Chapter Three - Sealed

“I’m back.” Ara’s called out quietly as the key in her boney fingers twisted open the apartment door that only revealed emptiness. Her pupils searched and quivered until she found the familiar figure striding towards her shrinking self.

“Where the hell did you go?” The man's hands harshly grabbed a fistful on her locks and threw her body against the splintered wooden floors. Ara's cheekbone slammed roughly against the surface and she hissed.

“You brat, where the did you go? Did you flaunt yourself with some filthy punks?” Her father’s foot took a strike against her stomach. "Little ." His saliva landed on her cheeks and his spat in disgust and fired hatred from his mouth.

“Father, please- please stop.” Ara’s eyes gathered tears as her father pulled her body up and slapped her harshly. 

“Are you speaking against me, Yoo Eunkyung?” The middle-aged man pulled harder on the few strands of hair which erupted agonising scream. 

Slap.

“I’m disgusted to have you as a daughter. The filth who caused the loss of Song Ara and Yoo Jaekyung. You will pay for it.” Her father yanked her against the floor with a smug smile before leaving the apartment with a heavy slam.

Ara’s legs trembled as she got up, her face stung as her tears stained to her reddened cheeks. Her chapped lips bled uncontrollably due to the impact of the slaps, yet managed to curve into a bitter smile. Yoo Namhoon always reminded her to take revenge. All the beatings and the suffering, she took it happily, as for all. He was the only family she had. 

Ara’s fingers touched the wooden knob which led to her room, the storage room. Her father had stuffed her inside the suffocating room, controlling her space, her freedom and her true natures. Yoo Eunkyung became his prisoner.

Ara's bed was only a simple thick layer of fabric which laid lifelessly against the aged floorboards. A mirror which hung on the damned, tainted white walls. The shivering girl's eyes studied the broken reflection of living tragedy. Ara's porcelain skin had been tainted with reborn bruises and prickling cuts, her long legs swelled in agony as bruises developed over recovering ones. Ara's lips quivered as her delicate fingers trailed along her lips.

"Argh!"

Her chapped lips swelled with red fluids as her finger came in contact with her bottom lip. Ara's tongue traced along her lips, the familiar taste of bitter iron once again laid along her tonsils.

"It's okay, I'm human. I'll recover." Ara's voice trembled against .

.....

Ara's fingers pulled against her white-uniformed which was ripped around the collars revealed her boney collarbones. The girl checked her surroundings and sprinted towards Chanmi's locker despite the throbbing pain.

"Eu- Ara!" Ahreum engulfed the girl then moved back. Chanmi and Ahreum scanned her uniform anxiously.

“He cut it, by saying to match it with my actions.” The girl bitterly laughed. Clearly remembering how her father heartlessly slammed her body into the walls and reached out for her expensive uniform with a pair of threatening scissors. No matter how much she cried and protested, the scissors in his hands were merciless just like the words which came out his mouth. 

"You , , and disgusting slag."