•__________________________________________________________•

21 years ago, a child was born.

She was gifted with intelligence, bright and mature at such a young age.

You could even say she was a precocious child.

She gained a lot of awards, both in academics and talent.

Her parents, relatives, classmates, and teachers were full of praises for her achievements.

However, it was not because she was a genius.

She merely 'worked hard'.

Studying every day and night, leaving no tasks unfinished, and making sure that everything was accomplished as it needs to be.

She 'worked hard'. She really tried. She did.

•__________________________________________________________•

??? POV

'When did I show up in her life, I wonder?'

Back then, all she ever wanted was to have a happy family, her, her mother, and her father, walking hand in hand. A childish dream. 

She worked hard to earn their praises. She 'worked hard'.

Her parents called her a 'genius'. She was happy to be called a genius back then but not now.

She's not fond of that word because it feels like every effort she put in everything she did was disregarded. What did they think? That she did all of her achievements without doing anything at all?

To get passing grades, she had to study hard.

To do well in competitions, she had to practice.

She is no genius.

But she believed that her parents loved her, but━

'When was it? That she became aware of the so-called reality?'

It was that time when she was a year before grade school, she was probably 5 or 6 years old. It was at the time of spring when flowers bloom. It didn't for her.

That incident proved that she was a mere naive child.

"Mother! I won another award. Buy me ice cream!"

"As expected of my daughter! We'll buy you one later."

Her mother took her certificate first and didn't even look at her child as she praised her. On the other hand━

"Uwaah! I'm sowwy! I'm sowwy!"

She heard a child apologizing. It was a classmate of hers who failed, probably. But his mother just pat him on his head and said━

"You can do better next time, good job."

The woman said to his child. The boy stopped crying and somehow, he felt happy.

Curiosity seeped in her. A foolish idea.

"I wonder if my mother would do that if I failed too."

And sure enough━

ᴄᴜʀɪᴏꜱɪᴛʏ ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴛ

slap*

It was a shock. Her own mother slapped me because she failed to get an award. What her father did to her afterward was probably less hurtful than what she felt.

The dream she had was shattered.

She was the only child and so, they got their hopes up, or rather their expectations of her were so high that failure wasn't allowed.

'It wasn't her happiness that they wanted, it was a worry-free future that they wanted from her.'

After that, they apologized.

"I'm okay, mother, and father."

That was the first time she lied.

A year after, she stopped aiming for awards or anything that could allow her to shine.

Reason?

She didn't want to be fawned over by people who are aiming for recognition. Plus, it's more comfortable for her this way.

It was the start of a new year, but the lessons were the same. she sighed out of boredom.

It was then that she met another one. A mistake. No, maybe she should be grateful that it ever happened.

She met━bzzt*

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•__________________________________________________________•

After that, she shut everyone down.

She was almost positive that she wouldn't be able to trust anyone 100%.

No matter what anyone says, no matter what they do. She won't trust. No way in hell.

Then college years arrived, she thought that she should at least make a good impression. There were a few people that she got along with, people that had the same interests as her, and people that she had fun with.

One thing she never had━

A person she could trust.

She didn't have anyone that she could call her friend.

Never let anyone too near. Never let anyone get too close.

Never let them know me. Never let them see me.

She did have fun when she was with them, but━ that was it.

She played the quiet, convenient, not really that outstanding girl role during her college years.

Some of her classmates invite her to parties and hangouts.

She refused, not because she hates them but because━

She hated those things. She hates crowds and loud noises.

People shouting 'Woohoo!!' like there's no forever.

Like shut-up. She gets that you want to go all-out but for the love of God, have a little bit of restraint.

They kept saying━

'Join the fun.' and whatnot but the point is━

She wasn't having fun.

Don't force her to do something she doesn't want to.

The thing about college is people just can't stop calling you to hang out. She can't count how many times, she wanted to say 'No!' straight to their face.

So whenever she has a good excuse like fake an illness, pray for rainy weather, or just hope that it gets canceled, she would celebrate.

In this day and age, she would rather stay in her warm room, read books, play games, and drink coffee. She even wished it would rain every day so she could listen to the raindrops.

But unfortunately, reality strikes harder than a tsunami.

Her parents━ No, they are always arguing about so many things.

Her mother, who is a money spender, driving their family to have a huge debt.

Her father, who is a womanizer, cheating on his wife, and whenever his wife confronts him about it, he gets mad. He even threatened her that he might kill her if she doesn't stop getting out of his business.

They don't even mind that she's in front of them.

They even talk about divorce in her presence.

Why did you even marry each other if you're not able to love each other for life?

Oath of marriage?

In sickness and health?

For richer, for poorer?

Till death do us part?

She mockingly laughed. She was disappointed.

Looking at her own parents, what a fraud.

Even so, she was able to get on with life.

It was a boring life.

Ironically, she was happiest when she was by herself.

It was when she was close to graduating that 'the incident' happened.

•__________________________________________________________•

It was a strangely stormy night, the sounds should be dulled by the rain hitting the roof.

step* step* step*

The footsteps were slow and steady, everyone was sleeping.

No one will notice, no one will know, no one will grieve.

The girl looked at the rainy sky and smiled coldly, bitterly.

Was she crying? No one could tell.

She muttered a few words.

Barely audible.

But these were her words:

'Giving up is easy.'

•__________________________________________________________•