SɪYᴇᴏɴ PᴏV

-one hour earlier-

!TW: self-harm!

My hand clenched, the blade fell into the sink. I leaned over and clamped my right hand on my forearm, which only made it worse.

I stood by the sink, panting, horrified at myself. I'd done it again... Although I promised Minji I wouldn't do it...

I took my hand off my arm and stared at the new cut joining the old ones. The cut was deeper as I noticed.

I bit my lower lip. It kept bleeding and it hurt, but I didn't care.

My right hand was covered in blood, and yet, shaking, I reached for the blade in the sink again.

I pulled the sharp object through my flesh a second time. I groaned. It hurt, but it was so... Freeing...

My conscience told me I had to stop, but as always, I didn't give it a second thought when I should.

A third time the blade went down my forearm and more blood dripped into the sink. I cut my skin a fourth time, a fifth, and a sixth time before spasming again and dropping the blade.

As all the pain suddenly rushed at me, I gasped and pressed my hand back over the burning wounds.

How much time had passed? Five minutes, twenty minutes, an hour? I did not know it..

It's time to stop...

Before I changed my mind, I tossed the blade in the trash can.

Suddenly I found the situation funny and I started laughing mirthlessly. I promised Minji not to do anything stupid, and I had done it anyway. What else do you expect from me?

I stared down at my forearm again and at the blood dripping into the sink.

Only then would the whole situation become clear to me. What would Minji do if she saw that?

I quickly held the open wounds under the tap and let the water run over them.

I searched the cupboard over the sink for bandages, but found none. My gaze wandered to the first aid kit above the washing machine. There should be something in there.

When I found one, I wrapped it around my arm with one hand and fastened it.

Then I pulled down the sleeve of the hoodie. Luckily you couldn't see anything.

I looked at myself in the mirror and another wave of self-loathing washed over me. I grimaced at the sight.

How could anyone be so ugly? I quickly averted my eyes and hastily left the bathroom.

I slammed the door behind me, waking up Cherry who had been sleeping on the floor next to it. She started barking but I ignored her.

I was walking into the living room when I heard a key rattle on the door. That was close. I sat on the couch and Minji walked in.

"I'm back," she said absently. She put the key on the table and disappeared into the bathroom.

A loud, short scream made me jump. Minji stormed out of the bathroom.

"There's blood in the sink," she said. I looked at her, startled. I forgot to wash out the sink.

I looked down at my hands again.

"I had a nosebleed," I lied.

Minji was silent for a few seconds.

"Sure," she said, not sounding like she believed me. Then she went back into the bathroom.

I clenched my fists and wondered why I did it again. I didn't have a reason to... did I?

Minji came back into the living room.

"Shall I make us something to eat?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"OK. I'll make you a small portion, alright?"

"Hmm" was all I did.

"Would you like anything?" she asked.
I shook my head.

"Then I'll just make ramen." Minji walked into the kitchen.

I saw Minji's key on the table. Shouldn't it actually be hanging on the key board?

I got up, took the key and went out into the hallway to put it in place.

I noticed a small, silver medallion as a pendant.

I looked around but Minji was in the kitchen. I heard the kettle.

So I turned my head back to the key, picked up the locket and ran my finger over it.

A small rose was engraved in it, framed by tiny, filigree braids. You could see every detail. It looked very beautiful.

Even though I knew I shouldn't, I opened it carefully.

Inside the locket was a small photo of two people who looked very young, the woman was holding a baby. They smiled at the camera.

I cocked my head. Why did Minji have such a picture?

I remembered last week Yeonjung said Minji was adopted and she confirmed it.

Were these her real parents? And the baby, was that Minji?

I pulled the locket closer to my face and noticed how similar the woman in the picture and Minji were.

If she was so happy, why had they given Minji away?

A noise from the kitchen startled me and I quickly closed the little thing again. Then I hung the key back on the board.

"Food's ready," Minji called from the kitchen.

I quickly went back. She looked at me questioningly.

"Where have you been?"

"I-I put your key on the board," I replied.

"Oh," said Minji. "Thanks. I forgot." She gave me a small smile.

She pointed to the two bowls on the table.

"Eat as much as you can, if you are full and something is left, give it to me. I'm hungry."

I nodded.

We sat down at the table and started to eat. Minji finished before my bowl was half empty.

"Sorry," she apologized, "I told you I was hungry."

I put down my chopsticks and pushed my remaining noodles towards her. "I'm full."

She looked at the half full bowl with wide eyes. "Are you sure?" I nodded and she took the bowl. "Thanks."

When Minji finished the noodles, she leaned back, hands on her stomach. "That was good."

Then she stacked the bowls and took them into the kitchen.

When she came back I had Cherry on my lap. The little dog licked my cheek and I grinned. She was somehow cute. I patted her head and she wagged her tail.

Cherry saw Minji and jumped off me towards her. She was picked up by the other one.

"Well, have you made friends?" Cherry started licking her face and Minji laughed.

"It's fine now." She put the dog back on the ground.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"Want to watch a movie?" Minji walked towards the TV and I got up and followed her.

"Is there anything you like to watch?"

"Don't know," I replied. "Avengers?"

"Never seen that," Minji admitted.

"I only watched the first movie," I said.

Minji took the remote control and turned on the TV.

"We can gamble too," she said.

"OK."

She let me choose a game and gave me one of the two controllers.
"Have you played before?" she asked. I shook my head.

Minji put the disc in and explained everything to me.

"Roger that?"

I nodded.
"Good. Then we can start."

It took me a while to get the hang of it, but once I stopped making mistakes, I beat the other three times in a row.

"Can't do that!" she exclaimed. "Even Seungjoon couldn't beat me and he's a gambler."

I grinned to myself.

"I'll show you," Minji murmured, but I won the next round too.

She put down the controller in frustration and rubbed her face with her hands several times.

"Can't do that," she repeated. "Either you're very good, or my concentration is gone." She looked at me reproachfully.

I just shrugged.

When I also won the next round, she gave up completely.

"Hey," Minji said in frustration, "this is my game! I've never lost!"

She put the controller back down. Then she turned off the TV.

"Hey," I said. she looked at me.

"Do you still want to play?" Minji asked.

I nodded. She turned the TV back on.

"Luckily there is single mode," she murmured, but I heard her.

"I don't want to play alone."
she sighed. "Okay. Two more rounds."

"Five."
She glared at me. "Three."
"Five."
"Four."
"Five."
"Four and a half."

I cocked my head and she laughed. "Okay, then five," she sighed. I gave a thumbs up.

I won three rounds, she won two. She grinned at me.

"See. I'm not that bad." Minji stuck her tongue out at me. Then she finally turned off the television.

"I never said so," I replied.

"Good this way."

Then we sat on the sofa and said nothing.
"Want to do something else?" Minji asked after a while.

"And what?"

"No plan. Just chat," she said.

"OK."

"And what about?"

"I do not know."

"Now that's bad."

"Hmm," I did.

We were silent again.

"Why doesn't Yeonjung like you?" I asked.

"I don't know. She thinks I'm to blame for her brother's death," Minji said. "I have nothing to do with it."

"Hm."
"Yes."
"That's silly."
"Yeah."

"I'm tired," I said.

"Me too," she replied, standing up. "Let's go to bed."

"OK."

-

YᴇᴏɴJᴜɴɢ PᴏV (extra)

"Yeonjung?" my dad yelled.

"What is it?" I replied.

"Come here for a second, please!"

"Sure!"

What did he want from me at this late hour? I got up from my bed and paced towards the living room.

He was sitting on the couch together with two people their age I didn't know.

"Sit down," my mother said and I did so.

"We have good news for you," my father said.

"OK."

"These two people are our new business partners," he explained.

"And?" I clasped my hands together.

"They have a son," my mother said.

"Good for them. What have I to do with that?" I could already think of what they were going to say.

"We agreed that you two will marry as soon as you're old enough."

"Excuse me?!" I exclaimed.

"We think it is a good idea. He is handsome and rich," my mother explained.

"Sorry," I said, "but my answer is no." I got up from the chair.

"What? When did we ask you?" My dad got up too.

"I won't do that. I don't even know him."

"We have arranged that you two will go out together tomorrow to get to know each other," my mom said.

I just shook my head. "No."

"You will meet him tomorrow. No other arguments," my dad said sternly.

I clenched my fists. "Fine," I gave up. "But I won't promise you anything."

"It's for your best only," my mom tried to convince me.

"Sure," I said. "Only for my best." Saying that, I left the living room and entered my room.

I slammed the door shut and walked up towards my bed, laying on it. I sighed.

There wouldn't be any problem in meeting a random dude, right? When I was lucky, he didn't want that too.

What if he likes guys?, I thought. That would be a goal for us both.

But I quickly abandoned that thought. The chance that he does like guys would be not even one percent. But it isn't impossible.

I grinned. I won't marry him, no matter what my father will say.