The classroom was heavy with silence as Ms. Han, their homeroom teacher, methodically took attendance. Her voice was a familiar comfort to most, but today, an edge of worry crept into her tone as she scanned the room.
"Daewon Kim?" she called out, glancing up from her attendance sheet. The room remained silent.
She waited a moment before calling his name again, more insistently this time. "Daewon Kim?"
Still, no response. The unease in the room grew thicker. Ms. Han frowned, looking around the class. "Has anyone seen Daewon today? It's not like him to miss class without notice."
A few students exchanged glances and shrugged. The tension was palpable, each of them quietly concerned, though most kept their thoughts to themselves.
From the back of the class, a quiet snicker broke the silence. Joon leaned back in his chair, a smug grin spreading across his face as he shared a whispered joke with his friends. He was almost too eager to speak, enjoying the attention as he lazily remarked, "Maybe the chicken finally lost his way, or better yet, switched schools. Maybe he decided to end it all, who knows?" His tone was light, almost cheerful, but the words were as sharp as knives.
A cold, horrified silence filled the room. Every head turned toward Joon, eyes wide in shock and disbelief. Even those who had never spoken to Daewon felt a pang of sympathy, a collective wave of discomfort washing over them. Joon's words were too much, even for those who had never thought much about Daewon before.
Hyeri, sitting a few rows away, felt her heart clench with fear. Without thinking, she quickly pulled out her phone and began furiously typing, sending message after message to Daewon. Her hands trembled as she hit send, praying for a response.
A moment later, her phone vibrated, and she saw that her messages had been read, but no reply came. Her heart leapt with a mix of relief and frustration. "He read my messages!" she announced, her voice shaky but loud enough for the whole class to hear. "He's alive, but he's not answering."
The relief in the room was almost tangible, but it was quickly overshadowed by a new wave of anxiety. Why wasn't Daewon in class? Why wasn't he responding?
Seojun, who had been quietly stewing in his seat, suddenly stood up, his eyes blazing with anger. He marched over to Joon, grabbed him by the collar, and hissed, "This is your fault, isn't it? What did you do to him?"
Joon didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled, his eyes glinting with malice as he grabbed Seojun's wrist in return. "Me? I didn't do anything. Maybe your little friend finally realized everyone here is a fake and decided to leave on his own. Or maybe, just maybe, he finally understood his place."
Seojun's grip tightened, his knuckles whitening as he fought the urge to punch Joon right then and there. The memory of yesterday's events was still fresh in his mind, and the thought of what Daewon might be going through filled him with rage.
"Let go," Seojun demanded, his voice low and dangerous. The strength in his grip made Joon wince, and for a moment, his confident smirk faltered.
Joon released Seojun's wrist, a flash of pain crossing his face. But he quickly recovered, leaning back in his chair as if nothing had happened. "I haven't touched him since the cafeteria," he said, lying through his teeth. "If he's not here, that's his problem, not mine."
Just as Seojun was about to respond, another student, a quiet boy who rarely spoke, stood up. His face was pale, and his hands shook slightly as he held up his phone. "That's a lie," he said, his voice trembling but resolute. "I saw your live stream from yesterday. You ambushed Daewon. You… you did something terrible."
The room fell silent again as the boy connected his phone to the classroom's TV. The screen flickered to life, and the entire class watched in horror as the events of the previous evening unfolded before their eyes.
Daewon's humiliation played out in front of them in gruesome detail. Gasps filled the room as Joon's cruelty became undeniable. The girls in the class looked away, some of them covering their mouths in shock. The boys clenched their fists, their expressions hardening with each passing second.
When the video ended, the room was deathly silent. Everyone turned to look at Joon, their eyes filled with a mixture of disgust and anger. But Joon, unfazed by their reaction, simply shrugged, his lips curling into a sneer. He seemed to relish the hatred directed at him, feeding off the fear and revulsion in the room.
Hyeri couldn't speak. Her hands were shaking so badly that she had to set her phone down on the desk. The thought of what Daewon had gone through made her feel sick to her stomach.
Seojun, on the other hand, was seething. He took a step towards Joon, his fists clenched, ready to fight.
"Joon!" Seojun's voice was a thunderous roar, filled with fury and pain.
"Enough!" Ms. Han's voice cracked as she shouted, her face pale and her eyes wide with shock. The video had shaken her just as much as it had the students, but she had to maintain control. "Joon, to the principal's office, now!"
Joon crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, looking completely unbothered. "I'm not going anywhere," he said lazily. "What happened was after school and off school grounds. You've got no right to send me to the principal for that."
Ms. Han opened her mouth to argue but found herself at a loss for words. Joon's mocking tone, his twisted smile, it was all too much. She sank back into her chair, feeling a wave of helplessness wash over her.
"Fine," she muttered, barely able to get the words out. "Everyone, sit down. Let's just… let's just get through this lesson."
The students reluctantly returned to their seats, but the atmosphere was thick with tension. No one could focus. No one could forget what they had just seen.
Joon leaned back in his chair, his expression smug as ever. He knew he had won this round. But Seojun's eyes remained locked on him, filled with a burning resolve.
As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, the students gathered their belongings in silence. The usual chatter and laughter were absent, replaced by a heavy, uncomfortable silence. The events of the day lingered in the air, casting a dark shadow over everyone's thoughts.
Seojun gathered his things quickly, his mind still consumed with anger and concern for Daewon. He slung his bag over his shoulder and turned to see Hyeri standing by the door, her face pale and her eyes downcast. She looked lost in thought, her usual bright demeanor completely overshadowed by worry.
"Hyeri," Seojun called, his voice softer than usual. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with unspoken fears.
"Let's go," she said quietly, nodding towards the hallway. Without another word, they walked out of the classroom together, side by side.
As they made their way through the crowded halls, the usual hustle and bustle of students rushing to leave was subdued. Many of them threw sympathetic or curious glances at Hyeri and Seojun, aware that they were close to Daewon but unsure how to approach them.
Hyeri's thoughts raced as they walked. She couldn't shake the image of Daewon from the video, the way he had been humiliated, beaten, and left alone. It made her stomach churn, and she couldn't understand how Joon could be so cruel, how anyone could take pleasure in someone else's pain like that.
"Do you think Daewon is okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Seojun shook his head, his expression grim. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I'm going to find out. And when I do, I'll make sure Joon pays for what he did."
Hyeri nodded, though her heart was heavy with doubt. She knew Seojun was strong and that he cared deeply for Daewon, but Joon's cruelty had shaken her. She had never seen someone so openly enjoy hurting another person, and it frightened her.
They continued walking in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, until they reached the school gates. Outside, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the pavement. The warmth of the day was fading, replaced by a cool, unsettling breeze.
"Do you want to walk home together?" Seojun asked, breaking the silence.
Hyeri nodded, grateful for his company. "Yes, please," she said, managing a small, tentative smile. They began the walk home, the familiar route offering little comfort.
As they walked, Seojun's thoughts drifted back to the classroom, to the way Joon had smirked as if he was untouchable. He clenched his fists at the memory, anger bubbling up inside him again. He hated feeling powerless, hated that he hadn't been able to protect Daewon.
Hyeri noticed the tension in Seojun's posture and gently touched his arm. "Seojun," she said softly, "I know you're angry, but we need to think this through. We can't just rush into things."
Seojun looked down at her, his expression softening slightly at her concern. "I know," he said, his voice tight. "But I can't just stand by and do nothing. Daewon doesn't deserve this. No one does."
Hyeri nodded in agreement. "We need to find a way to help him. Maybe… maybe we can talk to him when he's ready. Let him know he's not alone."
Seojun sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah," he agreed. "But first, we need to make sure he's safe. I can't shake the feeling that Joon's not done with him yet."
The thought sent a shiver down Hyeri's spine, but she nodded. "You're right. We need to stay close, keep an eye on things."
They continued walking, the conversation lulling as they both became lost in their thoughts again. The streets were quieter now, the fading light making the familiar route seem almost eerie. It was a stark contrast to the chaos of the school day, the quiet unsettling after everything that had happened.
As they neared Hyeri's house, she paused, turning to face Seojun. "Thank you for walking me home," she said, her voice sincere. "And… thank you for standing up for Daewon. You're a good friend."
Seojun offered a small, reassuring smile. "He'd do the same for me," he said. "And so would you. We'll get through this, Hyeri. We just have to stick together."
Hyeri nodded, feeling a bit of her confidence return. "We will," she agreed, though the worry still lingered in her eyes.
They exchanged goodbyes, and Hyeri watched as Seojun began to walk away. She hesitated for a moment before calling out to him, "Seojun!"
He turned back, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"Be careful, okay?" she said, her voice laced with concern. "Don't do anything reckless."
Seojun smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I won't," he promised, though they both knew it was a difficult promise to keep.
Hyeri nodded, giving him one last look before turning and heading inside her house. As the door closed behind her, she leaned against it, exhaling a shaky breath. Today had been overwhelming, and the fear for Daewon's safety gnawed at her. She knew she had to do something, but she wasn't sure what.
Seojun continued his walk home, the night air cool against his skin. His mind was still racing, thinking of all the ways he could confront Joon, how he could protect Daewon. He felt a deep sense of responsibility, not just as a friend but as someone who had the power to do something, anything, to stop the cycle of violence.
As he neared his house, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, half-expecting a message from Hyeri or Daewon, but it was just a notification from WaveLink. Sighing, he unlocked his phone, only to see several messages from his friends, all talking about the video, about Daewon, about Joon.
He scrolled through the messages, his anger flaring up again. How could people treat this like some sort of entertainment? How could they be so casual about something so horrible?
Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Seojun made a silent vow. He would find a way to help Daewon, to protect him from Joon and anyone else who thought they could hurt him. And he would do it without hesitation, no matter what it took.
As Seojun walked into his house, he knew one thing for sure: this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
Seojun entered his house, closing the door quietly behind him. The soft hum of the refrigerator and the ticking of the kitchen clock were the only sounds in the house, the calm atmosphere a stark contrast to the turmoil in his mind. He dropped his bag by the door and made his way to the kitchen, his thoughts still racing.
His mother was in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared dinner. She looked up and smiled as Seojun entered. "You're home early today," she remarked, her eyes filled with warmth.
"Yeah," Seojun replied absently, his thoughts still on Daewon. He grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water, taking a sip as he leaned against the counter.
His mother noticed his distracted state and frowned slightly. "Is everything okay, Seojun? You seem a bit off."
Seojun hesitated for a moment, not sure if he wanted to burden her with what had happened. But then he decided she deserved to know. "Something happened at school today," he began, his voice tense. "Daewon… he didn't come to school, and I think it's because of Joon."
His mother's face darkened at the mention of Joon. She had heard enough about the troublemaker to know he was bad news. "What did Joon do this time?" she asked, her tone laced with concern.
Seojun sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He ambushed Daewon yesterday. Beat him up pretty badly and then humiliated him online. It was horrible, Mom. And today, Daewon didn't show up to school. I'm really worried about him."
His mother's expression softened, and she walked over to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Seojun. Daewon doesn't deserve to go through something like that. No one does."
Seojun nodded, grateful for her support. "I just don't know what to do. I want to help him, but I don't even know where he is right now."
"Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just be there for someone," she said gently. "Let him know you're on his side, and that he has people who care about him. That might mean more than you realize."
Seojun absorbed her words, feeling a bit of the tension ease from his shoulders. "You're right," he said quietly. "I just hope he's okay."
His mother smiled softly and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sure he'll be okay, especially with a friend like you looking out for him."
Seojun returned her smile, feeling a bit lighter. He finished his water and set the glass down, deciding that he would try to reach out to Daewon again later. But for now, he needed to clear his head.
"I'm going to my room for a bit," he said, picking up his bag. "Thanks, Mom."
"Anytime, sweetheart," she replied, watching as he made his way upstairs.
Once in his room, Seojun tossed his bag on the bed and sat down at his desk, his thoughts still spinning. He pulled out his phone, staring at the screen for a moment before opening WaveLink. He scrolled through his messages, hesitating for a moment before sending a quick text to Daewon.
_"Hey, just checking in. I hope you're okay. We're all worried about you."_
He stared at the screen, hoping for a response, but nothing came. With a sigh, he set his phone down and leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. He knew he couldn't force Daewon to respond, but it didn't make the waiting any easier.
As he sat there, his mind wandered back to Joon. The way he had smirked in class, the arrogance and cruelty in his eyes—it made Seojun's blood boil. He couldn't just let Joon get away with what he had done, but he also knew he had to be smart about it. Joon wasn't just a bully; he was dangerous, and confronting him head-on could lead to more trouble than it was worth.
Still, Seojun couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to do something. He couldn't just sit by and watch as his friend suffered. There had to be a way to stop Joon, to protect Daewon and make sure something like this never happened again.
As the evening wore on, Seojun's resolve hardened. He didn't have all the answers yet, but he was determined to find them. He wouldn't let Daewon face this alone, not when he had the power to help.
Meanwhile, Hyeri was in her own room, pacing back and forth as she tried to calm her racing thoughts. The video of Daewon's assault kept replaying in her mind, the horror of it all gnawing at her. She couldn't believe that someone could be so cruel, so heartless.
She had tried texting Daewon multiple times, but he hadn't responded to any of her messages after leaving her on read earlier. It was driving her crazy, not knowing if he was okay or if he was even safe.
Finally, she stopped pacing and sat down at her desk, pulling out her phone once more. She stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as she tried to think of what to say. She wanted to reach out to him, to let him know that she was there for him, but she didn't want to overwhelm him either.
After a few moments of deliberation, she decided to send one more message.
_"Daewon, I'm really worried about you. Please just let me know you're okay. I'm here if you need anything."_
She sent the message and set her phone down, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in her chest. She didn't know what else to do, but she couldn't just sit here and do nothing. Daewon needed support, and she was determined to be there for him, no matter what.
As the night went on, both Seojun and Hyeri found themselves restless, their minds filled with worry and uncertainty. They didn't know what the next day would bring, but one thing was clear: they weren't going to give up on Daewon. No matter how dark things seemed, they were going to fight for their friend.