HOPE | BLACKPINK

-3-

The sun smiles at Chaeyoung when her face touches the warmth the sun radiates towards her. The sounds of people interacting and cars beeping flow in and out of her ears. Teenagers rushing to find their friends to walk home with or to just hangout. Teachers making their way to their cars as their job is done for the day, exhausted from the students and little pay they get to deal with ruckus from them. The whole world is passing by her eyes until she realizes she's been standing there for a couple of minutes. Quickly out of instinct she runs home, praying she'll be there on time.

When she's reached her front porch her phone read 3:57 pm. Late. Shes 7 minutes late. The front door opens and she sees the anger in her parents face. Throwing questions at like why she was so late, if she's been hanging around with the smokers at her school, is she trying to revolt against them. Chaeyoung was only 7 minutes late and was already being interrogated. For her mistake she receive punishment which consisted of rereading a book of rules her parents had made for her and receiving whips to her legs. The book of rules had over 200 pages filled with things shes not permitted to do.

Rereading the book was currently the least of her problems as she was about to get beaten. Her mother took her to the living room and instructed her to undress. Chaeyoung without saying a word obliged. She was too used to the treatment she received from them that she knew there was no point in pleading with them. She received a whip to her thighs for every minute she was late. Seven bruises started to form as she put her pants back on and made her way to her room. Not forgetting the scowls on her parents faces.

When entering her room, her face is emotionless. Wanting to sob but knowing she's already been through too many nights of crying herself to sleep she doesn't. She changes out of her clothes and into something more comfortable. Pushing herself to sit at her desk was her hardest challenge as her legs were burning from the hits. At her desks there's picture frames of her and her brother and parents huddled together as she holds up a medal. She placed first in academics after sleepless nights of studying. Everyone in the picture has plastered on smiles seemingly like they were a happy family. When I'm reality it was quite the opposite.

Pressured by her parents to get outstanding grades, she enveloped herself in books and worksheets. She spends 4 hours every day studying just to be some type of worth to them. As night falls she closes her books and tries to go to sleep. Thrashing around in her bed, she's unable to fall asleep. But eventually she stops thinking about what the next day will bring and is at peace.