Past: The Eroding Fortress
"...Enough. I'm not eating."
She lifted her head from where it had been buried in her desk and shot Yoo Eunho, sitting in front of her, a cold glare. She had brushed off every friend who approached her so far—there was no way she'd nod easily to such a casual offer.
"Being alone in the classroom gets boring. I'm heading to the canteen. Want anything else? Should I grab you some bread?"
"I said no. Don't bother me. Just go."
Her response was blatantly icy. The friends who'd approached her before had turned red-faced at her rebukes and shuffled away. But Yoo Eunho's reaction didn't match any of them. Far from being hurt, he lifted the corners of his mouth even higher, flashing a friendly smile.
"Got it. Guess you're not hungry. Sorry for bugging you while you're resting."
Zero impact. Yoo Eunho gently placed the strawberry milk he'd been holding on Isul's desk, then stood up without a hint of lingering and headed out the front door.
His cool exit hit her like a knife. Isul's eyes widened for a split second, shaking. She'd only ever seen kids get offended and leave— this was her first taste of such unflappable indifference.
She bit her lip hard and slumped back onto her desk, but her obvious fluster was plain as day.
"...That sly fox bastard."
I couldn't help muttering with a hollow chuckle. His "kindness" was transparently fake.
"Hey. Seo Juwon. You going to eat or what?"
Park Geon, yawning lazily beside me, nudged my shoulder. I gave one last glance at Isul's slumped back and the lonely strawberry milk on her desk before turning away.
"Yeah, let's go."
At that point, I wasn't all that invested. Just the mild disgust of witnessing Yoo Eunho's repulsive act. No reason for me to wade into the mud myself.
After that day, Yoo Eunho started circling her with cunning precision—staying just close enough to persist without making her uncomfortable. No matter how sharply she shot back with curt replies, he never acted hurt or pushy.
A week, two weeks like that. Gentle waves lapping daily at what had seemed an ironclad sandcastle fortress—it finally began to crumble bit by bit.
"Isul, gym cleanup today. I'll handle the heavy stuff, you just sweep the floor with the broom."
"...Fine."
From outright refusal to reluctant concession, one step back. An invisible web was slowly binding her.
And around then, the class vibe started shifting.
"Hey, you hear? Why she got forcibly transferred from her old school."
"Forcibly transferred? Someone saw her hanging around the motel alley by the station."
"Figures. Always acting so high and mighty, but hooking up behind everyone's back? Gross."
It started with a pack led by Kang Minji. Huddled at the back of the classroom, they gossiped just loud enough for Isul to catch—or not—with snide giggles.
At first, I figured it was just nasty rumors. Think about it—even a middle school girl couldn't pull that off. But rumors don't care about truth. The juicier, the faster they spread like wildfire. In days, the whole class openly avoided her.
Her lack of effort to clear it up helped the flow along. She didn't even seem aware. Choosing solitude was one thing; getting pelted with malicious stones from all sides was another.
Crude whispers in the air versus pointed glares aimed right at you. No matter how dried-up and venomous she pretended to be, Baek Isul was just a fourteen-year-old girl.
"..."
Her narrow shoulders at the window seat visibly hunched. She had a book open like nothing was wrong, but from my seat, I could clearly see her white-knuckled grip on her mechanical pencil, trembling.
But the most revolting part, to me watching this mess?
"What're you saying about Isul?"
When the rumors peaked, Yoo Eunho approached the back-row girls. They pouted but scattered. Having "handled" it, he slid into the seat beside her, whispering with endless tenderness.
"Isul, you okay? Don't mind what they said."
"..."
"I know what you're really like. I'll be right here."
His gentle comfort. Normally she'd swat it away, but not this time. Surrounded by enemies, he was the one lone ally speaking up for her.
"...Yeah."
Lips that seemed forever sealed trembled faintly as she answered. I saw the ecstatic smile he flashed, pushing up his glasses.
Crazy psychopath bastard.
A chill raced up my spine. No coincidence. Isolate a normal kid, drive her to the edge, then toss the lifeline at the last second. All to make her blindly dependent on him alone.
"...Park Geon."
"Mmm... what? Lemme sleep."
I kicked the oblivious Park Geon, snoring face-down beside me, awake.
"Get up, man. Canteen."
I wasn't the type to just sit and watch this atmosphere anymore. Time to poke around behind that repulsive bastard's stage.
The canteen buzzed with kids grabbing snacks for lunch.
"Ah, fuck. No chocolate bread today?"
Park Geon grumbled, rummaging shelves despite already clutching two buns.
As I eyed a bun by the display—stealing glances at Baek Isul and Yoo Eunho by the freezer—a bored, unfamiliar voice drifted from behind.
"...If you're not picking bread, mind stepping aside?"
I whipped around, startled. A girl with shaggy bob hair and a "everything's a hassle" face stared up at me.
"Oh? Uh, sorry."
I hastily grabbed my castella and stepped aside. She slipped in, picked a bun, but instead of leaving, eyed me and Isul suspiciously over the shelves.
"...You like her or something?"
"Cough?!"
Her blunt fastball nearly choked me. I waved it off like she'd said something insane.
"What bullshit. You nuts? Why would I like her?"
"Then why you creeping on her like that?"
"No, it's..."
I trailed off, scanning around. I wasn't one to blab gossip, but weirdly, my guard dropped around her.
"...Just checking what dirty tricks that bastard's pulling behind the scenes."
Ji Yoon listened silently, her eyes twitching faintly.
"...Evidence?"
I recounted the suspicious bits from lately.
"Hmm... some shady backstory, huh?"
Ji Yoon brushed back her hair, smirking.
"Smells like total trash. Hey, count me in on tailing him."
That was our first meeting.
After that odd canteen team-up, time dragged unbearably slow. Days of sticky rain battering the windows.
In the muggy classroom, Isul's isolation had evolved from whispers into an unspoken rule.
"Ah, fuck."
A guy back from PE bumped a back-row desk—Isul's—and cursed as he passed. Her pencil case tumbled off the edge, mechanical pencils and erasers scattering everywhere.
Obviously deliberate, but he just laughed it off without apology. Onlookers glanced but no one helped.
"..."
Isul stood silently, crouched to gather her pens one by one. Her pale fingers trembled faintly.
And right on cue, Yoo Eunho appeared.
"Isul, leave it. I'll get 'em."
He rushed over, knelt beside her, picking up pens.
"Who did that? You okay?"
His voice dripped concern. Head bowed, Isul silently took the case he offered. No—her shaking hand unconsciously clutched the hem of his uniform sleeve, ever so slightly.
Leaning by the window watching, I clicked my tongue at the boiling disgust.
Unable to stomach it, I headed behind the gym. Under the eaves shielding the downpour, someone approached him sipping a drink.
"Not a speck of dirt shakes off that glasses-wearing prick."
Ji Yoon sidled up beside me, chin propped, murmuring low.
"How's it with the girls?"
"Worst. They all buy the rumor. Funny part? No one knows where it started. He's cut off every tail clean."
She raked back her bangs in frustration.
"Yoo Eunho's more snake than I thought. Zero evidence."
I agreed. Drowning her slowly, forcing dependence on him. With his perfect class rep act, if Ji Yoon or I jumped in rashly, we'd just breed more backlash.
Need something decisive...
The weakest link among those puppeteered by that "perfect" guy's orders. Exploit that crack to end this.
Rustle—
"?"
A faint noise from beyond the gym corner. Ji Yoon and I exchanged looks.
Rainy day like this—who heads to the trash at this hour?
Unable to resist, we crept to the corner, peeking out.
In the drizzling rain, a drenched girl—no umbrella—stood frozen by the bins. Tiny, hunched back. Trembling hands clutched someone's gym clothes tight.
She couldn't dump them, couldn't take them—hesitating in the rain. Tears or rain streaked her cheeks; she sobbed silently.
"...What the hell?"
"Dunno."
Ji Yoon whispered, eyes narrowed beside me.
Clearly not her own gym clothes. I stepped out from the eaves, striding to her back.
"What're you doing?"
"Eek!"
My cold voice made her flinch, shoulders hunching as she spun. The gym clothes splashed into a puddle.
Terror paled her face.
"N-no, I... Kang Minji made me, I had no choice..."
"Made you?"
I picked up the soaked clothes, checked the name tag.
[Baek Isul]
"Ha...! So you're crossing the line now."
I sneered, legs cocked. Her legs buckled in fear.
Thud— She collapsed into the muddy puddle, unleashing pent-up sobs.
"Hic, sob...! I didn't wanna, really... But if I didn't, I'd get bullied again... I'm such a coward, trash..."
Torn between flimsy conscience and selfishness, she hated herself, sobbing nonstop. Unsure how to react, I moved to help her up.
"Name's... Go Dasom? Get up first. You'll catch a cold out here."
Ji Yoon had sidled up, pulling her toward shelter.
"What're you doing? Gonna catch cold?"
"Huh? Oh."
Her jab snapped me out; I dashed under the eaves after them.