Live or Die

CHAPTER 16

Under the glaring fluorescent lights of the school hallway, Ga Young feels the weight of countless eyes upon her, a mix of curiosity and suspicion palpable in the air. Since the incident, whispers have followed her like shadows, each step a reminder of the secret she harbors.

As she hurries toward the sanctuary of her next class, hoping to escape the murmurs, she's intercepted by Park Do Jin and Sang Hwan. Their expressions are grave, a stark contrast to the carefree demeanor they usually carry. Ga Young's heart sinks; she knows what's coming.

Do Jin: (concern evident in his voice) "Ga Young, we need to talk. What happened the night of the party? Everyone's talking, and... there are rumors."

Ga Young's mind races, seeking a safe harbor in the storm of accusations. She meets Do Jin's gaze, her eyes a mirror of innocence she no longer feels.

Ga Young: (her voice steady, but inside she's reeling) "I don't know what you're talking about, Do Jin. I left early, remember? I heard about what happened to Yeji the next morning, just like everyone else."

Sang Hwan, silent until now, steps forward, his phone in hand. The screen illuminates a photo that feels like a punch to Ga Young's gut: her and Yeji, captured in a moment that contradicts her carefully constructed lie.

Sang Hwan: "Then how do you explain this? It's you and Yeji, going up to the terrace alone. Nobody else was around."

Ga Young's façade cracks, her mind reeling as she stares at the undeniable evidence. Panic flutters in her chest, but she clings desperately to her deceit.

Ga Young: (trying to maintain her composure) "That... That doesn't mean anything. We just went up there to talk. That's all."

Do Jin's eyes search Ga Young's, looking for the truth beneath the layers of lies. The trust they once shared, now frayed and tattered, hangs between them, a reminder of the innocence lost.

Do Jin: (his voice a mix of disappointment and plea) "Ga Young, if there's something you're not telling us, now's the time. We just want to understand what happened to Yeji."

But Ga Young retreats further behind her wall of denials, the truth a heavy chain around her heart.

Ga Young: "There's nothing to tell. I'm just as confused and upset as you are."

Do Jin and Sang Hwan exchange a glance, the unsaid words loud in their silence. They step back, leaving Ga Young alone in the hallway, her relief at maintaining her secret overshadowed by the immense weight of her guilt and the crumbling facades of her friendships.

In the aftermath of being confronted with the photo, Ga Young scrambles to salvage the situation, her mind racing to construct a narrative that could explain away the damning evidence without incriminating herself.

Her voice quivers slightly as she tries to weave her tale, aware that Do Jin and Sang Hwan are scrutinizing her every word, searching for the truth hidden beneath her façade.

Ga Young: (forcing herself to look calm, though her heart races) "Look, that photo... Yes, Yeji and I went up to the terrace. I realized how terribly I've been acting, and I wanted to make amends. To apologize to her, properly."

Do Jin and Sang Hwan listen intently, their expressions a mix of hope and skepticism. They want to believe Ga Young, to return to a time before shadows and doubts clouded their friendship.

Sang Hwan: (narrowing his eyes, not entirely convinced) "And then? What happened after this apology?"

Ga Young senses the skepticism in Sang Hwan's voice and knows she needs to convince them of her innocence.