Chapter 1

"Yuno Lin! Detention! NOW!"

The sight of Principal Geier's screaming face is nothing new to me. The bright shade of red on his furious expression combined with his shiny bald head made him look like a ripe tomato. I'd chuckle at the thought if my chest didn't hurt every time I so much as breathe.

A crowd of students and teachers had huddled around Bryce Merten's unconscious body. The football player's face was all bloodied and bruised, but he was breathing, for better or for worse. I grab my bag I had tossed on the ground and trudge my way back into the main building of the school.

It's the end of the school day, some students are still hovering around their lockers, getting their stuff or talking to their friends. My footsteps echo throughout the hallway, alerting others of my presence. The look of fear and confusion as they notice my face full of cuts and bruises is nothing new. I pay them no mind as I walk the familiar route to the detention room.

I push open the door, its creak announcing my entrance. Instead of the usual stern expression of Ms. Rusnak's wrinkly face, I find myself face to face with Minji Kim, the golden girl of Evergreen High School—student council president, rank #1 in the entire school, the poster child of perfection. Seeing her from up close like this really puts into perspective just how seriously she takes herself. Uniform pressed and polished, posture straight as an arrow, not a single hair out of place. She's... pretty, in a way that makes sense for someone like her. But what is she doing in detention of all places? 

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Her voice is laced with an unexpected sincerity that catches me off guard. I shrug and walk past her, fully expecting words of judgement or disdain as I take a seat in the front row of desks. Minji sits across from me at the teacher's desk, a mile high stack of paperwork cluttering its surface, and traces my wounds with her eyes. Figures.

"What happened to you?" she asks.

I hesitate, not used to hearing genuine concern. Most would avert their gaze, thinking one wrong look at me would set me off. If it were Ms. Rusnak in that chair, I would no doubt be getting an earful about how I should "stop getting into so much trouble" and "you're a senior, you should be thinking about your future". With the way life has panned out up to this point, the only future I see is an early grave.

Reluctantly, I recount the events that led to my fight with Bryce—how he had been tormenting a freshman for weeks, how everyone refused to do something about it, and how I stepped in and put that motherfucker face first into the concrete where he belongs.

Minji listens intently, her expression shifting from stern to contemplative. When I finish, she sighs, her shoulders slumping.

"I understand that you wanted to help, but you shouldn't resort to violence," she says, gentle yet firm. "Why didn't you alert a teacher about what was going on?"

I scoff, bitterness seeping into my tone. "You think they would have done anything? They knew about it the entire time, but that fucker is on the football team, so they turned a blind eye to the whole thing." I let out a deep breath, glaring at her. "He needed a good punch to the jaw. I just happened to be the one doing it."

Minji frowns, her eyes searching in mine. "I know it's frustrating, but taking matters into your own hands isn't the solution. You could get expelled for this, and then what? You won't be able to help anyone."

I avoid meeting her eyes, my gaze fixed on the scuffed surface of the desk. "I had to do it," I muttered. "No one else would."

She sighed, realizing the impasse between us. "Just... be more careful next time. I'm sure your friends wouldn't want to see you hurt," she remarks, turning back to her pile of paperwork.

Her words echo in my head as I continue to stare at the desk. She's right. Of course she's right. If the teachers actually did their job and reprimanded him the first time, then I would have never had to fight. Hell, I never enjoyed fighting in the first place. But I had to do it. Someone had to knock some sense into these fuckers and that responsibility was bestowed upon me for whatever reason. 

And... Did she say "friends"?  What friends? Everyone was too afraid to even look at me. Surely she knew that... right?

Not like it matters. I guess.

The minutes tick along, our conversation lingering in the air. Eventually, the bell rings, and I am officially free to leave detention. Without a word, I grab my bag and head to the door, but something stops me. Outside, grey storm clouds had started to settle, spreading darkness over the school grounds. It would be easy for me to leave and move on with my life, but a voice back of my head urges me to do the right thing. Despite my better judgment, I turn back around.

"I'll walk you home," I said, the words leaving my mouth before I have the time to process them.

Minji's gaze flicks up at me, eyes wide with surprise. "O-oh, you don't have t—"

"It's dark outside," I interrupt, my tone leaving no room for argument. "It'll be too dangerous if you walk home alone."

Minji offers a small smile of appreciation. "Thank you for the offer, but I can manage. I don't live that far anyways."

"Let me walk you home then," I insist, my voice surprisingly unwavering. "If you don't live far, then I'll be out of your hair in no time. Just let me make sure you get home okay."

She studies me for a moment, uncertainty flickering on her face. "Fine," she relents with a small nod. "But just this once."

I merely grunt in response as I hold the door open for her. We walk through the dimly lit hallways and exit the main building into the cold, gray night. A heavy silence hangs between us as we leave the campus, our path marked by a few dingy street lights that cast long shadows on the pavement.

We walk side by side, the echoes of our footsteps reverberating through the empty streets. Minji seems lost in her thoughts, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. I don't blame her—I didn't exactly imagine tonight going like this. I maintain a distance from her, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

As we near her house, the first droplets of rain patter onto the pavement, warning us of the impending downpour.

Minji glances up and snaps out of her trance, her expression shifting from contemplation to annoyance. "That's just great," she sighs. "We're gonna get soaked." We exchange a brief glance and quicken our pace, hoping to reach her house before the rain hits us.

Our slight jog turns into a sprint as the rain intensifies. Pretty soon, it's hard to discern sweat from rain as our sneakers slap against the ever growing amount of puddles. In the distance, the glow of Minji's porch lights beckon to us, like a lighthouse guiding lost ships through stormy weather. As we reach the shelter of her porch, the rain gets heavier and heavier, transforming the world around us into a blurry, mesmerizing dance of droplets.

I take a moment to catch my breath, not bothering to wipe the rain off my forehead as I look back into the unyielding downpour. But before I can make a move, I feel a gentle tug on my sleeve, stopping me in my tracks.

"W-wait," she utters, barely audible over the rain hitting her roof. "Stay here."

My eyes grow wide with confusion. "What?"

Her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink as she shakes her head. "I-I mean until the rain lets up."

"I'll be fine. It's just a little rain," I say. As if on cue, the sound of thunder booms in the distance.

Before I could protest anymore, Minji opens her front door and gestures for me to come inside. "You'll catch a cold if you go out like this. And it's the least I can do to return the favor.

I glance back at the unrelenting rain one last time, weighing the options in my head, and sigh. "Fine. I'll leave once the rain lets up."

Minji grins, leading the way inside. The warmth of her home envelops us, a welcome contrast to the cold outside, but all I can do is stand awkwardly in the foyer as the rain becomes mere background noise.

"Wait here, let me get you something dry to wear," Minji says as she kicks off her shoes and disappears up the stairs. Curiously, I peer into her living room while I wait, being careful not to drip any water onto the carpet. A comfy-looking brown coach faces a large flat-screen TV, one that I've only seen in the electronics aisle at Walmart. Various pictures line the shelves and the walls, including family photos, a wedding photo of what could be her parents, and a graduation photo of an older boy I haven't seen before.

The sound of Minji's footsteps breaks me out of my thoughts. She appears in front of me with a blue sweater and black sweatpants neatly folded in her hands. "Here, these are my older brother's. He's away for college right now, so I'm sure he won't mind if you borrow them," she says, a small smile on her face.

I take them from her, subconsciously scanning her outfit: a simple graphic T-shirt and black cotton shorts, a far cry from the school uniform she usually wears. A sudden realization hits me—by some odd twist of fate, I find myself standing inside Minji Kim's house. Just like that, I remember who I'm talking to, and my guard goes right back up.

"T-thanks," I mutter, unsure of what else to say.

"No problem, uhh..." Minji's voice falters as she suddenly brings her hands up to her face, light pink hues peeking through the cracks in her fingers. "Oh my god... I never asked for your name..."

I bite back a smirk at her reaction. Never expected someone like her to miss that. "Yuno Lin."

She uncovers her face, embarrassment shown through a sheepish smile. "Right, Yuno. I'm so sorry, it's been a long day." She walks past me into the living room, avoiding my gaze. "There's a bathroom right around the corner that you can change in. I'll make us some tea in the meantime," she says with an apologetic look. I simply nod and kick off my shoes before following her deeper into her house.

While she heads to the kitchen, presumable to make the tea, I head into the bathroom and peel off my drenched uniform shirt. Fist-sized blobs of bluish-purples and red adorn my chests like shitty tattoos, alongside another one on my arm and a couple of cuts on my face. All things considered, this isn't the worst thing that's happened to me.

I quickly remove the rest of my wet clothes and change into the ones Minji gave me, leaving my soaked school uniform in a messy pile on the bathroom counter. The warm fabric felt foreign against my skin, but not entirely uncomfortable. As I step out of the bathroom, the comforting scent of black tea hit my nose, leading me to the kitchen where Minji is steeping two cups of the stuff.

She notices my presence and offers me a smile. "The tea is almost ready." I watch as she reaches into a drawer and pulls out a first aid kit. "Let me help you with the cuts."

I shake my head. "I'm fine."

Minji frowns and gently pushes me back into a chair. Before I can protest, she's already cleaning the cuts on my face with antiseptic, her touch surprisingly gentle. I feel an odd sensation in my chest as I steal a glance at her, her face almost uncomfortably close to mine as she focuses on her task.