STAY ALIVE [AOUAD]

03 The Outbreak

Downstairs in the principal's office, Lee Byeong Chan, and Miss Park alongside some other teachers have gathered around, pointing accusing fingers at the science teacher. "You don't understand! She can't be in a hospital!" Growled Byeong Chan as one of the teachers rolled his eyes. "What are you talking about?" Miss park questions and Byeong Chan turns to her in the slightest. "We can't send Hyeon-Ju to a hospital. We have to put her in quarantine!"

"Hey!" Shouted the principal, trying to quiet down the loud teachers. "Hey. Sit down, Mr. Lee. You've already turned things upside down when you're at school with the story about your son" One of the teachers said, pushing him away from the principal. Byeong felt his blood boil, almost to the point he could choke the teacher holding him. Slapping away his hands, Byeong Chan whirled to face the arsehole of a teacher. "How the hell could you say that? Jin-su was the victim! And of course, you forced us to bury it"

"Oh, that's some crack of bullshit, huh? You know how the school's evaluation is just around the corner" The male teacher said as Byeong Chan glared daggers on his stupid face. "You should've called me before calling an ambulance, Sun-Hwa. What do you think is gonna happen if the police come?" Their principal, worried about the school's reputation questions Miss Park. "I already called the police" she promptly responded making the principal groan. Taking the chance to flee, Byeong turns to the door but pauses when two police officers stride inside the office.

"It's been a while, Mr.Lee Byeong Chan" Jae-ik greeted, recalling him from the previous visits he had made in the past, about his son Jin-Su. As a respectful person, Jae-ik refrained from using handcuffs and took the teacher in for questioning.

While this incident was happening, the students of Hyosan high school were busy cramming their stomachs in the cafeteria. I-Sak and On-Jo were seated on a table and to their right, on the opposite side were Su-Hyeok, Cheong-san, Gyeong-su, Wu-Jin, and Dae-Su with other friends of theirs. "What do I do~" whined On-Jo poking on her portion of rice and glancing around for a familiar short hair. I-sak looked up with tired eyes, having done of the girl ever since morning.

"Hey, Cheong-san can feel that" I-Sak nudged On-Jo as the other girl rolled her eyes. "I'm not looking at him!"

"You slept with Cheong-san didn't you?" On-Jo made a disgusted expression and looked at her best friend in disbelief. "No! It's- urgh!" I-Sak was turning more impatient at the girl's dilemma and began to shake On-jo with frustration. "What is it then?"

"I gave my name tag to y/n" I-sak rose to her feet, staring at her shorter friend in shock. "WHAT?!" The busy cafeteria looks over at the noise and On-Jo quickly pulls I-Sak back down with an embarrassed smile. "So you threw yourself at her... Well, what did she say? Yes or no?" On-jo face dulls again as she resumed to poke on her rice. "She didn't say anything"

"What?"

As the two conversed back and forth, a familiar short-haired girl could be seen entering the cafeteria. On-Jo straightened up as usual and I-Sak send her a teasing glance. What surprised the two girls was that Y/n ignored both of them, walking straight to the counter and getting two cans of milk. "I'm going crazy! Is she gonna ignore me from now on? She's not gay!" I-Sak sighed, holding the hands of a panicking On-Jo. "Relax, she might have not noticed you-"

"She walked right past our table!" Before they could continue, y/n walked past them again, exiting the cafeteria. On-Jo felt her heart drop and she pouted. "That's not good" I-Sak's comment only saddened the girl even more. Soon enough they stood to their feet getting ready to drop off their empty plates and head back to their classes.

Y/n waddled behind a familiar loner, Choi Nam-Ra the class president. Though the two were not seatmates, y/n particularly spend most of her school time with her. Nam-Ra tends to use earpods all the time and would carry around a textbook. Though the other girl was quite annoyed at first, she had learned to adapt and walked next to her in silence. Nam-Ra muttered a thank you as she took a can of milk from her hand and visibly struggled to open it with one hand. Y/n slightly chuckled, snatching back the can and opening it. "You study too much"