September, 1999

In front of the mirror stood a tall and slender doll with the brightest porcelain skin. Her long silky smooth black hair fell all the way down to her hip bone as she was delicately brushing through every knot and frizz. Her petite figure was hugged by a beautiful white fabric that styled her very elegantly. If it weren't for her anxiety, her confidence would have been over the roof, so why wasn't she feeling as beautiful as she should be? For the past few weeks since the incident, Jimin's head still could not wrap around the new girl that enrolled into her school. It was bothersome considering the fact that Jimin has never really paid any amount of attention to the newer students. Especially since they do very little to no influences to her life whatsoever. But this time, the new student has been getting on her nerves for many reasons. 

She despised the awfully short bob-cut that she wore, she was absolutely disgusted by how awfully confident she seemed to be, she despised how much the latter kept staring at her whenever they existed in the same room, and she also heavily despised all of the overbearing compliments she has been hearing about the new student. Despite the student seemingly not having a lot of friends or people to talk to, that still did not stop people from secretly gossiping and envying over her looks. 

People were catching on the scent of bad blood between the two but they all were smart enough not to ask around any unecessary questions, not that Jimin would bother to indulge herself with some high-school gossip if they did, but it still pissed her off. Why was she constantly hearing whispers about how pretty the new student was? How unique her style is? How different, pretty, and still unusually humble she was? 

Whenever the whispers would reach their ears, it made Jimin's teeth grit and so much that she eventually had to resort to drinking apple juice just to avoid any further dental damages. However, Jimin still refused to believe that it could possibly be the reason as to why she was not feeling a hundred percent confident at that moment. Sure, no one has really fawned over anyone as much as they do for anyone else besides for Jimin but really? Her? Out of all people? Was Jimin really starting to bore people out? The fact that the others even have the audacity and the courage to even compare their levels of beauty made her blood boil. What Jimin also hated the most was the fact that beyond the new student's doe eyes, she could not really tell what the latter was thinking. How could anyone ever think that she was humble? How could they have missed seeing how cocky her ugly gaze is?! 

Thoughts ran wild inside her head and yet stood Jimin absolutely still, staring at her reflection as she was contemplating about why she had to wear the dress in the first place. Today her father, along with some of the greatest investors, were hosting a charity auction event to help people in need. All profits were promised to families and children to help out with their medical bills. It was something her father would hold twice a year, aside from volunteering and contributing in other charities as well. It was one of the things that Jimin admired deeply about her father, how ambitious yet so generous her father was. It was fascinating how hard-working and successful one person can be, and how they still haven't forgotten about their kind roots. However, if there was one thing she despised him for, it was for the mere fact that he would be willingly auctioning away his daughter for a date. It did profit the charities however, and it was also only one dinner date that Jimin had to endure, but it was still did not take out the fact that it made her feel extremely objectified and humiliated.

Her father understood her complaints of-course, but he would always brush off her concerns by quoting how it was an opportunity for her to find a future husband. But how great of a man could he be if he has to buy his date off an auction? Then again her father would reply with, how great of a man is he if he's also willingly doing it for a great cause and has the finances to help all parties involved? No matter how much Jimin insisted, her father would always come back with a logical reasoning that could make her head bust.

''Awe you look beautiful, darling.'' The voice of her mother could be heard by the end of the room. Jimin turned around, only to see her mother smiling at her admiringly by the door. Jimin couldn't say anything but send her a small smile, not very convincingly of-course, which her mother definitely caught on. 

''Chin-up, darling. It's only for a night.'' said her mother, now standing behind Jimin as they both looked at her reflection in the mirror. 

''Yeah, but how many nights would there be in total if he keeps doing this?'' Muttered Jimin beneath her breath. Her mother sighed and carressed her daughter's skin, and then slowly pulling the dress down to expose her shoulders. 

''You know it's for a good cause, darling, and pull down the dress a bit - it's more attractive to the men when you expose your skin.'' That remark made Jimin scoff slightly, that was a very typical comment coming out from her mother's lips. Every decision she took revolved around how much validation she could gain from it, especially from these wealthy men Jimin despised. It was pity that her mother felt like she ever needed it much, considering how successful she was on her own. If it weren't for her father's connections with investors, her mother's succession alone would surpass her father's by far. 

''Right, you would know a lot about that, mother.'' said Jimin, almost sassily and ironically. 

''Oh enough with that sass,'' cooed her mother in a rather teasingly manner. ''Your dad have brought some of his newer investors to this event tonight, so it's very important to make a good impression.''

Her mother's lips were colored in dark red with smoke scent oozing off her breath, her shoulders hugged with fur coat as her dress matched the colors of her lips. If Jimin was elegant, her mother was definitely the opposite of that. 

''Mother,'' Jimin sighed and turned around to finally face her mother, concern written all over her face. ''I really don't want to go on these dates, they really disgust me.''

''Jimin-ah, listen. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever laid my eyes on,'' her mother smiled at her warmly as her hands cupping her daughter's cheeks so gently. ''You'll get the best out of the best in this world, and I'll make sure of that because you're my daughter.'' 

Jimin looked right back into her mother's eyes with the same warmth she was given. If there was anything right about her mother then it had to be her determination on ensuring her daughter's life quality remained at the top. 

''I'll make sure you'll get married to the most handsome and successful man there is.'' With that comment, Jimin's smile slowly faded again. She had no idea why but she kept getting irked by her mother's comments regarding her getting married to some successful man. It felt pressuring, forced, and the thought of marrying a man solely for the sake of her future has never crossed her mind, not even once, or simply marrying one overall.

But then again, what ever crosses Jimin's mind? No one was sure of that, not even Jimin herself. 

There's only a few people in this world that could look straight into Jimin's eyes without feeling slightly intimidated, and not even they could tell what went on inside Jimin's mind. Surely she has interests and an interesting personality, but what was actually beyond her beauty? Her wealth and her grades? She was too perfect and too respectable that no one dared to question that. If she turned a cold shoulder to someone, people would immediately assume it had to be for a good reason and therefore the rest would follow along without question. So much privilege and why wasn't that still enough? 

With her back straight and her chin held up high, she walked down the long wide staircase that lead her to the event and welcomed her into an enormous ballroom. All the guests were suited up or in cocktail dresses and Jimin who should feel the most at home out of everyone in the room, definitely did not. She was greeted by a bunch of people she recognized and didn't, but that never mattered. She was told to always send them a couple of acknowledging smiles and give in to friendly chit-chat, and it would all be good enough to entertain the guests while simultaneously make her family look good. It was a facade she could easily play for an hour or two before the show finally settled. 

Seated in the car, Minjeong watched as raindrops raced down the windowpane, blurring the world outside. Each drop seemed to echo the heaviness in her chest, a weight she couldn't shake. The rhythm of the rain matched the beat of her melancholic thoughts, and she wondered if the sky wept for her too. As the downpour intensified, she found solace in the quiet sadness, a fleeting comfort in the storm's embrace. Usually there would be nothing but laughter and giggles that filled the car, but lately Minjeong has only shown as much as what could be seen from her raindrenched windowpane. Her mother turned her head around from the passenger seat, only to witness her usually bright and bubbly daughter to be staring blankly through the window. 

''Is there anything wrong, baby?'' asked her mother, worryingly, but Minjeong could barely respond. After a couple of seconds of only rain and storm, the girl could only let own a small hum. ''Well if there's anything you have in your thoughts, you should try to sort it out before the event. You know how important it is to us, honey. So if you don't feel well, I could call for another chaffeur to come and drive you home.'' 

Minjeong let out a sigh and straightened her pose, ''Yes, I know. Don't worry, Mommy. I'll be at my best behavior, I promise.'' 

Her mother sends her an assuring smile, ''I know you'll be, honey. That'll always be my last concern.'' 

It has been over two weeks since it was her first day of school and nothing much has changed from the last incident with her classmates. Minjeong had barely managed to get some friends and Jimin still remained cold as ever. It was bothersome how committed they were at pretending how Minjeong never existed, it was like as if it never mattered if whether Minjeong had moved there or not because nothing in particular had changed. People found out quickly about Minjeong's interferment with the red ribbons, and suddenly people were too afraid of being seen talking to her. It had even given the wrong group of people a bit of courage to bully Minjeong's existence even more, for absolutely no reason at all, and probably for validation of others. Although she was being ignored by Jimin and her posse, Minjeong knew that they were very aware of the bullying as well but neither of them cared enough to spare her a glimpse whenever they walked by. 

The only difference now was that the person Minjeong once admired so deeply could be standing right in front of her, and still no difference in Minjeong's life has been made. It was that pathetic, and it was even more tragic that it made Minjeong yearn for her even more rather than hating her. In fact, in made Minjeong try even harder to win her back from distance. After all, Jimin was her friend first before anyone else in that school and technically they never said their proper good-byes. However, would friends actually treat each other the way she was treated? 

Minjeong remembered how much she had to bleed through her nose to study for her exam week in order to prove herself to others, to herself, but also secretly to Jimin as well whether she'd like to admit it or not. She wanted to prove that she came into that school with nothing but pure academics, no bribery, and no donations. Minjeong's academic exellence has always been something she was admired for and she wasn't going to let some people who doubted her at first sight make herself feel the same way. If she could prove herself to others that she was worth it, at least for the academics, perhaps they would stop ganging up on her, excluding her, and perhaps they could give her a chance. 

So when the day came when their grades finally came in, there were nothing but loud gasps and whisperings among students in the corridors when the screens displayed e