Obliterate these walls.

Shatter those lies.

Dethrone the Queen.

The sound of cheerful laughter of children filled the playground in the Elementary Division. It was already dismissal time and the parents are on their way to pick up their kids who were busy playing around with their classmates. Their joyous laughs and smiles turns into a look of disappointment whenever they saw their parents who signals them that it’s time to go home already.

All except for Jennie, who is silently and eagerly waiting for her mother on a nearby bench. Clutching her test paper in her hand, she smiled widely. She is ecstatic because for the first time, it will be her mother who will pick her up and not her aunt. She felt bad at her aunt’s health but she can’t help but bubble in excitement to the fact that her mom will come over.

“Nini! Come on! Let’s play.” Jisoo said excitedly with a toothy smile, her uniform covered with sweat and dirt.

“I can’t Chichyu. Mom will come and pick me up here soon.” Jennie replied with an apologetic smile. Covering her nose with a hand, she teasingly added. “It’s the first time she’ll pick me up. I need to smell nice unlike you.”

“Yah! What do you mean? I smell nice!” Jisoo said as she opens her arms and moves her body closer to Jennie, attempting to hug her.

“Hey! Get away from me! You smell like your dog, Dalgom, whenever he doesn’t take his bath!” she shouted at Jisoo, pushing her shoulders away in an arm’s length distance.

“Hoho. Now you’ve done it.” Playfully moving her fingers, Jisoo said threateningly. “I’ll poke you till you can’t breathe anymore.”

Jennie was about to run away when Jisoo lunged at her, poking and tickling her waist, sides, and stomach. Jennie turned into a laughing mess as she attempted to swat away Jisoo’s hands.

“S-S-t-o-p!” Jennie stuttered in between her laughs. There were tears already forming in her eyes as her best friend continues the assault of tickles.

She only managed to breathe properly when Jisoo suddenly stopped. “I think...your mom is here already. She’s standing over there.”

This made Jennie to swiftly get up. She grabbed her bag and test paper and started fixing her hair and uniform to look presentable. She then said to her best friend in a hurry. “See ya tomorrow. Take a long bath, will you?”

“I hate you!” Jisoo shouted to Jennie’s retreating figure who just waved her hands goodbye at her.

B with excitement, Jennie ran towards the canteen where she saw her mother standing, busy looking around as to find her.

“Mom!” Jennie shouted to catch her mother’s attention as she approached her. A bright smile spreading across her face.

Turning around, her Mother said with a tone of annoyance. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you. I have an emergency meeting after this.”

Jennie’s excitement suddenly turned into that of anxiety, afraid that she’ll make her mother’s mood turn into a worse one. She then felt her mother's scrutiny at her messy look.

"And look, your uniform is dirty. Your uniform is not a rag Jennie.”

“I’m sorry.” Jennie replied timidly. “Umm. M-Mom?”

Glancing at her wristwatch, her mother sighed in frustration, “What is it?”

“I got...92 in the test..” Jennie replied nervously, presenting the test paper to her mother with shaky hands.

Taking the paper, her mother just simply nodded. “You should get a perfect score next time. You should be like your sister. She was the top student during her time. You should ask her to tutor you.”

Hearing her sister’s name. Jennie’s mood suddenly turned into a bitter one.

She hates being compared with her older sister. She hates how her sister can effortlessly impress their parents.

‘The talented. The genius. The perfect daughter.’

“I can study by myself. I'll study harder Mom.”

“You should be.”

Her mother bended slightly and looked straight into her eyes.

“Don’t disappoint us, Jennie. You can do it. You should be the best.”

Jennie can only nod as she gazes at her mother’s serious stare. Gripping the straps of her bag tightly, she finally replied.

“I will be the best.”

Jennie felt a sharp pain erupted in her chest. Gripping her shirt tightly, she calmed her breathing with slow intake of air. Her face exhibiting a mixed look of hurt, frustration and paranoia. She closes her eyes tightly as she tries to forget her dream.

It’s been 4 days ever since that incident but Jennie can still feel the impact of Lisa’s words, triggering a vivid memory that she doesn’t want to recall. She can’t believe that she would be gravely affected by someone’s first impression.

What a horrible dream...

Placing her hand at her forehead, she sighed in defeat as she blankly stares at the ceiling. She doesn’t want to overthink. She can’t cry. She’s not weak. Her pride won’t allow for her to be a crying mess.

But why does it hurt? Why does my heart hurt? Jennie thought as she places her hand over her heart. Blinking back the tears that were about to fall.

She started shutting down her emotions.

Putting on a brave mask, she ignores the words that she’d heard.

She ignores the memories that haunted her.

She ignores how her heart hurts every time it thumps.

She...ignores it all.

It was already the start of the afternoon classes, students are hurriedly walking past Jennie who was just sauntering across the corridors. She passes by the classrooms and took a sip at her milk tea like someone who is leisurely strolling their dog in a park.

She stopped and looked back when she heard her name being shouted with a worried tone.

“Jennie-unnie!!!” Chaeyoung called out to her.

“Yes?”

“What happened?! Why were you absent in the morning? Why are you late? Are you okay? And why are you drinking a milk tea when classes are about to start?!” Chaeyoung asked, shaking Jennie’s shoulders as she bombarded the brunette with questions.

“I’m okay Chaeng.” Jennie replied as she looks at her best friend fondly, touched at Chaeyoung’s concern as she exhibits an anguished expression. “Besides, you’re already late. Look. Your teacher is coming already.”

A look of disbelief crossed the raven’s haired face. Crossing he