Year 2017,

“How are you?”

A laugh erupted in the small room, “Are you seriously asking me that?”

The man simply nodded his head, “I am”

The girl’s smile vanished as their eyes met, “No one has ever asked me that before”

Her words were mere whispers, “I don’t know what to say”

She bit her lip, a troubled look planted itself on her delicate features.

“The truth would be nice”

A scoff escaped her lips at his words, “The truth? Who wants to hear the truth?”

Nobody ever does.

“I do”

She raised an eyebrow in return, “Then you’re weird”

A chuckle, “Maybe so”

A few seconds passed by before he repeated his earlier question, “How are you Haneul? How are you really?”

The said girl cleared , “I…”

Tears welled up in her eyes, “I’m not okay”

I’m far from it.

Year 2014,

I can’t eat,

I can’t eat,

I shouldn’t give in,

I won’t give in,

I won’t,

I can’t,

I shouldn’t.

Her stomach grumbled for the umpteenth time but she chose to ignore the sound it emitted. She wasn’t hungry. Definitely not. At least that’s what she kept telling herself while her body incessantly refuted her claim and kept on demanding to be fed but sadly it’s desperate plea fell on deaf ears.

After all she didn’t need food. Not as much. Not anymore.

Haneul smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She looked better. Much better. Her thighs weren’t as big. Her stomach wasn’t as swollen. She wasn’t as disgusting. She wasn’t. Not anymore.

Who knew skipping meals would do wonders?

The brunette spun on her heel, crossed the small bathroom, and opened the door. She strutted out of the lavatory with her head held high even as a dozen pairs of eyes watched her go.

“The dress looks beautiful on you”

Haneul was taken aback by her mother’s compliment, “It does?”

The said woman nodded her head, “Two months ago it wouldn’t have even fit”

The brunette bit her lip, no it wouldn’t have.

Her mother smiled, “But now it does”

The young girl was relieved. Does that mean she wasn’t as ugly anymore?

“I’m proud of you for deciding to lose weight”

She looked at her daughter from head to toe, “Lose a few more pounds and you’d be perfect”

The latter’s eyes widened, “Perfect?”

Mrs. Nam hummed in response, “Perfect”

She liked the sound of that.

Perfect it is.

“Sweetheart you’ve barely touched your dinner”

Worry was etched on her father’s face.

Haneul smiled, “I’m not really hungry”

Her brother snorted, “That’s new”

The brunette shot him a glare to which he replied by sticking out his tongue, how childish.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded her head, “I had a big lunch”

Lie. She hadn’t eaten all day.

Head pounding. Vision blurry. Stomach growling. Body aching. She was dying. Literarily dying. She had just finished her intense workout on an empty stomach and was too tired to move let alo