Unrevealed III | The Penthouse

Chapter 3

The guilt was starting to eat away at Arden. She hasn't felt this much guilt since she's bullied Min Seola. She felt that it was wrong to learn that Seokkyung sabotaged Eunbyeol's and Rona's audition. Even she knew that it was both of their dreams to go to SNU, even more like Eunbyeol.

"You have your interview? Why aren't you dressed yet?" Jisoo asked as she walked into the girl's room. "Your father is trying to get you there as early as you can."

"I don't deserve to go there" she mumbled as she bit her fingernails nervously.

"What are you mumbling about?" Jisoo asked.

"I don't deserve to go there!" Arden blurted out and Jisoo widened her eyes.

"W-what do you mean you don't deserve to go there?" Jisoo asked flabbergasted. "You worked so hard to get in and it paid off!"

"Seokkyung asked her father to let me in with his connections! I told her it was wrong! She even sabotaged Eunbyeol's and Rona's audition, so that her, Seokhoon, and I can go there like we promised back in middle school" Arden explained as she held her hands towards her chest. "No matter how much I hate a person. I'll never sabotage something that could change their life for good."

"Wow" was all Jisoo could mutter out. She knew Seokkyung was this devious and mischievous girl, and she didn't like the fact that Arden was so close to her. But this was shocking news to her.

"You're going to that interview. You proved yourself when you sang that you probably didn't need your way paid through. And when you go to that interview, you show that you didn't need to get paid through" Jisoo said with a small smile.

Arden nodded and took the outfit she planned the night before and dressed herself. But deep down, she felt like something bad was going to happen. But not to her.

- • -

Arden's interview went better than she planned. She felt happy that she got what she said earlier off her chest, but that bad feeling inside her won't go away. Mr.Jo running towards her made it worse.

"Hurry and get changed into your school uniform" Mr.Jo says as he gave Arden a bag with her school uniform in it.

"Why? What's wrong?" Arden asked concerned.

"Suryeon told me that there's a school bullying committee concerning Seokkyung and she needs you there before she gets Seokkyung there" he says. "Hurry and get change."

Once her dad made it in front of Cheong Ah, Arden rushed inside the room where it was happening and saw everyone in her grade in there. There was an empty seat by Seokhoon and she took it.

"What's wrong?" Arden asked.

"My mom and I overheard Seokkyung thanking my dad for sabotaging Rona's and Eunbyeol's audition. We were both angry that she went that far" Seokhoon explained. "So my mom let her out the room thinking she's going to her interview, but she isn't."

Just then, they heard footsteps and saw Suryeon dragging Seokkyung inside the room. She sat Seokkyung in the chair and started the committee. Seokkyung had to face everyone for what she's done.

"Raise your hand if you've ever been bullied by Seokkyung?" Ms.Shim asked and everyone raised their hands.

Seokkyung got angry and yelled things at them, which she would soon forget. "Joo Seokkyung, apologize!"

"I'm really sorry everyone," Seokkyung said backhandedly. "I'm sorry Yoo Jenny that you're dad is a murder."

Everyone gasped as they looked at Jenny. Jenny stood up to defend herself. "My dad might be murderer, but he did pay for his sins for 7 years."

Seokkyung looked taken aback by what Jenny said and then turned to Arden. "Yah! Jo Arden! Why aren't you defending me in this way? Don't you think this is a little too far?"

"No!" Arden said sternly as she stood up. "I told you that your actions are going to have consequences that you're going to have to deal with on your own. Because I'm done with helping you with the things you've brought up upon yourself, Joo Seokkyung."

Seokkyung clenched her jaw angrily at the girl she used to call her best friend. She glared at Rona and back to Arden. "Fine. I don't need a friend like you anyways, Jo Arden."

A few minutes goes by and Ms.Shim delivered the news on Seokkyung's place as a student. "Joo Seokkyung. Expelled."

"What do you mean expelled? That means I can't attend SNU" Seokkyung says. She angrily looked at every students and stormed out the room.

Arden took a deep breath. At least Seokkyung won't be able to mess with other students for awhile. Or what Arden thought.

"I need to have a word with you" Seokhoon said as he grabbed Arden's hand and dragged her out the room.

"What do you need to talk about?"

"When I told you that my mom and I overheard Seokkyung. You didn't seem surprised that she did it. Did you know about it and not warn Rona or Eunbyeol?" He asked as he grabbed her shoulders.

"I felt guilty when she told me at the auditions! I told it was wrong, but by her body language she didn't really care. She only cared about us and herself, not knowing she ruined people's futures" she explained and Seokhoon let go of her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. It must've been hard to keep that a secret" he says as he looked down at his feet. "Did you tell anyone?"

"I told Jisoo this morning because the guilt was eating inside me. Ever since the Min Seola incident. I've been feeling more guilty over my actions and if I ever meet someone that reminds me of Min Seola, I'll befriend them" she says as she sighed. It felt really nice to get that off her chest.

"That's good" he said with a smile and held out his hand. "Let's go. We have class."

Arden grabbed his hand and walked to class together. Even after Seokkyung getting expelled, she still felt this bad feeling deep down. Arden felt like things were going to get much worse and this was the start of it.

And how true she was...

- • -

Psychic Arden? Let's see what the next chapter has in stored.