Sometimes, Seo Ye-eun's dreams were weird.
She would stand in a place bathed in light, with cheers and laughter echoing around her. People would grin at her, wide and bright. But when she reached out to them, they vanished, leaving her alone in the silence.
That was when she woke up.
***
"Kang Hye-jin. Nice to meet you."
The short introduction matched the new girl's appearance. Small, quiet, and cold.
Scary, Ye-eun thought, watching her dark red eyes roam the class with an expression that clearly said it wasn't nice to meet them. Even from the back of the room, her presence was impossible to ignore. Though she guessed she was always easy to intimidate.
"Tell us a bit about yourself, Hye-jin," Mr. Lim said, adjusting his tiny glasses.
The class quieted in curiosity. Ye-eun thought she heard her sigh, but maybe she imagined it.
"I transferred from Hyangwon Middle. I love to sleep. Nice to meet you all."
Her bow was slight. The class erupted in whispers.
"Hyangwon?"
"She's so small."
"Isn't that the fancy school in the city?"
"Why would she come here?"
"Wait, doesn't she look familiar…?"
She usually tuned gossip out, but they had a point.
Seojeong wasn't a bad school, but compared to Hyangwon? It wasn't even close. Hyangwon students were rich, elite, and usually continued through its high school.
So why transfer here?
"Silence, everyone!" Mr. Lim finally snapped. "Is this any way to welcome a new student?"
He sighed. "There's a seat next to Ye-eun. Hye-jin, you can sit there."
Wait. That was her name. She stiffened as the new girl looked right at her.
Ye-eun suddenly felt very trapped as her mouth went dry, and the girl started walking towards where she was sitting.
It's okay. Just say hi. Be casual.
Up close, she was somehow even more intimidating, Ye-eun thought. Her red eyes were always pinched into a frown, and the tiny mole under her left eye gave her that doll-like look. She dropped her duffel bag to the floor with a loud thud and slipped into the seat beside her.
Ye-eun forced a bright smile. "Hi! Nice to meet you, I'm-"
The girl folded her arms on the desk, lay her head down, and immediately fell asleep.
Ye-eun stared.
I guess she wasn't kidding about loving to sleep.
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
***
If you asked Seo Ye-eun what was special about herself, she'd say… nothing. Except maybe her height.
She'd always been tall and always been the target of bullies because of it.
Her brother calls her a Bully Magnet.
But beyond that? She was boring. She was tall, but that was all she had going for her. No talent. No skills. No sports.
Ye-eun's mom once told her there are two types of people in life: those who drift and those who soar.
She was definitely a drifter.
Not by choice. But because no matter how hard she tried, she'd never found anything she was good at.
Well, except being a Bully Magnet.
She tried to ignore the bullies. Be the bigger person. Literally. But they still came after her.
That's why she switched schools, thinking a fresh start would help.
She was wrong.
And Hee-Young never let her forget it.
"I thought I told you I wanted Hotteok," she snarled, grabbing a chunk of Ye-eun's hair. "Why are you giving me Bungeo-ppang?!"
She winced, trying to pry her hands off. Her friends, Jin-Ae and Min-Ki, giggled behind her. Jin-Ae applied lip gloss. Min-Ki played a game on his phone.
"Hee-Young…" I whispered. "You're hurting me."
That only made her laugh harder.
"Shut up, light pole."
Then she slammed her into the lockers and grabbed her by her collar.
"I told you not to talk to me, you ugly bitch."
Her perfect features twisted in disgust, like just seeing Ye-eun ruined her day.
"Hee-Young," Jin-Ae whined. "Maybe she's the reason you have those stress pimples."
Ye-eun blinked.
What pimples? Hee-Young's skin was flawless. She probably hadn't had a blemish in her life.
"Ugh, I know," Hee-Young said, and before Ye-eun could react, a fist slammed into her stomach.
She doubled over in pain. But Hee-young mercilessly kicked her again.
And again.
Curling into a ball, she tried not to cry as thick shoes drove into her ribs.
Around them, the classroom continued as if nothing was happening. No one intervened. No one even looked twice at them.
Ye-eun hated them more than the bullies—the ones who watched and did nothing, then pretended it wasn't their fault.
She was so tired.
So tired.
Just as Hee-Young turned to laugh with her friends, she saw the new girl stir in the corner of her eye.
The new girl sat up, clearly annoyed.
She zipped open her duffel bag, pulling out something battered and round.
A volleyball.
Ye-eun didn't have time to process what she was doing before she stood, pulled her arm back, and launched it.
The ball sliced through the air in a clean arc and slammed into Hee-Young's face.
She stumbled back, stunned.
"You're being loud," Hye-jin muttered lazily, her eyes half-lidded.
Ye-eun blinked to make sure she wasn't dreaming, and everyone gasped.
She might have just found something to look forward to.