[CONTENTID1]3.[/CONTENTID1] [CONTENTID2]Seoul, 2011[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

Let innocence be your mask.

Let your beauty hide your heart.

Let your enemies count you a friend.

Let no one see your true self.

-Roseanna M. White – Ring of Secrets- [/CONTENTID3]

[CONTENTID4]

“I could be like them too…” A distant smile ghosts her lips. Whenever she sees an advertisement for a SNSD concert on the Internet or TV, she can’t help but have that thought. She almost reached her dream. But almost is never enough.

She shuts down her laptop and sighs heavily. Lee Jihye was a prodigy. She was the one they said was going to conquer the world but she ended pathetically like this before even started. Jihye is a really religious person, but she can’t help but to ask God why He makes her like this. Even after two years, she still can’t fully accept her condition now.

But weeping on it will make her weak. And she doesn’t have the privilege to show any weakness. She can’t have her revenge because it will only lower herself. She is just a bird who lost its ability to fly and can only sit in the golden cage. And she hates that very much.

***

“Lee Jihye, where are you going?” Mrs. Lee stands behind Jihye who is wearing her red converse. “SM.” She answers simply. “Again?” her mom asks. Jihye ony nods without looking at her. “I’ll be back before dinner. Bye.” Without any other word she dashes out her house.

It’s been like that for the past few years. Actually she doesn’t want her relationship with her family to become strained like this. They never support her dream to become an idol. And her relationship with her family worsened after she got into that accident. It’s as if all their bad wishes came true.

Maybe if they at least pretend to be sympathetic toward her, everything would be different. But everything is in the past now and she believes everything has broken beyond repair. Her dreams, her family, and herself. That’s why she chooses the easiest way; running away.

***

“EXO.”

“What kind of name is that?” Jihye looks at Chanyeol with furrows and eyebrows. Joonmyeon plops his body beside her and hands her a bottle of water. She accepts it with a small thanks and Joonmyeon gives her his angelic smile. They are sitting in a circle inside the SM dance practice room.

“A very star sounds like a name.” Chanyeol answers her. Jihye blinks confusedly. “It’s… odd?” She comments again; still feels weird with their group name. “So you’re basically an alien from Exopla