─── chapter two.
❛ SERIOUS QUESTION ❜

Jae-Jun and Eun-Ji sat together in the library, Eun-Ji diligently helping him with the English questions he claimed to struggle with. What she didn't realize was that her so-called friends had orchestrated this entire situation to divert her attention while they continued tormenting Dong-Eun.

"You know more English than I do, so why ask me for help?" Eun-Ji asked, slightly puzzled. Jae-Jun smirked and leaned back in his chair. "If I know more, why are you still helping me?"

Eun-Ji raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know until you kept answering everything right."

Jae-Jun chuckled at her response. "Alright, alright, don't inflate my ego too much."

Eun-Ji rolled her eyes at his teasing, but after a moment, her expression grew serious. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did," he shot back, smirking again. Eun-Ji stared blankly, unamused by the joke.

"Okay, okay," Jae-Jun relented, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Ask away."

"Why do you guys hurt Dong-Eun?" she asked quietly, her tone firm but laced with concern. She expected an honest answer this time.

Jae-Jun sighed, his playful demeanor fading. "Yeon-Jin's parents' divorce really messed her up. This... this is just how she deals with it."

Eun-Ji listened, but the excuse didn't sit right with her. "That's no reason to hurt someone else."

"Maybe," Jae-Jun shrugged, trying to brush off the weight of the conversation. "But that's not what I wanted to tell you."

She gave him a curious look, waiting for him to continue.

Without warning, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, causing her to freeze in surprise. "What I really wanted to say, Eun-Ji, is that I like you. I always have. I didn't want to hurt you, ever."

She opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off. "I know I slapped you once, and I regret it every day. But I'm serious—I care about you. Why do you think I worked so hard for your forgiveness?"

Eun-Ji bit her lip, conflicted. Part of her wanted to believe him, but doubt lingered. After a pause, she finally spoke, gathering her belongings. "You've got until Christmas break to prove you're serious."

With that, she stood up, bowing slightly before leaving the library, feeling a mix of nerves and satisfaction. For once, she had spoken with confidence.

Later that evening, back home, Eun-Ji was trying to relax, bundled up in her cozy, oversized sweater, when a message from Dong-Eun interrupted her peace. The words "I'm sorry, Eun-Ji" flashed across the screen, and her heart sank.

Immediately, she texted back in a panic, asking where she was, pleading with her not to do anything rash. The reply was short but terrifying: "rooftop."

Eun-Ji didn't hesitate. She grabbed her coat and rushed out the door, sprinting through the snowy streets to the abandoned school, where they had first become friends.

As she opened the rooftop door, the sight before her made her heart stop. Dong-Eun was curled up on the ground, her body bruised and battered, shaking in the cold snow.

Eun-Ji dropped to her knees, unable to hold herself up, and tears welled in her eyes as she crawled closer to her friend. "Dong-Eun..."

Dong-Eun winced but sat up slightly, her clothes damp from the snow. "Eun-Ji..." she whispered weakly.

"Who did this?" Eun-Ji's voice trembled, even though she already knew the answer.

"Yeon-Jin and the others." Dong-Eun's voice cracked.

"But Jae-Jun... was he just a distraction?" Eun-Ji asked, her earlier hopefulness fading into bitter realization. Dong-Eun lowered her head, confirming it.

Eun-Ji moved closer and sat beside her, gently cradling Dong-Eun's head in her lap, running her fingers through her hair. The comforting gesture was soft and tender, a contrast to the cruelty Dong-Eun had endured.

"Eun-Ji... why do you always forgive them?" Dong-Eun's voice was filled with confusion and pain. "Even when they hurt you?"

Eun-Ji sighed, her fingers pausing for a moment. "I forgive them because... I like to believe there's some good left in them. Maybe it's foolish, but I don't like holding onto hate." She gave a sad smile. "I know what they're doing is wrong, and karma will catch up to them. But for now, I choose to believe in mercy."

The rooftop was quiet, save for the soft crunch of snow beneath them. After a beat, Eun-Ji added, "You know, our name, 'Eun,' means kindness, mercy, charity, or even silver."

"Does it really?" Dong-Eun asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Funny, isn't it? But here's the thing, Dong-Eun: forgiveness can only go so far. One day, enough will be enough." Eun-Ji paused and then spoke more softly. "If you want revenge, go for it. I'll support you, even if it hurts me. But be careful... don't hurt those who haven't wronged you."

Dong-Eun nodded slowly, tears still streaming down her face. She bit her lip, struggling with a decision she had been battling internally for days.

"Eun-Ji... I've been thinking of dropping out of Sunghan."

Eun-Ji looked at her friend for a long moment before nodding gently. "I understand. Just promise me one thing—stay in touch, okay?"

Dong-Eun nodded again, feeling a mixture of relief and sadness. They sat together in the cold, silently comforting each other, both knowing that things would never be the same.

© 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗭𝗡 // 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯