Glimpse of Yesterday

Yua made her way through the bustling school corridors, balancing the juice and bread in her hands. She knew her friends would appreciate the little treat she had bought for them during the break. Spotting Hana's classroom, she darted inside, hoping to catch her before she left.

"Hana, hey!" she called out, scanning the room for her friend.

But Hana wasn't there.

"Hey, have you seen Hana?" she asked one of Hana's classmates.

The classmate shook her head.

"No, sorry. She already left with Mia."

Her heart sank at the mention of Mia's name. She knew trouble wasn't far behind when Mia was involved.

"Did they say where they were going?" she pressed, a sense of urgency creeping into her voice.

The classmate shrugged.

"I think they usually hang out on the rooftop during break. But why do you ask?"

Her mind raced as she considered the implications. Mia was notorious for her bullying tactics, and Hana often found herself on the receiving end of her cruelty.

"Thanks," she muttered, already turning to leave.

As she dashed towards the staircase leading to the rooftop, her heart pounding with dread, she froze in horror at the scene unfolding before her.

Two menacing figures had Hana cornered, their hands reaching for her, while Mia sat perched on a nearby bench, a wicked grin playing on her lips as she watched.

Without a moment's hesitation, Yua's instincts kicked in. She spotted a broom lying nearby and grabbed it, her hands trembling with rage and with a primal scream, she lunged towards Mia, swinging the broom with all her might.

The makeshift weapon connected with a resounding thud, catching Mia off guard as she let out a piercing scream of pain and surprise.

As Mia's scream pierced the tense air, she turned her wrath towards the two men who had failed to protect her.

"Why aren't you doing anything? You were supposed to protect me!" she screeched, her face contorted with fury.

The two men exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions shifting from confusion to resignation. Finally, one of them spoke up, his tone tinged with sarcasm.

"Sorry, Mia, but you see, Yua made us copy the last exam, which is the only reason we passed."" he muttered, his voice laced with bitterness.

The other man nodded in agreement, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Yeah, sorry, Mia. Looks like you're on your own this time."

With that, the two men turned on their heels and sauntered away, leaving Mia seething with rage and embarrassment. As they passed by her, they waved sarcastically, bidding her farewell in a mocking tone.

"Bye, Mia," they called out, their voices dripping with insincerity.

Mia's face flushed crimson with humiliation as she watched them go, her pride wounded and her fury boiling over. She had been abandoned by her own lackeys, left to face the consequences of her actions alone.

Mia's expression contorted with rage, her eyes blazing with hatred as she struggled to regain her composure.

"You'll pay for this, Yua! You and that pathetic friend of yours!"

"You won't touch either of us ever again," she replied. 

With a final glare of defiance, she turned her back on Mia, helping Hana to her feet and leading her away from the rooftop.

"I'm sorry. It was my mistake in believing them," Hana said as she began to cry.

"For god's sake, this is the third time," she said, feeling disappointed by what Hana had done. 

Hana was extremely naive, and as a result, she was often duped and used by someone.

"I'm tired of babysitting you; you're already old enough; please stand up for yourself; don't be too stupid to be fooled so easily," she exclaimed, her final straw. 

"I'm sorry, please don't hate me," the weeping Hana pleaded, afraid of being hated by the only person she had. 

"But I've always hated you," she said sternly, before leaving the room. 

Yua's cold words stunned the devastated Hana. 

She will never say something like that. 

She loves me.

I know she still loves me.

She doesn't hate me,

Please do not hate me...

-.-

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Hana was outside Yua's classroom, waiting for her class to be dismissed so they could go home together.

Hana greeted Yua cheerfully who made a 'tsk' sound, annoyed by her optimistic attitude.

"It's so embarrassing that I'm the only one who got the answer wrong," she pouts, saddened by what had happened in their class earlier. 

As they continued walking, she looked at Yua, who was uninterestedly looking at the road. Yua turned a glanced at Hana, who had suddenly stopped babbling, prompting Hana to give her a grin and an embrace.

"I knew it! You don't hate me," she remarked gleefully, realizing that Yua still cared for her.

Yua sighs, turning away from the beaming Hana.

At 5 p.m., the two board the bus. As the two continued to converse, the others on the bus began to panic. The intrigued Yua looked around and realized that the driver was having difficulty stopping the running bus, the screaming passenger, the prayers, and the crying newborn. 

That's when she noticed the bus had lost control. 

"Yua, are we going to die?" Hana, frightened, was about to cry. She looked at her and smiled. 

"No, we were not," she replied affirmatively, calming the terrified Hana.

No.

She was scared.

She was anxious!

She also calls for comfort.

But with Hana around, she needs to be bold. Be brave for her, not for herself. 

Yua maintained a brave, unconcerned expression. But deep inside. She was afraid. 

With a sickening lurch, the bus veered off the road, its tires skidding on loose gravel as it plummeted downward, the screams of the passengers echoing through the air.

Time seemed to stand still as the bus tumbled down the steep slope...

"H-Hana," she muttered. Despite her exhaustion, she continued to look and roam around for Hana, who was out of sight. 

It was a dark, frigid night. The blood was everywhere, and the lifeless body was lying all over the place. 

Yua continued to look for her friend, despite her tiredness, and when she saw Hana in the distance, she hurried towards the lying Hana with all her strength. 

She kneels to see her up close. She checked out its pulse and was devastated, as she felt nothing. Her friend Hana was lifeless. 

She felt the depth of her sorrow as tears streamed down her face. 

If she died, I'd be alone. 

It was a cold night, yet her body felt hot. As she touched her stomach, she felt something sharp, and when she glanced down, she discovered that something had been stabbed into her. She blurted blood and then she looked at the moon, she knew she was about to die. 

"So pretty" she muttered, referring to the moon.

She does not want to die, but she rather die, knowing Hana will never be around. 

'If she dies, please allow me to die with her.'

-.-

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