Picture Day

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It was picture day at school today, and I was feeling pretty good about how things went. I mean, as good as one can feel about a photo where you have to do those silly poses. You know, standing one way and then turning to look at the camera? It felt ridiculous, but I guess that's just part of it.

When I got home, I went straight to the kitchen where Mum was busy with dinner. I dropped my bag by the door and plopped down at the table, eager to tell her about my day.

"Hey, Mum," I said, "you wouldn't believe how silly the school photo poses were today. They had us standing one way and then turning around to face the camera. Like, who even thinks of this stuff?"

Mum looked up from the stove with a smile. "Really? Let me see how you did it."

I grinned and stood up, demonstrating the pose. I turned my body slightly to the side and then looked over my shoulder, giving the same smile I had in the photo. I felt good about it, thought I looked nice.

"Is that how you smiled in the photo?" Mum asked, watching closely.

"Yeah, that's the one," I said, trying to sound confident.

She paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. "And you want me to buy a photo of you looking like that?"

My heart sank. I'd been feeling good about my smile for once, but now it felt like she was taking a jab at me. My cheeks flushed as I bit my lip, trying to hold back the sting. I quickly glanced away, not wanting her to see the hurt in my eyes.

"Yeah," I mumbled, barely above a whisper. "I guess."

Mum sighed, not noticing how her words had hit me. "Well, you know how picky I am about your smile. It's just—"

I cut her off, my voice trembling. "It's fine, Mum. I'll just keep it."

Without waiting for her response, I turned and walked out of the kitchen, my throat tight and eyes starting to well up. I bit my lip hard, trying to stop the tears. I just wanted to get away from her, away from the constant critique that seemed to follow me every time we took a photo. It felt like no matter how hard I tried, it was never quite right for her.

I headed to my room and shut the door behind me, sitting on the edge of my bed and staring at the floor. I felt a lump in my throat and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. My smile had always been something I struggled with, and today's picture was just another reminder of how hard it was to get it right.

(A/N quiz: Is this chapter about me or changbin?)

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