Butterfly Effect | Han Taesan

8.

That evening, Saneul returned to her shared apartment, but instead of being greeted by her loving best friend, she found her parents waiting in the living room with a nervous looking Jinny sitting next to them.

The atmosphere was tense, as it often was these days. Her father's stern expression meant that she was in for a long conversation.

"Saneul, we need to talk."

She felt a familiar knot form in her stomach. Her blood started boiling. Was the conversation they had earlier that day not enough for them? Did they have to travel all the way to Seoul just to reprimand her?

"About what?"

"Your grades," her mother said, voice tight, showing that they meant serious business. "And your major. We've been over this, and we've decided that it's time you reconsider your choices."

The same old conversation. Saneul took a deep breath, trying to steady herself and prevent herself from exploding right there and then. "I'm doing fine. I know what I'm doing."

"No, you don't," her father interrupted. "You're wasting your time and our money on a degree that won't get you anywhere."

"Frankly, I don't get why the two of you are so pressed when it comes to my degree. Why are the two of you so adamant on making me change my degree?" She paused to make sure she did not curse them out.

"It's not like you're the ones taking it for me. Are you the ones doing my assignments for me? No. You guys don't know how hard this degree is because you have never taken it before. How- How can you guys be so close minded and bias-"

Before Saneul could continue her sentence, a loud slap was heard, echoing across the room so loud that people who lived on that level could hear that whole argument.

"Do not speak to us that way. Did moving to Seoul make you forget your manners? We are your parents. Watch your mouth young lady."

The argument escalated, voices rising and emotions running high. Saneul felt trapped, her parents' disapproval weighing heavily on her.

"Please leave. I will not be continuing this conversation. And for your information, I am not wasting your money since I applied for a scholarship and was granted a full scholarship."

She retreated to her room, slamming the door behind her. Tears streamed down her face as she sat on her bed, feeling utterly alone. She sat there crying until she finally heard her parents leaving.

"Sannie.... are you ok?" Saneul heard Jinny say from behind her door.

She did not reply, unable to trust her own voice. The next few minutes was spent listening to Jinny comfort her from behind the door, encouraging her to continue her passion and ignore her parents complaints.

As Jinny retreated to her own room, Saneul sat there in her own thoughts. All she wanted was for her parents to understand her. Forget parental love, she just wanted freedom.

In a moment of desperation, she pulled out her phone and found Taesan's contact. They had exchanged numbers at the convenience store, promising to stay in touch and make plans to meet up. She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the call button. Would he think she was too forward? But she needed someone to talk to, someone who wouldn't judge her.

Riku had night classes while Jaehyun stayed back to perfect his choreography. Of course she could have gone to Jinny, but the poor girl just witnessed her best friend getting slapped by their parent, and she knew Jinny had an exam tomorrow morning. She did not want to trouble her friends too much.

She pressed the call button after much thought.

"Hello?" Taesan's voice was warm and calm.

"Hi... it's me... Sanuel. I'm sorry to bother you, but... can we talk?" her voice the complete opposite of his. It sounded stressed and sadness lingered as she spoke.