“Look at her.” a boy whispered.

“Isn’t she so gloomy?” He continued.

“She’s always expressionless and never really talk to anybody.” Another one said.

“I know right? So creepy.”

“She looked like a statue.” One of them exclaimed.

“A stone! She’s a stone!”

“Stone face! Stone face.”

Shut up.

The said stone faced girl got up from her seat, a loud creak was heard in the classroom as the legs of her chair scrapped the floor. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Some of them were stunned and other laugh conceitedly, seeming proud by the nickname that they had come up with. The girl however only walked away, face still expressionless.

“Whoa, I thought she’s gonna get angry for a second.” One of the boy said nervously.

“No way man, she’s heartless after all. A stone.” One of his buddy said while laughing.

Shut up.

Her face was stoic, but little did they know her heart was crying.

#####

“Nayoung, welcome home.” Her mom greeted her with a warm smile.

Nayoung however had her head down, her shoulder shaking as her tears fall down. Her slightly tanned face was covered with tears. Her frail thin body quaking with every sobs she let out. Her backpack that was way too big for her small statue that was dangling on her back and followed every movement from her shoulder, shaking along with it. Her mother quickly went to her side, gentle hands on her shoulder, trying to soothe the pain away. Nayoung buried her head at her mother’s shoulder. It was warm, and it smelled like home. It was comfortable though stained wet with tears there was nowhere else she rather be.

“What’s wrong sweet heart?” Her mother asked as she caress Nayoung’s long hair.

“No-thing. It’s nothing…” Nayoung said between her sobs.

“Did the boys tease you again?” Her mother asked worriedly.

Nayoung didn’t answer, but her mother knew. Her mother pulled Nayoung away slightly to look at her in the face. That familiar smile that comfort Nayoung was there, and somehow she feels better.

“I know you’re a good girl Nayoung, don’t worry about it.”

“But they said I’m a stone. I’m heartless.”

“Of course not, I know Nayoung aren’t good at expressing yourself, but mom know how warm your heart is.” Her mother reassured.

“Really?” Nayoung questioned as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

“Of course.” Her mother smiled.

It was fine. Nayoung thought it was fine. As long as someone understand her, even if it was only one person she could life. She doesn’t need anyone else. As long as her mother was by her side she would be okay. Life wasn’t so bad long as her mother was with her.

#####

“Poor thing. Her father died a few years back and now her mother too.” One of the attendance said in a low whisper.

“She’s only a young girl too, only sixteen years old.” Another one said.

“She’s still in high school then. Poor thing.”

A middle aged lady came to talk to Nayoung who was holding into her mother’s framed portrait. It was her mother’s cousin, her aunt. Her aunt hug Nayoung lightly before giving Nayoung a look of pity. Nayoung could only stare blankly at her mother’s closed casket. Her heart was in despair but not a single tear even came out.

“She didn’t even cry for her mother. What a heartless child.”

There it goes again, Nayoung though. No one understand her expect for her mother. Now that she was gone Nayoung started to think back about her life. What was she even born for? What does she live for? Why is she even alive? She wanted to disappear. Nayoung eyes darken as the sadness and despair eaten her heart. An excruciating agony like she had never felt before. She was used to pain but it hurt so bad that she wanted to just die. Maybe dying would be better than living like this. After all, she was just an empty shell. A heartless being that just happen to take shape as human. She didn’t belong here, she didn’t belong anywhere. Maybe it would be better if she would just disappear.

She should disappear.

#####

Nayoung was dead inside. A vessel without soul. A zombie. It has been a week since her mother died and she had never felt emptier. She went numb. Now that the only person that understand her and love her was gone she didn’t have much motivation to life. She hadn’t been eating. She hadn’t been sleeping. Her life was in shambles. No one cared, not one even cared. Not even her step farther. It was understandable though, they were never close to begin with. Even after living in the same house for three years they never say more than one sentence to each other. They were both cold and show little to no affection, it was especially worse because they aren’t related by blood. She wanted to get away from the house but she had no choice, she was a minor and she got nowhere else to go.

Nayoung was walking from school. It was evening already, as the sun had started to set. Classes had dragged on later than usual, she doesn’t mind though. She walked aimlessly around town, not really wanting to go home just yet. It’s not like she had any destination but everywhere else was better than her house. It doesn’t feel like a home anymore since her mother died. So empty and cold, the only one who greet her was the housekeeper that she never really talked to. Nayoung stopped at a rather deserted intersection. Not many car usually passed by here. Nayoung was about to cross but the sign turned to red. No car was in sight but she took the save routes and waited until the sign for pedestrian to turn green. She stare off into the distance and found a park not too far away across the street. It seemed quiet and nice, she might drop by there to pass time. Maybe she could feel something there.

Nayoung was waiting for the green light when she heard children voice behind her. They were rowdy, probably chasing each other. Nayoung wasn’t really good with children. She didn’t hate them, but she just can’t seems to communicate with them. To be fair she couldn’t really communicate with anyone. Nayoung turned around to see two children running at each other. A boy and a girl. The girl seemed older than the boy, they were almost at where Nayoung was standing. Nayoung was surprised when the two of them crossed the street without looking at the stop sign. She exhaled in relief when they crossed safely because no car was around. Then suddenly a girl chased after them in panic. She was probably left behind because the kids were running earlier. The girl told the two kids to stay where they were but the kids didn’t listen and made a beeline to the park instead.

The girl panicked, afraid to lose the children she crossed the street without much consideration. Nayoung then heard a car honking at the girl. It was fast, too fast. The car break squeaked through the air but their momentum was still much too fast, they would still crash into the girl. The girl froze in the middle of the road, wide eyed. Nayoung didn’t know what got int