I was getting ready for my first day at my new high school.
It wasn't the literal first day of the school year; my family had transferred here recently because of my father's job, which meant leaving my old school and starting over.
I heard soft footsteps—they started faint but grew steadily louder.
Knock... knock...
A voice called out. I knew exactly who it belonged to.
"Wake up, you little—" she started, but then her voice cut off. My mother froze in the doorway, staring at me as if I were a ghost or maybe a burglar caught tearing up her favorite sale dress.
"Who are you... what did you do to my daughter?!" she screamed.
I rolled my eyes and gave her the most expressive look of 'Are you kidding me right now?' that I could muster.
"Mom, I'm your so-called daughter, Y/n," I said dryly.
"N-no, I don't believe it... Tell me where she is!" Mom said, her eyes wide with genuine disbelief.
I sighed and walked over to the mirror to check my reflection.
"Unbelievable... holy god, am I daydreaming?" Mom rubbed her eyes fiercely. I didn't give a damn about it; this was my new reality.
"I can't believe my eyes... a properly ironed uniform... combed hair... polished shoes... a packed school bag."
"Mom, seriously, please just—"
"Do you have a fever, dear? Let me check your temperature. Are you feeling unwell? You absolutely shouldn't go to school..."
Mom kept blabbering on and on. I just picked up my bag and headed downstairs.
Our house wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either—definitely nicer than what the average middle-class family could afford. It had two internal floors (counting the ground floor as the first), plus an outdoor staircase leading to one balcony, a lovely garden, and a big garage for two cars.
It was a fine morning, and everything was going smoothly. I hoped my luck would hold.
"Did I wake up late today, but it's 7 now, so I wasn't... what if Y/n hit her head somewhere and became a good, well-behaved girl?" Mom came downstairs, muttering frantically to herself.
"Mom, stop talking gibberish and just give me breakfast. I don't want to be late on my first day, do we?"
"No, we don't... She is surely Y/n. It's confirmed now!"
Mom dashed into the kitchen to prepare my breakfast. The scent of delicious food immediately drifted over—Mom really is the best chef.
I greeted my dad and sat on the chair beside him. He was also waiting for breakfast.
"Morning," he chuckled, taking a slurp of his tea. "Fancy seeing you up this early, girl. What did your mother do this time?"
Mom served us a Korean-style breakfast: savory Kimchi pancakes and toast. My mouth instantly started watering, and I frowned playfully at my mom, who was giggling while looking at me.
"Yeah... very funny," I muttered sarcastically, rubbing my mouth.
"Here you go, dear. Eat up and grow healthy," Mom said, smiling sweetly as she passed me a glass of banana milk—my absolute favorite.
"Thanks, Mom, you're the best." I gave her a thumbs-up, and she chuckled.
"Darling, what magic did you do to bless this old man with her presence this early in the morning?" Dad asked dramatically.
I heard both of them chuckle, and I scoffed good-naturedly. "I'm finished, Mom and Dad. I'll get going now."
"Don't forget to take your ID card and bus pass!"
"Don't make trouble, and take care, alright?" Dad patted my head.
Mom handed me the bus pass—the one all students use to pay their fare, which is tallied at the end of the month.
"Be careful of the rocks, don't trip on the road, be aware of the cars on the side, and watch out for the crows in the sky!"
I'm not a kid anymore I thought, rolling my eyes.
"Okay, Mom, I'll take care. You guys, too."
I hugged them goodbye and stepped out the door. I took only two steps when—
AHHHHHHHH... hhhhhhh... HHH!
I tripped on a rock and fell face down on the sidewalk.
"Are you alright, Y/n!?"
"Why... why... MEEEEEEEEEEE!"
And there went the end of my luck. Sigh.