Chapter 89

Even when she was given the latest smartphone she had long desired, Jin Taeyeon didn’t seem particularly happy. She had promised to buy it only if she stood out in the S.M Company’s selection contest next year, but now her father had fulfilled the promise early to cheer her up. However, instead of being happy, she burst into tears in his arms.

He understood that his daughter was still too young and that being threatened by her senior had made her feel guilty and scared. It was already a great feat that she had managed to hold it together until now. Therefore, he was even more determined to find the teacher the next day to explain the situation and ensure that his daughter wouldn’t be bullied. It wasn’t intentional, and if she could apologize, wouldn’t that be enough? Surely, such a small matter shouldn’t require more than that?

However, he didn’t know that his daughter wasn’t crying out of fear. She had come to understand many things. No matter what she faced outside, her family would always be the ones who supported and understood her the most. Her mother didn’t say much but cooked her favorite spicy boiled meat. Her younger sister, Jin Yaeun, who usually fought with her over jelly, today exceptionally held back her saliva and handed her the jelly.

Jin Taeyeon gave the new phone her father bought to her brother, Jin Ji-yong, who only sneered and said it was a phone for girls, taking her old one instead. Looking at the new phone’s packaging, Jin Taeyeon felt a bit lost. She had said she wanted to change her phone, but she hadn’t replied to any messages. After a while, she stood up, took the new phone, and was about to go back to her room when Jin Ji-yong called her.

“I’ll pick you up after school tomorrow.” Jin Ji-yong said this and then went back to his room.

Jin Taeyeon was taken aback for a moment, then turned and entered her bedroom. She set up the new phone and charged it, looking at the new number and taking a deep breath.

I’m about to participate in the selection contest next year. I have a lot to face. I can’t let my parents and family worry anymore. I can’t have my brother drive all the way to pick me up.

Why should I cause trouble and have others clean up after me? I need to face these things myself and not burden my family. With this resolve, Jin Taeyeon heard her mother’s call and went out to eat. But she didn’t know that many things couldn’t be done just as she wished. At least for tomorrow, she might have some insights.

The next morning, at Yangji Middle School’s entrance. When Jin Taeyeon got out of the car, the surrounding classmates had all participated in yesterday’s school celebration. Even if they didn’t know what had happened at the time, they knew that Jin Taeyeon had left early.

Later, she learned the details from Song Hye-in and Yoo Sang-min. Now, all the classmates looked at Jin Taeyeon with ill intent. If not for the man who seemed to be her father standing beside her, she might have already faced accusations and scolding.

It wasn’t that Moon Jung-woo had such a significant influence that all the classmates were hostile to Jin Taeyeon because of his injury. The key was the role of Song Hye-in and Yoo Sang-min, and some teachers also knew what had happened.

After Li Ya-yuan’s admission and Yoo Sang-min’s description, Jin Taeyeon was now seen as a girl who would sacrifice others to show off. Her past relationship with a senior in her first year was also brought up as evidence of her character.

Adding to this, the severity of Moon Jung-woo’s vocal cord injury, which could prevent him from becoming a trainee and even speaking normally, gave ample reason to dislike Jin Taeyeon. Determined not to have her father accompany her, Jin Taeyeon felt a bit timid as she saw the strange looks from her classmates.

But touching the phone in her pocket, Jin Taeyeon resolved again, firmly refusing her father’s escort and insisting on watching him drive away before feeling at ease. The head of the household usually refers to the breadwinner of the family, providing for his wife, children’s tuition, and even utility bills. In the family, Jin Taeyeon’s father was definitely the busiest.

Seeing his daughter’s determination, although still worried, he knew this was a school with teachers, principals, and security. If anything happened, they wouldn’t just stand by. Jin Taeyeon’s father started the car, planning to pick her up early in the afternoon. He would find her teacher in advance to ensure nothing went wrong for the day. So, he drove away.

Jin Taeyeon walked into the school building with her head down, not daring to meet the gazes of her classmates. She silently entered the classroom and sat at her desk, hearing the sudden silence and the pointing and whispering. Looking at Li Ya-yuan, who hadn’t arrived yet, Jin Taeyeon felt her palms sweating.

Finally, with the class president’s command to stand, Jin Taeyeon subconsciously stood up. Seeing the teacher who had entered the classroom, she felt a bit relieved. It seemed like the teacher glanced at her but didn’t say much, just starting the lesson. Her nervousness was so intense that she didn’t even notice Li Ya-yuan’s absence during the entire class.

After class, when she remembered to ask about Li Ya-yuan, she realized she had a new phone number. She asked her brother, Jin Ji-yong, to send her Li Ya-yuan’s number, but Jin Ji-yong didn’t need her old phone. Before Jin Taeyeon got the new phone, he already had one.

South Korea is a major electronics producer in Asia and the world. Daily necessities and clothing are expensive due to the small land area and reliance on imports, but electronic products are relatively affordable. Jin Ji-yong probably wouldn’t use Jin Taeyeon’s old phone. Given the situation yesterday, when Jin Taeyeon gave him the new phone, he didn’t want to act unbrotherly when she was upset, so he took the old one to comfort her.

Unable to contact Li Ya-yuan, she suddenly noticed the light above her head dimming. Looking up, Jin Taeyeon’s face changed.

Yoo Sang-min stood beside her, arms crossed, sneering at her. “You actually dared to come. It seems you don’t take this seriously at all.”

Jin Taeyeon quickly stood up and bowed. “Senior.”

“Come with me.” Without wasting words, Yoo Sang-min walked toward the door.

Jin Taeyeon bit her lip. Was this what Li Ya-yuan meant by making her pay? The other senior, Song Hye-in, was probably waiting somewhere, eager to confront her. It was only the first break, and they were already coming for her.

While she was lost in thought, the classmates looked at her with strange expressions. Yoo Sang-min, who had reached the door, suddenly sensed something. Turning around, she saw Jin Taeyeon still standing there.

Yoo Sang-min laughed in frustration, pointing at Jin Taeyeon. “Hey, I see you’re really something. You hurt Jung-woo so badly that he’s in the hospital, and you can still come to school as if nothing happened. Now, when a senior calls you out, you pretend not to hear. Do you want me to start here?”

Jin Taeyeon looked up instinctively. “He… he’s in the hospital?”

“Sigh!” Yoo Sang-min gestured and came back to Jin Taeyeon, pulling her out.

Jin Taeyeon stumbled, almost falling. As they tussled, Yoo Sang-min almost fell too. Turning to scold, she saw the teacher standing there and quickly bowed, falling silent.

The teacher chuckled. “Yoo Sang-min, you’re now bold enough to drag people out of class to teach them a lesson? You’re really not considering the consequences as you’re about to graduate.”

Yoo Sang-min was embarrassed and didn’t speak.

The teacher waved her off impatiently. “Go back to class!”

Yoo Sang-min glared at Jin Taeyeon, muttering something Jin Taeyeon didn’t hear but could guess. The teacher frowned at Yoo Sang-min’s back and then noticed Jin Taeyeon still standing there with her head down.

Looking at Jin Taeyeon with a complex expression, the teacher waved her hand. “Go back to your seat.”

Jin Taeyeon bowed and returned to her seat. But for some reason, the classmates around her suddenly expressed regret, clearly dissatisfied with the situation. Jin Taeyeon felt a sharp pain in her heart.

Slowly, she bent her head lower. Could she really handle this? She had promised to face everything, but this was just the beginning. The real punishment was yet to come. Would she still be able to say she could face it then? Jin Taeyeon began to doubt. She really wanted to apologize to him in person, in the most sincere way.

She really didn’t mean to hurt him, and she wanted to tell him that. But the opportunity didn’t come, and she had to face this. Did she have to turn her guilt into the suffering and lessons she was about to experience for this to be resolved? Jin Taeyeon thought, but she couldn’t predict what she would endure.

What she would face was far beyond what she could bear.

(Thank you to Yuedeyingchenxi and Sooyeon.xi for the support. Don’t forget the votes and favorites. For the beloved Taeyong, zzang. O(∩_∩)O)

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