The rain had receded and only a few drops poured down. Hyosan was yet boisterous with people and vehicles, rushing back home after an exhausting Monday. The smaller streets of Hyosan were scarcely empty as a girl strolled along the moist road. Her black boots splashed the rainwater around her as she walked at a quick pace. Not that she was getting delayed to someplace, she just walk fast. Her hands were hidden inside her black hoodie and a tiny smile tugged her lips. Anyone who'll notice her like that will probably guess she's crazy. Nonetheless, she cared for less, and today's incident was joyous for her.

It's not every day women achieve a gold medal for shooting and she did. Gaining interest in shooting from a young age, the teenager decided to follow her parent's path. Both of them were in the police department as a special unit and it wasn't anything new for her to see guns around her house. After her parents turned too much busy, the girl swiftly moved out, saying that she'll survive on her own. Being supporting the parents they were, they agreed to her on the condition to stay safe.

In the distance, she was able to detect a group of four high schoolers, entering the familiar chicken store. "Cheong-san!" She called as the said boy swiveled around, grinning at the visitor. "Y/n!"

The five were soon perched on a table, hearing Cheong-san complain about the shop's name that his mom had chosen. It was named after him; Cheongsan Chicken. I-sak and On-jo were seated opposite Cheong-san and Gyeong-su while y/n was sitting between the four. Mrs.Lee came around the table and placed down two plates of chicken and both seemed to have a distinct hue. "This one is hot, and this one is extra hot" She introduced with a widespread smile, confident in her husband's innovation. "Yeah, like y/n"

Gyeongsu's comment was delivered with a wink and only earned disapproving glares. Y/n stayed silent, smiling at her friends. Not that she's an introvert or something, just a little reserved and laid back. A lot of people have remarked that she's like a cat, elegant yet badass. Y/n seemed to agree with that, though she's allergic to cats.

"For y/n!" The group chorused, bringing their cups of cola together. "Thanks"

"Okay, where's the medal?" Mrs.Lee asked excitedly as y/n took out a shiny circular medal, and placed it on the table. The teenagers and Mrs.Lee gasped in amazement, pouring down another rain of compliments. After fifteen minutes or so, the group was onto gossip and it somehow reached their science teacher.

"Did you hear about our science teacher?" I-sak questions, leaning forward. "What about him?" Gyeong-su inquires, munching on the chicken. "Well, he smells like a rotting corpse" She quickly answered as y/n looked up. Although she's very much into talking bad about teachers, she did admire their science teacher. He occasionally taught things outside the textbook's limit and while students questioned him, y/n was the only one requested to keep going. She might be a sports person, but nothing is more interesting than science.

"Oh, Na-Yeon spread that rumor, right?" Cheongsam spoke up, peeking at y/n who held a slightly offended face. Her friends knew that there are certain teachers she was fond of, like Ms. Park and Mr.Cha. So he wondered if she would speak up, or just listen. "It's true. He was absent after his son went missing. But then he came into class..." I-sak resumed, trailing off as she knew everyone remembers it.

"Anyway, she said he smelled like a corpse" I-Sak poured further, as y/n's face morphed into a scowl. Lee Byeong Chan is a genius, yet y/n hated how people treated him and even question his son's matter when they did nothing to help him. "How does she know what a corpse smells like? Has she smelled one before?" Gyeong-su asked, still confused and suspicious of the said girl. "I swear she knows every other smell except that one. So it has to be a rotten corpse" I-Sak answered quickly as y/n sighed loudly and dropped her leg piece. It annoyed her how her friends trusted a whiny bitch over reality.

"When his son went missing, he started acting weird" I-sak began again, irritating y/n furthermore than she already was. I-sak sure was a great friend of On-Jo but to y/n she was only a classmate with whom she's not that close. So she stayed quiet, not wanting to judge her lack of understanding, yet.

"He was an outcast. I heard he got bullied all the time" On-jo was the next to speak and the medal winner was quite annoyed by now. If they knew he was being bullied, why didn't they react wisely? Couldn't they at least help him? "Mm-hm. It sucks" Gyeong-su commented shortly.

"I feel really bad for Mr. Lee" On-jo stated, picking up another piece of chicken and giving one to I-sak who added: "Remember last week when he just left class?"

"Between tissue cells, Cellular Respiration, Toxoplasma: Neglected Parasitic Infection, tachyzoites bradyzoites parasitophorous" Y/n suddenly spoke up and the four stared at her in confusion. "Um- that's what he wrote on the board that day, before dashing out" On-jo and Gyeong-su continued to frown while I-Sak rolled her eyes and Cheong-san left his mouth open in awe.

"You remember that?" He asked in a fragile voice, regretting not paying attention. Y/n only bobbed her head, sipping on her cola. "You know what it means?" On-jo asked with an interested smile, although she barely understood whatever the other girl had said. "Toxoplasmosis is a disease that comes as a result of infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. It's called a global infection and highly neglected, comes from animals and contaminated- you guys don't understand anything right?" Y/n cut herself off as the rest awkwardly scratched their heads. It was rare to see y/n ramble and it only happens when asked about guns and science.

"Yeah, sorry"

"They say he was a genius. Lots of geniuses go crazy" On-jo stated as she looked around the table, catching y/n's threatening glare. "Well, at least you won't have to worry about going crazy" Cheong-san directed the comment towards On-Jo, earning a kick from her under the table. The short-haired girl watched the two with an amused smile, while Gyeong-su was sneaking another piece of chicken from her plate. "Bitch you stole mine thrice!"

After the chaotic dinner, the group was rushing to their tuition with each carrying a cover full of chicken. Y/n walked with Gyeong-su while On-Jo and Cheong-san were behind them. Since y/n doesn't take special classes, she had offered to see them off. As she walked beside Gyeong-su, she was able to see Cheong-san and On-jo talk. Y/n climbed down the stairs and stood next to Cheong-san peeling their attention off each other. "Your hair looks pretty, either way, so get back to your tuition or you'll be late" Y/n said, burying her palms in her hoodie as On-jo nodded shyly and ran up to I-sak.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" She asked, knocking on the taller male's head. Cheong-san looked like he came back to his senses and immediately nudged the girl. "Says the one who's late everywhere" Y/n faked an offended gasp and pulled his hair. After a series of bickering, she finally bid her goodbyes and went home.

Greeting the security guard, Y/n waddled up the stairs, dismissing the fully functioning elevator. Living on the sixth floor and using the stairs were a part of her exercise. Low pop music could be heard playing from her neighbor's apartment as she stopped in front of it. Pressing the calling bell y/n had to wait a few seconds, hearing a lot of thuds inside the apartment. Eventually, the neighbor opened his door, looking rather exhausted. He was slightly panting for air and behind him was a mountain of clothes and a garbage can full of trash. "I brought chicken detective untidy" Y/n mocked the older male.

Song Jae-ik a detective at Hyosan station was her friendly neighbor, who was y/n's first friend in Hyosan. It was weird at first because when the duo first met, Jae-ik had given an hour-long class on the demerits of living independently as a teenager. Then again he adored the girl's courage when she had taken down a man molesting their next-door neighbor. As an aspiring policewoman herself, y/n had found the loyal man interesting.

"Hello to you too, Miss.Gold medal. Congrats!" The older greeted, moving aside to let the girl in. As y/n deduced, the apartment was unkempt. Dae-ik shyly grinned, taking the chicken from her and hurrying to his kitchen. "Come back here and clean it!" She exclaimed, watching the male trying to escape. Jae-ik chuckled in embarrassment, yet ran away. Y/n rolled her eyes with a smile and crouched down, picking up a pile of t-shirts. She could hear the rattling of plates and began to fold the clothes. A notification emerged from her phone, cutting the comfortable silence in Jae-ik's apartment.

'Biology assignment deadline, tomorrow' the notification was from their class group and y/n couldn't help but groan. She was exhausted, tired of being a student, being an athlete, being the perfect daughter, being...alive.

"You seem down, want one more hoodie?" Jae-ik asks, thinking back to the count of hoodies he had lost to the girl. "Forget it, I have the assignment to submit" Jae-ik smiled sadly at that. He knew the short-haired girl was working herself to death, yet there was nothing he could do to stop her stubborn ass. "Call me if you run out of coffee" He stated, taking a bite from the chicken. Y/n smiled gladly and cringed as she saw Jae-ik choke on the salty meat.

"See you tomorrow then, detective untidy" The girl commented, picking up her bag. The detective frowned, yet gained back his smile when y/n went out. He may not admit it, but y/n sure was a milestone in his lonely life. The girl had even tried to set him up with guys and that's a story for another day. If that day comes.

Y/n pushed open her apartment door, greeting herself on arrival and stumbling to her study table. If she could complete the assignment in one go, maybe she'll be able to get some sleep today. Who knows, maybe she'll be sleeping well from now on, after all, no more competitions for two months. With the upcoming freedom in mind, the teenager began to work.