"Hana, was that really necessary?"
I asked Hana while Uncle Tan was quietly driving us back home after my day out (or date, as some still insisted) with Minsu ended a bit awkwardly after the incident at Hongcha.
"It probably wasn't. I'm sorry, Miss"
"Why did you butt in?"
"It seems I might have let my emotions get the better of me. I do apologize"
"Woo, that's rare for Hana, Miss. Maybe you let her off the hook now?", Uncle Tan spoke up for the first time during our drive.
"I mean… I guess I'm happy those bitches got rekt, but I don't know how to explain this one to Minsu or whoever else hears about it. If this gets out everyone will think I have an assassin lady following me around"
"Two things, Miss. First of all, I'm a charity worker. Secondly, wouldn't that make sure that nobody dares to attack you or treat you like those girls did today?"
"I don't know about the first one, but on the second point, you are right. But…"
"Yes…?"
"I just want to be a normal person. I already get too much attention at school for coming from South East High and all that. I… just don't want anyone to think I am anything more than just a regular student like everyone else"
"Miss does have a point, Hana. And we were told to operate covertly", Uncle Tan was now on my side, but welp, covert charity operation my ass.
":Sigh:, you are both right. I'm sorry again, I lost my head a bit"
"That's quite unlike you", even Uncle Tan sounded a little surprised.
"May I just speak a bit honestly here, between us?"
"Sure, Hana. I won't tell Dad or anything"
"I didn't do that to protect you, Miss. I knew you could handle the situation when things came to the worst"
"Then why?"
"I couldn't accept the way they were behaving to the boy"
This was something I couldn't argue back or reprehend Hana for because I felt exactly the same. Minsu was a nice guy and outgoing, probably had loads of friends in his school too, and had no bad blood with anyone. I don't think he wasn't or couldn't fight back at the time because he was 'weak', but he was probably never treated so disrespectfully and aggressively by random people for no reason like that, right in front of a girl like me as well.
After the bitches left, the expression on his face was that of sadness rather than anger or fear. It looked like he couldn't process why someone would even do this to him, and me. I may be the 'girl from a rich family' now, but when it comes to these things Minsu was probably the one who lived in a bubble because he never got trampled on by nasty people like them.
I was never outgoing or positively energetic like Minsu of course, but I knew that feeling when something like this happens and you start to doubt yourself. You may originally think you are a decent person who doesn't hurt others and try your best to be kind and nice to others, or at least don't be a dick to people for no reason, and then something like this happens and suddenly you start to think maybe your way was wrong, that maybe you were just this weak piece of coward all along.
Soojin had hurt me so much and so many times before with Hechan. But that 'me' had 'died'. I can't say I have ever 'forgiven' them or had any intention to do so, but it was necessary for me to detach my old self and all its failures and pains from my current life as Jenn. I can't live this life if I didn't let go of what happened to the past me. What happened today though was something unforgivable that happened to me in my current life.
"Hana, thank you"
"No need to say that, Miss. And I do agree I made a mistake by getting involved"
"Yeah, it probably wasn't a good idea. But thank you for understanding the situation"
Hana just acknowledged with a nod of her head.
"Just one more thing though"
"What is it, Miss?"
"How do you do that finger-dislocating thing?"
That somehow made Hana smile like a proud elder sister as she answered.
"It's trade secrets, but I will teach you when we get home"