The Baker's Daughter | satzu

1 | fantasy

S A N A

My dad wrapped a burgundy coloured trench coat on my shoulders as I looked in the mirror, seeing the Minatozaki Sana I was meant to be.

Not the free one.

The one trapped in the grasp of her father's delusional palms.

The one who was to dress up to look good in front of future husbands and father-in-laws, the one who has to smile at the cameras in order to make it seem as if there's no problems at our mansion...

But that's all a lie.

So instead of living in reality, I live in a fantasy world that I use as a coping mechanism to get through life.

It's a place where I can make my own decisions, and change any wrong decisions I make and I can make it right.

It's perfect.

But it's not real.

"There we go, Sana." My dad took a look at us in the mirror. "You look lovely. I'm sure tonight's ball will be amazing."

I gulped as I gave my best faint smile, trying to make him smile.

I don't exactly hate my dad.

How could I hate the man who saved me from a burning building when I was four?

But I envy him.

I envy the fact that he has this mindset that tells him that this world he lives in is alright. A world full of meetings and scandals, a world where if you don't find a corporate company to side with, you'll never survive.

But I can't live in this world.

I can't even breathe in this world.

It suffocates me and-

"My, my! Sana, you're all grown up." My mum squealed as she walked into the room holding a glass of half drunken wine in one hand. She kissed my cheek, the scent of alcohol blocking my sense of smell.

"Yeah." I replied, not wanting to say anymore.

"Tonight's your coming-of-age party. Are you ready?" My mum cuddled up next to my dad, fake smiles plastered on their faces.

I nodded, but inside I felt disgust at how these two could even pretend they were a perfect couple.

"Great, Minsoo will be here to pick you up soon." My dad wrapped his arm around my mum's as they walked out, joking with each other.

I sighed as I looked back at the mirror.

Ring ring.

My phone buzzed.

"Hello?" I asked, not bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Hey, Sana. It's Minsoo. The car's ready now. Hurry up or I'll leave you behind, I don't care if it's your own party." He blankly told me.

"Thanks, you're really kind." I sarcastically told him. He only laughed and ended the call.

Minsoo has been my best friend since I was little.

He's also considered as my servant, but I can't think of him in that way. He's been with me through everything, and he's always there to support me when I'm at my lowest.

His mum is also my parent's maid, and I'm close to her too. My parents treat her as if she was their friend, but she knows all the lies that lay underneath their marriage.

Minsoo also attends the same university as I do, an elite university that is only for the highest class. He doesn't exactly fit in, but because of his humour and aura, all the students around me like him too.

He's my driver, my servant, my best friend and my comfort. What else could I ask for?

I walked down the stairs, meeting eyes with Minsoo's mum who gasped at me, as if there were tears in her eyes.

"You're growing up so fast, Sana. It's as if it was yesterday that I taught you how to wash the laundry."

"That was yesterday." I raised my eyebrow.

She nodded and chuckled. "I know. A 21-year-old girl who doesn't know how to do the laundry? I never expected that."

"My parents spoil me."

"I've been your maid your whole life. I already know that they teach you nothing."

I hugged her and laughed. "You'll come to the masquerade ball right?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I can't be around all those stuck-up pricks."

"Neither can I, but look who's forced to go."

She patted my head and smiled at me lovingly.

"Good luck, Sana. I hope you'll find the future love of your life there, even if your father has other plans."

"I doubt it. My life is planned out for me."

She nodded as she carried a basket full of clean clothes up. "Not all plans are carried out."

"Mine definitely are."

She gave me a sly grin as she began walking up the stairs.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."