Chapter Text
A boy's finger taps nervously on the arm of the bench next to the principal's office. He is clearly worried about what awaits him when he finds himself behind this infernal door. Perhaps it is the first time the boy goes there. But still, that doesn't change the fact the girl who is sitting next to him is annoyed by his excessive nervousness.
Tap, tap, tap.
The girl straightens up her posture and her long pitch-black hair falls over her shoulders. She breathes slowly, trying to calm herself.
Tap, tap, tap…
“Stop it.” a low and not very friendly voice bursts out. The guy just looks at her askance and continues to tap. She endures a few more seconds and then explodes. “Listen to me, motherfucker, stop doing that shit or I will end you. I swear!” He looks surprised by the sudden outburst of so much negativity from the seemingly sweet girl. But still her words made him stop tapping.
They sit in silence for a few more minutes, in that calm silence wherein she can think about some things. But it lasts too short because the unexpected creak of a door opening disturbs the peace in her mind and heart. The girl appears from behind the door. Or rather not just a girl.
Park Chaewon appears from behind the door.
She is wearing, on glance, soft and cozy sweater pastel pink color of and jeans that still fit her well. Park Chaewon is tenderness. Blonde hair falls neatly on her shoulders, perfectly complementing the image of a gentle beauty. Her eyes are warm and good-natured, and her smile is just as bright as always. But as soon as she sees the taller girl, her smile slips from the face and a spark of sadness appears in her eyes.
“Olivia, come in!” the principal's voice knocks the girl out of her stupor. Olivia. They call her like that at school. It's kind of a criminal nickname, but she doesn't care at all because she's certainly not a criminal, just a student who breaks a lot of school rules. The door closed behind her with the same sound as it had opened. “What have you done today?” the principal ask adjusting his glasses.
In fact, she had done only one thing, and it was a fight in the cafeteria that she didn't start. She just answered those guys in the same rude way because she couldn't ignore the taunts in her direction. But here she is, in the principal's office because she can't stop herself when she needs to“
“Hyejoo, we need to talk about your behavior, you know.” he speaks as if he really wants to know why she went from being a diligent student to a troublemaker. “Maybe I should ask your parents?” she scoffs.
“Maybe you should. I'm sure they don't care about my behavior, my scores and me in general. But you still can try it.” Hyejoo smiles, but deep inside it hurts a lot. It hurts to know that her parents don't want to know her anymore. He seems lost in his thoughts after the girl's words. “Will I be punished or can I go?” she asks him.
“Just go and don't get in trouble.” the principal smiles faintly. “What's going on in your life, Son Hyejoo?” he asks a question into the void trying to find the girl's personal file after she came out of the office.
***
This is the longest break between classes, and Hyejoo doesn't want to be at school because she's afraid to meet Chaewon again, so she sits in the stadium instead. She thinks about a lot of things as always.
Hyejoo's life is probably the most chaotic and unpredictable roller coaster ride, as well as her thoughts, emotions and actions. One moment she's laughing at the top of her voice with her best and only friend, another moment she's sobbing in her embrace, and as the final she's trying to push away everyone who's still by her side.
Hyejoo's best friend is Choi Yerim.
She's the one who wasn't afraid to stand by Hyejoo's side when her life was falling apart. She is the only one who has supported her and her desire to live all this time. This girl is the one of two people who have been able to prove that home is not the place where you were born and grew up, but home is the place where you are loved and feel safe.
Hyejoo is grateful to have such a good friend. She wants to be that kind of friend to Yerim, too.
"Hey, baby wolf, how it went?" Yerim appears out of nowhere, basically like she often does. Her positivity always lifts Hyejoo's mood but today it somehow doesn't work. The purple-haired girl frowns. "Did he give you a detention?" she asks with concern in her eyes. Hyejoo shakes her head and the girl frowns more.
"I was waiting to be called to the office, but the door opened, and she came out, and then there was a mention of my parents in the office. And I almost lost it, Yerim." Son says it all in one breath. Yerim just nods and pulls her friend closer hugging tightly. She'd read somewhere that hugs could calm a person.
"It's gonna be okay, baby wolf." Yerim says softly as Hyejoo nuzzles her friend's shoulder, trying to pull herself together, "Do you work today?" she asks and feels a slight nod around her neck. "Then how about I come over after your work ends, and we watch a movie, have a chat or a pillow fight?" the girls only hugs her tighter and sobs before releasing Yerim from her embrace.
"Harry Potter night?" Hyejoo asks, smiling. Her eyes are still a little glossy with tears, but she feels better now. Thanks to Yerim.
Hyejoo is loved, and she feels safe with her, that's why Yerim is her best friend and, most importantly, her home.
***
The bell above the door rings, so the long-haired woman comes out of the utility room to see who has come. It's Hyejoo, of course.
"Hey, kid." the woman says, smiling broadly at her assistant who has been working with her for more than two years.
"Hi, granny." Hyejoo laughs it off and the woman laughs too. It is the norm for them to communicate with each other like that.
Hyejoo's boss is Ha Sooyoung. She is a founder of an animal shelter Hyejoo works in.
She's the one and only adult Hyejoo can trust. She is the one who helps her in difficult situations, like when Hyejoo sprained her leg running away from a group of guys and couldn't made it to the hospital by herself. The woman is the only one who hired a sixteen-year-old and is paying extra money to her. She is the one of two people who made Hyejoo realize that family is more than just people who were there for you growing up, family is the people who always love you, support you in everything you do and stay by your side when you need it the most.
"How is Bbomi?" there is concern in Hyejoo's voice. She remembers that yesterday this puppy was bothered by some strange abdominal pain. Sooyoung thinks about it for a few seconds, you can tell that by the way she looks at the ceiling and makes a serious face. This habit has been making Hyejoo giggle for two years now.
"She's alright, kid, don't worry. She just ate a piece of pocket yesterday, so she had a stomachache. But it's alright now. You can check on her if you want, kid." the woman says and continues to further disassemble things from the utility room.
Hyejoo walks past the busy woman into the room where they keep dogs. Everywhere small but quite spacious enclosures where dogs of different breeds and ages are living. At the moment, she's only interested in one puppy, Bbomi. She doesn't know why, though… Maybe because it reminds her of Chaewon. Just as gentle and soft, a little clumsy, but still so cute and fluffy. She opens the enclosure and calls the puppy to her.
"Why are you still in my thoughts, Chae? It's been over two years and I can't stop thinking about you."
She plays with Bbomi for about half an hour and then joins her boss. They talk about everything: Sooyoung asks about how things are at school, and Hyejoo asks if there is anyone the woman likes romantically. They laugh a lot actually.
So it feels like home. And it feels like Sooyoung is her mother. The real mother Hyejoo never had.
***
Hyejoo as usual goes home after work with a smile on her face. Somehow Yerim and Sooyoung can bring back her smiling natures. But as soon as she thinks of it a painfully familiar figure accidentally falls into her field of vision. She just pulls the hat tighter and puts the hood on, so as not to attract attention. It brings other results, though. The girl stops near instead of just to pass by and asks where is an animal shelter. Hyejoo, in a rougher voice, shows the way and then runs away.
She gets to her apartment in a couple of minutes (it isn't that far from the place where she works). It's cold there because Hyejoo doesn't have enough money to pay for heating. She chose to pay for electricity because without it, she would lose the touch with the world outside. She changes into warm clothes to keep herself in warmth and lies down on the bed.
Her mind is racing with so many thoughts, and they are all about one person. The person who broke her. Hyejoo looks up at the ceiling and sighs heavily. She doesn't want to think about her, but she also can't stop herself from doing that.
Every little thing in this damn world reminds Hyejoo of Chaewon. When she drinks coffee in the early morning. When she walks in the park instead of sitting in class. Or when she plays with Bbomi in an animal shelter. Or when she watches the sunset from her apartment window.
Hyejoo always remembers Chaewon.
The doorbell interrupts her thoughts. Hyejoo rises lazily and steps toward the door. The apartment is small, so she easily overcomes a couple of meters and opens it. But before she knows it, the girl with the purple hair pulls her in a tight hug. Hyejoo hugs back and sighs with relief. Yerim really helps her to feel better, she helps her to stand on the ground when everything seems hopeless.
"Thank you." Hyejoo whispers quietly, afraid her voice might break. Yerim understands it and just continues to stroke her back slowly. It breaks her heart to see how hard her best friend is trying to cope with all this by herself. "I don't know what would have happened to me if you hadn't stayed with me. You know, that day when my brother exposed me in front of entire school." it sounds like she's confessing something, and Yerim feels her heart sink as Hyejoo's tears fall on hers flannel shirt. She doesn't care at all about that shirt at this moment.
"Hyejoo, don't think about that." it sounds like a plea. And it can be understood because Yerim cares about her a lot. Hyejoo's like a little sister for her. "I'm here, I'm with you. And I will always be here for you, I promise. When your days are bad or when your days are good, I'll be with you. I don't care if you'll try to push me away, I still will stay by your side, Hyejoo, because you are my family." she pulls back a little and kisses her friend on the forehead.
Hyejoo is hugging her tighter and crying out loud, while Yerim is trying to calm down her. They stand in this position for about ten minutes and after, when the younger calms down, they decide to watch a Harry Potter movie.
Also, Yerim makes a note in mind to pay for heating instead of her friend. She knows Hyejoo wouldn't like this idea but who will say it to her? Choi is just afraid that Hyejoo can get sick because the apartment is too cold.