AMITIÉ | Stray Kids

chapter ten

a new light

Days had passed, and Hea had grown fond of Chan's presence. She appreciated how he always did his best to brighten her day, especially when she felt scared or angry whenever others approached her.

Sometimes Jisung would message her, begging to talk, but she ignored him and distanced herself.

She doesn't want to be involved in their drama anymore, I won't gain anything anyways she reminded herself

Over the past few days, Hea encountered Mirae numerous times in the bathroom or elsewhere when she wasn’t with the boys. She managed to converse with her as long as Mirae kept her distance and didn’t try to grab her.

Their conversations often turned tense, Mirae was frustrated, insisting that Hea should stop playing hard to get and just leave because the boys’ attention had shifted to Hea lately, making them forget about her. Instead of arguing, Hea simply ignored Mirae’s complaints and told her it wasn’t her problem anymore.

Hea grew closer to Chan, often spending lunch breaks together on the school rooftop or going to the cafeteria. She had shared what happened to her and the situation with Mirae, but she wasn’t ready to discuss that topic in detail yet.

Chan was also close to Felix’s sister, Vivian, which complicated things for Hea. However, as time passed, she started to heal. Thanks to Chan, she was slowly returning to her old self.

But not completely. The marks on her neck were almost gone, but the bruises on her arms were still visible. Wearing jackets, blazers, and cardigans felt uncomfortable, they made her hot or didn’t fit right. Still, she bore it because she didn’t want anyone to see the bruises—she knew they would question her about them.

Today marked a week since she returned to school, meaning she had spent a week with Chan while ignoring the others.

A lot had changed in that week. Hea found solace in being alone during class and was grateful that her classmates respected her space.

She also made new friends that brought her happiness without worry.

Two days ago, she met Jiah while Chan was at a student council meeting. When Hea made her way to the rooftop alone, she spotted someone sitting in her usual spot. It surprised her since she had never encountered anyone else up there.

Their small conversation piqued Hea's interest, leading to a budding friendship. Jiah was curious about why Hea had stopped hanging out with the group. Hea explained that they had a misunderstanding and needed distance, which Jiah understood well.

That’s how they grew closer. Hea introduced Jiah to Chan, and they clicked instantly. Both were interested in making music while Hea occasionally played around and freestyled along with their songs.

Despite all the misfortunes she faced over the past two months, Hea felt grateful for how she was coping and healing alongside Chan and Jiah.

Yet, after everything she had been through, her heart longed for the others. She missed hanging out with them and hearing their silly conversations. She even missed bickering with Felix over trivial matters like whether the egg or chicken came first.

Even as she worked on healing from the pain Mirae caused in their friendship, she couldn’t let go of the memories they shared—and of course, her secret feelings for Felix lingered inside her.