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chapter 5

J I S O O  P O V

with each passing day, i've received messages to my inbox regarding my card transactions depleting the amount of money in my savings account. mom hasn't returned home yet ever since i've given her my credit card and her lack of presence feuls my dad's anger.
"where the fuck is your mom?!" he grabs the closest vase around and throws it to where i sit and i flinch. the sound of the glass breaking and piling next to me doesn't seem to be louder than my heartbeat pumping dangerously fast out of fear.

"do you know where she is?!" he screams at me.
i nod to the left then right, indicating that i didn't know.
"bullshit!" he throws china bowls at me and it shatters once it makes contact with my figure. where the hell could she go without money?! she doesn't have any! she was just complaining about it awhile ago! you have a job, she must've asked you for it. where is she?!"
his face fuming red and the veins on his forehead look as if they'll burst any time soon.

"i swear i don't know."

my dad points at me, even more furious.
"so you're on your mom's side? i know when you're lying! you better fucking tell me where she is or i'll beat the shit out of you!" he spat, walking closer towards me.

i start to panic. if i snitch on my mom, i'm dead. if i lie to my dad, i'm dead. i was conflicted and i didn't know what to do. it's always so pressuring making decisions when i was scared of both my parents.

he starts to beat me with a metal rod he found lying around in the kitchen. the more i wasted his time the angrier he got. i spat out blood and my pale skin almost completely painted purple, pink and green. i wanted to die.

"she's with her coworkers, that's all she'd tell me."
he hit me one last time on the stomach and threw the stick at me before leaving.
"get off the carpet, your filthy blood is staining it".

"yeah, filthy cause i was made by you and mom." i wish i could say that out loud.

i couldn't breathe without thinking about it, my vision was fading, my body was aching and i notice my dad was right. blood was discolouring the beige brown mat in small smudges. once i heard my dad turn the engines of his car on, i tried to quickly use my arm to push myself off the carpet, i didn't want to be here by the time my mom came home.

i drag myself to my room as fast as possible. it wasn't that far but that didn't make things any easier. i grabbed some clothes from my closet and my school uniform, stuffed them in a bag and ran out to the bathroom. retrieving all essential necessities, i limped to the car and drove off to school. the library didn't seem like such a bad place to stay for a while.

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S E O K J I N  P O V

arriving at the front gates, i finally found the home my supposed 'mom' lives in. the house was a mansion in the richest neighbourhood in the city looming behind stiff wrought iron gates. there were large glass windows for every room and glossy lavish green trees serpentined perpendicular beside the stone path that led directly to a ceramic cream coloured water fountain in the front porch.

i find the doorbell and ring it.
my hands begin to shake and my gaze starts to follow the tree leaves blowing in the wind.

a lady in a maid uniform appears on the small screen positioned above the door bell.
"state your purpose." she monotonously replies.
"i'm here to see mrs kim."
she looks unsatisfied with my answer and sighs as if i was a bother to deal with, "state your purpose for seeing mrs kim." her tone slightly agitated whilst remaining emotionless all at the same time.
"right." i should've known with such a lavish lifestyle, my mom would've dealt with many 'annoying' people looking to waste her time. "i have proof she's my mum?" i say which sounded more like a question then a statement.

a few moments later, a lady in a blazer and a pencil skirt appears in front of me with the gates in between us. her hair was tied in a tight ponytail, black rimmed glasses sat on her tall nose bridge, she looks as if she hasn't aged a day from the photos held in my hands. only thing different was that her cheeks looked more prominent and her lips were more full.
"who are you?" she says, with her chin up as if to look down on me. it doesn't quite work seeing as i'm much taller than her despite her stiletto heels. she examines me head to toe.
"what game are you playing at to say that i'm your mother? how dare you try to scam me?" all i could identify from her attitude was the dread in her voice and disgruntled facial expression. she clearly didn't want me here but i wasn't leaving until i clarify whether cathy's research was real or not.

"look i don't wanna waste anymore of your time so i'll get straight to the point and hand you what my caretaker has given me to prove your my mom."
she scowls as she looks through it and eventually chuckles as she observes the photos. "how nostalgic." her voice had a hint of bitterness to it. "i never thought i'd see you again."

"so that means i am your son."
"if you had evidence then why are you shocked?" she said complacently, "i won't lie, you look like your dead father."

"what" was all i managed to say. dead. my dead father. her voice echoed through my head. i was speechless, not because i was sad or devastated to hear such unfortunate news, i didn't know the guy after all and it connected some dots considering the fact that cathy couldn't find him.

she continued, "he was murdered a few years after you were born, probably when you were three? a knife was pierced through his heart around midnight and he died in his home, what a tragic night." did she find this amusing? sarcasm was evident in her tone, she didn't care at all and that's what pissed me off. she laughs as my face reddens brewing with anger. she wants to get a reaction from me for her own entertainment but i won't satisfy her.

"if you want to know who did it, i'll give you a hint." before she finishes, she gestures me to lean in closer so she could whisper in my ear, "it's my knife."

before i could react, i clenched my jaw to calm myself down, "why are you telling me this?" i respond broodingly.
"shouldn't you be asking me why i killed him?" she says casually. i don't answer and she sighs, "fine, i figure what can a peasant do that'll affect me? nothing. isn't it great to get things off your chest? i feel so much better already."

"you're not my mother." i speak up and she pauses, almost laughing.
"i wish i wasn't dear. i hate to be related to a charity case." i envision myself knocking down the gates, along with her falling underneath the bars but imaginations are meant for in your head, not reality.
"well i hate to be related to a psychotic bitch."

photo is from @/chocopeachcream on ig