─── chapter three.
❛ IT ENDS HERE ❜

Eun-Ji sat quietly with her headphones on, resting her head on Jae-Jun's lap. Her body ached from the bruises that marked her skin, the handprints on her wrist still fresh from Myeong-O's violent grip. She was lost in her music, oblivious to the conversation happening around her, until Jae-Jun gently removed her headphones. The unexpected touch made her flinch, and he frowned at her reaction.

"Do you want some milk, Eun-Ji?" he asked softly.

She glanced up at him, seeking his permission, as if she needed validation for such a simple request. He nodded, and she smiled faintly before turning to Hye-Jeong. "Yes, please."

Jae-Jun placed the headphones back over her ears, allowing her to retreat into the safety of her music, unaware of the tension building behind her. As Hye-Jeong headed out, Sa-Ra stood up, curling iron in hand, while Myeong-O held their new victim, taunting the terrified girl. The sounds of fear echoed through the gym.

Hye-Jeong froze when she spotted someone entering—Dong-Eun. Dressed in layers, her scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, she walked past Hye-Jeong with purpose. Eun-Ji, feeling her presence, quickly pulled off her headphones, her heart lifting at the sight of her friend.

Without hesitation, she scrambled off Jae-Jun's lap and rushed to Dong-Eun, wrapping her arms around her in a cautious embrace. She knew the scars Dong-Eun hid, careful not to hurt her further. They exchanged small, fleeting smiles before Eun-Ji moved aside, noticing Yeon-Jin rising from her seat, ready to confront Dong-Eun.

Sa-Ra yanked Eun-Ji back by her bruised wrist, forcing her to watch the confrontation unfold. "You dropped out without even saying goodbye," Yeon-Jin taunted, smirking.

Dong-Eun, unfazed, responded, "Your dream... that you wrote on Cyworld."

Yeon-Jin's smugness faltered. "A wise mother and wife—that's really your dream?"

Sa-Ra snickered from behind. "Did you seriously write that?"

Yeon-Jin's friends erupted in laughter, even Eun-Ji couldn't help but crack a smile. The cruel irony was too much to ignore.

"You really want to bring that up?" Yeon-Jin hissed.

"Sa-Ra wants to paint. Jae-Jun's aiming to inherit the golf course. Hye-Jeong dreams of being a stewardess." Dong-Eun's voice cut through the air like a knife. "And you? You want to be a wise mother and wife?"

Myeong-O, feeling left out, suddenly spoke up. "What about me? I've got dreams too, you know!"

Dong-Eun spared him a glance. "Your dream? To be filthy rich."

Yeon-Jin sneered. "A dream? I don't need that. Dreams are for people like you... and them." She gestured to her friends. "With my money, I can pay to make my dream job come true. I don't need a dream. I need nothing. I'll just get married while I'm young and pretty. Pick a nice guy. Maybe have a kid or two."

The room was silent, the tension suffocating. Yeon-Jin smirked triumphantly, but Dong-Eun's next words were like a cold gust of wind.

"My dream, Yeon-Jin? It's you. You are what I dream about."

The room froze. Everyone, even Yeon-Jin, stared at Dong-Eun in stunned silence.

Before leaving, Dong-Eun turned to Eun-Ji one last time. "Don't let them keep taking advantage of your forgiveness." With that, she walked out of the gym, her smirk never wavering. She knew her revenge was only beginning.

Eun-Ji stood there, head bowed. Dong-Eun was right. She had always been too forgiving, letting herself be taken advantage of time and time again.

After Dong-Eun dropped out of school, Eun-Ji remained in the grip of her toxic relationship with Jae-Jun. He manipulated her, convinced her she needed him, though deep down she knew it wasn't true. He studied sign language just to communicate with her father, further ingratiating himself with her family. But no matter how many times he apologized after hurting her, she stayed, trapped by her own fear and misplaced love.

Years passed. After graduation, Eun-Ji found herself stuck, still with Jae-Jun, who would lash out at her whenever something went wrong. He accused her of cheating, all the while hiding his own infidelities. She became a shell of her former self, but she couldn't find the strength to leave—until one night.

That night, she waited for Jae-Jun to fall asleep. Quietly, she gathered her things and left, calling her parents to pick her up. As soon as she got home, she collapsed, crying in both pain and relief. She was free. Finally.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Eun-Ji saw the bruises that covered her body. They were a physical reminder of everything she'd endured. She cringed at the sight but vowed never to let anyone hurt her like that again.

She found solace working at a flower shop, where her designs and kindness earned her a quiet following. One day, while working on arrangements for a wedding, she encountered Yeon-Jin again. Now engaged, Yeon-Jin invited her to the wedding, assuming Eun-Ji's forgiving nature had remained the same.

But Eun-Ji wasn't the same girl anymore. The part of her that forgave so easily had been broken, buried beneath the pain and scars she carried. Little did Yeon-Jin know, Eun-Ji had lost the capacity for forgiveness.

© 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗭𝗡 // 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯