A person being able to express how they really feel is very natural. They can smile when they feel happy; they cry or frown when they feel sad. However, it is a different case for Sohee after the happenings she experienced in the past. She was abandoned by her parents to pay more attention to her younger sister who was very sickly. Sohee was left with her aunt who provided the love her parents were not able to give her. She was the brightest child… not until her aunt passed away 3 years ago and was left with the care of nuns and her parents did not even bother looking for her they might not even know that her aunt passed away.  That was the start of Riley keeping her feelings hidden. She is afraid that if she shows what she truly feels she might be left alone again.

Sohee tried to recall the time when she last smiled. She opened the locked box she kept under her bed. This box contains the pictures she had when she was a child. She saw the pictures of her family going on vacation, the cake her aunt baked for her 10^th birthday etc. Now she only felt resent and longing towards her aunt and parents. She locked and returned the box again while wiping her tears.

It was the first day of school, everybody was busy laughing and chatting and laughing about their summer escapades… well not Sohee. Sohee was just in one corner staring outside the window. As the bell rang everyone rushed to their seats and the teacher entered with a new student. “Everyone, today we have a new student” the teacher pointed at the new student “This is Myungsoo; he will now be part of our class. Please take good care of him”. The class gave him a warm welcoming smile. “Myungsoo please sit beside Sohee” she said while pointing at the chair at the back. He tried to introduce himself to Sohee but Sohee left no response.

A few days have passed, but no matter how he tried to talk to Sohee or make her laugh he failed and was left with no response.  It did not matter to him; he still continued to the pint that Sohee became irritated. “Excuse me! Can’t you see I am busy studying?” she said irritably “there will be a long quiz today and I need to study… so please…” It was not the reaction he intended but he was shocked because he finally received a response. Because of this he almost fell from his chair and Sohee chuckled. His eyes widened it was the first time he saw Sohee smile. “Did you just smile?!” he asked “NO, I did not… maybe you were dreaming” Riley denied but Myungsoo insisted that he saw her laugh. Sohee could not win so she just admitted. This was the start of their friendship.

Sohee and Myungsoo started to talk to each other, eat together, and go to the bus stop together which left her classmates speechless and surprised by Sohee’s sudden change. On the way to the bus stop near the school she saw the faces she never wished to see again. It was her family who abandoned her and never bothered to look for her. Her parents hugged her and apologized. She forced to break from the embrace and made her fists in to a ball. “Sohee we were sorry we left you alone” her mom begged for her forgiveness “We did not know your aunt died, if we knew we would definitely look for you” Sohee started to break down in to tears “DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD I LIVED FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS?” she shouted “I WAS LEFT ALONE, NO ONE BOTHERED TOP LOOK FOR ME. THE ONLY THING YOU KNOW IS TO TAKE CARE OF AILEE. I WISH I BECAME SICKLY TOO SO THAT I CAN RECEIVE AS MUCH ATTENTION AS MY YOUNGER SISTER.” Her mom tried to beg for forgiveness but failed. “DO YOU KNOW HOW SCARED I WAS TO EXPRESS MY EMOTIONS BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF BEING ABANDONED AGAIN?” Her family tried to console her but Sohee was very furious.

Myungsoo escorted Sohee away and tried to make her calm down. “Sohee no matter what you do, they are still family…” he said “they look like they are very sorry and regret the things they have done...isn’t it better to forgive?” Sohee never wanted to forgive them after the things she experienced after being left alone. “Do you even hear the words coming out from your mouth?” she could not get the point of what Myungsoo said “what makes you say that I should forgive? Do you know how much I suffered because of them?  Can you understand the pain?” Sohee continued. “Yes, yes I know how you feel…” Sohee was shocked by his response “I never wanted to tell this to anyone but if it is the only way so you will not regret like the way I am right now” he told Sohee his deepest secret “I too was like you.  I also am very furious towards my family. My father only gave special attention to his favorite son. He can only see my mistakes no matter how I tried to impress him” tears started to well out from Myungsoo’s eyes. “I ran away from home because I can’t handle it anymore.  I rejected every call my family made. A few months later I answered one of the calls and it was my mom saying that my dad died. I regretted so much that I only felt resent towards my father and did not realize that he was criticizing me only to make myself a better person.” Sohee wiped the tears on Myungsoo’s eyes and gave him a hug. “I understand you… I will try to forgive them.” Sohee hugged Myungsoo again.

A few days later she saw her parents waiting outside the school hoping to be able to receive Sohee’s forgiveness. Sohee approached them and gave them a smile. She told them she forgave them. This started a new stage for Sohee’s life. She is now living with her family happily. After being able to forgive, Sohee is now at ease when she shows what she is feeling. She now smiles a lot