Gone | Jitzu

Chapter 5

(Word Count- 819)

THE NEXT DAY, I made sure to get to school extra early. Once I checked that no one was around, I walked into the school and dashed to Nayeon's locker. I pulled the note out of my pocket and slipped it inside the openings in her locker. I took a deep breath and started to head towards the entrance. "What was that?" I heard someone asked. I turned around and saw Chaeyoung standing at the end of the hallway. "Was that some love note?" 

"Leave me alone." I replied. 

"I wasn't judging you," she said. I stared at her for a moment, waiting for the catch, but there was none. "Seriously, I wasn't. Jihyo, I need to come clean. About why I've made fun of you all these years." I swallowed. "I moved here due to people bullying me, about my sexuality mainly, but also my looks. I was so full of anger for what people did to me, and when I moved here I heard about you and Tzuyu. How everyone knew you liked her and how they didn't care. It made me so mad that at the same time, while you were walking around proud to be who you were, I was being mocked for it. So I took it all out on you. I-I'm so sorry." 

I looked at her with complete shock. 

"You're serious?" I asked. She nodded. "Wow. Is it weird I don't hate you for that?" I asked. 

"Yeah, kind of," she replied with a laugh. I smiled. "Jihyo, do you think I could be your friend?" 

"I'd like that." I said. She smiled. "Uh, just so you know, what I put in Nayeon's locker wasn't a love note. It was just a note." 

"Oh." Chaeyoung said. 

We started to walk to the entrance in silence, when she blurted out. "Does Mina like anyone?" I turned my head to her in a swift movement. 

"Not that I know of. Why?" I asked. 

"I'm just wondering. Dahyun doesn't know if she does or not, so it really must be a mystery." Chaeyoung said. 

"Yeah. A mystery." 

* * *

I leaned against the wall as I watched Nayeon open her locker. She watched as the note fell to the bottom of her locker. She picked it up and began to read it over. Her eyes widened and she folded up the letter. 

She turned around and looked at me. I turned around and began to walk to my second period, but I was slow enough for her to grab my arm. 

"What do you want to know?" She whispered to me. I turned around and looked her in the eyes. 

"Are you Z?" I asked. 

"No." 

"Then who is?" 

She swallowed, her lip trembling. "Why should I tell you?" I scoffed. 

"Why should you tell me? The letter was given to me, I went to place, but I never saw the person. I need to know who it is and what they want. You are the key to finding out that information." I said. 

"You're supposed to figure it out yourself," she said. 

"What?" 

"The person told me you know them more than anything." Nayeon shook her head and left me to go to her class. 

I stood in the hallway in shock. The only person it could have been was Mina, but the girl walking away wasn't her. She didn't look like her and Mina was by my side when it happened, anyway. 

I stopped by my locker when I noticed a piece of paper taped to the front of it. 

Meet me at the city park at 7:00 pm tonight. 

Go alone. 

-Z.

* * * 

I sat on a park bench at 6:55, looking around for anyone. The park was completely empty, and it was becoming darker. "Z?! Are you here?!" I yelled. A car pulled into the parking lot. I turned my head to it, and saw Nayeon step out of the car. "Why are you here?!" I yelled at her. 

"I was going to ask you the same thing," she said approaching me. 

"I got a note from Z asking me to meet them here." I said. 

"I did too," she replied. I bit my lip. 

"Can't you just tell me who she is?" I asked. "I'm not getting sleep and I feel sick to my stomach not knowing. Dahyun is getting anxious. We just want answers, that's all." Nayeon looked at me and then sat down next to me. 

"I'm sorry, I just feel like if I tell you, you won't believe me," she said. I raised an eyebrow. 

"What?" I asked. I heard rustling in the trees behind me. I quickly turned my head, when a female figure stepped out from behind an evergreen. It took me a second to see her face, due to the darkness, but once I did, I gasped in shock. 

"Hi, Jihyo."