Ahrin Lee | the hated member

A Day Taken by Chance: Milan 3

Ahrin woke up to the sound of games. She could hear the sound of a racket hitting the shuttlecock and then Han screaming - "HYUNJIN YOU ARE TALLER UNFAIR ADVANTAGE"

Then she could hear Chan talking to someone on the phone just from the corridor outside - "yeah....this place is....true true..."

She stood up lazily and walked into the washroom. She almost fell asleep while brushing. Ahrin splashed cold water on her face, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, watching the water drip off her chin. Dark circles framed her eyes, a result of restless nights and the constant feeling of being an outsider in this house.

She sighed, knowing that she had to face them again. It wasn't like she had a choice. They were her housemates, but none of them ever made her feel welcome. She could still remember the way it all started, how small slights and cold shoulders had grown into something bigger. Something worse.

After getting ready, she hesitated before stepping out of the washroom. She could still hear the sound of the game outside — rackets clashing, footsteps thudding, and Han's annoyed yells about Hyunjin's supposed "unfair advantage."

"I don't even know why they still bother with me being here," she muttered under her breath. She walked out of her room, keeping her head low as she passed through the hallway, hoping to stay unnoticed.

When she entered the living area, Hyunjin and Han were locked in their badminton match, oblivious to her presence. Hyunjin, tall and graceful, was dominating the game, easily swatting the shuttlecock past Han every time. Han's frustration was clear as he stomped his foot, throwing a glare at Hyunjin before catching his breath.

"Seriously, how am I supposed to win when you have, like, six extra inches on me?" Han complained, though his voice had a playful edge.

Hyunjin smirked, but before he could respond, his eyes flickered towards Ahrin for just a second. His expression hardened, the brief look of amusement wiped away, replaced by something cold and dismissive. He didn't say anything to her—didn't need to. The look was enough. She turned away, heading toward the kitchen.

Inside, Chan was still talking on the phone, pacing back and forth. His voice was quiet but tense. She could hear bits of the conversation.

"Yeah... no, I'll figure it out. It's just hard with her here. You know how it is."

Ahrin's stomach twisted. She knew who he was talking about. It didn't take much to put it together.

Trying to ignore the tightness in her chest, she opened the fridge and reached for the carton of milk, but her hand stopped midway. There was a note stuck to the fridge door in bold letters:

"This isn't yours, Ahrin. Buy your own."

She clenched her jaw, staring at the note. She wasn't sure who had written it this time—it could have been any of them. It didn't even matter anymore. This had become routine. But she hadn't expected the routine to follow her in Milan.

Grabbing a glass, she poured some water instead. As she took a sip, she could hear Chan wrapping up his call in the next room.

"I'll call you later, alright? Gotta deal with this situation first." His voice trailed off as he hung up.

He turned, seeing Ahrin standing there by the counter. For a moment, he looked like he might say something, but instead, he just gave her a curt nod before walking past her into the living room, joining the others.

As if sensing something was off, Han's voice piped up from the living room, "Hey Chan, is everything good?"

"Yeah," Chan replied, his tone casual. "Just some... annoying stuff."

Ahrin knew exactly what he meant. She wasn't part of their group—she never had been. She was just a guest that had overstayed her welcome.

Her stomach knotted tighter, but she forced herself to drink her water. There was no use in confronting them. She had tried once before, and the fallout from that conversation had only made things worse. Now, she just kept her head down and avoided conflict. It was easier that way. Less painful.

The sound of laughter broke through the tension in the room as Hyunjin finally lost a point, Han cheering like he'd just won a championship.

"Yes! Finally got you, giant!" Han shouted, pointing his racket in mock triumph.

Ahrin lingered in the kitchen for a while, not really wanting to go back to her room, but also not wanting to face them out there. It was always the same. They were a tight-knit group, and she was the unwanted extra. A shadow, hovering on the edge of their lives.

Suddenly, the noise in the living room stopped. There was a brief silence before Han called out, his voice laced with sarcasm, "Hey, Ahrin, you should come join. We could use someone to make Hyunjin feel even better about himself."

Laughter followed—sharp and biting. She swallowed hard, her grip tightening around the glass.

It wasn't an invitation. It was a reminder. A reminder that she was the joke. The outsider.

She felt her phone ping and rushed to her bedroom to change.