The Indigo Hues of Neglect
Outside, the last blush of twilight was fading into shadow, but within Zohi's heart, an inky blackness had settled since noon. The tracks of dried tears stained her cheeks. Curled into a tight ball in the corner of the balcony, she seemed to be trying to disappear from the world itself.
Just then, footsteps approached the door. Zohi's mother entered, her face devoid of remorse, replaced instead by a kind of automatic, detached busyness. She reached for Zohi's shoulder, her touch light and fleeting. "Zohi, darling, don't be angry with me. I had something truly urgent, so I couldn't come. Don't be sad, my sweet girl."
Zohi lifted her head. Her eyes were dry now, but filled with a bitter cocktail of disgust and sorrow. She met her mother's gaze, a mirthless, scornful smile playing on her lips—a smile that held no joy, only a silent, soul-deep scream. Her voice was unnervingly calm. "I know, Mother. I know exactly what your 'urgent' work was. I know everything."
She shrugged her mother's hand from her shoulder, standing abruptly. A tremor ran through her. Without another moment's hesitation, she turned and walked towards her room. The resounding slam of her door seemed to shake the entire house.
The Storm Beyond the Walls
Zohi lay face down on her bed, the angry echoes of her parents' bitter quarrel drifting from the living room.
Her father's voice was heavy with frustration. "Just for one day… could you not have given her a little time? Do you know how much she was hoping for you to be there?"
Her mother's sharp retort cut through the air. "I am not idle like you. I have to work all day. I don't have time for everything!"
"Don't use work as an excuse," her father roared back. "I know exactly who you were with today, and where you went! Is your outside world more important than your own daughter?"
As the argument reached its crescendo, Zohi couldn't bear it any longer. She burst out of her room, screaming, "Will you two stop? Or should I just leave this house right now?"
An abrupt silence descended. Zohi stood there, panting. Her father, looking ashamed, lowered his head. Her mother turned away, muttering under her breath, and immediately became engrossed in her phone.
A Father's Hope and a Drastic Decision
Her mother stormed into her room without dinner, slamming the door shut. Zohi knew she was likely on the phone with that "special" man. Meanwhile, her father had ordered takeout for Zohi. A long, heavy silence stretched between them at the dining table.
Her father put food on Zohi's plate. "Zohi, eat, my dear. I know you're hurting. My heart aches for your mother too. But some situations are beyond our control. Please don't leave me, my child. I will never leave you."
Zohi looked at her father. The corners of his eyes were damp. She sighed deeply. "Alright, Dad, I'll eat. But I have one condition."
Her father looked at her expectantly. Zohi's voice was firm. "You have to enroll me in the school in Seon Jun City. I need to leave this area. No one knows me there, no one will question our family's discord. I want to start anew. This is my final decision."
Her father hesitated. "But that's so far away..."
"It doesn't matter. I have to go."
Seeing her daughter's fierce resolve, her father finally conceded. "Alright, then. Eat your dinner. I'll tell your mother. Tonight, let's watch a movie together, just you and me. Try to forget everything."
A faint smile touched Zohi's lips, the first in what felt like an eternity. Yet, in the next room, her mother was still laughing with her boyfriend on the phone. Zohi felt as if these two worlds—this fragile smile and that careless laughter—were running parallel, destined never to meet.
The First Morning of a New Beginning
Two or three days later. Today was Zohi's first day at her new school. She woke early, and when she stood before the mirror in her new uniform, she barely recognized herself. She looked beautiful, and a mix of excitement and trepidation fluttered in her chest as she prepared.
But the moment she stepped out of her room, the familiar bitterness struck. Her mother was already embroiled in an argument. "There's no point sending her so far away! You're spoiling her!" her mother shrieked, her father's retorts following swiftly.
Zohi didn't stay another second. Covering her ears, she dashed out of the house. She arrived at the bus stop, breathless. Calming herself, she whispered, "No, I won't cry today. I will only focus on my studies and my future."
The Boy at the Bus Stop
At the bus stop, a tall, handsome boy came to stand beside Zohi. At first, Zohi flinched, fearing he might know her and her family. But this boy was entirely different. He didn't even glance at her, his eyes holding a profound indifference.
When the bus arrived, he boarded ahead of Zohi without a second thought. Just then, the bus doors closed—full! The bus pulled away, leaving Zohi stranded. She stood there, dumbfounded, her blood boiling with indignation. How rude! Didn't he see I was waiting here first?
A Nightmare on the Bus
On the next bus, Zohi saw a group of girls in the back corner bullying a timid girl. Her heart pounded. This had happened at her old school too. As she hurried to find a seat, her shoelace caught, and she stumbled, falling hard.
To her horror, her coffee cup flew from her hand and splashed all over the leader of the bullying gang! The leader, a girl named Jinsy, roared like a tigress.
"Are you blind? Why are you walking around like a moron?" Jinsy shrieked. Then, she turned to her companions, a cruel smile twisting her lips. "Leave that other girl alone. We have new prey now. She looks so pretty, all dolled up. Trying to catch a boyfriend?"
They surrounded Zohi. In the back of the bus, they harassed her, stealing all the money from her bag. Zohi was left humiliated and bruised, but no one came to her aid. Soon, they arrived at school.
The Labyrinth of a New School
When Zohi stepped off the bus, she was mentally shattered. Yet, she steeled herself. As she walked from the office to her classroom, her legs trembled with fear. But when she entered the classroom, she felt as if the sky had fallen on her head!
That arrogant boy from the bus stop, Jinsy, and her gang—they were all students in this very class! Zohi thought, Am I really this unlucky?
She quietly took a seat in a corner. Just then, a handsome boy from the class approached her. He smiled. "Hi! I'm the class captain. If you need anything, just let me know. I'll help you."
Zohi felt a small wave of relief. At that moment, the girl who had been bullied on the bus, Sijun, came over. "Thank you so much. If you hadn't been there, Jinsy would have hurt me even more. Can we be friends?"
Zohi smiled and nodded. But her gaze was drawn to the boy by the window—the one who had left her stranded at the bus stop. She was about to say something to him when the teacher walked into the classroom.