STAY ALIVE [AOUAD]

01 The Rumors

The rain had receded and only a few drops poured down. Hyosan was yet boisterous with people and vehicles, rushing back home after an exhausting Monday. The smaller streets of Hyosan were scarcely empty as a girl strolled along the moist road. Her black boots splashed the rainwater around her as she walked at a quick pace. Not that she was getting delayed to someplace, she just walk fast. Her hands were hidden inside her black hoodie and a tiny smile tugged her lips. Anyone who'll notice her like that will probably guess she's crazy. Nonetheless, she cared for less, and today's incident was joyous for her.

It's not every day women achieve a gold medal for shooting and she did. Gaining interest in shooting from a young age, the teenager decided to follow her parent's path. Both of them were in the police department as a special unit and it wasn't anything new for her to see guns around her house. After her parents turned too much busy, the girl swiftly moved out, saying that she'll survive on her own. Being supporting the parents they were, they agreed to her on the condition to stay safe.

In the distance, she was able to detect a group of four high schoolers, entering the familiar chicken store. "Cheong-san!" She called as the said boy swiveled around, grinning at the visitor. "Y/n!"

The five were soon perched on a table, hearing Cheong-san complain about the shop's name that his mom had chosen. It was named after him; Cheongsan Chicken. I-sak and On-jo were seated opposite Cheong-san and Gyeong-su while y/n was sitting between the four. Mrs.Lee came around the table and placed down two plates of chicken and both seemed to have a distinct hue. "This one is hot, and this one is extra hot" She introduced with a widespread smile, confident in her husband's innovation. "Yeah, like y/n"

Gyeongsu's comment was delivered with a wink and only earned disapproving glares. Y/n stayed silent, smiling at her friends. Not that she's an introvert or something, just a little reserved and laid back. A lot of people have remarked that she's like a cat, elegant yet badass. Y/n seemed to agree with that, though she's allergic to cats.

"For y/n!" The group chorused, bringing their cups of cola together. "Thanks"

"Okay, where's the medal?" Mrs.Lee asked excitedly as y/n took out a shiny circular medal, and placed it on the table. The teenagers and Mrs.Lee gasped in amazement, pouring down another rain of compliments. After fifteen minutes or so, the group was onto gossip and it somehow reached their science teacher.

"Did you hear about our science teacher?" I-sak questions, leaning forward. "What about him?" Gyeong-su inquires, munching on the chicken. "Well, he smells like a rotting corpse" She quickly answered as y/n looked up. Although she's very much into talking bad about teachers, she did admire their science teacher. He occasionally taught things outside the textbook's limit and while students questioned him, y/n was the only one requested to keep going. She might be a sports person, but nothing is more interesting than science.

"Oh, Na-Yeon spread that rumor, right?" Cheongsam spoke up, peeking at y/n who held a slightly offended face. Her friends knew that there are certain teachers she was fond of, like Ms. Park and Mr.Cha. So he wondered if she would speak up, or just listen. "It's true. He was absent after his son went missing. But then he came into class..." I-sak resumed, trailing off as she knew everyone remembers it.

"Anyway, she said he smelled like a corpse" I-Sak poured further, as y/n's face morphed into a scowl. Lee Byeong Chan is a genius, yet y/n hated how people treated him and even question his son's matter when they did nothing to help him. "How does she know what a corpse smells like? Has she smelled one before?" Gyeong-su asked, still confused and suspicious of the said girl. "I swear she knows every other smell except that one. So it has to be a rotten corpse" I-Sak answered quickly as y/n sighed loudly and dropped her leg piece. It annoyed her how her friends trusted a whiny bitch over reality.