The Secret Heart|Jisoo|Haein|Taehyung

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ 3: ᑭᒪᗩY ᗯITᕼ ᗰᗩTᑕᕼEᔕ, YOᑌ GET ᗷᑌᖇᑎEᗪ

Has life ever been so meticulously demanding? Has life ever presented such a paradox of ease and difficulty? Her mind was consumed with critical thoughts about the person she was expected to be each day. She had to possess intelligence, beauty, assertiveness, diligence, intuition, strength, and confidence to evade judgment. Her father had always emphasized this to her. He taught her how to navigate through life, and that's exactly how she had been managing all this time.

"You're here?" Elena turned her head as soon as she heard her mother's voice. A small smile formed on her face as her eyes locked onto her mother's figure.

"Mom!" Elena murmured, their eyes meeting from a distance. Elena's mother slowly approached her daughter, the intense gaze never breaking as she drew nearer.

"You look thin! Are you neglecting your meals because of your job?" Her mother inquired, her eyes fixed on Elena. Elena chuckled slightly and shook her head.

"I'm the same as last week, mom! I haven't lost any weight that I know of!" Elena replied, but she couldn't help but notice the disbelief in her mother's expression. Her eyes conveyed that she didn't believe her answer to the sudden question.

"One day, those rosy cheeks of yours will fade, Elena! And when you realize that time is slipping away, it will be too late!" Her mother exclaimed, playfully nudging Elena's right cheek. Elena's chest tightened at her mother's words, a reminder she would hear every time they met. She squinted in fear at her mother and quickly pulled her hand away.

"Mom, please stop! I'm not falling for your nonsense right now! I've already told you that I'm not ready!" Elena said, briskly walking away from her mother.

"Elena! You're well aware that no matter what you do, you'll never be able to impress him!" Her words pierced Elena's heart like a dagger. She scoffed quietly and briskly walked away, refusing to look back. Her vision began to blur, but she refused to let her tears hinder her progress. She fanned her eyes rapidly, desperately trying to regain composure.

"Don't... Don't you dare cry, Elena! Pull yourself together!" She silently scolded herself, but unfortunately, the timing couldn't have been worse. Just as she tried to compose herself, she caught a glimpse of her brother's shadow descending the staircase. The infuriating feeling of being seen by her brother, the one she constantly competed with for their father's approval, overwhelmed her.

"Elena? Sister, what a surprise! Am I seeing things? Are you actually crying?" Her brother approached her with a mocking smirk on his face. Elena scoffed, her jaw clenched.

"You're mistaken, brother! I certainly wasn't crying. Why would I? It's not something I would do, so leave me alone!" Elena retorted, swiftly walking past him.

"Hold on a minute!" Axel demanded, grabbing her arm before she could escape. Elena glared at him, indignant at his sudden touch.

"Let go, you jerk. Or I won't hesitate to slap you!" Elena warned, raising her left hand in a defensive stance. Axel chuckled, unfazed by her threat, and pulled her closer.

"You really think I'm scared of you? That a slap will stop me from getting back at you? Let's be real here!" He tightened his grip, causing Elena to wince slightly.

"Axel! Release me!" She stared at him sternly, determined to show him that she wasn't afraid. He grinned, amused by her defiance, a familiar sight in their ongoing rivalry.

"I'm leaving, and I hope you understand and know your place! I won't tolerate being belittled in front of our father! Do you hear me?!" He forcefully shoved her, not caring if she stumbled in her towering designer heels. Elena was taken aback by his sudden aggression, her eyes wide with a mix of anger and confusion.