Those days - txtzy

part 1: 五

It took her roughly fifteen minutes to get herself together. And even after a hasty gulp of water and three slow deep breaths, Yeji knew that if she went to her friends, they would know something was wrong.

Her phone camera displayed her reflection just the way she expected, red tearful eyes and messy strands of stray hair, out of place due to her crying session. Managing a long sigh, Yeji twisted her pale fingers, wondering if she should just go home and apologise to her friends.

Then she remembered that it was raining. Heavily. A quick dig through her bag proved that she did not have an umbrella, which means she would either have to run home through the miserable cold downpour or, like how she always did on a rainy day, hitch a ride home with Ryujin.

Yeji didn't even have to call her best friend.

"Why are you alone again?" Ryujin said, her voice slightly teasing as the girl shimmied down the stairs. Yeji sighed, "Nothing, I guess. I'm okay." She turned her head to flash a genuine smile, "I'm okay."

-

When she got home, her father had left a steaming pot of soup on the stove, the night's dinner. As the sky darkened into a deep midnight blue, Yeji was setting the table for the late meal, her mother hovering over, not being of much help. Her mother twisted a dirty napkin in her hands nervously, as if she was expecting someone. "I...I heard Yerin today!" The weary woman said carefully, as if aware that any mention of that name made Yeji want to throw a knife at someone, "And I think she's coming back with a new pet! Isn't that exciting? Aren't you so glad that your sister is so good with animals?"

Just bear with it, Yeji told herself as she clenched her jaw and didn't bother with a pretty fake smile. "Of course, mother," She forced out.

Her mother beamed and simpered, "And I think she learnt a new word recently! Isn't that adorable? I think she'll grow up to be an even more brilliant girl than you-"

Yeji drove a metal knife into the wooden surface of the dining table, a sharp look on her face, "Will you let her go already? Can't you register that Yerin doesn't exist? You are a delusional, crazy-" Abruptly stopping her outburst, Yeji froze as her eyes fell onto the quivering knife planted in the table. Her mother trembled like a leaf, her hand over her mouth, "That's not true, Yerin will return tonight, and I-"

"Yerin doesn't exist," Yeji bit back, her words filled with the frustration and bitterness she had been feeling for months, as she emphasised each syllabus, "You're just making her up."

Without listening to her mother's garbled pleas, Yeji swiftly turned and fled to her room, the image of her mother's broken, devastated look burning into her eyelids.