Chapter 8 Identity

At school. Six days until they're meeting up to watch the movie. Joon-Woo's classmates were chatting and he just sat at his place. 'Maybe it's because of the gloomy weather? I haven't gotten any texts from Seung Ah since yesterday. And...' He looked over to Seung Ah, who had a worried expression. '... Something seems off about her. If it's what I think it is...'

"Seung Ah!" It was unexpected. "What's with your tired face? Ha ha! Are you hungry? Want me to buy you some bread? Or are you studying for exams already? Ha ha."

"Oh.. Ha, it's you Dae Hyun. What, studying? Why? Do I look tired?" - "Yes... A little bit." Seung Ah looked at Dae Hyun with a dry smile on her face. "Hmm... I wonder why? I'm totally fine. Maybe you need new contacts. Haha!"

"Ha ha, I don't wear contacts. Oh... By the way, did you look up the Thor series online?"

"Oh, not yet. I don't really watch superhero movies. Speaking of which... Our movie plans are for saturday right? Or was it sunday? Why can't I remember? Haha."

Dae Hyun looked at her. "Seung Ah." He approached her. "Uh, yeah?? Uh... Uh...?! Wh... Why??" she stuttered in a nervous manner. Dae Hyun just smiled and said: "You're... Worried about something. It's ok, you can tell me. I'm a good listener."

Turning red she had to break eye contact and looked at the ground. "Oh... What? No. Thanks, but I'm really fine." - "Yeah? You sure?" "Seriously, now go! Haha. I'm going to sleep."

"Ok. By the way, the movie is on sunday."

Joon-Woo had a grim look on his face. '... Why do I feel angry? It's not that I'm jealous. It's because...' He sharpened his gaze. 'You're wrong Class Rep.' As Dae Hyun walked away from Seung Ah he said one last thing her. "Ok, but you can talk about it anytime." She laughed it off and just said she was fine.

'You don't know everything, Class Rep... Can't you tell by looking at her face?' She finally was alone. This was the moment he was waiting for. He slowly walked up to her. 'You know.. To get close to Seung Ah I've thought through all the scenarios.' He was confident in what he was going to do. Joon-Woo took something out of his pockets. 'And those scenarios will now become reality. Yep. Anyone can see Seung Ah's stomach hurts! This is what I've been waiting for!' Maybe he was a little too confident. He imagined what she would say to him. 'I win this time, Class Rep!!' In his head he triumphantly posed in a bizzare way. Joon-Woo brought her a drink.

'What should I say to not sound like a dick?'' He was now close enough to call out her name. "Seung Ah!" - "Huh?" she turned around and looked at Joon-Woo with a teary face. "Does your stomach..." He stopped. '...?!' He definitely knew something was up. "Yawn, one sec..." She played it off like it was nothing, rubbed her eyes and asked Joon-Woo what he wanted. "Oh, nothing...", he said. 'It's not that...' Joon-Woo started looking concerned. "Is something wrong?", he asked. 'Seung Ah's not gloomy because she's in pain.'

"Oh, haha. You're asking me too? I'm fine. Really!"

'No way she would tell me her worries. She didn't even tell the Class Rep!' He hid the can he brought for her. "Are you sure? You look a bit down." - "Are you a mind reader now? Haha."

'I know we aren't that close, but still...'

"But really, I'm fine. But thanks for asking!" Seung Ah said while smiling.

'Your smile is different than before. You look... Anxious.' He let it be and walked away. "No, it's nothing."

It was night and he was sitting on his chair like usual, chatting with Seung Ah on Random Chat. 'Maybe she can tell me in here, where we stay anonymous. I know I'm not all that great...'

'But I want to help you.'

*[Hey what's up with you? Is there something wrong?? Lols so quiet the past few days... Love life going well?]

'She... Read it. She must be replying!'

[Oh... There is something on my mind...]

*[Huh? What is it lol]

[Ah it's ok]

*[No tell me. I'm good at listening haha]

[I-... I had one Random Chat partner before I started chatting with you. Sigh... I know I did something stupid...]

'Huh? Why is that stupid? I figured she chatted with other people. Although, I don't feel that special anymore.' Surprised at what she wrote his expression changed.

[Thought he was a good person so I gave him my number...]

*[What?!]

[And after that I felt weird so I deleted him... But since yesterday...]

She sent him a bunch of screenshots.

'What? You gave somebody from Random Chat your number? That's crazy! What'd he say?'

"What are you doing Seung Ah? Lol did you miss me?" was one thing he wrote. 'He looked her up at Acebook using her number?' He continued reading.

"I miss you Seung Ah lol",

"What are you doing Seung Ah?",

"Why aren't you replying?"

'....'

He was startled the moment he saw that the guy found out what school Seung Ah was visiting. 'Crazy...?! He took this pic himself! That means... He came to our school!'

"Haha you don't use fb? Lol",

"Oh yeah lol right I'm annoying again... Ok! I'll visit you!",

"My visit will be a surprise lol",

"What are you doing Seung Ah?"

Disgusting. Joon-Woo who was reading all this went crazy, got up like a madman, dropped his phone and almost let his chair fall to the ground. 'This guy is really crazy. He is clearly dangerous! She should report him to the cops!! He could come after her at any time! Could she still be worried about what other people will think? Afraid that she'd be laughed at for using Random Chat?! This is not something I could solve...' Joon-Woo was sweating like crazy.

Pause. 'Wait... Even now.. Even now, Seung Ah you must be...'

It was dark in her room. Seung Ah was shaking, sobbing and falling into a state of despair on her bed, having her arms and legs as close to her body as possible, digging her head into her arms.

[So I don't want to talk to you either. I'm sorry. You're just a Random Chat partner.]

~Chapter 8 end.

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