Standing outside the building of her school, Ara was ready for a bad day, remembering the threat from her class bullies a shiver ran down her spine.

Well, the problem is, being a topper made every student jealous of her and the teachers, instead of supporting her, are giving her more hard work; reason is that she is the topper not their favorite students, so they are angry with her, or it is more of jealous! She respected her teachers so never said anything. She knew, she can't afford any other school, so her only option was to go with it.

As she walked in her school corridor, continuously thinking about the threat she got from the bullies, she bumped into something, no, someone!

Now here comes another problem, she never fights back unless it is that specific reason (why? What reason? Don't ask me you will know later). When she saw that she bumped into the bullies, she tried to walk past them, but one of the two bullies held her forearms tightly, "Why so soon? Huh!"

"Sorry, sorry I really didn't mean to......... just please let me go, I will never-"

But before she could say anymore-*splash*, someone threw water on her and she was pushed back harshly due to which she got misbalanced and fell. Unlike always, this time she didn't cry, it was different, her bullies had started to say bad about her parents, not her!

Too bad, something unexpected happened, as you know about her anger, the real drama begins now, the news spread across the school like wildfire, people gathered there, "School topper is beating the bullies!", "The calmest person is beating, Samantha and Ashley!" (bullies are international girls studying here). And suddenly a loud voice echoed "Stop this!"

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Ara knew the consequences; they are standing in the principal's office, she and the two bullies. She knew her teacher won't support her and............

"Why did you do it, beat them?"

"She threw water on me and said bad about my parents, so-

She couldn't even complete her sentence when Samantha interrupted,

"You don't even know about them, why do you care! OH! You are ashamed that they left you? You deserve that B**CH!!"

She was almost going to slap Ara when

"Silence!" the only elder there, the principal shouted.

"We are having a guest in school, he will stay here for the next two months, so I am leaving you this time, now go!"

They left from there and for Ara, she is in the garden near her apartment as always, she isn't playful but at situations like this she leaves the school and sits here listening to sad songs in silence.

And the reason people gathered near the fight was, Ara is a peace-loving person and nobody ever saw her angry. The shout was from Minji, the most chaotic person in class who complains a lot (no specific person, a fictional character made by me).

It was a normal day for her, people saying bad about her, daily chaos and her starting to use her phone more than ever, the only change in this normal day of hers was her anger. No problem and no challenges these days, she was happy that at least there is peace in her life now.....................

But, if day comes after every night, it isn't that the night won't come back; she is unaware that problems will come back in her life just like the night after the day, but she will, like always, find the moon to guide her forward lighting her dark path.

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Laying on bed, Ara was scrolling through reels on Insta, being the night owl she is, didn't even check that it was past 12:00am. It was too early for her to sleep, but she was tired; as she started to leave, a video caught her eye. She checked only to find herself in the video as she is, the video was live, it was clear, .......... Someone is stalking her!

She wasn't the one to get scared easily, but she needed help, she didn't know about why and from when has this stalker been stalking her! Ara had her helpful neighbor, Choi Nari! She wasn't much different from others in judging Ara by her life, but the difference was that she helped anyone who asked her for help without anything in return. Ara had a sleepless night, she can't ask anyone for help at 12:55am, 'that's it I am going to have many more problems, and I will have to solve it alone', is what she thought, unaware of both the good and bad news.

Next day wasn't different either; after brushing her teeth she went directly to Nari's apartment, as she can't bath when the one stalking her is keeping an eye on her every move.

*Knock, knock*

"Hello! Is there anyone? Nari unnie! Are you in there?!" She called out, after some 15 minutes she opened the door,

"Oh dear! Come in! Why are you here so early?"

"Why so polite all of a sudden?"

"My birthday don't wanna ruin it. So, Ara what brings you here?"

"Need help unnie, some one's stalking me!'

"Uh, I am sorry, I don't think I can help you with this, you should go to someone else." "Hmm............ fine, thanks" After that she left, unsure of what to do next.

Being the over thinking queen she is, instead of thinking about finding some help, Ara, lost in her thoughts, kept thinking about what just happened.

Why would Nari be polite with me all of a sudden? Calling me in her apartment and behaving unsure? It is an amazingly weird thing! She was totally weird today! Fear was shown clearly on her face while telling me, she can't help..........

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So here you saw her true personality, even after having a serious life she would think weirdly just to lighten her mood, but wait ___________

She was not always like this; her past was different. Her past, her dark mysterious past, only half of which she knows; still searching for clues............... still waiting for someone who would tell her about her true identity, still believing that she is not truly orphan, that her parents will come to her one day!

Mystery makes a story interesting, but life is not a story,

Mystery could be a dark misery in someone's life...........................

.................... Just like Ara's.

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Ara can't go to the police, they, for sure, won't help her as always. She thought about it but couldn't get an answer, so she again knocked on Nari's door, she opened the door-

"Ara please.... I am sorry, I can't help you, stop coming-"

"Please just tell me where can I get the help!"

Nari, knowing police won't help her, said "I have a friend, he can help you, take it."

Ara took the chit with the number and went back in her apartment.

She called on that number and soon the call was accepted, a male voice echoed in her ears, "Hello, this is K-9N1, cybercrime expert. How can I help you?"

"What?!!!" Ara was shocked, not because she expected it to be someone else, but because she knew him!.......... no, no, not him, it's her, Ara knew her! You might be thinking how? But just wait for the right time, the time she will share the part of her dark past, the only part she knows about. So back to present, she quickly cut the call and now, the only thing she knew was to first of all delete the contact then take a peaceful nap, calming her mind.

She drank a glass of water and just slept, not being able to think or do anything. Sleeping was the best option to escape the harsh reality and live in sweet dreams, so she did that.

Time skip-

Ara woke up, drenched in sweat, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Her hands reached for the glass of water on the bedside table, and she gulped it all, just in one go! Was she joking herself, escaping the reality, living in sweet dreams, what was she thinking? The truth is truth, no one can escape it, even when she slept thinking of sweet dreams, she will only get nightmares, nightmares of all she had went through, nightmares of her dark past...........................

Nightmares! Dark past! Harsh reality! So much pain! "Argh!!!" She held her head in her palms and sat still. Now you would be thinking "why did I have to say so many weird things?" So, I was just telling what she was thinking and what she felt. She is having a headache!

Her head was throbbing painfully, but she didn't have enough savings to buy meds. She doesn't want to waste her money, so she slept thinking her headache will be fine. Her sleep dragged her deeper into her dreams............... no, they are nightmares, her sleep only drags her deeper in her nightmarish past, away from her sweet dreams, away from her escape, the only escape.

She always thought what was her fault that she had to go through this, but slowly, slowly accepted her fate, she believed in god, she believed he will make everything fine, but now she believes that god does everything for some good reason, maybe her pain, her struggles are doing something good, maybe she have to go through this for some good reason..........

*Ding! Ding! *

And suddenly her phone dinged, maybe some massage, but who has her phone number when she didn't share it with anyone? She quickly checked her phone only to find a invitation to the party her school has held to celebrate the 100th year of the school! But how did they get her number when she never talked about it to anyone?

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Today is the day of the party. Ara hated parties but this time it was compulsory in her school. Her headache isn't going and actually, it had increased from the last two days. Going to party in this situation is impossible. The stalker is driving her crazy because she can't stop thinking about it. And one more thing is bothering her; she got a letter today from some unknown person, which is too small to be called a letter:

Kim Ara,
Come to xxxx park, near the
Old brook which goes through the forest
I will help you with all your problems

As always, Ara can't stop thinking about it, and the what ifs. Take a peek in her thought and you will think "is thinking this much compulsory?"

What kind of letter is this? Should I go there? Should I trust this person? And how does he/she know about my problems? What if this person harm me? What if............ what if.............

Well, well, well she is stressed and over thinking is worsening it. Thinking of her headache, Ara sends a message to school about her health and in reply school said that this party program will last a week so when she feels fine, she could come. She read the message, kept her phone away and drifted off to sleep, ready for another nightmare.

She is afraid of nightmares, nightmares of her past, nightmares of her darkest fears and pain. She is afraid of going back in her past, she wants everything to be fine. Even when she was at stage of depression, she chooses the right path, even when she lost her everything, she never thought of hurting herself.

She loves herself; she loves her life, she didn't care how much pain her life gave her, and she would never end it. She wanted to know why this much pain. Why all this? What is all of this? She always wanted to know the truth. She had waited, she is waiting, and she will wait till she gets to know the truth, truth about her past. Who are her parents? What is her true identity?

Waiting is difficult for her, but she is waiting for the right time and the right person to unravel the truths of her past for her......

Time skip-

Next day

Ara slammed her alarm clock off the bedside table, shutting it off. She groaned, the pain in her head had worsened, she needs medicines. She can't take the pain anymore! Rolling off her bed, Ara drank the water from her glass and went out of her apartment, of course, to Choi Nari's apartment!

*Knock, knock*

"Unnie! Nari unnie! Are you in there? She called out, no response...................... Suddenly she noticed a sticky note on the door, fresh ink shining on it. Bending down to the level of the note, Ara gasped in shock. "How is this even possible?" She spoke to herself, "Nari! Choi Nari, a young cheerful lady had taken a break from everything and went to those dense forests for peace?!!!!"

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Slowly observing her surrounding, Ara was walking down the long road; the sky at sunset, painted from the deepest shade of purple to the lightest shade of pink, made her feel calmer and the cold breeze blowing her hair away from her face made her feel the freedom; made her feel independent!

When she got to know that Nari took a break and she can't get any help with her headache, she took the coffee she prepared and went out for a walk. So here she is, roaming around the city while admiring the sunset sky at 4:45pm, and relaxing her mind away from the stress, trouble and fear. The coffee mug in her hand was half empty; the coffee was also helping with relaxing her mind.

Walking around a bit more she felt it was getting dark. As she thought of going back to her apartment, she looked up, only to close her eyes again because of the thing that fell in them. By the time she realized it was raining, and it was nothing else than a rain drop that fell in her eyes, Ara was running and dancing in the rain hugging every tree that was in her sight like a kid and picking flowers that were pilled under the trees, fallen from the impact of the harsh wind.

If someone had seen her right now, they would have surely thought that she is mad because, the change from introvert to extrovert was sudden! And what's with hugging the trees? She loved nature, large trees, small plants, delicate flowers, early chirps of birds and this beautiful rain. There is so much to talk about our Mother Nature that it would fill a whole novel.

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Ara had spent the most important moments with the nature. She shared, her pain with nature, her happiness with nature and she also shared her secrets with the nature. She talked to trees when there was no one to listen to her. She called the nature, her own family. She was a small girl back then, but it doesn't mean that she would not love the nature that much she loved it before, she still loves the nature, the Mother Nature.

Ara was happy even after knowing it won't last long. She had learned so much from life, and one of them is to enjoy the slightest bit of happiness like everything, to not regret what had gone far behind and not worry for the unknown in future but live what is present, to enjoy the current time and situation or it will also become past some day and you will regret not enjoying it.

She had many secrets, one of them is that she can hide her true personality and keep the biggest secrets. So, the truth is she was always a extrovert, even after going through so much difficulty she was extrovert and cheerful; knowing and understanding this world she hid her true personality and showed that she is introvert. So much difficulty, so many problems, but this girl went through everything and still is innocent and kind; the reason is that she is not fool, she understood everything and adjusted in her life but didn't change herself. She made herself ready for the future but never worried about it, so she purely enjoys every moment in her life, just like this rain today

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Ara ran into her apartment and was about to change her wet clothes but remembering the stalker she stopped. What could she do? If she stays in those totally wet clothes, she will get sick! Not being able to think anything, she sat on the floor because sitting on bed or couch will wet them too.

Suddenly, the apartment's doorbell rang! She went out to check, only to find her coffee mug kept on a piece of paper. She might have forgotten the coffee mug while dancing in the rain and some kind soul gave it back to her, or that's what she thought. Picking up the mug and the pink colored note, she went back in the apartment, when she heard her phone ringing, who might be calling? But wait, she never gave her phone number to anyone! Is someone now hacking her mobile?

To be continued......

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A/n: long chapter, right? I combined 3-4 chapters together to make it cause it was divided into more than 4 chapters when I wrote it last time. There won't be updates any soon!

Lots of love💖

Bye!