* Please note that this article is a fabrication based on a creative work. *
Since the ceremony was over and most of the class was gone, I led Min-gyu out of school. As soon as we passed through the gate, I stopped and let go of Min-gyu's wrist.
" are you okay...? "
" .. Yeah. Where do you live?"
"I live in Apartment 00."
"Oh, really? I'm there too! Let's go together haha."
"Okay, let's go together."
Although it was a little bit bothersome in my mind, I forced a smile and headed to the bus stop with Min-gyu. It felt different to walk home from school with another friend, something I'd always done with my friends.
Still, I thought it was fortunate that I lived in the same apartment as Min-gyu, so I sat at the bus stop and just waited for the bus to arrive.
"What time do you usually leave home?"
"Um... around 7:30?"
"Ah~ Then I'll match it and wait in front of your house."
"I'm with the kids anyway! Ah... okay haha."
As I boarded the bus and chatted with Min-gyu, the thought of the kids I'd be walking to school with automatically crossed my mind. But reality struck me, and I couldn't say anything. I nodded, understood, and got off shortly after.
"Goodbye. See you tomorrow."
"Okay! See you tomorrow."
Min-gyu walked me to the front of the house, and I waved and went inside the apartment.
As soon as I entered the house, my brother came in and asked me while I was tying up my hair.
"Did you guys fight?"
"Huh..? Why?"
"No, you were with another kid after school. Some tall kid. I saw the kids on the way here, but you didn't look happy."
"Ah... just what..."
"Whatever it is, make up quickly. It's not good for you two to fight."
I couldn't say anything after hearing Jeonghan, who stretched his neck and went into his room. I didn't have the confidence to declare war first, then speak up, apologize, and pretend like nothing happened.
I entered the room, plopped down on the bed, and stared at the picture frame on the desk. It was a photo of the kids from middle school, and the sight of them smiling so brightly brought tears to my eyes.
" under- "
In the end, I couldn't do anything tonight.
The next day, I woke up early, and lay in bed for a while, lost in thought. Even though I'd been friends with the kids for over ten years, we'd rarely fought. Even when we had a minor argument, Seungkwan would tease me and I'd get upset, and within a few hours, things would be back to normal.
But this time, I got angry first, so the kids must be really upset...
I don't know, let's just get ready for school.
Breakfast was still served, but I didn't eat it because it wasn't the time to eat anything. When I left the apartment, Min-gyu was leaning against the wall, and I secretly felt sorry for them.
"Min-gyu!"
"You're here? Let's go."
I thought walking to school with Min-gyu would be awkward, but he was surprisingly talkative, so I didn't feel bored or awkward at all. He was like a close friend I'd been with for years, and thanks to him, I was able to walk to school in a pleasant mood.
But that feeling only lasted for a moment, and then I remembered that my partner was Wonwoo, and what should I do? This dominated my mind for a while as we were going to class.
" ... hi! "
" ... ... "
Am I being chewed out now...?
I sat down and raised my hand to greet Wonwoo, but he just stared at me and immediately turned his head away. Soonyoung, who always gave me his gym uniform when I came to school, and Seokmin and Seungkwan, who always teased me, didn't even glance at me.
In the end, I sat down at my desk, lay down, and looked out the window at the cherry blossom trees in bloom for a long time.
So it was lunchtime, and today, I couldn't sleep, so I stayed awake during class, but I couldn't hear a sound.
"Hey, let's eat lunch."
"Ah... I don't have an appetite, so you eat."
" ... okay. "
After everyone else left, Mingyu suggested I go get lunch, but I didn't think I'd be able to eat anything, so I sent him off and lay down on my bed. I wish I could just sleep, but my body wouldn't let me.
A few minutes later, someone entered the classroom. I pretended not to notice, but they rustled down in the seat in front of me. I looked up and saw Min-gyu, brightly smiling, holding a black plastic bag.
"How could I leave you and eat alone? I don't even have any friends. I bought something from the store. Let's eat together."
" ...Thank you haha."
"This is filling, so eat this."
Min-gyu must have robbed the store because there were so many things inside. I said thank you and slowly ate them one bite at a time.
Although only Min-gyu and I were in the class, the class was filled with laughter as Min-gyu chatted with us. Soon, a few kids who had finished eating joined us. Since we'd finished eating too, we threw away the trash. I was amazed that the chatter was still going on.
"I need to go to the bathroom."
"Okay, have a go."
I headed to the bathroom, thinking I'd brush my teeth. But as I left the classroom, I paused for a moment at the sight of Sunyoung, followed by the other three. Their smiling faces slowly hardened at the sight of me, and I pretended not to notice them as I passed them by.
No, I was about to pass by. If only his hand hadn't been there to grab me.
"Don't you have anything to talk about with us?"
" ... doesn't exist. "
"Why not! Are you going to keep living like this with us? No."
"I was the one who spoke to you first in the morning. But weren't you the ones who ignored me?"
" ... ... "
"You guys are so selfish."
I wanted to reconcile with them. But my words kept coming out garbled, and I could immediately see their frustrated expressions. Leaving them behind, I went straight to the bathroom, entered the last stall, and sat down on the toilet, holding back the tears that threatened to spill out.
Then I heard voices outside and my name was called, so I listened.
"Yoon Yeo-ju, why do you keep hanging out with transfer students?"
"That's why- I want to talk to you because you're handsome, but you're always with Yoon Yeo-ju."
"Are you still not satisfied with taking over that room?"
"Didn't they fight in front of the class earlier?"
"Really? Are we finally going to fight?"
"Anyway, I knew it from the moment you started wagging your tail like that. Why did you feel bad about the four-member group hanging out with Yoon Yeo-joo?"
The more I listened, the more dumbfounded I became, and the tears that were already on the verge of bursting out all vanished. I opened the door and approached them, startled, as if they hadn't noticed me. I pushed past them, who were occupying the sink, and went in between them to wash my hands. After washing and shaking off the water, I turned around, unable to meet their eyes, and I opened my mouth.
"It's not that I'm biting your tail, it's because I'm a friend. It's not that I'm feeling bad, it's because I'm a friend. What if we fight? You'll go and bit your tail? But even if we fight, we'll make up for it quickly, so what? It seems like the picture you want won't come out at all."
" ... ... "
"And don't be so nosy behind my back, it's invisible."
I wiped my hands with a tissue and smiled. As I opened the door and came out, I was startled by the four faces I saw. I immediately left the building and headed to the bench.
I heard footsteps behind me and a voice calling my name, so I quickened my pace, but I was immediately caught by them.
"Lady, we are sorry. We are sorry."
" ... idiots."
"Yeah, we're stupid. Sorry."
The tears I had been holding back poured out as I said I was sorry, and starting with Soonyoung, the kids hugged me one by one.
After crying all the time, I felt a little embarrassed and couldn't raise my head. Wonwoo wiped my tears and stroked my hair.
"You can go with Kim Min-gyu."
"Really?! Really?"
"Yeah, it was just one day, but you looked really happy when you were with Kim Min-gyu."
" .. but I like being with you guys better."
My last words brought a smile to everyone's faces that they had forgotten about.
When I entered the classroom with the kids, Min-gyu was sitting in his seat solving a workbook, and I ran to him with a smile.
"Min-gyu!"
"Huh? ... Huh..."
When I sat down in front of Min-gyu, he smiled at me, but he seemed a little flustered when the kids approached him.
"The kids are all hanging out together! Isn't that great?"
"... Yeah, okay haha."
"I know that we're hanging out together thanks to Yoon Yeo-ju."
" okay. "
Min-gyu also nodded and laughed at Sun-young's indifferent words.