Jungkook sits alone in the classroom. Class is long over, but he decides to stay behind to do some studying. He hasn't decided on a varsity yet, but he does intend to do well for his finals. It'd open him to more choices. But not everyone is so lucky.
He pauses, suddenly feeling dreadful. He thinks of Atelier, the girl from Morheim, and can't help but wonder what would happen to her after their graduation from the academy. It would be so unfair if she doesn't get a shot into a varsity. She works hard, twice as hard as most in Jeron Vidar. He knows she wants more than anything to escape her old life in Morheim and start anew in the city, and if it were up to him, he'd say she deserves it.
Will he never see her again? He wishes that isn't the case.
Maybe he should have reached out to her earlier. It isn't as if he didn't know about the bullying. Everyone in the academy knows. The Elites may be horrible, but Jungkook knows he's just as bad, if not worse, for staying silent. Like it doesn't bother him.
Maybe that's why he's befriending her now. In the last week of the final term. He scoffs, angry at himself. Is he even doing this for her? Or is this more for himself, to make him out to be more of a hero than he is a villain? To ease his conscience and make himself feel slightly better?
/Disgusting, Jeon Jungkook./
While he battles with his inner voice, Song Jin and Mei Yu – two of Soo Young's closest friends – enter the classroom. He hears them mention 'roach' and he winces, as if he has just taken a blow. He begins muttering aloud the words in his revision book, in hopes that somehow, his own voice will drown out the gossiping, which seems to get louder by the second, as though they want him to hear everything.
They approach him, and he twirls his pen with his fingers to look busy.
"Hey, Jungkook," one of them – Mei Yu – says, tapping her fingernails on the wooden desk. She giggles; it irritates him and makes him snap at her.
"What?"
"Have you asked Soo Young to be your date for the Graduation Ball?" Song Jin asks.
Without waiting for his reply, Mei Yu chimes in, "She showed us her dress. We're not going to tell you the details, but it's absolutely gorgeous and she looks stunning in it. You're going to love it."
Song Jin nods in excitement. "You should definitely ask her soon. The Ball is in three days, and although it's obvious you're going with her, she's waiting for your invitation. You know, to make it official," she says, then pulls a face. "Besides, some girl from the lower class seems to think she stands a chance. /Please./ It's time to put her in her place."
Jungkook feels his blood heating up, just a little below the boiling point. They better not be talking about Atelier. He clenches one fist under the table, and continues fidgeting with his pen with the other.
"Seriously. She's from Morheim and she dares to dream. Come on. Jungkook is of course going with someone who is up to his standard and status. And Soo Young –"
The pen flies off his hand. "Who says I'm going with her?"
It sounds less like a question and more like an angry statement. He /is/ angry, and they know immediately that he meant /her/ as in /Soo Young/, not Atelier. It confuses them. Mei Yu recoils, and Song Jin turns around like she has just been slapped. They stare at him in shock.
"What? Are you joking?"
"No," he says firmly. "Dead serious. Who says I must go with Soo Young?"
Song Jin shakes her head. "But – but what –" It hits her, and she gasps. The thought. /The dreaded thought./ "You don't mean you're going with that /wretch/, do you?"
"Her name is Atelier," he reminds her, though he doesn't answer the question. There's no need to.
"You must be crazy," Mei Yu sputters. "Why with her? She's so beneath you I have to strain my neck to look at her –"
Jungkook slams his book shut and silences her with a steely glare. "Have you ever stopped to think that the words you take less than five seconds to say can hurt someone for more than five years? Maybe even forever?"
Mei Yu opens her mouth to reply, but snaps it shut at the last moment, having nothing to say in retort. She looks to Song Jin for help as Jungkook gathers his things, ignoring his pen, and shoves past them to leave.
He nearly reaches the door, when Song Jin's voice cuts to him, "That girl's from Morheim, for God's sake. And you're an idiot if you think Soo Young is going to let you off for this. She'll be furious –"
"Good." He leaves.
Maybe he's tired. Maybe he just doesn't care anymore.
---
Atelier spent Wednesday evening studying in the kitchen, her siblings shooed into their room to give her the silence she needed to concentrate. Gratefully, she made the most out of the few hours, and managed to get a good portion of her revision done.
Feeling tired but rather proud of herself, she retires for the night and goes up to her room, where her siblings have already fallen asleep. Except Lucy, who sits up when she sees her sister.
"Big sister?"
Atelier smiles and perches on the edge of the bed. "Hey there, teeny. Not feeling sleepy yet?"
"I was waiting for you. This is for you," Lucy says, slipping a tissue-wrapped package into Atelier's hands. "Mama said it's your birthday yesterday. I got you a present."
"Oh, sweetheart, thank you... Can I open it?"
Lucy nods, a look of excitement on her face. Atelier pulls the wrapping apart and gasps when she sees the glint of the silver pendant. It has a rhinestone embedded in the middle, and looks absolutely exquisite, which begs the question: how did Lucy get a hold of this? How could anyone in Morheim?
"This is –"
"Miss Pilfer gave it to me, for being good," Lucy answers.
It looks too beautiful to be a gift for a five-year-old, however good they behave. Besides, Atelier couldn't believe a Morheim school teacher could have something like this, and then bear to part with it /just like that./ Maybe... it's one of those replica that's meant to look just like the real thing.
"Wow, teeny." She ruffles her sister's hair, making her giggle. "You must have been super good, huh?"
Lucy grins. "Yes, but I want you to have it! Do you like it?"
"Very much. Thank you again."
Lucy's little plump lips turn into a quivering frown. "Mama says you're going to the city. Take this with you. I – I don't want you to forget me."
Atelier feels her heart breaking. "Oh, teeny. I won't ever forget you, silly. Any of you. I love you all."
"Then don't leave us. Please? Can't you stay?"
She looks around the room and is relieved that her other siblings remain asleep. "I just want to give you a better life, Lucy," she explains, softly, hoping her sister will understand. "Don't you want to come to the city too? It's beautiful." For the most part, at least.
Lucy hesitates. After a moment, her eyes glisten. "But this is our home."
She's right. Morheim /is/ their home. Why can't Atelier stay home – where she has her family and best friend – and be happy about it?
She doesn't have a choice anymore, but that isn't necessarily that bad a thing.
"Can you sleep beside me tonight?"
Atelier dismisses her thoughts and smiles. "Sure." She settles into bed next to her sister and tucks her in, pulling the blanket up to her chin. "Go to sleep, okay?"
They lay in silence for a few moments, until Lucy asks in a whisper, "Are you really going to the city?"
"No," Atelier answers, almost instantly. "No, Lucy. I won't. We'll stay here. We'll stay home."
She'll just have to make it work.