This week's drabbles are up! It seems that our 'no word count limit' allowed people to really take things and run! Please vote for favorite and least!

ONE

Title: Demon
Fandom: Infinite
Rating: PG13
Warning: mention of violence
Word count: 440
Prompt: "What is this spell you cast on me?" - Wonder Girls, "I Feel You"

Twisting to see the door was futile, he knew, because he had already tried so many times before in the last half hour. A prisoner in his own body, he stood, hands trained to his sides and face staring straight ahead. 

At her.

The beautiful woman moved slowly around the dark room, gathering bits of dried herbs and bottled liquids into a beaker she held in one slim hand. His eyes were trained on her movements, fear gathering thick in his stomach as she made her slow circuit. 

She had been his fiancee, the woman he had been supposed to spend the rest of his life with, and then he had gone and done something so foolish as to follow his heart and deny her. What a fool he'd been! He was in love with someone else, though; why couldn't she simply understand that? Had he known what she was capable of, he never would have even said a word about it, just fled instead of coming to break the news to her in person.

She mixed the contents of the glass bottle slowly, a pale smoke raising from it, probably some sort of potion that she intended for him to drink. Maybe to make him love her? Only if she made him forget... but he wouldn't put that past her capabilities. Finally she turned from the last shelf to give him what should have been a beautiful smile.

If only he didn't know the demon hidden behind it.

"Myungsoo," she purred, stepping close to place one hand on his chest, her head tipped up until her lips were almost touching his. "Why can't you just accept my love? You know I would do anything for you," she added with a side glance toward the door, and she must have wanted him to look, because his head turned to mirror her own movements.

Sungjong's crumpled body lay there in the flickering candlelight, blood leaking from a wound on his head where she had struck him. She had attacked him instead of Myungsoo, likely thinking that if his lover were dead and out of the way, she could force him to love her. Myungsoo once again tried to break free of her grasp, tried to go to Sungjong, but it was to no avail. 

She had caught him in her spell, and he was struggling like a fly in her web. She turned to face him once more, his movements mimicking her again, and lifted the beaker to his lips.

"Drink deep," she said with a sly twist of her lips.

And even as his mind fought her, Myungsoo's body obeyed.

TWO

Title: Trust
Fandom: EXO
Rating: PG
Warning: -
Word count: 1134
Prompt: "I'm trusting everything to you," from SHINee's "Married to the Music."

Bright red ears fluttered on top of the tiny fox's head as it rolled onto its stomach, bushy tail swishing from side to side. The cool winds that came with the Fluffy White were already there, causing it to shudder from time to time. Remnants of the Bright Yellow still littered the ground, but most had been covered already by leaves: they were the children of the Crimson Red.

For a little fox, that had been the most pleasant of the Four Colors: the one where it could hide the best, the one where its fur blended in perfectly with its surroundings. And yet, it had always been the shortest. Darks were getting longer then Lights were, and the Big Yellow was up on the Wide Blue less and less. It would always pass in a mere blink of an eye, much to many little foxes' distress.

The sounds of the Flying Treats filled the small animal's mind. The ones that were staying even for the Fluffy White were chirping blissfully, perched atop already bare trees. Suddenly, their happy sounds were cut off.

Something had entered Home.

It was a Bareface. They were known for their cruelty: they slayed all creatures just for fun. Rumours claimed they only ate greens and went to Home only to play.

The little fox was not sure if that was true or false but it did not want to find it out. So without thinking twice it darted into the depths of the woods, small legs carrying it at a rapid pace. 

All of a sudden, a loud howl filled the air. It was clearly the best and only friend of a Bareface: a Tamed Wolf. It was smaller than the ones who sometimes roamed Home and scared the little ones into running, but not as good-natured or kind. It was cruel and stunk of blood that was shed in vain.

The small fox shook as it dove into its tiny hole, struggling to curl up within its confines. It could not be found. It did not want to pass before it was time. Especially not in the strong jaws of a Tamed Dog, a traitor.

Time passed in a sluggish manner. The little fox thought it was safe, that all was alright. And yet as it was about to relax and let its mind slip away for a while, a low growl shook it back into awareness.

The Tamed Wolf was at the entrance of its hole. It was whining and growling and yelping in a way the little wolf could not understand. 
Must have been a threat, thought the tiny creature, panic flaring in its mind.

"Don't move!" Was the real meaning of the yips and howls: the Tamed Wolf could see what the little one could not. Barefaced had been roaming the woods, setting their traps of wires and worse. It let out a whine even at the thought of seeing the pretty little fox's paws being crushed to nothing. It had gotten into a trap like that once..and had nearly died.

"Don't yell, Yeol! You can't startle him more!" The bareface's words were odd to the small creature, but somewhat soothing. Calmer than the ones it had encountered before. It was sweet, too, almost like the coo of a mother

"Little guy, we come in peace," it went on softly before setting something at the back of the hole, right behind the fox. It was food: its smell was so rich and mouthwatering. "come out this way, okay? Eat up, too. You are so skinny..."

It took long hours until the little fox was eating happily, sometimes looking up to make sure that it was not being tricked. When it was done it shakily scrambled outside, only to be on the muzzle by the large dog whose tail was wagging in glee.The human had just finished getting rid of the trap: it now lay in the large bag that was on his shoulder."Come on Yeol, we're done here. Bye bye little one, make sure to stay safe okay?"

And yet as he walked, a small yip spotted him. The fox refused to let go of his dog's tail: its hold was gentle, eyes playful."Yeol, we need to go!" said the human once more with a sigh.

The dog whined, trying to get away from its new friend sadly. However, the fox had other ideas. It hopped up and tackled the bigger, sniffing at its neck with glee.

"Seems like he loves you, pal!" the human chuckled to himself."Still, we need to be back before nightfall. And you need a bath!"

Many days have passed since then. The little fox was getting used to the new life. It was lying on something as soft as the Fluffy White was, but nowhere near as cold. It was perfect to roll around in. Food was also plenty: it did not need to fight for it, too. Its new friend was getting better and better at the language of Home, while the little fox itself was learning how to understand the gibberish of the Tamed. It was not easy: but it was exciting, it was new.

"Hyunnie!" chirruped the dog as it pranced into the room before pulling itself on the bed, panting."How are you?" its tail was wagging at the speed of light as it nuzzled the fox's nose.

"Good," responded the smaller with a yawn, rolling onto its back with its paws dangling in the air."Fluffy White is good.." it hummed, letting out purr-like sounds of happiness.

"Silly!" the dog barked out as it lay down on the bed, curling up a bit.

"We will go play in the snow soon! Human said you can come too! Human loves you so much!"

The little fox could not understand all of what the Tamed Wolf yipped but it was quite sure that whatever it was, it meant him getting some extra food. The place was nice, the food too, but for the little creature it was hard to trust the human. It accepted food from it sure and followed the 'Bareface' everywhere but it never got close enough to be touched by the weird, furless animal. 

"Human is happy that you is with us!" the dog chirruped again."Human is so nice!" 

The fox had to agree. The Bareface was a lot nicer than most creatures it had ever met. It could have hurt it or chased it off but..it did not. It just gave it food and water, and a nice place to sleep at...

Before 'Yeol' knew it the fox was darting towards the human with soft little yips, jumping on its lap.

"I'm trusting you human!" It thought."You may be weird and you may smell bad, but I'm trusting you with all I have!"

THREE

Title: Senseless
Fandom: Big Bang
Rating: pg
Warnings: None
Word Count: 246
Prompt: "Honestly, I’ve never fit in with the world, I was always alone" & "At some point, I started looking at the ground more than the sky" From Loser - Big Bang

He always kept his head down, staring at the pavement like it was the only thing that could guide him. He didn’t want to look up, he wouldn’t dare to look up. Every day he passed by invisible, not bothering anyone, not having anyone bother him.

He got used to being alone, he had to. No one was there for him, it was like the world had forgotten him. But truly, it was always like this. He had always been a nobody, even when he wasn’t aware of it.

But being aware was more painful than one would hope. Knowing before had that whatever he did wouldn’t matter at all, made every motion his body gave useless.

What’s the use?

Why try when you know the outcome?

He was so far away from everything and everyone, that at time he forgot how to say his own name. Kwon Jiyong sounded like foreign words to his lips, as it had been so long since he introduced himself to anyone.

Why would he anyway? They would just leave him, like all of the other.

He didn’t care anymore. There was no more love in his life, not the faintest light inside the darkness of his heard.

He was tired of pretending he was something, tired of trying to act tough, like it will all matter someday. He had no more hope.

Now when he looked in the mirror, he saw who he really was: A loser. A nobody.

FOUR

Title: when everything has crashed and burned
Fandom: Exo
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Word Count: 1155
Prompt: "If you'd ever thought about it, then you wouldn't have hurt me like this."  -"If You Ever Thought" (Bai Ann)

When Jongdae had first signed up for choir, he hadn't been expecting this.

He’d only selected the class because there weren’t any other arts courses that seemed feasible at the time. Besides, Jongdae was used to singing in the shower, so singing in a group hadn't been that difficult.

It had been fun at first, meeting other kids and bonding with them during their afterschool practice.

But over the weeks, that had changed. Friendly competition had turned into outright rivalry. Nothing meant more than getting a better spot in choir, in getting a solo at the final performance.

There were rumors of talent agents, of scholarships and contracts.

And Jongdae—Jongdae, who had never been particularly interested in anything before, who hadn't even considered music as a possible career path—was hooked.

It seemed like the only way to escape the town he’d lived in all his life. The chances of making it were slim, but they were still there.

Jongdae spent hours listening to recordings of professional players. He paid more attention during practice, listening to his fellow classmates’ voices, comparing and analyzing.

Suddenly, Jongdae was aware of all of his weaknesses. His voice wasn’t steady enough, wasn’t memorable enough, wasn’t loud enough. He was aware that he’d started late, that this could be the last year he’d be eligible for signing a contract at one of the big companies.

Get into one of those, he’d been told, and the rest of your life will be a breeze.

So Jongdae practiced, locking himself in a room and just listening and singing, immersing himself in the music. He didn’t have any extra leverage in his dancing or his looks; he could only count on his voice.

The first time it happened, Jongdae had just brushed it off, thinking it was simply because his throat was too dry. It wasn’t unnatural for his voice to crack after a particularly long practice session.

But it kept happening. Soon, Jongdae found that he could no longer reach the high notes he was once able to hit with ease and his voice was no longer as smooth, as entrancing.

In the end, it was the stress and pressure that made Jongdae cave in.

He and his friends used to joke about the little house on the edge of the woods, spreading rumors about the witch who lived there. Most of the stories were old local legends, based on a grain of truth that had been grossly exaggerated.

Jongdae hadn't thought that he’d go to the house one day, knocking on the front door and searching for help. He almost fled when the door creaked open, revealing a face heavily wrinkled with age. But he stood his ground, smiling as best as he could.

“What do you want?” the woman asked. Her voice was scratchy and dry, grating on the ears. Before Jongdae could answer, she stepped aside, gesturing for him to answer. “Come on in, let’s talk inside.”

Jongdae settled on the edge of the chair across from the woman, hesitating before he began telling his story. Once he started, he couldn’t stop, and he confessed secrets and insecurities he hadn't dared to admit to himself before. “I was wondering if you could help me,” Jongdae finished, folding his hands in his lap. He stared down at his fingers, aware of the woman’s gaze slowly taking him apart.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors.” The witch laughed, making a harsh, choked sound. “I don’t work for free.” She tapped a yellowed nail against the edge of the table, her eyes challenging, calculating.

“What do you want?” Jongdae asked.

“Your voice.” The witch smiled when Jongdae frowned in confusion. Most of her teeth were gone, just black stumps gaping out at him. “I’ll let you sing, but you won’t be able to speak.”

Jongdae swallowed, his hands trembling. He hadn't expected the price to be so high, but he’d be willing to trade nearly anything to be able to sing, to have a future. He nodded after thinking it over for a few moments, letting out a shaky exhale. “I’ll do it.”

It hadn't been difficult at first. Jongdae didn’t talk often in class anyway, and easily went unnoticed in a classroom of over fifty students. He managed to avoid most one-on-one conversations, knowing it was better to keep his silence than to burst into song.

He couldn’t avoid them forever, though.

Nearly the whole school knew Kim Junmyeon. He was the perfect student, the guy who managed to care about everyone without losing himself somewhere in between.

And maybe Jongdae had always felt something more towards Junmyeon, had been drawn from the first day of school, when Junmyeon had helped him find the main office.

But other than chance meetings in the hallways, they rarely saw each other.

Jongdae hadn't known what to expect when Junmyeon pulled him aside after school, hadn't expected Junmyeon to launch into a long speech, a confession. Jongdae could only stare as Junmyeon talked. He was still processing the fact that Junmyeon liked him—that Junmyeon, as successful as he was, found someone like Jongdae attractive.

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same,” Junmyeon said. He was still smiling, but the disappointment was obvious in his eyes, in the way his hands were trembling.

Jongdae opened his mouth, the words forming in his mind—of course he felt the same way—but nothing came out. It had been a week already, a week since his singing had noticeably improved, a week since he’d completely stopped talking.

Junmyeon took his answer as an affirmation, nodding as he looked away. “It’s okay,” he repeated, like he was trying to convince himself. “I’ll see you around, Jongdae.”

Don’t go, Jongdae wanted to say. But when he reached out, Junmyeon was already gone.

Jongdae took a deep breath as he walked onstage. He could feel all the eyes of the audience on him, could feel the weight of the spotlight overhead. It followed him as he made his way slowly to the microphone, grasping it with one hand as he looked out onto the stage.

There were seconds of silence before the song began, seconds for Jongdae to look out into the audience, to gather his thoughts. This was his solo, the spot he’d given so much to win. There were talent scouts in the audience, waiting, watching. This was his last chance to be someone, to do something.

This was also his last chance to set things straight with Junmyeon, to convey what he couldn’t quite put into words that afternoon. The lights were too bright and Jongdae couldn’t make out individual faces in the audience, but he hoped that Junmyeon was there, hoped that he was watching.

The music started playing, song filtering through the speakers. Jongdae counted off the beats in his head, looking out into the audience as he took a deep breath.

FIVE

Title: Look at Me
Fandom: Woohyun (INFINITE)
Rating: G
Warnings: N/A
Word Count: 354
Prompt: "Look at me in front of your doorstep like an idiot." (Seoul Lonely by Phantom ft. Gain)

"It's almost midnight, Sooah," Woohyun murmurs. "You should be asleep, but your lights are on again."  His breaths make gray clouds in the darkness.

He shifts his weight on the fallen orange leaves below his feet. Woohyun shivers. His thin, silk pajamas feel like ice against his skin. 

It's his sixth time in three weeks coming here again. 

Last month, it had been ten. 

He peers at the glass that separated the two of them. "I hope you aren't studying too hard again." 

As if she heard him, Sooah's silhouette darkens her window. Her hair is tied up–as it always is when she studies–and her figure is as slim as ever. 
Woohyun doesn't bother to move from his spot near the doorstep. Sooah would be able to see him if she looks down, but he isn't afraid of being seen. His gaze alternates between her and the door. 

It's too dark to make out the letters on the doormat, but Woohyun knows it says,"Bonjour!" in large, cursive letters. God knows how many times he's walked on it, but now, it marks the entry to a place he'll never step foot into again. Woohyun looks up and sees Sooah draw the curtains back. She slides the window open despite the chill of the night and in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. 

"Are you still as crazy about me as I am about you?" Woohyun raises his voice. He knows the answer he wants to hear would be a lie, but he asks anyways. 

Sooah is silent.

He whoops and waves his arms around like a mad man, trying to get her attention.  

But just like every other time, Sooah doesn't react, doesn't even look his way.

"Look at me, Sooah. Look at me!" He continues his wild movements. It's like this every time, but he never gives up. "Look at me, please! I'm standing in front of your doorstep like an idiot!" He cries. "Sooah!"

But she doesn't even bat an eye.

His shoulders slump. 

"Look at me," Woohyun says and his voice is barely above a whisper. "Still wandering back to your house even though I'm dead." 

SIX

Title: Don't Listen
Fandom: EXO/SNSD
Warnings: None
Prompt: "That risky line, should I cross it or not?" Don't Be Shy - Primary (ft. ChoA, Iron) 
​Word Count: 448

Seohyun was told never to associate with the weirdo who muttered under his breath and picked at his nails constantly. Rumor had it that Luhan dealt with magic, but it wasn't the kind where bunnies popped out from hats or simple illusions were fostered by a trick of the hand. 

So, like any other teenager who followed the crowd, Seohyun obeyed those warnings without any question. When worksheets needed to be passed around, she had given them to Luhan without a glance to be spared, nor did she speak in elongated conversations with him unless it was a class discussion.

Unfortunately, her little charade was stopped when her World History teacher, Mr. Byun, assigned the guy as her partner in a collaborative project. 

And now Seohyun had to take Luhan's bus in order to arrive at the library and contribute on their research about the Puritan lifestyle. 

"How long do you think I should stay?"

It was a simple question she had asked, yet her voice shook towards the end as she fiddled with the buttons of her blazer. Having Luhan's tall physique looming over her, especially since he could have sat in the unoccupied seat beside her, was unnerving. 

What possessed him to opt for clutching the hand railing instead?

"It depends," Luhan murmured, but beneath his black bangs were eyes that stared a bit too intensely at her, watching every breath, every movement she'd make. 

Shrugging off a certain constriction inside her chest as well as her classmate's odd behavior, Seohyun responded with another question, "Do you think it's possible that we could complete this by today?"

Luhan shook his head and brushed his bangs aside. "Mr. Byun said we have three days, so we're fine."

No, it was not fine for her. 

Seohyun wasn't supposed to interact with Luhan as casually as this, almost as if he were an actual human being, but he was–he is. There was an overbearing amount of guilt suffocating her once she had realized that she treated him like dirt, and she was angry at herself for not sticking up for Luhan.

Sure, his body language conveyed the wrong message at times, but Seohyun knew that his isolation from peers was mainly the reason he acted that way.

Why then? Why was Luhan blacklisted?

Just when Seohyun racked her brain for answers, the bus came to a halt at their destination.

Luhan stepped out first and she followed suit, gripping her backpack straps rather tightly. 

"Hey, Luhan?"

The male turned around to face her. "Yes?"

"Let's work together now," Seohyun stated with a rising blush painting her cheeks.

Luhan smiled, and her heart had skipped a beat. 

"Aren't we already?" 

SEVEN

Title: Sister, You've Got It All
Fandom: SNSD, EXO
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: bullying
Word Count: 2147 i'm so sorry
Prompt: Sister, you've got it all - Butterfly by Jason Mraz
 
 
I should have seen it coming, but I was too late. As usual.
 
For the most part, the students in the cafeteria ignore me, either contributing to useless discussions or gossiping about the latest news. I kind of like it better this way. Only a few people glance in my direction, and when they do, they make no expression. Everyone is too used to this now – even if it’s in a much more public place. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the classroom, or the schoolyard. I can’t even tell the difference anymore.
 
“Ow.”
 
The boy is tall and strong, and his grip in my hair is unrelenting. My head cries out in protest, and I let out a low groan when he grabs in even harder, making a fist, pulling back with a strength that makes me see white. It hurts. It hurts a lot.
 
There’s a running of footsteps, and suddenly the commotion in the lunchroom gets softer and softer.
 
“What are you doing?” someone shrieks.
 
 
It’s suddenly very quiet.
 
I know that voice. And despite all the mind-numbing pain, I can distinguish it from any other. It has a distinct reediness, with a slight scratch from the throat, and a certain authority that only she can project. My heart beats fast, almost pounding, because I know exactly what she’s going to do.
 
Kim Taeyeon suddenly rushes into my vision, her bleach-blond hair curled to perfect ringlets. She’s reaching out, but I try to jerk myself away. It doesn’t really work that well.
 
“Hey!” she yells. “Stop it!”
 
The hand is removed from my head with such force that I’m whiplashed to the side, almost falling. I stumble slightly, grabbing a chair in order to stay upright. But suddenly, I’m crouching over as my head begins to spin. The world around me tilts for a moment as I try to differentiate between reality and pain.
 
“Mirae,” a male voice says, and I recognize it instantly. It’s Taeyeon’s boyfriend, Baekhyun, who holds my head between delicate hands and tells me to breathe in and out. “Are you okay?”
 
I can already tell I’m a mess. My braid has fallen out into a nasty clump, and my uniform is wrinkled. It’s soaking wet from where the boy and his cronies had spilled soda on me.
 
“Yeah,” I pant, catching my breath. “I’m fine.”
 
From the corner of my eye, I can tell he’s not convinced. Still crouching over the chair, Baekhyun trying to whisper consolidation in my ear, I begin to hear Taeyeon again.
 
“This is bullying!” she shrieks, pointing an accusing finger at the boy, who I know recognize is Jongin from Class B.
 
“C’mon, Taeyeon,” Jongin protests weakly. “We’re just having fun.”
 
“You like giving people pain? You think that’s fun?” Taeyeon asks sternly, fire in her eyes. She looks like she wants to rip the head off of Jongin’s body.
 
Jongin shrinks back, his gleeful expression finally fading. “…No. I don’t.”
 
I sigh inwardly, knowing that’s only halfway true. Jongin probably gets off on seeing people wail in pain. But I already know that he won’t defy Kim Taeyeon, because no one ever stands up to Kim Taeyeon. That would almost be like signing a death wish – unless you like being shunned by the entire school.  
 
“Why would you do this to someone? You’re sick,” Taeyeon hisses, shaking her head. The rest of the students begin to eye Jongin with a sort of disgust, and he flails for a bit.
 
“She’s a geek. A nobody. She happened got on my bad side today,” Jongin says through gritted teeth. “So what if I roughed her up a bit?”
 
Taeyeon narrows her eyes, her countenance twisting into a cross expression. I look at her, and she still manages to look beautiful, with her curled blonde hair and the uniform that fits in all the right places. She blinks her eyes, and I see a flash of her trademark electric blue eyeliner. Ever since Taeyeon started lining her eyes with turquoise, everyone started wearing blue liner around their eyes as well. It’s been a new trend for years.
 
“Look here,” Taeyeon hisses, stalking up to Jongin. She stabs a perfectly manicured finger into his broad chest, and I feel scared myself from her threatening tone. “I don’t care if you’re in a bad mood today. I don’t care about your feelings. But nobody – and I mean nobody – ever touches my sister like that!”
 
The whole room falls deathly quiet now, more than before.
 
Jongin blinks in surprise. “Your sister?”
 
Taeyeon seems surprised herself, as if she hadn’t realized she’d said that. Her eyes flicker over to me quickly, from where I’m standing upright, Baekhyun’s hand on my back to keep me steady. She opens to say something, but nothing comes out. I can tell she knows what mistake she’s made. She’s said the one thing that I’ve asked her never to say.
 
“I – I mean – “ She stumbles on her words.
 
Everyone’s eyes turn to me, and the students start whispering loudly in hushed voices. My heart pounds loudly in my chest, the blood rushes through my ears. I can’t take it. I push Baekhyun’s hand away and I sprint out of the lunchroom, heading somewhere, anywhere, just to get away from here.
 
“Mirae!” Baekhyun shouts from behind me, but I’m already gone.
 
I don’t know where I’m going, but I run past confused faces. They probably see my messy hair and crumpled uniform, and I pray to whoever’s up there that I don’t run into a teacher in the hallway. Having more people involved would be more trouble than it would be worth.
 
I end up in the empty music wing, slipping into the chorus room, squeezing myself between the two doors. I sit down at the piano and stare blankly at the keys in front of me, breathing hard. The thoughts rush into my head like a giant wave of unwelcomed emotion. Everything, everything I’ve already established, is gone. 
 
After a few minutes, the door opens, and someone whispers, “Mirae?”
 
Taeyeon slides in gracefully, her usually beautiful expression morphed into worry and sadness. It turns into relief when she sees me, running towards my direction with a smile. But I turn away quickly, and her footsteps fall short.
 
“Mirae, are you okay?”
 
“What do you think?” I say bitterly, running my hand over middle C.
 
“I’m not sorry,” she says, her voice more determined now. “I don’t know why we’ve had to keep it a secret. I mean – “ she pauses, trying to figure out what to say. “Are you that ashamed of me?”
 
I bark out a laugh, turning to face her. She looks sadder now, more resigned, yet she still has that aura that makes people fall in love with her. Her cheeks are slightly pink with exertion, but everything else – eyeliner, mascara, lipstick – is all in perfect place. I feel the hot rise of jealousy creep up in my veins.
 
“I’m not ashamed of you.”
 
“Then what is it, Mirae? Do you not want me as a sister? Is that it?”
 
“No,” I say, not looking at her. “That’s not – “
 
“Then what is it?”
 
“It’s just… you, Unnie.” I suddenly realize how bad that sounds, but I don’t find it in me to care.
 
Taeyeon sounds appalled, but a hint of melancholy echoes in her voice. “So you hate me? Is that it?”
 
I sigh. “No,” I say again, shaking my head in a slight pleading gesture. I just want her to understand me for once. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
 
“You could have just told me,” she grits out. “I’ll get out of your way – “
 
I start to feel frustrated, because here she goes again – not listening to me, always assuming the worst. She begins to go off on a tangent, spewing out nonsense about how she won’t bother me anymore, when I finally stand up to her face, getting up from the piano bench in one quick movement. I don’t see the door opening, and I don’t see Baekhyun quietly slipping in from the back.
 
“You don’t know what it’s like!” I say with force, staring her straight in the eye. “You don’t know what it’s like to be compared to you every time we come home, every time Mom or Dad look at the two of us. They see you and they don’t see me. Everyone always see you. I go home and I always hear your name called, how they ask you about your day and what you’ve done at school. And me? I don’t exist. I thought it would be okay if I could avoid it here, but I guess it didn’t work. I thought that if maybe, if people saw me as myself, and not Taeyeon’s little sister, I wouldn’t be compared during my high school life. And the plan failed.”
 
I laugh slightly, shaking my head, a sort of mocking sound, as if I can’t believe it. 
 
Taeyeon looks slightly stunned. Her eyes are slightly wider and is parted open. “Mirae 
– “
 
“And there’s nothing you can do about it, okay?” I ramble on, placing my hands in my skirt pockets. “It’s already out there. Stop feeling guilty or whatever. You’ll leave me alone for your friends anyways, so just… go away. Now. Please.”
 
“I wouldn’t leave you for my friends.”
 
I scoff, leaning back against the piano, raising my left eyebrow. I already know that I have leverage on this.
 
“What about last week, when I needed help with homework? Or the other day, when I wanted to bake cookies with you? And last Friday, when I asked if we could watch a movie. You always left me alone to hang out with Tiffany, or Seohyun, or Baekhyun, or whoever. You always have. I just assumed that you didn’t care anymore. And it’s fine. I’ve accepted it, okay? Just go.” I say the last part with a slightly strained tone.
 
She stares at me again, speechless, and I start to walk away. If she won’t move, then I will. I’m too done with this conversation, done with the feelings, done thinking constantly on how I could actually be noticed for once as Kim Mirae, and not Kim Taeyeon’s little sister.
 
I freeze when I see Baekhyun standing there, looking at me expectantly, but I push past him. He grabs my arm in a classic k-drama move, and I huff in annoyance. “What.”
 
“She cares for you, you know. Sometimes she won’t shut up about how smart you are.”
 
“If you’re attempting to fluff me up, I don’t need it,” I bite back, snatching my arm away.
 
He doesn’t let go. I wince when his grip gets tighter, circling around my bicep in a vice-like grip.
 
Taeyeon walks up from behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder. Her pretty face is alarmingly serious. “Mirae. You’re right. I’ve screwed up as a sister, and I let other people come before you.” She begins to raise her voice. “But I  won’t let that happen again. Let me take care of you. I won’t leave you alone.”
 
Oh, Taeyeon. Always wearing your heart on your sleeve. I stare at her with disbelief, and Baekhyun lets out a sigh. “Give her a chance, Mirae.”
 
“That’s what I’m so sick of!” I explode, finally wrenching my arm out of their grip. “Don’t just let him defend you. I’ve given you so many chances, and you haven’t taken them. For the past fifteen years of my life, you’ve always ignored me, even when I try to tell you, you didn’t listen. “ 
 
The sentence doesn’t go unheard, and I see the slight flecks of regret in Taeyeon’s almond shaped eyes. I sigh again, and proceed towards the exit. No one stops me this time, though Baekhyun puts a reassuring hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder to stop her from coming after me. 
 
“I’m sorry,” she whispers as I walk away. “I’m so sorry.”
 
“I won’t forgive you,” I say, turning around with my hand on the knob. I pull the door open and wedge myself between it, sticking my head out to observe the couple. My voice is strained, but what I’ve said might have been a tad too harsh. 
 
“But maybe I will. Someday,” I add hastily, only because it will be true. I just don’t know when. Taeyeon nods to me, forlorn, and Baekhyun gives me a small smile. 
 
I nod back before closing the door. If Taeyeon kept up to her word, and started spending time with me, maybe we’d become closer sisters than the distant ones we were before. I’ve always been hesitant about being close to her, but now I’m not so sure. 
 
I guess I wouldn’t really mind it as much. 

Again, no bonus. Fair warning: next week we will not be so lenient to anyone who is late. Please, if you want to win this, make that a priority.