credits to the owner

Hi guys! This is the first chapter for you! Please note that there are some swear words. If you are uncomfortable of it, please close your eyes when you read it hehe. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

I grew up assuming that those who excelled in school would go on to be the most successful people because they had a bright future ahead of them. In my family, anything less than an A+ was regarded as a failure, which was preposterous - at least to me. My father is an Aerospace Engineering Professor at Seoul National University and my mother is a housewife, thus I was born into a brilliant family. She used to be a cardiothoracic surgeon, but after I was born, she decided to retired.  Song Daemin, our family's genius kid, is my sister. She was always the most successful, a role model, and is today employed by Ernst & Young, one of the Big 4 accounting firms. I'm sure you think I'm smart or have special abilities, but that's not the case. I am a decent student.

From primary school to university, I was never the smartest student, but I did my best to pass every course I studied because I had to live up to my parents' expectations. My parents constantly chastised me for not being as intelligent as my sister. I despise learning; I despise math, physics, economics, and everything else! I've always believed that we should learn and study topics we enjoy, and that failure is an important part of the process of becoming a better person! Why should we call it 'learning' if we have to get an A+ every time we take a test without failing? My parents, on the other hand, were not accepting of my beliefs; I was constantly reprimanded and disciplined, and I even thought they hated me. But  my sister would come into my room every night to console me, and she would always say

"Regardless, you are my sister, and I adore you. Your grades may be bad, but they do not define you. The most crucial qualities one possess are a pure heart and a pleasant attitude. For the time being, just concentrate on your studies, and once you graduate from university, you will have the freedom you desire. Trust me."

Yes, I believe in her and devote all of my time and effort to learning. Just for the sake of a scroll, I had a sleepless night, interminable studying, and countless cups of coffee to keep me awake. Do you have any idea how I felt when I got my scroll? N othing. I went to university because of my parents, not because I wanted to and because I did not put my heart into studying.  I still remember my parents face on that day, yes that day.

2 years ago.

"Congratulations Song Hana! We are so proud of you! However, if you had studied as hard as your sister, you may have been valedictorian. Daemin! Come here and congratulate your sister." my mom and dad said to me.

That is infuriating. I gave it my all, but it wasn't enough. For them, it was never enough.

"Hey, baby! I told you you'd make it through university! I am so proud of you, Hana." my sister remarked, softly smiling at me. My heart clenched and my heart pounded. At the very least, she recognizes my worth.

We both grinned as we looked at one other. 

"Cheers to freedom!" we both said at the same time. 

Finally, after hours of photographing and more ceremony talks, we have arrived at our home.

Congratulations Hana, I am quite proud of myself, and now I must begin to consider my next steps in life. I let out a sigh. 

My sister peered into my room and said, "Hana, mum and dad wanted to see you in the study room." 

"What are you talking about? What is the reason for this? I wanted to relax" I mumbled. My sister shakes her head, indicating that she has no idea.

Thousands of ideas rushed through my mind as I walked to the study room. Will I be chastised for not having a perfect score once more? Is it possible that it's because they planned to send me for a second degree? No way, no. 

I entered the room after knocking on the door. My parents were sitting quietly on the couch, papers strewn on the coffee table. 

"Mom, dad, you want to see me?" I asked.

"Yes, Hana, please have a seat. Since you've graduated, I feel you should begin looking for work right now. You must work for these companies." My father said while pointing to the papers. Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Apple, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase? I peered at the papers. What the ? 

I would never land a job at those companies! They won't hire decent graduates who don't have any special talents or expertise. 

"What? Why? I'm not interested in doing so. I recently graduated and had intended to take a few weeks off to relax. After that, I'll start looking for work on my own." I told them.

"Honey, no. Listen, we want the best for you, and we might be able to get you into one of these companies if we can pull some strings. Before you graduated, we had already arranged this. So you have to listen to us." my mom said.

"No way, mum! You should listen to what I'm saying. Can you guys give me a break? I'm exhausted from studying a course that I never wanted to begin with. I did it for you, and I believed it was sufficient. But what's this? You're kidding, right?" I became more agitated.

"Ungrateful daugther! Since you were a child, we have sent you to the greatest school, arranged your academics, and potential employment for the sake of your future, not ours!" My father yelled. 

My chest heaved. I am ENRAGED.

"Oh, you do? Is that true? Or were you just looking for another daughter to boast about to your friends? At gatherings? You wanted to brag about how great of a father you were and how much you 'cared' for his daughters?" I chuckled. 

My father takes a step forward and raises his hand. "HANA, HOW DARE YOU? GET OUT OF THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW! AFTER THIS, FORGET ABOUT RECEIVING ANY HELP FROM ME!" He yelled. My mother's eyes widened, and she appeared to be terrified.

I cocked my head and smirked. "My dear father, I am delighted. Before we wrap up this conversation, I'd want to present you with something" I dashed back to the study room after retrieving my degree scroll from my room. 

"Congratulations on receiving your bachelor's degree, Mr. Song. Here's your scroll. I hope you're pleased with it!" I presented the scroll with a smile. My father was completely perplexed.

Oh, what a lovely memory! I'm grateful I was able to defend myself on that particular day. But, since that argument, I haven't spoken to him at all. I just communicate with my sister and mother on a daily basis to keep them up to date on my activities. My mother and sister were the ones who kept sending me money for living expenses since I moved out of our house, and they would constantly offer extra money from time to time. Thanks to them, I can still live healthily until today.

Anyway, returning to my current position as an economic consultant, my life is a shambles. I didn't have much 'me time' because I was under pressure to meet unachievable targets and work many overtime hours. Yes, they paid me well, but I burned out after only a year and a half working there. Getting up every day is a nightmare for me, and I no longer want to go to work! my life.

Author's note :

Does anyone here can relate with Hana? Because, I certainly do hahaha. 

This chapter is mainly about Hana's past as I want to you guys to understand what she went through before I proceed to her current life. Anyway, I think I might make this story a short one without too much conflicts. Stay tune for the next chapter!