Kim Sohee has just moved, and thinking she won't make any new friends at school, she meets the most popular group in school. She immediately feels a bond with Park Sunghoon, who has a similar past to her.
𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱: 17 august 2023
𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲...
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AFTER FINISHING DINNER Sunghoon grabs my wrist and drags me somewhere. In the dark corridor I ask him <What is it, Hoon?>
<I just want to talk.> I see his serious vibe on his face. What is he going to tell me? Did I do or say something wrong?
We get to his room and sit on the bed.
<Little star, is something wrong?> She says, taking my hand. <Uhm... I'm fine, why?>
<It's just that I saw your face a little dull, you didn't talk much at the table and you ate little. Are you sure nothing happened before dinner?>
<I just talked to Yoon about what my sister told me. Maybe that's why I was a little upset.>
<I understand.. But you haven't told me yet. I don't think this is the best time, so you can tell me whenever you want. Okay, little star?>
I nod and hug him. Feeling held in her warm arms was all I wanted. Being with him now was all I needed. When I'm with him I feel protected and I'm not afraid of anything. Everything around us disappears.
<Do you know that I love you and I'm always there for you, right? You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything, from the smallest to the biggest. Do you promise me?>
<Yes, I promise.>
His thumb gently strokes my cheek and then kisses me.
I quickly go to my room and find Yoon already starting to get ready. I'm starting too to do my makeup. Then I put on a gray sweater and simple blue jeans.
Let's all go for a quiet walk. When we get home I'm too tired to remove makeup and wash. So the only thing I do is put on my pajamas and fall into bed.
━━━━━━
I open my eyes, look at the time on my phone and it's 2am. I toss and turn in bed, trying to make as little noise as possible so as not to wake Yoon, who is in the bed next to me.
After a while of not being able to fall asleep, I go to the kitchen to fill my stomach. I open the fridge and see a shadow behind me. I jump back and then see her face. It's Sunghoon.
<You gave me a heart attack.> Whisper. He chuckles and then wraps his arms around my waist from behind. <What are you doing here?>
<I'm hungry.> I admit. <I told you to eat.> He says sighing and shaking his head. <And you?> I ask him. <I can't sleep.>
We grab some snacks and sit on the couch, turning on the chandelier which emits a yellow light. As we eat, I wrap my legs around his waist. We play and joke a bit.
Suddenly I become serious. <What is it?> He asks me. <I want to tell you. The thing about my parents.>
<Tell me.> He wraps his hands around my waist. I tell him everything my sister told me. Word for word.
<And lastly he told me the name of that disgusting man..> He raises an eyebrow. <What was his name?>
<Park Baekhyeon.> He loosens his grip on my life. <Sorry, can... can you repeat?>
<Park Baekhyeon.> I hear him swallow, seeing his Adam's apple move as well.
<He.. Sohee.. he was my father.>
I freeze. Huge pools of tears begin to form in my eyes. I get off Sunghoon and look at him intently, without uttering a word. You can't even hear my breathing anymore.
<Come on, Sunghoon. Please don't play these jokes on me.> I say with tears now streaming down my cheeks.
He brings his hand closer to me to dry the tears, but I stop him. <Tell me it's not true. Tell me.>
<Little star...>
He goes to hug me but I get up from the sofa. I start to tremble. Hands, mouth, knees. <Not you. Everyone but you, Sunghoon.>
<Come on, come here. I'm sorry, I-> I shake my head. <Shut up.> I quickly walk towards the dark corridor.
The bathroom door next to me opens and a hand grabs my arm, dragging me into the room. I cover my face so they don't see that I'm crying. <Sohee... you don't have to hide.>
I immediately recognize Riki's deep voice. He strokes my hair and I rest my tear-covered face on his chest. I sob.
<You heard, right?> He pulls me into a hug. <Yes, I heard everything.>
After a while she lowers herself to my height and wipes away my tears. I have all my makeup on.
<Um... where did you put the makeup remover?> I point to a drawer under the sink. He opens it and takes a make-up remover and a cotton pad.
<Don't do it.> I'll stop him. <Why? Do you want to stay with mascara on your cheeks?>
<I can do it later.> He sighs. <You won't have the strength to do it.>
<But I don't want you to see me without make-up.> He sighs more heavily. <How stubborn you are. Come on, stay still.>
He sits me down on the washing machine and begins to remove the traces of mascara on my cheeks and eyes, the blush on my cheekbones and the lipstick on my lips.
<You are beautiful even without make-up.>
━━━━━━
It's morning. I go down to the living room and see Jake and Yoon on the couch cuddling.
<Good morning, little star.>
<Hi Sohee.>
I turn to see Sunghoon and Riki just waking up. When I see my boyfriend I sigh. <Hi Riki!>
I'm starting to avoid Sunghoon now. He always looks for me, he smiles sweetly at me and tries to hug me. I would really like to return his gestures, but I'm afraid.
I'm not mad at him, I mean, I'm not stupid. I know it's not his fault that that man was his father. The fact is that I'm afraid that he might be like him, or at least have something of him.
