1 The Girl In The Mirror

"M-my name is Yi Fei, and I-I am tired of-f being... myself," A short-statured girl spoke in front of a bathroom mirror. "I... I want to c-change..."

A moment of silence passed before the girl furiously slammed her fist at the metal sink's handle, turning the filtered water on full blast. The vigorous water almost immediately bounced off the sink and started to spray the girl's cheap clothes, drenching it in the process.

"Frick, Yi Fei, why are you stuttering even to a mirror!? Why are you trying so hard and failing at even this?!" The girl heaved heavily, clutching at her faded pink shirt. Her breaths gradually became longer and sustained. Closing her eyes, she calmly turned off the strong water that was still soaking her clothes.

Slowly, Yi Fei looked up at the mirror, focusing her gaze deep into its murky reflection. Looking back at her was the girl, wretched in form as it emerged with ugly, reddened eyes from the night before staying up to thinking of her classmates' comments. Her huge blocky eyeglasses gathered most of the attention, brimming in pure jet black. Her lips were dried and cracked from never drinking enough water and crying every day. Her cheeks were swollen and thin from malnourishment. Her fine, wavy hair was all over her head with static pulling the hair at all sorts of places.

'How desperate. How pathetic.' Yi Fei thought. 'How increasingly ugly.'

It pained her eyes, seeing such a person like this. This kind of person was the one she hated the most.

"Yi Fei! Are you still using the restroom? Hurry up! You're going to make your brother late!" An old man forcibly kicked the wooden door. "You've been in here for 25 minutes! Just get out right now!"

Yi Fei was frightened in a stupor, but managed to talk back, "But I still need to brush my—"

"Brush f**king what! Get out or I'll f**king make you!" The middle-aged man violently shouted at the top of his lungs, creasing his thick, unkempt eyebrows.

Yi Fei heard a soft sound of jangling keys, and she instinctively got out of the restroom and hastily headed to her bedroom. She knew he meant business. In the narrow hallway, she locked eyes with her tall brother for a second, seeing his sympathizing gaze towards her. She ignored him, slamming the door shut.

"I don't need pity from the likes of you," Yi Fei muttered under her breath, putting her back against the door. She made a hefty sigh before getting up, picking out the same clothes she wears every day. Uniform and an oversized, dark blue hoodie in hopes for everyone to not notice her today.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated and a notification popped up:

Ring-da-ling. Momo's reply~