Masked

For the week, Eun Shin refused to talk to anyone. She stayed inside of her room, avoiding Yung Ji, Seung Jee, and Jae Vin. Once Yung Ji questioned Lim Rin, Lim Rin defused it that Eun Shin was just being an emotional teenager, dismissing her trauma. Yung Ji groaned as he knew something must have happened because his daughter wouldn't shut the whole world out. Eun Shin sat by the window, staring at the trees and birds.

BING.

Seung Jee: "Are you okay?"

Eun Shin gulped, feeling guilty and fear at the same time. She held her tears back and gasped.

BING.

Jae Vin: "Please… respond to me

I promise you that I will listen to you"

Eun Shin's guilt turned into resentment after seeing Jae Vin's name. She started feeling nauseated, recalling the trauma of his attempt rape. She panted slowly, trying to remain calm. She took a deep breath, and then she sat on her chair. She grabbed a piece of paper and put it in front of her, trembling. After a deep breath, her hands stopped trembling, her eyes sharpened, breath steadied. Then she wrote down everything she needed to see and understand.

|

Hae Seung Jee ← Don't bully, bother, or do anything mean and rude. PROTECT

Lee Jae Vin ← Prick, rapist, mother is crazy too…

Need a clean breakup to stop this.

Lee Jae Vin ← cheater, dumbass, loser

|

Eun Shin finally figured something out. She allowed herself a small, bitter smile upon discovering a way for herself and everyone she cared about. She grabbed her phone, trembling as she took a minute to think about what to say. She closed her eyes for a moment, exhaled deeply.

Jae Vin checked his phone after hearing a text message.

Eun Shin: "lets meet. You and me only. At the school entrance."

Jae Vin's face lit up, so he quickly changed his clothes and hurried out of the mansion. He ran to the school entrance, seeing Eun Shin there waiting beside Seok Jun.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Seok Jun asked worriedly. Eun Shin smiled faintly with a nod.

"I'll be fine… Don't tell my dad about this," she answered softly. Seok Jun groaned as he stepped away. Jae Vin was confused but walked to Eun Shin with a big smile.

"Eun Shin, have you finally forgiven me?" Jae Vin asked. Eun Shin turned to him with a cold stare. She blinked as she tried to remain composed.

"I… I want a deal with you. A promise with my terms," she said. Jae Vin nodded quickly, excitement clear on his face.

"Anything. I will promise anything," he replied. Eun Shin smiled bitterly. She twisted her fingers nervously as her jaw tightened.

"If you want to get back together, you have to promise me a few things…"

"Uh huh… What are they?" Jae Vin asked.

"You… You stop bullying and acting like a snob, especially towards Seung Jee…" Eun Shin paused. Jae Vin's face turned pale.

"Okay," he reluctantly accepted.

"If you ever break that promise or even cheat on me again, then you are to make sure your mother stops bothering my mother. Make sure this is a clean breakup where both parties will not do something like this again," Eun Shin explained, her lips trembling from the trauma. Jae Vin tightened his jaw, understanding that the attempt rape was planned because of him. He nodded.

"Very well… I'll agree. As long as you're still mine," he responded hurtfully. Eun Shin smirked, feeling uncomfortable.

"Okay. I still need some time… I'll… I'll see you when school starts again," she said, turning to Seok Jun. Seok Jun looked at her with a gentle smile. She walked past him, and he looked at Jae Vin, who was glaring back.

"See you at school," Seok Jun sternly said as he turned to follow Eun Shin. Jae Vin clenched his hands as he watched them walk closely beside each other.

After Eun Shin returned home with Seok Jun behind her, Yung Ji greeted Seok Jun with a respectful nod and a small smile.

"Home so soon?" he murmured. Eun Shin smiled bitterly.

"I just want to rest a little more…" she said, lying. Yung Ji exhaled deeply and nodded.

"Okay. Don't sleep too much before you return to school. You'll lose energy to run," he teased. Eun Shin chuckled.

"Okay," Eun Shin replied, removing her shoes and walking upstairs to her room. Lim Rin stared at Eun Shin as Eun Shin closed the door without acknowledging her. Seok Jun awkwardly stood there.

"Well, my father is calling for me now. I'll see you another time, Ajusshi," Seok Jun said. Yung Ji chuckled.

"Okay. Get home safely, young man," Yung Ji replied. Seok Jun glanced at the stairs one last time, but he saw Lim Rin and nodded a goodbye before walking away. Lim Rin's eyes narrowed as she fixed Seok Jun with a sharp glare, suspicion tightening her chest.

Why is Seok Jun here?

When Eun Shin walked out of the room, Lim Rin stopped her.

"What did you do with Seok Jun?" Lim Rin asked sharply. Eun Shin frowned, avoiding her mother's eyes.

"He tagged along with me to meet with Jae Vin…" she answered. Lim Rin's scoff was sharp and dismissive

"Why did you have to bring him along? You don't need to drag someone else into your relationship problems!" Lim Rin said. Eun Shin's lips trembled as she couldn't think of anything else to say. Yung Ji heard Lim Rin's voice and walked up the stairs to observe.

"What's going on here?" he asked, stopping Lim Rin. Yung Ji looked at Eun Shin, who was anxious and unsettled. He walked closer to Eun Shin and reached for her hand. "Are you okay, Eunnie?"

Eun Shin pulled back and tightened her jaw. She clenched her hands tightly and nodded.

"I'm fine, abeoji. I'm just tired…" she said. Eun Shin returned to her room without another word. As soon as the door shut behind her, she collapsed against it, gasping for breath. Trembling, she slid down until she was sitting on the floor, one hand covering her mouth to stifle a sob. The muffled sound echoed faintly, but she dared not cry out; her parents were just outside.

Lim Rin let out a frustrated groan and stormed down the stairs. Yung Ji's gaze lingered on Lim Rin's retreating back, concern tightening his brow.

"Where are you going?" he asked angrily. Lim Rin scoffed.

"I'm going to the Mother's group," she replied, upset. Yung Ji exhaled sharply as he looked at Eun Shin's room door. He frowned.

"Eunnie, if you need to talk, I'll always be here to listen," he said softly. Because Eun Shin didn't reply, Yung Ji leaned his head back in frustration and walked into his office.

Eun Shin listened carefully to hear the door close before she placed her hands down. She sniffled as she shivered.

"I'm sorry, Abeoji…" she whispered to herself.

As the scene moved away from her home, Seung Jee remained in his room, staring at his phone, waiting for Eun Shin's reply. He waited, but he started to feel like it was fruitless now. So he decided to step out of his room and walk down the stairs to the convenience store nearby. He looked at the aisle blankly.

"Welcome," the cashier register greeted. Seung Jee grabbed a drink and paid for it. He sat outside the convenience store, and he decided to stare at his phone one last time. No response from Eun Shin. He bit his lower lip.

"What's going on with you? You don't normally ignore me…" he wondered. He put his drink down on the table and decided to send another message.

BING.

Seung Jee: "Is everything okay?"

Eun Shin stared at her phone, guilt churning inside of her. She reached her fingertip to Seung Jee's name on the phone, hesitating.

"Seung-oppa…" she whispered as she leaned her head on her knees, crying. Seung Jee stared at his phone, waiting to see her read the message. However, thirty minutes had gone by, and it was still unread. He looked down, frowning. He sipped the drink, now warm and flat. Just like her silence.

"I guess you… you won't tell me anything anymore," he said to himself, grabbing his drink and tossing it away. He returned home without saying a word to Kim Soo. Kim Soo watched as Seung Jee entered his room and frowned.

"I wonder what happened to the young love birds…" she murmured. She shook her head and returned to cook.

For the entire summer, Eun Shin didn't talk to anyone. She made sure to stay inside the room when she was done eating. Yung Ji wouldn't question her. Seung Jee eventually stopped texting her, asking her if she was okay. Jae Vin waited for the summer to go by fast, and he did so while holding another woman on his arm.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AFTER SUMMER

Eun Shin walked to school, staring ahead of her. Seung Jee was walking with his head down until he looked up and saw her. Eun Shin held back her tears and smiled at him as friendly as possible. Seung Jee smiled naturally, forgiving her despite ignoring him. He walked up to her.

"Good morning…" he said softly. Eun Shin nodded.

"Morning…" she replied, avoiding his eyes. Seung Jee smiled bitterly.

"Is… is everything okay?" he asked. Eun Shin tapped the tip of her shoe against the ground, her hips swaying back and forth, not out of ease, but in a quiet, anxious rhythm. She was trying to seem calm, but her body betrayed her, stuck somewhere between control and collapse.

"Yeah…" she answered, forcing it out like it tasted wrong. Seung Jee could see her anxiety, so he sighed in relief to ease her worries.

"I'm glad… I–"

"Hey, babe! Long time no see!" Jae Vin said, cupping her neck with his arm. Eun Shin trembled as she tried to remain calm. She shoved his arm away.

"Not too close yet," she replied, traumatized. Seung Jee looked devastated, speechless. He stared at Eun Shin to say something. Eun Shin stared at Seung Jee, hoping that he was not angry. Seung Jee knew the look of her eyes was begging, but was disappointed. He bitterly chuckled.

"I see…" he said. He looked at her once again, then he walked to the school building without looking at her anymore. Eun Shin closed her eyes, allowing her tears to stream down. She gasped as she bit her lower lip.

"I need some time…" she said to Jae Vin. She walked to the school building. Jae Vin smirked, knowing that he stirred a problem between them and was satisfied. He followed after Eun Shin entered the building.

As the school class started, everyone in the class chose their seats. Seung Jee sat further away from Eun Shin. Eun Shin saw this action and frowned. Before the teacher entered the room, she stormed out of the classroom and never returned.

Once school was over, Seung Jee walked off the school campus as soon as possible, trying to avoid Eun Shin. However, he started to realize that she never returned, nor was she walking anywhere. Seok Jun peeked above the students' heads, looking for Eun Shin and Seung Jee, but only saw Seung Jee. Min Ying suddenly approached behind him.

"Hi!" she said excitedly. Seok Jun smiled.

"Hey. Have you seen Eun Shin?" he asked. Min Ying shook as she looked around.

"No… I haven't seen her the entire day… It's the first day of school. Wouldn't she be here by now?" she wondered. Seok Jun groaned.

"I don't know… Seung Jee is walking ahead, but he's not waiting for her…"

"Did something happen?" Min Ying asked curiously. Jae Vin walked between them with a big smile. Seok Jun then felt disgusted.

"I think so… it probably has to do with him," Seok Jun answered, glaring at Jae Vin. Min Ying turned to look at Jae Vin, too.

"He's so disgusting…" she whispered. Seok Jun chuckled.

"You have good eyes," he complimented. Min Ying blushed immediately.

"T-thanks…" she stuttered. Seok Jun walked away with a wave.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said. Min Ying smiled and squealed happily.