˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦

Chapter 2

it's okay
our world is precious

"How're you feeling?" Adeline turned to look at her mom with soft shaky eyes, before answering her question with the ghost of a smile. Fingers unclenching for the silk sleeve of her dress, she let the fabric fall over the blemished skin. Things felt weird to her, everything felt out of place. Wasn't she supposed to feel the happiest? It was her engagement party for crying out loud! And yet, she couldn't muster a smile to save her life! "It's okay to be nervous, it is your engagement party after all," Her mom gently patted her exposed shoulder, eyes shining with a different sort of emotion; not exactly pleasant. It almost looked like she was holding back tears,

Then again, she was sure her own expression wasn't any different. There was nothing more painful than hiding something from the person you would've trusted with your life. "Your brother's been hanging outside for a while now. I suppose he wants to see you before you walk down with your dad," She could feel her features softening at the mere mention of her older brother, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Eunhee-ah," She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even realize her mom had moved closer, now gently caressing her cheek. "I know these words would be way more effective coming from your brother but I feel like as your mother, I should remind you of this." Gone was the glassy, teary look in her eyes. Amelia Hong's bright eyes now shone with a muted blazing. Like she was holding a whole whirlwind of emotions behind the controlled expression she now wore. Like one word for Adeline and she'd flip the entire situation in hand. 

"No matter what you do, which path you take or what choice you make; always remember that you're a Hong. That you will always be our daughter. And that you will always have a home, should things go south. You hear me, Eunhee-ah?" 

And she let her tears fall at the use of her Korean name, a name that only her parents continued using. She might be Adeline Hong, the charismatic and beautiful socialite for the entire world but to those two people, she was just Eunhee. Just their youngest, just their little child. The tears were also relieved, knowing she wasn't going into this alone. Someone, just one other person knew the truth behind everything. 

"Do you want to tell your brother?" Instantly, panic coursed through her veins as she looked her mother in the eyes. "Mom...I can't..." Finally, finally, she let herself admit. It was time to stop lying to herself. "Why not? Eunhee, you know him! He'd drop everything the second he knows of the truth!" "That's exactly why I can't tell him!" Maybe it was crazy and wrong even, to talk to her mom like that. But she was practically at her wit's end. In some way or other, it was her fault she was in this situation, or so she thought.