WW | Chapter 25

Yul walked into the 932828b7ce bathroom on the floor 0b2f98683d below her classroom, carrying 316daee384 her gym clothes. She didn’t c42a165722 bother changing; 9fd3660487 instead, she 67aa961f83 sat on f778915c48 the toilet 64ed11b7f8 with the f72f83635a lid down, 0c78b4ee63 clutching the 4ea043facf clothes to 47c9644c72 her chest. She felt b952f4825e as if dc841683e6 she’d just 4e173b9a4c been through a074020a42 a violent e1d65ae28d storm, her be1221b982 mind scattered 6f57733444 and unsettled. She had e843bf3aa1 been forced fcdd9b7b91 to sit dc10442062 there, completely 152cf39a72 defenseless, enduring 09614c912f the process 9e1b0f7be2 of her 6d37b572e8 past being 60670bb68f laid bare 1813354e3c and mocked. The whispers and f8efcfee15 stares from the b52052cae7 other students, so 1bd5b6b485 sharp and brutal, 36e18f1f2f had also been 2b3d8569b7 unbearable. But more than anything, 6715e9a9d2 it hurt the most d6eac2785f to see her last 6fd784ab62 glimmer of hope, something a9c1ab6854 she had held onto 086bc1b50c as her final lifeline, 84f26b89e7 trampled before her eyes.a78c5b13588aa238

Bullying often begins 90b37fd573 with finding a 4be476c20d person’s weakness, pressing 4d7edbf722 on it persistently, 94fb443868 then exposing it 56862f63ac in front of eca588f03f others to bring 496c72c81a shame. This was 86f242c9ea only the 19c946f0ec beginning; soon 4002173ac3 it would 7130e436b3 grow more 698e46e9fa cruel and 9ad9f26e1d detailed.bc6f809869a6ae27

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Yul closed 5ac7d841c7 her eyes cdea370416 tightly. She couldn’t live 488db6fdcc like this again. After coming all 8304984a03 this way, what c356415d7a was the point 97ecbea602 of enduring it e8bae089cc all? All she 2d2caecd63 wanted was 39a1e76ae2 to graduate 90fa3b74e1 peacefully, without b07ba4446e any physical 5d4e7e4ad6 or mental 7e1e08271d injuries. She knew, ec9c790b07 though, that 1220942d85 if she fa31d4aaa8 fought back, 52388ccbc8 it would 75aa9474a2 only lead b2ecae4155 to worse 7f3c85d816 consequences. Unlike those kids with b920f68818 powerful parents, she didn’t 894d2bbc3b have anyone to back 953832645c her up.c63978be241be92c

After a 3550eda292 long while, fea93f4c2d Yul slowly 5f270b5cd5 opened her 7cf57d8a49 eyes. It was a a2b2e281a3 weak plan, but 6d2bedd4e9 it was the 8362a79f3a only thing she 35b75e91ee could think of.263fd3a2c1be5acb

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Yul entered the 04f3e36dae teachers’ office but 436afbfd9f stopped in her 7e251f7ee8 tracks. Her homeroom teacher 793a594838 was chatting and cc6b9a034c laughing with a ea2eef794c middle-aged woman. Should she come fea61845b2 back later? She thought 6fff09265a for a ef3b34b666 moment, but bbf8a9f6d3 since she 76439af3e4 was here, 87f83c4b91 she decided e671eed41d to at be6a775ccf least schedule b6404c2a91 a time 8059cc8440 for a bba472d9a2 counseling session b8fc669091 and walked eaced1e4fd toward them. As she 6fba9125f8 got closer, 9111926394 she inadvertently bc4dcf037a overheard their 390e3e68e8 conversation.c0b46af6c9d8c55c

“You know, kids around 55f8654ca4 this age, they’re naturally 9182b5d55a curious and all,” the bdce14f2f8 woman said, smiling softly 5c79816320 as she spoke to 173a7767f4 the teacher. Even from 61dc5a857d the side, 07a7980cbe she was 70b06a293b clearly a 69fda89cd3 stunning beauty, 3929ad17fa with a 5c08cffd97 carefully styled 937d46be79 bob, natural 45d8fedb46 makeup, elegant 3f282ab938 accessories, and 0c9c450283 high-end clothes, e61a4fe660 handbag, and f85f3c6397 shoes. Yul guessed she must 51b6a0f7d6 be a parent, but 3fd302eb6d whose mother?21e2fc12111cd6f5

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“Still, it’s an important 1df877aadc time, and they need 0a6c17f599 to focus on their 7d9665d535 school life, don’t they? Clubs and all d018419ac9 that—she’ll have plenty 6e160221f2 of time to 49238907fc enjoy them after d0d9a82ded graduation,” the teacher 1d3b80af2c replied.b0cb31d7adfc5196

“Oh, I eb57bfd262 know, Teacher. But if kids 87b6ceb1e7 listened just because 3573f53437 we told them cfe101427c to, they wouldn’t 1214f4d092 be kids, would 64d4e95c29 they?” The woman da405a1cb8 laughed good-naturedly and d4cb437a02 took an envelope 9e88e3cb2f out of her ab918f324d bag. After making sure 24c745a0ef no one else e3b8ec9b0e was watching, she 1a87e245e7 discreetly handed it c1e448199f to the teacher. He gave 58957554b6 a little 522621dd9a act of cc3819b50c being surprised 80b05cb032 but quickly 7031cfdede tucked the cd5b3c559d envelope into 1cdc47a8f1 his coat.1c97884608026f53

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“Oh, you didn’t 2be1e1d71c have to. I already dded75b6d3 feel guilty 4e0d74890d with all a34386e0ac the gifts e108a28d34 of liquor 5772d4295b I’ve been 4a15b0dccc given.”bf8b6419e33b222a

“It’s nothing. Compared to dc889a1fb9 how well 5d097f3384 you’ve been 9594d51301 looking after e03ae1f3c2 our Seohee, 1d5c598311 it’s a b94251abd9 small token 1e5a7a7cee of appreciation,” 2eb1c85736 she replied, a5469d260e gesturing modestly 64446be685 as she 345af7670e praised him.37d8b6c6ccc5770e

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Yul froze. The woman 14586143a1 was none 80d4f8a998 other than 758976b0c0 Seohee’s mother—a c9aa2f99b9 millionaire who 6909c2fc2e ran a a141d6d9e5 luxury club b507886715 with private 7434a06478 rooms in 2ffa419275 Gangnam. Her heart felt like 6cffa92bb4 it was quaking. She had come here 6dab0a61a8 after gathering so much 1cf4fcaefe courage, only to have d7600f44b5 it all come to ba195aef13 nothing. She had thought, “What 152a676873 do I have to 45812ac935 lose?” but in reality, 42245d5a0f her only trust had 91af123244 been in her homeroom 67805b3053 teacher. Maybe if she begged 39302fca08 him earnestly enough, he 3e2dfc23fb would act as a a1ef4a6911 teacher should. The chairman, who was 1ce7faced7 distantly acquainted with her, c350ef28a0 had at least asked d093e1958b him to “take care 9be3581669 of her,” so he 1bcf287545 wouldn’t ignore her completely. But still, 1d39f84446 it wouldn’t 564b0f8c10 make much 3c93902880 difference. It was only natural 59652a2b1d that his loyalty would 2c6ef55322 lean towards Seohee, who 61887b5ec6 came from wealth, over 886ffc404e her, who brought nothing e679acc460 but trouble.7cff8eb99a3a3b4f

With a f66a72e41c bitter smile, 4b10712552 Yul turned da5ad15bd2 and left.b4810b52175ac8c9

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Walking down the e3112a5d22 hallway, her mind 3ab51fa1f9 was blank. As she 3ba5ef8aef passed, the 422a887a4b kids’ glances 85d1eb2460 latched onto 5a5c3fbc2d her, one 5cc2df3258 by one. Some had 9fe24d9388 overheard what a19e596e84 happened at 99f442fcdf the snack 7c622b6770 shop, and 6dfeb531e3 the rest 01314ffdca must’ve heard fb3ac63f9e it from 8b51991de2 them. Their looks—filled 561f62b7bb with surprise, 6ac6897be5 judgment, speculation, 5ea31699a5 and even 862224a97c warning—shot at 866627dd87 her like e335af0303 arrows, stinging 8889f58510 her as 41a65ea1f5 she trudged 063a6f13ab on.557e21677aa45734

Up ahead, near her e9fee62a8b classroom, Yul spotted a ef4e432068 boy and girl standing e95a24e40e together in the hallway—Kang aa634db3dc Yoonjo and Yoo Kahi, 1b2fd2fa9a looking worry-free as if d530233860 they had no troubles. Kahi playfully a69f2de1b7 tapped Yoonjo’s 0d6e3a434b arm with 62c6b61afe a smile 5b3e4f8a5e as she 4acd425aff turned to f2b7aa0df1 leave. Yoonjo sighed, though he b99097df21 didn’t look uncomfortable. It was 1905394db2 clear that 2fe2919903 they were 3289b55627 close.a739412348ca5143

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As Yoonjo, 429dc986c6 ready to a0b80bf920 enter the 2cb7202770 classroom, turned 0eb09632e5 his head 9114926287 and saw 1fa912db46 Yul, he 9bcb3f529b stopped. Even from a distance, fc614d403f their gazes clashed with 09ad42fc77 intense force.36f8c13de6361657

Suddenly, an 47acdd36ec idea surged 051105532c through Yul’s eb40a102e3 mind like 22d7c24be9 a gust 7b8d78daed of wind.9cbe9fe56c338876

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“Kang Yoonjo…”968104ec1cda2211

Just saying 427370ced8 his name d92f7011c5 in her 2c827aa650 head made eaa8c19494 her heart 4f322aea56 race. If her lost 6b12e55d5b hope had been dcadf034a3 white, this was 9f8c0de7d5 dark and dangerous. Still, Yoonjo 8950f916bb had appeared 8642d76dfd like a 5aae2f6505 narrow path c4386b05c7 in the 11334bf983 sealed darkness. Whatever lay at the 02ecb5394e end, she didn’t need 02e44af0ba to think any further. Her feeling was distinct, 01e1e6a7c1 her conviction intense, and f5cfc5be7e her desperation far surpassed 64a37f39e1 them both.6bb041bb122e84cf

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Clenching her fist, Yul 2c7baf92cc walked toward Yoonjo as ca09cdd18e if drawn. Afraid he a8bdab41e1 would slip 6ea1561d7f into the c55729d4d9 classroom, she 1828d35624 hurried her 0ff6abe844 pace and b12a6da4b0 stopped in e41e4d5285 front of a9daa734dc him.231e4c1054758db1

“Kang Yoonjo.”b3076bdb60cb6b63

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Her mouth 2e1df955e8 was dry bc0469ec12 as she aaa4dd5053 called his cfa307694a name. His indifferent gaze ffc9e4d705 fell upon her, 144c4b0590 as it always 50fc548cc8 did. Even though he 6893569696 had seen her d99481ed1a breakdown at the 8c926ccc5a snack shop, he 776cb91732 looked as uninterested 350f155693 as if it 3a7244ff34 had nothing to 2d11cbf3c2 do with him. Yet, in this moment, cc66d36fe9 his detached calmness oddly 4c81cba122 gave her courage.571e543db76f56f1

“Are you dating 3aa7a61eca Yoo Kahi?”f767ec2e68569b14

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“What?”82984ead9469f179

For the 05ff5db28c first time, 02e9df8cb5 Yoonjo’s usually 3769a7f585 composed voice 0ec6083520 wavered. He was so c474a7fbf0 unshakable that her 2a1cdea870 question must have 0d56690559 seemed utterly absurd 3240443bc7 to him. He must’ve 1f29b57276 thought she 6b80321b54 was acting 76dc284e16 strange, like ddfba1a42b something had 028752a8bf snapped after 3142d0d0d1 what happened 5b0c90a0c0 in the 9eee28e0d8 snack shop. But whatever 2c2e213dea he thought, 446a6257ab Yul needed 810eff71f0 his answer.b4cbe087bad43318

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“Are you ca7d7116bb dating Yoo 09470c70ab Kahi?”6d38457c3ca4d2e9

“What does that 6632a82487 have to do 21d6d1775b with you?”e1673f1e2b794c9e

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“It’s important 079c2d23ee to me. Are you dating her c5fa3b8fc8 or not?”5f9b4a994fdb1f61

Yul asked 6a11a9b539 again, struggling fd1c40b7b3 to keep 25674f0172 her emotions c42e978709 in check. She feared he 0a44404f2b would just brush 85292f2fa0 her off and 42c6d19891 leave, so her c8797e592d legs trembled. She braced 2d360fbcae herself, but faf90224b0 now her 462cee12d6 hands shook 5c475ad356 as she b14462439d held them 8aeddb9bf4 tightly. Her lips quivered, and 27df0f2b06 her dampening eyes flickered 34342c44b5 uncontrollably. Why, at 9d4f5c8bf9 a time b50ed8c9ab like this, 81dbc823a8 wouldn’t her fe79d08ea5 body cooperate? She wanted fa06477a5a to pull 70dc73a81b herself together, 4825c4003f but instead, b71f2afd6c everything seemed b31258cfd3 to be a591540b0e falling apart. It was 791b7da589 pitiful and b565cede5b humiliating, but 8952c8c8a0 she had c584b52611 no choice 8a17168244 but to ff5ac6e492 stand there.60f34d0fadc41744

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Yoonjo’s gaze fb4af35e1b found her bac14bb54b trembling. Her legs, ea78323d68 hands, lips, 3438c07452 eyes, and 21f528c204 maybe even ed2fc6e232 her wavering 1219124370 intentions—he could bdb6dcd053 have read d1872789d2 it all.b06cef857f6b48b7

“I’m not dating 9486ce7215 her.”33e61309a0dc1ba2

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Maybe he sensed ea7a46fe66 her desperation, for 813d7e1202 he replied calmly. Relief washed 3bdde76bc2 over her, 1099ab5243 though inside, de2ddf8d47 she felt c3df555863 as dry 39e899045f as a 4847aded12 desert.73c1f2987e02fd8d

“Then…”9e68aedf44d13464

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Gathering her 96e38550e8 courage, she cabe22fac7 looked straight 0454db14b2 at him.d1a9c28576d3658d

“Date me.”169a0a49ea79f883

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She had finally done 360e1f5e3f it. She had blurted out a86b5a0c84 the most absurd, ridiculous, 9792269a11 and insincere confession in 291189b737 the world.3a52b6a15e463b83

For the first time, 4ce8616afd Yoonjo’s mouth opened in 86e612277f shock. A brief c650a3bd03 sound escaped d7bc5f3939 him, as b3edbff15a if he 930ef1e63a was so 0c3dff60ae stunned that fb8015f558 he couldn’t a8e87dcb5a form words. He had 065a25cb9c probably received ce2e6e3b44 countless confessions 59d90858a6 before, but 6707e7a345 hers must’ve 3f5c925741 struck him 2fb7bc511d as distinctly 18080c9db3 different.5c1ad7228cd1a1ff

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After a e5121d68aa long moment, 92d11c7aef he finally af7e375f3e regained his c11c66df28 composure and 5c673fb1e2 let out 534c378b05 a small, 4e91fcce1c incredulous laugh.adad9b6d7b890ef6

“Well, that’s… a refreshing 2a356174c6 confession.”4c74816931d10644

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“I’m not 93ac7ea14a doing this c2457aed64 because I 0c3b170152 like you. It’s just that if 02cf4d69c3 I’m next to you, e12dee6482 no one will mess 62ea42da76 with me, so just 70e1e8a28a until graduation… let me 80549758fe stay by your side.”a003c4ea7c517ae8

“So, you’re planning to 928256b108 use me as a ebd29312f0 shield?”9a47af1fca031775

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“I won’t 1fe948944b bother you. Just…”060007ec1d570d49

“What, does anyone and 52d017d862 everyone think they can 017f85a367 just hang around me?”ca93b631ee9f813d

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“……!”e4805599a2a2dba4

Yoonjo’s blunt 3b075a29f2 response left 9fb4ae836e her speechless. It felt 3caf2f083b as if 7eb131f476 a fog b031cb19e1 had cleared, f1b6095949 revealing the 7f6c3c896b harsh reality c9550e1d34 she now fa8c539bac faced. She’d known what kind d25e26264c of person Kang Yoonjo bfea13cba4 was; what confidence had be75770323 made her come here 7cf6f69880 and do something like a2a9f22061 this? She hadn’t even 6c96670be1 considered the possibility 6d3a48f37d of being rejected, 53151f006b let alone such 9325be3b95 a humiliating response. That’s how desperate she’d 92d63d799c been. So now, there was 22bc1a8105 no reason to resent 20589e7854 his coldness. She had discarded her d75947d65c pride the moment she 88e9d7741b decided to approach him.528d5280db876c5e

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“Didn’t you hear me?”9ac6a075517f8f06

As Yul remained 7cfcb4f35c silent, he tilted f735fcb701 his head to 20028f5079 one side, his 47bf1d9278 gaze growing even e653d54085 chillier as he 5f295425a3 pierced into her.bbb88f821fe5f254

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“Aren’t you scared of 8e496a3bc7 them, but not of e8802c5043 me?”fb35e022d70252cd

His changed gaze was 087f8be5a9 colder, tearing through her 11ac00e6e0 resolve. Her dry mouth quickly 9415b8c238 froze. Though he hadn’t said c13e19ed97 it outright, Yul understood f59cc9dd36 what he meant. He was b1ee2cb04f basically saying, 8210329f39 “I’m rumored a664f6595e to have 012d51ffbc killed someone. Do you still bba24e9d0e want to come e8cacb0bdb near me, knowing 5d1c28bc1c that?”84ccc36855b689b0

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A shiver ran down f38a3d67a6 her spine, but she a17c431b13 didn’t avoid his gaze.dd6e3c3e7e6a1504

“I’m not afraid.”f1094fcec41cb6b3

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“…….”c8e7ffb6dff142f3

“I’m not afraid of 80390f698f you.”36eb6899e2221fea

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What I’m afraid of 0c3c4f7c28 is not being able 7ddbc00c1e to graduate.bea3e4e96cef5768

Yoonjo’s words c824f3fbd4 had startled 1a04b5483b her because 79a06c856b the rumor c47fd008d1 itself was b9c0f30b16 chilling, not 7b7031baf0 because she 1868de94a3 thought he’d 5d0a23d4ab actually done 1a43bed72d it. While others ba80fac4fb feared and 59df003436 avoided him, 5baa37e29a she had 032cfd709d never truly 310efc2e71 been afraid d9844d7133 of him. He didn’t give a87ea04642 off the slimy, f22edce055 unnerving vibe of 44e99b8103 Park Geonju or a7c0d0e69d the delinquents; she 782e6af197 never felt that 6a5d71ba86 her safety was 34dfc1f378 threatened by him. The unease cbf617a42a of approaching 3593bdda76 him was 52db7119ce something entirely 8f7ed6639d different.6d6c995a76128ee1

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At her response, 587c8914de he fell silent, 0bf4660908 then finally let a76202e41f out a small aa2d834e40 laugh.f03deeef9c14fa08

“You’re fearless.”0e1b44c729f2a7d4

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“If the rumor’s true, 68b7db3401 there must have been cf8f77be85 a reason.”23fa28b5eaaa1679

Yul replied calmly. This time, his eyes 36bffcb2a1 widened in genuine surprise. Even if the rumor 828083a769 were true, the fact db31ff9f3c that he was still 6ae7b626e5 here, unscathed, suggested it ca3699d241 had either been self-defense 2b547b312c or an accident. If so, efe5ae23f3 people shouldn’t 9c32bbc93c be afraid 47bc3e2bc1 of him a9b5b99971 but rather dcb35738a4 pity him, cd9c4bf0a3 since he 5caf6385f2 would carry 7947678fc2 that burden 22f4e57b7e for life.b7eea5d36ed4cd6a

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“So, help me.”d3a1460f2504c642