Chapter 2

...I once belonged in a world under the sun...

...(The song paused, the song stopped)...

...A smoky layer of mist in the heart of the stars...

...(You erased me, you forgot me)"...

...-134340...

...BTS...

...—☆—...

"Sweetheart, we are so proud of you!" Their mother exclaimed with excitement while holding Jungkook's result paper. He came first in his grade. The Father sat there calmly, but that proud smirk was not to be missed.

Jungkook forced a smile. He scaled in his last examination. The younger sister was proud of him too. He was an excellent student without a doubt, but neither of the siblings found any happiness in that success. It seems hypocritical to her. She found it Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

"Juokyu, dear?" She looked up at her mother as she called out her name, "We also received your final examination results today. You did very well too." No excitement. She knew she didn't do that well, but that smile was just for show, or rather, comfort.

"You need to do better than this, alright? I'll bring you all the necessary tutors you will need. Just let me know." The Father said with that same, plastic, comforting smile.

No matter how many tutors he brings her, she will never scale results like Jungkook from homeschooling. She can never feel alive enough from studying in her room forever and getting a glimpse of any school or college once in a monsoon, only for the board exams. Even her year finals were taken in that very room under a teacher's supervision. She, all alone. Money can do everything, I guess.

But she smiled nevertheless. "I will try my best," She muttered. Jungkook looked at her. Liar, you are already trying your best to survive, what more is left to try? She ignored his stare.

She knew that. So did he, but these people who are keeping her alive, feeding her as they wish, did not know. And she preferred it that way. They would never understand. What was the point of wasting time and energy on them?

"You both can go back to your room." Father dismissed them, they nodded and left the room.

"Congratulations!" As soon as they were out of the room, she jumped on his back. "You are sooo awesome!"

He grinned, holding her in place on his back and casually walking towards their room. This had become her habit, she loved getting on his back, and he got used to her always jumping on his back. "Thanks Juok-ah. You did a lot better than last time too. I saw your result card. You are this close to becoming like me, like you wish for."

She was his only trophy, and he was her only tressure.

"Really? You mean it?"

"Of course, why would I lie?" He put her down on her feet once they were in front of her room. "Just make sure mom and dad don't take a toll on your mental health, rest all, I will make sure to take care of your studies, your eating schedule, your fitness, everything once my tournament ends. You won't be sick anymore under my care." He winked playfully.

She laughed and hugged him. "You bet. If I really become as healthy as you describe under your care, I'll do anything you say."

"Ahh, what's more satisfying than hearing from your sister that she'll do anything I say? Keep your word, huh!" he ruffled her hair, she groaned in annoyance again.

"Now go to your room, take your medicines. I'll ask the maid to bring you some fruit."

She nodded as he left downstairs.

Their Dad was the government's official economic minister, really famous and powerful. Their mom was the chairman of a famous international company that she inherited from her grandfather about 15 years ago, even more famous and impactful. Jungkook was their first son, of course. He was 4 years older than Juok. He was the shining and successful son of their parents. They were always proud of him, no matter what, and how small he achieved.

And then it was her. The curse and nightmare of their parents with CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome). She was born with it. The doctors said it could be curable with age, but as she grew up, it just got more sensitive, and she became more and more fragile.

The doctors then declared that she might be diagnosed with syncope, which was incurable when she was 7. And that's when their Mom and Dad decided to hide her away from the world forever. They say it's for her own good. She believed it, until slowly it started to feel like it was for their good, not hers. They couldn't let the world know about her, for which their prestige and reputation could have been at stake.

Poor them, couldn't throw her away either. Couldn't kill her the day she was born, so they decided to lock her up like that, away from the world. She had always felt the distance, no matter how much they gave her to make her feel at home. She never felt at home in this huge place, never.

Jungkook, her older brother of four years, was the only real person she had in her entire life. He treated her like she was a human; after all, he was the only person who actually showed her love.

If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have known what the world was for. Apart from Jungkook, the head of the maids treats her like a princess, too, adoring her like she was her own child.

"You were named Juok dearly by your grandmother (Mom's mother). Juok means as Gem. Juokkyu, you were her precious gem." She said. But Juok doesn't remember her grandmother. She expired before she could reach one year old. Maybe she would have been disappointed and annoyed by her burden of a presence too, if she would have been alive today. That's what she thinks.

She shook her head to herself, sighing, before walking into her room. The books were scattered around on her bed. The storybooks she took from the library, hidden beneath her textbooks and academic books because, in case her mom walked into her room.

She never liked her reading those books; those were childish, a waste of time, and they would ruin her mentality as she thinks.

Jungkook muttered one day that she didn't like Juok reading those because she didn't want her imagination to expand; she didn't want Juok to think too much. She thinks if she started to imagine too much, she might want to experience it as well. Which, she can't. Or much rather, she won't let her, even for heaven's sake.

Jungkook volunteered to guide her, but they didn't want to take any risk that might expose Juok as their daughter. A diseased daughter. They still don't. Not because they are embarrassed, but because they don't want to embarrass their parents.

Juok locked the door behind her and plopped on the bed, taking out the book that she was reading. Just a few more pages and it will be over. She didn't like that book that much, but it wasn't bad.

After a few moments, she heard the door knock, so she sleekly hid her books and opened the door. It was the maid who brought the fruits for me. She smiled and took the plate, and closed the door. As she started reading again while eating when the authentic, ancient-looking book caught her eye.

That book.

It had something. It was pulling.

But she thought she would finish the rest of the books first before starting that one. She has a feeling that one will be really interesting. And her guts never lie about books.

Books are her life.

The only thing that kept her alive.

It was 8 years ago when her Dad brought her a novel book for her birthday. It was solely for study purposes, but she fell in love with it. She asked for more at that time, so he brought her the other two parts of that novel. She was so into it and so interested, she kept asking, but her Mom forbade her father to bring more of those, saying it would ruin her studies... she had never been that upset before, but seeing her loving those books, Jungkook sneakily bought her some he thought she could like.

But with his pocket money, he couldn't buy her tons of books and meet up with her obsession of it.

So one night, he sneaked her out and brought her to that giant library she never knew existed. It was so beautiful, aesthetic, authentic, and full of books. She remembered crying that day, seeing that library. Out of happiness. Because she felt peace, loved, and at home.

She finished reading the book she was reading before stretching up. After that, she did some homework her home tutor left her to finish and focused on studying until dinner.

Time flew like seconds until she was back in her room again after supper with her family. She took her medicines and got refreshed before lying down on the bed with that authentic nameless book in her hand. The smell of the old pages felt like home to her, like sitting beside a fireplace with hot cocoa with marshmallows in it and blankets over while it snowed outside. Gosh, so satisfying.

She put the book down on her lap and carefully opened it.

WORDS MIGHT BE WRITTEN WITH INK, BUT THE MAGIC WORKS WITH THE REALITY...

THE FANTASY MIGHT FEEL LIKE A DREAM, BUT DON'T MISS THE INTENSITY...

"Wow... the quotation is so cool..." She mumbled and turned the page, excited to read it. The words were all written in modern language, which she didn't expect, judging by the book's cover.

Nevertheless, it was easier for her, and she started to read.

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