Breakfast is slightly awkward today but peaceful too. Halmeoni sits at the short end while Minseok and I sit opposite each other just like last evening. But this is the first time that I’ve feel like I actually belonged here. Maybe in terms of wealth I am just a free loader who happens to have great parents that left me good karma, but sitting together like that and having a meal peacefully is quite a luxury to me.

Over the years I’ve always opted to eat alone in my room, because there are always other entities that appear whenever it’s meal time. They will always sit in the empty chairs or squat down beside me asking for food.

I’ve been creeping out my relatives because I simply can’t bear having those dark shadowed eyes staring at me, so I’ll always put my soup before the empty chair or left them untouched. You’ll be surprised how they actually just eat by breathing in the scent.

Putting the thoughts aside, nobody even speak a word so far.

“You’ll bring her to school tomorrow right?” Halmeoni asks suddenly breaking the silence.

“Yes Halmeoni.” Minseok answers with such respect; I can’t even hear a hint of defiance in his voice. He sounds just like a typical filial grandson. Makes me wonder just who the hell barged into the bathroom last night?! Is this the same freaking person? I almost choke on my eggs while trying to swallow them as quickly as I can. Because to hell I am going to school with this Snob.

“It’s okay Halmeoni I can go to school alone. I can always take a bus.” My voice sounds hoarse though. Totally unconvincing.

Minseok looks up to meet my gaze, and here it is again, his poker face. Then he turns to Halmeoni the very next second and is about to say something unpleasant (I suppose) but Halmeoni beats him to it.

“No no no. It’s too tiring for bus and too dangerous. I can’t let my benefactors’ daughter suffer. Not when you’re under my care.”

“No it’s-“she put up a hand to interrupt before I can even say more. Isn’t this Halmeoni really a little too protective over some girl she haven’t even met until a few days ago? But it definitely warms my heart, to have someone, not to say a stranger, cares and concerns for my well-being.

They say blood is thicker than water. Looking back at those days with my relatives, I beg to differ.

Minseok is looking at me now. I’ll be lying if I don’t agree how handsome he is. A neat and short forehead revealing styled hair, sharp eyebrows and long, dewy eyes so perfectly curved at the outer corners as if they were permanently winged with eyeliners. 

But unfortunately that’s as far as I will go on with compliments. There’s a look on his face now that fuels my rage, the narrowing of those eyes as if he has won and his thin lips spreading into a victorious side smirk as if tauntingly saying “watch me”.

“Halmeoni, didn’t you teach me how to always respect others decision? Now is the appropriate time to do that. Since she doesn’t want to, we wouldn’t want to force her don’t we?”

Halmeoni only looks at me with a saddened expression while I manage an awkward smile back. And when I turn back to Minseok, he’s smiling into his glass of juice eyeing me mockingly. With that, I’ve officially decided to take back whatever compliments I have for him. Because looks can be deceiving and this person before me is the perfect example; a perfect snob.

+ + + + +

This must be the most self-comforting uniform that I’ve ever worn in my life so far.

Later in the day, Halmeoni personally supervised my fitting. Yes. I am talking about fitting, like wedding dress fitting. I was practically transformed from head to toe.

From my dry brittle hair all the way to my boring toes. She practically called her whole personal team of beauticians to have me make over. My hair used to be boring, dry and frizzy now they had it dyed a copper brown and straightened. My face was still acceptable, “decent” according to