Ye Jun followed Nari till she reached her house. But he was confused as to why she hesitated to go inside. She stood in front of her house, while Ye Jun stood on the other side of the street near a lamp post. She stared at the gate of her house and turned around suddenly. Ye Jun quickly hid behind a wall and peeked at her. She squatted down holding her legs. She didn't dare to go inside, one day the news will be out that she was suspended. She was scared. No one in her house knew how she was in the school. They didn't interfere as long as her results were good.
Ye Jun looked at her and clenched his fists. Should he approach her? Should he talk to her? His thoughts conflict.
Nari closed her eyes and tears fell from her flooded eyes. She sniffed her runny nose and in the silent and empty street, she heard a foot scratch in front of her. She looked up and there he was, standing, Park Ye Jun. With his right hand stretched towards her while the left one was holding the bag strap.
Her eyes were red and flooded, she resisted holding his hand. But he bent down and held her hand first, he approached her first. Making her stand slowly, she didn't seem to oppose his actions. And so, he continued. Wiping a tear off her cheek he held her hand tightly and started to walk away from her house with her.
"You-"
"Shh." He interrupted her with his calm voice.
A slight frown on his face showed the general concern he had for her. Little she did resist, but with her hoarse voice and throat aching, she didn't utter much. She did try to free her hand too, but his grip got tighter as much as she tried. Walking for some minutes she realised that he took her to a park.
"Sit here." He made her sit on a bench under a tree.
She lifted her head and looked at him standing in front of her. She was confused with his actions but was shocked that she wasn't angry with him at all. Maybe she really needed someone to take her away so that she wouldn't have to go to her house. Maybe, she wanted someone to hold her hand and wipe her tears to make her feel comfortable.
"Drink this." He took out a water bottle and handed it out.
Nari took it hesitantly and drank it slowly. He sat beside her and looked at her. She looked here and there, hesitant to look at him.
"Now ask me." He said.
She looked at him, confused.
"Ask me why I want to file a false complaint, ask me any question you want. But, before that, tell me what happened that day, will you?"
The conversation she overheard a while ago played in the back of her head.
'So he really wants to know what's the truth? But I can't-'
"Eunji...is a childhood friend of mine. I can't go against him. But I should know who is right because in the end, I'm his friend and I need to correct him if he is wrong." He interrupted her thoughts.
She looked at the bottle she was holding in her hands. He breathed in deeply.
"Look." He kept his hand on hers.
She looked at his hand but didn't jerk it away.
"I want to help you, I heard what everyone was whispering in the corridor today. If you're right you don't deserve such treatment, I will be guilty if I wronged you. I feel bad for you."
And the memory of him agreeing that he pities her played in her head again. She jerked his head away and stood up.
"I don't need it!" She said.
Ye Jun's eyes looked in hers, confused.
"You don't need to pity me, go help your friend. I will help myself, I don't need anyone!" She yelled her last words and walked away furiously after thumping his bottle in his hands.
Ye Jun stood up and tried following her but stopped. Keeping his hands in his pocket he sighed and kicked a stone near him. He felt frustrated now. He can't continue even a single conversation with her. It made him restless whenever he thought about why she was so furious about the incident, was there really no one to help her?
Somewhat in all those incidents where Ye Jun protected his friend, he felt like changing sides this time. And he decided to anyhow find out what happened that day which led to Nari beating Eunji.
~~~~~~
The next day everyone settled in the class. Ye Jun sat on his usual window seat while Nari sat on the second bench of the second row from the door. The class went silent as soon as the English teacher entered the class. He was their homeroom teacher too. He was a tall man with slight moustaches, wearing a light peach coloured shirt and back trousers. He had a positive smile giving out the sweet, positive and intellectual ambience.
Everyone greeted him and the class started.
"So, your exams are only a month and two weeks away. You all must be studying hard, right?"
"Yes." Everyone answered in unison.
"As you all know, I am the librarian in charge too. So, recently the sub-in charge seat is vacant for those who want to help me out with the library after school hours. You can study there and leave in the evening when the school closes and all the students leave. The seniors have been busy with preparations and so there is currently no one to help me out. One thing I must tell you, you will have to come early too and leave late."
Nari found this opportunity the best to avoid staying at home as much as possible. She wanted to be the library sub-in charge.
"So anyone who wants to volunteer can raise their hands."
Nari lifted her hand quickly. And seeing the girl who had recently been in a lot of conversations for "venting her anger out of others." All the students kept their hands down.
"Just Nari?"
A pin-drop silence took over the class. The teacher sighed until someone raised his hand.
"Ah! Park Ye Jun."
Nari looked behind and he took a glance at her but his eyes were stuck at the teacher again.
"Okay then, Ahn Nari and Park Ye Jun, meet me in the break and I'll tell you what you have to do."
"Yer, sir."
Though Nari wanted to back off now, her fear of staying at home made her let the situation be as it is.
The teacher looked at Nari and smiled, she smiled back but it lasted less than five seconds. The class went smoothly and soon in the break time, Nari came to the other building in the library. She was alone there, and neither she could find the teacher nor Ye Jun. Waiting for some minutes, she decided to walk around the library and take a look at all the books there.
The library was vast, with many shelves and a stair leading to another floor, full of books. Nari was going through the shelves one by one when her eyes fell on a book she was long ago interested in. She tiptoed to take it out as it was higher than her reach. Somehow she reached the book but as she took it out the book on the other side of the shelf fell on the opposite side and she heard someone wail.
"Ah!"
Her eyes widened and she ran across to see who was hurt. As she went to the other side of the shelf she found a guy standing. His back wall all she could see. He was holding the book that fell on him and was rubbing the back of his head.
"Ex-excuse me!" She said and he turned around making her eyes go wide and her cheeks heated a bit as she found him good looking.
"Yes?" He said with his deep yet soothing voice.
"Ah, that- book. Sorry, it was me." She hesitated as she spoke.
He smiled slightly and so did Nari. He walked towards her with the book in his hand. Handing the book to her he spoke up.
"It's fine, you don't have to feel guilty. I was too silent, no one would barely know I was here."
He laughed slightly and she followed him.
"Then. What is your name?" He asked.
"Ahn Nari." She replied.
"Your?"
"Min Jae, Kim Min Jae."
Her eyes widened as she heard the name, Kim Min Jae.
"Nice to meet you, Ahn Nari."
He stretched his hand out and she shook it with a smile.
Across the room witnessing this meet was Park Ye Jun. His face was monotonous but he clenched the bag strap on his shoulder again. Seeing her laugh for the first time made him think if she really hated him that much?