that answer your question?"
Upon hearing his reasons, Mayumi's heart started to beat fast while the rest of the girls looked at him indisbelief,"But L.Joe..she's...
L.Joe then helped her out and held her hand firmly and looked at them while saying,"If you are still not satisfied, meet me and say it infront of my face. My girlfriend did not deserve to get insulted. From now on, whoever messes with her, messes with me, arasoh?"
L.Joe then dragged Mayumi from there, leaving the girls behind.
"Then we won't be your fans anymore if you are still with her!" She threatened L.Joe.
L.Joe stopped his tracks and thought for a while before saying,"Then don't be."
L.Joe continued dragging her. Mayumi could see from his face and knew he was lying. From what she knew, L.Joe cared more for his fans more than anything. It's because of them that they reached from nobody to a somebody. And Mayumi knew what she needed to do to prevent all this. Mayumi then said a word while stopping her tracks again,"Stop."
L.Joe stopped too and turned to face her and asked,"Why are we stopping?"
Mayumi then let go of his grip and said with her head down,"I'll..break up with L.Joe."
When L.Joe heard that, he looked at her indisbelief and asked,"...What?"
"I'll break up with him. So don't dropped out from his fanclub. I promise to you guys that I will have no contact with him whatsoever. So continue to be his fans," Mayumi sounded resolute.
L.Joe grabbed her shoulders and asked,"What are you saying?"
Mayumi let go of his grip again and said,"Let's not make it hard for the both of us. It's...better this way."
Mayumi then walked away from him and he stood them dumbfounded.