I picked up my pace; the cake I held in my hands were starting to get a little too heavy for me and if I dropped it, i would be in big trouble by my step mother again. To be honest, when you hear the word 'step mother', images of a sobbing Cinderella wiping the floors come into your mind and I can confidently say the position I am right now in is definitely not Cinderella, no matter how much you wished me to be. The reason: I'm not a girl.

People say 'the people who are poor are poor because their parents are poor' but nope, that was not what happened to me. Once, I would have been sitting in one of those expensive, cool looking cars with a driver driving me to my destination. Once, the owner of a popular cafe called Paradise would have welcomed me every time I arrive through their doors with large smiles. Once, everybody, or seemed to, loved me and tried to please me whenever they were given the chance. Once, everything that belonged in fariytales seemed to happen to me in real life. But not anymore, I guess.

Ever since my dear mother who went down with a sickness (that was somehow deadly) and never got back up again a few years ago, my father had started drinking and smoking and doing all sorts of things I never expected him to do. One of the other things that I did not mention that I didn't expect him to do is to marry another wealthy woman (who was a widow with two sons and one daughter, excuse me) and ask the women and kids to move into my house. My father's house.

The worst thing was that right after my new step mother and step siblings stepped into my house for the first time, my father got a message that he has to go overseas for some business trading. And he left my step mother a signed copy of how she was able to control everyone and everything in the house while he was away.

What happens next, oh well, I don't even have to explain and you'll know. Yeah yeah yeah, my so called 'brothers and sister' claimed my room as theirs and ordered me to sleep in the attic for the time being. They took away most of my clothing, leaving me only with a few to change into throughout the week. However, they still kinda 'respected' me (do you even call it respect?) since I was, after all, the only son of the Lu family and I had some power in my hands. I thought everything horrible was going to stop after my father comes back, but bad luck always seem to find its way onto my side because a few months of suffering, news came back that my father was injured in an accident overseas and is right now in coma.

My step mother and her evil descendants (whoops, sorry for bad mouthing) literally screeched with joy and I ended up ranking lower and lower until the status I am now; a mere 'servant' of my own so called family. It hurts a bit, but I have got used to the suffering so right now I'm rather calm as I explain my story. Everything I used to have is now taken away except for a picture of my mother, hidden in a locket which I kept hidden until now. Ouch, I can say.

---

"Lu Han! You're almost late. I swear madam is going to throw a fit if you arrived any later."

I chuckle at the worried face of my friend and hands the cake to him. "Almost, you say."

Kim Jongin grins back. Jongin is a servant from my step mother's side, who arrived as a 'gift' to me and my father. Not that I ever treated him like a 'gift' though, he is a human and also has parents and feelings. Unfortunately, Jongin told me that when he was young, he got lost from his parents in the busy streets and was starving for days until my step mother saw him and took him in as a servant.

He's the only person ever from my step mother's side that treats me with respect and kindness; since I am his 'master', in a way.

Jongin peers through my blond locks and takes out of a leaf that is hidden underneath my bangs.

"You're such a forest spirit, really, attracting all sorts of nature into the house." He teases playfully and I laugh. He's the only living thing inside my house that I can freely express my feelings around, also including my pet rabbit I own secretly.

Life has changed ever since my step mother and siblings and Jongin arrived into my house. I'm not really used to changes, but I guess from my current situation, I have to start getting use to them otherwise I'm going to break someday.

I stare Jongin for a few seconds and managers to let out a small smile. At least, as far as I know, even if I break, Jongin will be there to fix me back.

i love comments ^ ^