Chapter Text
Yujin was sauntering down the high school’s hallway, already bustling with teenagers. To her, the scene looked straight out of a horror movie, with lights flickering occasionally. Luckily for Yujin, it was her last year in this hellhole. However, the poor condition of the building was the least of her troubles. No one bothered to renovate anyway. It wasn’t like any of the prestigious schools all the rich kids attended. No, this school was specifically designed for teens with certain problems, albeit no one said it out loud. Most of the kids here came from troubled households, were low on money, or straight-up orphans, like Yujin.
At the age of 12, Yujin and her parents got involved in a horrid car crash, which took away her parents and left her crippled. However, it seemed like even the universe knew its limits of cruelty. After spending almost a year in the hospital, confined to a bed too small for her already imposing height at that age, and with the doctors’ diagnosis of never being able to walk again due to the wrecked state her legs were in, Yujin managed the unthinkable. Tedious and painful months passed until she was able to stand on her own and take slow steps. The doctors were ecstatic, deeming her recovery nothing short of a miracle. To this day, Yujin bears not only the emotional scars from the loss of her loving parents but also the physical scars gracing her body. Her right knee was shattered beyond reconstruction, still causing her tremendous pain on some days, even seven years later. A lightly pronounced limp was noticeable in her gait on normal days. On bad days, however, when the pain became too much, even walking seemed like an impossible task.
After her parents’ death and with no relatives left to provide for her, Yujin was sent to an orphanage, where she soon began hopping from one foster home to another. It wasn’t really Yujin’s fault that she never got to stay in one place for long. She remained her kind-hearted self even after the traumatic experience, albeit with more somberness and maturity in her eyes. Truthfully, she was more than angry and sad about the loss of her beloved mother and father, but Yujin understood that these people weren’t to blame. Sometimes she wished she had died with them that day. She missed her parents greatly. She even tried to make an effort and be a good daughter to her new families, but unlike others, she wasn’t blessed with a lot of luck in life. On the contrary, it seemed like she had used up all her good fortune when she defied fate and learned how to walk again.
Her life from then on was like a broken record. She’d come into a new home, everything seemed to change for the better, until her foster family revealed their true selves – usually abusive or desperate souls who only accepted Yujin for their own personal benefits. It was a mystery how Yujin, despite all these hardships, still managed to stay somewhat positive. She endured it all, maybe because she thought she deserved it as a punishment for living while her parents were six feet under. Nevertheless, Yujin was a fighter; she wasn’t one to easily give up. While others would have crumbled long ago, Yujin stood tall, literally and figuratively.
Moreover, she had a dream. Her goal was to graduate and care for herself once she reached legal age. After that, she would take up a job as a medic to be able to do what she had failed to do seven years ago: save other people’s lives. With that in mind, her day-to-day life became bearable. Now, at the age of 19 – she lost one year of school when she was basically living in the hospital – Yujin was finally able to escape the numerous foster families and live on her own in a small room on campus, set to graduate this year. It was one of the rare moments when she felt truly content in light of her future.
And for the first time since her parents’ deaths, she wasn’t alone anymore. Gaeul, also an orphan living on campus, had become a pillar of support for Yujin. They met four years ago when Gaeul transferred to attend this very high school situated in the outskirts of Seoul. Although Gaeul was a year older than Yujin, they shared the same class. She was like the older sister Yujin had never had, and albeit Gaeul was a very private person who didn’t disclose much about her past or why she decided to move away, Yujin never prodded further. Surely Gaeul had her reasons. Besides that, Gaeul was like a ray of hope that suddenly entered Yujin’s life when she was in need of a friend. Every day, Yujin thanked the universe for bringing her Gaeul. They both supported one another, whether it was in terms of helping each other study, defending each other from bullies, or taking care of each other when one got sick. After all, the ghosts of Yujin’s parents must really be watching over her, she thought.
Back to the school. They didn’t demand any fees for attending or for accommodation since Yujin was very much broke. Instead, the students were supposed to pay the school back a small amount after earning their own money. Additionally, there was no deadline to pay back the debts, giving everyone the chance to build a successful life for themselves once they were financially stable. The only downside was the school’s reputation. The school’s name was quickly associated with scarred kids and teenagers, which didn’t look great on your curriculum, making it difficult to pursue a prestigious career. Yet, Yujin didn’t let that influence her decision to become a doctor. She was your typical book-smart nerd with an above-average IQ. However, being smart at this school had its price, making her a target of wrath and envy alike. The good thing was that she was used to being trampled on by others. She just let them be, knowing it was only less than a year until she could leave behind this place and the annoying people she was sure she wouldn’t miss.
Just like any other day, Yujin met up with Gaeul at their respective lockers after grabbing their books. They greeted each other with a quick hug before going to their first class together. They chatted about mundane things. For supposedly troubled kids their lives were pretty uneventful. Yujin and Gaeul usually spent their whole days together, from visiting the same classes to living in the same block on campus and even eating together in the cafeteria. One might think they’d grow sick of the other’s presence eventually, but not these two. They were like Siamese twins, inseparable.
“Slept well?” Yujin asked her friend, who only grunted in response. Unlike Yujin, Gaeul wasn’t a morning person at all. She would have no problem sleeping through a zombie attack, should they ever decide to show up at 6.am. on her doorsteps. Gaeul was happy if she got out in time before the class started, in the first place. Yujin chuckled slightly at Gaeul’s non-verbal response. She knew better than to bother her best friend further. Don’t get her wrong, Gaeul was actually really sweet once you got to know her, it was just her grumpy-self during mornings and her usual cold demeanor that made people steer away from her. Unlike Yujin, who radiated golden retriever energy with her bright smile, not shying away from showing off her dimples. On the downside that’s one of the reasons why she posed an easy victim to bullying. Gaeul had to step in more than once to avoid Yujin getting punched and kicked to unconsciousness. She hated seeing her best friend almost constantly battered up almost constantly, with new bruises immediately replacing old ones. Gaeul kept pestering Yujin about fighting back and defending herself, but Yujin stayed adamant in her decision not to. She wanted to save lives, not ruin them, she argued. However, it wasn’t a secret that Gaeul wasn’t of the same opinion, even pushing her to do something about it. Yujin knew she only meant well and thus wasn’t too mad about her friend’s lack of understanding.
During the second period, the teacher suddenly announced the arrival of a new student. No one seemed to care much, though. It wasn’t exactly a rarity for new faces to appear in the middle of the school year. Even so, since it was their senior year, it came a bit unexpectedly.
However, when the door opened, revealing the feminine figure of a literal goddess, the girl managed to gain all the class’s attention, something their teacher never succeeded in. The newcomer was able to compete with Yujin in terms of height. Her long auburn hair fell in light waves past her shoulders. An attractive smile adorned her gorgeous face, making her look even more unreal, if that was even possible. Most students, especially the boys, openly gawked at her, not even trying to hide their intentions. Yujin immediately felt sorry for the new girl, thinking her classmates shameless behavior was disgusting. If the girl noticed, she didn’t let it show.
“Hi, I’m Jang Wonyoung and I will be staying in this class until the end of the school year. I hope we can get along well.” The girl named Wonyoung smiled sweetly at the class. A few shrieks and sounds of approval could be heard. Someone even barked like a dog.
Yujin slumped further into her seat from secondhand embarrassment.
“I can literally feel my own brain cells diminishing only by breathing the same air as these halfwits,” Gaeul exclaimed next to Yujin.
“Thank you, Wonyoung. You can take a seat now,” the teacher said.
The sound of at least a dozen heads turning and necks breaking filled the scarce silence when Wonyoung elegantly strode towards the rear of the room, settling down in the vacant seat behind Yujin. For the rest of the class, the teacher failed to divert the students’ attention back to the topic. Yujin almost felt sorry for the old man, trying her best to look interested in the subject.
After the sixth period, Gaeul and Yujin parted ways since the former was finished for the day. Only Yujin had to stay longer, the perks of being class president. Funny story, she didn’t even volunteer for the position in the first place. Instead, no one wanted to do the job, so they all silently agreed on voting for Yujin to do the work. For them, it was just another reason to pick on her. But Yujin was already used to it.
“See you tomorrow, Gaeul!” Yujin happily waved at her best friend.
“Don’t let the others hit on you when I’m not there!” Gaeul shouted back while walking off. A small smile plastered on Yujin’s face. Her friend’s protectiveness was as annoying as it was endearing. However, when Yujin was about to walk back to the school’s entrance, she spotted a group of girls cornering another student. Without having to think twice, Yujin veered around, approaching the girl’s tormentors.
“I failed the homework you did for me!” one of the girls angrily spat, probably their leader.
“I-I’m sorry, I really didn’t—” the other tried to defend herself.
Once Yujin was within earshot, she called out to them.
“Hey, leave her alone!” she screamed at them, furious at what she was witnessing. When it came to others being bullied, Yujin knew no mercy.
Their leader glared at her, obviously annoyed at someone interrupting them. Now that Yujin had a better look at her face, she realized it was none other than Naomi Rei, the school’s bully. Yujin knew her little tricks too well, having been in the same position as the now-trembling girl who tried to hide behind her hands, hoping she’d magically turn invisible.
“Fuck off before it’s too late. This is none of your business, An,” Rei snarled. She seemed really mad about the F she received due to the girl. Well, karma, Yujin thought, unable to suppress her satisfaction.
“What’s there to laugh about, huh?” Rei fumed. “Still haven’t had enough of my fists yet? Don’t worry, I’ll gladly wipe that grin out of your annoying face!” Rei took a step towards Yujin, who didn’t back down. The trembling girl saw her chance and fled from the scene, running as fast as her legs could take her while screaming her lungs out as if she’d just spotted a spider. Now, the only ones left were Yujin and Rei with her two followers, who just stood there with smug expressions, thinking the world belonged solely to them.
Rei could only watch the retreating figure of the running girl.
“You’re gonna regret this.” Rei’s voice took on a threatening undertone.
Yujin saw the first punch coming and easily avoided getting hit by smoothly sidestepping. The next hit was more forceful, and Yujin had difficulties dodging it, making her stumble slightly. Rei’s two followers saw an opportunity, joining in and ganging up on her. You see, Yujin wasn’t your average fighter. She had enough experience with fistfights, having done Muay Thai training in the past, but she knew her limits, and three against one was a lost game. All she could do at this point was to keep the damage to a minimum and get out of this alive, somehow. Call her foolish, but Yujin would rather get hurt herself than see others suffer. A true hero.
Rei landed a clean uppercut. Her head was forcefully thrown back, and Yujin lost her footing, landing square on her butt. She could taste iron in her mouth but didn’t ponder about it too much; she still had unfinished business. Just as she tried to get up, another kick to her stomach made her acquainted with the grass once more. A low grunt escaped her lips. Right when they were about to deliver some finishing blows, the bell rang, signaling the start of the next lesson.
“Fuck.” Rei looked more annoyed than before, something Yujin didn’t even think was possible. “You’re lucky…for now, but this isn’t over yet.” With one last kick to Yujin’s gut that left her breathless, the trio flocked off towards the building.
Yujin sighed in relief. Her ribs and jaw ached, but it was a small price to pay for a victory. At least for Yujin, it was a success. She may have gotten beaten up, but more importantly, she managed to keep the girl from a similar fate. Arduously hoisting herself up, Yujin limped to her class president’s meeting.
The next day, Yujin and Gaeul met at their usual spot in front of the lockers. After exchanging greetings, Yujin was about to turn around to start marching to the classroom, but Gaeul beat her to it by reaching for her wrist, which made Yujin stop in her tracks. Without preamble and a stern expression, Gaeul tightly grabbed her jaw to make Yujin face her. Yujin flinched at the sudden action, still feeling sore around that area.
“Who did this to you?” Gaeul asked in a cold tone, which sent shivers down Yujin’s spine. Even though she had gone to the lengths of concealing the faint bruising on her jaw, Yujin knew she couldn’t fool Gaeul.
“The usual. Nothing you have to worry about,” Yujin said, breaking out of Gaeul’s surprisingly strong grip and resuming her earlier intent of walking to the classroom undisturbed, not wanting to have the same conversation over and over again. Gaeul, though, wasn’t having any of it. Clearly concerned for her friend.
“Yujin, this can’t go on like this! You need to defend yourself, or else they will never leave you alone. At least report it to the principal.” She couldn’t fathom why her friend would rather choose to endure the constant tormenting instead of seeking help.
Yujin scoffed. “The principal cares as much about our well-being as the state does. Plus I don’t need their pity.” She made it clear that they’d reached the end of the conversation and there was no arguing about it. Heaving a sigh, she let her be. Gaeul knew how stubborn her best friend could be.
The rest of the week went on without complications. Somehow, Yujin managed to stay out of trouble. To her relief, she also avoided crossing paths with Rei and her friends. However, ever since that incident, there was a subtle but noticeable tension between Gaeul and Yujin, but no one dared to address the elephant in the room.
Weeks passed, and the exam period was drawing closer. Yujin studied diligently in her spare time, so busy that she forgot to spend time with her best friend. Recently, they had become a bit distant. Although Yujin didn’t like to admit it, her friend’s absence was one reason she drowned herself in books, trying not to think about it. The argument weighed heavily on her, but she was so close to graduating and leaving everything behind. She told herself she’d pull through with determination.
After an exceptionally exhausting day at school and numerous assignments, Yujin’s self-imposed rule was put to the test. It was already late in the day, and most students, including her friend Gaeul, had already gone home. It was probably a blessing and a curse at the same time. Just as Yujin was about to leave the bathroom stall, she was harshly pushed back, her back hitting the wall and almost stumbling over the toilet seat in the process. Rei’s spiteful face appeared in the doorway, her followers snickering behind her.
Yujin cursed under her breath. She was hoping to evade them until graduation day, but apparently the universe didn’t feel much sympathy towards her.
“Long time no see,” Rei mocked before closing the distance. Yujin’s eyes roamed around in an attempt to quickly analyze the situation. It didn’t take much to see that escaping was hopeless. Rei seemed to read her mind as she smiled devilishly to herself. She grabbed Yujin by the shoulders while the latter tried to lessen the hold on her by grabbing onto the girl’s wrists. Rei didn’t mind; even though Yujin was physically stronger than her, she was easily outnumbered. A second pair of hands grabbed her, and both of them now slammed Yujin’s body into the other side of the stall’s wall, followed by a few precise punches to her vital organs. Reeling from the damage, Yujin’s legs gave way, unable to support her weight. But before she could hit the ground, Rei took a handful of her hair and forcefully pulled Yujin up. Her scalp burned as if it were on fire, making her face contort in pain. The next thing Yujin knew, her head was smashed against the hard bathroom tiles, leaving her in a dazed state. She felt something warm run down the side of her head, which made her bangs stick to her forehead. Before she could regain her senses, someone hit her in the knee cavity. Yujin involuntarily fell to her knees. Her right knee exploded in pain, and for a moment, black spots danced in her vision. At this rate, she had to fight to stay conscious, and her bleeding head wasn’t helping. When she opened her eyes again, Yujin was greeted with the open toilet bowl. Her eyes grew wide at the realization.
“W-wait! Please, don’t. I swear, Rei, you’re taking this too far,” Yujin pleaded desperately. This time she was genuinely scared, and Rei relished every second of it.
“Beg as much as you want; you should’ve known better than to mess with us,” Rei sneered.
“N-no—” Yujin wasn’t able to finish the sentence when her head was pushed underwater. Yujin tried to struggle against the grip, thrashing with her arms with all her might, but she was helpless as someone put them behind her back. More arms held her down, and breathing became more difficult. Her initial struggle robbed her of her oxygen reserves. Just as she was about to breathe in toilet water, her head was jerked back, water splattering everywhere.
Yujin was numb, breathing heavily while trying to catch her breath. Never had she experienced what it was like to drown. She couldn’t keep her body from shaking.
“How’s the water taste?” Rei laughed.
“Please—” Yujin cried, only for her head to be pushed underwater again. This time, however, she wasn’t prepared, resulting in water entering her lungs. Her body convulsed, almost choking to death. Rei wasn’t heartless enough to truly endanger Yujin’s life, so she pulled on her wet hair. Yujin coughed violently, spitting out excess water.
“Still up for another round, I see.”
This time Yujin didn’t object. She watched herself almost drown over and over again from a safe distance. Her body wasn’t hers anymore. At this point, she didn’t resist anymore, waiting for everything to pass by.
Yujin didn’t know when it was over or how long she had lain there. After she’d regained enough strength to stand up and dragging her body further along, she slowly regarded her reflection in the mirror. To say she was a mess was an understatement. Clothes dripping wet, her former white blouse now pink where the blood mingled with the water, slumped shoulders, and tired eyes stared back at her.
Only three more months left, she reminded herself.