My Bully, My Love | NCT Mark

08| The Structure

In the Guidance Counselor's office, Mrs. Manjoo sat behind her desk, engrossed in her work, the steady click-clack of typing filling the room. Mina sat quietly, uncertain whether to interrupt the counselor's focus. Finally, she mustered the courage to speak up.

"Um, excuse me. Is there a reason you called me here?" Mina inquired, hoping to capture Mrs. Manjoo's attention. The counselor glanced up from her computer screen, a warm smile spreading across her face.

"Ah, yes! I just wanted to check in and see how you're settling in. You've been here with us for almost a week, how's your experience so far? Is there anything on your mind that's been bothering you?" Mrs. Manjoo asked, her tone filled with genuine concern.

Mina hesitated, debating whether to mention the bullying she had been enduring. Her friend's advice echoed in her mind. Should she bring it up or let it go? Finally, in a last-ditch effort to seek help, she looked up at Mrs. Manjoo, finding solace in her kind gaze. "Actually, there is something that has been bothering me at this school," Mina admitted, her voice trailing off towards the end.

Leaning forward, Mrs. Manjoo placed her arm on the desk, signaling her attentiveness. "Yes, go on," she encouraged, her reassuring smile giving Mina a glimmer of hope. If anyone could listen and help, it was the guidance counselor. It was her job, after all.

"There's this boy named Mark in my math class. He's been constantly tormenting me. He pulls my hair and humiliates me in front of my classmates. He follows me around and won't leave me alone, every time I turn a corner I fear that I might run into him and it's suffocating me!" Mina poured out the words, releasing the pent-up frustration. When she glanced up at Mrs. Manjoo, her warm and reassuring smile had transformed into a stern frown.

"Are you telling me the truth?" Mrs. Manjoo demanded, her tone abruptly cold. Fearful of the potential consequences, Mina found herself unable to speak, nodding instead. Mrs. Manjoo pushed her chair back, standing up and making her way toward the window. The room was filled with an oppressive silence as she observed a group of students preparing for physical education.

"Mina, this school operates within a structure," Mrs. Manjoo began, her voice devoid of warmth. "A structure that has been imposed upon us by circumstances even someone in my position cannot challenge. One wrong move and everything we have worked so hard to build can crumble in an instant." She snapped her fingers, emphasizing her point, her gaze still fixed on the playful students outside. "So, there are times when we must navigate difficult situations by simply looking the other way," she concluded, turning to face Mina with a smile. "Do you understand?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Yes," Mina responded softly, understanding the gravity of her words. Mrs. Manjoo returned to her desk, sitting back down as if the weight of the conversation had dissipated.

"I have one more question," Mina spoke up, mustering the courage to ask.

"Yes?" Mrs. Manjoo replied her attention fully on Mina once more.

"Who paid for my fees?" Mina asked, curiosity piqued. Mrs. Manjoo leaned back in her chair, her expression blank as she stared at Mina.

"Shouldn't you know better than me?" she responded, leaving Mina with a lingering sense of uncertainty.

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In the comfort of her dorm room, Mina anxiously nibbled on her fingernails, staring at the number on her phone screen. After a deep breath, she gathered her resolve and dialed the familiar number.

"Hello?" a stern voice answered on the other end.

"Um, Aunt May? It's me, Mina."