***
Contrary to what she believed, she didn't die that night. She went home drenched with rainwater.
She almost laughed out loud when she saw her parents worried expression. She realized how much she loved them. She always thought that her death would be the answer to their sadness, but on that night she realized something. Something very important.
On that night she saw the stars at her darkest hour. She learned to live on, be brave and not fear what is yet to come.
She continued to live on and then asked someone to find her. The beautiful girl with sad gray eyes.
Months later, she finally saw her again. She watched her from afar and didn't dare approach her or introduced herself. She will soon die so what could be her reason in talking to her?
Instead, she just watched.
She watched her from the photos. Then watched her from the news. When she decided to be an actress, she became her number 1 fan. She watched her movies, her interviews and sadly her scandals.
She watched her ruin her life. She watched her get married to someone she barely knew and as her husband divorced her.
She was always there. Watching. Silently hurting every time she made a wrong decision. Silently crying when she saw her sad eyes.
She was always there looking at her.
Though deep inside she hoped that maybe...just maybe, one day she will look her way.
But of course, that didn't happen.
She was devastated one day when she received news of her death. She was driving drunk one night, lost control and crashed into a tree.
Her body was badly burned, even she couldn't recognize her. She blamed herself.
Maybe if she approached her, talked to her, be her friend...then maybe she wouldn't have become so broken. She couldn't take her death so she vowed to get revenge on the people who hurt her.
She ruined Chaeyoung's ex-husband and destroyed her paternal family. She even wrecked the career of her little sister. Yes! She was petty. But who cares?
Chaeyoung is dead. And she will soon die too.
She knows it. She felt it. The smell of death looming, coming, trying to caress her. She knew it wasn't her illness. Maybe it was the sadness from Chaeyoung's death or maybe it was the guilt slowly consuming her. Killing her.
Until her final days, she still couldn't fathom the fact that she didn't do something to save her. She just watched her. How could she let Chaeyoung ruin her own life? How could she not let Chaeyoung realize that someone like her was there for her?
So before she closed her eyes, just before she lost her breath, she vowed. She vowed to the heavens that in her next life, she will not let any moment pass without letting Chaeyoung know that she will always be there for her. In her next lifetime, she will save her. She will love Chaeyoung more than she will ever love herself.
…
It was a sleepless night for Chaeyoung.
She didn't know why she still couldn't sleep. She just kept on tossing and turning. She felt restless.
She let out a long sigh before finally getting out of her bed. She decided to go to the music room and play some instruments, maybe it will tire her out.
When she woke up, she felt sore. She was really tired. She covered her eyes from the blinding light coming her way.
She realized she fell asleep at the table in her music room. She checked the time.
"Oh no...no...no…" She thought out loud then quickly made her way into her bathroom.
It was already 8:35 in the morning. She overslept! She quickly undresses and can't help but groan as the hot water touches her body. She is just too clumsy. It's the first day of school and she is late.
Such bad luck. She couldn't help but curse.
After a quick bath, she hurriedly dresses in the university's blue checkered uniform. She then put on lip gloss, tied her hair in a messy bun and quickly left the building. It was a good thing Wang Bolin is already waiting downstairs.
It'was already 9:30 when she arrived at the school. She directly went into her classroom and apologized to Miss Kim for her tardiness.
She was so busy looking for a vacant chair that she didn't notice everyone is weirdly gazing at her.
After another hour of boring discussions, her morning classes finally ended. But before she could go outside to get her lunch, her teacher, Miss Kim called her for a private talk.
"Miss Park, I know you just attended my class and I don't want to pressure you, but the National exams are coming and...well I know you are a genius so I...I would like to know in which way I could help you pass the exams with ease?" Miss Kim said awkwardly.
"I'm good Miss Kim. Seriously! You don't have to worry about me. But thank you for your concern." She smiled politely.
"So...ahm...listen… I mean look… I know you are a genius, but I would like to know the percentage of you passing the exams with flying colors?" She looked at Miss Kim weirdly. Chaeyoung was wondering why she would ask something like that on her first day?
"98%," She said confidently. Although she barely passed the test in her past life, she is quite confident in this lifetime. She is naturally smart. In fact, she has an eidetic memory, so she won't be able to forget something that she already laid her eyes on.
"Good! Very Good! That's very good news. I want you to ignore all those rumors going on inside the school about you and focus on passing the exam. Prove them wrong. Especially that arrogant Miss Min of the special section!" Miss Kim replied, her tone happy as if she just hit the jackpot.
Chaeyoung couldn't really understand this teacher. Aside from the fact that she looks weird with her antique dress, she seems to have a grudge against Miss Min, the teacher who didn't accept her.
She felt her stomach grumble, so she quickly excused herself and headed to the cafeteria to grab some lunch.
She could hear the students trying to murmur around her, but honestly, she was too hungry to care. To give herself some peace, she put on her earphones and started to play a classical music concert.
She was so busy munching her food that she didn't notice someone standing next to her. She almost choked when she saw Yuri with some of her close friends. Yuri is looking at her eerily, as if she is just about to do something sinister.
'I am already trying my best to avoid her ah. Why did Yuri have to approach me and ruin the rest of my day?' She thought.
She heard Yuri say something, but she continues to look at her weirdly. She was thinking why this protagonist would approach her. What could be her motive? Is she scheming again?
"Unnie. You worried father so much. Where did you sleep last night? We were waiting for you, but you didn't even call to let us know you were safe. Sister, Dad is… he loves you so much, please do not ignore him like that again...I am asking you to forgive Dad for whatever he did wrong to you." Yuri said with a mournful voice.
Everyone looked at Chaeyoung like she had committed a big crime. Although Yuri did her best to lower her voice down, they still heard ever word that she said. Chaeyoung is still in her teens so where could she stay the whole night?
"Hey, I saw Chaeyoung running late this morning with messy hair."
"I wonder where she spent her night."
Chaeyoung surely wanted to punch these people in front of her. How could these people be so dumb? She is trying to stop herself from rolling her eyes. She could just ignore Yuri, but that would only make these people think that she is bullying her family.
'Or I could just act! Ha!' She thought.
"Sister, please forgive father. Dad and Mom truly asked the headmistress to let you in, but the headmistress said it was too late so Mom didn't push it. You are already enrolled so please forgive them." Yuri said. This time her eyes reddened like a little girl being bullied.
Chaeyoung really couldn't stand it anymore. To everyone's surprise, she suddenly gets up and removed her earphones, then she looked at Yuri.
"This miss, I'm sure we haven't met before. I wonder why you are crying in front of me. Did your mother die or something?" Chaeyoung said. Her voice flat, devoid of any emotions like she is only talking to a stranger.
Yuri started to sweat when she heard Chaeyoung. How could she forget that they haven't met yet? Of course, she didn't! But she assumed that Chaeyoung would directly lash out at her.
Her mother, Sunmi, said that this Chaeyoung is dumb and ignorant. That Chaeyoung was raised under her equally ignorant and arrogant mother. She should not react like this. Chaeyoung should have thrown a fit and bully her in front of everyone.
"Chae… I..." She said while clenching her fist. She should not say something that will further embarrass her.
"Chaeyoung ah, you're too much, you didn't just curse your new mother! Now you are also pretending that you don't even recognize your sister! You are despicable!" A shrill voice came beside Yuri. It was Hyuna, Yuri's cousin.
Chaeyoung looked at them like they were clowns. Her eyes full of ridicule. She felt a little angry though. She always thought that Yuri is smart.
In her previous life, Yuri always wins. This is not her character at all. She remembered that in her previous life, Yuri always had the advantage. This situation seems to be a bit weird.
She looked at them again. Her mood is slowly changing. If Yuri was originally dumb. Does that mean she was too muddled in the past? Is that the reason why Yuri is always above her? Always one step ahead of her? Does that mean she is dumber than Yuri in her previous life? Did Yuri infect her somehow?
'Sorry, Yuri. I am not in the mood to play with you today', she thought. She is really bent on avoiding this type of people. What if she gets infected again?
"You must have mistaken me for someone else. My mother died when I was 15. I'm an only child. Unless…" She looked at Yuri from head to toe. Then back at Hyuna. "Unless you're telling me that my father had been cheating on my mother and got her mistress pregnant?" She held her chin, trying to show that she is contemplating something. "Are you telling me that my father had been cheating on my mother for more than 15 years? And that this miss is the bastard child of my father from her mistress?"
Yuri and Sunmi in fright. This is a taboo topic. How could this Chaeyoung just blurt it out in the open like this? Isn't she also a part of the Park Family? Why would she speak something that would harm her father and the Park's?
On the other hand, the other students who heard what Chaeyoung said are already having thoughts of their own.
"I also heard about that from my father. It was a big scandal. The Wang's were angered because Chaeyoung's father married Yuri's mother just three months after he lost his first wife."
"So, are you telling me it's true? Senior Park was born a bastard child from an affair?"
"I heard, Chaeyoung didn't even show up on her father's wedding. Is it possible that she was not aware? I heard she was not in the country at that time."
"What kind of father will not let his daughter know about his marriage?"
Seeing that she already achieved the effect that she wants. Chaeyoung felt elated. Now all she had to do was to find a way to leave and avoid this Yuri again.
"Aiyah…I don't want to speculate something without proof…" Chaeyoung looked at Yuri and the people surrounding her. "This miss, what did you say your name was again?" She asked Yuri.
"Park Yuri." Yuri said while gritting her teeth in anger. She had no choice but to answer Chaeyoung. She really wanted to find a hole where she could bury herself. This is the first time that someone embarrassed her like this.
"Oh! Park Yuri... Park Yuri, I already heard that name before. Hah! You're Sunmi's daughter! You should have said so earlier. You didn't even introduce yourself. Where did all your manners go? Aiyah... As an elder of the family, I will take all responsibility for your ill manners. The family has not raised you well." She shook her head. Then her eyes widened as if she just realized something. She then checked her purse, trying to find something.
"Oh right! Here… take this. This is the calling card and address of my etiquette teacher when I was 5. I will let her teach you. Don't worry about the bill, I will pay for everything. Okay?" Chaeyoung said while giving Yuri a sweet innocent smile. "Oh...look at the time! I have to go now! My next class is about to start!" Then she waved her hands and strutted her way out of the school cafeteria.
A total silence wrapped around the cafeteria after Chaeyoung left. Everyone was dumbstruck. What does she mean by ill manners? What take responsibility as an elder? What etiquette teacher?
A lot of people didn't know if they wanted to laugh or cry. That Chaeyoung is surely cunning and shameless. Embarrassing her sister like that, then bolting out before they could even react. She even sounds so righteous.
Some of the students who witnessed the scene started to leave silently. They don't want to get implicated. After all, the Headmistress came from the Seo family.
On the other hand, Yuri was fuming with rage. Rage roared through her mind. She closed her eyes to calm herself down as she swallowed another mouthful of blood.
"That Chaeyoung is too much! How could she not recognize you!? And she really had the guts to embarrass you like that! Hmp! I will call Aunt and let her know about this. Let's see how Aunt Seo will take care of that bitch!" Hyuna whine beside her.
Yuri didn't utter a single word. She is too angry. She miscalculated!
'I will remember this humiliation today Chaeyoung . This is just the start. I will make you pay ten times the humiliation I felt today!' Yuri thought.
Yuri's group just walked to their respective class in silence, they were not in a good mood. They hated Chaeyoung for embarrassing their friend Yuri. They had even forgotten the reason why they approached Chaeyoung in the first place.
...
Chaeyoung is ecstatic! She was able to avoid a possible humiliating scene. She was humming a tune while skipping her way to her classroom.
' Who is the best actress now?' She thought while giving herself a cunning smile.
"Hey! Hey! I like what you did a while ago! That girl Yuri thought she could fool everyone in this school. It's surely refreshing for someone to remind her of her roots. Hahaha." Someone suddenly said, startling her.
She looked at the person smiling happily beside her. She seems to look familiar, but she couldn't remember her name.
"Oh, hehe... where are my manners? I'm Jennie. Kim Jennie! We're actually classmates and my seat is located in front of yours." Kim Jennie introduces herself enthusiastically. She always thought that rich people are quite arrogant just like her family but this girl beside her screams different. This Chaeyoung seems to be unique.
"Nice to meet you I'm-"
"Chaeyoung! I know! I saw what happened at the cafeteria and I'm a fan. Hahaha! You should have seen Yuri's face when you left." Chaeyoung couldn't help but feel happy inside. In this lifetime, someone had approached and talked to her like a normal person. She remembered that in her previous life, no one wants to approach her because she acts as if she is above everyone else.
They reached their classroom while laughing and talking. "So, you seem to not like Yuri, did something happen between you two?" She asked Jennie.
"Nah, I don't dislike her either. I just don't feel comfortable around her. I think there's something about her that I can't explain. Hmmm... Maybe it's the way she pretends and acts pure and kind. That and I like the way she looked when you embarrassed her. Hahaha..." Jennie answered without batting an eye.
Chaeyoung enjoyed Jennie's company. She looks at her and gives her a sincere smile. Maybe in this lifetime, she will have friends. True Friends.
And the day ended with Chaeyoung feeling happy and Yuri quivering with rage.
...
"This is BULLYING!" Sunmi roared while looking Jacob.
"That daughter of yours is treating Yuri like she is not her sister at all! How dare she embarrass my daughter like that? If I don't make that bitch pay, then my surname is not Seo!"
"Enough!" Jacob blurted.
"Did you just raise your voice at me?! Are you taking sides now? Are you going to choose that bitch over my daughter? Huh? Did you forget how I helped you get rid of her mother? Huh? ARE YOU TAKING HER SIDE OVER ME? HOW DARE YOU!?" Sunmi was livid. Fury twisted inside of her, making her think irrationally.
"I will have that bitch sent to where her mother is! I WILL-"
"I SAID ENOUGH! You shut up!" Jacob's voice echoed. Sunmi looked at him her eyes widened in disbelief. This man had never shouted at her like this before.
"We need to think this through. We can't be careless about this. I am not taking sides either. I don't want to hurt our daughter in the process." Jacob is still rational. He knows something must have happened to Chaeyoung.
Why would she change so much after her mother's death?
Did she know that her father had been cheating on her mother for more than 15 years? That is impossible! After Claire's death, they informed everyone that she only saw Sunmi once after he got married and something unexpected happened between them, but they didn't see each other after. She was not even aware of her pregnancy.
When they saw each other again, Yuri was already 15 years old. And since his wife is already dead, he needs to take responsibility for what he did to Sunmi.
Everyone thought that Sunmi was righteous for staying away from a married man despite being impregnated. She didn't even ask for any assistance to raise her child.
Jacob made sure to cover all the evidence of their affair. He is sure the Wang's didn't know of it as well.
Claire knew of this affair, but she couldn't have informed her child about it. After all, she pampered Chaeyoung too much.
"What do you mean?" Sunmi's rationality slowly came back. Jacob is right, they couldn't be too hasty. The Wang's are watching them.
"It's impossible for her to know something about the past. Claire never told her a thing. She must have just guessed it." He made a deliberate pause then continued "She started changing her attitude after her mother's death. The change must have something to do with it." He explained.
"We need to find a way to get the original copies of Claire's deeds first. If we harm Chaeyoung, I'm sure the Wang's will do everything to exterminate us." He continued.
"Tell Yuri to stop scheming and act cordially with her sister." Jacob said while contemplating something.
Sunmi nodded. Jacob's decision is reasonable, the Wang Family is very influential. If they make a wrong move against Chaeyoung, they will surely back her up.
"Do you know where Chaeyoung lives? I heard she is not living at the Wang's ancestral house." She asked.
"Hmmm... She's living at a Penthouse in the central area." Jacob answered.
Sunmi frowned. The Central area is a very expensive part of the city. The Wang's have surely pampered her.
"Ask her to let Yuri stay at her place. Her place is nearer to the school, and it will be convenient to let Yuri stay with her. She could also get close to Chaeyoung." Sunmi suggested. Jacob looked at her, then shook his head.
"That's not possible. Chaeyoung doesn't like Yuri. She even embarrassed her in front of the whole school. I'm sure she won't agree. Unless we do something to make her."
Sunmi seems to be in deep thought. They need to be careful.
Then she gave him an evil smile. "Let me take care of it."
…
After what happened at the cafeteria, Chaeyoung decided to avoid all crowded places in the school.
She wanted to avoid another confrontation with Yuri. Not that she is afraid of her, she just didn't want to associate herself with the likes of Yuri. Pure on the outside but black and blue on the inside.
Her days went by peacefully. She decided to avoid the cafeteria and stay in less crowded places like the library. Jennie also started spending more time with her. They both decided to bring their own lunch to avoid going to the school cafeteria.
That is until one afternoon, Chaeyoung and Jenn8e were talking about music. Jennie likes to dance to classical music and coincidentally, Chaeyoung also loves playing classical songs.
Jennie was laughing while narrating something to Chaeyoung . "So, I was like, no. Don't change the pace... No.. no-"
"Chaeyoung?" They were interrupted by a tall tan guy with blond hair. Chaeyoung examined the guy. She can sense arrogance from the guy's aura.
"Yes? You need something?" She asked.
"Come with me, Senior Cha wants to see you." The mention of Eunwoo's named give Chaeyoung a feeling that she couldn't explain. She didn't like Eunwoo in either of her lifetimes. Still, they were married once.
"Huh? If Eunwoo needs something from Chaeyoung, then why doesn't he come and see her instead?" Jennie asked condescendingly. Jennie clearly doesn't like Eunwoo as well.
"Senior Cha is a busy man! He is the student president after all. If he wants to see you, then you go and see him!" The guy raised his voice while looking at them. His eyes were full of disdain.
"I won't go." Chaeyoung replied shortly.
"What did you say?" The boy looked dumbfounded. He didn't expect for Chaeyoung to blatantly say no.
"I said, I won't go."
"You- Do you know how many people have the privilege to be asked to see him? Huh?" The guy is starting to get agitated. He already knew that Chaeyoung is arrogant from the rumors, but he didn't expect that she could be this overbearing.
"I don't need anything from him. Why do I need to go see him?"
The guy wanted to slap some sense into this female. How dare she ask Senior Cha to come and see her instead?
"I already told you Senior is busy!"
"Well as you can see, I am very busy too." Chaeyoung answered. Her voice was full of confidence.
The guy's nostrils flared in annoyance. "You are just sitting here. Talking. In what way are you busy?"
"What talking? I'm doing therapy. Okay? The-ra-py. Don't disturb us, we are busy with therapy. Go get lost already!" Chaeyoung answered then she gestured the guy to go away.
'I'm trying my best to avoid all of them. If they do something and still insist on becoming a part of my life then I will kill them with anger,' Chaeyoung thought, her mind full of evil ideas.
When Jennie and the guy saw Chaeyoung's sinister smile, they shivered in fright.
The guy didn't have a choice but to go back to Eunwoo. This Chaeyoung is unreasonably crazy. He will make sure to avoid her in the future.
......