Her Bully | BBANGSAZ

F I F T Y E I G H T

M I N J I
—

"She was there?" Haerin gasps, chewing on her chocolate cake like a toddler.

I cringe in my seat and sigh, feeling my bloodshot eyes ache with the need for sleep.

I haven't been sleeping well lately.

"Y-Yeah, she had a fucking picture, plus a note, which clearly means she was there."

Haerin nods her head, humming in confusion. "So why didn't she show up then?"

I throw my hands in the air and whine.

"That's what I've been wondering too, what made her go away?"

She frowns and juts her chin up.

"Probably got scared you had a bunch of flowers," she jokes, and I can't help but slap her arm.

"Joking, Min—I'm joking," she laughs, making me roll my eyes and then bite my lip after.

"Are you ever going to tell me why you dropped off the face of the school to Hyunseo and me?" I ask, changing the subject back to her because it can't always be about me.

She gives me a small smile.

"Min, I said I'd tell you when Hyunseo comes back from vacation. I want both of you to be here when I tell you guys," she scolds me lightly, making me pout.

"But she's coming back next week!" I complain, crossing my arms together.

"Which is absurd, why should she skip school for two weeks for a vacation?"

She chuckles and winks at me.

"I don't know, ask her that when she comes back. By the way, how's your college application in England? I can't wait for my acceptance letter from our state university," she brags, making me roll my eyes at her.

"Not so humble, huh?" I joke, giggling a bit but frowning after as the thought of never seeing Hanni again passes through my memory.

Damn it, Minji—stop thinking about her.

She's just going to ruin you all the time.

"Well, aren't you excited to go to England, Ms. Valedictorian?" she teases, waggling her eyebrows as I smile half-heartedly.

Licking my lips, I nod. "Yeah. I wonder if I'll get in," I sigh, blowing out a puff of air.

She frowns at me. "Please, if they didn't accept you—they're stupid."

I smile at her compliment and take a bite out of my sandwich when all of a sudden, the noises of high school students invade my ears again.

I gulp down my food and scrunch my nose up when I hear Ryujin's voice.

"Are you okay?"

I glance back and watch as Ryujin holds a sick-looking Hanni, clutching her midsection like she's about to vomit again.

"Y-Yeah, I think Rei poisoned my drinks last night," she groans, and I can feel my heart racing when she doubles over and cries out a shriek of pain, running towards the open bins as Ryujin rushes to her side and holds her hands back from touching the dirty box.

Hanni vomits and empties out whatever's been hurting her stomach, and some people are looking.

"Heard she went to another college party, that girl," Haerin tells me, and I find myself looking at her again, curious.

"Really?" I ask, feigning interest, but she doesn't buy it.

She nods her head. "She drank a lot of water," Haerin ends, frowning a bit.

"That's what I heard from some of the guys that went to the party. She couldn't stop drinking water, juice, milk, and all sorts of liquids."

My jaw drops. I can only imagine the disaster that's going inside her stomach.

"What? Did she add alcohol to that mix? Oh god, why isn't she in the hospital?"

Haerin chuckles at my worried face and points a finger at me.

"You're not supposed to care, remember Min?" she reminds me, and I blush.

"I don't care," I huff, crossing my arms together.

She clucks her tongue, smirking.

"Going back, no alcohol. Apparently, she never touched one because she was surrounded by tubs of milk and cartons of fruit juices. It's disgusting, really."

I turn back and watch her fall down on the cafeteria table but not before pushing Ahyeon out of her seat, falling on top of Wonyoung, who tumbles to the floor.

—

We're getting our Zoology final papers back. I didn't do as well as I should have, and maybe it's because all I could hear was one of my classmates at the other table coughing and sneezing for most of the time during the test.

Mrs. Jones passes by my table and puts down my paper.

"Not the best for you, but still the best of the batch—so good job, Minji," she says, smiling at me as I accept the paper with an A-.

Soon, the bell rings, and I'm one of the first to walk out of the classroom. I stop momentarily in my tracks as familiar, burning arms wrap around my neck, making my body go rigid.

I try not to react, but before I know it, the person is sliding in front of me and bringing me back in for another hug. I don't know how to react.

She finally pulls back, and I think she forgot about ditching me because the smile on her face is brighter than the stars above.

"I-I got a B+," she exhales, and boy, I have to admit, it brings me energy to be close to her again, but I don't show that to her as she holds up her test paper.

"I-I passed Zoology, and it's all because of you. Thanks to you." She wraps me up in a hug again, and my eyes go wide as she buries her face in the crook of my neck.

I push her away from me and fix the strap of my bag, looking away from her eyes that just do things to me.

"You're welcome," I mutter lowly, not bothering to wait for a reply as I walk past her and try to run away, but she holds my wrist and stops me.

I turn around and immediately meet her brown eyes.

Hanni gulps and shakes her head.

"I mean it, Minji. You just made me pass high school."

She whispers, and it makes me want to hide away in a secluded place and never come out again.

I nod my head and shrug my hand away from her, not looking back as I run towards Haerin's side, who's telling me that Hyunseo will be back in two days.

What I didn't see is when Hanni rushes to the nearest trash bin to empty out her stomach, again.

Later at home, there's my favorite Starbucks drink on top of the kitchen table with a cupcake on the side—red velvet, might I add.

My dad comes through the kitchen doors, holding a newspaper up.

"Finish that before your mom comes," he hums, eyeing the gifts as I roll my eyes and decide whether or not I should throw these goods away.

Fuck it, I'll eat and drink my sorrows away.

I bitterly grab the gifts and trudge upstairs, slamming my door shut as I jump on my bed and start drinking my hot chocolate, moaning at the heavenly taste.

I should really go have another Starbucks date with Haerin and Hyunseo.

Pulling the cup away, I read the words written sideways in black font color.

Thanks for the B+. I miss you. I miss us.

Oh, fuck you, Hanni.