Scrunching her face in annoyance, Jiyeon quickened her pace to catch up with Jimin. Reaching him, she aimed a weak kick on his leg "Yah, you shouldn't have left me alone!"

"Why? Miss me already?" He replied. His lips are slightly full: the kind that end in a sarcastic little smirk at the corner and Jiyeon can’t help but to stare at it. The sunlight shone behind him made him look dazzling. Jiyeon hate to admit but deep down, the tiny part of herself – a very dark and primitive side - thought her best friend, Park Jimin is hot. Well although she thinks he is annoying and what not.

"Like what you are seeing?" Jimin teased noticing her ogle.

"Whatever," Rolling her eyes dramatically on purpose, Jiyeon handed him his mint ice cream with other hand taking a bite of hers. Instead of taking his, Jimin tapped Jiyeon’s hand upwards smearing a tiny spot on her nose with her strawberry ice cream.

"Yahh Park Jimin!!!" Jiyeon shrieked, eyes shooting him unstoppable daggers. The corner of Jimin’s lips slowly curled and he fought back hard to suppress it but it was no use.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA! You should look at yourself Jiyeon!" His guffaws erupted, causing strangers to search for the source of the loud bursts of laughter as he bent over, slapping his knee repeatedly.

Noticing Jiyeon’s sulky face, Jimin approached her. "Hahaha arasso Jiyeon. You are no fun,"

As the distance between them narrowed, their shoulders slightly touched and his alluring earthy scent rushed up her nose. She loved the strange way he smelled like freshly cut grass. Comforting, even in silence. She stared as his chest for nothing in particular awkwardly (as she was short). Shifting her gaze upwards, she saw that Jimin was staring at her thoroughly. His orbs were like penetrating into her soul. His eyes didn't show any glint of playfulness like usual. It was something else that she couldn't figure out..yet.

"You know, you are really cute," He said, flashing his killer grin. If he wasn't her best friend and wasn't so annoying, she might have fallen for him. She was so used with him being annoying and sarcastic so when rare moments like this came - where he was being weird and extra nice for no reason out of sudden - she wasn't sure of how to react.

“Ha ha ha funny,” Jiyeon averted her gaze, trying to hide her crimson red cheeks that are threatening to be more redder than the color red (if that’s possible). Truthfully, she doesn’t know how to handle compliments. She will always find herself denying it which she hate but she thought by saying thanks make her look conceited. Feeling a slight touch on her nose, she looked at Jimin only to find him his thumb, ice cream dripping a little.

“Gross,” Jiyeon said assuming he was the ice cream from her nose.

“Your nose? Yeah, really gross,”

“No. Your behaviour,” “Yea your nose is kind of oily I guess,”

“Im not talking about my-“ “I bet you can fry chickens with that much of oil,”

“Park Jimin!!” He tried to suppress a laugh. He had so much fun annoying her, indeed. He stopped when she gave him murderous glare.

“Waffle?” His sudden question instantly change Jiyeon’s expression and made her eyes lit with gleefulness.

Flashing her stupid grin, Jiyeon grabbed Jimin’s hand and intertwined it with hers before scurrying towards the waffle kiosk at the exit of the park. It was one of those moments where she had to treasure and spend adequate time with her best friend before she head back to hell.

Home.

▲▲▲

It was already night when Jiyeon reached home. Jimin and her parted ways at the entrance of her block. He insisted on her staying at his house for the night but she didn’t want to trouble and burden him. Removing her stained oxblood sneakers, she took a deep breath before twisting the door knob carefully.

She peeked her head inside. It was dark. Maybe she wasn’t home.

Just as her smile began to grace, it came to a halt when a raspy shrill echoed through out the small quaint house. Her heart sank.

“Park Jiyeon!" The house suddenly lit up with light, revealing her step sister leaning against the wall, arms folded. Looking at her dress and face caked with thick makeup, Jiyeon knew where her sister was going to go.

“” Jiyeon whispered to herself.

“Where have you been?! Done flirting with that boy?!”

“Like you care ,” Jiyeon mumbled under her breath. But it was loud enough for her step sister to hear.

“What did you say you brat?! I don’t care about your pathetic life but don’t think you are ever ahead of me! ” Her face contorted with fury as she was growing outraged. She began to spew out curses. Her hands closed into fists and she crouched forward, daring Jiyeon to repeat what she just said.

“Don’t forget who feed you and put this roof above your stupid head!” She slammed Jiyeon’s head hard causing her to bump against the wall and fall down. A single grief of tear welled up from the corner of Jiyeon’s eyes as a strong wave of pain hit her. Squezzing her eyes tight, she inhaled deeply in attempt to hold any tears from falling down. She doesn’t want to look weak in front of her sister.

Feed me my

“You are so pathetic Park Jiyeon,” Her step sister sneered before spitting onto her and going out of the house.

When Jiyeon was certain her sister was nowhere in sight, she slowly stood up, rubbing her head particularly where she hit the wall. Tears oozed down her cheeks profusely but she didn’t let out any sound of crying. She was used with this. Walking to her bed, she carefully placed her head onto the pillow, feet nudging away the curtains beside in order for her to view the eerie night sky. There were no sign of stars that night to decorate the sky. Within seconds, her eyes started to feel heavy, slits began to close. She then saw two shimmering bright light shooting from the sky but she was too exhausted to keep her eyes awake. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep.

     by e.g.