Ballroom Fever - Ryeji

One Day

Flashback

The 16-year old Yeji was getting bullied again inside the classroom. Yeji was sitting on her chair, eyes staring at the floor and mouth closed. 3 students were bullying her. The three of them were the same height, all have black hair, a little good-looking, they have different hairstyles, but they had the same personality and target. Yeji was their target. The classroom was empty, it was only the 4 of them inside. Their other classmates were outside talking and eating.

"P-Please, I-I have to study. We have an exam next week," Yeji said.

The three bullies were standing in front of her, arms crossed with a smirk on their faces. The sight of Yeji shaking while struggling to look at them in the eyes made the bullies feel overwhelming joy. They never bothered anyone else in the class, only Yeji, because they think that Yeji is the weakest in the classroom. "I said give me your money!" The curly-haired girl on the middle said and suddenly grabbed Yeji's collar.

Yeji was scared like a cat. All she wanted to do was read and study her book. Scared of getting punched, Yeji covered her face with her hands like she was attacked by an intense beam of light. "P-Please don't hurt me and l-let go of m-me. My mom will get mad if she sees my uniform wrinkled," she said.

"Just give us your lunch money and we'll let you go," The long-haired girl said.

"I-I can't. M-My mom will get mad if I don't eat," Yeji replied.

The three bullies laughed at Yeji. The curly-haired one let go of Yeji's collar. She brought her face closer to the ear of her short-haired friend on her left and whispered, "Hit her."

The short-haired girl let out a nod. As soon as the girl on the middle let go of Yeji's collar, Yeji took away her hands from her face as she thought that she wasn't getting hit, but she was wrong. Yeji's face was free and unprotected, so the short-haired girl, with no hesitation, opened her palm and slapped Yeji on the cheek.

Yeji was silent, unable to process things. It was the first time she was physically hurt by the bullies. Like a weakling, Yeji got misty-eyed making her bullies chuckle. "Look at this. She's going to cry," The curly-haired girl said and laughed at Yeji who had no help whatsoever. Everytime they pick on Yeji, they would call her different names and mock her all the time. Seeing Yeji shocked and close to crying because she got hit didn't make them sad or feel sympathy, it made them feel the exact opposite.

Suddenly, the door of the classroom opened in an aggressive manner making it hit the wall creating a loud sound startling Yeji and the bullies.

Yeji and the others looked at the entrance of the classroom. They all looked at a girl whose eyebrows are furrowed, with fists clenched and gritted teeth. It was a girl from the other class who saw Yeji getting mercilessly bullied through the window. Yeji recognised the girl, because they both attend pole dancing class. It was Lee Chaeryeong. They just had a long and funny conversation the other day.

"The hell is your problem?" The long-haired girl said.

"You are the problem," Chaeryeong said. To get to her friend, Chaeryeong walked across the classroom like a river. Her intimidating aura made the bullies gulp in a quiet manner. "Yeji, are you okay?" Chaeryeong stood close to Yeji, worried that they might hit her again.

"Yeah." Yeji nodded.

Chaeryeong didn't want to get involved in a gruesome fistfight, so she decided to attack the bullies with her spine-chilling gaze. She knew that if she landed a punch or two on the bullies, she'll get detention and she'll be punished by her parents. Chaeryeong wanted to slap the bullies the way they slapped her bestfriend, but she decided to calm down.