“The moon is a loyal companion.
It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human.
Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections."

―Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me

Dal by night, another by morning. But Dal, this person preferred to be called. She, she preferred to be called. Dal she has been called since fifteen as she only comes out at night and stays silent during the day to avoid the violence of differences of her neighbors and her family. In the morning, she is at home occupied by her one and only love -the internet, where no one has to be judged because no one would ever know anyone's true identity. Why is Dal hiding? Her town doesn't accept her. Dal's "different".  It's not her fault, she was born this way.

No, Dal is not a vampire, nor any mythical creature crawling out in the smoky streets, illuminated by streetlights. Dal is human, just like everybody else in this world. Dal is a human, and by heart, trapped with a curse. What happens...happens. She just had to cope with the consequences.

Dal:

Princess Sky sat quietly in the castle's library, holding a cup of tea. Her men surrounded her, dusting the shelves of thousands of books and polished floors. It was not until they left though, when she felt at ease. Sky's cup was empty now. In the midst, the princess looked up to view her servant walking through the two open doors, holding his silver tray. Her eyes followed his reasonably-tall build as he poured her a fresh cup. Her eyes held the boy’s figure. "Wonwoo-ssi," she called in a low voice.

He stood up straight, facing his princess at the last drop of the teapot. "Yes, my lady?"

The princess’ hand reached to the touch of his gloved fingers.

"Marry me."

 Wonwoo removed his hand under her grasp, his fingertip sliding down the glass. He raised his finger to his eyes, observing the dust in a light chuckle. "I mustn’t, my lady," he replied. For a second, he let his words linger, then walked off out the doors.

"Though you are the one that I love!" she raised her voice, standing.

Wonwoo turned to face her once more, "But I am only a servant. Serving you is my only duty. I mustn’t do no more, for you will be wedded by Prince Mingyu of Venseteen in two days."

The princess followed her servant through the hall, "But Prince Mingyu is not thou who wins my heart. Become my prince! We shall rule the kingdom together!" she held his arm, pleadingly.

"You have treated me well, and I have been very thankful. But when I danced with you at the ball, as the people watched us with strange eyes, I realized, we are two different people. We can't be together. I'm sorry, my lady."

Wonwoo couldn't believe his princess crying on her knees for him. Her love looked beyond his status of a lower-class man, but he did not love her. His heart beats for someone else.

"Dal?" my dad opened my door before knocking. I shut my laptop, "What?"

"Time for school." Once he got my attention, he fabricated a smile on his lips before shutting the door. This was the dreaded news that I had to face every morning. I stretched each leg out of my bed lazily and stood heavily on the cold floor.

 These weekday mornings did not come easy to me, especially as it was the day after winter vacation. I sighed as I do often, as if it were my way to breathe, bending down to my bed to minimize my story on my laptop. There, a beautiful face smile to be my sunshine. My finger dabbed my screensaver, right at the tip of the boy’s nose. “Good morning, sweetie,” I grinned at him; Korea’s heartthrob, Kim Mingyu.

 The moment my eyes lost to his gaze, I dragged my feet to the bathroom to brush my teeth, then slowly walked back to my room to dress into my uniform; a button-up, tie, long socks, and leather shoes. These pieces did not work like a set to me. I looked at myself in the mirror, plainly I knew that these clothes did not fit myself. With tired eyes I sat back on the edge of my bed for a minute, breathing.

School was something that I have dreaded for too many years. Just another place in the outside world to be devoured in humiliation. At these moments, I had been pep-talked numb. Tips of my hair still dripped wet to my thumbs, watching the drops to realize that these were one of the situations which one must endure for it to go away. I stood to my feet before I even knew, and took my glasses from the dresser, swinging my bag behind me. 

At my steps before the door, he stopped me again; Kim Mingyu who stood on a poster. I could feel myself smile in weakness as my heart ached. He was the only one that brought me happiness, I could say guiltily, the only one who ever brought a smile on my face. He melted my heart into liquid and warmed it up at the same time.

I wonder what it would be like to go to school with you, I thought in another sigh. My hand touched the side of his face. My eyes looked over to my desk. Almost running, I grabbed my Mingyu photocard off the magnet and put it in my pocket before leaving my room.

I walked to the kitchen to see Dad and Hwakyeon at the table. "Morning." Hwakyeon greeted me over his newspaper. I didn’t respond to his greeting, as if I casually did not hear his call. He only chuckled in response, eyeing my father to signal that nothing has changed.

Hwakyeon and my father were college friends; he was the first to offer his house when the two of us needed to find a place to stay after my parents’ divorce. "Come on, Dal. You're gonna be late for school." Hwakyeon said, getting up from his seat across my father. Hwakyeon and Dad worked at home on their computers, something I wished I could do for school.

"Do I have to go today?" I whined to the table, next to my father. I took a toaster waffle to my mouth and put my knit cap on.

"It's high school, Dal. We all had to go through it when we were younger."  Dad smirked behind his laptop.

Hwakyeon walked up to me, and before I took a step back, he pinned my name tag on my blazer, "You left this in the car. I know you don't like using your real name, but maybe legally change it to 'Dal' sometime this week?" I could never feel comfortable while talking to Hwakyeon, so I didn’t. I knew the only reason why he talked to me was so I could accept him, and since I didn’t respond, I continued to chew on the toaster-waffle.

 "Take that off. You're not supposed to wear hats at school." Hwakyeon pulled my knit cap off of my head.

I grabbed it back from his grip, glaring to show that his ‘sweet talks’ were not working. "I don't like showing my hair."

"You can style it, at least. Make it look better." Dad suggested over his laptop, the tone in his voice seeming to lower the tension between Hwakyeon and me.

"Yeah, and maybe grow it out. You'll look prettier that way." Hwakyeon brushed my hair. I yanked his hand away and walk to the door as I left him defeated.

"Don't worry, Hwak. Dal just hasn't adjusted to all the changes after the divorce." Dad told him.

I walked toward house's security system, disarming it as I followed with undoing the three locks from the door. I shouldn't live in a house like this, I thought, but as I stepped outside in the sunlight, I felt insecure in the way I felt exposed and open for a free hit.

I stood from the porch, as I spotted a woman jogging down our neighborhood, "Good morning," the jogger greeted to the people from other houses. The jogger passed my house and just gave me a look. She seemed to quicken her pace, I noticed. I bit my lip, watching her pass across my house. I walked quickly to the car, not wanting another person to look at me.

"Ready to go?" Hwakyeon smiled as he came out from behind the door. He quickened his pace so that he was behind me as we entered the car. The older man sat in the driver’s seat after me, as he settled taking a breath when he put the keys into the ignition. The engine hummed through our ears as the sight of what once was our home dumbfounded us.

Unbelievable.

The scene of pray-painted curses on the walls overnight terrored our eye. The messages in the red cut through my chest, but my mind was already numb. "I'll tell your Dad to get some paint at the store." Hwakyeon said calmly as he backed-up out of the drive-way. This was not the first time the house was vandalized. 

The drive was quiet for a while. I put an earbud in my ear and played only Kim Mingyu's music, something Hwakyeon nor my father would allow me to play it on the speakers. They said that I dream too much, always having my head in the clouds; but these fantasies in my head were my safe haven, and reality was my horror.

"When do you get that necklace?" Hwakyeon suddenly said, pointing at the necklace dangling from my neck.

I sighed, pulling the earbud out of my ear, I took the moon charm in my fingers. "Haneul sent it to me for Christmas."

Hwakyeon grinned cheerfully, "Oh. Is that the girl that you've been telling your dad about? That's nice of her."

"Yeah." I replied.

After a couple of minutes, I took out my sketchbook and drew Mingyu and me in school uniform. Mingyu sitting next to me in my sketch. Sitting at the back of the class, we would spend minutes looking into each other's eyes.

 "You seem to like to draw a lot," Hwakyeon commented as he parked in front of the school. He stretched to look over at my sketch. I shoved it into my backpack before he took a glance. I wondered if he realized that I would never give in to him. "I'll see you later," he said. Before I opened the door, I saw the eyes of students already looking toward me. I hesitated, leaning my weight back into my seat. "I can't go."

He turned his head suddenly my direction, as if I were holding him back. "Do you think the students still remember? That was months ago!" Hwakyeon watched me hesitating, then noticed the kids staring. "Just walk straight to your class." he said, disappointed. I did what he said and walked out of the car, heading to my classroom. When I tried to believe that they weren't talking about me, I've already overheard my name in their conversations.

A boy tripped me by the lockers and my glasses slipped off my nose. "Oops!" his group laughed with him. I sighed harshly as I re-gripped the strap of my bag on my shoulder. I ignored their laughs and walked to my locker.

"Hey, Dal." I jumped when someone touched my back. I usually panicked when someone approached. I glanced over to see who it was. At the look of her face, I let my guard down. "Hey, Haneul." I replied a bit harshly. I returned to my locker putting my books inside and shut it closed.

"Let's go to the classroom!" Haneul smiled as if her world filtered from problems. Being one of not many words, I just nodded and followed her. I always felt so strange being with Haneul within a crowd as she gave off such an aura so conflicting with mine. She was my friend, I guess you would say. She was really the only person who talked to me at school who was not a teacher.

As I followed behind her, I only kept my eyes along our path, ignoring the stares and remarks besides me. Haneul took a turn into a classroom, stopping before the door to greet. I felt my stomach turn when I looked up to the familiar face.

 "Hey Seokmin!" Haneul waved to him with a group of guys. Seokmin waved also, but kept his mouth shut when he saw me. As usual, the waters were still cloudy between us.  It was only that second when I looked at him, to then proceed inside the empty classroom.

I listened to Haneul humming as we passed desks to sit in the back. "Is he still not talking to you?" Haneul asked, setting her bag under her chair in front of me. I only shrugged, looking into her cakey-face and long, shiny hair when she finally faced me. I always wished to try makeup on and have hair like her.

"I guess not," I replied. Haneul was the one person who talked to me, which I found ironic. She was also the school's president and one of the most "prettiest and popular" girls in school. Who knew that out of her hundreds of friends, she would be with Dal the outsider? They believe it was because she felt sorry for me, as if one of Korea's top celebrities took a homeless child under their belt for adoption.

 Though, as even I did not believe I considered myself once popular too, sharing the same spotlight as Haneul. I used to have many friends even, including Seokmin. My days under the spotlight, though, felt as if the bulb fell and shattered at the top of my head. Seokmin was my best friend, longer than Haneul ever was.

It was a few days before the Homecoming dance. We came with a group of friends but when we arrived, Seokmin and I were a group of two that stuck with each other. We danced, talked and laughed the whole night long as best friends. At the end of the night, I remember sitting next to him outside, watching the night sky. I trusted Seokmin enough to tell my deepest secret, and when we were alone outside, I confessed my feelings for him. Coincidentally, it was the night I was crowned for homecoming court; but in return, Seokmin shot at me, leaking my secret to the whole school.  I felt his hand shove me against the dirt that night, and everyone’s eyes never looked at me the same way again.

"Dallee~Don't frown. We just got back from break!" Haneul tried to brighten me up. Her eyes suddenly widened as she looked down from her face. "Oh! You're wearing the necklace I sent you." She touched the moon charm and showed me her matching cloud charm. "I kinda like that you changed your name to Dal. Now we're Haneul and Dal, get it?" she giggled.

"Haneul-ah." a boy surprised us. It was Jisoo, the guitar-player in our class that all the girls seemed to fall for. He looked different when he was nervous, his cheeks were shades of pink. "I was just wondering..." Jisoo stayed silent, when he couldn’t gather his words, he held a rose to her face. "Will you go to the Winter Dance with me?" His forehead was sparkly like he was sweating. Haneul giggled in the pleasant surprise. She tried to stay humble despite knowing all of the boys under the sun have already asked her. "No thanks. I'm going with someone else!" Haneul said in a too-happy tone. 

Jisoo seemed less embarrassed now, but a bit more disappointed. He lowered his rose and asked, "W-Who?"  Haneul giggled again, placing her hand on top of mine. "Dal, silly!" I blushed slightly, she cared for me...or she really felt sorry for me. 

Jisoo looked at both of us confused, almost shocked. "You're both- going together? Does that mean-?!" He pointed at both of us. "We're best friends, silly Joshua Hong!" Haneul stood and tapped the tip of his nose with her finger, laughing. Jisoo turned, about ready to leave, but he looked at Haneul one last time. He laughed this time, “Oh I see,” he said. He gestured Haneul to come closer so he could whisper in her ear. “If you feel like ever ditching 'em, you can find me by the DJ," he muttered. Haneul did not react to what he said, turning back to me as he walked away. 

"Haneul, you don't have to go to the dance with me. You should have accepted Jisoo's rose!" I tried to tell her gently.

"Dal! But I want to go with you! Come on, it will be fun!" She shook my arms. I hesitated, but decided to bring it up. "But remember...our last school dance?" 

It was silent between us, and the smile on the corners of Haneul's cheeks dropped. Her hands slipped into mine. "We don't have to go to the dance. How about...we go somewhere else fun that night? Just you and me," she smirked. 

Haneul was kind, although a feeling in my gut could not accept it. "I don't want you to miss the dance just for me. You have so many other friends to see there too, being the president of our school! Don't worry about me, I'll be happy to stay home on my computer anyway."

Haneul could not hold a laugh. "You and your computers, huh?" She smiled. "You're always on those and also those notebooks that you write in too." I pulled my notebook away from her before she placed her hand on it. 

The mood changed slightly as Haneul sat shocked at my sudden move. "Sorry," I quickly said.

Haneul ignored that moment and looked into my eyes. "I do have many friends, but you're my best friend." She grinned. "Let's hang out somewhere special next week, Dal." I looked into her pleading eyes, with only the thought of wanting to stay home. "Okay."

Haneul clapped, standing up as she cheered and jumped. She shook me, "We're going to have tons of fun! We can go to the Doogi Karaoke bar downtown!" She went closer to my face. "I heard that they updated it with Kim Mingyu's new album. 

When both her and I thought that she could get me to smile in excitement, at that moment my smile could not get any wider.

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A/N:

- I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. It was originally a one-shot, but the story expanded as I typed. I'm planning it to be maybe as long as a three-shot or a little more/less(?)

-Please look forward to Mingyu in the next chapter and the beginning of the adventure! ^-^

And also please subscribe and comment. I appreciate all of your feedback!!

-taegyoelf