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― seven.
"how many times," her father scoffed. "do i have to tell you to stop getting others involved?" inha's arms were stinging, she had been holding them up to at least protect her face from getting hurt. she wouldn't be able to hide it if she got it on her face.
"i didn't mean to, they just―" inha's words were cut off when her father suddenly slapped her across the cheek.
"did i say i wanted to hear an excuse?" he questioned, glaring at her. inha quietly apologised, lifting her hand to hold her cheek, however she was surprised to find a warm liquid stain her fingers. she stared at the stain, realising that her father's rings had cut open the skin on her face. "leave, i don't want another meeting with your principal." he ordered, satisfied with his impact. he left the basement first, inha helplessly staring at the blood that painted her fingers.
"how am i going to hide this?"
-
"your face." inha flinched, dropping her gaze to the floor as she avoided his stare. "what did you do? walk straight into a knife or something?" inha just ignored his comment, continuing to work from her textbook, but it seemed like he didn't want to let it go. "hey, do you not hear me?"
inha grabbed his hand that was about to poke her, glaring at the boy. "leave me alone." her voice was stern, the boy frozen in his seat, but he was quick to regain his composure as a scoff escaped his lips.
"what are you gonna do about it? cry to daddy?" wooyoung noticed how he seemed to have hit a nerve, inha immediately releasing the hold she had on his wrist before returning back to her book, but he noticed the look in her eyes, he just couldn't figure out what it was.
"okay, let's get back in our seats!" it was mr jeon who entered the classroom, a figure following in behind him, but inha didn't notice him since her gaze was busily focused on the man who caused the scar on her face. mr jeon, accidentally making eye contact with the girl, seemed to have a look of regret washing over him as he struggled to look away. inha couldn't help but think that it was almost apologetic, but she brushed it off as she looked away first.
"today we have a new student joining us for the rest of the year," he continued, brushing off the moment that just passed. turning to the student, he motioned for him to step up. "if you want to introduce yourself." the boy nodded, a giddy smile on his face as he was quick to recognise his best friend, although she was yet to even look back over.
"yeah," yeosang scanned the rest of the classroom, suddenly feeling nervous with so many eyes on him. "i'm kang yeosang, please look after me." he bowed his head, keeping his introduction short as he waited for mr jeon to assign him to a seat.
"you can sit over there next to choi san." the said boy's head popped up, yeosang watching in disappointment as he realised he was on the complete opposite side of where inha sat. yeosang nodded compliantly, walking over to the desk that sat against the wall, he realised he was at least on the same row as the girl, his eyes travelling along until it reached her desk. he was surprised to find inha already staring at him, about to break out into a big smile, but instead his expression washed over with concern as he noticed the big scar adorning her right cheek.
yeosang didn't have time to dwell on it as mr jeon began there literature lesson. maybe it's just from her sports classes? he thought to himself, nervously biting his nail as he couldn't focus on the work before him. instead, he busily glanced over at the girl, trying to get a better look at the scar, but it was proving to be difficult with them both being on opposite sides of the room.
yeosang sighed, glancing up at the clock, waiting for the hour hand to hurry up and reach twelve so that they could get to lunch. he had never noticed how haggard inha looked, he didn't know if it was just because they were in school, or if it was because it was a monday morning, but he was curious as to whether that was how inha always looked. their sunday meetings, he didn't pay much attention, but she was always tidied up ― not to say that he thinks she looks awful now, but it was just concerning.
after what felt like years, especially with mrs kim's droning about the history of korean war, the bell for lunch finally rang. yeosang was the first one out of his seat, but not the first one out of the classroom. instead, he hurriedly made his way over to inha, but was surprised to find someone else already with her.
"someone saw mr jeon coming out of your house last night." wooyoung prodded. "so is it true that your daddy bribes the school to give you number one? of course," he rolled his eyes. "he's doing the same with his election." inha didn't even bother arguing, its not like he was wrong.
"yeong inha," yeosang called for the girl, pushing past wooyoung which took the said boy by surprise. "let's go to lunch." he smiled, holding out his hand. inha flushed red, staring at his expectant hand.
"o-oh, sure." she agreed, standing up from her desk with her lunch box in hand. it's not that she didn't want to hold his hand, but inha just struggled with physical touch. she didn't like it with dohyun, but that boy loved his skinship. she didn't want to completely reject yeosang, especially since they were such good friends, but it would take her time before she could get used to it with yeosang.
yeosang, not knowing this, stared at his hand that awkwardly hung in the air before brushing it off, following after the girl. not before sending wooyoung a glare though, but wooyoung didn't take it as a threat. yeosang didn't really have a face that shows aggression more than anything, but truthfully, wooyoung was surprised that yeosang was her friend.
