"no, you listen here! it does not make sense for your mother to be going around to publishing houses and begging them for information about this!" her dad shouted, holding up a printed article page with Chaerin's face on it. red letters screaming the words 'Park Chaerin the murderer' haunted her and what made her blood boil even more was the fact that it was stuck onto her front door for her parents to see.
"you're clearly not taking us, your parents, your school, your grades, your fucking college applications seriously are you? do you understand the lengths of trouble you've put yourself through?!" her dad screamed once more
"it's not my f-"
"then who's is it? hell, maybe it's your mother's! for raising a disgraceful child like you! you think our relatives would be happy to know that they're associated with someone like th-"
"that's all it ever was for you right? reputation" she said with a scoff, wiping the strains of tears that fell across her cheeks
"what the hell is that supposed to mean?!"
"it means that all you ever cared about was what other people thought of you, of us... you were never home....neither was mom- it was always work. work and client meetings, social network parties and family dinners which I was never invited to.....were you ashamed of me this whole time?! ashamed that I was your daughter-"
"no....but I sure as hell am now. whatever prank your friends are pulling on you with this stupid article better be the last of it....or else I'll get the police involved myself. this could tarnish all your college applications and dont even let me think what it could do to our family business. Clean this house up and go study for your entrance exams. that's the least you can do for us after all that you've put us through" her dad said, leaving the front door with a slam while ripping the paper up into smaller pieces.
'what you've been through? what about everything I've been through?' Chaerin thought to herself, struggling to bite back the sobs falling from her mouth. she sat down on the steps of the staircase as she looked at the ripped up pieces of paper thrown around near the front door.
the ding of a notification from her phone made her squeeze her eyes shut, she flinched at the sound, completely terrified of what's to come. now her parents knew, there was an article waiting to be published on the national newspaper, her future was nearly over.
unknown number: the game isn't finished just yet. you've just unlocked the next level. study hard for the entrance exams you'll never get to sit. SNU was my dream before it was yours.
"Chae?" a soft voice said from above the stair case and she ripped her attention from the phone towards the boy who was standing at the top, slowly making his way down the steps and sitting beside her.
"how did you get in here?" she asked, trying to look away from him and wiping her tears but he softly stopped her hands
"you don't have to hide from me, don't be afraid of being vulnerable....its only me" haechan whispered and she looked up at him with red teary eyes
"did you hear....what my dad said?" she asked and he slowly nodded
"I'm sorry... you didn't deserve that chae... I'm sorry you're being out through this and im sorry that all I can do is just....be there for you" haechan said, frustrated at himself for feeling useless in this situation.
"it's okay.....its better than nothing" Chaerin said, being genuinely grateful that he was there for her ever since he found out, even though she had hurt him, he was willing to look over her flaws because to him she was the most beautiful person ever.
"I'm going to find this person" Haechan said with a slight whisper as he watched her sob into his chest
"I don't want you to get hur-"
"well I'm not just going to sit here and watch you get hurt either. we're in this together...me, mark, jeno, jaemin, renjun, baby everyone's on your side here....we're not giving up on you" he said making her smile slowly through her cries
"what if I don't get into college?" she asked with a sigh
"college isn't everything, love...I'm sure there's other options out there for you, I wont even go if you-"
"no....you have to. you deserve it" she said, taking his hand into hers and slowly squeezing it
"you deserve it more than anyone I know....those years of hard work will pay off eventually, don't give up" Haechan said
"it's so hard not to" she sighed, sniffing as he cupped her face in his hands
"I know, sweetheart I know....but you need to do this, for yourself okay? don't let this random person take away the one thing you have control over" he said and she pouted
"what's that?" she asked and he smiled
"your brain you fucking monkey!" he laughed and she giggled, in the middle of a crisis and chaotic world, she smiled as if her days were all daisies and rainbows. that's what haechan did to her, he made her feel like everything was okay. and it always was, as long as she was with him.