ROUND 2
1192 Words
---
### *EPISODE 17: ROUND 2*
Sunday smelled like hospital antiseptic and bad coffee.
Yuna’s dad was awake. Tubes everywhere, but his eyes were open.
The first thing he said was: “Who’s the girl with the pink umbrella?”
Yuna, Hana, and Min-jae were all in the room.
“Ji-woo,” Yuna said. “From Seoul Elite. She came yesterday.”
Chairman Choi looked at Hana. Then at Min-jae. Then at the door, where Ji-woo was standing with soup again.
“Hm,” he said. “Be careful, kids.”
No one asked what he meant.
---
Monday. 7:30am.
New seating chart on the board.
Hana stared at it.
Row 3: _Park Min-jae_
Row 3: _Seo Ji-woo_
Row 3: _Kim Hana_
Between her and Min-jae.
“Principal Oh said it’s for ‘better collaboration,’” Ji-woo said, sliding into her seat with a smile. “Isn’t that nice?”
Hana nodded. Her stomach was in knots.
Min-jae didn’t say anything. He just opened his book.
First period. Calculus again.
Ji-woo leaned over. “Hana, can I borrow your notes from Friday? I missed the last 10 minutes.”
“Sure,” Hana said, sliding them over.
Ji-woo’s fingers brushed hers. “Thanks. You have really neat handwriting.”
Across the aisle, Yuna kicked Hana’s chair under the table.
---
Lunch. Library.
Yuna dropped a folder on the table. “Okay. Background check.”
Hana and Min-jae both looked at her.
“Seo Ji-woo,” Yuna said. “17. Seoul Elite. Top 1%. Piano, debate, student council. Dad’s scandal was 3 months ago. She transferred the next week.”
Min-jae frowned. “Why are you investigating her?”
“Because,” Yuna said, “she showed up the day after Director Kang got arrested. And she knew your name before assembly.”
Hana felt cold. “Maybe she just researched.”
“Maybe,” Yuna said. “Or maybe she’s not here for school.”
The library door opened.
Ji-woo. With four coffees.
“I thought you guys might need these,” she said. “Long week, huh?”
She handed one to Hana. One to Min-jae. One to Yuna. Kept one for herself.
“Thanks,” Hana said.
Ji-woo sat down. “So. What are we talking about?”
“Nothing,” Yuna said too fast.
Ji-woo smiled. “Right. Nothing.”
---
After school. 4pm.
Hana stayed late to return books.
The library was empty. Quiet.
She was at the desk when she saw it.
On her calculus notebook. Left on the table.
A note. Folded once.
Red pen.
Her blood went cold.
She opened it with shaking hands.
_“You think you won? This is just round 2. -J”_
The J was looped. Just like Director Kang’s red circle.
Hana dropped the notebook.
“Whoa. You okay?”
Ji-woo. Behind her. Holding a stack of books.
Hana spun around. “Did you see anyone here?”
Ji-woo frowned. “No. Just me. What’s wrong?”
Hana showed her the note.
Ji-woo’s eyes went wide. “What the... Is this about Director Kang? Again?”
“I don’t know,” Hana whispered.
Ji-woo immediately pulled out her phone. “We’re calling Principal Oh. And Min-jae. And Yuna.”
Her hands were shaking too. For real.
---
20 minutes later. Principal’s office.
The note was in a plastic bag. Again.
Principal Oh looked exhausted. “This is a copycat,” he said. “It has to be.”
“Or it’s not,” Min-jae said. “J. Who’s J?”
Everyone was quiet.
Ji-woo sat next to Hana. Not touching her, but close. “I’m so sorry this is happening again,” she whispered. “To you.”
Hana looked at her. Ji-woo looked genuinely scared.
Police came. Took statements. Put another officer outside Hana’s house.
At 9pm, Hana got home.
Her mom was making tea. “You’re safe,” her mom said. “That’s all that matters.”
Hana nodded. But she couldn’t sleep.
---
Tuesday.
Ji-woo didn’t leave Hana’s side.
Walked her to class. Sat with her at lunch. Walked her to the gate.
“Did you tell anyone about the note?” Hana asked her.
“No,” Ji-woo said. “Why?”
“I don’t know,” Hana said. “It just feels like... whoever did this knows everything.”
Ji-woo stopped walking. “Hana. Do you think it’s me?”
Hana didn’t answer.
Ji-woo’s face fell. “Oh.”
She walked away. Fast.
---
That night. Group chat.
Min-jae: _We can’t accuse her without proof._
Yuna: _But she’s the only new person._
Hana: _She looked scared today. I don’t think she’s faking._
Min-jae: _Director Kang was good at faking too._
Yuna: _We need to check her phone records. Or her emails._
Hana: _That’s illegal._
Yuna: _So is sending threatening notes._
Hana put her phone down. Stared at the ceiling.
At 2am, her phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
_“Nice try, sitting between them. But I was here first. -J”_
Hana screenshot it. Sent it.
Then she typed: _It’s not Ji-woo. The text says ‘I was here first.’ Ji-woo just got here._
Min-jae: _..._
Yuna: _Oh._
---
Wednesday.
Ji-woo was back to normal. Smiling. Bringing coffee.
But she didn’t sit as close to Hana anymore.
Between classes, Hana caught up to her. “Ji-woo.”
Ji-woo turned. “Yeah?”
“I’m sorry,” Hana said. “For thinking it was you.”
Ji-woo smiled. Sad. “It’s okay. I would’ve thought it too.”
She started walking again. Then stopped.
“Hana. Can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“Do you... like him?”
Hana blinked. “What?”
“Min-jae,” Ji-woo said. “Do you like him?”
Hana’s face went red. “I— That’s not—”
“It’s okay,” Ji-woo said quickly. “You don’t have to answer. I just... I liked him too. At Seoul Elite.”
She walked away before Hana could respond.
---
Friday. Rain again.
Last period. The lights flickered. Then went out.
The whole school went dark.
“Everyone stay seated,” the teacher said.
Phones came out. Flashlights.
Hana’s phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
_“Look under your desk.”_
Hana’s heart stopped.
She looked down.
Taped under her desk: a small envelope. Red seal.
She ripped it off.
Inside: a photo.
Her house. Last night. 2am.
Her window. Light on.
And written on the back in red pen:
_“Round 2. I see you. -J”_
Hana gasped.
The lights came back on.
Ji-woo was staring at her. From across the room.
And in Ji-woo’s hand: a red pen.
---
_HOOK FOR EPISODE 18:_
Everyone saw it.
The red pen. In Ji-woo’s hand.
Right after Hana found the note.
Principal Oh called her to the office.
Min-jae stood up too.
Yuna grabbed Hana’s arm.
And Ji-woo just smiled.
_“Oh this? I was just grading papers for the teacher.”_
But the pen matched.
The handwriting matched.
Is the new girl the new messenger?
Or is someone framing her?
- Writer
