Story disclaimers below.
CHAPTER 1
"It's been hard at home, with the mock exams and everything." Face down and hands clasped, her grey irises avoided crossing paths with the pair of chestnuts standing across from her, starring. "I know. I should've just said something earlier - and that's not an excuse - It's just..."
She was nervous.
Or at the very least, trying to look nervous. "I have a bad habit of doing things on my own sometimes. I'm sorry Songyi."
Dahye shyly looked up in the hope the girl would accept the apology. It was around the end of P.E. when she to walked over to her estranged group of friends, pulling the short girl aside. Now Songyi's normally cute cherub features stared back at her, muffled by the scowl it brandished.
Dahye cocked her head to the side in thought. Or did that actually enhance the cute factor?
She wasn't sure.
Shifting, Dahye could feel the other two watching them at a distance. Which was a relief, really. It would have made the girl before her more stubborn and far less sympathetic had they been a couple meters closer.
"And what was the deal with the rosary?"
Well groomed eyebrows pinched in a frown. "The what?"
Songyi leaned forward. "The gift you got Ayeon? Word got around about what was in that box you gave that bitch." Songyi's hands were resting at her sides, coiled as if poised to strike.
Ah.
Knowing how well it worked at disarming the younger girl, Dahye flashed a perfect smile. "My mom made me give it to her as a birthday present. She wants Ayeon to believe it was me, so I still can't really say anything." At that, her shoulders lifted, palms facing up. When in doubt, blame it on your parents. That way it's practically out of your hands.
Dahye bit the side of her lip before putting her finger to it, "Keep it a secret?" Topping it off with a wink. A moment passed between the two, the red head narrowing her eyes with the pads of her fingers drumming her hip. But, eventually she sighed. "Gah... fine." Lee Songyi caved.
Dahye's eyebrows perked up. That was surprisingly easy. She stayed silent as Songyi gestured the other girls who were patiently waiting, calling the pair over. "Guys. She said she's sorry."
Watching them exchange glances, Dahye had a feeling the two would also need some convincing. But bringing Songyi to her side first was going to make things run much, much smoother. "Park Gyuri, Kim Seonga..." Again, Dahye held her hands, bowing low to the both of them.
Bright eyes watched the curious exchange from the far end of the gymnasium, idly leaning against the bleachers. Because of her poor sight the faces were blurred, but she recognized the four silhouettes standing together all the same. Curious, indeed.
"Hey Yeonwha are you listening?"
The albino straightened at the feminine voice before being greeted with something soft pushing into her stomach. Yeonwha looked down, smiling at the outstretched hand in appreciation. "Sorry. Thanks for the towel Ayeon, it's so hot in here I was spacing out. " She glanced at the girl with auburn hair beaming in return, taking a swig from her water bottle.
As if having a mind of their own, Yeonwha's eyes trailed down Ayeon's shirt before she immediately caught herself, looking away. Everyone in the gym was sweating and Ayeon's blue P.E. jacket was open, exposing the damp white shirt underneath. Damp and see-through. Yeonwha felt her lower lip catch between her teeth. She needed to focus her mind on something else. Now. "Sorry Ayeon. You were saying something?"
The warmth faded from Ayeon's face as her attention switched to the handful of girls talking several meters over. "Nothing really. It just seems Dahye and Songyi made up..."
Yeonwha nodded. Despite the inevitable well-wishy tone accompanying whatever sentimental platitude Ayeon was about to regurgitate, she knew the girl well enough by now to sense when she was glum. Watching the girl carefully, she retrieved the half empty bottle from Ayeon's hands, taking a sip. "There's nothing wrong with feeling a little uneasy, Ayeon."
She looked up, startled. "Oh! I'm not upset. Dahye hasn't been doing well for a while so-"
"So her suffering shouldn't have been causing you distress," the albino said as she gently placed an index finger to the girl's lips. "Just as her happiness shouldn't directly relate to your own in any way either."
Baek Yeonwha admittedly loved many things about Ayeon, but the one thing she just couldn't understand was the younger girl's perpetual self-immolating... "goodness." It was the redhead's best feature, but it was also an Achilles heel.
Yang Dahye and her minions tortured the poor thing for well over a year before Yeonwha decided to have anything to say about it. But once Dahye was removed from the equation, the rest of them were seemingly harmless, too chicken shit to try anything. Especially that Lee Songyi. In a short span, Ayeon had brightened, even now able to concentrate better with her studies.
Yeonwha had not considered it before, but had she not intervened, who knows where Ayeon would have been by this point? Yeonwha knew all too well what that sort of isolation could do to someone. She sighed, ruffling the girl's hair. "You deserve so much more than you know. I just wish you would see it." Ayeon slowly turned a generous shade of red at the overt affection and praise.
On a whim, she leaned in, lightly planting a kiss just below the girl's burgundy lacquered bangs. The rosy tint quickly shot up to Ayeon's ears. She smiled at her handy work, seeing the whim paid off.
"Uh Yeonwha. You're really nice, thank you."
"What the fuck is so great that you have to be all lovey-dovey in front of everyone?"
Yeonwha groused, the intrusive nuisance instantly killing the mood. She sharply exhaled, knowing the voice. Merely five minutes in and already back to being the ever insufferable twat.
Leaving Ayeon an apologetic smirk, she turned towards the approaching group, the corner of her mouth tugging a bit higher as she quipped without hesitation, "We were just celebrating this reunion you've seemed to have with your spine, Lee Songyi."
Her eyes quickly flashed over the four girls, assessing the lukewarm threat. Each tensed and sprung as if ready for some ambush.
Songyi seethed, "Go die twice Baek Yeonwha."
Well. Except one... Her gaze finally lazily slid to the prettiest girl standing at the back of the group. The girl who suddenly found a blemish on the recently polished gym floor more interesting than anything else at that moment. Her easy smirk returned and she readjusted her sight back to the front of the group.
"Congrats Papa Smurf. I was getting lonely without having someone to play with. But we should catch up some other time." She bent forward to pat Songyi's head before tugging Ayeon's hand, smoothly walking past the now enraged munchkin.
"I'd imagine friendship to be some bit of a commodity for you these days, so let's try a little harder at maintaining what few we have this time around. Yeah?"
Songyi balked, "You bitch!"
No longer interested, Yeonwha continued towards the gym entrance. There were better things to do. And while Yeonwha did see the amusement and value in recent developments, once again hearing that grating squeak of a voice was far too painful to deal with for the moment.
She was in good spirits though, Yeonwha had something else to look forward to. There was only one more class before their lunch break.
** DISCLAIMERS **
This is the only time I will place a disclaimer here stating that this is a fictional story that deals with the theme of sexual assault and non consent. This has to be read with that trigger warning and forethought in mind. I don't condone the actions of these characters, as I would assume the same goes for the original author of the story this is based from.
The second disclaimer is to state that I don't own the intellectual properties of Gado. I don't intend to profit from it. I have full respect for the author and strongly encourage all readers to support the artist by paying for their series on Lezhin and if you wish to directly give support through their artist profiles.
Enthusiastic consent always, boys and girls.
- DiscretionAdvised-Chan