Hwang Hyunjin || Call My Name

34. Where it all started

CHANGBIN'S POV

3 years ago

Chan and I are happy, but one day Chan did something strange. He is suddenly motivated to study hard. I initially mistook it for a joke, but in the end, he was completely focused on school, frequently forgetting about me. I try to distance myself from Chan, but he apologized and convinced me to study well with him to make amends. He promised to assist me. Of course, I refused the ridiculous idea, but because I like him, I would rather do this stupid thing than be away from him.

Since then, we've studied hard, and I've done my best to the point where I don't sleep well. I found it interesting at times, but when I realized that my efforts were not having a significant impact on my grades, I began to give up, despite Chan's encouragement. Then Kim Woojin arrived. I was surprised at first when I saw them together, talking and smiling. I was terrified and envious. I'm still perplexed as to why Woojin is so close to Chan. They didn't even know each other existed.

When I asked Chan about Woojin, he said he was like an angel who appeared to him and guided him through his life. He stated that he wanted to study because of him, and he continues to praise him. When I realized I hadn't done anything good for Chan, I felt terrible. Chan now devotes more time to Woojin and his friends than to me. I was going to let it slide at first, but it got to the point where they started to be with them and forgot about me. I endured everything and cried alone until I learned that Chan is going to drink with Woojin. That is the day when everything begins to fall apart.

I went to the bar where Chan and Woojin were drinking. I found their room, and Chan appears to be inebriated, with a woman lingering around him. Woojin and Chan were both surprised by my unexpected arrival. Woojin invited me to a drink and began referring to me as his best friend. I decided to drink to keep things calm so I could get Chan out of here without a fight, but I passed out.

When I awoke, Woojin was on top of me, I was tied up, and I had a handkerchief over my mouth. I sobbed in agony and tried to scream for help, but I couldn't. I told him I'd tell his parents and the school, but he said he had everything videotaped. He showed me the video and threatened me with it. He said that if I love my family, I will remain silent and serve as his slave. Our family business is actually more dependent on his family, so we would have failed without his family's assistance. Finally, I agreed because I had no choice, and that's when he fucked me several times in that dark room.

I've been really depressed, missing school for weeks and getting in a lot of trouble at school. I received a punishment for knocking a classmate. One day, on the last day of our tenth grade. I was instructed by the teacher to bring the papers to his table. I went to the teachers' offices, but no one was there. I attempted to locate my teacher's table, but instead found Woojin working on a teacher's computer. He looked at me as if he wasn't surprised at all, so I asked him what he was doing and saw that he was changing Chan's grades to very high ones.

I asked him why, and he said it was because Chan had failed many of his subjects, and he couldn't let that happen. I inquired as to why. He stated that he likes Chan. As the teachers entered the office and saw us, I dropped the papers in. That's when Woojin was expelled from school for refusing to explain what he was doing with the computer. They asked me to be a witness, but because of Woojin's threat, I said I had just arrived when the teachers arrived. That is when false rumors began to circulate on our campus, and Chan is taken aback by what has occurred without knowing what Woojin truly did.

*****
CHAN'S POV

I threw my bag on the floor and lied down. I stare at the ceiling, unable to process what Changbin said. Despite the fact that they were childhood friends, he murdered Changbin's girlfriend and her family, molested him, and threatened him. I still can't believe it.

Woojin is one of the most dependable people I've ever met. I told him everything about myself and was completely honest with him, but all the while he's doing dirty things while I'm not looking.

I undressed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. I became depressed as I grabbed my hair and cried in the shower. I didn't know who to believe, who to trust, who to run with; I felt lost.

I sat on the floor as the water splashed all over me. As I sobbed, I hugged myself and buried my face in my knees. I came out of the bathroom, didn't eat my dinner, and told them I wasn't feeling well. I lay down on my bed, staring into the darkness. I took out my phone and texted Woojin to meet me, but he did not respond. After that, I didn't sleep much, preferring to overthink everything and cry alone in this dark room.