Sinful Passion

thirty

"D- Did you know about this?  I mean, I heard the rumours but I didn't want to assume..."

Jihyo stared at Jeongyeon, awaiting a response, confused, hopeful, worried.  The air was thick with tension and unanswered questions about their dear friend, who was absent from school.

"It's true, Hyo," Jeongyeon replied, and for a while, Jihyo didn't say anything.  The taller girl quickly added," But I don't really have time to go into the details right now."

Jihyo stayed silent for a while more, before looking up again.  "We have to help Chaeyoung."

Up to this point, no one knew the identity of the culprit behind the leaked photos.  But Jeongyeon and Jihyo had a good enough hunch. They really didn't want to think that their fellow friend would stoop so low, but they had no other choice.  After scouring the school grounds, they located Nayeon in the school gym.

Thankfully, the room was otherwise empty.  Nayeon was dressed like a fitness model over in the weight room section, covered in a thin sheen of sweat, a sight that her fanboys and fangirls would've killed to see.  But that was besides the point here.

She immediately put her workout on pause and removed her earpieces when she saw her two friends crossing the room and making their way over.

"Nayeon," Jeongyeon called, as she and Jihyo stopped in front of her.  "Be honest for a sec."

Nayeon didn't say anything, but she stared them straight in the eyes.

"Was it you who released Chaeyoung's pictures?"  Jeongyeon asked.

An eternity seemed to pass between them before Nayeon answered.  "Yes."

"What the hell, Nayeon!?"  Jihyo yelled.

Jeongyeon grabbed Jihyo's arm to stop her from going any further, even though she felt her own rage boiling up inside of her, reacting to this shocking truth.

"It's fine if you don't support her, but you didn't have to hurt her like that.  I hope you know you've hurt a lot of other people and relationships in the process.  Goodbye, Nayeon." With that, Jeongyeon left, dragging a fuming Jihyo out behind her.

"...Running away?  Where? Like... forever?"

At first, Chaeyoung was confused by Mina's proposition, then scared, then thoughtful, then hopeful, then boundlessly excited.  The idea had never occurred to her before. It was such a great one, and very much like Mina to think of it.

But there were still many questions that needed answering, and many things that needed sorting out, if they were to actually go somewhere far away from here.  Was Chaeyoung going to leave her friends and school life behind here in Seoul? Was Mina going to leave Sana behind? Mina and Chaeyoung had to think through these things carefully, not just make rash, emotional decisions in a single car expedition.  But one thing was for sure. Mina didn't want Chaeyoung returning home for a while, because Changmin was there and Changmin meant danger.