A Big Promise

Atelier spends the rest of the day in the library, hiding from everyone else. This, she has become incredibly good at. She knows all the quiet spots, all the areas no one goes to. She would have gone to the second-floor washroom in the old wing, but after what happened earlier, she decides to stay away from washrooms for the time being.

She sits on the carpeted floor, her face buried between her knees. The green plastic bag containing her uniform lies a small distance away from her.

Thunder rumbles outside, a sure sign of coming rain, which she finds comfort in. It is calming, the smell of old books warming, and she has nearly fallen asleep a few times. Maybe she has. She isn't sure how much time has passed since she settled down in this spot.

Footsteps approach her, and she holds her breath, as though if she stays silent enough she would appear invisible.

Something wraps around her shoulders; she startles with a gasp. She looks up at the person in front of her. Jungkook. Who else?

She's speechless. He's without his coat. She feels it weighing down her back.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

She isn't. She doesn't reply, and he understands what that means. He gets down beside her and sighs. "I'm sorry, about what happened. They've really gone too far," he says.

"Don't be sorry. It isn't your fault."

He looks at her with a pained expression. "But did I make it worse?"

Atelier doesn't know how to answer that. The fact is, he might have, but he has personally been nothing but nice to her, and she isn't about to make him feel guilty. "No, you didn't. Really."

"I wish I could do something."

"Mhm."

Silence. Thunder sounds in the distance, and raindrops fall. After what seems like forever, Jungkook takes a deep breath and clears his throat. "Hey, um, Atelier?"

She waits for him to continue. His cheeks seem to have turned two shades redder.

"Do you… will you go to the Graduation Ball, with me...?"

Somewhere in the library, books tumble from the shelves and fall to the ground.

Atelier stares at him. "What?"

"The ball this Saturday. Will you go with me?"

"Why?"

/Why?/ What a dumb response. She wants to kick herself.

"No reason, really. I just..." He looks as nervous as she is surprised. "I'd love to go with you."

She shakes her head. "No – why, why are you being so nice to me?"

It comes out accusatory, but she isn't sure if she meant it that way. She's confused. She doesn't know what to think, how to react. She wants to hug him, but she also wants to run.

"I'm not just doing this because I want to be nice," Jungkook says. He looks a bit hurt. "I meant what I said, that I want to go with you. But it's okay, if you'd rather not come with me –"

"No, I want to!" she cuts in, a bit too eagerly. Jungkook smiles. Heat rises to her cheeks, no doubt painting them a nice shade of crimson. Her heart feels like it's about to explode. "But... I don't belong."

"Is that what they're telling you? That you don't belong?"

"They're right."

"No, they aren't. You're a student here, Atelier. You have every right to attend the Graduation Ball. Don't let them tell you otherwise."

Atelier bites her lip and stares at the ground, counting specks of dust visible to her eyes. "I don't know."

"I understand your reservations, but I promise you, I'll stay by your side. I won't let them hurt you."

That's a big promise to make, but somehow, she trusts him. He has a way of making her feel safe.

She raises her head slowly and meets his gaze with hers.

"Will you at least think about it? You can let me know tomorrow."

Ah, /tomorrow./ The last day of study week. Already she was thinking of excuses to skip school, but he has given her second thoughts. After a quiet moment, she nods.

The bell rings, and they both jump a little. Then he chuckles, and she follows. He seems relieved to hear it. "I have one final class for the day."

"Okay."

"Will you be alright?"

The concern in his voice warms her, and she assures him with a smile. "I'll be fine."

He smiles back. "Then I'll get going."

"Wait, your coat!" She removes it from her back and waits for him to take it off her hands. He does, but drapes it around her again.

"You can have it. You need it more than I do."

---

Atelier isn't in school on Friday. Jungkook sighs as he takes one last glance at the empty hallway, wondering if he'll ever see her again.

---

Mother doesn't probe when Atelier tells her she wants to stay home on the last day of school, which is nice. She would hate to have to explain.

It feels good to have the morning to herself. She takes her time to get up from bed, wash up, and have a small breakfast of biscuits and milk. She cleans and tidies up the house, cooks some lunch for her family to enjoy when they get home, and finally sits down to study.

She grabs her books from her backpack and sees her journal. It reminds her of Jungkook, for some reason. Immediately she feels like a horrible person.

Yesterday, he asked her to the ball. It wasn't actually dream – their conversation in the library really did happen, as evidenced by his coat, which she has kept in pristine condition on her bed – but to Atelier, it is a dream all the same. A dream come true. She would never in a million years /dare/ to wish to go to the Jeron Vidar Graduation Ball with Jeon Jungkook.

This is her chance. Yet, she won't go with him.

In a way, she skipped school because she doesn't know how to face him. She doesn't know how to look him in the eye and turn his invitation down. And she doesn't know how to make him understand that it isn't him; it's her.

She /is/ a Morheim girl. She'll never be able to run away from that, and she won't try anymore. She won't kid herself further by pretending that going to the ball is a luxury she can afford. She won't set herself up to fall and break because dancing with her prince for one night doesn't mean anything, because at the end of the day, she is merely a pauper.

Jungkook is a great guy, Atelier is sure of this. She is glad to have known him, even if only for a few days. He has given her hope that maybe, just maybe, there are more Elites like him. As Shiozu said, maybe they aren't all assholes.

The doorbell rings and interrupts her thoughts. She goes to the door quickly to see who it is. Mostly everyone knows the house is empty at this time of the day, so she doesn't have a clue who it could be. She sure hopes it isn't Jerry, or his son.