Myungsoo is 16, devoid of love and care. His supposedly 'kind and loving' stepmother was instead the complete opposite. She was evil scheming and hated Myungsoo.

"You are not my real son. You are just an extra in the family, a thorn in the flesh." She hissed.

"You are the extra one. Outsider." Myungsoo retorted in a volume just above a whisper. It was also the longest sentence  he said for the day. He emphasized the word 'outsider', only to earn a hard slap from his stepmother. Myungsoo rolled his eyes. Ms Park seethed in rage and was just about to raise her palm to slap Myungsoo for a second time. But a knock on the door, the sound of Mr Kim kicking off his boots signified his return. Ms Park immediately cut her hand down to her sides.

Mr Kim only returned in the evening from work, which gave Ms Park (myungsoo refused to call her Umma) loads of chances to bully Myungsoo. Much to Myungsoo's disadvantage.

"Honey~" Ms Park cooed and acted all angelic. She pried Mr Kim's heavy suitcase from his hands and placed it on the coffee table before massaging his tense shoulders. Mr Kim smiled in joy and beckoned Myungsoo to join in.

Myungsoo his heels and walked away.

"Darling, is it okay if I talk to Myungsoo?" Ms Park rolled her eyes but quickly resumed her angelic smile. Lucky for her, Mr Kim was already making his way to Myungsoo's room and did not see her. Mr Kim knocked on the door gently. He knew Myungsoo was very particular about his privacy. When he entered, Myungsoo was just hugging his stuffed giraffe to his chest. It was the one his mother gave to him before she left. Mr Kim sat beside him. It was long, since Myungsoo and his dad talked like this since last year. Ms Park would always soak up all this father-son time by bothering Mr Kim with her mindless shopping. But Mr Kim love Ms Park for who she is, or who he thought she is.

"Myungsoo-ah... How do you find Umma? She's nice isn't it?" Mr Kim rubbed his son's back. Myungsoo loved back rubbing. Myungsoo's shoulders visibly loosen from its tense state. He shook his head and Mr Kim raised an eyebrow.

"She insults me, calls me names, slaps me and always order me around. She even toppled all my drawings. She's. A. ." Myungsoo muttered, clenching his stuffed giraffe in his arms.

Smack!
 

Great. He got slapped twice a day. Myungsoo was shocked beyond words. He expected his father to at least comfort him, tell him that maybe Ms Park was having a bad day or so. Instead, he seethed in rage at his son for calling his wife a , not believing a single word Myungsoo said.

"I didn't raise you up like this you ingrate, Umma is good from what I see and don't try ever curse your own mother." Mr Kim shouted in anger. The whole house reduced to silence, the maids cowered and Myungsoo just stared at him in the eyes with those orbs. Those orbs are sparkling with tears but Myungsoo didn't look sad. He looked disappointed.

" What you see isn't all true. It isn't everything." Those were the last words Mr Kim heard from Myungsoo before he left for bed.

"Mm-hmm" Mr Kim shrugged his shoulders deliberately. His attempt to mock and piss his son succeeded as the first tear fell from Myungsoo's eyes.