Begin #1 » j.jk ✓

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The smile on my face had disappeared the moment I was finding my way home. I had a lot of fun hanging out with IU-sunbaenim. Even when we just watched paintings together-it was a start for the two of us, whether it's for friendship or more.

Suddenly, a picture of mom smoking and drinking appeared in my head; I shivered at the thought. What if she notices the wound-

I held on to the scar part of my face by the side of my chin. It was dry, but it didn't feel painful to hold anymore. Was it because of that blonde stranger?

"Uh, hi?"

I almost stumbled forward when I heard someone speak from behind me. Turning around, I was hoping it wasn't the girl earlier-but of course, she was.

"Are you stalking me?"

"What makes you think that?"

"You suddenly found me walking here-alone. In the dark."

She shrugs, walking beside me to walk at the same pace together. "No, I was just walking in your direction."

"Oh, really? Where are you heading off to, then?"

The moment she stuttered, I uttered a scoff and rolled my eyes at this girl. How dumb does she think I am? Of course she's stalking me. She doesn't scare me one bit, though.

"It's none of your business." she said as she tried to pull off a strict look. But it didn't work on me.

"And I suppose it's your business to stalk me?"

She heaved a huge sigh, "I told you, I wasn't stalking you. I'm here to run errands." she started playing with the ends of her long blonde hair, biting her lower lip, as if she were trying to hide something.

I stopped walking to face her. "Look, I don't know who you are or who you're trying to fool-but we have no money, hear me? Good luck finding another idiot."

She suddenly grabbed onto my arm. I started swaying her arm away from mine but she still held on to it firmly. She was staring at me with those sincere eyes. "I...have nowhere to go."

"Tsk." I held her arm and finally got her to let go of me. Placing my hands inside my pockets, I brushed her off. "Not my problem."

-

Mom blew a smoke in the air as she drank a bottle of liquor. "And just where have you been off to?"

The smoke was already being engulfed through my nose, but I didn't want to react and give her the satisfaction. "School."

She lightly slapped me across my face, scoffing. "And I'm supposed to believe that, huh? You brat." she sat on the dining table with her legs crossed. Blowing another smoke, I couldn't act any longer and coughed. "You're so weak."

"M-Mom, I need to go to sleep now." I bowed my head before proceeding.

"Hey, I'm not yet done talking to you!" I slammed my bedroom door before she could finish speaking. There it was, the stool and easel in the middle of my room. I didn't bother to try and go out again to buy food and just sat on the stool, closing my eyes.

I let my finger do the painting itself. There are times like this where I surprise myself when I open my eyes to see something I have never seen-nor have I ever thought of painting before.

This time, I painted the starry sky-it must mean something. The reason is unknown to me, and it is quite frustrating. I ended up ruffling my hair into the biggest mess I could ever make out of it-I've been dying to know the reason and yet I still haven't figured it out.