A beacon of light shines through the gap in the curtain and onto Myungsoo's closed eyes. He scrunches his face and groans, rolling onto the side where the light continues to shine onto his face. With a fustrated sigh, he sits up and looks at your sleeping face.

Your lips are slightly apart, eyebrows slightly knitted together and your hair still hangs in a ponytail. He smiles and slowly leans in, careful to not wake you. In your sleep, you can feel his hot breath on your face but you float back to sleep, leaving you wondering whether it was real or just fabricated by your dreams.

Myungsoo gives you a slight peck on the nose as you continue to sleep soundly. His face lingers just a few centimetres away from yours when your eyes flutter open. You squint from the bright sunlight shining through the curtains and your attentions turns to the blurred face in front of yours. Myungsoo. 

 

You gasp sharply, jolting up in the bed, knocking Myungsoo right in the head. "Ahh! What the hell!" he pulls away, angrily pouting and stares at you, shooting daggers with his eyes. You sit there in the bed, slightly panting, staring with wide eyes at Myungsoo and glance at the alarm clock resting on the bedside table. 7:17AM.

You stare guiltily at Myungsoo as he continues to sit on the bed, a hand rubbing his temple, his face scrunched into a grimace, "Aish... Just get ready for school..." his sharp words bring you out of your daze.

"O-okay" and you stumble out of bed, grabbing your school uniform. You slip outside, just in time to see Soo-Hee groggily step out of her room, yawning and stretching. "Ah, Hyun Mi~ Good morning~" she awakens from her sleepy trance, her face brightening and she looks at the uniform in your hand.

"You can change in there" she says, pointing to the room behind her, "There's some make-up in there if you want as well", she gives you a knowing wink and floats downstairs to prepare breakfast.

You slip into the room, a long mirror extends down the wall on one side of the room, a table laden with different creams and foundations sits in the corner. You shut the curtains and close the door as you change into your uniform.

You slide into your skirt, looking into the mirror and admiring how it firmly hugged your waist, showing off your long, toned legs. Instead of your usual ponytail, you decide to leave your hair out and it falls perfectly around your shoulders as you walk over to the mirror, leaning in to examine your face. 

Although most of your scars have healed and disappeared, a jagged one runs down your temple but after some touching up with some foundation from the table, it's almost invisible. You apply some BB cream to your face, brushing some foundation around your jawline and with an unsteady hand, you lightly trace your eyes with eyeliner, adding little flicks at the end.

You smooth lip balm over your chapped lips and slide your thick framed glasses onto your face. You step back and your mouth forms a small 'o'.

The girl who stares back at you in the mirroe is barely recognisable. Her sleek black hair frames her thin face, her brown eyes soft and big behind her glasses which don't look so nerdy anymore. Her lips are a plump pink and long legs extend luxuriously from her pleated skirt.

If only umma was here. She would my hair and gasp, amazed at my transformation. If only appa was here... he would pat my head, "Wahh, my daughter has grown up so fast", smiling proudly at you.

Your eyes begin to sting at the thought of your parents but you steel yourself over, dabbing at your eyes before your tears spill down your cheek and remind yourself, you're a stronger person now.

You shake your shoulders, fling your hair back and flash yourself a confident smile in the mirror. If I keep smiling like this, I can hide everything. I can convince everyone that I'm strong and maybe, I'll believe it too.

 

Swinging your bag onto your back, you tilt your chin upwards and give yourself a final reassuring smile. You return to Myungsoo's room and finding it empty, you bend down to your bags, slipping the picture of your parents into your blazer before you leave the room and head downstairs.

You're welcomed by the sweet scent pancakes and noticing you on the staircase, Soo-Hee peeks out of the kitchen and smiles, "Wahh, yeppeuda~" she compliments and you blush, unable to respond.

She beckons you over, "I've made breakfast", patting a seat at the table and runs over to the stairs calling up, "Yah! Myungsoo-ah, Jongdae-ah, come join us for breakfast~!" She turns around and fixes your sloppy bowtie, stepping back to look you from head to toe, her eyes twinkling.

"I've always wanted a daughter...", an excited quiver in her voice. She gives you a proud look as your turn to see Myungsoo and Jongdae plodding down the stairs, both looking equally handsome in their ties - school bags slung coolly over one shoulder.

"Mmm... Umma, you should make pancakes more often for breakfast" Jongdae muses as he pulls a chair and helps himself to the pancakes. Silently, Myungsoo enters the ktichen and dumps his bag against the table. Soo-Hee shoots Myungsoo a glare, "Yah, doesn't even bother with a good morning..." and slides into a seat herself.

You take the remaining seat next to Myungsoo and he shuffles his chair away from you but you pretend not to take notice. "Yah, Myungsoo-ah, you're going to take Hyun Mi up to the bus stop, geurae? Show her around at school and make sure she's comfortable." Soo-Hee demands, sinking her fork into her pancakes.

"What?!" Myungsoo demands after swallowing a mouthful of syrup and pancake. She gives her son a withering glare and points her fork half-threateningly at her son, "Arraso..." Myungsoo grumbles reluctantly and prods the rest of his breakfast with his fork.

You wriggle uneasily in your seat at the tension, when Myungsoo stands from his chair. With a tilt of her head, Soo-Hee encourages you to join Myungsoo and having no choice, you follow him to the sink where he leaves his plate. You do the same as he slings his bag onto his back.

Before you leave though, you turn to face Soo-Hee, "Kasamnida~ For everything~". Soo-Hee's cheeks turn a baby pink but she shoos me away, "Pali~ Go and catch up to Myungsoo, you don't want to be late for school~" flashing you her eye smile. 

 

Bowing to her once again, you walk out the door, quickening your pace as you see Myungsoo's tall figure turning a corner in the distance. You tun to catch up to him, panting heavily. He abruptly stops and before you have time to react, you crash into his back.

"A-ah mianhae~", bowing slightly and pushing your glasses back up the bridge of your nose. Myungsoo stares at you, scoffs and grabs your wrist, "We're gonna miss the bus, hurry up." He pulls you to his side and continues walking at a faster pace. You stare down at your feet, struggling to keep up with him and you chew on your lip until you reach the bus stop.

A harsh wind blows, stinging your cheeks and you pulls the cuffs of your blazer over your hands, tucking them into your sides as you huddle from the cold. You feel soft warm wool against your icy neck and you look up to see Myungsoo wrapping a scarf around your neck.

Your cheeks that are already pink from the cold turn a scarlet red and you shyly mumble your thanks to Myungsoo. Before the both of you slip into an awkward silence - not that there wouldn't be a silence anyway - the bus rumbles down the street and stops in front of the both of you, the doors creaking open.

You step on after Myungsoo, his scarf tightly wrapped around your neck. The raucous yelling and giggling on the bus immediately stops, all eyes turning to you.

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ahaa~ finally uploaded this chapter ;; now, im off to study for my exams :33