Cho Sa-rang was so lost in her misery that she failed to notice the shadowy figure watching her from outside the window. It lingered for a moment, as if checking on her, before quietly disappearing into the darkness.

By then, Sa-rang had curled herself into a ball beneath her blanket. She had spent so long drowning in her own thoughts that she no longer knew whether she was angry, sad, or simply exhausted.

Then came a knock.

"Knock, knock."

"My lovely daughter?"

Her mother's cheerful voice drifted through the door.

Sa-rang quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve and sat up. She took a deep breath before opening the door.

Creak.

Her mother stood outside, carrying a plate of freshly cut fruit. Her warm smile hadn't changed since Sa-rang was little.

"There you are," her mother said. "I thought you might be hungry."

At that moment, something inside Sa-rang broke.

Through all the confusion, all the strange numbers and betrayals, she'd forgotten something so obvious.

At least her parents loved her.

Tears suddenly flooded her eyes.

"Mom..."

Before she knew it, she had thrown herself into her mother's arms.

Her mother froze in surprise.

"Sa-rang? What happened?"

But all Sa-rang could do was cry.

Her mother gently stroked her hair, concern filling her eyes.

"It's okay. It's okay. Tell me what's wrong."

After several minutes, Sa-rang finally calmed down.

She couldn't tell her mother about hate values.

Or magical flip phones.

Or mysterious systems threatening her life.

So she lied.

"My crush..." she muttered, avoiding her mother's gaze. "He likes someone else."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized it wasn't entirely a lie.

Her mother let out a sympathetic sigh.

"Oh, sweetheart."

She cupped Sa-rang's face.

"You know, when I was your age, I cried over a boy too."

Sa-rang blinked.

"You did?"

"Mm. Then I met your father." Her mother smiled. "Trust me. If someone doesn't treasure you, then they don't deserve your tears. You'll find someone much better."

Sa-rang laughed softly through her tears.

"Thanks, Mom."

Her mother pinched her cheek.

"That's what moms are for."

Soon, her mother went downstairs to prepare dinner.

Sa-rang ate quietly with her parents before heading to bed early. School would start again tomorrow, and whether she wanted to or not, life had to go on.

The next morning, Cho Sa-rang walked into school with one goal.

Avoid Go Do-yoon.

After seeing the red flip phone in his picture with Kang Ga-eul's reflection, she couldn't look at him the same way anymore.

Every time she spotted his silver hair in the hallway, she immediately turned around.

When he waved, she pretended not to see.

When he called her name, she suddenly became very interested in the posters on the wall.

Unfortunately for her, Go Do-yoon was not blind.

Nor was he stupid.

By lunch, he had noticed.

By the end of fifth period, he had become determined.

And by the time school ended—

"Cho Sa-rang!"

She cursed internally.

Not again.

She quickened her pace.

"Hey!"

His footsteps followed behind her.

"Did I do something wrong?"

She sped up.

"Sa-rang!"

"Why are you avoiding me?"

People in the hallway began looking over.

She wanted to disappear.

"Wait!"

His voice sounded genuinely worried now.

Finally, he caught up and grabbed her wrist.

Sa-rang stopped.

Go Do-yoon immediately frowned.

She had gone pale.

No.

Pale wasn't enough.

It looked as though all the color had drained from her face.

Her eyes were fixed straight ahead.

Frozen.

"Sa-rang?"

Concern flashed across his face.

Following her gaze, he looked up.

And froze too.

Not far away stood Song Seung-il and Choi Joo-kyung.

They were standing far too close.

Close enough that nobody would mistake them for acquaintances.

Close enough that no one would think they were merely connected through mutual friends or rather through their friend whom he was the boyfriend of and she was the best friend of. 

Joo-kyung was laughing.

Song Seung-il leaned down to say something near her ear.

And the smile on her face—

It wasn't one Sa-rang had ever seen when she talked about her best friend.

Go Do-yoon slowly looked back at Sa-rang.

For the first time since he'd met her, he saw something terrifying in her eyes.

Not anger.

Not jealousy.

Not sadness.

It was heartbreak.

And above their heads, invisible to everyone except Cho Sa-rang—

The thick crimson arrow connecting Cho Sa-Rang and Choi Joo-kyung pulsed ominously.

While the arrow between Choi Joo-kyung and Cho Sa-rang had become so dark and heavy that it looked ready to snap.