“Kim Yongsun. What have you been doing with your life? I sent you to a good university, provided you with everything you needed, yet you disgrace the Kim family. Leave. We do not need a good for nothing who sells her body in this family.” Her mother stated coldly, staring down at her daughter who was kneeling on the floor. 

Yongsun had received a call right before she was going to step out to perform. With tightening, she had answered the unexpected call.

“Hello, Mother-”

“Come home. Now.” The line cut off and Yongsun had hurried to change and ran out the door, catching a taxi. No one disobeyed her mother. As a child, Yongsun had learned that being less than perfect meant harsh punishment, such as being hit, missing meals, or even being kicked out of the house for days. Her and her older sister always strived to be perfect, achieving first in their grade, competing nationwide academic competitions, sitting in business meetings with their parents. Yongsun’s sister left for university overseas, leaving Yongsun to survive the last few years of high school alone. She became quiet and reserved without her sister to lean against. As soon as she started university, she moved out of the mansion she never called home. She kept her life a secret from her parents and only returned to their house when she was called. That’s where she was now.

Sitting up straight on the couch was her mother, a grey haired woman in her 50s in a business suit. She had a disdainful look on her face as she looked down on her supposedly “perfect” daughter. Yongsun, with tears threatening to fall, pleaded.

“Mother, please. I won’t- I won’t do this again. I’m sorry. This is my fault. Please,” she begged. She wanted to stay. No matter how much she had suffered, this was her family. She couldn’t leave them.

“Take this disgrace out of my house,” boomed her father. He pick up his teacup and studied it. “If she steps one foot onto my property ever again, I will personally ruin your families.” Almost immediately, two men in black suits grabbed her by the arms and hauled her to her feet, ignoring Yongsun’s desperate cries. They threw her outside the large metallic gates, leaving her sobbing alone in a thunderstorm. The sky crackled, the rain poured, the lightning flashed. She was getting drenched in the cold, but why did it feel like her temperature was sky rocketing?

Yongsun opened her eyes and blinked away the tears. Though relieved to know that that was only a dream, she was still overheating. She flung away the thick blanket that covered her.

“Hey!” She peered over to her right and saw a lump of raven black hair sprouting from the blanket. Quickly apologising, she helped Hyejin escaped the weight of the blanket.

“I guess you’re awake. I’ll go fix up some breakfast,” Hyejin grumbled, slipping out of the room. Yongsun rubbed her eyes and stood to stretch as she walked to the bathroom. She slapped the light switch and stared at herself in the mirror. Ignoring her bed head, she still looked like a mess. Her dark circles made he