She Belongs To Him

Chapter 3 : Piggy Back Ride

**A Few Days Later**

Numbers and letters clutter the board, but none of it makes sense to me. The teacher is speaking, but I can't follow a single word. My head feels like it's about to explode from how far behind I am with the lessons. I knot my fingers in my hair, tugging at the strands to ease the tension that’s built up from the endless minutes spent in this class.

Suddenly, the idea of dying doesn't seem so terrible.

"Class dismissed." The teacher’s words are followed by the sharp screech of chairs and the sound of students leaving.

As I push my chair back and stand, I start stuffing my books into my bag. Slinging it over my shoulder, I wish the school day would end sooner. It's so much more boring without my best friend around.

The sky is clear today, and I can already tell it’ll be a perfect afternoon when I head home.

It's been a couple of days since the surprise party, but unfortunately, Callyx and his parents couldn’t go to Jeju as planned. When I found out it was because he caught a cold, guilt surged through me like a wave.

It's probably my fault. If I hadn’t thrown that bucket of cold water on him, he could’ve been having a great time right now. I really ruined everything for him, me and Matt.

I sigh, leaving the classroom and stepping into the noisy hallway. It’s dull without my usual circle of friends around. I get why Callyx isn’t here, but where’s Matt? And Josh? What excuse do they have for skipping school?

I wonder how Callyx is doing.

It’s not that I haven’t tried visiting him. I have. But each time I go to his house, I’m met with silence, or Josh with some ridiculous excuse. I figured they just didn’t want me to see him while he’s sick.

"He has monkeypox. It’s dangerous," Josh told me once when I tried visiting again. I gave him a skeptical look, but after that, I realized they were keeping Callyx to themselves. So, I stopped going.

I tried texting and calling to check on him, but he never replied.

Shaking my head, I push those thoughts aside. I have bigger things to worry about. Like the pop quiz tomorrow. The thought of it makes me groan out loud. The teacher got so mad at some kid today, she decided to punish the whole class. So much for getting any rest this afternoon. And to top it off, the quiz is in physics.

I drag myself down the hallway, eyes barely open, like a zombie. I didn’t get enough sleep last night. I blame my favorite drama for that. And my brother too.

If he was home, he would’ve made sure I went to bed on time. But lately, he barely ever comes home.

I reach my locker and begin shoving books I won’t need into it. It's better to carry a lighter bag around this place, especially since my next class is five flights of stairs away.

I roll my eyes, irritated at the thought of more climbing.

Another reason to sleep later. But I know I can’t. If I want to graduate, I need to do well in school. My parents expect me to, and I can’t let them down.

As I mutter complaints under my breath, I hear voices. Familiar voices. Not far away.

When I turn, I spot my brother Hyungwon first, his brown hair sticking out among the crowd. He’s not alone, though. Josh is walking beside him, and they seem deep in conversation.

When my brother catches my gaze, the smile on his face vanishes like a bolt of lightning, replaced by a mix of nervousness, guilt, and shock.

I narrow my eyes at him, warning him with a glare. They can’t run now that I’ve spotted them. After the party, they disappeared without a word, and Hyungwon hasn’t been home since. I need to confront him about it.

When he sees my serious expression, Hyungwon knows he's in for a long conversation. I watch as his Adam’s apple bobs with a nervous gulp. I slam my locker shut and start toward them.

But then, to my surprise, he starts running.

"Hey!" I shout, caught off guard. I didn’t expect them to bolt. I’m not that scary when I’m angry, am I? Why are they running?

But now that they are, I’m more determined than ever to find out what they’re hiding.

They’re fast. Really fast.

They’re tall, and I’m not. At this rate, I’ll have to corner them another time since my next class starts in five minutes.

I stop in my tracks, watching my brother and Josh disappear around a corner. Groaning, I turn on my heel and head to my next class.

"After school," I mutter under my breath, tightening my grip on my bag strap. They won’t escape me then.

---

**A Few Hours Later**

The sky is painted with shades of orange and gold, the color of hearths and tangerines. It’s the reflection of dawn, the promise of a new day after the quiet night.

I was right about the weather. It’s perfect.

Now that class is over, I race toward the school gates, praying that my brother hasn’t left yet. If I miss him, I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to see him again. I need answers. He disappeared the same time as the others, so I’m a hundred percent sure he’s been with them all this time. If he denies it, I’ll bite his finger off.

To my surprise, Hyungwon is standing by the gate with Josh. They seem to be waiting for someone.

I ignore Josh’s wide smile and wave and instead grab Hyungwon’s earlobe. He deserves the pain. He’s been MIA for days. Does he think it’s okay to leave a minor alone at home in a house meant for four people? I still get scared of the dark in my own closet.

"Ow! Eira, wait! I can explain!" Hyungwon winces, trying to pry my fingers off. But I’m not making a scene—at least not here at school.

I roll my eyes, letting go. Hyungwon mutters some colorful words while rubbing his ear, glaring at Josh, who’s trying to stifle his laughter.

"Where have you been?" I demand, my face hardening. "Why didn’t you come home? Do you know how many excuses I had to make to Mom and Dad for you?"

Hyungwon’s eyes widen. "You didn’t tell them I skipped school, right?"

He looks terrified, hoping I didn’t blow his cover. I run a hand through my hair, frustrated, before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. Even though I can be scary, I’m not that bad.

Josh clears his throat and nudges Hyungwon’s elbow, giving me a quick glance. I catch the silent exchange between them, but I don’t press it.

"Eira, can you come with us?" Hyungwon asks after a moment, straightening his back.

"Where?" I ask, annoyed. He hasn’t answered my question yet, and now he’s asking me one?

"You see," he trails off, and I raise an eyebrow. He rubs the back of his neck, avoiding my gaze, as if trying to find the right words.

"Callyx wants to see you."

"His fever is gone, and he really wants to see you," Josh adds, giving me a smile. It’s not as bright as usual, though.

That’s it?

I almost laugh at how ridiculous they sound. They’re nervous because Callyx wants to see me?

"About time," I mutter under my breath, clutching my bag strap as I head toward Callyx’s house.

Josh suddenly grabs my wrist, stopping me. I turn, eyebrow raised.

He points to a path leading toward a forest. It’s hidden from view, but I know where it leads.

"Before you start asking weird questions, they have a hideout," Hyungwon explains, but I cut him off.

"And why didn’t I know about this?"

I’m their friend, shouldn’t I have known? But it’s probably just their escape—guys need their own space. Now that I think about it, it doesn’t matter.

"Can we go now?" Josh says, glancing at his watch. His voice sounds almost desperate. Why?

Although I tell myself it doesn’t matter that they’ve kept this hideout a secret, I’m still a little hurt. Maybe it’s just the stress from school getting to me.

"No. If Callyx wants to see me, he can show up at my house," I tell them firmly. "I’m going home."

I turn to leave, but I hear them sigh before catching up with me. Halfway home, I can’t take the silence anymore.

"Hyungwon." I call.

"Yeah?"

"Carry me."

"No thanks," he grumbles, avoiding my gaze.

"But I’m tired." And I’m not lying. It takes an hour to walk to school from home. Normally, my brother would give me a ride, but lately, he’s been missing in action.

Why don’t I take public transportation?

There’s a reason. My brother doesn’t trust me with money—worried I’ll waste my allowance on junk. He keeps the rest and swears he’ll give it to me when I’m older.

I wonder how long that’ll take.

Our parents run the fourth richest company in the country, while Callyx’s parents are third.

I didn’t take public transportation because he forgot to give me money.

"Please?" I pout, pleading.

"I can give you a piggyback ride if you wa—" Josh starts, but I cut him off by jumping on his back.

The perks of having guy friends. If my brother won’t give me a ride, at least one of them will. I wrap my arms around Josh’s neck, chin resting on his shoulder.

"I didn’t know you worked out," I comment, surprised by the firmness of his muscles.

Josh smirks, glancing behind him. "Now you know." He secures me in place and continues walking.

A few minutes later, his phone rings, and he picks it up. He manages to keep carrying me with one arm, but I hug him tighter just in case I fall.

"Hello?" It’s Mark, sounding frustrated. "Where are you? You were supposed to bring Eira—"

Josh interrupts with a loud laugh. "We decided to stop by Eira’s place for a while."

I almost slip, and Josh jumps to steady me, releasing a grunt in the process.

"What was that? Where’s Eira?" Mark asks, concern in his voice.

"I’m here," I reply. "You all better have a good explanation for why you didn’t show up to school these past few days. Sitting in class with no one to talk to really sucks."

"Is the phone on speaker?" Mark asks.

Josh hesitates. "Uh... no. I’m giving her a piggyback ride, but it seems like little missy here doesn’t understand what privacy means."

"A piggyback ride?" Mark says, confused.

I can hear another voice on the other end.

"Who’s giving a piggyback ride to who?"

Mark sighs. "It’s nothing, Callyx. Josh just gave Eira a piggy—"

"You’re joking." Callyx sounds angry. "Tell her to put her down now, or I swear—"

Josh cuts off the call before I can hear more, stuffing his phone in his pocket and continuing to walk in silence.

I can’t help but wonder—why did Callyx sound so possessive?