CHOICE - Park Seonghwa

chapter one

"Siyeon, you need to come down now! The driver is already waiting for you to pick you up to school, hurry!" I heard my mom shouting from the living room. While putting on my lipgloss, my new blush and a decent amount of glitter under my eye I am making my way downstairs to the main entrance. I was about to go when I checked the living room again, seeing my mom not carrying enough about me to say goodbye. I looked down and began to walk to the limousine, which was waiting for me.

"Good Morning Miss Park Siyeon, had a great night?" my driver was asking me while I grabbed a lemonade out of the car-fridge. "Morning Dae, exactly." I always answer in short sentences, that helps me more to focus on my studies... well, that's how my mom defined it.

Looking outside the window, i'm taking my stuff with me and open the door of the limousine to walk to my school which was directly in front of me. A big lightly brown castle with green flowers on its side, a big green schoolyard with a fountain in the middle. Before i stepped inside the schoolyard, I quickly fixed my hair and used my lipgloss again which was in a shiny rosé tone. *Breathe in, Breathe out* that helps me to relax and to put on my poker face. Not in a bad way tho.

As I was walking through the yard I felt everyone's eyes on me, everyone talked about me and everyone took photos of me. I was so annoyed by it but I played it off cool and kept smiling. No, I am not a celebrity... my parents are just known for money and their beauty. "Siyeon please take one picture with me" I heard a little boy asking me and I of course accepted his offer. "Thank you so much Siyeon, you look so pretty and you are so sweet! I'm sure you'll choose to become part of the sweet and elegant faction like your parents did!"

I laughed it off and send everyone to their class since I also needed to go to my room. "like your parents did!" this sentence is permanently in my head and it physically destroys me but no one ever notices it.

As I was walking to my classroom I got a message from my dad.

Dad:
I expect you to be at home after school immediately, your new tutor is waiting for you

Siyeon:
Of course

Looking at his text makes me throw my phone somewhere but away from me. For him my studies are way more important than I will ever be, what kind of dad does that.

Looking up from my phone, I saw the entire class watching me and I gave them a forced smile as if nothing happened.  "Ahh Siyeon, i've been waiting for you!" My friend Jiyoon ran to me and checked on me if i'm okay since i'm a little late to class. "Don't worry, just overslept a little" I replied and obviously lied. How could I tell someone what's really going on in a 'perfect family'.

I bow to the teacher for my delay to class and sat down. There are three rows with 7 desks in the room with me owning the last desk in the middle row. I looked to my left, there's usually always a super smart and nerdy boy but today it seems like he's skipping classes or is sick, well I don't care. And on my other side there's..... ah there's this handsome guy. I admire him since first grade but except for my friend Jiyoon and my other male friend Keeho everyone is just using me for my money and because i'm 'oh so popular'. I'm afraid that the guy on the right only 'loves' me for my life situation and how it looks like on the VOGUE or on TV... in case we would ever get to talk. It's like, everyone knows my name but I don't know theirs.

"Last week we wrote the history exam and I'm glad to announce that Park Siyeon got the highest rank in our school, a total of 100%" My teacher congratulated me while I was shaking her hand. I turned around and saw everyone cheering and clapping for me, but there was not even a little spark of happiness in me. I've been writing 100% for years but only because of my parents. They don't want that I ruin their image so they give me every month a new tutor who teaches me every day after school for three hours. This stress is hard to handle when you're not used to it, but i'm trying to focus and stay calm.

When I sat down I felt someone's gaze on me and I looked around. No one even looked a little bit in my direction except for... "Congratulations". I was shocked by the sudden congrats from that handsome guy. "Oh thank you....?" "Ah, my bad. My name is Seonghwa". Seonghwa, what a beautiful name. As I said, i do not know any names but everyone knows me. "I'm Siyeon"
"I know who you are" and with that the conversation sadly ended but oh I wish someone would not know me .

Trying to look at him for a second time I saw him taking a nap. I hold my one hand on my face and put my elbow on the desk so I could watch him in a better position when he suddenly opened his eyes and looked at me again. "Why are you looking at me" he asked me and I turned more pink than my blush already was and immediately looked away.

*I can't be in love, I need to focus on my studies*