Prologue

The day had been long, yet the night would definitely be longer and even tormenting. He sat on his chair, not touching his food. With the kind of situation he was in, it was hard to get into appetite even though he wanted to. Annoyance was etched all over his face as he ran his hands through his blond hair and breathed out a deep sigh.

"It's because you don't know who to trust and who to be careful with." The sharpness of his mother's voice sent an unexplainable degree of anxiety through him. He knew trouble was threatening to barge into the situation. In fact, perhaps trouble was already at its work. 

"And now you're lecturing me?" His father's eyebrows met sternly as he glared at his wife.

"If you were just prudent and wise enough, we wouln't be in this kind of conversation." He could not help but lock his eyes on his mother as her words began to shake, hinting that she was on the verge of crying. "Or maybe you were just too clever and you wanted it in the first place."

"What are you trying to say?" His father's face was fumed with anger.

"That you're greedy!" She scoffed. "Greedy of money, power and fame."

"Don't you--" His father's words were cut off as he abruptly stood from his seat. 

Both his parents diverted their gazes on his tall figure. Annoyance was no longer etched on his face but impassiveness. After all, it had always been the same with his parents. 

"Finish your food, son." His mother said before briefly closing her eyes.

"Lost my appetite," he replied.

His father cleared his throat before motioning for his son to sit back down. "Don't you have filming or practice tonight? That's peculiar."

"No filming. No practice." Yifan avoided his father's eyes. "Not until my father clears his name again, that is." He takes out a white mail envelope from his vest and waves it in the air - still impassively. "That's my company's policy, so I have to follow."

Meanwhile, somewhere far yet no so different in scenario, was a similarly impassive girl who dreads where she was at the moment. With the clinking of dinnerwares and the thick atmosphere that enveloped the round wooden table, she could not help but feel the need to flight anytime. 

"I've already told you this, but I would like to reemphasize this right now." It might be wrong to be, but she could not help but hate the way her mother raises a brow at her each time she slaps her with words of expectations. "Second is good, Soojung. But not good enough. I hope you'll be more focused this time."

"Yes, omma," she replied in a sure and uncertain tone.

"Don't pressure her. She's just in high school and she's supposed to enjoy with friends and not burry herself in thick books," his father, being his only ally, remarked.

I don't have any friends, dad. And it's too late to make one.

"I'm not. Besides, it's for her future. Graduating as valedictorian means better opportunities for college - scholarships, maybe." 

She briefly closed her eyes, which was a better choice than rolling them in front of her parents.

"And that orphanage charity--"

She flinched and immediately cut her mother's words. Once again, she briefly closed her eyes before sighing deeply. "No, omma. Sorry, but I can't give the orphanage up. I will..." She held her spoon tighter, as if it could be of help in holding her grip -- as if it could get her grounded. "I will be valedictorian, but don't make me give up the orphanage."

author's note

That was the prologue. I hope it was fine.
Tell me what you think, okay? ^^
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