Only the relentless raindrops hitting the already flooded road and the tired surface of the red umbrella echo throughout the soulless street. Drip- drip...the raindrops are the only thing in motion as the statue-looking girl stood frozen just like the concrete bust stop pole she was using to block the strong wind fighting the rain. Her blank eyes, glued to the raindrops marking their territory around her boots, were busy studying the rhythm of the water drops. It was fascinating. The natural rhythm of things was beyond charming. If not for the earphones, which were always religiously plugged into her ears, she might have been fascinated by the sound of the drip-dripping raindrops falling against her tired red umbrella.

Lost following the water drops, not once had she looked up to notice the empty streets or the soulless park in front of her. It was the usual sight anyway. The dark corners of her neighborhood, famous for being some of the scariest blocks in the city, were a ghost town at the darkest hours of the rainy morning. But those hours were her favorite. The silence and complete darkness were why she walked two blocks to this bus stop. The drunk men and ladies of the night she passes by would be switched to the complete darkness and silence of the corner right in front of the park, where she waits for her morning bus. The only new thing in her dark corner of her world was the storming rain that has been attacking the coldhearted city for the last couple of hours. With the sun nowhere to be seen, it was hard to even to tell if it was day or night.

What was the difference anyway? The nightmares that kept her sleeping body cuddled through the night were better than the dark clouds and screeching voices that haunt her when awake and cruising through the living as though she was one of them.

The only thing signaling that it was morning was the screaming clocks and the small sunrays piercing through the dark clouds. It was Monday morning. The most boring morning of them all, cuddled by the most boring kind of weather of them all, endless rain. To make matters worse, the dark clouds above the city vowed to stay the whole day.

Drip - Drip - the rain goes on as half the city tries to figure out the shitty excuses they would have to give their boss as they run late into work, while the rest wonder how long this damned rain is going to pour on.

Swish-Swish. The wind brushes all the wet leaves and flowers across the dark street. The cold air swirling against her bare skin didn't even get a tiny reaction. Even when it tried brushing off her skirt, she just stood there. Her eyes glued the ground, counting the water drops.

One two

two three . . . She counts the rhythm.

Her bus is late, as usual.

She is going to miss her train, as usual.

She was going to get in trouble for being late, as usual.

" What's the umbrella for if you're going to get wet " pointing at her right shoulder the cold rain has been vigorously attacked, the bus driver asked as the bus that came out of nowhere halted in front of her. knowing he won't be getting any reply, he kept his eyes on the girl who clicked her pass and headed straight to the back of the bus. The right corner. That was her spot.

" Waaaaaa" As always, he gets upset about her friendly way of ignoring that he even exists, let alone reply to this question. 2899 days. Two thousand eight hundred ninety-nine days since she stepped into his bus for the first time, and he still hasn't gotten tired of asking her questions she would never reply to. Giving her compliments and advice, she would never say thank you for... talking to her about issues she never seemed to care about.

" You know I am considering quitting," his loud voice echoed through the empty bus. His wandering eyes couldn't help but look up at the rearview mirror to catch a glimpse of the girl sitting at the back. Her head resting against the window, her eyes staring out, she sat with the same blank look. Forget showing interest; she didn't even look alive. Although he couldn't pinpoint why, she never looked normal. She had a regular hair cut for high school students; a regular uniform accompanied with a backpack. Her tiny looking frame, she looked like every other high school students but there was something off about this girl. She had given him a heart attack the first time she jumped into his bus.

" OMO "he had shouted as he saw those dark brown eyes and ghostly-looking face walk past him and head to the back seat of the empty bus. From that day on, she had been a regular. Day in and day out. Whether it rained or snowed, spring or winter, she was always at that station by 6:45 am. Her low-cut short hair dangling right above her shoulders. Her blank eyes either staring at the distance or the floor. Her small frame, for the most part, covered by her school uniform with her military style boots she sometimes switches to sneakers. Sitting at the back, never interested in any of the people around her. Never distracted by any of the cute boys or the construction that always delays the bus. She didn't care about anything and lived in her own bubble.

" My back is still hurting. Did I tell you my doctor said to ..." the bus driver goes on explaining his reason for quitting. He had convinced himself, even though she never reacted or replied that she must be listening. It made him feel better to think of it that way. She had to be listening. But he never gets to finish his story as they arrive at the next station, and he picks up the group of ajummas he always quarrels about whatever topic was up for that day.

Today, annoyed by the early rain, the ladies had brought up the topic of how the weather in the city used to be different when they were young for discussion. The driver taking the side of the rain started defending it by mentioning his dad, who was a rice farmer and is always mentioned in his debates. Drip-drip, the rain drops still pours on as the bus cruses into the city and starts picking the early birds that had a lot to complain about. Let it be the rain that had ruined their cloth, the bus that arrived late, or the fact that it was Monday, or for some, the breakfast they missed, there was a lot to complain about. One by one, they all get on. The last to get on were the few high school boys who choose to stand by the driver. The boys, unlike most, were complaining about the soccer game from last night.

"Huh," the driver sighed. Another week has just started. Another day has just begun. Just like him, for the almost automated workers, there was eight more hours to go.

This stop is Central Tran Station, the bus announces as most scramble to get off and start running into the station and trains they are about to miss. As always, his eyes stare back through the rearview mirror as the girl walks out through the back door, but not before looking up and giving him a look. He might not exactly remember when she started giving him one look before she got off the bus. Somehow even though no smile accompanied it, nor was there any glow on her face, that one look did seem to cheer him up. It could be her way of saying goodbye or thanking you for the ride. Whatever it was, he had come used to it, just like he had become familiar with her quiet and reserved demeanor.

As the red light halts him right in front of the station, his eyes follow the girl across the street. Unlike the other people around her, she was not very attuned to her surroundings as she keeps her eyes to the ground. Dancing to the wind her uniform swings left and right, her boots stomping the small puddle of water, it all forces a smile on his face as he remembers his late daughter. Finishing the crossroad, she headed to the big station on the right side. His observation is always cut short as the light turns green and he heads east.

7:18 a.m.,

she glanced at the big clock in the middle of the train station. Her train left two minutes ago. The next one will be here in 10 minutes, the announcer broadcasted, but she never it was never10 minutes. She had timed it more than a dozen times. But even if it was ten minutes, it was enough to sit and enjoy her morning. She sat at the edge of the empty bench. Per usual, she places her backpack by her right side as she pulls out her neatly packed breakfast.

Two fried eggs.

Four strips of bacon.

One apple is cut into ten pieces.

She counted 15 pieces of orange. She starts with the orange pieces.

The gushing wind fighting the rain was slowly piercing into her skin as she sat on the cold bench eating her cold eggs. Her silky hair moving along the wind; she had let her attention stay true to the rain she had been following since she stepped out of the house.

Unique noises and footsteps walk up and down past her view. Automated sounds scream throughout the bus station as the trains scream for their destinations, and the train station gives its usual warnings about safety. The security guy busily sipping his coffee while his eyes stay on the troublesome high school boys standing by the edge of the station, that seem to be making a lot of noise. The quiet and still morning she woke up to was now filled with so much noise. The city was filled with so much noise. Although she found them interesting to observe, all the noise people made was bothersome. It was background noise that accompanied her chronically tenebrous life. She loved the obscure stillness and quiet of the night better.

The touches of laughter, the deep conversation, the useless gossip, the weird flirtatious compliments, the politics, the sports, the latest girl group crazes... All the noise she hears all day long only helps to remind her of her loneliness. She hated it all.

Train E-12 is now arriving.

The train announces right as its door opens. Ignoring all the eyes that glanced her way, she walked up to her usual seat right at the back, the empty seat at the right corner. Her backpack used a pillow; she seats leaning closer to the window. As the train slowly starts its drive through the city, she keeps her eyes on the raindrops dripping down the window give the city a surreal look. She follows the green and red lights that dominate the city streets as the train at a 60 mph speed passes through the city that is still waking up.

There was just something about the rain that she found soothing. Not just the mellow sound it made or the feeling it left when it hit her skin, but the rhythm it followed as it poured down. How it slowly flows down the surface of the window as though it was a salty tear falling down her cold, glassy cheeks; there is something about it she found to be a bit therapeutic.

Letting her mind be thoughtless, she sits, arms crossed, staring out the window. This was one of the best moments of her day. And it lasts long enough as the train leaves the dark neighborhoods, the loud and light-filled neighborhoods, and takes a 25-minute ride to get her to the other side of town.

8:10 a.m.

" Late again, huh, " the school security, sitting in his heater-warmed security station by the main entrance, let out a small ironic smile. It wasn't the first time she was late, nor was it the first time she didn't even try to come up with an excuse. His eyes switching from her to the eight big screens broadcasting what the cameras placed right outside the gate were watching; he took a sip of his tea. The line of black cars coming from the west end, he has to get ready to open the gate before they try to ring the bell.

"I don't even know why they let you stay at this school," he brought his attention back to the girl as he glared at her up and down. She was the only student that ever walked in late. She was the of the few students that walked, in general. There were some health-conscious rich kids that lived a block away that walked some times. None of the other scholarship kids, even the poorest ones, walked to school. They took the school-offered bus service. The luxurious uniform that many would die to wear was never accepted to be seen on public transportation. The bus service was part of their scholarship package. The form she was asked to fill out to receive the service was buried somewhere on her desk; she hadn't even considered it since she got accepted. It was better to never get attached to any of them anyway. The hours she spent in the classrooms with them was enough, more time together wasn't something she would easily agree too. Just as she was the only scholarship student that walked, she was one of the few students the security guard could scream at. His back that has started hurting from all the bowing he has been doing to the luxury cars that started arriving since 7 am; he massages as he glares at her upside down one more time. He doesn't understand this girl. He quickly shifts his attention to the two black cars coming to the gate as he presses open the gate. The black-tinted cars that slowly started cruising in were where his attention quickly shifted to as he quickly stood up. Shoving her to the side to grab the big umbrella that was standing by her side; he quickly stepped out to the curb and started bowing down at the two cars.

"Good morning. Welcome" With a big smile, he greeted whoever was on the other side of the tinted window. The car that didn't even slow down its speed headed straight to the road that leads to the main hallway. After a decade working at this school, he has learned to distinguish the richest and most powerful ones; and the ones that are driven in tinted bullet-proofed cars with drivers that are armed bodyguards, those are the ones he had bow down to and make sure he stays on their good side. The thick NDA he signed and the fat check he gets that have changed his family life, that was what he tells himself to care about. "Keep your head down and just do your job" has been what has kept his consciousness from consuming any of the darkness the grand school that has always been the playground for the rich kept hidden behind its metal gates.

" you're going to get punished for this one," he turned back to her, getting angrier as she just kept her eyes to herself, not even once looking up at him or trying to apologize. Throwing his umbrella down, he walked into his desk and pulled out the late card.

"You know what to do," he screamed as he handed her the card. As she took the card, she gave him a small bow and headed to the teachers' lounge. Not her first time with the late card. Not even her second time. She knows the drill. She will stand in the middle of the teachers lounge as her homeroom teacher screams on and on. Sometimes the other teachers join in and go on and on about how scary, demonic, and ghostly she was. Then it will turn into why she hasn't been kicked out from the school yet. Mocking what she was wearing, her hair cut, her makeup-less ugly bare face, her lack of family members that cared about her to buy her new shoes. The whole office turns into a stand-up comedy roast of who can come up with the most atrocious thing to say about the girl they know won't say anything back. It's not like she had a last name they needed to fear. Forget last name, most of the teachers didn't even care to memorize her name as they just screamed out whatever word they could describe her for that day.

Letting all the noise in one ear and out the other, she stands with her head bowed down, imagining how satisfying it would be to put a bullet right through all their glistening foreheads and silence them all forever. Right when the bullet hits the space between their eyes, she could imagine the second long shock that would be plastered on their face before their souls were sent to the darkest places in hell where they belong. There would be no time for repentance or for forgiveness as their bodies hit the floor. But her patience has always been stronger. Handling a few minutes of insults from people who lived vapid lives was child's play. With every insult they aimed at her, she felt sorrier for their souls. Their loud laughter were cries when they reached her ears. Before she could pray for their dull and lifeless lives, she gets dismissed. Giving them all one big bow, she heads to her class. Not to be noticed by the teacher that has already started his lecture, she goes in the back door heading to her desk by the right corner. One thing she had come to love about her class was how nonexistent her classmates and teachers treated her. She was like a ghost none of them could see. Who would want to be associated with the impoverished charity case of the school anyway? The first time she walked into the class was the highest form of attention she got out of her terrified classmates. Now she was a ghost who they couldn't even recall when she was present and absent. To make matters worse, but amazing for her, apart from her classmates, not even a handful of students in the grand school knew of her existence. The students in this school were too busy with their own lives to be worrying about the girl that never talked nor even looked up at any of them. She was such a miserable case; they deemed her uninteresting even to bully. To her it was an accomplished mission. The goal was to be invisible, and she had mastered it.

From the first lesson to the 4th, she sits at her desk staring out the window. The rain seems to be calming down as the bell rings, ending their Literature class, and they get dismissed for lunch. Her favorite time of the day. Not because she enjoyed eating but because she could hide away and be left to be accompanied only by the dark cloud of thoughts that follow her everywhere she goes.

With her lunch bag by her side, she heads to the emergency stairs exit at the end of the 4th floor which leads to her hiding spot. Excited to be left alone she quickened her steps as she hums along to the song playing in her ear. Almost two hours of alone time was gold. As she jumps across the stairs heading down…nobody to bother her... not even a single sound to distract her focus...not even a whisper to be heard. It was her favorite time of the day and why she even tolerates being in this school after their plan had failed multiple times. It was the golden two hours of peace.

As she was halfway down the stairs leading to the 2nd floor, BAMM came a noise that halted her dancing steps. Her quick reflexes halted every movement as she stood still. Slowly taking off her earphones, she let her alert ears focus to pick up any noise and from which direction. Her defense mechanism that was always ready to go into fight mode knew the knife and fork in her lunch bag were the best tools she could uses. It would be messy but easier to explain why she had them in the first place.

BANG - came another noise. Assured the noise was coming from down the stairs, she leaned closer to the metal rail to figure out what was going on.

" I swear it wasn't me"

" I swear to God it wasn't me" came a crying voice.

"Do I look like I care? " a louder voice screamed as she heard another loud noise. It was his fist that landed on the crying boy who was already bleeding out as he kneeled down in front of the five boys standing around of him. One glance down at the scene, she knew to turn around and walk out without making a single sound. For a split second, she had thought about it. She had contemplated jumping down the stairs and banging their heads against the same wall they had cornered the poor kid. For a fragment of a moment, she had thought about how many seconds it would take her if she jumped down to the first floor and silenced them all for life. With how sharp her lunch knife is maybe less than a minute could have been enough to let them take their last breath before she slits their pipe open. Or if she wants to experiment, the tight thin wire of her earphone held tight against their necks shutting their air pipes could do the job. That would take more time and would require more physical fight. But no... NO. That was not part of the plan. Her job is to be invisible and disappear when the job is done.

Her steps were like feathers landing on silk as she slowly walked up the stairs, she dancingly went down seconds ago. Ignoring the noise coming from below, she quickened her steps up to the third and then fourth floor. Her gentle hands heading to the 4th floor energy exit door handle would be retracted swiftly when the door banged open from the other side. In a flash, her legs moved her slim body to the side, sandwiched between the door and the wall. She held the door open, giving way to the boys, who glaring up and down at her once, walked in and headed to the stairs. All their attention was on what was going down three stairs. None of them even bothered to check if she might have seen or heard anything. But then again, all knew there was nothing she or anybody would do about it, and her quick bow to them was a proof.

" Told him to fucking shut his mouth up," the one leading the way cursed out loud as he started going down the stairs. The one behind him seemed just as mad and bothered as he followed along. The third one looked a bit unbothered; she assessed as her eyes glanced up for a quick second, but as she caught his dark eyes that turned her way, she quickly sent her eyes to the floor. For seconds she stood, her head held even more down, holding the door open. Her uneven bangs covering her eyes, she was sure none of them caught her sneak peek. It was a sin to even look at these people, and she knew getting even a second-long attention from any of the boys at this school would cause her more trouble. His brand new-looking shoes, leading her to his long legs covered by the neatly ironed pants, and the slow steps he was taking towards the stairs were where her eyes focused as the only thing going through her mind was to get out of there as quickly and as uninvolved as possible. The plan is, and always has been to be invisible. Getting involved with anybody's business was not part of the plan. Nor was it a great way to keep her ghostly non-existent status.

"She won't say anything. She's mute," she heard a sweet low voice. Her eyes couldn't help but look up to find the 4th boy, who gave her a small smile. The light that accompanied his smiling face was nowhere to be seen on the 3rd boy, who didn't look that amused. His dark eyes that had just glanced her way was ready to dismiss even her existence but couldn't as her blank and expressionless brown eyes become visible thanks to her bangs that flew away from her eyes for a split second. Her eyes that were raised to match the sweet voice to a face instinctively had turned to face the 3rd one who had caught her eyes for a split second. His ingenious mind was always too quick to find something out of the ordinary. There was no fear. No harried look. She just stared back with a gaze he couldn't figure out, but his interest didn't last long. It never did. The fraction of a second didn't even last long enough for her to be worried about it either as she quickly turned her eyes down, and gave them one more bow before she walked out the door the smiling one held open for her.

" Jerks " she whispered inside as she walked out. Now she has to find another quiet place to eat her lunch. Why can't they do their bullying in their places as usual? she complained as she pondered where to go. Thanks to the rain that was still pouring down, she couldn't go outside to her second favorite place or her third, so she just decided to go to the cafeteria and stick to one corner. Knowing that most of them don't even eat in the main hall of the cafeteria, she knew she would find an empty corner to hide under. She only had a few months left at this school anyway, why care so much about it all? Just as she prayed, she found the perfect corner beside the coffee vending machine to hide and enjoy her lunch. The empty table sat right in front of the glass wall that gave a great view of the garden and the rain pouring down. This view might beat the silence she could have gotten down at her hiding cave. Giving her back to the vibrant cafeteria behind her, she focused all her attention on the incredible view in front of her.

An hour of great lunch and being lost in her own world was enough for the day. She takes the last sip of her apple juice and slowly starts packing her lunch box. Whatever minutes she had left, she chose just to sit there, close her eyes and running over the plan for tonight. Her ghostly existence was useful as she would not be bothered by the students enjoying their lunch and gossiping. She sat knowing she was invisible to all. Today she was invisible to most but not to the certain set of dark and mysterious eyes glare down from the second-floor balcony, zooming in at the girl who looked like she was frozen in time why she sat alone, facing the tall window.

"Are you seriously going to let them do it?" Ji-hoo asked as he leaned closer to Junpyo, standing by the edge of the second floor F4 private lounge. His arms resting on the balcony rail, hands playing with his phone while his eyes stayed focused on whatever he was staring at, Junpyo didn't reply, letting his silence be the answer.

" You know he didn't do it right? " Ji-hoo whispered again, glancing at his friend that wasn't saying much nor looked interested in what his best friend was talking about.

" Thank you," as always, Ji-hoo was the only one that thanked the ladies that walked into the room and started picking up the leftover plates and cleaning the lunch buffet table. His famous small and bright smile accompanied his little bow as the ladies gave him a small bow and went on with their jobs. There was a reason he was loved by almost all employees of this great school. His beautiful smile, if not for number one, was in the top three things all loved about him.

"You know this is not okay" Ji-hoo went back to annoying his friend.

" And you know he won't listen to you, right" Won bin from the sofa spoke out loud. Tired of hearing Ji-hoo begging about the crybaby from earlier on, he had to silence it all. Why Ji-hoo cared about the spoiled kids that never knew their place, won bin had no idea.

" That shithead deserved what he got, " Won bin added as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and turned his attention back to the Tv.

"Just don't do it " Jihoo leaning closer whispered one last time as he traced his eyes back from the annoying Won bin to Junpyo by his side. No reply again.

" the school year is almost over" he added as he followed his friend's zeroed in eyes and landed on the girl sitting by the corner. The neatly packed lunch box sitting on the table, the way she sat arms folded, her face turned to the great glass wall in front of her. Not even a single movement did Ji-hoo notice as she sat still as though she was a statue or a robot that was powered off and unaware of everything going on around it. Eyes closed, all her energy focused on her quite breathing used to meditate and regulate her body, she wasn't even remotely aware or could ever imagine the attention she had garnered all the way from the second floor. The Gods that have cursed her existence, she knew weren't done with her so she always prepares for the worst but what could accompany the dark eyes was hell on earth.

1

2…the seconds went by adding up to a minute as Ji-hoo couldn't figure out if the girl was alive, and just like Junpyo, he couldn't help but keep staring down.

" So, are we going to tonight's party or what?" Won bin's loud question brought Jihoo's attention back to the second floor as he left the Junpyo behind and started walking to the sofa set where he had left his phone.

" I can't. I have after-school programs to attend until like 11" Ji-hoo picking up his phone started texting as quickly as possible. He has forgotten about the Monday meetings he was supposed to schedule.

" I might be late too, I have a date " Won bin with his big grin breathed out the white nicotine filled smoke Ji hoo's way.

" Since when do you date?"

" Since he started hanging out with you" Yi jeong who had left for the bathroom, walked into the lounge, and answered Ji hoo's question.

" Jun, are we on for tonight or? Yi jeong asked. All turned their eyes to the one by the edge of the balcony.

" Sure," they got a reply that got a quick annoyed reaction from Ji-hoo. His right hand placing his phone in his pocket, was sent to squeeze his fatigued head. Both hands raised up, he brushed and forced his dark hair to stay behind his ear. Although it wouldn't work, he gave his face soft slaps as he started walking to the sofa set his friends was sitting by. It wasn't even intentional, as his mind was zoned out for the rest of the conversation his friends were going on and on about.

What a boring day!