Chapter 1
I choose to forget than remember, even deep inside me- I don't want to forget. I'll never let go but I let go. I'll let them go. I leave them even I don't want to because I'm selfish. I'm selfish. Because of me, they suffered.
I took a deep breath and introduced myself as Lee Sunie or known as Sunoo. I was a junior student, fourteen years old. My friends know me as the school sunshine and very sassy for not being afraid of speaking what's in my mind. I generally enjoyed curling up with a book and playing games rather than meeting new friends. But I became very reserved and introverted when our house got raided by unknown people. They kidnapped my parents and soon found them dead in the lake. I live with my cousin and since then I'd been very meek, my voice was small and somewhat muted. I work a part-time job as a seller in a small bakery. It was a terrible job, but I used to try it and learn to speak up for myself. But I was often ignored since I can barely talk to someone. My co-worker insulted me for being like this. That led to my depression. I've messed the day, my entrance exam and I curled up on my bed, sulking in the corner all day without eating anything. My cousin's parents had enough and bring me to the place that I don't want to be.
- Sunie.
I'm still in junior high when the nightmare happens.
-
Everyone was excited about the upcoming valentines day. Sure thing all the students are excited about it- because in this month is the day when us, boys, need to find a date while the girls are anticipating to be dated by someone. Or that day is the best day for confessing and giving love letters to someone they like. I'm scrolling through my phone but nothing in the social media interest me. I decided to turn off my mobile data and scrolled through my gallery. I looked around the room before leaning on my chair. Everyone looks so busy talking among themselves. Somehow, seating in a corner in the last row gives me the privacy to check my phone without any disturbance.
I tap the gallery and go directly on Hawon's picture. I smiled while staring at her photo. Just looking at Hawon makes my heart flutter. I feel incredibly happy. Hawon is the girl I like since I step into my junior year. She's my classmate and everyone in the school knows her because of her unique beauty, and kindness. I fall for her because of her kindness to others.
But my smile faded when I realized that I'm living in my dreams again. I need to confess to her before anyone could. I know I'm a nobody but I'm still the sunshine of our school right? They titled me that weird nickname because of my shining smile. I docked my phone and move my head to the window. Do I need to wait for her in front of the gate? I caught the president council giving posters to the students who had just arrived.
Right, I'll wait for her in front of the gate. I get up and run out from the room, run down the stairs, and almost fly when I reach the ground floor.
I was panting hard when I arrive at the gate. I looked around to search Hawon but I can't see any sign of her. I inhaled, taking deep breaths.
"What are you doing here Sunoo?" An elbow was placed on my shoulder and I looked to my side to see Jinki with a lollipop stuck in his mouth. "Are you waiting for that bitch Hawon again?" He asked and I jab him on his stomach. He groan but laughed.
"Why do you keep calling her bitch? She's not a bitch if you know. She's kind to everyone."
"Such a cute innocent Sunie~" He cooed and pinched my cheeks. I whines and slapped his hand away from my face. "Well...you don't know about that girl yet but she's bad just like the other bully in school."
"How can you say that?" I asked and noticed a guy standing in front of Mr. President was looking at me. I don't know if he's actually looking at me but when our eyes meet, he suddenly avoid his gaze from me and looked back at Pres. A faint red crept on his face and ears. Is he blushing?
I don't know who is he but I often see him around, always alone but sometimes he is with someone. He's wearing specs and everyone knows him as a geek.
"Because I always see her bullying the poor students!" He whispered close to my ears. I shuddered and pushed him away.
"Distance yourself will you? You have the worst bad breath," I said and he gasp dramatically. I rolled my eyes at him.
My eyes move again to that guy and caught him staring at me again while blushing. Pres whispered something on him and that made him blush even more. I shrugged and focused on waiting for Hawon.
"Hey! I saw Hawon already went in!" Jinki said and patted my back. "But don't you dare follow her." He whispered lowly.
My ears peaked and I immediately move my head to where Jinki pointing at. I saw her walking with her friends. I took a step forward to follow her but someone grab my arm. When I looked over to my shoulder, I saw Junhyuk frowning at me. Homin standing behind him while receiving candies from the students passing. I heard the girls giggle at him. No doubt, Cha Homin is cute. Ever since he stepped into this school, everyone go simp over him. Cha Homin and Yang Junghwan are my childhood friends aside from Jinki.
But this is the first time I see Junghwan after long years of staying in Sydney. He grew a lot better but still look like a little cat, a sassy cat, or a mad cat with a bad attitude. But he is still adorable. "Junghwan? You back?"
The students near us were looking at us and I don't know why but maybe because Junghwan is here. He's wearing a different school and if I know that uniform is from the all-boys school.
Junghwan smiled and hugged me. We, bro, hug just like we did when we were still kids. "I'm the one who right to ask that!" He said before pushing me slightly. "You back?!"
"No, I'm front." I joked causing Junghwan to make face and Homin laughed.
"You haven't changed at all." He said while chuckling. Jinki somewhat inserts himself between us, pushing me away and them as if trying to protect me.
"Social distancing is a must!" He warned with a slight glare.
"But your hair is a mess." I retorted and pushed him away. I heard him gasped again. I only rolled my eyes and smiled brightly at Junghwan. He blinked just seeing my smile and even Homin.
"You even smile brighter just like before." He commented and Homin nod his head while begin unwrapping the candy.
I noticed the guy with the president looking at me again but it seems like he has someone else. I move my head back to that guy but when our eyes meet he quickly looks away. The guy he always with glared at me. I don't know what I did wrong to make him look at me like that or I just assumed that they were looking in my direction.
I move my eyes back to Junghwan. We talked for a while, forgetting about Hawon. I think talking to my friends is much more worth it than stalking my crush. I don't know but when Jinki said Hawon was a bad girl, my feelings for her changed instantly. I don't like bad people. I'm scared of them. What if Jinki's words were true? What if I confessed to her and after then she will make me her dog? It's fine if Hawon dumps me then make me as her dog. I somehow believe Jinki.
The first subject soon began and we need to hurry back inside in our respective classrooms if we don't want to be signed as late. Junghwan quickly said goodbye and told me to meet him after class. Homin waved at him before we run inside the school.
Homin said his goodbye before going to the right side while I and Jinki head up straight to the first floor. I quietly make my way down the hallway and spot the homeroom. Everyone around me seems don't have a plan on quieted their mouths down. We walk inside, ahead to our seat. There are a bunch of us standing up, talking to each other in the window. I sat in the back next to a window and I noticed a sticky note on my table. I pulled it away and read the letter.
It says, 'Have a nice morning! I hope you eat a lot for lunch. We cared so much for you.'
I pushed my eyebrows together and scrunched up my nose. Who the heck stick this note on my table? Is this for me? I flip the note and my heart skip a beat when I read the name, Your Pet. Who is my pet? As far as I remember, I don't have any pets.
I folded the note and hide it in my pocket. Whoever is this, I appreciate his concern.
Our homeroom teacher walked in with a pile of folders in her hands. The students hurriedly sat on their chairs and quieted down. We watched as Mrs. Jung placed her stuff on the table. Why does it feel like something is wrong with her? The way she moves, so timidly- so slow and tired. I can't help but wonder. She looks thinner than the last time I saw her and the bags under her eyes are very visible. Is there something coming up within this month? But she looks fine before unlike now. What happened? Did her husband and she fight?
I can feel a light tap on my shoulder. I looked at Jinki seating beside me. He points at Mrs. Jung with his pencil. "Why does she looks so tired?" He whispered.
I shrugged. "Dunno?" I answered and looked back at her again.
She held the edges of the table like she was going to fall. Why does she look so stressed?
She looked up at us, shaking her head before taking one of her books. She opened it and begin writing on the board. She told us to bring out our textbook and so that's what we did.
The entire class from Mrs. Jung wasn't quite well, it's as if the atmosphere was heavy. Everyone is quiet and worried about her but just a few of them are worried though. Most of the students don't care about what's going on with Mrs. Jung. The next class went all too well and they discuss the upcoming event and everyone was looking forward to it except me.
The bell rang and the teacher dismiss us. Everyone gathered their things and went out for lunch. I'm arranging my stuff when someone knocks on my table. I looked up and saw one of Hawon's friends. She smiled at me.
"Hawon wants you to meet her at the canteen." She said before walking out of the classroom.
I watched her with shock in my eyes. The heck? Why does Hawon want me to meet her in the canteen? I and Hawon haven't been talked to each other before until now. Then, why now?
I confusedly stood up and slung my bag on my shoulder.
"Oh my gosh, Sunie! Don't go!" Jinki jumped beside me, tapping my shoulder with worry. "I can feel that she's up to something..." He leans on my ear. "bad."
I shook my head. How can Hawon do something bad to me? I didn't do anything aside from liking her. "If she is then you got my back," I said before walking out of the room.
My heart doesn't stop beating fast. I'm nervous because this is the first time she wants to talk to me. When I turned to the right corner ahead of where the canteen was, her friend Chae-il suddenly jumped in front of me. I was almost taken aback by the shock. She giggled upon seeing my shocked face.
"What a pussy." She commented while giggling. "Anyway, she's not in the canteen. Follow me." She instructed and sign me to follow her.
I followed her along the way. I don't have any idea of where is she taking me. Is Hawon there? Why she can't meet me at the canteen? The canteen seems comfortable even a bunch of students are there. I'm scared that they have planned on doing something inappropriate to me. My heartbeat went faster and faster when she soon stop in front of the empty room. I also stopped, looking at her in confusion. She giggly turned to face me before turning back to the door again. My eyebrows creased. This feels bad. She slide the door open and I could my face paled up, seeing Hawon seating on top of the teacher's table with four guys surrounding her. The button of her uniform was slightly open and her skirt almost up to her tights. She looks like she did something inappropriate earlier. Some of her friends were standing behind.
"Well...look what we have here? Isn't the school sunshine and sassy is finally in front of me?" She said with a slight moan.
I feel goosebumps all over my body just hearing her moan. This is not Hawon. This is not the girl I like. She's not like that.
A smirk crept on her face. She signs the four guys to come at me and bring me close to her. I took a step back but before I could even run, they got my arms and began dragging me to Hawon. I tried to struggle but this guys seems muscular and older than I am. They look more like college students than high school.
"I heard that you like me Sunie-shi." She said and licked her red lips. She giggled and grab my coat. She pulled me close to her. "You're pretty but you're not my type." She giggled again before pushing me away back to those guys.
"Do you want to be liked back? Then, do me a favor. How about let these four kind guys to shot you in the butt." She said with a wide grin.
My face paled up even more. Jinki was right all along. Hawon is indeed a bad girl. I grit my teeth together. I regret liking her. If I knew her in the first place then I wouldn't like her as I do. Is this the real Hawon be like then forget it. I yanked my arms back and kicked the other guy in his tights. I heard them gasp even Hawon. I run fast to the door but one of them got my bag and yanked me back causing me to stumble down on the floor.
I whimpered in pain and fear. I tried to struggle to get up but all of them held me on the floor.
"I thought you're like the other poor guys who end up being fucked by these dudes. You're tough Sunie." She said, patting my head with her foot. I moved my head and glared at her.
"I regret liking you! I don't like you at all!" I yelled out, eyes sharpened- glaring at her deeply.
"That's every poor guys like you telling me. They regret liking me. You know how I hate ordinary guys like you. You aren't that eye-catchy even though you're handsome but your charisma is too low for my liking." She said and giggled. "If you truly like me then let the guys touch you."
"No! Get off of me!" I yelled out, struggling to break free.
"Don't fight. You will enjoy it too." She laughed and signed them to start.
I shouted 'No' but who I am kidding? No one will listen. They'll touch me just like Hawon wanted. I bit my lips, preventing my eyes from watering; preventing myself not crying in front of these people. My heartbeat painfully when I feel one of them tugging my pants down while removing my belt. I struggle again but how can I escape when four are people holding me down?
I begged them not to do it but they won't listen, instead they holding their phones and recording what was happening right now. Is this how Hawon did the other guys too? Forcing them to do something-
My thoughts snap out when I heard the door slide open. My heartbeat in relief, if there's someone barge in and help me out of this situation- I'm very glad. But what if that person is one of them? But I hope it's the teacher.
"Get away from him!" I heard the voice shout.
I feel the weight on my body fade and noticed the guys fall on my sides instantly. I heard Hawon scream and the sounds of footsteps running away from the classroom. I don't know what happened but that's what I heard. I turned my head to look over to my shoulder and my eyes began to water after seeing Junghwan, panting violently while glaring at the guys.
Homin and Jinki run to me. They helped me get up. "I told you Hawon is bad!" Jinki scolded but I only wipe the tears that almost escape from the edge of my eyes.
Junghwan runs to me and embraces me. He pulled me away and check my body, face if there were tiny scratches or something. Worry was written all over his face. I sighed and hugged him.
"Thank you for helping me," I whispered. I closed my eyes when I feel his arms wrapped around mine.
"Thankfully I saw you from the distance with someone else. I know something is bad was gonna happen especially when Jinki hyung told me that you come with that bitch." He said and pats the back of my head.
"Yeah, thanks to me a lot. Homin looks like dying when I told him that." Jinki said and chuckled and Homin slapped his arms.
Junghwan pulled away and placed his arm around my shoulder. "Let's get out of here. You want a snack?" He asked and I nodded. "Great then!" He chirped before kicking the guy on the face when we heard him cussing us.
Junghwan pulled me out of that classroom while Homin and Jinki quickly followed behind.