The first thing I heard as I answered the phone was my mother's voice, wailing and weeping. It was clearly Kim Yeo-rin, but why was she answering? And why was she crying? Unable to hide my panic, I left the meeting and ran outside.
"..mom."
- Lady.
“What on earth is going on?”
- The girl attempted suicide.
My anxiety soon turned to fear. Yeorin? Kim Yeorin? That couldn't be true. She was always such a bright and pretty child. Why on earth?
-
Yeorin was Yeoju's twin. They're always told they're both similar and different. While they may seem similar on the outside, they're vastly different. From their personalities to their preferences, to their dating styles. She and I were incompatible in every way. That's why we were so much better together.
I was always busy following my father's work because I was born ten minutes earlier. He intended to pass the burden on to me. When Yerin told me she would never work and would live an ordinary life, I had no choice but to shoulder the burden. Thanks to that, I dropped out when Yerin entered high school. But I didn't hold much resentment.
“Ah… I really have so much homework.”
"me too…"
Yerin did her homework, and I edited the contract. We were the same age, but our jobs were markedly different. While I was so flustered by something that I was on the verge of exploding, Yerin was fidgeting beside me, trying to calm me down. We were polar opposites.
“…Kim Yeo-rin.”
“…My lady.”
Even when Yerin was being beaten by a boy who appeared to be her boyfriend in front of the stationery store, I really wanted to kill him. "You think that was a joke?" Even though it was a situation that seemed incomprehensible, Yerin smiled gently, telling him that her boyfriend was just joking and begging him to let it go. That's when I told my mom, "Hey, isn't he being too foolishly kind?" That's why I was worried.
“Still, the eldest daughter seems to be the eldest daughter.”
“…”
“The first one is more handsome…”
Despite the adults' natural judgment of her appearance when her parents were away, Yerin simply smiled. She said Yeoju was always pretty. She just thought she was kind. I wanted to give Yerin whatever she wanted. She was my only sibling, my only friend.
-
“I think I’ll have to be hospitalized for a while.”
“…”
“The condition is very serious.”
“…”
“My mental state is very unstable right now.”
“…”
“It felt like it was about to collapse.”
I was in such a rush that I didn't even have time to say hello to the doctor. The news flashing on the small elevator monitor was resentful. I opened the door to the hospital room and saw Yerin, crying, and her father standing there, silent. And her mother, still sleeping. I touched my forehead. My father, noticing my arrival, patted my shoulder and seemed to be heading to work.
“…Yeorin.”
“My lady.”
"…are you okay?"
"Why did you do that? Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, almost wanting to vent my anger, but I held back. There must be a reason. There must have been a reason you, a kind person, couldn't tell. I didn't want to bring up Yeorin's nightmare for no reason.
“Have you eaten?”
“…”
“I bought you your favorite sushi.”
“…My lady.”
“..you sushi..”
"are you okay?"
I clenched my teeth. Are you okay? The kid who always smiled in front of our family ended up like this. At Yeorin's words, I burst into tears I'd been holding back.
“…Why did you do that..”
“…Hey, stop.”
“Why did you do something so dangerous..”
He quietly patted my head. Even my appearance made me hate my fragile body. If you're having a hard time, show it. There's no reason for you to always be a good girl.
“Hey, when we were little, I won a game and you granted me a wish.”
"..huh."
“I’m going to use that now.”
“…What is it? Just tell me. Anything...”
“Please make sure Yeoju goes to school until she is hospitalized.”
“…”
The female protagonist, her eyes wide with tears in her eyes, looked at Yeorin. "You want me to go to school? Is that even possible?" Yeorin nodded.
“My father gave me permission.”
“…Dad?”
“Yeah. I’ll tell them when I get to school.”
“…It was so sudden.”
“Right… I’m sorry, Yeoju.”
There's no need to feel sorry, but I was a little embarrassed.
“Am I living as you, Yerin?”
“Yeah. During that time, I..”
“…”
“I’m just about to come down to see my grandmother.”
“…”
“You too, Yeoju, are having a hard time because of work.”
Yeorin's eyes looked sad.
“…”
“And… there’s no one at school who likes me.”
“…”
“That’s not funny. You always said we were doing well.”
“…”
"Actually, that's a lie. I'm proud that I've held out this long."
“…”
“My lady.”
“…”
“If it’s you, you can be loved.”
“...”
-
“Because the child is sick.”
“…”
“Now that I’m starting school, let’s all help me adjust well to school.”
It had been almost three years since I'd been to school. It felt strangely unfamiliar. Up until then, I'd only been meeting people and being treated like idiots at my father's company. Everything felt new. After the morning assembly, the teacher left and I prepared for class.
“Kim Yeo-rin.”
“…”
“I thought I was going to die because I missed you.”
She was a girl who looked a little older than her age.
“What, are you wearing makeup?”
“…”
“Your face has changed.”
Those words actually stung a little. "Have I already been caught? I don't know how to respond. I wonder what Kim Yeo-rin would have said."
“Ah.. I’m bored because I’ve been in the hospital for a long time.”
“…Your voice sounds a bit strange too?”
Why are you asking so many questions? Isn't it common for people to worry when their friends aren't home because they're sick? I was getting a little annoyed for no reason. I was worried because I was so different from Kim Yeo-rin.
“Anyway. What did I ask you to do?”
What did you ask? What was that? I should've asked Kim Yeo-rin. When she said she'd tell me about school life, I didn't listen, thinking, "Why are you telling me that?" Now I regret it.
“What was that..?”
“..Wow, what the heck. You forgot so quickly? This is so disappointing.”
“…”
“The YSL tint you brought last time.”
Ah. Are you talking about the lipstick that Kim Yeo-rin has? I heard it's a prestigious high school, but the kids don't have money. They don't even think about buying it with their own money and ask Kim Yeo-rin for it? Well, if Kim Yeo-rin is like that, she'd give it to them right away.
“I don’t have that right now?”
"…what?"
"what."
“You’ve become so damn cheap.”
“…?”
“What, you’re saying you’re going to change because your head is messed up?”
What did I say that offended this kid? I've seen plenty of adults who just go wild, but I don't know what to do when someone my age is like this. The kids around me just giggle and ignore me.
“Why? Did I do something wrong?”
“…Ugh. Hey, Yujeong, come here.”
"why."
“I think my brain has gone completely crazy.”
I know this might sound old-fashioned, but I really don't know what to do. What am I supposed to do when there really isn't one? The girl who was about to appear was pretty, but she had a cold demeanor.
"hey."
“…”
“Unless you want to get hit like last time.”
Then, suddenly, a memory came to mind. Yerin's words about the children not liking her. Only then did Yeoju, who understood all of Yerin's actions, let out a laugh.
“Hey. Are you laughing right now?”
“Now I understand.”
“What the hell are you talking about, you crazy person..”
“Just do it in moderation.”
“…”
Yeoju got up from her seat to go to the library she had seen on her way to school, but was immediately hit in the back of the head, causing all her actions to freeze.
“Are you out of your mind?”
If this behavior comes out so naturally.
“..Ahhh!!!! Hey let go!!”
“Can you buy me YSL?”
“…”
“Why are you begging me?”
“…”
“It makes me look ugly.”
How much humiliation have you suffered up until now?
-
I felt depressed. I wondered why I hadn't known about Yerin's situation. I felt guilty. I also regretted that if only I'd known sooner, I wouldn't have sent her to school so quickly like I did.
“..let go!”
“Ugh. Let go.”
“..I did everything you told me to do.”
As soon as I entered the library, the same scene arose. I clenched my fists, thinking of Yerin. My hands were shaking.
“...”
“I want more than this…”
When I made eye contact with the crying child, the other children looked at me too.
“Hakju called me.”
“…?”
“You guys come right now.”
At my words, the kids left, saying they were screwed. It was standard practice to look me up and down with disapproval.
“…”
“Kim Yeo-rin. You’re good at lying.”
“…”
The kid who was sitting at the table watching the bullying saw me and walked away.
"…thank you."
"wake up."
“…”
“…Why on earth do I keep getting hit..”
“..Yeorin-ah.”
“…”
“…Thank you for always helping me.”
Kim Yeorin, you were always such a warm child. Left alone in this library, I cried incessantly, thinking of you.
-
I entered the classroom with puffy eyes. I'm sure it wouldn't show that I was crying. It was just embarrassing. As I was about to sit down, a boy was already sitting in my seat. What the heck? Did I get the wrong seat? It's definitely over there.
“Get out of the way.”
“…”
I knew it was my seat. I just told him to get out of the way. Then he looked at me and raised an eyebrow.
“Get out.”
“…”
The child's gaze was still fixed on me, unmoving. Could it be that he recognized me? I stood there for several minutes, not knowing what to do. A group of children approached from the back door, shouting, "Hey!"
“That bitch is like a slut…”
“…?”
“What the hell is Hakju doing? I shouldn’t have gotten caught, but I got caught because of you!”
“…”
In an instant, the classroom became chaotic. "Yeorin, I'm sorry, but can I show myself for a second? This situation is so frustrating and suffocating. You said it. It's okay to be angry when you really need to be angry."
“And I didn’t know at the library that it was Kim Yeo-rin.”
“…”
“That girl who’s such a loner..”
I clenched my fist, about to strike. Unlike Yerin, who enjoyed sitting down and playing the piano and guitar, I loved exercising. So we were complete opposites.
“!!!! Hey! Kim Yeo-rin!”
“…”
“…This is real!!!”
“I don’t feel well.”
“….”
“When you say nice things.”
“…”
"go away."
The classroom was chilling. The first shock came from Kim Yeo-rin grabbing the girl's arm. The second shock came from what she said next.
“…You. What did you just say?”
“…”
“Are you done talking? You piece of shit…”
“I won’t tell you twice.”
“…”
“Before my eyes.”
“…”
“I’m telling you to get your head out.”
“…”
“"Fuck. It's disgusting."
The heroine's expression and gaze were oppressive to the child. Who could dare to overcome her aura, brimming with anger and resentment? She was the one who had tormented her own younger sibling. If she had wanted to torment her more, she would have. If she had wanted to make things even worse, she would have. But... she endured it all for Yerin's sake. Every moment.
“..Huh uh..This is ridiculous.”
“…”
“Hey… let’s go.”
The child, for some reason, felt like she wasn't Yeorin. It couldn't be true, but she looked so different that it made one wonder if Yeorin had an older sister. A male student who had been sitting in Yeoju's seat rose and stroked her hair.
“The kids kept saying you’ve changed so much.”
“…”
“No way, I thought it was Yeorin...”
“…”
Then, it occurred to me. I think I saw it in Yeorin's diary. Yeorin's unrequited love, his name was... Kim Taehyung.
“I guess the rumors are true.”
-
Hello. This is Chureup.