Kim Sunhee

The bitter taste lingered in my mouth. I got back up from kneeling down, feeling rather ashamed.

I mean, it's pathetic, really, to vomit everything you eat, even if it's a tiny portion, in hopes of finally fitting into society's concept of being attractive.

I had never really cared about any of this, at least not until I grew older and reality hit me like a brick. I knew that boys didn't like chubby girls, or girls who ate a lot, and I also knew that I shouldn't have cared about that, about what boys liked, because if someone was to like me, that person would like me for who I really was, but I just couldn't help myself. It was practically inevitable.

It all began when I was eighteen years old, about three years prior to this story. I really liked this guy who didn't like me back, and when people found out, they pointed out every single flaw that there was to me, the major one being my very imperfect body. I knew I shouldn't have listened, but people can be so cruel.

Ever since, I ate less and vomited everything afterwards. Sometimes I'd have a healthy snack, in order to somehow maintain my health balanced. It actually worked, for my parents never noticed how unhealthy and unstable I really was, but that was mostly because they were always working.

My friends did notice my weight loss, though, but I just claimed to have gotten on a diet. I also said I exercised, when in reality, I couldn't run for twenty seconds without getting exhausted.

"Eomma, I'm ready!" I exclaimed as I dragged my suitcases downstairs.

My mother opened the door for me and closed it once I had gotten out.

"Let me help you out, miss," one of our chauffeurs, Hwanchul, offered, reaching a hand out to aid me, but I didn't hesitate to decline.

"I'm alright, thanks." I placed both suitcases in the trunk and quickly got in the backseat. "I guess I'll see you in Busan, eomma," I said once the window was rolled down.

"Okay. Call me when you get there, Sun-hee. I'll let you know when we've left, alright?"

"Yeah, alright." I blew her a kiss.

She pretended to catch it and placed it in her heart. "I love you."

"So do I."

The five-hour-long car ride from Seoul to Busan was peaceful, but I was anxiously waiting to finally get there. I hadn't been in Busan for a long time, a bit over two years, since my parents could never really spare much time for me, and so I had to leave to foreign