“Yah! Krystal Jung! Come back here right now!”

That was the sound of a fat boar roaring at Krystal Jung. Just kidding, that was actually the shout of her homeroom teacher, who had caught sight of Krystal jumping out of the classroom’s window. No need to worry of an injury, the classroom is located in the first floor of the school building.

Ignoring the teacher’s shout, Krystal swings her bag over her shoulder, and sprints across the field to the school’s gate. It was actually a miracle that Krystal was not attack by the security guards this time. Her sneaking out of school was a daily occurrence and most teachers had grown tired of her silly tricks. However, they had no choice but to stop her because of her parents’ orders. Sadly, she was too fast and was out of their reach. Just as some security guards were starting to run across the school fields, she was already out of the school. Once she is cross the gate, the people behind had no way of stopping her.

Without stopping to take a breather, she continues running until she was a block away from the school. The school was surrounded by stores that lights up the streets with crowd of people. It was afternoon and the busiest time of the day. The streets were bustling with people moving back and forth.

While walking pass store by store, Krystal clicks on her smartphone and scans through some recent news on the news channel.  She sighed when she saw the usual news on the news channel. All it talks about is the scandals of celebrities, and some news about the economic crisis.  The most recent and top news was the scandal of a famous model that was caught being hug by an actor. This famous model turned out to be Krystal one, and only one, older sister.

She sighed as she zooms into the face of her sister’s face. Unlike her sharp eyes and thin lips, her sister Jessica had a pair of gorgeous eyes and kissable lips. Although the two of them had some similarity in appearance, no one would have guess that Krystal was actually the current most popular model’s sister. After all, she was the opposite of her gentle sister who smiles to everyone whom she greets. All Krystal could manage was a glare that makes people distant themselves from her. Her stunning hair that she dyes crimson red only adds to a more negative image.

As she drowns herself in depression, she didn’t notice a bike that was heading her way. Too caught up in her own thoughts, she did not notice the person riding the bike screaming at her to move.

“Hey! Can’t you hear me-”

When she looks up, all she could do was gasp in surprise and froze in shock. It was too late to do anything, and she watch in horror as the person on the bike was about to crash into her. Luckily, the person was smart enough to turn his wheels. Sadly, his sudden turn cause him to lose control and made him crash onto the nearby tree.

“Omo! Are you okay?” Krystal asked.

She ran over to check the person, only to find him on the ground with his bike on top of him.

“Aya!AYa! This hurts so bad!” He cried.

He pushes the bike off of him and sat up to sit, as he examines the injuries on his arms and legs. When he notices Krystal, he shot a glare at her and shouted, “Are you deaf? This is all because of you!”

Although he had yelled at Krystal, she was surprise at his appearance when she has a closer look. The man was currently wearing an oversize coat and had on a black skinny jean. His coat was dusted with dirt and grass and his face was flushed red. He wore a pair of thick glasses that made him look funny. There was some grass on his messy hair that looks unkempt, and hanging from his neck was a camera. Overall, his appearance made him look kind of funny that made Krystal stunned for a moment.

When he notices Krystal’s stare, his mouth twitch and he yelled, “What are you looking at? Aren’t you even going to apologize?”

His shout made her snaps out of her thoughts and she glare back at the man.

“I was about to apologize but you were being too rude, which made me change my mind!” She retorted.

Without another word, she turns away and didn’t even care about the man. Inside, she was starting to feel guilty for injuring the man, but shrugged the thought away when she remembers him yelling at her.

“Hey! Aren’t you coming back to help me!” He shouted.

Krystal continues to ignore him and walk onward.

“Is this what your parents teach you? To injure a person and leeave him alone after injuring him?” He inquired.

This taunt made Krystal stop in her track for a moment before turning to glare at the man behind her. She turns to face him and cross her arms on her chest.

“You know, it’s also your fault for not moving to the other side. Since you saw that I did not notice you, you could have turns to the other side.” Krystal pointed out.

He sneered, “Do you think I would have done that if I could?”

Krystal was just about to argue back when was interrupted by his sudden shout, “I totally forgot!”

He checks his camera hanging on his neck and cried, “No way! My lenses are crack! Do you know how expensive my lenses are?”

He continues checking his camera as if it was a precious child. Krystal rolled her eyes at his dramatic actions and walk toward him. Remembering that Krystal was still present, he shot a glare at her. Now he had another reason to be mad at her. When she reaches him, she bent her knees and lower herself down so she could reach his eyes level.

“You know, I am quite rich and could just pay for it.” She explained.

He snickered, “Stop showing off. If you don’t have the money, you could have just said so.”

Just as he was about to add on, his eyes widen and he gasped. His sudden expression was due to Krystal taking out her credit card and showing it to him.

“This-This is the unlimited money credit card. Only the most wealthiest people could afford it.” He said in awe.

Although he was surprise by the credit card, his expression suddenly turns sour. His look toward Krystal has change, but it was a new kind of change. Most people, who found out that Krystal was rich, usually had a change in attitude. They would suddenly praise her or treat her friendly all of a sudden. This man’s expression, however, was something that she has never encountered before.

“What? Is this not enough?” She asked.

She was confused at his sudden change in behavior. The man tried his best to stand up, and slap Krystal’s hand away as she tried to help.

“What-What are you doing? I was just trying to help!” She shouted.

Why is this man being so rude?

“Well, I don’t need it. Oh, and take away that credit card. I also don’t need it.” He said.

“You’re the one who asked me to help, and now that I chose to help, why are you getting mad? Didn’t you say that the camera’s lenses are expensive?  I even agree to pay.”

The man fixed his glasses. Now that he had stood up, Krystal realizes how tall he was compare to her. He picked his bike up and positioned himself back into the seat.

 It was after fixing himself when he replied, “My lenses are too important. They are something that I cherished. How could I be happy when you offer to buy new ones without a care? Isn’t that too insulting? Money cannot buy happiness.”

After he finished speaking, he rides his bike and went pass Krystal without a care. His words echoes in Krystal’s mind and she could only stay there, rewinding what he had said to her.

“How can I be happy when you offer to buy new ones without a care?”

If you need a new one, why don’t you just buy it? What’s the big deal?

“Isn’t that too insulting?”

How is this insulting? What did I even do that insulted him?

“Money cannot buy happiness.”

That final line made Krystal take a deep breathe.

What else do I have them, if not money?

Although Krystal’s parents care less about her, she always had a house to live in, a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and money to spent. She had lived a shelter life. The only problem is that she had lived without love and happiness. All she had was the money gifted by her parents. If she did not have money, what else does she have?

Krystal looks at the distant figure of the man riding his bike. Soon, his figure fades out in the distance and she lost sight of him.

Wait!

She paused and thought for a while.

Why should I feel bad for using money however I wished? What’s the point in even thinking about this?

She sighed, “I can’t believe I even thought so hard about that man’s ridiculous words.”

She shook her head and took out her earphones. She plugged it into her smartphone, put them on, and listened to the music. Then she made her way to a store and pushes the encounter with the strange man to the back of her mind.

It wasn’t until midnight when Krystal reaches her house from staying out all night long.  With her mind filled with so many thoughts, she wanted to have some fresh air. In the next few hours after meeting the man on the bike, Krystal spent her time at the beach. She sat on the sand and closes her eyes as she listens to the soft waves of the ocean.  Yes, this may seem boring to some people, but there was nothing else she wanted to do at the moment. If she did not spend time by herself, she is most likely partying out with some random people.

When Krystal enters her house, she was not surprised when she was face with a middle-age couple. The middle age woman had a pair of stern eyes and her eyes narrowed when they landed on Krystal. The man beside the woman was staring at Krystal in an intimidating way. If this was in the old days, Krystal would have felt scare and sad. However, her heart had now hardened and she returns the cold gaze right back at the couple.

“Do you even know how late it is?” asked the woman.

Krystal did not answer and made her way to the stair.

“Young lady! Did you not hear your mother asked you a question?” She exclaimed.

Krystal turns and gives a blank stare at the woman before shrugging her shoulders. Then she made her way back up the stairs.

The woman, whom Krystal called “mother”, gasped aloud, “Omo! How can this child be so bad and rebellious? Why is she not like her older sister?”

When Krystal heard her mother’s question, she felt a quick stab in her chest.

She sighed, “Not this again.”

She didn’t wait to listen anymore and quickly walk to her room. After entering, she slams her door close and plop herself onto the bed. Her mind was in a jumble mess and she did not want to go anywhere or meet anyone. All she wanted to do was stay home and away from everyone else.

Knock! Knock!

Krystal did not even bother to reply. She just lies on her bed and stuff her head onto her pillow. Her mind and body were both equally exhausted.

Knock! Knock!

Even though Krystal did reply, the person who knocks still opens the door.

“Krystal?”

The person enters the room and walk towards Krystal. Krystal could feel the bed at the edge being sat on by this person.  She had no choice but to helplessly turn her attention to this person in her room and asked, “Yes Jessica, what do you want this late at night?”

Although Krystal is often compared to her sister, she had never hold a grudge on her older sister Jessica. Instead, she admired her gifted sister who excels at everything. There are some jealousies but that was just it. There was no way she can hate her gentle sister.

Jessica giggles at Krystal’s question. Her giggles sounded like bells that sounded nice to listen to.

“It’s nothing, I heard mother yelling at you and just came to check if everything is alright. You know, you should stop coming home so late. It’s dangerous and mother and father are worried.” Jessica explained.

Krystal rolled her eyes at her sister’s scolding manners and sat up straight to face her.

“Is this it? I’m quite tire, you know.” Krystal said in a joking manner.

Jessica gently slap Krystal’s arm and scolded, “If you’re really tired, you should listen to my advice.”

Krystal gives a sheepish grin and nodded her head. Although Krystal had agreed that no one loves her, she knows that her older sister cares deeply about her.

“I will try.” She announced.

Jessica sighed, “This was what you said last time too. Fine, go to sleep. Here.”

She handed Krystal a piece of paper and Krystal took a look at it.

“What’s this?” She asked.

“It’s a ticket to Sunggyu-Oppa’s concert. I was invited to his concert and will be making an appearance.” She explained.

Krystal nodded in understanding and places it on the bookshelf next to her bed.

“Then I will be heading to bed.” Jessica decided.

Krystal nodded and watch as his sister walks away and closes her bedroom door. After her figure disappeared, Krystal return to her earlier position and lie down on her bed. She had pull over her blanket to cover her and was currently holding onto a teddy bear.

Even though her sister loves her, that was not the kind of love that Krystal wants. She wanted something. No, she wanted someone, someone who cares about her.  She wants someone who will pay attention to her and not her older sister. She wants someone who loves her for who she is.

If only I have someone who love and notice me.

That was her last thought before closing her eyes and falling asleep.