Prologue Story

The key facilities related to the school were mostly located on the high school grounds.

Therefore, the control room managing all CCTV was also on the high school grounds.

Joo Ji-hyun and Yoo Chunho walked through the corridor, heading down the stairs to the basement.

Using their student IDs, they confidently entered the restricted underground facility, passing through a hidden passage, which left the first-grade elementary school children watching in complete astonishment.

They never would have imagined a place like this existed.

Joo Ji-hyun and Yoo Chunho strode down the restricted path without hesitation and flung open the door to the control room.

At that very moment, weapons were pointed at their necks.

“Who are you!”

With swords and guns aimed at him, Joo Ji-hyun raised his hands with an indifferent expression.

“Hey. Long time no see.”

“What, it’s you.”

It was one of the school guards.

Dressed in something resembling a black military uniform, he recognized Joo Ji-hyun, then put away his sword and gun into the Pocket Dimension, sinking into his chair.

“So, you cocky brat. What’s your business this time?”

“Just looking for something.”

“What, you punk?”

“Actually, I thought about tracking a student ID, but that would be too much trouble, right?”

“Of course, kid. Unless it’s an emergency, that’s a crime. Even if it’s a student from our school, it’s grounds for imprisonment.”

Fortunately (?), Joo Ji-hyun had done this kind of thing several times already.

Because of that, the guard, who knew Joo Ji-hyun well, tended to permit most things casually.

“…Well, judging by the situation, I have a rough guess. Is it about your sister again?”

“Glad you figured it out. Help me find the kid.”

“The kid? Are you asking me to find a kid~?”

“Yes.”

At that brazen and almost absurd answer, the guard gave Joo Ji-hyun an exasperated look.

The children who had been listening to the conversation looked puzzled.

Meanwhile, Yoo Chunho quietly moved his feet backward.

“Why are you doing that, Chunho oppa?”

“Ugh, I had a bad experience with that guy before, so he kind of makes me uncomfortable.”

“Really?”

The conversation between the guard and Joo Ji-hyun ended with, “You find her yourself!”

They immediately started reviewing the CCTV footage.

The surveillance cameras were divided by area.

They began searching by assigning middle school, elementary school, high school, and other grounds to each person.

Joo Ji-hyun started by meticulously scanning the CCTV footage of the high school grounds, which he was most familiar with.

His intuition had led him to start there, sensing somehow that she would be at the high school.

Joo Ji-hyun had always been blessed with good instincts and luck.

Bingo. On his third scan, he hit the mark.

“Found her. This is her, right? Recognize her.”

“Wow. She’s really pretty. Joo Min-hee, you have such a pretty friend?”

As the man spoke in admiration, Kim Hyun-ho leaned close to Joo Min-hee’s ear and asked.

“You know him too?”

“Yeah. He’s a friend of my brother’s.”

Then the guard protested.

“Not a friend. Do you know how much older I am than you kids? I’m practically your uncle’s age.”

“Ah, so he says.”

Joo Min-hee gave a slight nod at the guard’s words.

Then she smiled brightly and added.

“She may be pretty, but her personality’s awful. I get that she’s upset, but still, she bullies Eun-ha.”

The three adults wore dumbfounded expressions as Park Han-soo laughed out loud.

“Heh heh… Well, her personality is pretty bad. She’s shameless and looks down on people.”

“I don’t think she’s that bad….”

“Hmm, but I agree about the part where she looks down on people.”

Yoon Shia timidly retorted, but Kim Hyun-ho agreed with him.

Then Park Han-soo burst out laughing again.

Yoon Shia sighed, glancing around at his friends.

“Anyway, since we’ve found her, I’ll contact Eun-ha.”

With that, Yoon Shia held up his student ID.

However, Joo Min-hee grabbed his hand, gripping it tightly.

Yoon Shia looked surprised.

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t contact her.”

“Huh, why?”

Joo Min-hee turned to face Yoon Shia, who looked flustered.

Her eyes were burning with frightening anger.

Yoon Shia took a step back in surprise.

Yoo Chunho, Joo Ji-hyun, and the guard were equally startled.

Joo Min-hee was not the type of child who easily lost her temper.

“I need to settle this. Oppa, come when we’re done. Even though it’s In-ha, this has gone too far.”

Joo Min-hee boldly stepped outside first.

“Phew, that scared me.”

While Yoon Shia muttered with a look of relief, Park Han-soo scratched his head and followed Joo Min-hee.

After him, Kim Hyun-ho followed, and after a slight hesitation, Yoon Shia lifted his head and trailed after his friends.

With a loud bang, the door closed, leaving only the guard, Joo Ji-hyun, and Yoo Chunho.

The guard asked.

“Is that okay? It’s a bit complicated around here.”

“It’s fine, Mister. You know, Min-hee’s smart.”

“True… she’s really smart.”

“Yeah. Exactly.”

As he nodded in agreement, the guard suddenly frowned and looked at Yoo Chunho.

“Why have you been silent this whole time?”

“…….”

Joo Min-hee walked briskly ahead.

She was also well-versed in the high school layout, having frequently visited to look for her brother.

So, she knew exactly where Kang In-ha was located, as seen on CCTV.

With a determined face, Joo Min-hee walked ahead in silence, with the three following her quietly.

Yoon Shia observed her with a worried expression.

Since childhood, he had only seen her get this angry once before.

At that time, Joo Min-hee was terrifying.

People might say, “How scary could a child’s anger be?”

But the one who had faced it was also a child, Yoon Shia. It was plenty scary.

They passed through the basement, and Joo Min-hee walked across the high school grounds as if it were her own backyard, soon spotting a girl in the distance.

Everywhere else was noisy and crowded, but that place alone was quiet and empty.

Perhaps instinctively, the girl had sought out a secluded area.

Joo Min-hee approached Kang In-ha without hesitation.

“Hello.”

Kang In-ha, who had been staring out the window at the end of the hallway, finally turned her head.

What had she been looking at? Had she been indifferent to whoever was approaching?

To Joo Min-hee, Kang In-ha also appeared rather weary.

As soon as she saw them, Kang In-ha frowned.

With an equally firm expression, Joo Min-hee spoke.

“Been a while, hasn’t it?”

Behind her, except for Yoon Shia, the others flinched at a side of Joo Min-hee they’d never seen.

They also didn’t like the current Kang In-ha, but it seemed that the one most angered was Joo Min-hee.

Could it be a connection as fellow girls?

“So, why are you here? Don’t you know what’s going on with Eun-ha and me? Can’t you stay out of it?”

Kang In-ha was equally unyielding.

Her blunt tone was more cutting than usual, and Park Han-soo frowned.

Kim Hyun-ho also seemed annoyed.

Only Yoon Shia stood by, unsure and anxious.

“It’s only between you and Eun-ha, right? So, does that mean Eun-ha is your only friend, and we’re not?”

“…….”

“I understand why you’re mad, but do you realize how bad your words made us feel? Still, we overlooked it, knowing Eun-ha’s special to you.”

Kang In-ha pressed her lips together with a cold expression.

At that moment, Joo Min-hee’s face twisted in irritation as she spat out her words, shocking everyone.

“Looking at you makes me so damn angry, I can’t stand it.”

It was only natural.

After all, Joo Min-hee was the most cheerful and innocent-looking kid in Class I, known for her mature and calm demeanor.

But here she was, using language so casually familiar with swearing.

If it had been Park Han-soo, it might have been understandable, but this was beyond their imagination.

Among them, only Yoon Shia, who knew this side of Joo Min-hee well, and Kang In-ha, who had been the target of her words, remained composed.

‘Well, she’s usually so expressionless… But she doesn’t look entirely unlike Ji-hyun hyung, either.’

In the tense atmosphere, Joo Min-hee continued to speak.

“Don’t you know who’s in the wrong right now? Eun-ha already apologized.

Yes, I get it. Saying sorry doesn’t make everything fine.

But aren’t you friends?

Shouldn’t you accept it?

Shouldn’t you forgive her?

She didn’t just apologize without understanding anything.

She realized her mistake, felt sorry about it, promised not to do it again, and apologized like that.

So, hey, why are you the one being stubborn? Who do you think you are?”

Kang In-ha could only glare at Joo Min-hee in silence.

“You’re overreacting. I get that Eun-ha’s special to you.

There are times when you cling to Eun-ha and don’t like us butting in.

I thought maybe that’s why and tried to understand, even though it pissed me off.

But aren’t we friends? Seriously, the more I think about it, the more it pisses me off.”

“……”

“If you keep being stubborn? What about Eun-ha?

Do you think Eun-ha’s going to wait for you?

Eun-ha’s a softhearted person, don’t you know that?

She’s the kindest and most gentle among all of us.”

Kang In-ha bit her lip. Yes, that was true.

Among them, Yoo Eun-ha was the most mature, but she was also the one with the softest heart.

While the rest of them would clash or respond directly, Eun-ha would quietly bottle things up or simply let them pass.

To them, Eun-ha was both a friend who was like a protector and someone they wanted to protect.

“Do you have any idea how hurt Eun-ha is because of you?

She doesn’t even express her pain. She’s throwing up in the bathroom, and seeing that tears me apart.

Hey! Damn it, you call yourself Eun-ha’s friend?

Is making her cry with your stubbornness what friendship is?!”

“……!”

“Where’s that ‘best friend’ you claim to be?

Special, my ass! You call yourself her closest friend, and yet you make her cry instead of forgiving her?!”

Behind the seething Joo Min-hee, the expressions of the three listening to her turned icy.

“In-ha, you’re seriously awful… Really awful…”

Unable to hold back her frustration, Joo Min-hee began to tear up.

As he placed a hand on her shoulder, Park Han-soo stepped forward this time.

“Yeah, I see it the same way. Keeping your best friend crying—great job.

Lately, the kid seems like she’s on edge, stressed out.”

“Shouldn’t you be the one apologizing to Eun-ha now, In-ha?”

Even Kim Hyun-ho’s usually playful expression had hardened.

Hearing her friends’ words, Kang In-ha’s expression twisted and her face trembled with anger.

Kang In-ha shouted, her expression unusually stubborn and almost childlike, quite different from her usual blank face.

“What do you guys know?! Stay out of it between me and Eun-ha!”

“Then do you know Eun-ha so well that you treat her like that?”

Park Han-soo couldn’t contain his anger and yelled back.

Kang In-ha’s body flinched and shook.

“If it’s as you say, then you must know how much Eun-ha considers you a special friend.”

“……”

Slowly, Kang In-ha lowered her head.

“Do you know how long it took me to get close to Eun-ha?

At first, I couldn’t even approach her because I was so scared… She was the first person who ever made me feel that way…

But then, you all, you all suddenly butted in, and Eun-ha… she started talking comfortably with people other than me…”

“Then, do you wish she only ever had you by her side forever?”

Kang In-ha finally began to cry, tears falling one by one.

The sight of her pale face with tears was both pitiful and beautiful, like snowflakes or glass beads falling.

But Park Han-soo seemed unaffected.

“Looks like you need to hear it, so I’ll tell you!

If anyone knows how close you and Eun-ha are, it’s those of us watching from the side!”

With her head still lowered, Kang In-ha kept shedding tears.

Yoon Shia watched her with concern.

“Do you know what Eun-ha’s like?

With us, she can barely speak, doesn’t express what she wants to do, and even gets startled from just holding a hand.

But with you? She laughs, says whatever’s on her mind, and always wants to go places with you…

Sure, she doesn’t talk much. But I bet the person she talks to the most is you!

What more do you want? She already apologized! She said she’d speak up more from now on!”

“Eun-ha is…”

With tears flowing, Kang In-ha bent down.

She crouched down, resting her face on her arms.

Her long black hair cascaded down as her voice, choked with tears, came out.

“Do you know… how beautiful she is when she smiles…?

I got to know her because of my mom… I just wanted to befriend her at first because my mom was so close to hers…

But I don’t remember when… but one day, that shy girl gave me this bright, radiant smile.

It was so, so beautiful. I felt like everything around me was just glowing.”

Joo Min-hee, who had been frowning in frustration, seemed to recall something and relaxed her expression, hesitating.

They, too, had seen it just once.

Eun-ha’s radiant, blossoming smile, just as Kang In-ha had described.

Not her usual small smile, but a bright, beaming smile that could clear the skies.

“Since then… I wanted to be her friend… and it took me years…”

“……”

“But… if Eun-ha’s the type who’d be happy with anyone as a friend…

If anyone can be close to her… I’m scared she’ll be taken away someday…”

Kang In-ha wept silently.

As she cried, she spoke.

“…Now I’m too scared to even apologize…”