“STOP HOLDING YOURSELF BACK. IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY, MAKE A CHANGE”

***

“Hey, Kim Minzoo! Going out to meet your furry friends again?”

One voice yelled loud enough to make everyone directed their attention towards a pretty girl. Her visual is no joke as she can easily pass to be a model or even an idol with her golden proportion body. However, the latter enraged at the sudden humiliation she received.

“I am not Kim Minzoo! My name is Kim Minjoo! Pronounce it properly!”

You freaking incurable idiot!

She continued her rage with a monologue. Even though she really want to spit some curse word towards the perpetrator, she need to maintain her image too and thus, she only have select few words to counter any mockery.

“It’s a waste to be beautiful if you are a freak! Oh well, beautiful people often get their own ways of doing things, right?”

The mockery continues even Minjoo tried her best to ignore it. She seldom feel to counter any slander she received so far but their decision to changed her name is really pushing her patience limit.

It is such a huge hassle to deal with people! Ugh, such a waste to have another stupid being on this world.

She groaning while stomping her feet towards her sanctuary, the school’s mini zoo. They do not raised any big or dangerous animal such as llama or fox or a chimpanzee but they do have some rabbits, cats, chicken and puppy. Not to mention some kind of birds too.

Minjoo found herself is more suitable to be surrounded by animals rather than with people. Heck, she never been good in dealing with people entire her life. Weird enough, she is quite talkative while conversing with the animals. As if she can understand what they are trying to convey.

Other people often viewed her as weird as they always see Minjoo talking with such sweet demeanor with the animals. They discussed possibilities of Minjoo being school’s sweet heart if she is able to act at least half of her behaviour with the animals with other people.

Of course Minjoo never know about this as she have absolutely no cares about her surrounding or what people are even talking behind her backs.

For her, she never disturbed others and respect their own choice and she thought that they should also respect her privacy too. Although it is a tall order for even wishing it to happen.

People often speculating things that they fail to understand. They just afraid of people being a little different from the rest and will never stop to bother until they satisfied.

That’s why it is such burdensome things to mingle around.

You need to always keeping up or people will label you snobbish.

There are limit to do this or that, as if they are stuck with labels entire of their life!

People are not an object that need to be labelled.

Minjoo grumbling by herself. She picked up some animal treats and begin feeding her beloved friends. By doing so, she somehow managed to suppress her anger.

“I can never tell what people are scheming inside their head. I wish I can know it so that things can be done easier.

Like knowing what they actually mean without beating around the bush. Why can’t they directly spill out their desire?”

She continue her rambling while lifting a puppy to groom it. She get a comb specifically for a puppy and begin her routine.

Every single day, Minjoo like to spend her free time around this area as it is the only space that can offer her some peace. Surrounded by nature and her animals friends, she can actively expressing herself without anyone to judge her.

“Hmm? Are you feel good now?”

She asked sweetly towards the dog. Minjoo love to be able to interact with animals as they are true to their instinct can are loyal.

Must be good if you are still around.

She mumbled while reminiscing her past.

***

Flashback

“Minjoo! Let’s go back together!”

Her best friend called and ushered Minjoo to walk together. Being a timid child, Minjoo just follow what her friend told her to do as she herself cannot decide her action.

Luckily, her friend is not a bad person and always help Minjoo whenever she needed it. Others often teasing Minjoo as she rarely fight them and always depending on others. They viewed her as a coward person who can barely hold her ground.

“Hey, are you getting bullied again?”

That small voice tried her best to talk as soft as possible with Minjoo. She knows that Minjoo is so delicate and that make her heart ache when Minjoo is getting bullied just because she is the quiet type.

“People are different to each other! Stop generalize all people to be same as you!”

She once shouted at some older students for picking up a fight with Minjoo just because she do not answered their question.

If they just ask nicely, probability of Minjoo answering them might be high as Minjoo is not that rude to not replying if people is questioning her.

They tried to swing some punches towards her but luckily, teachers arrived just in the nick of time. She breathed in relieved as she is expecting some seriously hurtful injury if they continue their violent act.

People are ganging up on Minjoo not just because is quiet, but also because she is a beauty. Her cuteness blossomed at such young age and with additional of her shy personality making her the object of desire for all. Of course Minjoo never realized this as she is sometimes quite thick headed and slow to pick up trivial matters like this.

Due to her ignorance, Minjoo unknowingly become centre of hatred for other girls too as their crush keep on blabbering about Minjoo this and Minjoo that. As they can do nothing to attract their crush, they directed their anger towards Minjoo.

Even though Minjoo is widely popular, she never hang out with any student and do not have her own clique. Thats making thing easier for the bullies to commence their dirty job as there will be not people interrupting them.

However, there are but one people actually making effort to befriend Minjoo and eventually sticking up with her. After getting caught of almost harming others, number of bullying decreased exponentially and Minjoo is really indebted towards this particular friend.

“You know, it’s weird to spend time with you as I am the only one usually do all the talk.”

She said to Minjoo. The latter just sheepishly smile while knotting her eyebrows, making effort to flash an awkward smile for her only friend.

“Ahahaha! You are just funny! What’s with that face?”

Her friend burst into laughter upon watching Minjoo huge step of trying to be friendlier.

Minjoo pouted a bit after her attempt failed miserably but she can feel that her heart is warming up.

This is not bad at all.

Minjoo whispered. She realized that she is super awkward with people and with her personality that do not help to gain any friends, she just decided to keep silent and waiting for people to approach her first.

“You have such soft voice! People need to pay extra attention if you are talking.”

“Not that I asked for this voice to become mine.”

Minjoo retorted and rolled her eyes. She never dreamed of talking normally with her friend like this. All she do this far is just nodding or shaking her head as it is enough to answer others without needing to explain herself.

“Oh wow! You finally can answer me back! How long does it take for you to gather up your voice, huh?”

Her friend openly teasing her while standing on the swing. With her bubbly personality, she can easily befriend others and hang out with different type of people. Only God knows why she choose to approach the shy Minjoo out of other people. Not to mention that she is also cute with some wild charm in her personality that attract others just like a moth flying to a flame.

“Well, not that I am mute to begin with. I just do not know how to start conversation with others!”

Minjoo replied while scratching her head. It is true that she do want to talk to others but never find the courage to start.

“I am impressed on how you can survive this long without even voicing out your opinion or desire. Do you have nothing that you absolutely want which require you to ask for it desperately?”

She asks out of pure curiosity.

“My parents understand me well on my necessities without me whimpering to them. So yeah, I never want something desperately for now.”

“Wicked.”

Her friend mumbled.

“No wonder you are all quiet and obedient this whole time! Such sheltered life sometimes do not help you to gain any social skills.”

She commented. Minjoo just silently swinging and letting the wind caressed her plump, rosy cheek. She closes her eyes and want to savour this rare moment of her talking more than she need. Being an only child, she often play alone and never talking too much.

“Nah. I am grateful for being silent and all. At least I never hurt anyone with my own tongue.”

“Ah, you think so? There’s plenty ways to offend people, you know? Being silent is not an effective solution for all time.”

Minjoo sighed heavily. She knows that she need at some point to talk and interact with others but she never be able to do it.

“Oh hey! It’s getting late. Let’s go back home or else our parents might be worried about us.”

Her friend grabbed Minjoo hand and guided her home.

“Must be nice to be able to talk freely, huh?”

Minjoo mumbled and her friend caught her piece of mind.

“No worries! I think you will be able to talk a lot in the future! Just try your best to be better one step at a time.”

She grinned and stopped in front of Minjoo house. She bid her farewell and waved before sprinting off to her home.

“One step at a time, huh?”

Minjoo let out her small sigh and entering her house.

***

“Let’s hang out somewhere else, today. Might be good for a change of mood”.

“Eh? Where do we go then?”

Minjoo asked dumbfoundedly. They usually spending their time, talking over an ice cream or snack before going home. It is rare for her friend to suggest anything besides that. However, upon seeing that cheeky grin flashing on her friend’s face making Minjoo j