THE TRANSFER STUDENT

Jennie's Absence

"What do you think could have happened to Jennie?"

The three of them were seated at the back of the bus, Yoojung sandwiched in between Jimin and Doyeon. Doyeon looked awfully worried. Yoojung was probably equally worried - she was just keeping herself together way better.

"Doyeon..." Yoojung put a hand on hers and smiled assuringly. "I'm sure everything's fine."

"Yeah..." Jimin added, peaking over Yoojung's shoulder. "Nothing's gonna happen to her. Think positive."

"I just..." Doyeon sighed. "I always find it hard to think on the bright side when the situation looks bad... I don't know."

Me too, Yoojung thought.

"It's alright, Doyeon," Jimin said with a smile. "It is really quite hard to think positive right now, but just wait for a bit. We're reaching soon so we'll find out what happened."

Doyeon managed to smile, but her face was still full of worry.

The bus arrived at the bus stop right outside Jennie's house a while later and the three of them alighted, with their hearts thumping hard against their chests.

"You might wanna take this," Jimin said, whipping out a bottle of calming medicine.

"I don't need it-" Yoojung began.

"It's not for you," Jimin laughed, glancing at Doyeon. "I think she probably needs it more than you do."

Yoojung frowned.

Doyeon reached over with a shaky hand.

"Let me help you open it," Jimin said kindly, popping open the lid and handing it over to Doyeon.

Doyeon gratefully received the bottle with two hands, downing it immediately. She took a deep breath and smiled. "Thank you, Jimin. I feel better already."

"That's good," Jimin said with a grin.

"When did you get that?" Yoojung asked casually.

Jimin smiled. "While waiting for the bus, earlier."

Yoojung stared blankly at Jimin for a few seconds.

"What?" Jimin chuckled.

"That's nice of you," Yoojung forced a smile, turning to Doyeon. "You ready?"

Doyeon took another deep breath, then nodded. "Ready."

"Lead the way."

Doyeon led them to the Jennie's house a short while later. She took a deep breath... then knocked.

No response.

She knocked again.

No response.

"I don't think she's in..." Doyeon frowned, turning to look at Jimin and Yoojung. "She usually gets to the door pretty fast-"

But then the door clicked... and opened.

Jennie stood at the door. She looked different, somehow. Pale in the face, sad, she looked like she hadn't eaten in days.

"Jennie!" Doyeon exclaimed, grabbing hold of Jennie before her legs gave way. "Oh my god! What happened?"

Jennie held onto Doyeon and steadied herself, smiling weakly. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We called so many times!" Yoojung exclaimed. "But you didn't-"

Jennie's legs almost gave way once more.

"Let's bring her in first," Jimin said, helping Doyeon to support Jennie. "Come on."

Yoojung held the door open while Doyeon and Jimin supported Jennie into her house, letting her sit down on the sofa. Under the lighting in the house, she looked even more awful.

Yoojung took a seat opposite Jennie and frowned. "What happened to you? Why do you look so... frail all of a sudden?"

"I..." Jennie swallowed hard, sweeping her messy hair away from her face. "A lot happened yesterday."

"What happened?" Doyeon frowned. "Is it something to do with your parents or something? Did you guys fight?"

"No..." Jennie shook her head sadly. She took a deep breath and sighed. "I broke up with Jongin."

"Oh."

None of them were shocked. Jennie had broken up a billion times before, so this didn't come as a surprise. But why was she like that this time? That was the only thing that didn't make sense.

"Why?" Doyeon asked. "Did he do something to piss you off?"

Jennie shook her head.

"Did he have a nasty habit he refused to change?"

Jennie shook her head again.

"Did you just lose interest in him all of a sudden?"

"No, no, no." Jennie shook her head. "It's none of all that. I still love him, but... my parents forced me to break up with him."

"What?!"

Now, that was a first. Jennie's parents had never really interfered in Jennie's life at all, from young till now. The very fact that they interfered meant that there was something they really couldn't stand-

"They said... I can't be with a poor guy like him."