Welcome to Aoba Johsai || Iwaizumi Hajime

Chapter 13

When that was settled between them, Haneul covered her face in embarrassment. As she did so, Iwaizumi asked her hesitantly. "Are you... Are you really going to leave...?"

Haneul froze on the spot as her hand gradually fell to her side as she looked at Iwaizumi. As she couldn't respond, Oikawa spoke. "Will slapping me make you stay?"

Haneul's eyes widened as she shook her head. "W-Why will I slap you?!"

"I don't want you to leave... If you're leaving because of me, you can slap me as much as you want... Just... Just don't leave..." Oikawa said. 

"I..." Haneul hesitated. "Even if it wasn't for this... I would have left... I... I'm just tired... We still haven't found the culprit... I don't know how much longer I can handle this..."

At her words, Hanamaki spoke. "If it's about that, don't worry about it."

Haneul looked at him in confusion. "What... What do you mean?"

Matsukawa smirked. "We set up a trap. I'm sure the culprit will be discovered soon."

"A... trap...?" Haneul asked with hesitation.

Matsukawa nodded.

"We will find the culprit no matter what," Iwaizumi said with determination. "That person is going to pay for the pain they caused you."

• • •

Not long after this conversation, the culprit was really caught. Unsurprisingly to the others, it was Ota. Apparently, she caused all of that due to her jealousy and hatred. She hated Haneul as she was a Korean and she was also jealous of how she immediately became close to Oikawa and be their manager.

When the news of the culprit being caught reached Haneul's father's ears, he immediately headed to her school with a grim expression. 

"I'm sorry about what has happened, sir," the principal said as soon as he spotted them enter.

Her father had a displeased face as he was trying his best to hold his anger. "Where is she?"

The principal pointed towards Ota and her parents.

Haneul and her father sat across them. Once they sat down, Haneul instantly lowered her head as she fidgeted on her fingers. 

"Haneul," she heard her father call her. "Put your head up. You shouldn't be the one who lowers their head."

Haneul looked at her father briefly before making eye contact with Ota. Ota was glaring daggers at her, causing her to flinch. 

"I'm very sorry about my daughter. We apologize from the bottom of our hearts," Ota's mother said.

"Why are you apologizing to me? Apologize to my daughter. She was the one who went through all the bullying of your daughter."

"O-Of course," Ota's mother said as she turned to Haneul. "I'm truly sorry about Ota."

"Please forgive our daughter's foolishness," Ota's father added on.

Haneul held her tears before speaking. "If I was the one who bullied Ota, would you have forgiven me?"

Ota's parents looked shocked at her words as they both looked away.

"Also, it should be Ota who apologizes. She was the one who hurt me," Haneul added on.

Ota scoffed at her words. "I didn't do anything wrong! She was the one who stole my place! She doesn't belong here!"

"Ota!" Ota's parents yelled.

"You should have raised your daughter better," Haneul's father said. 

Ota's parents looked away in shame. 

"I don't see anything else to discuss anymore. She is receiving the punishment that she deserves," Haneul's father said to the principal.

"Of course!" The principal replied. "She's going to be expelled from our school."

"That's it?" Haneul's father asked with anger.

"Pardon?" The principal looked confused.

"After what she made my daughter go through, all she gets is expelled? How about all the pain my daughter went through? The fear, the sadness, the trauma she experienced!"

Only silence lingered in the office, causing Haneul's father to sigh. "Never mind. As long as she never gets in contact with my daughter ever again."

Haneul's father squeezed Haneul's hands tightly. She could feel a slight tremble from his hands. "I am not letting my daughter go through that again."

He then stood up, along with Haneul, before leaving the office without turning back.

• • •

When Haneul and her father arrived home, her father held both of her hands tightly. "I'm sorry, Haneul."

"What are you apologizing for?" 

"It just feels like it's my fault," her father said with sadness.

Haneul squeezed her father's hands. "It's not your fault. It's... It's just Ota's fault... You have nothing to do with it..."

Her father lowered his head. "How will I ever face your mom if I die? What am I going to say to her?"

"Dad, you are the best dad I could ask for. It makes me happy that you care about me and love me. That's more than enough already," she reassured him. 

Her father smiled at her. They enjoyed the silence between them until her father broke it. "Haneul, have you thought about when you would like us to leave?"

When Haneul heard those words, she fidgeted her fingers as she remembered her friends. She wanted to stay, but at the same time, she still wanted to leave. She was scared that there might be another person who hates Koreans and this might repeat all over again.

"I..." Before she could reply, their doorbell rang.

Her father stood up from the couch and headed towards the entrance to open the door. Haneul waited for her father on the couch until she heard him say, "Are you Haneul's friends?"

Haneul stood up with confusion and rushed out to see Iwaizumi, Oikawa, Hanamaki, and Matsukawa standing out their door.

"Hey, Haneul..." Iwaizumi said with a slight smile.

The rest just waved at her with a smile as well.