A Gift To the People You Love to hate

Chapter 12

The bedroom door clicked open, peering inside, Yoon caught a glimpse of Meen's stooped shoulders, her attention seemingly absorbed in the mundane act of avoiding his gaze.

"Are you ready to go to school now?" Yoon asked, concern threading his voice.

Meen, lost in a sea of her own thoughts, softly murmured back, "No."

The air between them thickened as Yoon ventured further, "Chloe mentioned you don't want to attend Nin's funeral. What's holding you back?"

A hint of irritation creased Meen's features. "Is she your personal informant now?"

Yoon took a step closer, exasperation and care mingling in his plea. "Hey, talk to me. Why are you still upset with Chloe?"

Meen whirled around, defiance flashing in her eyes before she cast it down. "Why should I spill my guts when you keep your secrets too?"

Yoon's expression softened. "Alright, you win. I'll tell you everything, but you have to do the same."

A flicker of curiosity sparked within Meen. "Go on."

He sighed heavily, the weight of his own untold stories pressing against him. "I've run into trouble with some landlords and landsharks".

"Ha?, what?, Why?" Meen pressed.

"I've been investing in a house in Canada."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Why haven't you said anything?"

Yoon's voice grew earnest. "I've been taking a tech course there. In a few years, we could move. Start a new life, Just you and me, Leaving all this bullshit behind. I have connections that can help us."

Anger touched Meen's voice. "You've been keeping this from me?"

"No! It was meant to be a surprise," Yoon tried to explain, as regret painted his face.

Meen grudgingly revealed her own turmoil. "I learned my online fame is just from being in Chloe's. shadow"

He nodded in understanding. " her tweets right?"

"What hasn't she told you?" Meen asked, her bitterness barely contained.

"We had a rare, real conversation when she needed a phone repair. It wss a software problem. But I need to hear you're side of the story. How all this bullshit make you feel?"

The raw honesty in Meen's reply filled the room. "It's like you're invisible unless Chloe shines a light on you. It's painful."

Yoon offered a new angle. "Chloe was trying to lift you up. She loves you. She believes in you."

"But at what cost?" Meen's voice cracked, revealing a fragile core.

"You didn't ask for it, true. But views matter. Hate or love, they're still views. Chloe's popularity can jumpstart your career.

"You mean use her" Meen asked with a confused expression.

Maybe it's not using her if she's giving you the boost willingly."

Skepticism danced in Meen's voice. "Isn't that exploitation?"

Yoon chuckled, hope and realism interlacing his next words. "Kinda. but mostly it's support. Chloe happy to give you the fame. Embrace it. Run with it." Now tell me about why you didn't want to go to Nin's funeral?

Meen's jaw was set firm, a silent testament to an inner turmoil she preferred to keep hidden. "Nin's funeral... I just—” Yoon's voice trailed off as hef gaze landed on a forgotten storefront laced with cobwebs.