bookshop (dreamcatcher)

12

Dialogue heavy, to make up for the exposition dump that was chapter 11. I should really stop ending on cliffhangers. Sua discloses the reason for bullying Siyeon, Yoohyeon is under suspicion (if the picture is anything to go by, you know who it's related to), Yubin has a brief cameo and more questions are asked than answered. The author pleads, all questions posed will be answered , just at a later chapter. And, I've decided to add notes at the start (I quite like it, don't you think).

Please, enjoy.

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You are still at Yoohyeon's house, and if you were to be completely honest, you feel like nothing other than a third wheel. Not that you minded it, though; admittedly, Minji being all cute with Yoohyeon makes you laugh more than once.

"Siyeon? Do you want to play a game with us?" Yoohyeon smiles.

You shrug nonchalantly, and Minji chimes in on your behalf, "She had a bad day yesterday." Yoohyeon puts a hand over her mouth and looks utterly embarrassed.

"Oh my god! I'm sorry, do you want to talk about it?" You shake your head but appreciate the silver-haired girl's concern. Yoohyeon grins politely, and says, "Okay then, sure. Just tell me if you want anything. Any friend of Minji is a friend of mine."

You decide to refocus the attention on the couple. "So, how did you guys start to date?" You know that Minji had already explained it previously in the day, but you preferred for the attention to not be on yourself.

Of course, Minji the observant friend as always, replies, "I don't really know. We sat next to each other in class during the entire summer semester of last year, and I guess we just...clicked?"

Yoohyeon perused your face carefully. "I have to admit, when Minji talked about you before, I thought you were really intimidating. But now I've met you, and you're just not like I expected. In a good way, of course! You're just so," she sniffs. "friendly. I like that."

You feel that Yoohyeon is hiding something. You look at Minji, and she just stares at you with an eyebrow raised, giving a "what?" look. You'll have more time to investigate. Surely, as Minji's girlfriend, Yoohyeon will be meeting you regularly. Maybe it isn't that big of a deal, you have no right to judge her. As long as Minji is happy, so are you. You feel the conversation morphing into a chat between Yoohyeon and Minji, so you take out your phone.

Hi-

Bora: Hello, you okay?

I don't know, alright I guess. You?-

Bora: Could've been better.

We didn't get a chance to properly talk about yesterday.-

Bora: I mean, what do you expect me to say? I feel horrible.

Can I ask you something? -

Bora: Sure. >^<

Why did you bully me all those years ago? -

Bora: Validation.

Meaning? -

Bora: I was the new girl, I didn't know anyone. Gahyeon and Handong showed me around the school on the first day. I mean, it was pretty predictable that I gravitated towards them. They were, what thirteen-year-old Bora would call, friends. I copied them, I did whatever they said. When I found out that they were bullies, I tried to break the friendship, but when they caught on, they did the thing that bullies do best.

I'm sorry, I seem to have hit a nerve. We can talk about something else?? lol -

Bora: No, its fine :] I'll continue.

Alright.-

Bora: So, they bribed me. Friends in return for doing what they say. I break the friendship, and they said they would ruin my life in ways i couldn't imagine.

That sucks, I'm sorry.-

Bora: It's okay, they were bad people and I was used to it. So i guess, now you know why I bullied you.

Uh, yeah. I'm glad you cut ties with them. Though I'm curious, how exactly did you burn bridges with them?-

Bora: Wasn't hard. Once I went to uni I just stopped talking to them. Yesterday was the first time I met them in person in, like, 3 years.

Oh.-

Bora: Do you want to call? I have a
friend I would like to introduce.

Sure.-

Bora is calling...

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Okay, so here's Yubin. My friend from uni. She's a bookworm, I think you two will get along."

You hear some thuds and laughter, and the phone is passed to someone else.

"Hello?" a deep voice answers.

"Hi, are you Yubin?"

"Yeah, that's me. I'm guessing you're Siyeon, huh? Bora talks a lot about you."

"Hello, Yubin! Yes, I'm Siyeon. I have to say, I'm surprised to hear that." you laugh. "Didn't know Bora had it in her."

Yoohyeon looks up from the deep conversation she's having with Minji. Her eyes widen, she drops the cup she's holding and walks towards you. You recoil slightly, Yoohyeon is scaring you a bit. "Did you say Yubin?" she shakes your shoulders a little. "Y-yeah." you stutter.

A voice crackles from the phone you are holding.

"Yoohyeon, is that you?"
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