shades of yellow » han seojun ff

49. titanium

DESPITE TRYING THEIR VERY hardest, they weren't able to find out who the online school community webmaster was in time. Their failure was marked when they came to school the next day and found Jugyeong's posters scribbled on with a variety of coloured markers.

"When was it posted?" Sujin urgently asked Yeonwoo, as they stormed through school. Yeonwoo was on Facebook, trying to find out the answer to the question. 

"Just half an hour ago."

Sujin grimaced. "The devil works hard, but Saebom works harder." As they travelled closer to their classroom, she became painfully aware of the stares they were receiving.

Yeonwoo stopped walking. "Oh my goodness—that's not all that was posted." She showed Sujin her phone screen with a sinking heart.

THE REAL FACE OF SAEBOM'S "BEAUTY QUEEN" LIM JUGYEONG

#2 STUDENT AT SAEBOM IS DISCOVERED TO HAVE A SHOCKING HOME LIFE!

Sujin said tightly, "So they just had to mention I"m the second-ranked student?"

Included in the article were the photos of Sujin and her father. In one, they were standing off, Sujin looking remorseful and her father glared at her, full of hate. The next, him slapping her. There was even a video, in which Sujin's father was berating her for only getting second place again.

"How can you be so stupid?!" He yelled, slapping her. The camera zoomed into Sujin's eyes filling with tears. 

Yeonwoo stopped the video from playing on and checked her best friend's reaction. Sujin gave her a tired smile.

"It's fine. Now, let's find Jugyeong." Tugging on Yeonwoo's arm, she marched them to their classroom.

"Where's Jugyeong?" Sujin immediately demanded, asking the group of students huddled around a phone.

One student let out a guffaw. "Breaking friends with her already? Sua's already done that, it's too late for you."

Another elbowed him. In a horribly painful whisper, she said to him, "Shhh! That's the girl in the video. The one, you know, getting slapped."

The whole class avoided the eyes of her and Sujin, uncomfortable. 

"Don't tell me this is the reaction Jugyeong received just now?" Yeonwoo burst out angrily, barely able to contain her fury. "You had all just apologised to me over my birthday mishap, and you're already doing this? You're all pathetic, focusing on what she looks like rather than who she is. Go rot in hell. All of you!"

"Yeonwoo?!" Mr. Han stood behind her. He was with Sujin's mother, who was looking rather shell-shocked.

"Mr. Han!" Yeonwoo had the grace to blush. "I-I—"

"You know what? It's okay. I have something similar to say to the rest of our class," he said, looking disappointedly at his students. "Well, perhaps not in the same manner."

"Mother, what are you doing here?" Sujin rushed to her mother. "Oh my god, did you read the article?"

"Yes. Suho called me earlier." Her mother held her daughter's face in her palms, shame flooding her white face. "We have a lot to talk about, darling."