our reflection of youth - BTS

i. new girl

jaehwa almost stumbled down the stairs of her house, still running a brush through her absurdly long hair. her uniform for her new school was framing her body, but jaehwa's stockings still looked out of place. her sister was sitting at their marble island, her jet black hair in a haphazard bun, strands sticking every which way. jaehwa put her brush down, grabbed an apple, and sat next to her sister. "good morning unnie." the young girl said, trying to fake an enthusiastic tone. she knew how stressed how and exhausted her sister was. it was starting to become rather normal.

"good morning." jaehwa's sister mumbled, staring down at her cup of coffee (that was probably infused with vodka). jaehwa smiled, but that smile was small and filled with crumbling hope. jaehwa bit into her apple, attempting to start a conversation. "are you excited that i'm starting a new school?" the light red haired girl asked. her sister took a long sip of her coffee, looking at her younger sister with hooded, dark eyes that had shadows under them. "you should be asking yourself that question, you know?"

jaehwa giggled nervously with chunks of apple in her mouth. the girl would be sweatdropping if this was an anime. she covered her mouth, looking down. "uh, y-yeah." jaehwa replied lowly. her sister smiled anyway, concealing her stress (failed, jaehwa already knew). "i am excited. look at you, starting a new chapter." jaehwa giggled, taking another bite of her apple. "shut up." the young girl said playfully. jaehwa looked at the clock on the wall, her brown eyes widening. "oh!" she exclaimed, shooting up from her seat. "it's almost 8 o'clock. i already have to go."

jaehwa pulled up her stockings, straightened her ballet flats, and picked up her pastel pink bag. "i love you unnie." jaehwa said, back hugging her older sister. before she could run off, her sister got up, turned jaehwa around, and pulled her into a real, warm hug. pulling away, jaehwa's sister's hands still lingered on the high schooler's shoulders. "i love you, jae."

jaehwa smiled wide, but knew she had to run off before she was late on her first day. "okay, bye unnie!" she said, rushed. jaehwa ran off, down the stairs of their front patio, and into the sidewalk. suddenly she sighed, her mind already clouded with thoughts of her... family problems.

jaehwa's almost fatally ill father was constantly working, never home in time to greet his daughters. jaehwa's older brother was off in college, away from his family. jaehwa's mother was off in itaewon, her marriage with her father severed. jaehwa's older sister was working two jobs, one as a clean up girl at a small ramen shop (with little pay) at day and a waitress at night, trying to get to college herself. she had to work as hard as jaehwa's brother did, but with her being a secret alcoholic, it was difficult.

and with jaehwa, she was the youngest. she had no control over the situation, and all she could do was sit there and watch. it was literally driving jaehwa insane, violently ripping her layers away until she was a vulnerable, paper thin wall of weak emotions. every day she wanted to cry thinking about it.

jaehwa was thinking so much that she didn't even realize that she was about to run right into the chest of a male. when she did, jaehwa almost tumbled onto the concrete because of her small frame, but someone grabbed her forearm before disaster could happen. "aish, are you okay?" a quite cheerful male voice spoke. jaehwa opened her eyes, getting a good look at the person who caught her. 

jaehwa almost did a double take once her eyes landed on his face. the boy was beyond pretty. he had a sharp jawline, glowing skin, fluffy black hair, and sparkling eyes that held heaps of positivity in them. "hey, um... are you okay?" he asked again. jaehwa blinked, allowing herself to be pulled up by the boy. "y-yeah. i'm okay." she responded. the boy smiled wide, his lips forming into an adorable heart. "good!" he said happily. jaehwa let a faint smile spread her pink lips.