"WHAT?" Sitting on the opposite side, facing each other in the middle of an antique-themed room, the two girls shouted in unison as both were shocked of such news.
"You heard me right" "You.." Pointing the tip of his pen to jieun whose reaction remains surprised the moment the words left out his mouth. "I want you to be the one to sing and represent our department for the festival" he paused.
"But s-.."
"This is a favor Miss Lee" the chairman interrupted.
"But uncle I auditioned for the act!" nancy exclaimed. "And just like that, you would just give it to her? She didn't even audition for it!"
"It's Chairman Park, Miss Mcdonie, I do believe we aren't in a place for family matters." He warned with his voice stern and piercing gaze.
" Besides, it was not my sole decision to have you replaced." handing out a piece of paper to the girl whose in rage, nancy's features showed her displease upon reading its content.
"You were disqualified to participate this year's event Miss Mcdonie since you participated and was a runner up last year."The chairman stated as a matter of fact.
Laughing mockingly, nancy ran out a hand on her hair and cast a glance furiously to her side which jieun knew was meant for her.
"Is this some kind of joke?, why just now?"
"I believe it was due to the fact that many departments were doing the same. The essence of the event was to find new potential talents, if everyone chooses the same people who'd be performing that will nullify the purpose"
"But why does it have to be her!" Turning to her. "Does she even have the talent ?" smirking.
Despite the fury and hurtful words thrown at jieun, she refused to meet her eyes, instead she let all the words sink in at the moment. With her hands fidgeting on the sides of her skirt, her focus remained fixed on the ground. She honestly wanted to slap the hell out of this lady but she can't dare to move her hands, maybe she's right. She never has a talent for this, all the time she was working in the shadows and she likes it that way. She was not cut off to something like that.
Somehow it all felt familiar.
"Come on jieun! Why aren't you saying anything." said the girl in a bun, pushing jieun on the chest using her index finger.
"You keep on boasting about how supportive your family is but where are they now?" Said the one with the ponytail.
"Why are you all doing this? I thought were friends?" Jieun cried.
"Friends? You are a show-off jieun! You keep on taking away every opportunity we have!" pushing her with more force than before, jieun fell on the ground. She couldn't believe what she's hearing. All the time she thought they were being supportive to each other. Those moments she felt she has been blessed with trustworthy friends were all part of the disguise.
"I didn't do anything..It was not my f..."
"Yeah right. That's the problem! You didn't do anything but why does it always have to be you!"
Her parents, her friends ,why do they all left at once?
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Jieun was spacing out for seconds when she was snapped back to reality upon hearing the chairman's voice.
