Between the Lines | Riize Wonbin

Chapter 18: Echoes of disappointment

Juhee sat on the edge of her bed, her laptop open before her, but the words on the screen were nothing but a blur. Midterm results-the subject line was as ominous as a dark cloud hanging over her head. When she finally summoned the courage to look, reality hit her like a punch to the gut. Her grades were below average, a steep drop from what her parents expected, and the weight of their expectations crushed her.

The turmoil of the last few weeks came crashing down. The argument with Jaehyun, the unresolved tension with Wonbin, and now this-her disappointing grades. It felt like the world was closing in on her, suffocating her, and this was the final straw.

"Juhee! Dinner's ready!" Her mother's voice echoed from downstairs, pulling her from her spiraling thoughts.

With a resigned sigh, she closed the laptop and pushed herself off the bed. She knew what awaited her in the dining room, and with every step, the dread deepened. She felt like a condemned prisoner walking to her execution.

As she entered the dining room, Jaehyun was already seated, engrossed in his phone, his indifference a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside her. Her father sat at the head of the table, his face a mask of calm that only hinted at the brewing anger beneath. Her mother offered a tentative smile as she placed a bowl of soup in front of Juhee, but the concern in her eyes only amplified the tension.

"Juhee," her father began, his voice even but laced with an edge. "The results came out today."

She nodded, feeling her stomach churn. "Yeah."

"And?" he pressed, his tone sharp, slicing through the silence.

"They weren't great," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, but the admission felt like an admission of guilt.

Her father's eyes narrowed, disappointment radiating off him like heat from a fire. "This isn't like you, Juhee. Your grades have dropped, and frankly, it's unacceptable."

"I know," she shot back, frustration spilling over. "I'll do better next time."

Her mother interjected, concern creeping into her voice. "Juhee, we're just worried. You've been so distant lately. Is something bothering you?"

Juhee clenched her fists under the table, struggling to keep her emotions in check. They didn't understand. They never did. All they saw were the grades-numbers that held no reflection of her struggles. "I'm fine," she spat, bitterness seeping through her words.

"Fine?" Her father scoffed, his patience wearing thin. "This isn't fine. You've been slacking off. We've given you everything, and this is how you repay us?"

"Repay you?" Juhee's voice rose, fury igniting within her. "I'm sick of being treated like I owe you something! You don't care about anything but grades!"

"Don't raise your voice at your father," her mother warned, her own frustration rising to the surface.

"Why not? It's not like you ever listen!" Juhee snapped. "I'm tired of pretending everything's fine when it's not!"

Her father's expression darkened. "Pretending? You think we don't see what's happening? You've been neglecting your studies like they don't matter. Do you have any idea how hard we've worked for you to have these opportunities?"

Juhee's heart raced, her anger mixing with guilt. "Maybe I'm tired of living up to your ridiculous expectations! Maybe I don't want to be perfect all the time!"

The room grew heavier, suffocating, and Jaehyun's gaze flickered between them, but he remained silent, a spectator to this unraveling. Juhee turned to him, hoping for a sign of support, but he just looked away, his indifference stinging more than any slap.

"Enough!" Her father's voice boomed, drowning out the storm inside her. "You need to grow up! Life isn't about what you want; it's about what you need to do. You've been given everything, and you're squandering it!"

Tears filled Juhee's eyes, blurring her vision, but she fought them back. She wouldn't let him see her break. With a cold rage bubbling inside her, she whispered, "You'll never understand. All you care about are the numbers."

Then it happened. A sudden flash of anger, and the slap came without warning, sharp and stinging across her cheek. The impact resonated in her ears as she staggered back, shock coursing through her veins. Her father's face was a twisted mask of rage, and for a moment, the world around her froze.

Her mother gasped, standing up, panic in her eyes. "That was too much-"

But her father's fury only intensified. "You need to face reality, Juhee. You think you can just skate by on your charm? Life doesn't work that way!"

Tears finally spilled over, and Juhee turned away from him, her heart shattering. "I'm done with this," she choked out, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm done."

Without another word, she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the house, the echoes of her father's words and the sting of his slap lingering in her mind. She could hear her mother calling after her, a desperate plea that fell on deaf ears. She needed to escape, to breathe, to be anywhere but there.

The cool night air hit her face, but it did little to soothe the turmoil inside her. Her cheek burned, not just from the physical pain but from the emotional wounds that felt like they would never heal.

Juhee walked aimlessly, her legs moving on autopilot, guided by the raw anger and heartbreak coursing through her veins. She had no destination in mind; anywhere was better than the suffocating silence of her home. Each step away felt like a small act of defiance against the world that demanded so much of her.

Her phone buzzed in her bag, and she pulled it out to see a message from Karina: Party tonight at Taeho's place. You in?

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Juhee typed a quick response: I'll be there.

Tonight, she didn't care about anything. Not her grades, not her parents, not even herself. She just wanted to forget.

As she walked, the streets blurred around her, the darkness mirroring the chaos within. She was ready to drown everything out, even if it meant losing herself completely.