A little girl excitedly rushed to her mother, holding a piece of paper in her hand, “Look mommy, my teacher entered me in this drawing competition she said that I have a huge chance of winning”

The said woman shot her daughter a disinterested look, “That’s nice”

The girl’s smile wavered at her mother’s lack of interest, “She also said that I’m really talented for my age”

And she was. Anyone with a good pair of eyes could tell that she was.

Her mother sighed, clearly annoyed, “Did she, now?”

Areum nodded her head, a small smile playing on her lips. She hoped her mother would acknowledge her talent. She hoped her mother would acknowledge her.

The woman smirked, her eyes were still glued to the magazine she was reading, “She’s only giving you false hope”

The little girl frowned, “False hope?”

Mrs. Jung put down her magazine and looked straight at her daughter, “Yes”

Areum titled her head in confusion, “What does that mean?”

Her mother shook her head in amusement, “It means that she’s making you think you have a chance of winning when you clearly don’t”

The girl bit her lip, “I don’t?”

She felt tears pooling in her eyes.

“No, you don’t”

Her mother’s words were harsh, they cut straight through her.

Areum gulped down the hurt, determined to be strong no matter what, “Maybe I do”

Everyone says that I do.

A laugh escaped the woman’s red painted lips, “I’ve seen your drawings love, trust me you don’t”

How could she say that?

How could she say that to her own daughter?

“There are many people out there who are much more talented than you”

There are,

I know,

I don’t even expect to win,

I just want to give it a shot,

Is that so bad?

Raising an eyebrow she added, “What makes you think you’re better than them?”

I…

I’m not.

She looked at her daughter, studying her face with mocking eyes, “You definitely aren’t”

I know I’m not.

But,

Can’t I at least try?

Even if I fail,

It doesn’t matter,

It really doesn’t,

At least I would have tried,

I wouldn’t have been a coward,

I wouldn’t have given up out of fear,

I would have tried,

I would have done my best,

Isn’t that matters?

Isn’t it?

Mrs. Jung then smiled, a smile that made Areum sick to the core, “Not even close”

The little girl blinked back tears. She wasn’t going to cry. Not in front of her. Definitely not.

“Face it sweetie, you’re just not good enough”

I’m never good enough,

Am I?

In your eyes,

I’ve never been good enough.

The door suddenly opened revealing an ecstatic Soojung, “Mother!”

The said woman put down her magazine and turned towards her eldest, focusing all of her attention on her, something she never did to Areum. She would merely glance at the said girl and shoot poisonous words her way whenever she got the chance.

“You’re looking at the new head captain of the cheerleading squad!”

The black-haired girl beamed proudly.

Mrs. Jung squealed in happiness and embraced her child, “I knew you could do it! I’m so proud of you”

Areum watched the scene unfold in front of her with sad eyes.

She wondered if her mother would ever say those words to her. She wondered if her mother would ever look at her the way she looked at Soojung, with eyes full of love and care. She wondered if she’d ever get the privilege of being embraced by her. She wondered if she’d ever be so lucky to get a smile thrown her way instead of a scowl or a glare. She wondered if she could be loved for who she is. She wondered if, she, herself, would ever be enough.

Areum turned around and climbed up the stairs. She couldn’t bear to watch anymore. She felt as if she didn’t belong, as if she was an outsider in her own family, an intruder in her own home. A tear fell down her cheek as more soon followed.

Maybe she was one.

Whispers filled the air as Areum walked through the school’s main hallway.

“How is she related to Soojung? They look nothing alike”

The brunette rolled her eyes, it’s not like we’re twins you dip.

“Tell me about it, just looking at her makes me sick”

Areum shot the girl a harsh glare. One that made the latter shudder with fear.

“At least my face isn’t the result of a failed plastic-surgery”

She smirked at the sight of the girl’s flabbergasted expression before continuing her way.

A sigh escaped her lips when she had reached a reasonable distance.

Their words hurt. They always did. She wasn’t immune to them. She wasn’t. That strong façade of hers was an act. An act she perfected to protect herself. Yet, despite it, she still managed to get hurt.

She smiled an empty bitter smile that did not reach her eyes.

She was always the one who got hurt. Always.

“Our yearly trip is coming up, any suggestions on where we should go?”

Luhan looked expectantly at the other members of the student council.

“Madrid!”

Baekhyun excitedly suggested, looking hopeful.

“I’m afraid we don’t have the sufficient funds for that”

The latter pouted looking rather disappointed.

The treasurer rolled his eyes and muttered “stupid” under his breath which didn’t go unheard by the small guy who glared at him in response.

A few seconds passed by before Baekhyun’s voice rang in the room, “Then how about Paris?”

Luhan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed but before he could utter a single word his best-friend had slammed his fist against the thick wooden table, “If we don’t have the money to go to Madrid I doubt we’d be able to go to Paris you dip”

The secretary snickered, amu