Chapter Text
For Haerin, life is like a beautiful dance where everyone has a part to play. Some people shine brightly, like stars on a stage, while others prefer to quietly appreciate from the sidelines. Haerin sees herself as one of the latter, finding peace in observing life's ups and downs.
She sees beauty in the background, like a gentle breeze that adds depth to the story without demanding attention. In her own way, she feels she contributes to the harmony of life's symphony, even if it's in subtle ways. Thus, she embraces her role as a spectator, finding fulfilment in observing and appreciating the story from afar, without feeling the need to step into the limelight.
Until that one warm afternoon.
Haerin vividly remembers the day she caught sight of the girl beside the bridge. There, amidst the gentle flow of the river, the girl engaged in conversation with a beggar, her expression radiating sympathy.
She looked like a foreigner but her Korean was good. Though Haerin could listen to the girl talk cutely, the girl doesn’t have the slightest clue that she was being scammed.
“Please,” the beggar reached his hand, palms open. “Give me money, so I can buy food for my children.”
Haerin narrows her eyes at the beggar’s acting. She remembers seeing the guy buying cigarettes and alcohol instead of “bringing food to his children”. However, the poor girl couldn’t get past his act and gave him a few extra coins.
Instead of being thankful, the beggar was infuriated, yelling at how little the girl gave him while the girl seemed confused and scared at the sudden outburst.
At this point, her brows furrowed at the sight.
Her mind was telling her to do something.
Help her.
Yell at the beggar or take the money from the beggar and give it back to the poor girl!
But her body didn’t move an inch.
Just like the rest of the people who were around.
Everyone can hear the guy shouting but they only looked and walked away. Nobody dared to help.
She knew she should but her feet were stuck in place.
She’s not one to get in between fights or involve herself in situations that are too stressful or dangerous.
And so, while she had her inner conflicts within herself, only did she realise that the girl gave a larger number of coins than the earlier amount and ran once the beggar was distracted by the money.
At this, Haerin could only kick herself mentally for not helping and just watching the girl run away from the scene until she was no longer in sight.
Haerin left the scene as well, casting a reproachful glare at the beggar for his actions and perhaps anticipating that he might also ask her for money. This gesture caused him to lower his gaze, resignedly counting his meager earnings as she walked past him.
With every step on her way home, she felt disappointed with herself for not taking action and couldn’t help but feel her heart get heavy.
That particular moment should have been just a fleeting memory for Haerin but the silhouette of the girl running away haunted her even as she slept.
The second time she saw the girl was at school.
News of a transfer student had spread around school and to her surprise, it was the same girl that she saw at the bridge.
She was wearing the same dull grey blazer with a matching black skirt. Her once long hair, now mid-length but her aura remained the same.
From what she had gathered, her name is Mo Jihye or rather Danielle Marsh.
The bubbly foreigner that garnered the attention of those around her and Haerin was no exception.
Wherever she went, Haerin couldn't help but notice the lingering gazes of those around her. It wasn't just because she was a foreigner; her striking beauty also drew attention. Paired with her warm smiles and genuine demeanour, she had a way of captivating almost everyone she encountered. So it was no surprise that she had already made friends just from the first week.
As Haerin watches Danielle from a distance, a wave of relief washes over her. Danielle is blissfully unaware of Haerin's presence nor her past guilt. Yet, seeing Danielle's carefree laughter and bright smile provides Haerin with a sense of closure she hadn't expected. With this, Haerin quietly acknowledges her past mistakes and resolves to be more vigilant and proactive in helping others in the future.
Danielle's captivating beauty had undoubtedly garnered her a legion of followers and admirers, yet along with them came the unwelcome attention of creeps and perverts. Haerin couldn't help but observe the brightness radiating from the girl, a quality matched only by her unwavering kindness—a trait that rendered her susceptible to the deceit of those around her.
Looking back, she could only thank her Science teacher for asking her to get the stocked documents near the untouched classrooms in their building.
That day where she happened to walk past a particular classroom still visits her mind every once in a while.
She could still feel her blood pressure rising up when recalling the memory, her thoughts being drowned at the possibilities had the teacher not asked of her that day.
And maybe that’s when Haerin’s world started to change.
Maybe it’s when she heard how four boys talked about every little detail of filthy sexual deeds they would do to the Australian girl if they ever had the chance.
Or the way they joked about planning to take her somewhere so they could have their way with her anytime that made the thread thin.
Seething with rage, she calmed her breathing through deep breaths. It didn’t help that she could still hear the boys’ dirty laughter as they shared such things.
When suddenly, a voice that she found familiar spoke amidst the boys.
“Hey, stop it.”
It was Joon-woo, the one Danielle mentioned the other day.
It was during lunch time when she heard it.
Haerin observed that Danielle’s friend group hadn’t really come yet so she was sitting by herself. So, Haerin sits close by but behind the transfer student.
Just then a group of girls, Danielle’s classmates, surrounded the Australian girl, their voices a flurry of gossip and speculation.
"So, Dani, spill the beans. If you were to date a guy in this school, who would it be?" one of them prodded, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Danielle's voice, soft and uncertain, floated through the air. "Um, I don't really think about that stuff..."
But the girls persisted, pressing her for an answer.
“Come on, girl! It’s not like we’re gonna tell anyone about it. We’re just curious.”
Her eyebrows furrow, feeling a pang of annoyance at their intrusive questioning. Why did they feel the need to pry into the girl’s personal life like this?
Then, Danielle's response came, hesitant yet sincere. "I guess... Joon-woo? He seems like a nice guy..."
The name struck a chord with Haerin, igniting a flicker of annoyance deep within her. She knows that Danielle didn’t harbor any deep meaning to her answer, probably just chose the safest person to pick, but she can’t help but be angry at Joon-woo for some reason.
On one hand, she couldn't deny that Joon-woo seemed nice, perhaps even deserving of Danielle's affections. Yet, on the other hand, she couldn't shake the feeling of conflict that gnawed at her from within.
Adding to her frustration, Haerin knew that one of the girls in the group was a notorious gossiper, infamous for spreading rumors and stirring up mischief around school. They weren't even close with Danielle, yet here they were, prying into her personal life with no regard for her privacy.
The girls, upon hearing Danielle's answer, squealed with delight. "Oh, Danielle and Joon-woo! You guys would look so cute together!"
Haerin fought the urge to roll her eyes or scoff at their remarks. She was about to eat from her spoon only to realize that the food was already long gone from her tray.
Feigning disinterest, Haerin stood up to return her tray to the counter. Discreetly, she glanced over at the new transfer student, who seemed uncomfortable with the attention. Her heart went out to her.
Who wouldn’t be uncomfortable if some people suddenly invades your privacy?
As the girls continued to chatter excitedly about the supposed romance between Danielle and Joon-woo, Haerin resisted the urge to intervene. Instead, she silently seethed with frustration, wishing she could shield Danielle from the prying eyes and wagging tongues of their classmates.
It took only one class since Danielle mentioned Joon-woo and news had already spread that Danielle “likes” him.
Really, it was all too disappointing.
Now, as Haerin observed the scene unfolding before her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief at the realization that Joon-woo was indeed a nice guy, as Danielle had perceived him to be. His intervention on Danielle's behalf only reinforced this impression, offering a glimmer of reassurance amidst the turmoil of her emotions.
“What do you guys think you’re doing?” He says, disbelief evident in his voice.
“We’re sorry, hyung…”
Haerin could not believe it but she felt a bit relieved hearing his voice to protect Dani-
“She has a crush on me so I should be the first to do her.”
Snap.
“You lucky bastard!” One of the boys cheered.
“It’s not fair, Joon-woo. You always get the pretty ones!”
“Well, I guess it couldn’t be helped. Danielle likes me after all.”
The boys booed at the statement.
“Anyways, here’s the plan guys. I’ll tell her to meet me after class and you guys will wait here. Make sure to prepare some tape-”
The boys listened to what Joon-woo listed out.
Haerin listened to every bit of detail as well.
And so, the following day, news of the boys having stomach problems echoed throughout the hallways.
Haerin volunteered to be one of the students to help out at the cafeteria that day. She was in charge of giving out the utensils and water and thus, she put her plan into action.
She may or may not have copied a trick from a Mr. Bean movie that she once watched about putting laxatives on other people’s drinks. In her case, she put a lot into it.
Other students were laughing at them, remembering the way they ran out of the room or how the stench was so gross while classes were still going on that even the teacher had to stop.
Needless to say, they became a humiliating bunch and Haerin was proud of her accomplishment. They stayed in the hospital for 3 days but Haerin felt no guilt. ‘They deserved it.’, she justified.
Thankfully, it really did seem like Danielle only mentioned him without any meaning behind it. While she did look a bit worried for the boys at first, it didn’t seem like a big deal for her.
All the boys who were affiliated with the incident transferred schools since they could not bear the humiliation anymore.
After this incident, she has been checking on Danielle just to see if she’s okay. After all, there are a lot of boys who possibly have the same intent as that group so who knows what might happen.
For Haerin, she is merely a spectator and Danielle was the main character. Spectators should only watch the main characters from the sidelines and never be affiliated with the main and that’s what she does.
She observes the world around Danielle Marsh and sees that there are envious girls, perverted guys and more creeps that were out to get her.
With every attempt, Haerin was first to stop it before Danielle even knew anything at all.
Before she knew it, she was already following Danielle wherever in school albeit discreetly.
Some could call her a stalker but she justifies that she isn’t.
She just wants to keep on protecting the girl’s innocent perspective in life.
That’s all there is to it.