Birth of a Beauty

Back at Li Seulbi's house;

*Tick Tock* *Tick tock*

Li Seulbi who was trying to focus on studying felt the ticking of the clock getting clearer and louder as time passed by. Shaking her leg out of nervousness, she shook her head to dismiss her overwhelming thoughts.

Eventually giving up at last, she closed her textbooks as she exhaled a long sigh. She leaned back, staring at the clock "It's almost time for dinner. Now, I am not even hungry. I just want to hide or run away. How will I come clean with her like this?"

Then, her eyes landed on the nearby mirror. Looking at her bandaged and swollen face in the reflection, Xi Mei's voice began to ring in her ears.

"I won't leave you like this. They are monsters. If I need to I will suffer with you, but please don't tell me to leave."

"My friend didn't even do anything to them. They approached us first and started bullying her. Please, help my friend. She needs treatment."

A helpless smile crept on her face. The mixed emotions that she was confronting at the same time made her overthink the whole situation. The feeling of happiness from finally getting a true friend, dejection from doing nothing for her, fear thinking that she might end up like her, guilt for making her involve with her in the first place.

*Knock Knock*

Startled by the sudden noise, Li Seulbi realized the main problem lied in front of her.

Feeling her heart thumping in anxiousness, she got up and advanced near the door.

"Seulbi, It's grandma. I brought dinner with me. Seulbi *Knock Knock*" Voice of Su Yumi rang from the other side.

"Yumi..." Li Seulbi mumbled softly.

'But I can't face her right now. I am not prepared at all.'

"Seulbi, Are you asleep? Should I just enter?"

Hearing that, Li Seulbi panicked and hastily opened the door.

"Oh!" Su Yumi was taken aback by the sudden move.

*Slurp* *Chomp* *Chomp*

Li Seulbi who was eating the dinner tried her best to make sounds deliberately in the silent room to soothe the awkwardness.

Su Yumi was staring at her from start making her more restless.

'She probably is waiting for me to finish my dinner so that we could talk. At this rate, I can see myself getting transferred to another school. No, when finally everything is feeling right, I can't get transferred.' Li Seulbi was so engrossed in her thoughts, that she was shaking her head time and time again.

"Seulbi...Seulbi!"

"Huh?" Discerning that she fell in daze again, she bit her lips.

She turned to look at Su Yumi only to see her staring back at her worriedly.

Su Yumi grabbed her hands as she began to speak "Seulbi, You yourself know that I can't let this slide. *Touching her face* this isn't something you get when you fall, Even if you make hundreds of excuses, that won't change the fact that someone is bothering you.

When I left earlier, I couldn't help but think that every time you came home getting hurt, What if that someone has been doing this to you since long ago."

Tears began to fall down from Su Yumi's cheeks. "I c-can't even imagine h-how *Sob*" Before she finished her words, Li Seulbi pulled in a hug.

"I am sorry, Yumi. Seulbi is extremely sorry. But, I am really okay now. The one who was troubling me is punished already. Please don't cry." Li Seulbi said, trying her best not to cry. "Oh my, poor granddaughter*Sob*"

---

"You were hit by an unknown street thug while returning home. She asked for money and since you didn't have any, she hit you like this. Promise me you aren't lying, right?"

Li Seulbi just nodded her head, biting her lips. 'God, Mom, Yumi please forgive me for lying. But, I don't have any choice. Yumi has a weak heart. God, please help me.'

"Yumi, Trust me. I only met her

twice, the day injured my leg and

today. However, you don't have to worry, as said she was punished My friend helped me. So, you don't need to be worried. I am fine fam telling the truth." Li Seulbi persuades her.

There was a long moment of silence before Su Yumi took a long sigh.

"I really hope my granddaughter isn't lying to me. If I get to know who did this to you, I won't let her go. Seulbi let your father nono I myself will drop and pick you up from school."

"What?!" Startled, Li Seulbi got up.

"Yumi, you can't do that. My school

is far away and you are not healthy enough to do long travel. Drop and pick up? Don't even think about

that."

"Fine, then Let Xiao Cheng do that. Seulbi, I am just worried. How can I let you go to school alone after seeing you like this?" Su Yumi peered at her in despair.

Li Seulbi scratched her head. Taking a deep breath, she answered "Okay, But I have a condition."

"Condition?"

"Only for a week"

"Seulbi, that-"

"Yumi, you know that he is busy too. And I said everything is fine now."

"*Sigh* Then, Let me also ask for one thing." Su Yumi added.

"What?"

"Bring that friend to our house. And let me ask her few things, alone."

"That, Yumi-"

"Seulbi, this is the only way I can be assured. Hmm?"

'Xi Mei? Ugh, I don't want to involve her in my problems anymore. But, Yumi won't let this slide easily. I have to convince her at all cost.'

After giving it some thought, Li Seulbi finally agreed. After checking the injuries, then only Su Yumi left the room.

Following by, Li Seulbi heaved a huge sigh of relief. Throwing herself in the bed, she re-analyzed the whole conversation in her head.

"So, this is how it turned out to be. Better than expected but I still feel guilty about lying. Still, Good work. Li Seulbi..." Murmuring those last words, she fell asleep.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐