SEOL JAEUN
―pov

I've grown accustomed to the terrifying feeling that rushes through my bloodstream when I wake up to another day. It was almost like a routine. You get terrified going to bed because it's almost as if you're getting closer and closer to death. And when you wake up to another day, you're petrified with the fact that you have to put another mask on, pretend as if you're doing fine. However, your mind was screaming and calling out for help, because you've already lost count on feeling the same things every ticking second of the day.

"Jaeun."

I snap out of my trance and flinching at the voice, my chopsticks falling from my fingertips and falling onto the dining table. Glancing at Hoseok, he eyes me suspiciously but his face is filled with concern.

"Are you okay?" He asks and I watch him as he leans forward from across the table. I jump at his close proximity and reaching for my chopsticks to gesture for him to move back slightly.

"Yeah." I reply softly, mustering up a smile. I'm not okay, why can't you see it? Why can't you see that the silence is slowly deafening me and the night is drawing near?

"Have you been staying up all night?" He questions and I immediately wrap my arms around my waist, itching at my skin nervously. "You're teaching a senior-kindergarten class, you shouldn't be all piled up with marking to do. Didn't you say they were learning how to write sentences?"

"I guess I've just been too busy catching up with my kdramas," I mumble, grabbing my plate with food that has yet to be finished but my stomach was screaming for me to stop eating, you don't have an appetite, what are you talking about? Stop eating too much, will you? All you do is eat, the more you eat, the more useless you become.

"You're done eating?" He asks and I turn over my shoulder as I place my empty plate into the dishwasher right after throwing my leftovers in the trash. His eyes are slightly widened at how I simply tossed it into the trash without a second thought. "You should've just given it to me so that I can finish it―"

"I'm going to finish some marking, I'm quite behind." I cut him off while flashing him an apologetic smile before heading up the stairs lazily, my legs dragging my feet on the floor.

Are you really behind on your marking? Are you that useless? I rub at my temples as if it would rub away my thoughts, entering into my room and turning on the lights. Before heading towards my desk, I walk into my bathroom, opening up the medicine cabinet to pick out the depression pills.

You're pathetic. You're just too weak that depression won you over and now you have to take these stupid pills. I grip tightly onto the bottle, almost too tightly that the pills were shaking along with the movement of my hands. And before I knew it, tears were already flowing down my cheeks.

Stop being so pathetic, your own roommate Hoseok is starting to think the same about you.

I pop open the bottle and shaking one pill out of it, shoving it into my mouth and taking a swig of water to swallow the pill. Staring at my reflection through the mirror, I wipe the tears away from my cheeks.

"You'll be okay," I whisper reassuringly. "You will, one day."

• • •

KIM TAEHYUNG
―pov

"Appa, can you read me a story?" I glance down at Yoojung as she leads me into her bedroom, picking out a random storybook. I pick her up from her feet, placing her down onto her bed.

"Sure, Yoojung-ah, but you're sure that you're not going to fall asleep this time?" I chuckle as she pouts her lips, shaking her head innocently. "Alright, do you mind sharing the bed so that I can sit beside you?"

I pick up the book from her small hands as I sit next to her on the bed. Glancing at the book, my smile slightly falters, memories of Sori immediately filling my mind. Beauty and the Beast.

"Y-Yoojung-ah, are you sure you want me to read this book?" I ask her quietly as she looks up at me, batting her eyelashes. "Beauty and the Beast?"

"Yes, appa, I'm sure." She mumbles, "hurry! I feel sleepy!"

I laugh softly, looking at her endearingly as I open the book. Funny how it was so difficult to open a book that resembled a beautiful past that you wish never ended. Sori was the beauty that helped me figure out where I was lacking, and no matter how broken I was, she stayed with me, the beast. But it only took one man to tear it all apart.

"Appa, the story hasn't even started and you're already crying." She reaches up at my eyes as she wipes away the tears. I laugh again, trying to cover up the sadness that was threatening to stay. She frowns, tilting her head in confusion. "Appa, are you okay? Why are you crying?"

"I don't know, Yoojungie..." I mumble softly.

"Do you need a hug?" She questions and I nod my head, watching her as she pulls me into a gentle hug. I sniff a little, running my fingers through her soft hair. She rubs my back soothingly, and I could only soften at her touch. "Appa, are you going to be okay?"

I slowly smile, wiping the last tear that escapes my eye.

"Someday, Yoojung-ah, someday I'll be okay."

• • •

"Alright kids, so for tonight, I want you to practice writing at least two sentences about your favourite hobby. It can be anything! It can be your favourite sport, activity, it's all up to you."

I smile at Yoojung who was eager in her seat, looking at Jaeun with curiosity. She quickly jots down the key words two sentences and favourite hobby into her notebook even though they were probably spelt wrong, before putting away her notebook and pencil into her backpack. My eyes trail towards Jaeun, who was starting to erase the blackboard while the kids were preparing to be dismissed.

"Alright kids, I'll see you tomorrow? Some of your parents are here to pick you up," she smiles, waving at the parents who were peeping through the windows of the classroom. "I hope you'll miss me just as much as I'll miss you, but I'll see you tomorrow."

The kids all say a huge I'll miss you too, Ms. Seol in unison before scurrying out the classroom and jumping into their parents' arms. I slowly walk into the classroom, heading towards Yoojung who was struggling to put her backpack on. I bend down to her level, tapping her shoulder and catching her by surprise.

"Appa!" She exclaims before crashing me into a hug. I giggle before swooping her up into my arms, I turn around as Jaeun finishes erasing the other half of the blackboard.

"How was school today?" I ask her as she smiles. "Did you have fun?"

"I learned how to count until twenty today, twenty! I bet you can't do that!" She replies with a grin on her face before pointing towards Jaeun. She leans into my ear and whispers, "I want to be a teacher just like Ms. Seol!"

"Oh, really? I think you should ask her how she does her job perfectly," I whisper back into her ear until I clear my throat. "Ms. Seol, was Yoojung behaving well today?"

My loud tone somehow scares the living lights out of Jaeun, who flinches, dropping the blackboard eraser and a few pieces of chalk that break the moment it hit the floor. She smiles sheepishly, mumbling a soft sorry before bending down to pick up remnants of broken chalk and the eraser. I place Yoojung down, quickly heading towards Jaeun to help her pick up the chalk.

As we pick up the pieces of broken chalk, the two of us stand up in unison, only to bump heads. Jaeun groans and only falls back onto the ground, butt first. I rub my head, bursting out into a soft chuckle. With the first one getting back onto my feet, I hold out a hand for her and she grabs it gently.

"Sorry about that," I apologize as she bows her head.

"It's alright," she smiles reassuringly, "Yoojung was well-behaved today, she got seven stars today for her good work, didn't you, Yoojung?"

"Yes, Ms. Seol!" She exclaims, and I glance at Jaeun, who seems as if though she's avoiding eye-contact with me. Jaeun slowly looks at me, before quickly averting her gaze towards Yoojung who was now hugging her knees. "Ms. Seol, how can I be like you?"

I reach down for Yoojung to pry her away from Jaeun, who was now laughing at the little girl's facial expression. "I think that question should be for another day, Yoojungie."

"Appa." She whines.

"We have to go, you're going to miss out on the snacks I made for you today." I say with a stern voice and Yoojung gasps. "You wouldn't want to miss out on those, wouldn't you?"

"Let's go home!" She immediately insists.

"Thank you for your work, Ms. Seol, we'll see you tomorrow morning." I face Jaeun, whose cheeks were flushing a light pink. She slowly nods her head before waving at Yoojung and I, who were making our way towards the hallway.

"Ms. Seol! I forgot to tell you something!" Yoojung exclaims, and Jaeun raises an eyebrow questioningly.

"What is it, Yoojung-ah?" She asks and Yoojung bursts out into giggles.

"I forgot to tell you that appa thinks you're pretty!"

"Agh, Yoojung-ah, that was supposed to be a secret!"

• • •

THE REJECTION: PAST
―where it all started

"Jaeun-ah, he's coming!"

Jaeun immediately covers half of her face with her thin textbook, her back pressed against the lockers as she watches him enter into the hallway. She feels herself stare in awe at how he made such a huge impact on his presence whenever he stepped into the room. He walks past her, almost as if she didn't exist.

"H-He's so handsome," she mumbles quietly to herself before she receives a teasing nudge from her friend, Mina. But Jaeun's smile slowly turns into a frown when she follows his gaze that was on Sori. "Handsome and taken."

"Don't worry, Jaeun-ah, you'll have your chance!" Mina exclaims, rubbing her back to reassure her but Jaeun only frowns even more.

"But I don't want to be that girl who gets her chance," Jaeun explains, closing her locker and putting her backpack on. "I want to be just like Sori, I wonder why he likes her."

"She's really charming," Mina shrugs her shoulders. "But I think you have a warm heart that Taehyung will definitely find an interest in."

"Whatever," she mutters before the two of them head towards their next class.

As Taehyung heads towards Yoongi, he nods his head at him. Yoongi eyes Jaeun and Mina, who were exiting the hallway and he could only smirk. Taehyung raises an eyebrow at the guy before catching his attention.

"What are you smirking at? Is there something on my uniform shirt?" He asks but Yoongi shakes his head.

"Those two girls, Jaeun and Mina, they interest me." He replies, and Taehyung eyes him confusedly. "It's clear that Jaeun has a huge liking for you, but you're just too good for her."

"Who's Jaeun?" Taehyung questions and Yoongi smirks even more.

"Exactly. You're too good for her that you don't even know who she is."