THE TRANSFER STUDENT

Late Night Talks

Just sleep, Jieun. Just go to sleep. Stop thinking about it. Listen to what Taehyung just told you. You didn't meant it. Just go to sleep right now.

An hour after putting down the phone call with Taehyung, Jieun was still tossing and turning in bed, unable to fall asleep. Talking to Taehyung had just made her brain even more active.

Jieun sighed irritatedly, turning on her bedside lamp and sitting up in bed.

She had always been a person who fell asleep immediately once her head hit her pillow... What was wrong with her tonight? Something was really bothering her.

"Jieun-ah!"

Jieun glanced up and saw that her mom had just charged into her room, her hair in a mess.

She saw Jieun sitting on her bed, unharmed, and heaved a sigh of relief. She sat next to Jieun in bed and gave her a tight squeeze. "I thought something had happened to you. Why did you turn your lights on all of a sudden?"

Jieun smiled. Her mom was always this protective of her. She pulled away from the hug and held her mom's hands. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep."

"You couldn't sleep?" Jieun's mom shrieked, her face panic-stricken. She put her hand on Jieun's forehead. "Oh, no! Are you sick or something? Do you need medicine? Or do you want mom to pat you to sleep?"

Jieun giggled, pulling her mom's hand away from her forehead. "I'm fine, mom. Don't need to worry."

"Then what's wrong? Is something wrong in school?" Jieun's mom panicked. "Is someone bullying you? Tell me who it is! I'll go beat them up for you!"

Well, that part technically ain't wrong.

Jieun kept silent and her mom freaked out. "Oh my god, it's true. You're being bullied, aren't you!" She jumped up from Jieun's bed. "I'm calling the school principle now, I-"

"No, mom." Jieun laughed. She didn't want her mom to worry. After all, everything right now was under control. She pulled her mom back down. "I'm not being bullied."

"Then why can't you fall asleep?" Her mom looked into her eyes sincerely.

Maybe she should tell her mom.

"I..." Jieun began. "You see, I have a friend-"

"A friend? Girl or boy?"

Jieun laughed. "That doesn't matter, does it?"

"No, it does. I need to know if it's a girl or boy so I can gauge the situation, right?"

Jieun hesitated. "...boy."

Jieun's mom smirked like all mothers do. "Ooh... a boy friend, huh."

"Mom!" Jieun blushed slightly.

"I'm kidding. Go on."

"So..." Jieun tried to get back on track. "...this friend. He has a secret that I didn't know of. It's kind of like a necklace around his neck and..."

"You asked him about it, didn't you?"

Jieun gasped. "How did you know?"

Her mom laughed. "I'm your mom, silly. How would I not know what you're thinking of?"

Jieun frowned. "Yeah, I asked him about it. And he got so upset and now I feel bad."

A moment's silence.

Then, Jieun's mom chuckled. She patted Jieun's head gently. "Oh, silly. That isn't your fault at all."

"Right?" Jieun asked. "That's what my friends told me... but I still feel horrible."