What made me a target for bullies in this school was walking in front of Hee-Young when leaving the classroom after school on the first day. When she saw how tall I was, she immediately found her new target and decided to make my life miserable from then on.
I never stood up to her, though. I knew from experience that it only makes it worse. Telling a teacher, too. Girls like Hee-Young were always untouchable, far above the rest. It was better to just put your head down and hope for the best.
At least that was what I thought.
The silence in the class was deafening as we all tried to understand what had just happened.
My jaw, along with everyone else's, hung open as we glanced between the new girl and Hee-Young, who was clutching her cheek in shock.
"Everyone. Out." Was all Hee-Young gritted out, her face flaming red with rage. That's all it took for every single one of us to rush out of the classroom.
Once outside, we all scrambled to the windows to see what was happening. With my height, I could see what was going on in the class to some extent, even as people pushed and shoved to see what was going on for themselves.
Hee-Young seemed to be saying something to the unimpressed new girl from inside the class. After what looked like a lot of cussing, she lunged forward, reaching for the new girl's hair. Time seemed to slow down as Hee-Young's manicured hands reached for black hair. One second, the new girl was standing there all unfazed, and the next, she stepped aside just as Hee-Young's hand almost reached her. Hee-Young lost her balance and fell against the tables.
Everyone stared in shocked silence as the new girl simply picked up her volleyball, put it back in her duffel bag, and went back to sleep peacefully at her desk like nothing happened.
The hallway erupted into chaos.
"...Did you see that?"
"Hee-Young…"
"I can't see…"
The noise was loud enough that people from other classes came over to find out what was going on.
This was the first time anyone had stood up to Park Hee-Young before and come out of it unscathed, let alone won. It's crazy enough that people will be talking about this for months. She just got here, and she already has everyone talking about her.
I feel a pang of guilt. If it weren't for me, the new girl would never have been in this situation in the first place. If I just hadn't been such a coward…
Having the confidence to fight Hee-Young was incredible, but the aftermath would be terrible for Hye-jin. Hee-Young's family is very well-off, and she doesn't forgive easily.
I glance between the new girl taking a nap and the girl clutching her wrist and being carried out of the class by her friends, and sigh.
***
Throughout the rest of the day, I kept looking for an opportunity to thank her for defending me, but found none.
She slept throughout most of the classes, and in the ones she was awake for, I was too intimidated by her glare to even open my mouth.
Getting to the end of the day, I was starting to lose all hope of talking to her and was zoning out of classes, worrying about how to tell her. It would be terrible of me not to even say thank you after she went through all that trouble. There were even rumors starting to go around. And with Hee-Young still in the infirmary, the rumors were getting worse. Things like she punched Hee-Young in the face, or that she beat Hee-Young till she started bleeding. The most ridiculous of them all was that she was a gangster.
How disturbing.
I glance at her with her head down. The sunlight streamed in through the window and highlighted her dark hair. But I guess with how much she slept, it was believable. Who just sleeps throughout their first day?
As if she could hear me, Hye-jin lifted her and gave me a withering glare. I turned my head away so fast, I'm surprised it didn't snap.
Yup, definitely a gangster.
I let my tense body relax when she went back to rest. Gangster or not, she defended me. The first person who has done that in a while. I would have to find some way to thank her. I wondered if she would accept some money. Is that too overwhelming? Would she even accept it? I mean, if she's a gangster-
"And since we have a new student, Ye-eun, you can do cleaning duty with Hye-jin."
I perked up as soon as I heard that. I could thank her during cleaning duty! Luck must be on my side today. Other students cast her sympathetic looks. Cleaning duty on her first day. The teacher was so horrible. But at least thanks to that, I could thank Hye-jin now..
***
Working up the courage was harder than I thought. My mouth felt like sandpaper as I focused intensely on sweeping the room, while she dusted the board. We worked in awkward silence, the only time we spoke was when we divided the work.
I don't know how to tell her. Should I just say it? But what if she likes it quiet? But then I wouldn't get to thank her. How do I even start?
I looked over to where she stood on her tippy toes to reach the top of the board.
Just say it. What's the worst that could happen?
I counted down in my head for courage, 1,2,3…
"U-Uhh, thank you for this morning." I cringed at the sound of my own trembling voice, but at least she seemed to hear me.
She stopped wiping down the board and turned to face me. I flinched immediately when those sharp red eyes landed on me and felt the tiny confidence I had gathered start to slip away.
"This morning?" She furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Yes." I draw in a strengthening breath and keep talking. "You saved me from getting beaten up by Hee-Young."
I did it. I told her.
"Ah… so it was you." She gave me an assessing glance. Whatever she found, she wasn't too happy about it. "Have you been to the infirmary yet?"
Shocked by her question, I stutter, "No, I didn't really need to go, it wasn't that bad."
"Really?"
"Yes," I nod.
"Okay then." She turned back to wiping the board. "You shouldn't be thanking me, you know, she was just being too loud."
"I see," My eyes and shoulders fall. I don't know what I was expecting. A friend? I almost laugh at the thought.
I return to my work feeling dejected and glum, letting the sounds of our actions fill the silence. I couldn't even give her some money as thanks. But from the way she spoke, I don't think she would be too happy about it. Maybe I will buy her something from the snack shop.
Lost in my thoughts, I leapt out of my skin when the door barged open with a loud bang. My first thought was that it was Hee-Young coming to take revenge. But when I saw the guy standing before us with an evil grin on his face, my jaw dropped.
"J-Jae-Hwa?" Hye-jin's alarmed stutter made me even more anxious. I glanced back at her to see her inching away slowly, a both irritated and disgusted expression on her face. She looked like she'd rather jump out the window than see this guy.
He only looked at her as his lips curved into a large grin,
"Hye-jin!"