Bom ran as fast as she can. Her lungs felt like burning into ashes, her hands were stiff frozen, and her legs were aching like they always do on Thursdays. She only wanted to run faster. Because today is Thursday, the Corn Day. watered to think about all the corn recipes her mom would be preparing. She willed her legs to move faster.

Please. If I don't go home fast enough, dad'll eat all the main course and I'll only be able to eat desserts.

She smiled as she saw the familiar candy store near the creek. Almost Home. She could already feel she was near; it smelled like home- like corn- sweet and warm.

"Hi Bom!" The candy store owner greeted her.

"Hi, Mr. Choco!" She slowed her pace just a bit, and waved her bony hand to greet Mr. Choco.

"I'd like to sit and chat, but I must go home before dad takes all the corn," she explained.

"Of course," Mr. Choco laughed. "But just a second, dear. I have a present to give you- hold out your hands."

She obediently held out her hands, and Mr. Choco poured out all sorts of sweets on to them- chocolates, hard jelly, gumpdrops, hard candy, and packaged cookies.

"Oh, Mr.Choco, you don't have to!" Bom exclaimed, beaming at the unexpected surprise.

"But I want to. Thank you for helping me move the packages yesterday. Now, you go run girl, before your pa eats all the good corn."

Bom runs again, although much slower, to make sure the goodies don't fall. It would be such a waste; it was such good candy- not the cheap ones that costs two pennies- each piece would probably cost like a dime or so, and she wouldn't ever be able to afford a whole two dollar worth of goodies. She only gets two pennies a week. And besides. If she wouldn't be able to finish them- although she is positive that she would- she could sell them for a nickel.

She hummed a happy tune as she reached for the doorknob. Time for corns.

She took off her worn out leather shoes, and frowned as she noticed two pairs of unfamiliar shoes. They were very nice shoes- the finest in town. The color hasn't fade away from the snow- they were polished black, and the tip of it was gleaming from the sun, indicating that they were made from the finest leather. They belonged to men, she realized, but pa would never buy this ridiculously expensive pair of shoes. Uneasily, she twisted the doorknob and went inside the house.

Her mom was waiting for her in the kitchen with a bowl of freshly steamed corns. "Had a good time at school, sweet?" She ruffled her daughter's hair affectionately.

"Ma? What's for dinner?" Bom asked eagerly.

"Cabbage soup and beans," Her mom answered, a bit distracted.

Bom felt a pang of disappointment. Today is Corn Day. What happened to all the corn recipe? Cabbage soup and beans...That's what they had yesterday, and Bom hated it.

"I'm sorry, dear. I know you expected corn meals, but I didn't have the time to prepare today. Go help yourself with steamed corns; they're on top of the pantry."

Bom sighed. "Where's the honey and butter?"

Her mom widened her eyes in surprise. "Not today, Bom." She said, her voice unusually high. "Today you'll have to use margarine. Honey and butter are too costly; we must save it."

Bom frowned. "I don't understand. We always had enough for butter and honey."

Thud.

Bom screamed in fright as her mother held on to her.

"What was that?" Bom demanded, her lips quivering.

Her mom didn't say anything, but she started crying as if the world had ended. Bom gasped. "Ma? You okay? Have you been cutting onions?"

She had never seen her strong ma cry, not even once in her lifetime.

"I wonder what happened to pa. I'll go see if he's alright." Bom wriggled herself out of her mother's grasp, but she yanked Bom's arm roughly back to her embrace. Bom winced, and looked up at her mom.

"What was that for?"

"Don't you go inside the living room, girl." Her ma told her.

"What? Why not?" Bom whined. "I want to see what happened to pa."

"Pa is only having a conversation with his friends," Her mother said firmly. "Do not bother him."

Bom scowled. Friends? Her mother must be joking. She had a bad feeling about those expensive looking shoes- none of dad's friends were wealthy enough to buy exorbitant footwear.

Thud.

The sudden noise made Bom squeal again. She had to find out what was going on.

"Mom," She groaned, twisting her ams free. Using all her energy, she forced herself out of her mom's arms, and ran to the living room.

Her dad had a bruise on his right eye- a dark shade of blue, swelling. Their brand new coffee table was shattered into pieces. Bom wanted to cry. She had paid a lot of her allowance for that coffee table.

And the men dressed in black... She didn't have a good feeling about them.

"Hey!" Bom yelled, her index finger pointing accusingly at one of the men. "That's very expensive! I paid a whole ten dollar for that!"

Her dad gave her a stern look, as if he wanted her to be quiet, but Bom was on the roll. They broke that stupid coffee table, and now they were going to pay for it.

"Park Bom," Her mother whispered behind, gently shaking her daughter.

"Mom," Bom said, ready to tattle-tale. "Those weird looking guys broke our coffee table. My coffee table, the one I paid half my allowance with."

She half expected her mom to go scold the men, but her mom didn't move from her spot. She just stood where she was, looking very miserable.

"See?" Bom glared. "Now you made mom sad, too."

The taller man gave her a half hearted pout. "I'm sorry. I'll pay for the very expensive coffee table."

The smaller man snickered as he threw twenty dollar bills up in the air. "We'll be back soon; don't think it's over yet, Park. And...what a daughter you have."

The two of them laughed as they went out.

Bom gave a triumphant smile as she turned around, but her mom was shaking. With anger.

"Park Bom, you go to your room. Now!"

"Why are you so angry?" Bom demanded, shocked.

"I told you not to go inside the living room, didn't I? You disobeyed me."

Bom lifted both of her hands in exasperation. "That's so unreasonable. I'm the one who made them pay for the broken coffee table. If I hadn't been there, then we probably would've never gotten our table back."

"Your room. Now!" Her mom snapped.

Bom's eyes begain to water. She had done everything she could do to help, despite how scary those men looked. And now her ma was mad at her for almost no reason. Shaking, she stomped her way to her room.

Park Dong Hoon sighed as he saw his daughter go to her room. He thanked God that she was still alive with no injuries. One wrong comment and- he shuddered from the thought.

"Bo Young," He sighed, pulling his wife closer. "We have no right to be mad at the child- she doesn't know the situation."

She looked at the ground. "I know. I was just so scared- and if something happened to her, I wouldn't know what to do," She whispered, bursting into tears.

"You better tell her so she'll behave tomorrow." Dong Hoon said.

Bo Young looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "My god, Dong Hoon. She's only ten, for lord's sake."

"This probably won't be the first time this is going to happen to us," He said gently.

Bo Young glared at her husband. "Don't you dare say that again; in front of my face."

Dong Hoon only smiled sadly.

"Why don't we go to the court? You have a legal contract- that stupid land is yours. It's going to be ours for the next ten years. You know how we bought that land, Dong Hoon. We scraped off every money we had to buy that- we borrowed money, you used your inheritance-"

Dong Hoon paled. "Honey- we haven't got a chance. It's ChoiGogeub, no sane lawyers would work for us."

 Bo Young gave a louder cry.

Bo Young knocked on the door softly. "Bom? You sleeping?"

No reply, but Bom could possibly not be sleeping. Bom could never sleep right away after an argument of any kind.

"Bom?" She sat on the hard wooden floor next to the thin blankets Bom slept on. She shook her daughter gently. "I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier."

Bom turned around to face her mother. "Why'd you yell at me like that?"

Bo Young recognized the look on her daughter's face- hurt. Her poor daughter.

"I was so scared, sweet. Don't you go talking to those men again, you hear me?"

Bom widened her eyes. Curiosity took over her. "Why?"

Here I go, Bo Young thought. "It may be hard to understand, you're only ten, after all."

"Ten is a fine age," Bom insisted.

Bo Young grinned dryly. "That you're right about."

Bom smiled sweetly. "Continue, please."

"Those people work for a company who own buildings. They are trying to take away our corn field."

"What?" Bom cried, jerking around. "I don't want them to take our corn field away. How could we eat good corn everyday if they do?"

Bo Young had a sour expression on her face. "They offered us some money in exchange of the field but... we want to keep the field," She said firmly. "And that's why they came over our house today to...try to convince us..."

"Why can't we just say no?" Bom asked.

"They won't take no for an answer."

Bom opened to talk but her mother silenced her. "Please, Bom. They're bad people. Please don't talk to them. Please. Can you promise me that?"

Bom looked at her mom's face. Lines of worries and exhaustion was written all over it.

"Of course," She answered, before drifting off to sleep.

Eight Years Later

"And rank one of Junpyo High School is... Park Bom!"

The loud speaker blasted her ears so she couldn't hear the name, but Bom was confident that it announced her name. She confidently walked up the platform, and received the award certification from the smiling principal.

She had been rank one since the first year of Junpyo High School. And how could she not be rank one? She spent ten hours on studying, pestered the teachers after school, and asked for more homework. Of course, this ruined her social life, but honestly, who cared? She was happy as long as she got perfect grades on her report cards, so that Standford would see how good she is.

After graduating, she would...

Seek revenge.

Her poor father and mother cleaned and swept the streets until their backs ached. Her house lost the warmth and happiness ever since their corn field was wrongfully taken away and replaced by a clothes department store.

Bom felt so useless. As a daughter, she should be doing so much more.

Just wait few more years. After graduating, she would get a decent job and be wealthy enough to pay her parents for everything they've given her. And she would seek revenge on ChoiGogeub, the company that ruined her life. Her parents' life. And in order to that, studying is what she must do.

She was suddenly pulled back and pushed against the wall while she was walking home. She looked up in annoyance. Taeyang. Bloody idiot. Who did he think he is?

She brushed herself off the ground. "Let's cut it out. I'm not in the mood today."

Taeyang looked at her from head to toe, grinning. "I don't think so. You're hot, and I like you."

Bom wanted to roll her eyes. "Not the first one."

Taeyang smiled his killer smile. "Want my number?"

"Want a broken nose?" Bom brushed pass him, and muttered, "You have a girlfriend called Iu. Now sod off."

Taeyang looked back. "You must be lesbian. How the hell do you not know what you're missing? And, in case you forgot- I'm rich! I can save your whole god damn family!"

Bom didn't turn around. No point arguing with a dumb hick like him. Bom was just too beautiful and intelligent to talk to anyone. Besides, it was like, negative fifteen degrees outside, and she had college applications to fill out.

Cold wind stung her eyes, making it teary, blurring her vision. Yet she could still see the familiar candy store near the creek that had been frozen because of the cold weather.

Mr. Choco waved at Bom merrily, and Bom had to smile. Same old Mr. Choco.

Mr. Choco held out his hand, indicating her to wait for a minute.

Bom stopped walking.

Mr.Choco came out with a thin jumper on, carrying a pink paper bag.

"No need to come outside, Mr. Choco." Bom said.

"I know. But I would like for you to have this." He pushed the paper bag closer to her.

"I'm alright," Bom muttered.

"Please take it. I want to go back inside, it's freezing," He said, shivering.

Hesitating, she took the bag, and he waved good bye as he went ran back inside the store. Inside the pink bag, there were sweets. Chocolates, hard candies and jellies, cookies, and sweet mint.

Childhood memories came to Bom. She remembered that today was Thursday. Corn Day. But there would be no more Corn Day for the Park family. There hasn't been, since those men from ChoiGogeub came over. The thought made her eyes water- and it wasn't from the cold breeze.

She picked at a piece of chocolate, popped it in , and walked home.

"I'm home!" She called out, although she knew nobody was home to greet her.

Both her parents were working on the street.

Sighing, She tied her hair into a neat ponytail before setting the college application to her desk. She took her pen, and started filling the paper out. Her first choice would be Stanford, no doubt.

She knew she would make it there, but she was a bit worried, because she wasn't sure if she would make it there with full scholarship. Moreover, Stanford was in America. Who would pay for those plane tickets? She rubbed her head in frustration.

Of course, she could apply for any of the colleges in Korea. They would all accept her, no doubt. This way, she could stay close to her parents as well. But even Seoul College, one of the best college in Korea, would not be good enough for her.

It has to be Stanford. It has to be. She hastedly scribbled down Stanford, not bothering to write down her second choices.

It's Stanford, or nothing. She sealed the application to the envelope before she could change her mind.

It's all up to you, God. Help me make my life worth living.

She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply.

She could almost feel the warmth and the sweet scent of corn dominate her house again.

My first fanfiction. Sorry it took a little long for me to update, and I do hope you enjoyed the first chapter.

Please feel free to comment about the chapter, and I would really appreciate any ideas or suggestions.

The next chapter will hopefully be updated quickly. And yes, Top will eventually come out- maybe in the second or third chapter. This is a prologue, remember.

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Thank you!