As the sun awakened the neighborhood, Seol Ah stepped outside a little later than earlier, after Po Lim. When she closed the gate behind her, she turned and saw Jin-ho, standing by the wall and waiting. He looked at her and bounced out from the wall.
"Morning," he said, stepping toward her. She paused, clutching her backpack straps tightly. He grinned faintly. "I just want to apologize about yesterday…"
Seol Ah frowned and walked past him without responding. Just ignore him. Don't acknowledge him.
Jin-ho didn't move or grab her. He sighed as she continued down the street. After walking for five minutes, realizing he was not following, she turned around.
"Why isn't he following like he usually does?" she paused, shaking her head. "Just ignore him! He's probably trying to make you guilty…"
However, the guilt churned her stomach. She turned around—
BAM.
—straight into Jin-ho's broad chest.
"Ah!" she startled, falling back and swinging her hands in the air. Jin-ho's eyes opened widely as he gasped.
"Seol Ah!" Jin-ho screamed, reaching over to catch her. He held her head with one hand and then her waist on the other. Before he realized it, he pulled her closer, making sure she slipped out of his hands.
Seol Ah flushed completely red, staring at him. He locked eyes with her, blushing at how close she was. She quickly pushed him away and got to her feet. He paused and scratched his neck awkwardly.
"Are you okay?" he asked. Seol Ah swallowed her embarrassment before taking a deep breath.
"I… need to go!" she said instead. Then she stormed away from there and headed to school right before the bell rang.
Seol Ah covered her face and planted it on the desk, avoiding any conversations or eye contact with others in the classroom. One girl, who sat in front of her, turned around and noticed her.
"Uhm… Jang Seol Ah?" her raspberry and squeaky voice called.
Seol Ah raised her head instantly and looked at the girl.
"Yes, Oh Kyu Nee?"
The girl, Kyu Nee, slid a paper on Seol Ah's desk.
"I found this on the front gate of the school…"
Seol Ah looked down and observed the paper. Her eyes widened as she pulled it closer.
The paper showed a photo of Seol Ah walking behind Po Lim on their way to school. With a big red X marked over Seol Ah's face.
Her bloodshot eyes filled with tears as she tilted her head to look at Kyu Nee. Her hands slowly crumpled the photo. Are they threatening me right now? They're as close as Jin-ho.
"What's… this?" Seol Ah questioned.
Kyu Nee closed her eyes in fear, cowering.
"I… I don't know! I just saw it… and took it—"
"And how can I trust you that you just took this from the ground and not from the people—"
"Please, don't hurt me! I really just saw it…." Kyu Nee cried, begging.
Seol Ah tightened her jaw, clenching her fists. Jang Yu manipulated her kindness, so she wasn't sure who to trust anymore. Kyu Nee whimpered, which stirred shame in Seol Ah.
"I'm not going to hurt you…" Seol Ah assured Kyu Nee, looking away.
Kyu Nee sighed in relief, patting her chest.
"Thank you…"
As soon as the teacher walked in, the voices of the outside world descended from Seol Ah's head. The photo disturbed her, distracting. Si Yeon? Jin-ho? Or was it Jang Yu again? Seol Ah groaned in frustration. Whoever it is, I'd better make sure that Po Lim is safe.
Soon, it was time for lunch, and every student grabbed their lunchbox. Seol Ah couldn't digest anything, so she stepped outside to the bleachers. Some boys were playing football, while others were playing basketball. However, Seol Ah merged into her own world, pondering about everything.
"Who are my parents then? Are they still alive?" Seol Ah finally wondered. Because of the busy days with the gangs, Seol Ah managed to have a moment for herself. She stood with her hands in her pockets, tilting her head. She sighed in frustration. "Maybe I will just ask Omma. Maybe she will tell me the truth this time…"
Seol Ah turned around—and saw someone on the bleachers just a second too late.
BAM.
A kick slammed into her, but she managed to block most of the impact with her hands.
Every student outside froze and gasped as a few men appeared on the bleachers, looking down at Seol Ah.
Seol Ah grunted, pushing herself up on her elbows. She looked up and… Si Yeon.
Si Yeon smirked, tilting her head to one side.
"Well, hello, Miss TKD…" Si Yeon chirped.
Seol Ah stood and dusted the dirt off her clothes before glaring at Si Yeon.
"Why are you here? To get your ass kicked?" Seol Ah wondered.
Si Yeon chuckled, stomping down the bleachers. Students nearby hurried inside in fear. The moment Si Yeon landed on the track, she smiled at Seol Ah.
"Me? I'm here to settle the debt that you owe me…" she sneered.
Seol Ah scoffed, giggling.
"Debt? I never borrow anything from anyone… how do I have a debt as a sixteen-year-old?" Seol Ah asked.
Si Yeon laughed hysterically, bending at the waist and clutching her stomach.
"You're quite a jokester… a proud one like Jang Yu said…" Si Yeon taunted.
Seol Ah scratched her forehead, chuckling softly.
"Jokester? Sorry, but I don't wear white powder on my face as you do…" Seol Ah added.
"You seriously don't know when to shut up," Si Yeon said with a strange smile. "All the best for me… to kick it off!"
Si Yeon launched a high kick toward Seol Ah's face. Seol Ah leaned back, twisting just in time, then countered with a swift kick to Si Yeon's chin. Si Yeon ducked, planting her hands on the ground to regain balance.
She lunged forward, swinging a fist at Seol Ah. The blow landed on Seol Ah's chin, but she clenched her jaw, grabbed Si Yeon's wrist, and snapped her leg from a low kick into a high one, sending Si Yeon stumbling back before releasing her.
As they stumbled apart, Seol Ah planted her feet to hold her ground. Fuck—she punches, too? I need to watch her hands, too.
Si Yeon's men helped her up, but she pushed their hands away as she glared at Seol Ah. That bitch has quick little feet.
"What do you want?" Seol Ah asked.
Si Yeon smirked and charged forward.
"A memoir of your blood!" Si Yeon shouted, lunging a punch at Seol Ah's stomach.
Seol Ah caught the move at the last second, dodging to the side. But when their feet crossed, Si Yeon elbowed Seol Ah's face. Seol Ah groaned as she fell to the ground. Si Yeon rose over her, bringing a high kick down toward Seol Ah's chest. Seol Ah crossed her arms to protect herself, but the impact was too much.
Before Seol Ah could get another chance to do more, Si Yeon kicked her abdomen, sending her to the bleachers' wall. Seol Ah coughed, her saliva mixed with blood because of the two impacts of the kick and the wall hitting her back. Si Yeon scoffed, flipping her hair as she walked to Seol Ah.
"You're strong… I'll give you that…" Si Yeon complimented. She chuckled. "But your defense against punches is so bad…"
Seol Ah covered her stomach, probably bruised by now. She gritted her teeth as she tried to get on her feet. Si Yeon quickly kicked toward Seol Ah's head like a soccer ball, but Seol Ah instinctively grabbed her foot. Then Seol Ah pulled her down, standing while kicking Si Yeon's chin.
The men hurriedly grabbed Seol Ah's arms and threw her down, sending her rolling on the track. She landed with her face down, but her hands kept her high enough to avoid scraping her face. She watched the men assisting Si Yeon as Si Yeon angrily pushed them away, roaring like an angry dragon.
"Fucking bitch!"
Seol Ah laughed on the ground as she pushed herself up, wiping the blood on the bottom of her lips.
"What are you proud about?" Seol Ah taunted this time.