Second Chance

Summary: 

Yuna. A young girl who always worked hard for what she wanted and needed. Yet, hid a side of her that no one knew. She was suffering from depression and the struggle to hold true to herself. Her life had always been filled with "do this" do that" "be this" "be that". She never tasted true freedom. Just when she felt her string about to snap, she is encountered with one of her favorite kpop groups, BTS. But what then? Yuna struggles to find and accept herself. That "dream" she yearns for becomes clearer and her heart slowly opens up. Not only that but a chance at love appears. But her choice to walk forward is what holds her back. This isn't a second chance at love, but a second chance at life.

 

Chapter 1 (incomplete):

Second Chance

Chapter 1: Normal Routine

"I SAID NO!" A loud roar of a voice echoes throughout the house. 

"But..." 

"No!"

A young girl stood before her stern mother  despondent.

Unable to fight back, she merely nods and breaths in to in her emotions.

Slowly, she walks away and into her room. Closing the door behind her, she leans back onto it and slides the to floor, placing her face to her knees and silently weeps.

"Why do I even try..."

***************************************

The next day....

It was a warm and quiet Saturday morning. Yuna, was in the kitchen of her parents home preparing breakfast.

Her parents were outside tending to the yard, as it was their daily routine, and her three younger siblings chilling in the living room. 

They seemed like a normal family living in the country of USA. But not really. Yuna's family followed the strict traditional rules of their culture. Her parents were... to say... harsh. Not abusive or horrible in that way but, they liked having things their way. 

Reason for that is due to the environment her family had been raised in. She was an Asian of Korean and Chinese decent. Hence, her life was mostly filled with the cliche Asian lifestyle.

Even still, it was old fashion and unnecessary traditions that Yuna respected but did not appreciate that bothered her a lot. Yet, she could do nothing about it. She had been taught it all since young. But as she grew older, she began to notice the flaw to them. The traditions, the opinions, had gradually locked her away from herself. She was slowly being trapped. 

Yuna's twenty-one years of lifetime was filled with rules and regulations that only benefited her prosperity in reputation. Whether she liked it or not the rules remained and will continue to the next seventy to eighty years she may live.

"Foods ready guys!" She called out to her siblings. Her three younger brothers all turn to her and rush up to the kitchen ready to eat. 

"Food!" They yell happily. 
Yuna smiles as their precious smiles. Their happiness was hers. 

"Kris." She called out one of them. "Go call Mom and Dad." She asked. 

He nods and quickly walks over to the back door and opened it up to call out for them. 

The day was going out as normal. 

Soon after, everyone had arrived and they all ate happily.

It was about ten when Yuna had finished with her chores and she was about to head to her room until her phone vibrated in her pocket. 

She took out her phone and stared at the screen. "Hana" it read. It was her best friend. Yuna had a hunch why she had called and wished to ignore it. But she picked up anyways. 

"Hello..." she answers meekly.

"Hey! Are you coming?" The voice asks with enthusiasm. 

Yuna turns to look at her parents who were sitting in the living room watching tv. 

With a low sigh, Yuna walks off into her room. 

Closing the door, she began to speak.

"No..." 

"Huh?" Hana questions. Her happy tone had disappeared. 

"I'm not going. I... I can't...." she replied sadly. 

Yuna slowly walked over to her bed and sat down with the phone still at her ear. She soon began to play with her nails. 

"I'm sorry..."

She could tell her friend across the phone was sadden by her answer. She was pretty bummed out too.

Hana had invited her to join her and her friends for a summer trip before they headed back out to college the following year. As high school graduates and young adults now, they all wanted a little freedom before college starts again. This was their second year and since last year they were unable to have the trip due to work and family they decided this would be the year. 
But.... things did not work out for everyone.

"I'm sorry...." she repeats. 

"I really wanted to go... but you know... haha... my parents are.... overprotective." She fibbed the second part. Actually, it wasn't because they were overprotective, well they are a bit, but it was because her parents disliked the people she hung out with. Her parents disliked a lot of people actually. 

Always telling her not to trust anyone, not even friends, they will betray you in a heartbeat and that they can only bring bad luck. They were also a bit... racist. 

Yeah... life . Yuna, being an accepting and opening person, didn't judge people for their outer appearance nor their likes. As long as they had a good heart or did not bother her, she was fine. 

But because of her parents... being around people has been hard. 

Yuna sighed and laid back onto her bed. "You guys go on and have a nice trip. I'll be okay. Maybe next time." 

Hana sighs. "Really? It would be no fun without you, you know?" She tried to persuade her friend. 

Yuna closes her eyes and opens them again as she blew out. "It's fine. I won't do much anyways. Have fun. Don't forget to take pictures and get me a souvenir, okay?" She pulls off with a calm tone. 

She could tell Hana was getting depressed. But what could she do? There is no way in hell she could convince her parents to let her go. 

"Just let it go..." she thought to herself. 

After a few more minutes of Hana's nagging, she was finally able to convince her to let it go and accept that Yunhee wasn't going. 

"Fine... I'll tell the girls you said hi." Hana sighs in defeat. 

Yuna smiles and tells her goodbye before she hung up.

The room fell silent and Yuna dropped her smile. 

She closed her eyes once more and placed her arms atop it, covering her face.

"It's okay..."

***************************************

Dinner had come and Yuna was finishing up the food to set up at the table. It was some leftovers from lunch and small homemade cuisines she had learned during her time at college. Since she was visiting for the summer, she thought she try making them at home and teaching her sibling the recipes. 

Once she was done she had called them all to eat. Her parents sat at the dining table as the boys sat in the living room watching tv. Their house was small but big enough to fit the six of them. 

Yuna's family wasn't the richest family. Nor the poorest. But they did struggle and encountered money problems a lot.

It was stressful for Yuna since she was the oldest and now is working part-time almost everyday to help support her family more than herself. 

Nearly everything she did was for her family. She sacrificed everything for them. It really had not occurred to her how much that this would last, but it had become very stressful for her. 

Yuna sat at the dining table and ate quietly as her parents spoke to each other and ate. Hoping to avoid interaction, Yuna avoided eye contact and sat quietly to herself. Of course, that didn't happen.

"Yuna? When will you return to school?" Her mother asked. 

Yuna thought for a moment then answered quietly.

"In mid August." She replied.

Her mother nodded. "Okay. So in about two months. It's May."

Yuna merely nodded hoping to avoid further conversation. 

She was still a bit frustrated about her inability to travel with her friend. They've known each other since elementary. Her mother has seen her friend and talked to her. She wasn't a stranger, but to her parents, she guessed she was.

Of course, it was a minor matter to her Mom. Everything about Yuna's life seemed so, excluding school and money. After an argument like before, her mother would always play it off as if nothing ever happened and act as though it was no importance to anyone. She made it seemed as though it did not hurt Yuna's feelings whatsoever. 

Of course it did. But Yuna could never say that aloud. Never.

The day had ended as usual and Yuna laid in bed exhausted from the day's routine. Rolling in her bed, Yuna thinks to herself wondering if life could have been different if she had lived a different lifestyle or if she had been more assertive.

The thoughts only caused her more questions, hence, she gave up and slowly fell asleep. 

***************************************

The next day, was like normal. It was Sunday morning and her family ready to head out to church. Her family was religious and made sure to go to church as much as they could. Yuna, believed in God, but she was also weary with her own opinions. Of course, its suicide to try to argue religion, hence she kept to herself. 

Upon reaching the church, Yuna had suddenly remembered she needed to go out and buy some medicine for her parents that were scheduled for pick up at 9:20. It was 8:55 now. Yuna slowly looked over to her parents who were walking out to the church building. 

"Ugh... I'm so going to get it..." Quickly, she runs over to her Mom and taps her should lightly. 

"Ma.... uh... I need to go somewhere." She began weakly. 

Her mother looked at her questionably. "Where?" 

Yuna sighed. "To the pharmacy. I need to pick up you and dad's medicine." She explained. Her mother stared sternly. Yuna ready herself for a journey of rejection. 

"Forget about it!" Her mother replied in her American-Asian accent. Yuna winced and groaned. 

"Please... it's important. I need to get it for you guys." She pleaded.

Her mother only looked at her sternly. "Next time." She ends as she continues to walk off. 

Yuna groans in annoyance. "Why..." she slowly shuffles away, following her family.

***************************************

The day went on slow and dragged. Yuna was bored out of her mind at church. She really truly didn't want to feel this way, but having a small get-together just reading the Bible and singing hymns wasn't her cup of tea. She respected it, but she didn't enjoy it. 

After three hours of nothing but hymns and recites, they finally left and Yuna hurried them into the car. It was now 12:30 and she was absolutely late for the pick-up. 

With a loud sigh, Yuna started the car and mumbles to herself. She drove over to the local CVS and picked up the medication as well as apologized for the inconvenience. 

Slowly she walked out of the store with the meds in hand. But just as she was about to get into the car where her family was waiting in, a random person comes running into her, toppling her over. 

"Gyah!" She yelps as she falls to the floor and dirtied her Sunday white dress. "Hey!" I loud male voice booms. Yuna quickly looks up and sees a young man running toward her way. She immediately looks over the other guy that ran her over and spotted a wallet in his hands and his expression looked that of fear. With lightning speed, Yuna turns and grabs onto the mans legs and, with all her strength, pulls and pins the man down. "Hey! You idiot!" She yells as he struggles in her grip. 

"What the hell?! Why are you so strong?!" The man struggles. Yuna suddenly hears sirens and the man that came running had reached them, astonished.