"Who were the ones who messed with my friend?" Yoojung stormed into the classroom the next morning. "Who are you? Show yourselves!"
"It's me," said no one as Yoojung stormed in front of Chaeyoung and Yongsun's desk, slamming her hand down on their tables and taking them by surprise. Jennie wasn't in class yet.
"It's you, two. Wasn't it?" Yoojung glared at them.
Doyeon walked over out of curiosity. "What's wrong?" She asked.
"Ask them!" Yoojung glared at Chaeyoung and Yongsun, who got to their feet slowly.
"What did we do?" Chaeyoung asked innocently.
"Yeah, what did we do?" Yongsun asked innocently as well.
Yoojung rolled my eyes. "Drop the act. You better tell me everything you said about her, or I'm telling the whole class."
Yongsun and Chaeyoung exchanged looks.
"You tell her."
"No, you say it."
"You're the one who said more!"
"But you said nastier things!"
"Enough!" Yoojung interrupted. "You tell me," Yoojung said, pointing to Chaeyoung.
"Well..." Chaeyoung pursed her lips. "It's not our fault that we were saying mean stuff about her... She did steal someone's watch and like everyone hates her too so like-"
"WHAT?!" Yoojung spat. "Who are you talking about?"
"Jieun, duh." Yongsun said. "Aren't you upset at us for gossiping about her yesterday?"
Yoojung's eyes blazed with anger. "I was talking about Jennie."
"Oh."
"But now," Yoojung continued. "I have an extra reason to be upset. I'll teach you two a lesson to never ever mess with my friends ever again."
Doyeon watched on in shock as Yoojung stormed to the front of the classroom.
It was at this moment, Chaeyoung and Yongsun knew that they had screwed up real bad. Once everyone knew about what they had said, they really would have no friends at all.
"Wait-" Chaeyoung ran after Yoojung, grabbing her by her arm. "Let's go out and talk."
Yongsun grabbed her other arm, pleading with her. "Yeah, hear us out before you do anything rash- We can explain-"
"It's too late," Yoojung rolled her eyes. She turned to the class. "Class, I have something important to announce!"
Everyone dropped their things and paid attention to her.
"I want to tell you something about these two people here-" Yoojung began, only to be interrupted by someone suddenly putting a hand over her mouth.
Yoojung frowned and turned around. It was Jennie.
Jennie smiled at the class. "I'll announce it for Yoojung. These two girls here- from today onwards, they have nothing to do with me. It's the end here."
Chaeyoung and Yongsun's mouths hung open. Doyeon watched on, equally shocked.
But Jennie was done. She let go of Yoojung and took her seat, as the rest of the class frowned, trying to grasp the situation.
"What are you doing?" Yoojung asked, taking a seat in front of Jennie. "I was gonna expose them."
"Yoojung, please." Jennie laughed. "If we reveal the truth, it'll look bad on me too. It'll look like they've been using me. But if I dump them first, then I have the upperhand."
"Does having the upperhand really mean that much to you?" Yoojung sighed. "I mean, do you want them to go around continuing to make use of people?"
Jennie shrugged. "It's their life. And besides, people need to make such fake friends at least once in their lives to learn the lesson I did. It's kinda like a filtering of friends." Jennie paused to think. "Actually, I think I'm pretty grateful this happened. Besides, you're my BFF now. Hitting two birds with one stone. Good for me! HA!"
Yoojung shook her head. "Your logic baffles me sometimes."
At that moment, Doyeon walked over. "Jennie, what's happening? Why aren't you friends with the two of them anymore?"
Jennie scoffed. "You tell me."
"What?" Doyeon took a seat next to her. "What are you talking about?"
"You can't not know anything about this," Jennie insisted. "All these conversations you guys have been having without me..."
"What?" A look of realisation spread across Doyeon's face. "Oh... that. I'm sorry, I just didn't wanna worry you. My dad was getting better too, I knew you probably had too much-"
"What?" Jennie was bewildered. "What are you talking about?"
"My dad's operation, right?" Doyeon said, looking confused. "You're upset I didn't tell you, aren't you?"
"What?!" Jennie spat. "Your dad's in operation? Is he alright?"
"Yeah, much better..." Doyeon frowned. "Don't be mad anymore, Jennie. I swear I didn't mean to-"
"No, you idiot!" Jennie frowned. "I'm mad that you guys have been badmouthing me behind my back and you guys all secretly hate me-"
"What?!" Doyeon exclaimed. "Why would we hate you?!"
"They do..." Jennie said, glancing over at Yongsun and Chaeyoung who were whispering between themselves.
"What?!" Doyeon glared at the two of them, before looking back at Jennie.
"I mean," Jennie sighed. "They make some sense. Haven't I treated you guys badly all this while?"
"No!" Doyeon shook her head. "I mean, maybe a little, in the past. But now you're... great!"
"Then... did you hate me in the past?" Jennie pursed her lips. "Since I was mean to you in the past."
"No, Jennie!" Doyeon exclaimed, hugging Jennie tight. "You're the one who wanted me to be your friend since the first day we met... Without you, I wouldn't have any friends! Even when there are times that you are moody, I know you still care for me! I'll never ever hate you!"
Jennie closed her eyes, swallowing hard to prevent her tears from falling, and hugged Doyeon back.
As Yoojung watched the two, a huge smile formed on her face. She walked back to her seat quietly.
"Good for you, Jennie Kim."
~
"Lee Jieun from Class 12B, please report to the principal's office after class. I repeat, Lee Jieun from Class 12B, please report to the principal's office after class."
It was a nightmare.
Class had just ended that day and Jieun was packing up her bag as usual, when the announcement came. She had spent the entire day worrying about what might come out of the investigation, when the announcement would come and how it would sound like. She had thought up a million different ways of how she would feel, but how she felt at that moment was worse than any single possibility she had thought of.
Her heart sank so deep it couldn't sink deeper.
Jieun always thought that once she was out of that school, she would have gotten rid of her past. That was all she wanted. Never would she have known that it'd follow her to this day and cause her even more problems. It'd been a year. She'd even taken a gap year. Why was this still happening to her? Was this really her fate?
Jieun dragged herself to the principal's office. The usual route she took felt longer than usual. She went in. She sat there for half an hour listening to the principal talk. She didn't even try explaining at all.
Afterall, it was pointless.
Then, the verdict came. "I'm sorry, Jieun. But I think you'll have to take a break from this school for a short while to reflect on what you've done."
Basically, a nicer way of saying, "You're expelled."
Jieun wasn't even surprised, because she already saw it coming. She trod back to class, her whole body numb and her mind blank.
What she had predicted was right.
Jieun reached her classroom, simultaneously being bombarded by questions from her classmates. Well, only those who cared.
"What happened, Jieun?"
"Are you okay?"
"You don't look too good."
"What did the principal say?"
"Did they find evidence to prove you innocent?"
Jieun didn't know how to respond. She just walked quietly to her desk and finished packing. She picked up her bag and looked around at the people surrounding her. These people were the ones who had stuck by her side in the past 2 months. And now, might be the last few moments she was able to see them.
Jieun glanced at Jennie, who was frowning worriedly. Jennie had changed so much over the past 2 months she had known her. She often claimed in an extremely petty manner to Jieun that she was Yoojung's best friend, but otherwise, she had became one of Jieun's good friends, too. She recalled what had happened at the cafe. Jennie, was a good person. Jieun smiled. "Be nice to Yoojung, Jennie."
"Wha-"
"And you-" Jieun turned to Seokjin, who was in between Jisoo and Byulyi. He had become more distant in the recent weeks, but had provided so much support for her at the beginning of school. She glanced between Byulyi and Jisoo and smiled knowingly. She placed a hand on Seokjin's shoulder. "I hope you figure things out."
"Jieun-"
"And lastly-" Jieun then turned to look at Yoojung, Jimin and Taehyung and smiled. She was unable to look at Jungkook, but the words were meant for all four of them. These people had given her the most support and encouragement in these short two months. She wasn't able to express how grateful she felt towards them. "Thank you for these short two months."
"Jieun, what's happening!" Yoojung's eyes were welled up with tears. "Please explain!"
"Well, guess what," She forced a smile, pretending like it was no big deal, when it obviously was. "I'm going to be taking a short break from school. Funny, huh."
The people around her gasped.
"It's nothing," Jieun swallowed hard, trying to put up a false front and not cry, because she knew if she cried, there was no stopping. "Well, see you then." Jieun hesitated. "One day."
Jieun finally turned to look at Jungkook, who was staring at her with blank eyes. She had so much to say, so much to thank him for, but all these things could not come out. It was as if a lump had formed in her throat. Jieun swallowed hard, willing her tears to stay in her eyes.
"Goodbye."
~
The class went silent.
Nobody spoke, not one single person. Hoseok sat in his seat, looking at the floor, keeping a low profile. Jieun's close friends stood around her desk in a circle, staring blankly at each other. Everyone needed time to process this piece of news.
People were leaving the class one-by-one, since school was over. Then everything happened at once.
Yoojung broke down.
Jimin comforted her.
Seokjin, Byulyi and Jisoo walked dejectedly back to their seats.
Jennie frowned at Yoojung disapprovingly. "Why are you crying? Will crying help the situation? We need to do something about it!"
"It's just-" Yoojung bawled. "It feels like there's nothing left to do... The CCTVs apparently weren't turned on, I tried interviewing people and nothing came out of it."
"Stop crying, Yoojung..." Jimin frowned. "Please stop crying." You're making my heart ache.
Yoojung didn't stop crying.
"That's it," Jennie declared. "I'm heading to the principal's office. Someone has gotta take charge and if you're not going to, I'm now in charge. Let's go, Doyeon."
"Wait, I'll come," Jungkook said quietly.
"You?" Jennie eyed him from head-to-toe.
"Mmhmm," Jungkook mumbled. "I know more about her than you do."
Jungkook left the classroom first, and Jennie and Doyeon quickly followed after him.
"I'll take you home," Jimin said, helping Yoojung to get to her feet. He picked up her bag and slung it over his other shoulder. "Tae, you coming?"
Taehyung looked uncertain. Then he came to a decision. "You guys go back first, I need to head somewhere."
Jimin nodded. "See you tomorrow, Tae."
Taehyung nodded and left the classroom.
Only Seokjin, Byulyi and Jisoo were left. It was awkward.
"Let's go, Seokjin." Jisoo wrapped her arm around Seokjin's arm. Seokjin glanced at Byulyi, who was still packing her bag. Or to be specific, she was pretending to pack her bag. But Seokjin didn't know that.
Seokjin pushed Jisoo's arms away gently, looking at her. "I have something to attend to in school, why don't you go first?"
"What is it?"
"Well, um-" Seokjin hesitated. "A consultation."
"I'll come with you-"
"It's alright-" Seokjin smiled gently. "I mean, it'll take really long... so-"
"I don't mind, I can wait!"
"No!" Seokjin swallowed. His voice came out louder than he had meant. "I mean, it's okay. It's gonna take pretty long. And... didn't you say you weren't feeling very well today? Go home early and rest well."
Jisoo's expression softened a little. "Ah, you remembered." She smiled. "Alright, then. I'll see you tomorrow!" She opened her arms, waiting for Seokjin to give her a hug.
Seokjin hesitated, then gave her a quick pat. "Go home safely."
"Mm," Jisoo smiled, picking up her bag and leaving the class.
Byulyi coincidentally finished packing her bag at the same time Jisoo had left the classroom. She locked eyes with Seokjin. "Oh- um, see you tomorrow then."
"Wait-" Seokjin said. "Let's talk."
"Didn't you say you had something on?" Byulyi frowned. "You told Jisoo-"
Seokjin pursed his lips. "I lied to her."
Byulyi furrowed her eyebrows. "You lied to her... to talk to me?"
"Well, it doesn't sound nice if you put it that way-"
"But that's what you did, right?" Byulyi narrowed her eyes.
Seokjin didn't know what to say.
"Lying isn't good in a relationship, Seokjin." Byulyi lectured. "You really shouldn't do that to Jisoo. I'm saying this because-" I care about you, and I don't want to screw your relationship up.
No matter how much I like you.
Seokjin frowned. Byulyi was right. He had lied to her without hesitation. Just to talk to Byulyi. No matter how much he wanted to settle things with Byulyi, that wasn't right. "I'm sorry," he muttered.
"I'm not the one you should be apologising to, Jin." Byulyi pushed her seat under the table.
Why was she being cold again?
"Well, I'll see you then."
"Wait-" Seokjin grabbed her arm.
Byulyi turned around, looking into his eyes, waiting for him to continue.
Seokjin hesitated. "I made a mistake of lying, but I'm already here now. Can't we just talk?"
Byulyi pursed her lips. "It pricks my conscience."
"Oh."
"Instead, we can coincidentally take the same bus home. I'll talk to you then."
"OH."