Under the stars

A new friend made

Ring... Ring...

Once the bell for lunch rang, JiHyun and EunJi rushed out of their respective classes. JungKook followed EunJi though she told him not to. He's starting to become naggy like a mother haha. 

" JiHyun! " EunJi rushed over to her when she saw her waiting in front of the library. Ha Yoon was there too.

" Jagi, why is Ha Yoon here? " JungKook whispered to EunJi and shot Ha Yoon dirty glances, causing her to turn away in shame. 

Ha Yoon

There it is again. Those pretty cold eyes of his. I know he never did had a good impression about me. He knew I was part of the VIP fans but I never wanted to join SeulMin in the first place. I never had the intention of hurting anyone, I just wanted friends and the only friend I have back then is SeulMin.

===

" Annyeonghaseyo! " My mother greeted when we saw our new neighbors getting off the van. We just happen to make a trip to the market and saw them at the lobby where they alighted. They were going to move into an apartment just beside ours. That was the first time I saw SeulMin. She had a cute chubby face back then and we were only eight. That time it was in the fall where the colors of the trees were in shades of yellow and orange, I recalled the pretty autumn dress SeulMin wore. She had an auburn colored beanie on her head and was carrying a teddy bear in her arms. I ran to my mother and stood beside her as we watched SeulMin and her father take their luggages out of their van. I was puzzled. Where's her mother? And then it dawned on me that SeulMin had no mother because of some reasons. That's what the elementary teacher taught us when she was telling a story about a filial son earning money for his sick mother which was going to heaven in a few months time. 

" Eomma, does that girl have no mother? " I whispered to my own mother. She was quite shocked that I asked but smiled and replied " Maybe something bad happened to their mother. Let's not ask about it, they might be sad that they lost her. You're lucky I'm here, Ha Yoon. Go make friends with her, I'm bet she's lonely. "

" Annyeonghaseyo! " I greeted. SeulMin's father smiled back and greeted us too while moving the luggages. SeulMin was very quiet and shy. She fiddled with her teddy bear and waited for her father to take all the stuff up.

" We'll see you up stairs! Ha Yoon, let's eat first! " We bade goodbye and went to our apartment first. Usually we just ate together without my father since he is working as a surgeon in a nearby hospital and his working times are uneven. Sometimes in the middle of the night, he would be called to work because of an emergency situation and needed to perform sugery on the patient. But that day was special. It was already evening and my mother had decided to prepare SeulMin and her father's share of dinner as well. They must be famished due to the house moving and all. 

We heard footsteps and wheels of the luggages as they walked past. I opened the door and saw them smiling back at us.

" Ahjussi, eomma invited you two over for dinner! " I said cheerfully and was excited to make friends with SeulMin.

" Arasso, we'll just put the things in our apartment and be there, " 

At dinner, we told tales of our lives and all. I also did find out that SeulMin's mother died in a car accident and became friends with SeulMin. Every once in a while, JungKook would come to visit SeulMin and I would go to her apartment to play with him as well. We sort of just grew up together, studying in the same elementary school until now in high school, we still are with each other. Though we are not as close as we used to be with JungKook, my only friend was SeulMin until we met up with ChaeRyu and ByulJoo because of SeulMin. I thought we would become friends forever but I started to get annoyed by SeulMin slowly. She turned from a shy little angel into the devil she is right now. She hurt so many innocent girls in the school just because of her growing affections for JungKook. I guess it's time I stop her nonsense.

====

" Ha Yoon, tell us the truth please, " EunJi pleaded. I didn't want to hide it too but I just can't bring myself to betray SeulMin. I don't dare to as much as I wanted to.

" It's no-nothing. I'm sorry, I can't tell. " I stuttered through my sentence. I was about to walk away when JungKook pulled my right arm.

" You're afraid of SeulMin, aren't you? That's the reason why you didn't tell the truth. Then let me ask you, are you afraid of SeulMin more or me? "  Icy cold eyes mode on again.

I gulped. The answer is obviously JungKook.

" You. "

" Then what should you do? " 

" Tell th-the truth, " I paused and he nodded. " You should know that SeulMin was my friend from young. We were friends once upon a time and she's my only friend since you left for bangtan until she introduced me to ChaeRyu and ByulJoo. I have to listen to her otherwise I'll be friendless. You know how people look down on you when you have no friends. You're like a loser and people would take you as invisible. " I blurted all of my thoughts. I trust you,JungKook. I'm sure you won't come up with anything funny.

" So the death threats and trash dumping was all done by SeulMin? " JiHyun questioned. I felt like I'm a suspect in some crime being interrogated by police officers.

" Not really, the trash dumping was SeulMin's own idea. I didn't know of it until I heard ChaeRyu talking about it and laughing at the footage of EunJi and the others clearing the trash. The death threats was SeulMin's idea and she told me to do it since EunJi and I was in the same class. But I never wanted to hurt anyone. JungKook-ssi, please help me get rid of SeulMin. " I begged him.

" Deal. If you go to SeulMin again, you know what we would do. " 

" Gomawo! " I'm just too grateful for them accepting. This moment I finally felt free, free of SeulMin, free of hurt.

" Friends? " EunJi asked and stucked her pinkie finger out.

" Friends. " My pinkie intertwined with hers.

I should have left SeulMin earlier if I had known that this was the warm feeling of having true friends. SeulMin was nothing, she had been using me all along. Now it's my turn to help EunJi too.