Feeling Brew

~17~

Click. Click. Johnny snapped some photos before scrolling through them to see how they had turned out.

"Hurry up. I'm getting cold," Mi Ran whined as she reached for her jacket. Why had she agreed to be his subject for his silhouette project?

Johnny smirked. "You were already cold before you took off your jacket."

"What was that?" she hollered from her spot, and Johnny shook his head and gave her a thumbs-up.

He had heard all about the incident that had happened yesterday at the NCTU women's swim team tryouts. Taeil had informed him that Irene saw Mi Ran push her into the water, breaking her elbow in the process. That same princess stood before him, posing in the eyes of his camera. How could she smile like that when she had basically ruined someone's life? Okay, technically, Isla's life wasn't over. But with a shattered elbow, she'd be forced to put her swimming career on pause until she was fully recovered. And who knows? After the cast came off, she could be in a brace and then in physical therapy for months.

Johnny lowered his camera, capping the lens. "I think I have enough pictures."

"Oh? You only took them for ten minutes. We didn't even try different locations. I have so much more up my sleeve!" Mi Ran argued.

"Do you now? You have more up your sleeve after doing what you did?"

Mi Ran pouted. "I... I don't know what you're talking about, Jason." She walked over to him and placed her hand on his. "Let's take some more photos. I'm sorry that I'm not a good enough model."

Johnny would have been happy in any other situation, but right now, he was worried about how twisted the girl in front of him was. She smiled like nothing happened. And was ready to trample over others in order to shine. But that's not what success was. Success was about shining no matter what's happening. Regardless of the situation, you try your best.

"Mi Ran, I just want you to know that you're not going to get very far like this. If you really like Taeil, you would want him to be happy. Sometimes, that means letting the other person go. Why do you think you've suffered all this time? Ask yourself. Why are you so unhappy? Think about it. And my name is Johnny. Not Jason. And about the favor you asked me about the other day, I'm declining. I think Isla is already suffering enough without me interfering."

On that note, Johnny stormed off, leaving Mi Ran in the park by herself. She stared at his fading figure and realized the blurriness in her vision were her tears dancing in her eyes. Why was she so unhappy?

Trudging through the house, Mi Ran stared at the walls lined by Irene's certificates. Her medals and trophies decorated the shelves, and Mi Ran walked past it all. Collapsing in her bed, she stared at the ceiling. There was so much hate pent up inside her. No matter what she did, she would never be good enough. It didn't mean anything that she was considered NCTU's goddess. On the inside, she was not even close to godly. She was a wicked person with a cold heart who couldn't understand her own emotions. Instead of trying to solve her issues, she created problems for others to make herself feel better. But like Jason said she wouldn't get very far like this...

"Just one more day," she told herself. "Let me be selfish for just one more day."

But when that next day came, she found herself repeating the same thing. When she saw everyone flocking around Isla to sign her cast, Mi Ran couldn't help but scowl. But what made her more upset was how down Taeil looked these days. He couldn't peel his eyes off the foreigner, his pupils following her every move. And every time Isla winced or struggled to do something because of her broken elbow, he came to the rescue.