”Happy birthday again, Minji!” The girl grinned to Minzy before she closed the door behind her. With that finalizing click of the lock, the purple haired girl allowed her fake smile to drop, and for silence to fill the room. She glanced at herself in one of the mirrors that hung on her wall. She found that she could hardly even recognize herself under even this thin layer of makeup. A soft scoff left her lips as she looked at herself, a bitter look in her eyes before she turned her back on her reflection to look at the mess that had accumulated in her living room. 

Empty beer bottles lay on the table and on the floor, plates of unfinished snack foods everywhere else. The remnants of another party with strangers. She had invited a couple of friends and some of her classmates, but her friends had all made other plans, leaving her stranded with a few people she didn’t know all that well. But it was fine. It was all fine. 

Things would’ve just ended in the same fashion anyways. 

A slightly hysterical laugh left the girl’s chapped lips as she walked into the kitchen, grabbing a case of beer before making her way up the stairs. The soft thuds her feet made against the hardwood floors seemed deafening in the silence. She didn’t even realize that she had been crying until she entered the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was destroyed now. Lipstick smeared, and eyeliner running down her face like an inky waterfall. She was now a mess on the outside, just as she was on the inside. Lighting a deep green candle on the edge of the tub, she ran a bath of water, not caring whether or not it was cold or hot. As numb as she felt, she doubted that she’d be able to tell the difference anyways. Kicking off her socks, the girl sank into the tub with her clothes on. She just didn’t care. 

Another year older. Another year completely and utterly alone. 

Grabbing one of the bottles of alcohol from the case, she cracked it open and took a deep swig, wincing at the bitter taste of the alcohol. Minutes passed as she stared at the small flame dancing in the candle’s holder. 

“Happy birthday to me.” She said so softly it was hardly audible before she leaned forward and snuffed out the flame of the candle.