[Park Saeyi]

I open my mailbox, wondering if Nyaong Cosmetics has finally announced whether my endorsement contract with them will be renewed or not, only to find the exact opposite of what I expected. 'Your contract will not be renewed at the end of the month. We thank you for your dedication and professionality.'

Oh, that sucks. Nyaong Cosmetics is among my favorite brands ever. Endorsing them has been one of my first goals since I started my career as an influencer. Maybe they want to test a new face. Who knows?

This, unfortunately, isn't the only piece of bad news that awaits me. It has piled up. Other brands I was associated to announced the termination or expiration of contracts. I'm shocked. What's going on? At this point, it's no longer a coincidence. It's a pattern.

To find answers, I scroll through my social media. My timeline is packed with posts, pictures and videos putting me to shame. What have I done? I don't recall having ever harmed or disrespected anyone.

I open one, only to realize later on it's a huge mistake. In other words, Oh Lira shares through her TikTok account allegations against me. In other words, she seemingly has collected enough material to accuse me not only of bullying, but also of excusing sexual harassment. That's bullshit. I'd never do that. Who has she even talked to?

I bang my head against my desk, not knowing what to do. I need advice. Perhaps Mom and Dad can help me in regard to that.

I make my way to the living room, but the reception isn't one I expected. They don't seem pleased. Are they going through another rough moment of theirs? I contemplate going back to my room without turning my back; however, Dad clears his throat as soon as he notices my presence. I've been busted.

"Saeyi, is there anything you've got to tell us?" he asks with a stern tone. He and Mom both sit on the cream couch in the living room. Mom has her arms crossed; Dad, on the other hand, stares at me with such a penetrating glare that's more dangerous than laser.

Trying not to upset him, I give him a strategic answer. "Well, it's about my contract with Nyaong Cosmetics. It expired and they didn't renew it. The worst part is that it wasn't even the only one to stop collaborating with me." Despite my attempt to keep my composure, Dad rolls his eyes, making me shake inside.

Before he and Mom can ask me more questions, I continue, "I know, it's terrible. This is why I'm looking for new endorsements. It's crucial if I want to maintain my credibility." Dad rolls his eyes again; this time, he also sighs. What keeps me from convincing him?

He doesn't reply; Mom does. "You're leaving out the most important part." She opens TikTok and shows me the timeline, filled with Lira's toxic contents. When did she go through them? What does she think about what she found?

"Mom, I swear I did nothing I've been accused of! It's all a misunderstanding!" There goes my composure. Now, I'm frantic, scrambling to give a proper explanation all when I tackle the mounting pressure from my parents. There's no way they condone bullying: unless I can prove my innocence, I'm toast.

I insist in a pleading tone. "Please, let me show you it's all wrong. I promise I'll make it up with you—and, while at it, I'll find a new sponsor, or another job if you need me to. You won't regret it." My parents both shake my head. They don't look like they're going to forgive me or give me another chance to amend things.

The last time they were so cold was when Saeram made it clear she didn't want to give up on Shin Minho, her then boyfriend. They hated him so much that they called him a delinquent for no reason and without knowing him. She resented them so much that she cut ties with the rest of the family.

Because of that, I haven't seen my older sister since. Now, I'm the one who's left to fend for my younger ones. But what if I end up like Saeram, shunned and abandoned all because of false allegations they'd gladly believe because of a bunch of brand endorsements gone too soon?

"Saeyi, your mother and I have had enough of all the bullshit! First Saeram, now you! Is this a challenge of who, among our daughters, disappoints us the most?" Dad's voice is so grave that it comes straight from the pitfalls of Hell.

I try to apologize sincerely for the inconvenience, but that's not enough for my parents. They send me out for errands, claiming they have to reflect deeply on what's happening. I feel like it's an excuse for them to get rid of me. I'd rather have them tell me straight away they want me out of this house. This is a torture now.

***

At school, I hope the situation is different. While I know Lira has quite the following, I doubt she can sway the entire student body in her favor with her manipulation. Unfortunately, it looks like the plan she was part of has succeeded.

Whenever I say hello, most of the others blatantly ignore me or reply in such a rude tone that leaves me stone cold. A senior from another class, Im Heechan, shouts loudly. "Here comes the new Queen Bully, Park Saeyi! Oh, for anyone passing by her, don't bother her—she may threaten to slit your fingers."

How dare he? Repeating word by word the bullshit that spread on TikTok like a fucking disease—that's so low of him. I don't have enough strength to flip him the bird, let even report him for his disrespectful remarks.

I try looking for support from my friends. However, none of them show any sympathy. One of them, Yulhee, goes as far as suggesting I should just let it slide. This is simply outrageous. "Are you for real, Yulhee? Do you believe a bunch of random shit can pass off as evidence of bullying?"

She doesn't answer, so I continue. "Do I have to remind you I've been there for you when those two fuckers played you for a whole year?" Seriously, I can't believe Yulhee is willing to betray me even though I'm the one who helped her get out of not one, but two toxic relationships.

Once again, no word from Yulhee. Instead, another friend of mine, Bowon, speaks up. "You can't be the one talking about betrayal when you did that shit behind our backs and then acted innocent. Fuck off, Saeyi." She quickly leaves, followed by Yulhee and the rest.

At this point, I have to hope Byeonghee, the newest student, is a loyal person. I only have him, possibly Saehyeon, Sara and someone else who isn't deep into drama, by my side. The rest? They can all fuck off, starting from Lira and her shitty clique.

Then, my so-called ex "friends." If they're willing to jump off the ship in the middle of the storm, I don't want them back if things go back to normal. So, fuck Park Yulhee, fuck Park Bowon and fuck the rest of those backstabbing pieces of shit.

A huge middle finger should also go to those who, instead of listening to my version of the story and try to form their own opinion, prefer bathing themselves in Lira's one-sided nonsense. The worst part is, someone actually used to like me. This flip flop sickens me to an extent that, if I stumble upon any of those idiots, I'll have to restrain myself from punching them.

Last, but not least, fuck my family. They threw me to the streets just a few hours ago, before fucking classes started. They explicitly told me I'm dead to them. Well, same. I don't want to see them even in pictures.