Gone | Jitzu

Chapter 1

(Word Count- 1157)

ALL OF MY life, I was best friends with Chou Tzuyu. She was my neighbor, and we went everywhere together. She was the person I was closest too, and my only friend. What she didn't know about me, was that I was madly in love with her. I would think about her before I went to sleep, when I was studying for a test, she was always in my mind. But she would never know. Not because I was too scared to confess, but because I never had the chance to tell her the truth.

We were in the seventh grade, and it was October 6th. I was in my 6th period, math, when we heard a noise on the PA. I looked up from my notebook, but the only thing you could hear was mumbling.

"Must have hit the button on accident," my teacher said. "Go back to your-"

"We are going into a level three lock down. This is not a drill," the principal said, her voice shaky. A chill went down my spine and I turned my face to my teacher. She stood up immediately and locked the door.

"Everyone go to the back of the room and go under the round table," she said, blocking the windows up. I grabbed my phone and walked calmly to the table. I crawled underneath, and texted Tzuyu.

me: are you okay?

But I never got a response.

* * *

I stood in the hallway, across from my tenth grade science class. It was October 6th, so people that walked by would look at me. I was used to it, because people always stared at me on this day. Today is the day my best friend was murdered.

"Hi, Jihyo." I heard someone say. I turned my head to see Minatozaki Sana. She held a pink envelope and twirled with her hair. "I know you were really close with Tzuyu, and today is the day she was killed, so-"

"First off, I was more than "really close" with her. I was her best friend, and she was mine. I trusted her with everything. She was a sister to me, and then she died. Do you have any siblings, Sana?" I asked. She shook her head. "Got parents?" She nodded. "Imagine if your dad was killed, and someone came up to you and said "I know you were really close with your dad." You would be offended, because he was more than that to you. He was your fucking dad. So, next time, think before you talk. Second of all, yes, today is the day she was killed. I'm reminded of it every time I look out the window and see her parent's house. How about you try again?" I asked.

Sana stared at me with a look of fear in her eyes, and cleared her throat. "Hi, Jihyo. I know Tzuyu was like a sister to you, so I made a card for you and got my whole homeroom to sign it. We really want you to have the best day possible, even thought a tragedy happened today." She handed the envelope to me, and ran away before I could correct her again.

I opened the envelope and saw a yellow card inside. I smiled slightly at the thought of someone taking the time to try and make me feel better, when Son Chaeyoung pushed me over. I hit my head on the water fountain and dropped the card. She stepped on it and looked down at me.

Chaeyoung had bullied me for years, but never bothered me on this day. It was because she had a heart.

Or at least I thought.

"Hi, Jihyo," she said, crushing the card with her muddy boot. "I have a feeling you're going to yell at me, stand up to me because today is the day that girl got murdered, but I don't really want to hear it. You've been using her death as an excuse to be a bitch all of these years. Frankly, I'm sick of it." She stepped off the card and started to walk away, when I grabbed her shin.

"You are a horrible person. You know that, right?" I asked her. She bent down and got really close to my face.

"And you're a whore, just like that Tzuyu girl."

* * *

Sitting in the office with a bloody nose wasn't how I imagined I would spend my first period.

"You're saying she made fun of Chou Tzuyu?" The principal asked me. I nodded. "Jihyo, I don't understand why you're so head strong about everyone respecting this girl. I mean, it's a tragedy, yes, but no one really liked her. I understand it's an awful thing to call her a whore, especially since she died at such a young age. But, if someone said she was bad at math, you'd break their arm."

"That's because she was my best friend, miss. Imagine losing your best friend, at a time when everyone hated her. At a time when no one really got to know the real her. It's heartbreaking. I'm heartbroken." I looked at the principal, who bit her lip.

"Okay, go to the nurse," she said. I nodded and stood up. I walked out of the classroom and down the hall to the nurse's office.

"Psst! Jihyo!" I turned my head and saw Im Nayeon leaned against the wall. "You're all bloody, what happened?" She asked me.

"Chaeyoung said something about Tzuyu, so she got what she deserved," I replied. Nayeon smiled. "Nayeon, can I ask you something?" I walked towards her, and she nodded. "Before Tzuyu died, what did you think of her? Did you think she was a loser, or did you see her for someone magnificent?"

"I-"

The bell rang and the halls were quickly crowded with people. She looked around and I stared at her. "Tell me."

"Look, I gotta go." She brushed past me and made her way down the hall. I sighed and leaned against the wall, wiping off my bloody nose. Seeing as I no longer had any interest in seeing the nurse, afraid that Chaeyoung beat me there, I went inside the girls bathroom.

It was quiet inside the room, and the lights were dim. It was nice, like I was all alone. Like I was away from everyone that could hurt me. I wiped off my nose with a wet paper towel, and stared at myself in the mirror. All though my face didn't change that much as I got older, I could see scars. Invisible scars, from things that happened in the past.

I opened up my bag and saw a note card laying on top of my pile of books. I picked it up, unsure of what it could be.

I've been watching you.

I know you need me.

Go to the gymnasium Sunday at 5:00 pm.

You won't regret it.

-Z.