ᴮˡᵒᵒᵈ ᵒⁿ ᵒᵘʳ ᴴᵃⁿᵈˢ . ᴬˡˡ ᵒᶠ ᵁˢ ᵃʳᵉ ᴰᵉᵃᵈ ¹

ˡᵃˢᵗ ⁿᵒʳᵐᵃˡ ᵐᵒʳⁿⁱⁿᵍ

Aeja mumbled curse words under her breath as the knocking on the front door came again.

"Su-hyeok, be patient!" Aeja shouted at the front door, her mouth full of toothpaste.

"Aeja, get going," Aeja's father, Song Jae-ik, sighed. "I need to lock the door."

"I have my key, I'll lock it," Aeja replied, placing her toothbrush away and grabbing her schoolbag. "Dad, you're a goddamn detective. Get going! I am more than capable of locking a door."

"It's alright, Aeja," Jae-ik chuckled at his daughter running throughout the house. "Don't forget your phone. And remember, all that matters in life is-"

"Being alive and safe, I know," Aeja finished her dad's sentence with a sigh as she grabbed her phone from where it had been charging. "I know you're only saying that because of Chin-mae."

"I say it because you're my daughter," Jae-ik corrected. "It's a father's job. Keep an eye out for their daughters... but yes, I also say it because of Chin-mae."

Another knock on the door.

"Get going, your boyfriend is waiting for you," Aeja's father said.

"He's not my boyfriend," Aeja replied. She gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek before heading towards the front door. "See you tonight."

"Do you have your epipen?" Jae-ik called out.

"Haven't needed it since I was twelve, but yes, I have it," Aeja replied before she shut the door behind her.

(:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅[̲̅:♡:]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅)

"How do you keep tripping?" Su-hyeok asked, grabbing onto Aeja's arm as she tumbled forwards slightly for the third time that morning.

"There are too many gaps in the ground," Aeja was trying not to laugh at how clumsy she was today.

"C'mon, we're nearly there," Su-hyeok replied, pointing out the school, which was just across the road. 

"The crossing's over there," Aeja pointed.

"Screw it," Su-hyeok suddenly said as the light turned green.

"Screw what- holy ramen!" Aeja screamed as Su-hyeok pulled her across the road. "Su-hyeok, you asshole!"

"Hey, we're still alive," Su-hyeok replied as they arrived at the school gates on time.

"Yeah, you are..." Aeja replied. "I think we left a part of me back at that road."

"You always say that when I drag you across the road," Su-hyeok chuckled. "Maybe I should try something else... how about the bush?"

Su-hyeok started teasingly shoving towards the bushes nearby to them, making Aeja let out a small laugh.

"Su-hyeok, cut it out!" Aeja laughed, playfully shoving her friend back so she could get back onto the pathway.

Su-hyeok chuckled at this. He had always liked Aeja's laugh. But upon noticing something a little further ahead, his smile faded away quickly.

"Get moving," Chang-hoon ordered.

Aeja felt her heart stop for a moment, remembering how much she'd been bullied by those boys.

Ninth grade wasn't fun for her.

Aeja began making her way towards where the group had gone, feeling more determined than nervous. As long as it stayed that way, she'd get through this fine... hopefully.

"Aeja," Su-hyeok whispered loudly, trying to stop the girl. But Aeja didn't listen, already following the group towards the school's construction site. "Aeja, wait!"

She found them a few minutes later, filming the girl, who'd been stripped.

"Hey!" Aeja announced herself. "That's enough."

"Well, well, well," Myeong-hwan chuckled. "Long time no see, Song Aeja. No longer wearing those shitty buns, I see. Ah, and you've gotten curvier too."

Su-hyeok then reached the room, standing next to Aeja.

"You heard her," Su-hyeok said. "That's enough."

Myeong-hwan stood up, walking right towards Su-hyeok. "You used to party with us. Don't try to act all holier-than-thou. Get lost."

"Grow up," Su-hyeok replied.

Aeja made her way over to Eun-ji, helping the girl button up her shirt. Aeja heard one of the boys wolf-whistle as she reached over to grab the girl's jumper. She rolled her eyes, having heard it all.

"Let's go," Aeja encouraged Eun-ji, helping her stand up.

"Go on then, you whore," Myeong-hwan retorted.

Without thinking twice, Aeja spun around and slapped Myeong-hwan across the face, sending the boy back and into a wall. The gang were all silent, not knowing what to do.

"I'm sure you already know what that's for," Aeja replied, seeing a red mark already beginning to form on Myeong-hwan's cheek.

"Will you live like this forever?" Su-hyeok asked the gang as he began to lead the victims towards the stairs. Aeja followed, not wanting to spend another minute with the bullies.

"You look really sexy in this," Gwi-nam announced as they reached the stairs. "Should I send it to your mom? You know I'm friends with her on Facebook, right?"

Eun-ji slowly removed herself from Su-hyeok's grasp. "I can't go."

"Yes, you can," Aeja faced the girl. "It's alright."

Eun-ji shook her head, tears in her eyes and her body shaking with fear. "It's not okay. If I leave now... it'll be twice as bad tomorrow."

Aeja watched as Eun-ji slowly made her way back to the boys. She tried to ignore the smirk on Myeong-hwan's face, even as Chul-soo, their other victim, went back as well.

Aeja walked out without saying anything and trying to hide her tears from the group. Su-hyeok chased after her.

"Aeja," Su-hyeok called out, making the girl turn around. "It's okay. We could report them if you want."

"It's just not fair," Aeja sighed. "They aren't picking on me anymore because you stepped in. Why can't it be the same for them? And Jin-su..."

Su-hyeok stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Aeja. At first, Aeja was stunned by Su-hyeok's action, but she slowly accepted it and embraced him.

"Just remember that no matter what, I'm going to stand up for you," Su-hyeok insisted.

"Even if I burn the school down?" Aeja asked with a small laugh.

"Okay, not that," Su-hyeok replied, but he was laughing a little too.

Aeja smiled, nuzzling her head into Su-hyeok's chest. It felt nice.

Maybe today she should tell him?

"Su-hyeok," Aeja said, breaking away from the hug and wiping away her tears.

"Yeah?" Su-hyeok asked.

"Could you meet me at that park after school?" Aeja asked. "The one we went to in the summer."

"The duck pond one?" Su-hyeok recalled, to which Aeja nodded. "Yeah, sure. We can walk down there after school together if you want?"

Aeja smiled, "Yeah, I'd like that."

The pair smiled at each other for a few moments. Aeja wanted to stay like that for much longer, but Su-hyeok broke the moment.

"C'mon, let's get to class," Su-hyeok said.

"Right," Aeja nodded, following the boy towards the school.