Hwang Yeji's POV
Yesterday was great, except that time when I left the party. Surprisingly, Ryujin and I are getting along quite quickly. We have the same interests when it comes to food, we stand on the same political issue, we share the same humor, and we hate the same things. I never thought that she would agree on my offer though based from our previous encounters.
Today, we arrived at school in separate ways, in different vehicles. My phone chimed making me grab my phone from my back pocket.
≛ We The Gang ≛
JIHYO
YO! Are guys at the school already?
NAYEON
Yes
JEONGYEON
Just arrived
JISOO
Yeah yeah, break it down
LISA
I would have arrived earlier if it wasn't for Jennie taking four hours just applying makeup.
JENNIE
Excuse me?
IRENE
You're doomed. Anyways, I'm on my way just grabbing a coffee.
CHAERYOUNG
Buy me coffee.
ROSÉ
(2)
SEULGI
(3)
JOY
(4)
SANA
(5)
IRENE
Got it. Make sure y'all pay me later. Meet up at our usual place.
RYUJIN
Y'all are so noisyyyyy
You woke me up
MINA
Jeongyeon left you? HAHAHAHAHA
RYUJIN
What do you mean?
I laughed as I read the conversation while walking around the campus to go to my locker, so I could drop off a few books.
YUNA
Dude, you still have five minutes to get up and go to school.
RYUJIN
Ah, nah, I asked her to go first because I wasn't planning on going to hell today.
JEONGYEON
I'LL TELL MOM!!!
RYUJIN
Geez. Let me goooo. Mom already approved and she left.
JEONGYEON
Like I'd believe that.
They stopped replying so I decided to reply to Jihyo unnie out of respect.
YEJI
[Reply to JIHYO] I am, unnie. Dahyun unnie is on her way together with Momo unnie.
DAHYUN
Wow, thanks for replying for me.
I chuckled, now in front of my locker. I was about to turn it off when the conversation went on again.
RYUJIN
Oh come on!! I don't wanna go.
No one dared to reply, probably getting sick of her. Instead, I responded.
YEJI
Get your ass up and go to school.
RYUJIN
Ugh! Alright!! 🤬
CHAERYOUNG
Whipped
YUNA
^
LIA
^^
JEONGYEON
^^^
I shook my head and turned off my phone. I glanced at my watch, I still have ten more minutes. I opened my locker using my code and a note fell. Huh? I leaned down grabbing the paper, unfolding it. My body shivered and I almost dropped it. There it was written was "Lia knows, huh? Watching you." Just by those phrases I knew exactly who did this. I turned around glancing at every corner but no one is. Clenching my fist, I brought the paper inside my pocket deciding that I should tell Nayeon and Dahyun.
"Whoever gave that to you must get heartbroken. You just don't crample up a paper." I got startled when Moonbyul and Solar appeared by my side. They weren't here when I turned around and checked, then they appeared a few seconds after I faced my locker.
"I didn't mean to startle you." Solar added, her arm drapped around Moonbyul's shoulder.
"No, it's okay. I just didn't see you there. I'll go now." I said as I closed my locker.
"Aight, see ya later." Moonbyul saluted, then we went on the opposite directions.
I took a quick glance at their backs as they walked away. That's weird I was so sure they weren't there. I disregarded my thoughts and went to our first subject, texting Nayeon and Dahyun unnie.
Yeji
We need to talk
Nayeon
Your house after class?
Dahyun
What happened?
Yeji
Tell you later.
The whole day I was just staring off into space, living in the daze inside my head. Never really paying attention to the lessons our boring professors were talking about, claiming I already know it since I've studied in advance. During break times, the gang would ask me if I'm alright and I'll send them a few smiles and nods, telling them that it doesn't matter.
Why would she give me a letter if she's just around? Why can't she face me? Is she scared? I should be the one who's scared here. My thoughts ran around my head like a bullet train on a roller coaster ride and it's making me feel dizzy, but I couldn't help it. If someone asked me about how my day went, I'd simply say: Breathe. Think. Groan. Breathe. Think. Groan. My complete cycle.
The last bell rang, signaling that it's dismissal. Sighing once again, I went out of the classroom to go to my locker. I decided to stop and observe everyone's faces in the same hallway as I'm in, there's a lot of unfamiliar faces except for Heejin, Olivia, and Solar talking around the corner. I really should stop being paranoid and get my head out of my ass.
"Penny for your thoughts?" And that's how you get your head out of your ass. But, I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, really. Ryujin went in front of me holding a smug look on her face. My eyes wandered from her enticing eyes to her braided blue her, accentuating the side of her face, then I noticed her cropped top under her ripped jacket paired with leather pants and boots. I brought back my eyes in hers, slightly smiling acknowledging her.
"I'm not really in the mood." I grabbed a strand of my hair and put it behind my ears.
But, she made it seem like she didn't heard me. "You're thinking how hot I look right now." She came closer playfully with a teasing smirk.
I bit my lip to try and stop myself from smiling or laughing. I grabbed a dollar from my wallet and gave it to her. "Here. Leave me alone." I pushed past her so I can go to my locker and go home because my unnies are waiting.
"Was that a compliment, Ms. Hwang?" She shouted from behind. "Oh come on, don't turn your back on me now."
Remembering our interaction during detention, I snickered to myself, Ryujin is definitely mocking me. "I appreciate the effort." I said with my back facing her, I brought my middle finger up as my response. Her laugh echoed throughout the crowded hallways.
After I left the school, unnie asked me to buy our dinner so we can freely talk later and I agreed. I ordered from an Italian restaurant 15 minutes away from our house since I know these are the types of food they adore. I sat on the table and waited for the take-outs. I was taking selfies when I noticed that there are two people at the corner behind me staring at me, I looked back out of curiosity. But then, they turned back around to what they're doing. I tried to get a familiarity but I couldn't since both are hooded. That's odd. No one has ever been interested in my selfies before. Alexa play dumb dumb by red velvet. Oh well. The waiter then gave me my orders and I quickly left the store.
When I got home, Nayeon and Dahyun unnie are giggling at themselves while pointing at the television. Probably criticizing the film they're watching. You'll be shocked when you did something a little bad and they'll notice you in a lightning speed but then when you do something good, it'll take forever years. I called their names so they would become aware of my presence.
"Let's eat then talk." I said and went to the kitchen with them following behind.
I opened the bag and set up the table, distributing the foods to all of us according to the seats. We ate in silence, occasional converstations were held, after that we fixed the table and get ourselves ready. I went upstairs to shower and change in my pajamas, then I went downstairs. I saw unnie lying on the floor, arms crossed under her head, and eyes are focused on the television. I sat right beside her in an Indian style making my presence known. "Where's Nayeon, unnie?" I asked her as I grabbed a pillow from the couch.
"I'M HEREEEEEE!" Nayeon unnie then walked out in her pajamas, bunny headband, baking gloves covering her hand as she holds the obviously just-got-out-of-the-oven popcorn. I cackled finding her cute and grabbed a piece as she went beside me. I blowed my cheeks when I realized that it's hot. "Well, stories are interesting when you eat a popcorn."
I dramatically gasped, "Unnie? Are you telling me that I'm a boring story teller?"
Our converstation caught the attention of the person lying on the floor who's now giggling. "Yah! Stop giggling, you might choke on your saliva. Get up." As if on cue, a hysterical cough grabbed our attention, Dahyun and I laughed as Nayeon choked on the popcorn she's eating and gave her the water I brought earlier.
"Sorry, it went down the wrong pipe." I chuckled muttering that it's okay, scolding her at the same time. When everyone calmed down, Nayeon unnie asked me to tell them what was so urgent that she had to sleep over. The response made us quarrel but in a playful manner.
"I didn't asked you to come over and sleep. I just wanted to talk. You decided on this, unnie. Don't blame the maknae. I have a proof." I wagged my phone right in front of her face.
"Alright! Stop it you two! As fun it was to watch you two bicker from time to time, we gotta her your story over on this table." Dahyun said.
"Huh, what table? I don't see a table here." Nayeon said scratching her head.
Dahyun groaned, grabbing a pillow and smacking Nayeon's face. "You dumbass! I'm tryna be serious! Please cooperate." I don't think we'll ever gonna talk about what we were supposed to be talking. After an hour, we managed to get to the subject.
"Alright, so, I went to school early, yeah?" I asked them making hand gestures. They nodded while stuffing popcorns on their mouth.
"As usual, I went to my locker, and it seemed odd-" I said as I try to grab a popcorn, but Dahyun took it away.
"You said usual then said odd. That's nonsense. Keep your grammer on the line, sis." I frowned. "Stop confusing me and how about you get the thought on your head." She tried to think repeatedly, but she shook her head giving up. Nayeon and I just exchanged looks and sighed.
"So, as I was saying. I opened my locker and it seemed odd when a note fell. The thing is, it wasn't just some note. Here, read it." I grabbed the note that I placed on the pocket of my pajamas after I showered. They grabbed the note and read the note, I waited for their reactions as I play with my fingers.
Simultaneously they looked up, no trace of emotion, holding the paper and looking directly into my eyes. The look they gave me made me uncomfortable, which made me switch my eyes to the carpet we're sitting on, picking up a loosened thread.
"Holy shit." The only thing they said and sat up straight, gathering their thoughts on how to comprehend what's happening. We all sighed, we felt like we really lost the game we've been fighting for years. I don't know what to do anymore if the same thing happens. I couldn't think of any possible way on how to trick the mastermind of this stupid game she started.
"We have to be more aware now and take extra precautions. But, I do have one question though. How did they know that Lia knew? If Lia knew, she could be a target." Nayeon said trying to get a point out her hypothetical demand. I bit my fingers as I tried to think of what she just said. "If Lia could be a target, then, we must keep on tabs at her at all times." I suggested.
Dahyun unnie sighed staring into the wall. "Yeah. Something like that."
I groaned getting frustrated because of the situation. "The thing that bothers me most is how did they know that I told Lia?" I stood up and looked at evry inch of the corner of thouse, even looking at the vases p, umbrella holder, doormat and everything my eyes sees. "What are you doing?" Dahyun said standing up going into my direction.
"I'm looking for a spy or detective or whatever motherfucking technology they could've put in our house!" I growled as I pick things up and throwing them anywhere.
Dahyun grabbed my arms, making me turn into her. "Hey, stop. It's not possible. No one's gone inside our house, except for the gang."
"What if they have a spy on our gang?" I said without thinking.
Nayeon hurriedly stood up holding both her hands in front, waving them. "Woah, woah wait. What if this is what she wants? Break up our friendship. We can't just get into conclusion without having more proof, Yeji. In this kind of game, we need to be atleast five times ahead of them. We will not be committing the same mistakes we did before."
I released the heavy breath that's been trying to be executed out of my lungs. I nodded in understanding. They gave me a sympathetic smile and hugged me. I melted in their embrace. The only lucky time I had in my life was when I'm with my sister and when Nayeon unnie came into my life without hesitation and fear of what's to come.
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👉🏻 Who do you guys think told them that Yeji told Lia about her past? Any guess? 🧐
Thank you guys for reading my work! Also, I'm sorry if there are any typos, I'm getting crossed eyed from being exposed at my phone all the time. Lmao. Anygays,, I love you all. 🥰 Stay safe, wherever you are!