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❝It's okay if your breath gets short,
No one is blaming you.
You can make mistakes from time to time;
Everyone else does too. ❞

-LeeHi-

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- Hyerim's POV -

"Byul ah!"

Great, she ran away to God-knows-where despite my yelling.

Mihae and Yeonha shot daggers at Jihoon who asked the question Byul hated to hear most.

"Hey, what did that girl mean about Eunbyul-ssi?" Seungcheol asked, quite concerned.

But, I've had enough today.

And I guessed the girls were also pushed to the edge.

Yeonha yelled loudly with tears still visible, "Are you dumb?! That means she has no voice, wasn't that clear to you?! That I'm just a loser, Mihae got dumped, Hyerim's mom died in an accident and Eunbyul's a mute girl who was raised by her aunt?!"

It was rare to see Yeonha cry so much, she always had a tough shell, but our past memories being teased in front of the most popular guys in school, that's just unacceptable.

"W-We're sorry..." Joshua whispered, but just enough for us to hear.

I shook my head then wiped the remaining tears on my cheeks, "You don't have to apologize, it's not your fault."

Mihae was standing next to Yeonha, both were hugging each other, sobbing. It hurts, seeing those who are like your family cry like that.

We all calmed down after a short while. With the boys being apologetic and consoled us, we calmed ourselves down quite quickly.

They all started asking us if we were alright and stuff like that.

Only Soonyoung asked about Eunbyul, knowing her, she was probably at home.

I sighed and started telling them how we met, and Eunbyul's miserable life with those Bakers ruining her childhood.

Since kindergarten, Eunbyul was brutally bullied, they called her names, names that if any one of us hears it, we'll snap. But she was strong, she got past all of that.

But final year of middle school came, that's when the Bakers had a new leader, Yu Taemi.

At that time, Park Chanyeol was the hottest guy in school, no one could deny his beauty and amazing personality. But for some weird reason, he had a crush on Eunbyul, while she had no idea who he was nor have they ever talk.

Taemi was obsessed with Chanyeol, she went mad when she heard he liked Eunbyul.

One evening after class, she called Eunbyul up to the school's rooftop. Being the naive, innocent girl Eunbyul was, she obeyed without a single question.

And she regretted ever going up there. Taemi hired a bunch of boys to hit her, so hard that blood was starting to come out of her mouth.

After the cruel hits, she took a pair of handcuffs and cuffed Eunbyul dangling on the top of the school's balcony. She was left there for a whole night, to make things worse, it was a winter night so the skies were dark and cold.

The next morning, Taemi released Eunbyul, but still didn't let her live peacefully.

She hit her on the head with a baseball bat and Eunbyul was found later that morning, and coincidentally, it was me who found her.

After she was brought to the hospital and recovers, she introduced herself by writing on sticky notes. She really opened up to me, I felt guilty for not meeting her earlier.

I introduced her to the two other girls, Mihae and Yeonha.

Us three became best friends instantly and got in the same high school and the same class.

We've gone through ups and downs, but we always had each other's backs.

ווווו×

"Wow, that's the sweetest story I've ever heard," Seungkwan pouted, wiping his invisible tear away. I chuckled lightly at his silliness.

"I've been wondering but never got the chance to ask," Minghao asked quietly, "Why are we different in age but in the same class?"

"Oh that, in Pledis Academy, we don't devise by age, mostly by talent," Yeonha, who had already calmed down, answered coldly.

That's the Yeonha I know.

"What about Eunbyul? She left her bag here," Soonyoung said pointing to her backpack.

"We'll just go to her house later and-" Before I got a chance to finish my sentence, they all surrounded me screaming and squealing.

"CAN WE ALL COME?"

"Well her house is pretty big, I guess we could, but don't say anything about today, understood?"

"YES MADAM!"

And I became a madam.

ווווו×

- Eunbyul's POV -

I hate myself, so very much.

I can't believe I just ran home! Why am I such a coward?!

Ugh, I hate this.

But at least I got Luna's company. She was there the whole time I was crying.

She sat on my lap, staring at me with her cute round puppy eyes. She was rubbing his head on my arm the whole time.

Only she's really there for me when I was alone.

I suddenly realized it was already the end of school, 5 pm.

I hope everyone was okay, they were all humiliated in front of the boys.

Wow.

I just fucking hate Taemi and those two other Bakers.

But I can't really do anything, can I?

Walking towards the fridge, my stomach growled. But inside of the fridge was full of disappointment, it was empty, as always.

I was planning on going to the grocery store, but I heard a knock at the front door.

Holding Luna up in my hands, I opened the door.

I smiled as I was greeted by a group of friends. In their hands were so many plastic bags.

"Byulie~" Soonyoung squealed excitedly and ran in for a hug. Aw, so cute~

"Yah yah yah, no touching, you pervert," Jihoon smacked him on the head, clicking his tongue.

"It's just a hug, sheesh, mean," Soonyoung pouted cutely and mumbled.

I smiled and welcomed them inside.

I almost jumped when I heard the boy's scream, "WOW!!!"

"This place is huge!"

It is, just because I am abandoned, doesn't mean I'm poor.

"It's her aunt's work, she a famous architecture and she designed this house especially for her in Korea," Mihae unnie explained, "On the outside, it looks tiny so the burglars won't break into her house."

They were still quite confused so I smiled at them.

I signaled Mingyu, he looked at me while I moved my hands sending my message.

"Ah I see," Mingyu got my message and explained it to them, "her aunt is in the US so she thinks Korea is as dangerous as in the States."

"Ohhhhh," they all said.

The boys toured around the house while the girls went into the kitchen.

I was placing down the food they brought for me when I received unexpected hugs.

The unnies hugged me and patted my back and head.

Hyerim unnie kissed my forehead and patted my head.

"One day sweetie, one day I'll burn those girls alive for doing such unacceptable things to you and to us."

I smiled at that.

Sure it sounded violent but come on, you wouldn't want to have revenge on those you hate.

Or at least that's what I thought.

"Okay, what you want to eat? Kimchi pancakes or tteoppeokki?" Mihae unnie smiled taking the pans out.

I was starving.

I raised two of my fingers, telling them I wanted to eat both as I grinned.

Hyerim unnie laughed and patted my head, "Alrighty then. As long as you promise us not to starve yourself just because you're lazy, kay?"

I nodded with a wide smile.

They were like a family I never had...

All of a sudden, Mingyu popped into the kitchen, "Need some help?"

"No thanks, the last time I let a boy help me cook, we had to call in the firefighters," Yeonha unnie laughed.

"No, no. Don't worry, I cook all the time, just go and relax, leave it to me," he grinned taking the supplies from our hands and pushed us out of the kitchen.

"But-" Mihae unnie tried to speak, but he cut her sentence.

"Just trust me!" He said then went back to start cooking.

I really hope he won't burn my house down. Auntie Yae is going to kill me.

The boys were already settling down on the couch and made themselves at home.

"Um noona, can we sleep over tonight?" Chan smiled sweetly at me.

HOW COULD I SAW NO TO HIM.

I nodded as they cheered playfully.

But I soon realized it would be uncomfortable sleeping in their uniforms. I pointed to the outfits and tilted my head to the side.

"Aish don't worry about us! We got spared clothes. We were supposed to go to practice but bro, friends come first," Jun said munching on his snacks.

Did my heart just skipped a beat??? Am I going to die??

I nodded.

From behind, someone grabbed my arm. "I-I forgot my clothes at home..." Minghao whispered so only I could hear.

The others were chatting or playing video games to notice.

I suddenly remembered...

My brother's old clothes...

I silently held his hand and lead him upstairs to my brother's old room. His clothes, his studio, his books, they were all still there, only he was nowhere to be seen.

I went into his giant closet and picked out a simple white shirt and pants and gave them to Minghao, who I guess I dragged to fast up the stairs, trying to progress.

"W-Wait... You live alone then why do you have boys' clothes???" He questioned, his face scrunching up.

I smiled and took out my phone and pressed on Notes:

Those were my brother's, he doesn't use them anymore so just get changed!

I giggled as he sprinted downstairs, leaving me alone in the cold dusty room that was left untouched.

Ah, my brother,

I hate him so much.

But.

I love him as well...

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