Mingzhou opens her locker. Bunch of love letters fall from there. She sighs. Not again.
She always keep the letters that she receives but it was getting out of hand. She already has more than ten boxes of it. She plans to keep and read all of it, but there are still 3 boxes that she doesn't read yet.
Mingzhou goes to her class.
"Wow, you arrive earlier than me," she greets Hyuwi, ohh you mean she is being sarcastic.
Hyuwi rolls her eyes. "I dont always come late."
"Hye, beauty," Minsu, the crazy pervert of their class greets Mingzhou. She just smile.
"Get out of my sight, ugly." Yejoo appears which makes Minsu walks away. Mingzhou is probably the kindest out of the trio. Yejoo and Hyuwi have the satans' mouths.
"Oh~ you look prettier than always," Sunghyun smiles widely. Yejoo nudges the boy's stomach.
"Are you jealous?" Sunghyun smirks.
"My ass."
Few minutes later, their literature teacher comes in.
"Ok guys, open the textbook page 45. We'll learn about this poem about unrequited love."
"What the hell? Everything goes by love nowadays."
"Kim Yejoo...." The teacher shakes her head.
"It's Lee Yejoo, I changed my name legally 3 years ago." Said Yejoo while lowering her voice not wanting the teacher to hear.
"Mingzhou, read the first paragraph."
Mingzhou nods and takes a deep breath.
"If you are here
Wouldn't my smile gets wider
I miss your presence
I miss your scent
And your empty spot
How desperate I am to tell you
That. . I fell in love wit--
"Mingzhou, why are you crying?"
Mingzhou touches her wet cheeks. She immediately wipes it.
"Yah, are you ok?" Yejoo asks with concern look. Mingzhou nods,
"Yeah, I think so."
(2 years ago)
He cried. He is not their first victim. He expected it will happens to him too, one day. But, he never thought that one day will be today.
"Why are you crying?" Hyuwi gave him a smirk before she hit Hocheol with his pencil case.
"What should we do with him?" Mingzhou asked her fellow satans. Hyuwi looked at Yejoo. "Just do what we always do. Give him a lesson so he will shuts his mouth and mind his own business instead of ours." They nodded at Yejoo's words.
Apparently, Hocheol told a teacher that they stole exam papers. No one ever do that, he was the first one which made him a special case.
Hocheol glared at Mingzhou. Mingzhou scoffed, "Why are you looking at me like that? Wanna die?" She kicked Hocheol's face really hard that he ended up lying on the floor.
"Yah, what are you guys doing?" A boy came in with hands both in his pocket. He looks at them with disgust look before went to Hocheol.
"Chae Hocheol, get up." He poked Hocheol's waist. But, Hocheol didn't give any respond. "Yah!" He became panicked as he saw blood coming from Hocheol's forehead.
"What should we do?" Hyuwi started the conversation. They gathered around Hocheol's bed.
"Just act normal. This is not the first time we hurt people." Yejoo calmly answered. Only Mingzhou kept quiet as she stared at Hocheol's pale face.
"Yah, let's get out from here before the nurse is back."
"I want to stay here," said Mingzhou.
Yejoo and Hyuwi looked at each other.
"I just want to get some sleep," she continued. They nodded and went out from the infirmary.
Mingzhou sat beside Hocheol's bed. The way that boy's looked at them earlier made her flustered. She never received that kind of stare before. The feeling.. he was disgusted with their behaviour. She knew it.
"Why are you here?"
Mingzhou turned to back and see that boy. She read his nametag. 'Lee Hwa Young'
"You are one of the girls who make him in this state, am I right?"
Mingzhou remained silent.
"Do you feel disgusted with... me?"
"I feel disgusted with your attitude, not you." He pours warm water in a bottle for Hocheol.
"You should stop doing that. Stop hurting weak people. Stop stealing exam papers. Stop being a bully." Hwayoung smiled at Mingzhou before ruffling her hair. "Get it, miss?"
Yejoo and Hyuwi both have Taekwando training. Usually, Mingzhou eats alone if they are not present.
She stuffed a ham in her mouth when suddenly someone came.
"Can I sit here?" Hwayoung put his tray on the table. Mingzhou looked at him without blinking. Hwayoung chuckled.
"I can, right?" He sat in front of Mingzhou. "It's been a while~" said Hwayoung. Mingzhou just nodded.
A month before in infirmary, that was the first time they speak with each other. They didn't know each other's names because they are not in the same class. Mingzhou also never noticed Hwayoung's existence. While for Hwayoung, he knows them since they are the satans trio.
"It's getting cold nowadays. It will be snowing right?" Hwayoung looked outside the window.
"Lee Hwayoung,"
"Hmm?"
"On the night of the first snow, can we meet in front of the school gate?"
Hwayoung stopped chewing. Then, he slowly nodded.
"Of course, there will be night classes anyway."
(2 days after)
Mingzhou looked outside the window as she played with her pencil.
She thought a lot what should she say to Hwayoung on the first snow.
That time, those words suddenly ousted from her mouth.
"Mingzhou, it's snowing!" Hyuwi yelled in excitement. Mingzhou looked outside and saw snow flakes fell from the sky.
Then, she grabbed her bag and went to the school gate.
When she arrived there, lots of people gathered. She looked at them carefully and saw a hand on the floor, holding a cup of coffee. She pushed everyone and saw the reason of people gathering there.
It was Lee Hwayoung.
Mingzhou stared at Hwayoung's picture. There are lot of people coming. And she knew it, he must be a really nice kid back then.
"Are you, Hwayoungie's friend?" A woman appeared. Mingzhou nodded.
The woman brought Mingzhou to eat.
There was long silent as neither one of them start the conversation. But then, the woman started.
"Our Hwayoung... suffered from heart attack since he was born. He has to take medicine and injections which makes he rarely goes to school. He can't do any heavy activities and never join PA class because of his weak heart and physical," she took a deep breath before continued.
"He transferred school oftens too, because he was bullied and no one wants to befriend him. But, one day he found strength to fight people with words."
"He is a good kid. He is nice to elders. I'm so proud to have him as my son. Student, thank you so much for being my Hwayoung's friend."
With that, Hwayoung's mom hugged Mingzhou. She cried for the first time after Hwayoung's death.
(Present Day, Mingzhou's POV)
I only know him for a month and talked with him twice. Does that make me his friend?
Now I think about it, I regret for eating with him that day.
"We are arrived, student." I hand the taxi fee to the driver. It's been a long time since I went here.
Mesa Middle School.
They renovated the building, it looks better than before.
I go to the school's front gate and stand there as I lean my back to a wall.
"Hwayoung-ah.."
I sigh,
"I want to see you now. There are so many things I want to say.
I still don't know what kind of people you are. You gone too early.
Still remember the time when you hate my attitude and told me to change it? I think I became better now, I don't hit people anymore. But, they still call us three as bitc*es.
If you are still here now, I will teach you how to swear. Your mom said you are nice, how are you going to survive the world?
Hwayoung-ah, I like you.
That is what I want to say 2 years ago."
Suddenly, snows fall. I look at the sky.
"You heard me."
Chapter Thirteen Updated!
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Next: Hocheol's Special Chapter