Gayoon stood in front of Minjung's house, feeling very nervous. They were not close and did not even like each other and she wondered what would be Minjung's reaction upon seeing her. She clutched the straps of her backpack and took a deep breath.
"Just stay calm," she told herself. She walked up to the door and rang the bell. No one answered. She rang the bell again but still, no one answered.
"Maybe they're not ho," she muttered. She peered around a little and realized the lights inside were turned off.
"I'll co back tomorrow," she decided. She was about to leave when she noticed sothing. The lights were on in one of the rooms upstairs and even though the window was blinded by the curtains, she could make out a slim figure standing inside that room. To her horror, there was also the silhouette of what looked like the loop of a rope, hanging from the ceiling in front of the shadow in the window.
"Shit!" she cursed loudly and looked around. There was a pipe which snaked its way towards the ceiling, passing by that window. She climbed the pipe, ignoring the fear in her heart. Putting her foot forward to scale the house. It was difficult to ascend the narrow pipe and she nearly lost her balance many tis but Gayoon was determined to stop Minjung.
She managed to reach Minjung's bedroom window and to her relief, the window was open. Pulling the curtain apart, she stumbled upon the sight of Minjung about to put the rope around her neck.
"Minjung no!" Gayoon yelled and barged inside the room. Minjung was taken by surprise at the intrusion and taking the chance of her temporary distraction, Gayoon lunged at her. Both of them crashed on Minjung's bed.
"Get off !" Minjung scread at her, pushing Gayoon off her.
"What the hell were you about to do?" Gayoon yelled back.
"None of your business! What are you doing here anyway? How dare you break into my house?"
Minjung looked shocked and angry at Gayoon's intrusion. The latter looked down at her feet, feeling awkward. How was she going to say that she knew the truth?
"I...I wanted to check up on you," she admitted. But Minjung was not in the mood to hear anything.
"My life is already cursed enough!" she retorted. "I don't need another one from you! Just leave alone!"
She pushed Gayoon away but the latter had very thick skin. Gayoon was undeterred by her words.
"Oh and that's why you were about to kill yourself?" she demanded. "With this rope?"
"None of your business!" Minjung snapped. "Why do you care anyway? You should be happy if I'm dead!"
And see another ghost? Gayoon added in her thoughts. Aloud she said, "If you wanna die then go ahead. But have you thought of your loved ones? What's gonna happen to them if you kill yourself? Your mom and dad, are they gonna be able to survive if their only daughter is dead?"
Minjung was in no mood to hear Gayoons words. The pain she had been living with was becoming too unbearable and no one knew what she was going through. That day kept on replaying in her head, the scars of the assault still fresh on her body.
"You don't know what I'm going through," she whispered. Suddenly, she slumped against the wall and completely broke down. Her eyes were red as if she had been crying for days and she clutched her hair, ssing it up as she cried more. The sleeves of her sweater ca down a little and to Gayoon's shock, there were cut marks on her wrists.
She grabbed one of Minjung's arms and pulled the sweater back.
"You...you did all this?" she gasped. Minjung's arm was full of cut marks, so looking fresh while others were days old. Minjung's face went pale and she quickly hid them. The girl was traumatized to the point that she was willing to kill herself. Gayoon sat down beside her.
"Do you want to cry?" she asked. "You can cry on my shoulder."
It was a strange offer but Gayoon knew the importance of holding on to a well wisher when things looked bleak. Inwardly, she did not understand Minjung's pain and a selfish part of her hoped that she would never have to but what that girl went through was worse than hell.
Minjung did not know what to feel from that small gesture but without a word, she fell on Gayoon's shoulder, crying uncontrollably. Gayoon patted her head, not saying anything but let her cry her heart out. They sat like that for several minutes, waiting for Minjung to clear her head.
Finally, the latter hiccupped and sat up.
"Thanks," she mumbled. She wiped her tears and sniffed. "Why are you here?" she asked.
Gayoon debated with herself for a mont before taking her backpack off her shoulder. Taking out the mory chip, she showed it to Minjung.
"I bumped into Park Seungjo at the lab today," she revealed. "And this chip ended up in my bag accidentally."
The remaining colors was sapped off of Minjung's face. "P-Park Seungjo?" she stamred.
She looked terrified and distraught. Her hands were shaking in fear and she clutched her knees closer, rocking back and forth like a possessed person.
"I...I saw part of the video," Gayoon confessed. Minjung whimpered and shut her ears, unable to hear any more of it. She was too terrified to speak and her heart was beating too fast as the mories of that traumatic day ca rushing into her head.
"Don't" she begged. "Don't...please"
"Did he do this to you?" Gayoon asked in a gentle tone. "Minjung, don't be scared! I'll help you in whatever way I can. Just tell everything."
Minjung shook her head, refusing to speak. As much as she tried, the horrible images just would not leave her head. She wanted it all to end but there was no end.
"What if he hurts soone else?" Gayoon pointed out. "If you're silent today, he'll harm so other girl tomorrow! Do you want that?"
"I don't care!" Minjung yelled. "I just want my nightmare to end! BUT IT'S NOT ENDING!"
She sprang up and ran towards her bed to hide under the covers as if that would protect her from her nightmares. Gayoon sighed but did not force her any further. Instead, she left the mory chip on Minjung's bedside table.
"That monster is going to hurt soone else," Gayoon stated. "If you want to see him getting his due punishnt, then all you have to do is call and I'll be there."
She was about to leave when Minjung grabbed her hand.
"Don't tell this to anyone," she begged. "My parents...they won't be able to bear the taunts from everyone else. I didn't even tell my parents about this."
Her eyes were full of pleas. Gayoon was in a dilemma. On one hand, she wanted to give Seungjo his due punishnt but on the other hand, if everyone else found out about the incident, it would deteriorate Minjung's ntal health even more.
"Fine," she caved in. "I won't tell anyone until you're ready to do it yourself. But you also have to promise that you won't hurt yourself. No matter what happens, you won't try to kill yourself at all."
Minjung nodded. "Can you stay with here for a while?" she requested. "I don't want to be alone right now."
Gayoon nodded and sat next her on her bed while she drifted off to an uneasy sleep. The girl must not have slept a wink since that day and exhaustion was engulfing her. Soon, Minjung fell into a deep sleep while Gayoon sat there, wondering what was about to happen next.
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