After Somin finally gets into a prestigious Art university, everything in her life turns upside down. What was once a secure plan to get closer to her boyfriend is now a mess. Her future is unknown, though already stained with heartache.
Will she p...
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Lee Somin
Somin prayed for the rest of the day to disappear while she put herself together in the cold, dark bathroom. The space was clearly in need of reconstruction.
She stood above a cracked porcelain sink, shaking the water out of her cupped hands as she held in sobs. The smeared mirror showed a pathetic girl, face soaked in tears, chest heaving.
The first stream of tears was the hardest to overcome. Distress shook her body as she sobbed uncontrollably. Snot mixed with saliva as the miserable girl wailed in desperation, holding one palm tightly over her mouth to muffle her cries, hoping she would not attract unwanted attention. These episodes weren't new for her, but the broken heart was.
I'm such an awful crier.
One after another each sentence in her head pulled her down more, taking her deeper and deeper into despair.
What the hell am I doing here? She thought back to the day when Cholsu had brought it up.
***
The strong boy sat in the high school dorm room where utilitarian furniture smelled like disinfectant. Somin's table bent under the weight of papers, sketches, and art books with many colorful bookmarks, all open on top of each other. Pencils in various stages of use were sorted by color nearby.
It was late afternoon, and the sun shone a dim orange, lighting up the space. Her table was in the back near the window, next to her small bed where white stars decorated dark blue sheets. One scratched night table kept it all company and a shabby old shelf looming above her bed was full of her books, threatening to collapse. Two beds on the other side reminded her of the two girls who were somewhere outside, busy, living their teenage lives.
"If you want to hang out more, you have to apply or I won't have much time for you anymore." No emotions showed in the stark sculptor's voice.
Just a fact, a bare statement. Cholsu sat sprawled on a squeaking chair, mocking her as he swayed back and forth while Somin frantically started searching for the application process online. Overwhelmed with fear of losing her first love, she didn't think before she acted.
