"We become the monsters we're most afraid of."
---
"Jimin," she breathed out. "You're allowed to touch me."
His plump lips slightly parted as a gasp escaped him. "I-" he exhaled, his fingertips slightly grazing her cheek.
"I'm someone else tonight...
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Meisa's thin fingers clutched on the silver fork as she took another tiny bite of the giant lobster laying in the plate before her. She nibbled on it, scrunching her nose in distaste and pausing before taking another, even tinier forkful and bringing it to her lips hesitantly as if she thought it was poisoned.
She hated seafood.
"I'm so disappointed Hyukjae couldn't make it," her mother, Mrs. Jung, sighed. She was sitting across from Meisa, dressed in wealthy clothing from head to toe, her auburn hair tied up in an obedient tight bun. Gold jewels graced her neck and wrists elegantly and a pair of precious diamond earrings sparkled on each of her earlobes.
"Mhm, such a pity," Meisa mumbled darkly, staring down at her plate.
"That boy is such an angel," Mrs. Jung praised, completely immersed at her speech and not paying any attention to the way Meisa scoffed upon hearing the last word. "So polite, respectable and well-mannered. Isn't that right, Siwoo?" she turned to her husband on her left who was in the middle of devouring another chunk of the lobster with ravenous hunger.
"Hm?" Mr. Jung glanced up at his wife confusedly, fleshy cheeks stuffed with lobster. "Oh, yeah, yeah, such a shame, tsk." he nodded in agreement after swallowing loudly.
"He's just so... charming, you know? And handsome. Remember the other day when he noticed I had cut my hair and hurried to compliment me on it? That was so nice of him," Mrs. Jung took another bird-like bite of her lobster, her diamond rings dangling from her ears every time she moved her head. "And he's so intelligent and responsible... he'll make a great CEO to the Lee Corporations." She threw a brief glance at her daughter. "It's only a matter of time until-"
Meisa frowned, suppressing the urge to spit her food. "Hyuk isn't inheriting anything, mother. Aera is the rightful heiress to the Lee family fortune." She stated flatly.
"Yes, but Hyuk-"
"Hyukjae is born out of wedlock. Why does everyone keep forgetting this?"
"Well I know this, sweetie, but I was just thinking that given Aera's problem-"
"What do you mean, problem?" Meisa snapped in a rather defensive manner, earning a scowl from her mother.
"Sweetie, did you forget how she set fire to the Lee family home a year ago? No person in their right mind would-"
"Were you there?" Meisa cut her off abruptly, her hands inadvertently clutching on the edge of the table.
"Huh?" was the only thing Mrs. Jung could reply, taken aback by her daughter's sudden shift in demeanor.
"I asked, were you there?" Meisa said through gritted teeth, her exasperation smoldering in her emerald green orbs. "If I were you, I'd refrain from talking about something I didn't personally witness with my own eyes. You don't know for sure that Aera started that fire. And you should all stop treating her and talking about her like she's some crazy person. She has been through a lot, it's a whole miracle she's still holding it together."
