36 The Series of Complaints...

The days were passing. Mia was busy in her own little world, she had created for herself.

Due to the project work, Gyuri and Mia were not able to spend much time together as they used to do.

In the last few days, Hana was becoming closer to her. Both of them would spend time together a lot.

First, Hana came to Mia to clear some of her doubts in the studies and after that, they became pretty close.

Hana was a shy person, who wouldn't go and talk with anyone else on her own.

So Mia was the only girl, whom she called her friend.

Because of Mia, Hana got to know other classmates also. Though Hana was more comfortable around Mia, she became familiar with Min Anha, Choi So Hee, Kim April, Song Min Jee and Go Gyuri also.

When Mia introduced Hana to Gyuri, she noticed that Gyuri was a bit upset after that.

Mia asked her afterward, "What is wrong Gyuri?"

Gyuri didn't say anything for a while.

"Are you two really close?"

"Who? Me and Hana?"

"Yeah."

"Why are you asking like that?"

"It's just that….I don't like her."

"Huh? And why is that?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? There must be some reason for you to hate her."

"No…It's not like that…"

"She is a really nice girl, Gyuri. But why don't you like her?"

"Everyone is nice to you Mia. You will go and talk with a stranger also.

You'll just trust anyone. And befriend everyone. "

As Gyuri said it with her upset voice, she turned back and left the classroom.

'Huh? What just happened? What is wrong with her?' Mia thought as she looked at the door from where Gyuri got out and then she looked at Hana's seat which was in the front row.

Hana was busy arranging her things and putting them back in her bag.

Mia just couldn't help but sigh.

~

A few days later,

"Gyuri….Gyuri?" Mia was calling her name but Gyuri didn't stop.

Mia ran and caught her hand.

"Wait, what happened? Why are you acting like that?"

"Why don't you ask your new best friend, Hana about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hana came to me yesterday and she said that you don't want to be friends with me anymore."

"What? What are you talking about?

Hana would never do this."

"So do you mean that I am lying?" Gyuri said as she started walking again.

"No. No. That's not what I meant." Mia started following her.

"But, Hana….I mean….I don't think…that…."

"She really said it!"

"Okay..okay…But why?

I mean, what did she say? Why I don't want to be friends with you anymore?"

"Cause, I'm working with Ray," Gyuri said hurriedly.

"What? What non-sense!

Wait, I'll talk to her." Mia said and she turned back to go but Gyuri stopped her and pulled her hand.

"No…No…Don't ask her…"

"Huh? But why? I must ask her why did she talk with you like that."

"No…Don't do it…

Actually…Um….She told me that….not to tell anyone…but I told you….

And she wanted us to be apart, just like that…"

"What the hell are you talking about?

How would we know, what she is thinking if we don't ask her?"

"No..No..Mia. Don't ask her. Please."

Mia was now really confused. But looking at Gyuri's face like that, she agreed not to talk with her about this.

And when she agreed to it, she saw Gyuri's relieved face which made Mia even more confused.

~

Next day,

"Is it true Mia?"

Startled by this loud voice, Mia took out her head from the book she was reading.

"I can't believe she said all those things."

Mia saw So Hee's angry face, right in front of her table.

"What are you talking about?" Mia was puzzled by this.

"Did Tae Hana, your best friend say that I put on an act in front of everyone?

And I am an arrogant and full of myself kind of a person?"

"Huh? Who told you that?"

"That's not important.

But how dare that stupid girl, talk about me like that."

So Hee clenched her fists.

"I think…you are misunderstood here…."

"No, I'm not. Now I'll teach her a proper lesson. Just wait and see." So Hee turned back and walked out of the classroom.

"Hey…Wait…So Hee…", Mia called out but she was already gone.

'Hana said those things? That's not possible….' Mia thought as she looked at Hana's empty seat.

~

Sports class was about to finish, so everyone was heading towards the changing room.

"Mia? Can we talk for a minute?"

Mia turned back and saw April standing there.

"Yes? What is it?"

Mia became worried as she saw April's pale face.

"Umm…Actually…Can you stay away from Hana..?"

"Now what happened?", Mia was getting sick of this.

Everyday a new complaint about Hana would come to her.

But even though people would tell her anything, Mia couldn't believe all this, whenever she would look at Hana's innocent face.

.

"She said that I act cute in front of guys intentionally.

And I am an attention seeker….!" April said looking down.

Mia sighed.

"Who told you these things?"

"I donno….but just everyone is talking about me like that.

I don't like it. She is just spreading the rumors.

First, she did it with So Hee and now with me."

Mia couldn't understand what she should do.

"I'll…I'll talk to her…" Mia said.

"No..Don't tell her anything about this….Or she'll think, that I complained about her to you…And she'll spread more rumors about me…."

'What on earth is going on around me?

They complain about her but when I say, I'll talk to her, they just refuse…

What is wrong with these people…?'

Mia knew this was coming, because others had also said the same thing to her.

"Okay, April…I'd see what I can do…."

"You should probably break friendship with her…"

"Huh?"

"That's what others are saying….Because of her, you have to go through all this…Plus you are being humiliated as you are her only friend."

April said like she has given her the best advice, that is to break friendship with Hana.

Mia rubbed her forehead.

'This is getting really frustrating now…' She thought.

"Okay..I'll see what I can do…", Mia said again as she sighed loudly.

"Okay then. See you." And April went away, leaving Mia tangled in her own thoughts.

~

After school, when Mia was about to sit on her bicycle to go, someone called her name.

"Um…Mia?"

Mia looked to the direction from where the voice came, she saw Hana standing there.

Mia's face frowned a bit.

"Do you have some time to talk?" Hana asked as she kept looking down.

"Umm…Yeah..What is it?"

"Do you…Do you hate me or something?"

Hana said as she took her head up, her eyes were filled with tears.

"Huh? No…No…I don't hate you…" Mia said hurriedly.

"…Then…Why are you not talking with me lately…" And with those words, she started crying loudly, just like a little kid.

"I..I don't…have any friends….You are the only…person…I can call as a friend…But…Past…few days…you are not talking with me like…you used to…do-"

Hana was talking and crying at the same time..

Mia couldn't understand what she should do. Looking at her crying like that she quickly kept her cycle on the stand and went close to her.

"Hana…Hana…Listen…Don't cry…Please don't cry…"

Mia kept patting gently on her back.

"I was just..busy with some things…That's why I couldn't talk to you much…Sorry…I'm sorry…"

After some time, Hana calmed down a bit.

"But our classmates are also behaving weird these days.

Before, they would talk to me a few words or at least greet me in the morning…

But..I don't know why…Whenever I enter the classroom, the girls start to whisper something between them and then give me a very mean look…I just can't understand…What is going on…?"

Hearing her words, Mia started thinking.

'Hmm…'

Somehow, she calmed down Hana and sent her home.

While going home on her bike Mia kept thinking about it.

'I can't understand, what is just going on?

Which side of Hana is true? The side, people are telling me?

Or the side which I saw just now?

Does an innocent girl like her talk about others on their back?'