My friend's hand was clamped tight around my wrist, pulling me frantically toward the washroom door. "A-AJIN!" she hissed. "WHY ARE YOU IN HERE?! SEONGHEE IS LOOKING FOR YOU!! YOU HAVE TO HIDE!"
I wrenched my arm free. Her panic was grating, but I understood the urgency. Seonghee had discovered the truth—that I was the one behind the cruel reply, not Junseo. Hiding was pointless; the secret was out. "I KNOW!" I snapped, trying to keep my voice down.
"SHE'S SO ANGRY, SHE'S ABOUT TO BLOW UP!" my friend insisted, her eyes wide with fear as she tried to drag me toward the cubicles.
I pushed her hands away, my mind already calculating the next move. Hiding meant defeat. As I stepped out into the hallway, a furious figure rounded the corner. It was Seonghee. Her face was a mask of rage, and she pointed directly at me.
"THERE YOU ARE, AJIN BAEK!" she shrieked.
The Threat
I stopped, bracing myself. My friend stepped in front of me, placing herself between the two of us. "DON'T DO THIS, SEONGHEE!" she pleaded, holding up her hands.
Seonghee merely narrowed her eyes, ignoring her. "YOU THINK YOU'RE SO GREAT, HUH?!" she yelled at me, her voice echoing in the empty hall.
My friend turned back to me, trying one last time to pull me to safety. "AJIN, JUST GO!"
I gave her a hard, cold look. "STOP IT!" I commanded. This was my fight now.
Seonghee took a step closer, her voice dropping to a menacing pitch. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM?"
I met her stare, unblinking. "NO, BUT I KNOW YOUR TYPE," I replied flatly. "YOU'RE JUST A SCARED LITTLE GIRL."
She raised her hand, ready to strike, her features twisting in fury. "I'LL KILL YOU!"
Retaliation
I didn't flinch. Instead, I grabbed her arm before her hand could connect, my grip steel-tight around her wrist. My eyes were cold, devoid of fear. I was done with apologies and justifications.
"IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT, THEN I'LL FIGHT YOU," I said, my voice dangerously low. I twisted her arm, forcing her back, and then, with a sharp, controlled movement, I shoved her hard against the nearest wall. The KRAK of her back hitting the lockers was deafening.
Her face went pale with shock and pain. The fury in her eyes was replaced with a flicker of terror. I leaned in, my voice a quiet menace against her ear. "DO YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO'S ANGRY?"
I stepped back, leaving her slumped against the metal lockers, clutching her arm. I walked away, my friend staring after me in silent horror. The silence of the school hallway was broken only by the sound of my retreating footsteps and Seonghee's labored breathing. The game had just escalated, and I was not going to be the one who lost.
My friend's hand was clamped tight around my wrist, pulling me toward the washroom door. "A-AJIN!" she hissed frantically. "WHY ARE YOU IN HERE?! SEONGHEE IS LOOKING FOR YOU!! YOU HAVE TO HIDE!"
I ripped my arm away. Hiding was not an option now that Seonghee had discovered my lie. I was not going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me run. "I KNOW!" I snapped, my eyes fixed on the entrance.
"SHE'S SO ANGRY, SHE'S ABOUT TO BLOW UP!" my friend insisted, still trying to drag me to safety.
I pushed her back. "STOP IT!"
Seonghee rounded the corner, her face a mask of pure, unadulterated fury. She spotted me instantly and pointed. "THERE YOU ARE, AJIN BAEK!"
Escalation
My friend planted herself in front of me. "DON'T DO THIS, SEONGHEE!" she pleaded.
Seonghee ignored her completely, her focus locked on me. "YOU THINK YOU'RE SO GREAT, HUH?!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the hall.
My friend turned, desperate. "AJIN, JUST GO!"
I stood my ground, my expression cold. Seonghee stepped closer, her tone dropping to a venomous threat. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM?"
"NO, BUT I KNOW YOUR TYPE," I retorted, letting my own cruelty surface. "YOU'RE JUST A SCARED LITTLE GIRL."
Seonghee raised her hand, ready to slap me, her face contorted. "I'LL KILL YOU!"
The Crack
I moved instantly, my reflexes sharp. I grabbed her arm before her hand could reach me, my fingers digging hard into her wrist. I met her furious eyes with a chillingly calm gaze.
"IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT, THEN I'LL FIGHT YOU," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, yet utterly terrifying.
I twisted her arm sharply and shoved her with all my strength. The KRAK of her body hitting the metal lockers was a sick, loud sound that silenced everything else.
Seonghee slumped against the lockers, her face white with pain and shock.
I leaned close, invading her space, and whispered the question that sealed her defeat: "DO YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO'S ANGRY?"
I released her and stepped back, leaving her a heap of pain and humiliation.
My friend stared at me, her eyes wide with fear and a terrible understanding. I simply walked away, the sound of my shoes on the linoleum a steady, defiant beat against the sudden silence. The battle was won, but the war, I knew, had just begun.
The sound of footsteps echoed faintly in the narrow hallway. Slosh, slosh. Each step was heavy, damp, and deliberate, as though the person carried more than just the weight of their body.
A strand of dark hair swung lightly with the motion, brushing against the back of a damp neck. Water still clung to the ends, dripping with each movement.
The shuffle of rubber soles against wet tiles broke the silence again. Slosh. The simple black-and-white striped slippers were soaked through, trailing faint puddles behind.
Whoever it was didn't seem to care about the mess being left behind.
A faint metallic creak followed—a bucket tipped, water splashing violently across the floor. The liquid spread in uneven waves, scattering reflections of dim lights along the walls.
From the pocket of a hoodie, a phone buzzed faintly. The person pulled it out, screen glowing in the darkness. Fingers moved quickly across the keys.
FOLLOW THE MANUAL.
I'LL CHECK THE ACCOUNT BOOK WHEN I GET BACK.
The message was typed without hesitation. The steady rhythm of tapping—tap, tap, tap—was the only sound aside from the dripping water.
A soft chime confirmed it: Your message has been sent.
The screen dimmed. Silence returned. Only the wet footprints remained as evidence that someone had passed through.