Original subtitles

[rock music playing]

CHAPTER 42: WHY ONLY HER?

[confrontational music plays]

[Ha-su] What if Mr. Ga finds out what you're doing?

Will you still be able to talk to him like that once he knows the truth?

[Woo-su] Here. Cheer up.

[Ha-su] Wait and see, Yeo Eui-ju.

You're done for.

COUNSELING IN PROGRESS

[music ends]

Tell me. What is it?

I was torn whether to tell you.

But I think you should know who it is.

Someone in our class

is writing a web novel about you.

A BL novel at that.

It's already all over the Internet.

And guess who that is.

It's Yeo Eui-ju.

[tense music plays]

I said it's Yeo Eui-ju.

[sighs]

I know.

You know about it?

But how?

Mr. Ga, are you seriously okay with it? Aren't you offended?

That girl, Yeo Eui-ju, is so creepy and scary.

You really need to read that novel yourself.

Don't tell me.

You already read it too?

And you chose to do nothing about her?

Why, Mr. Ga?

Why do you play favorites with her?

What are you talking about?

Why is it that the only one you care about is her?

I mean, why bother with a girl like that?

The after-school class and her novel…

Why the special treatment?

Someone like her

doesn't need to be someone you worry about.

I think you're sorely mistaken.

She's not an exception.

I would've done the same, even for you.

What you're saying is just a cliché.

My point is,

shouldn't you be focusing more on me than on someone like Yeo Eui-ju?

I'm Eun Ha-su.

I'm the Eun Ha-su!

[breathing shakily]

[sad music playing]

I'll ruin you both.

CHAPTER 43: WHO IS IMUK?

[phone buzzes]

[phone buzzing]

CHECK THIS OUT THIS IS ABOUT OUR TEACHERS?

[buzzing continues]

[tense music playing]

[students chattering]

[Ha-su] Girls, check out this novel.

I hear it's about our teachers,

and the writer goes to our school.

[tense music continues]

-Did you see this? -[clamoring]

I had no idea. What do we do?

WE WERE FRIENDS

-[students shrieking] -Did you see this? Is it true?

That was so insane.

-Oh, my God. -This is insane.

-Come on. Now read it. -[students clamoring]

[music fades]

[grunts]

The letters are way too small.

EPISODE 14

So what did you say this was?

It's a gay romance.

The genre is called BL.

And the main characters are based on our school's new teachers.

They have romantic feelings for each other in the novel.

In the story, Mr. Ga and Mr. Jung

-are in a love triangle over Mr. Yoon. -[exclaims]

Stop, stop. Please, this is enough. Stop.

[sighs] I can't believe what I just heard.

Oh, I feel dizzy. Ugh…

This is clearly defamation

and a violation of our teacher's rights.

If it's shared online where everyone can see it, reporters will wirite about it.

[mischievous music playing]

But, of course…

That can't happen.

I can't stand the thought of my own school

being dragged through that kind of disgusting and disturbing gossip.

[chuckles]

Yes, of course. You're right.

These matters must be handled within the school

as quietly as possible.

Oh, my head.

Not a single peaceful day in this darn school

[sighing loudly]

I'll make sure to take care of this. Don't worry. You can go back to class.

[mischievous music continues]

[grunts]

[music ends]

Huh? [grunts]

It's you, isn't it?

Is it you? Did you really write that novel?

With our teachers as its main characters?

Yeah.

This is nuts.

Go-ya, what happened is--

So that's the reason why you looked so out of it?

You should've told me, at least. You must've been so lonely on your own.

[tender music playing]

Did you think I wouldn't understand you if you told me?

No, Go-ya.

Tha'ts not it.

It's not that I couldn't trust you.

I just…

[sighs]

I think I was embarrassed.

I was ashamed of myself.

I saw your novel got so many views.

You promised you'd tell me first if your piece became a hit.

I'm sorry.

How did you get caught?

How did Eun Ha-su find out about it?

[sighs] I really have no idea.

All I know is that she caught on

a few days ago.

You silly girl. Writing about our teachers?

You're seriously insane.

It's all right. I forgive you

Let's go.

Come on.

[music ends]

"If you don't wanna solve problems,

you can do something else with me."

-[laughs] -Oh, please!

-What now? -Geez.

-Hey. -Eun Ha-su.

[Dan-ji] How can you be so sure that Eui-ju is Imuk?

Huh? Where's the evidence?

Mr. Ga is quoted in the novel word-for-word.

You can tell for yourselves.

What he said during the first day of school is in there too.

Look, to be honest, it's not much of a crime. Okay?

What's wrong with that?

Don't you think

people like her are weird?

Ugh. So creepy.

[scoffs] Hey, to each their own.

Whatever others like is none of your business.

Even so, she shouldn't have written such a story about our teachers.

Imagine someone pairing us up and writing a messed-up story behind our backs.

Maybe she's already writing a lesbian story about our school or something.

-[sighs] -That's freaking creepy

People like that, use freedom of expression

as an excuse and end up as criminals.

Hey…

-[stammers] -We can ask her directly.

-Hi, Eui-ju. -Hi, Eui-ju. Good morning

Good morning.

If this goes to a disciplinary committee, her parents will be told about it

My parents reading my BL novel?

I'd be gone before they do.

-That's true. -[student 1] So true.

Actually, I'd wanna just vanish into thin air.

-[student 2] Agreed. -[student 3] It sure is messed up.

Damn it, you crazy bitch!

[screams]

[students clamoring, screaming]

This is enough!

What's going on?

[clamoring stops]

[student grunts]

[Woo-su] Yeo Eui-ju,

follow me.

[clamoring resumes]

What the hell is wrong with you?

Hang on. Hey stop.

What's wrong with you?

CHAPTER 44: YOU MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS

Mr. Ga.

Just act like you didn't know. Okay?

I don't want you getting in trouble at all because of me.

Since when does a cornered rat worry about the cat?

It's only right that I take responsibility for this.

Just say that…

that…

that you didn't know.

Please, sir.

Act as if you didn't know.

Just like the other teachers, you didn't know anything from the start.

I did all of this on my own.

And, of course,

you have nothing to do with it.

It'll go to a disciplinary committee.

Which in fact is inevitable but be prepared as to what you're going to say.

And how you say it.

Yes, sir.

I'm responsible as well.

I'm partly responsible for this. That's for sure.

But you must take responsibility for your own actions. You can't avoid that.

Yes. I know.

I know you're scared.

You must have regrets and feel embarrassed.

As if your world is falling apart.

But this whole thing is not going to end your life.

You may be feeling like it will.

But it won't.

[gentle music plays]

[sighs]

I don't know how this will all turn out.

But what matters here most is

how you go through this, how you face it and how you handle it.

That's what matters now.

Do you understand that?

Yes.

The principal wants to see you. Let's go.

[Young-hee] What is this?

Explain what in the world this is. How could…

You turned your teachers into fictional characters.

How can a student do this?

This is totally ridiculous.

Ms. Kim, let me…

What does she take us for?

How could a simple student like her ridicule

and make a fool out of her own teachers?

Is that what you call education? It's embarrassing!

[breathes heavily]

I mean, what on earth are kids learning?

They're treating their teachers like toys! [breathing deeply]

[screams] Delete it immediately!

Delete it from the Internet.

Think about our reputation. If the parents find out…

It's an absolute humiliation to our school!

I'm really sorry.

Ms. Kim, I have something to tell you, the truth is--

Save that thought for the disciplinary committee.

And tell her parents to come over.

Tell the other teachers too.

Even [shudders] the ones from your novel.

Yoon Dong-ju, Jung Gi-jeon and Noh Da-ju as well.

[tense music playing]

Ma'am.

You'll be expelled.

I will never let this slide!

MALE TEACHERS' LOUNGE

-[sighs] -Damn.

What is this?

[sighs]

I admire your poor reading comprehension.

What?

All right, listen. So you…

him, and Woo-su,

you guys are all, you know,

involved with each other. Yep.

It's a work of pure delusion,

fueled by some incredibly reckless and crazy fantasies.

What about him and me?

[curious music playing]

Never mind. Just forget it.

I mean…

[Da-ju] Ugh, that little brat!

There was a crazy look in her eyes. I told you.

I'm a great judge of character.

Hey, are you still reading that drivel?

It's been minutes now. So tell me.

is it a freedom of expression or an invasion of privacy?

-Mmm. [sniffs] -Should we go to court?

Is it worth filing a lawsuit or something?

Should I hire an attorney?

I mean, for what charges?

Defamation.

Calm down. Kids can play pranks like this.

Hey, that's dangerous.

-It's dangerous, you know. -[music ends]

This isn't something that can be dismissed lightly.

-Mm-hmm! -No?

Parts of the novel were written word-for-word without permission

I mean, our words and our actions.

Since she didn't get our consent,

we may file a civil lawsuit against her

if it has caused us any harm.

Mm.

There's no clear boundary for how much reality should be in fiction.

But it may become an issue in terms of ethics.

[Da-ju applauding] Hell, yeah.

That's right. What's the occasion, Dong-ju?

You're acting like a hard peach.

not a mushy peach for once. You sound tough as nails, not soft at all.

However,

it won't be much of an issue

if we haven't been harmed.

So, the punishment for Eui-ju

depends on what we all decide.

Mm.

[sighs] Geez.

What did the principal say?

It's a mess, isn't it?

[sighs] There'll be a committee.

You'll have to go too.

According to the Korean education major and published author, Mr. Yoon Dong-ju,

the punishment for Yeo Eui-ju,

will differ depending on how we decide to react.

So what will you do?

How should we punish her?

Hey, Woo-su.

Can you use that smart brain of yours to come up with some cruel punishment.

-Hey. -What?

It's up to each person.

[Dong-ju sighs]

[sad music plays]

Are you okay?

Don't mind the girls.

They'll forget it all in a week anyway.

[sniffles]

[music ends]

[sighs deeply]

[gasps] Oh, Dad.

Hi, Eui-ju. I didn't expect to see you.

I can carry it.

Why do you look so sad? Are you okay?

No, it's just, you know…

I'm just a little tired.

How about you though? You've worked overtime a lot lately.

You're right.

Well, I've got budgets to plan

and complaints from residents to handle.

Argh.

[exhales]

Still, all my fatigue goes away

at the sight of my beautiful daughter.

And it flies and it flies away! [laughing]

Is school hard?

Want some ice cream?

No, thanks. I'm good.

Honey.

I've realized,

from my own personal experience,

that life is about

having to carry a lot of worry and a lot of weight on your shoulders

That's just how it is.

So whatever happens…

don't worry too much.

[tender music plays]

[chuckles, sniffles]

I'm not sure what you're worried about.

But it probably feels like the worst thing that could happen to you in life.

Well, that's understandable.

-When I was your age… -[sniffles]

my whole world fell apart every single day

But looking back, the things that made me cry…

and all the things that made me weep were really…

Not a big deal at all?

No.

I'd be lying if I said they weren't a big deal.

If I look back and think of all the struggles,

uh, every single one of them

kind of stuck to me like armor, piece-by-piece.

And, thanks to that, I became a stronger person.

So, Eui-ju,

just don't push yourself too hard, you know.

Don't try to do too much. And if it gets tough…

Well, you can always take a break.

I'll be right there cheering for you on the side.

I'll be waiting.

Ready to bring you a nice cold glass of water when you need it.

[chuckles, sniffles]

It might be tough right now.

But everything will turn out well.

You'll see.

I guarantee it. Really.

[inhales, sighs]

Well, Dad…

Actually…

I do have something to tell you.

CHAPTER 45: HELLO, THIS IS IMUK

[Mom] What do you think it is?

[whispers] I don't know. Let's wait and see.

What? What are you doing?

What is this?

Eui-ju, you're gonna hurt your knees. Come on.

-Stand up. -[breathing shakily] Mom, Dad.

I write novels online.

Novels?

I've done it since the…

eighth grade.

No one read my novels.

[sighs]

But I found it fun.

It was fun to

write novels and see the characters speak and act however I created them.

So then I just kept writing.

I hated waking up in the morning and going to school.

But I got excited at the thought of writing novels at night.

I…

I know I'm not particularly good at anything.

For someone who wasn't good at anything,

I wasn't interested in anything.

But for the first time,

I found something I liked.

And that…

is writing novels.

Writing novels of all things.

[hopeful music plays]

Like someone I know.

-But… -[sighs]

…what's wrong with that?

The last novel that I wrote

became this really huge hit.

And got so many views and likes.

A famous publisher offered an immediate launch too.

That's amazing.

I'm so proud of you, Eui-ju. Great job, sweetheart.

But the thing is…

that it's about my teachers.

I wrote this novel

with my teachers as, as the main characters.

The school found out about it and…

the principal is holding a disciplinary committee.

What?

This is the novel.

I'm sorry. Read it after I go inside.

[music continues]

[door opens, closes]

A disciplinary committee because of writing a novel?

MURIM GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL

WE WERE FRIENDS HELLO, THIS IS IMUK

[Eui-ju] Hello, guys. This is Imuk.

Today there is something I would like to share with everyone out there.

It is about a novel I wrote called We Were Friends.

The story is based on real people around me.

And I took parts of their everyday lives.

the way they speak, the way they move, their habits,

and interpreted and adapted them as I saw fit to create the story.

But as a writer, I should have been able to create something on my own,

but I failed to do so.

I sincerely apologize.

I've only now realized that my writing may have caused discomfort

and hurt to others. I am truly sorry

I was really happy when I was writing this novel.

-It gave me butterflies. -["Why This Night?" playing]

But that happiness was built on something borrowed.

No, it was actually something taken.

without permission from someone else.

[sniffles]

WE WERE FRIENDS

I'm deleting the entire novel, to take responsibility for my actions

If I ever get another chance to write,

I will make sure

I write a story based on my own struggles,

thoughts and my imagination.

Thank you for your support.

And reading my novel.

HELLO, THIS IS IMUK

I thought

that nothing,

that nothing could ever stop me.

Not the hateful comments.

[sniffles]

The indifference or my own flaws.

None of it mattered.

I believed I could keep writing anytime.

No matter what.

But now I can

no longer…

DO YOU WANT TO DELETE THIS NOVEL?

…be the same as before.

"WE WERE FRIENDS" HAS BEEN DELETED - RETURN TO MY TITLES

["Why This Night?" continues]

[Young-hee] I've asked you to gather here today regarding,

Yeo Eui-ju and her novel about her teachers

[Mom] Your dad and I won't take your side unconditionally.

I believe Eui-ju must learn a lesson from this if she intends to keep writing.

-[vice-principal] She must be expelled! -I told her to keep writing.

It's my responsibility.

Your homeroom teacher won't be coming to school for the time being.

[Eui-ju] How bad is his condition?

[Dong-ju] He probably didn't tell anyone in case they worried.

[Eui-ju] Mr. Ga, why would you do something like that?

[Woo-su] To me, you're…

You are…

[song ends]