The New RFA

Beautiful Flowers

Eunha hung her head as the words her classmates said started to sting. She tried to ignore everything, reaching into the depths of her soul to find the will to smile. Yet, she couldn't possibly be able to see anything to smile about as it became harder to keep her lip from trembling and her eyes from watering.

Her shoulders began to shake as tears made their way from her cheeks to her desk, dropping with slight plops. Jisu stared from outside the classroom, backing away slightly and torn between wanting to take Eunha away from there and wanting to run from it all herself. She was a girl that tried to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible, trying to be seen and not heard.

Yet, looking at her childhood friend in such distress, she couldn't help but feel something reach down deep inside her. Jisu couldn't take them hating Eunha for something as simple and unimportant as who she likes or what she looks like or even who likes her. It's terrible and disgusting. Despite being her senior class, Jisu walked right in, standing in the front of the classroom.

The teacher tried to scold her for not going into her own classroom but Jisu pushed on, whistling loudly to cease the whispering and talking that must be too loud for anyone to actually stand. "So, who wants to take responsibility this time?" Jisu said calmly, gesturing to Eunha. Eunha lifted her head, blinking in surprise a few times at Jisu's voice. Jisu stared on, making sure her face was cold and distant as she glowered at the other students.

"What?"

"WHO wants to actually TAKE responsibility for making her cry every single day of her life?" Nobody spoke or raised their hand. Everyone was silent as they stared at either Jisu or Eunha. Yet, Eunha didn't pay any mind and stared straight at Jisu. "How long will it take until we grow out of our immaturity? How many tears does she have to weep until you all realize she is STILL the same person you grew up with?! Anything that you bully her for doesn't matter! It won't matter! Yet, you still push her and abuse her and for what?! What's the purpose?! To drive her to death?! Is that the end goal!?"

Nobody said a word. Some shifted uncomfortably while others tried to look anywhere else in the room. Jisu sighed before she started to unwrap her scarf.

"Since Eunha started being herself, I will too," Jisu said, revealing the huge, unsightly birthmark that stained her neck. It almost looked as if she were burned. "Self expression is a bad thing, right? So imagine this: You're in school, drawing something you're proud of but everyone hates it. They think it's disgusting and you should hide it but even if you do, they still hate you. You're talked about like trash everyday because you let everyone see it. You're beat up everyday because you're a sissy for even trying. This is Eunha everyday. Could you take it? No! No, none of you could! Eunha is the strongest one here and she STILL smiles at you bastards and is nice and would STILL give you the shirt off her back if you needed it! It doesn't matter because she still has so much love that some of you don't even deserve!" Jisu started to yell now.

It was so exasperating to see Eunha in such a state but treat everyone with the same overflowing kindness. Truly, she was the princesses they told about in fairytales. Jisu stared straight at Eunha, making her startled a bit. Eunha felt her cheeks heat up at being caught staring.

"Eunha, you can't let things go on like this. You can't let them walk over you and you can't possibly treat them with the attitude you have. They don't deserve it,"

"I... I know..." Eunha said, her voice broken and quiet. "But... I can't be mean either. My own mentality and morals won't allow me. I can't even let the mean words tumble out of my mouth," Eunha said, saying more in the classroom that anyone has heard her say since the bullying started.

"I understand. So I will be your backbone along with Jeaki, Laon, Gyeong, and Areum,"

-------------------

Jisu walked back to Eunha's classroom after class, knowing that the white haired girl wasn't there anymore but she was intent on washing the insults off Eunha's desk. Yet, when she got there, she was surprised to see Jeaki already there. He had already started on what Jisu wanted to.

"Hey,"

"Hey," Jeaki replied. He smiled at her before pulling her into a hug, which made Jisu's violet eyes widen before shyly hugging him back. He pulled away, a soft, proud smile playing on his lips. "You're the best,"

"No, I'm not,"

"Yeah. I wish I could do that much but... I'm never able to make it here. I'm always on a bus at this time, off somewhere else learning a class and then I'll come back around lunch but the damage had been done. Eunha... I feel ashamed I'm not able to help at this time like I am other times but you're a hero,"

"I just love Eunha too much,"

"Same here. That doesn't make me a hero though," Jeaki said as he ferociously scrubbed at a specific word. "I love you, too,"

"Yeah. Thank you, Jeaki. You're a good person. Thank you for helping Eunha during the second part of her day at least. It's something,"

"She deserves it. I just wish she wasn't so sad. I don't want anybody to hate her. It's for multiple reasons and I just-- I can't! I hate them all! But you know what they say: The most beautiful flowers get plucked first," It was true. Throughout Jisu's whole childhood, she always chose the beautiful flower to give to her parents whenever possible. Jeaki had a point. "I'm... I'm gonna go to the roof,"

"Why?"

"I need to check something. It's a daily routine I've picked up ever since a specific day. I've been sworn to secrecy but I need to check that someone's not up there. That they're where they're supposed to be," Jeaki said before exiting the classroom, allowing Jisu to clean the easier words to get off. Jisu started getting to work, making sure there was no sign anything had ever been written on the wooden desk.

A/N: Look who's updating in the early morning! I'm not as proud of this one but it's part of Eunha's backstory you need to know.