Beep. Beep. Beep. 

Having been disturbed by the alarm, eyes force themselves open. Sitting up, Yeol flinched as she moved her legs. 

"I need to patch this up" she thought. Slowly getting off her bed, she moved to one of the floorboards and pried one off. Inside was a compartment with two boxes. A first aid kit and a makeup box. 

Taking the disinfectant out of the kit, she started to apply it onto her cuts. Every time the cutip touched a cut, sharp pain shot through the area causing her to flinch. Slowly she started to work down her body, cleaning each cut as quickly as possible. After bandaging everything, she started to apply thick coats of concealer and other makeup to cover up the varying bruises on her body. 

Being contended with her work, she started to put on her uniform, pain creeping from her legs to her lower back as she stayed standing. Sometimes fumbling with the buttons and zippers. Once done she headed out, wary for anyone outside of her room. Hearing nothing, she let out a sigh in relief and left the house with a believable smile on her face. 

In the packed subway, she tried to fruitlessly avoid physical contact with others. However, in a space where people stuff themselves into just so they won't have to wait another 5 minutes, it can prove to be quite a challenge. Every touch from a person, especially to her abdomen, cause her smile to scrunch, almost like a grimace. But that smile would not leave. Not ever. At least not outside. 

Finally at her stop, she swerved around the hoards of people to finally climb the stairs up to street level. At school she walked past classmates to head to her class. The school filled with slightly louder chatter and gossip than it usually was. 

"Did you hear? That girl, I think Seojin, confessed to Taemin... Like who the heck even does that?" 

"Lol yeah! I heard he didn't even say anything. He just ignored her and kept on walking! Like that really for Seojin... Poor thing!" 

"But you've got to admit... It was pretty stupid of her. Everybody knows he only talks to his brother and that's about it... Even though he is a total hottie!" 

Continuing to walk away, Yeom couldn't help but think how lucky the school population was... There was time for useless thoughts. 

However caught up in her thoughts and not looking where she was going she accidentally bumped into someone. She looked up. Jongin.

"Sorry!" she apologized while he just glared in return. But as she walked away, he noticed that blinding bright smile and the slight limp in her gait. 

"Unbelievable," he thought as he turned around. 

Entering her classroom, she quickly sat down, pain slowly ebbing away. Every once in a while a classmate would greet her and she would say hi with a smile back.

Students would think "What a happy girl, always happy and always kind." Yet they couldn't be more wrong. They were tricked by her mask, a most believable one. They were tricked and so was the world.

Minutes later more students walked in including Lee Taemin, who sat next to Kim Yeon. Between the two no greetings were ever exchanged. She was only a girl with too many cuts and bruises covered in a faux smile and he was a boy with too many pure emotions masked by a blank face. No... With so many prejudices and worries... They haven't got the care for greetings. 

There was never a reason to talk with each other so they never did. They were merely seat mates. Approximately 10 inches apart with no sound between. Some would say it was awkward but to her it was better that way. No questions were asked and no friends were forced upon her. 

"Of course... Friends are merely a burden. They wouldn't understand anyway," she thought to herself as the room became louder with friends joking around. Playing without a care.

A burden. Because finding out her thinly veiled secret would be a burden. Both for someone who doesn't believe in change and a person that just can't try hard enough. 

In another place, a certain Seojin got a teddy bear in her locker with a note saying, 

"Sorry about yesterday... I'm sure you are wonderful! ~TM" 
leaving her to wonder who TM is.

Thanks for reading this chapter! We get a glimpse of both Jongin and Taemin appearing now so... Yup! ^^

A shoutout to MagOlivia11 for being my first subscriber!! Thanks a lot! It really means a lot to me since you enjoy reading my story!

Until next time! Comment and subscribe if you liked it!