✓the three words • kim seungmin

f o r t y

edited 24aug21

• chapter 40: a disappointment

Hyemi almost can't believe it. She stood still in front of the notice board, not blinking ever since she arrived there.

13. Jung Hyemi

"How the fuck I get thirteenth-"

"Don't curse. You should be happy." Seungmin pat her hair, giving her a gummy smile. "Told you you're gonna make it."

Being the dramatic girl she is, she cried and Seungmin immediately dragged her to a secluded place where students don't usually go. He chuckled, "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying." she whined and wiped her tears before broke into sobs again. He laughed more and pulled her hand away, dabbing the tears with his sleeves.

"Don't cry," he giggled, finding the situation funny. "You're improving so much. Your parents will be proud of you."

She looked down, embarrassed at the fact that Seungmin was watching her crying over the smallest thing. "Thank you." she mumbled.

He smiled softly and cupped her cheeks in his hands. He squished them before letting out a small laugh. "No. Thank you."

‹›‹›‹›

She happily skipped her way to her house. A smile played on her lips while imagining her parents reaction when she tells them about her results. Thirteenth may be not enough, but for her she's proud of herself.

Opening the door, she announced. "I'm home!"

Only to meet with two figures standing, arms crossing with frowns.

Hyemi's smile faltered. "Eomma appa, you're home early."

She didn't know why, but she had a bad feeling for this. The babysitter was not there, meaning she had left before her parents arrived home. But why?

Her mother didn't say anything when her father suddenly slapped her. She stumbled a few steps back and held her cheek. That stung, hurt and surprising.

He had never slapped his children before.

A questioning look appeared on her face before his father showed her a few picture.

"Explain these pictures, Hyemi."

She frowned, confused but still took the pictures. She could see her mother's disappointed face and her heart started beating fast.

As soon as she looked at the photos, she gasped and dropped them. Along with that, she fell on the floor with her hands covering her ears. Tears fell and she shook her head rapidly while staring at the photos in horror.

"N-no.." her voice trembled.

Her mother grew worried at her condition but her husband beat onto it.

"Is this what you've been doing at school?!" his voice roared in the house, adding the shook in her. "I send you to school to study and learn! But all you do are playing with other boys!"

Hyemi cried, she scooted backwards to get away as far as possible from the photos until her back met with the door. "I didn't," she wailed. "I didn't do that!"

"That who's in the photos?!"

Her.

And Jeonghoon.

"I- I-" the words won't come out. It was harder than she thought. A huge lump was stuck in her throat, preventing her to speak.

The flashbacks flooded her mind. Jeonghoon pushed her into the room and locked the door before pressing her onto the wall. He kept leaning in closer to her neck and attached-