Dear Blood

2장

Ji-ah sat by Natty's bedside, her eyes red from sleepless nights and endless tears. Seung-jo stood by the window, staring out with a hardened expression, lost in his thoughts. It had been two days since Natty was brought in, and the waiting had been agonizing.

Suddenly, a faint sound broke the silence. Ji-ah's head snapped up, and she saw Natty’s fingers twitch. "Seung-jo, she’s waking up!" Ji-ah’s voice was a mix of relief and anxiety.

Seung-jo rushed to the bedside, his heart pounding. Natty’s eyes fluttered open, unfocused and hazy. She blinked several times, trying to adjust to the bright light and unfamiliar surroundings.

"Natty, sweetheart, can you hear us?" Ji-ah asked gently, her voice trembling with emotion.

Natty’s eyes slowly focused on her mother’s face. "M-Mom?" Her voice was weak and raspy.

"Hi, Honey," Seung-jo said, his voice firm but soft. 

Natty’s eyes filled with tears as the memories flooded back. She tried to sit up, wincing from the pain. Ji-ah quickly placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don’t try to move too much. You’re still very hurt."

Natty nodded slightly, tears slipping down her bruised cheeks. "I... I’m sorry," she whispered.

"There’s nothing for you to be sorry about," Seung-jo said, his eyes fierce. "We just need to know who did this to you."

"It was them... Gwi-nam, Jenny, Hee-jin, Eun-byeol, and Lina. They..." She couldn't finish her sentence, her voice breaking with the effort.

Ji-ah hugged her gently. "We’re going to make sure they pay for this, Natty. You’re safe now."

True to their word, Seung-jo and Ji-ah immediately contacted the authorities and pressed charges against the five teens. Within hours, Gwi-nam, Jenny, Hee-jin, Eun-byeol, and Lina were brought in for questioning at the police station.

At the police station:

Gwi-nam sat slouched in his chair, his expression one of boredom. The officer leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. "Why did you and your friends attack Natty?"

Gwi-nam shrugged. "Because we don't like her. She's a freak."

The officer's face hardened. "You realize the severity of what you've done, don't you?"

Gwi-nam smirked. "Yeah, and I don't care. I'd do it again if I had the chance."

Jenny was next, her arms crossed and a defiant look on her face. "Why did you participate in the assault?"

Jenny rolled her eyes. "She deserved it. Always acting like she's better than us."

The officer shook his head in disbelief. "Deserved it? She’s in the hospital with severe injuries."

Jenny scoffed. "Maybe she should have stayed out of our way."

Hee-jin sat with a cold, calculating expression. "What prompted this attack, Hee-jin?"

She looked directly at the officer, unflinching. "She confessed to me that she liked me. It was disgusting."

The officer's jaw tightened. "So you beat her because she had feelings for you?"