Exhaling a deep breath, Sumin stared at the smoke that was formed due to the cold weather. The setting sun painted the whole sky yellowish-orange, marking the end of another tiring work day. With her two hands tucked in both pockets of her winter jacket, she slowly made her way to the subway station. This was Sumin’s usual routine. Upon ending school, she will make her way to the café near her school to work as a waitress.

Looking around her, she sees similar-age college students going home too, except they were either linking arms with their friends or interlocking hands with their boyfriends. “It’s sure a cold winter.” Sumin thought to herself as she stood at the train platform, waiting for the train to arrive. Sumin was always like this, and it was by choice. Since she was young, her father had abandoned the family for another woman. With their sole breadwinner long gone, Sumin’s mother needed to juggle many jobs to be able to provide for Sumin and her younger sister. Sumin’s fairytale story was long ruined, and she realized how harsh reality actually was. It hurts her to see her mum working without much rest, and even doing jobs like bar hostess to make ends meet. Sumin felt ashamed, at her father for being such an irresponsible jerk, at her mother for valuing her self-worth and at herself for not being able to do anything at all.

“The doors are opening, please make way…” The announcement boomed, declaring the arrival of the long waited train. Squeezing her way through, Sumin cannot help but pity herself. “While everyone comes from a proper and happy family, here I am facing all these bulls life throws at me everyday.” She grumbled to herself.

Ever since the day Sumin realize that her father was never coming back for them and that her mother was a bar hostess, never once did she smile again. It was as if an evil witch drained all her emotions away, leaving her nothing but that straight face and seriousness of hers. Sumin’s life was no longer about making friends or about having fun, instead it was all about her studies and work. She drifted away from people, she avoided them like how vampire avoids sunlight. Her hard work eventually paid off and now she is studying law in her dream school with the help of a scholarship. Yet even so, Sumin was never once happy with herself or anything. She was just a walking machine.

Alighting at her stop and walking that short pathway to her house, Sumin dig into her bag, looking for her house keys. Removing her shoes, she entered the one and only bedroom, which was shared by the mother and two daughters, to call her younger sister out for dinner. Setting the dinner, left-over food from the café, Sumin younger sister spoke up, “Mummy wore a very short skirt… a very low-cut shirt… her face was covered with thick cakey layer… why doesn’t mummy come home at night? Why does she always wear a different set of clothes when she comes home in the morning? Why? Why?” Sumin eyes widened in shocked for a moment, but quickly recovered her stone face. “That’s her work,” Sumin said flatly while motioning her sister to start eating the food. This was just another day of her life. Some days were better, some days were worse, Sumin figured the best way to deal with it, was to stay emotionless.