𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑! ( k.ym + p.sy )

❝𝙊𝙉𝙀.❞

The lower side district of the city became a terrifying place to be after the sun set behind the lowly buildings of the area. Yeri had never been one to fear the darkness, but as she walked along the sidewalk of a part of her very own city that she very rarely even acknowledged the existence of, she couldn't help but to feel frightened and unnerved. She pulled her jacket around her a bit tighter, grimacing when a chilly gust of wind swept by her and sent chills up the length of her spine. Internally, she cursed herself for staying behind to help clean up the soup kitchen after dinner service was finished instead of simply leaving when her friends did in order to walk home with them.

Unfortunately, it was far too late for that, as it was pushing eleven o'clock at night whilst Wendy, Seulgi, and Irene had left together an hour or two prior, leaving Yeri to make the trek back to the upper side district all on her own. Coming from a wealthy family, the seventeen year old had never had to live like the residents of the lower side. . . In fact, she came from a place of great privilege due to her father's job as a psychiatrist and her mother's occupation as a jewelry designer. Unlike some, however, Yeri was by no means oblivious to how good life was for her, and she tried her hardest to never take that for granted.

She studied diligently as to never disgrace the opportunity she'd gotten to attend one of the most highly praised private schools in the country. She attended every student council meeting, she wrote each article for the school's newspaper with great care, and she always made an effort to be kind to everyone, even if the sentiment wasn't always rewarded with graciousness or smiles. In all reality, Yeri didn't have a clue as to what it was like for anyone in the lower side of the city. She'd never known the struggle of having to choose between having dinner or having the money to keep the heat on inside of her home.

In terms of finances, she'd never known a struggle at all.

That realization was very, very eye opening for her, and it made her that much more thankful for the way in which she'd been raised and for the environment she's been lucky enough to be born into. Most of her friends were just as well off as she was, and that didn't make for much diversity in the social classes of her peers. It ranged from wealthy to extremely wealthy, and that was about as much variety as she was exposed to. But her experience working in a soup kitchen in the lower side district of the city was nothing short of sobering for her in every sense of the word.

It put things into perspective for her, and it helped her to understand that people within her very own city were struggling day in and day out to have even a single meal per day and still be able to make ends meet. That made her heart ache, and Yeri couldn't help but to wish that she could help every last person in the city who needed it. Sadly, that was a bit of a stretch for a seventeen year old high school student, and she came to the conclusion that she would just have to settle for giving and helping whenever she possibly could from that point onward.

With a small sigh, Yeri attempted to curl into her jacket a bit more, hoping that it would provide her with the warmth that her goosebump ridden skin was calling out for so desperately. Unfortunately, the fabric frankly wasn't anywhere near thick enough to fully protect her from the frigid autumn air. Thankfully, there was a small, rundown diner within the lower side of the city that had yet to lock their doors for the night, and Yeri was quick to scurry across the desolate street that was poorly illuminated by a flickering streetlamp and make her way through the entrance.

A bell rang out as she pushed the glass door open, alerting the two females in the back of her presence in their establishment. One of them looked to be in her early to mid thirties, with a face of subtle makeup and her hair tied up in a bun that sat messily on the top of her head. Yeri could tell that the woman was tired after a long day of work, as it was written all over her face, and the brunette instantly felt guilty for walking in at such a late hour and stirring up more tasks for the diner employees.