Her brother's always worrying about her. He wasn't particularly any good at studying nor did he have any set goals in mind either.
She sometimes worried about him.
After arriving at the convenience store, she greeted the other workers about to get off their shift as she was starting hers.
As the place she worked at had many people come and go every day, she didn't have the time to relax. However, it was the only place she could forget about the painful memories in her mind as she worked and worked.
This place was actually more relaxing.
'Two hours left…'
But then…
The clock suddenly looked blurry.
Her head felt hot and feverish with a painful migraine invading her mind on top of it.
Aera bought an energy drink and immediately drank. She started working again after that.
At first, she was getting back on track. However, her body soon felt drowsy and her mind went numb. As she tried to move, her body leaned to one side, then to the other side before everything around her went black…
Aera fainted.
***
How long has the time passed?
She could feel a nice, fuzzy, warm blanket cover her body. It had also been a long time since she slept this well. After all, she only slept around two hours each night these days.
"Ah!"
Aera quickly rose up in surprise.
What she saw in front of her was an unfamiliar place.
It looked similar to a room to which a patient had all to himself… and it looked extremely luxurious as well.
She looked down at her gown. Mara University Hospital was written on the tag.
"M-miss Aera, are you awake now?" a voice asked nervously.
"Who are… p-principal?"
The principal let out a sigh of relief.
"Haaa.. I-I'm. I'm glad…"
She was completely dumbfounded and confused.
She remembered fainting before everything went black, but when she woke up, she was now inside a luxurious patient room?
What's more, in front of her was the principal looking completely pale as he wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead.
Even though the indoor temperature was remarkably comfortable, the principal was sweating heavily as if he was a wanted fugitive.
She wondered why.
Aera was confused.
"I apologize for everything, Miss Aera."
The principal gave a deep, long bow.
He was the principal of Mara University that had quite a strong reputation. He had even been picked as one of the great men and women to help advance earth during the 21st century and make it shine ever so brightly.
Seeing such a reputable man bow deeply before her so personally made her confused.
"Park Sungho, that bas…" the principal immediately cleared his throat, "ahem… from today on, the student body will be discontinued. After many investigations, we found many corruptions and problems it had caused to people like you. I had no choice but to take responsibility and close it before any more damage can be made."
"Ah…"
"Your scholarship and the support funds will be given back to you as well as the receiving of additional funds as means of apology. Of course, the student body will be punished accordingly as well."
"Punished? Can they be taken responsibly by the law for what they've done?"
The principal stiffened and his face became frozen.
Just as she thought that she'd be faced with replies of disappointment, that it was not possible, the principal sighed and said, "…It would be much better for them to be punished by the laws of this world. It would… simply going to jail is much better than what they would face now and in the future."
The principal's heart was heavy, his face as white as a sheet. His fingers were jittery, his body shaking and trembling every now and then.
Only
It looked like a fearful shadow followed his every move.
"Even if they were to survive, there's no use living anymore. That person…"
"That person?"
The principal coughed.
"E-ehem… anyways, you don't need to worry. They'll be fully punished accordingly so as much as possible. Rest and don't worry. We'll take care of this matter. I swear on this."
She didn't know why, but after Aera heard those words, tears began to flow out of her eyes uncontrollably.
She tried to hold it in, but the tears had long traveled down her cheek to the point of no return.
She was trying her best to live. The sorrow she endured and kept in her heart this whole time finally exploded, causing her to release all the pent up emotions she felt.