Royals

Chapter 12 - The Best of Everything

"Oh my god! Yuri, I am so happy for you" San screamed as he jumped up and down in front of me, finally pulling me up and into a bear hug.

Even with everything on my mind, his happiness was infectious and I couldn't help but hug him back.

This was the first time I said it out loud.

It feels a little more real than it did when I first read the lines on the email but it still is unreal to me.

I still can't believe it.

I really couldn't believe that I got it.

As a child, I really did want to go to that school.

Every child did.

It was the golden dream.

But as I grew up and reality hit me, I realized that school was out of my reach.

Everything that school stood for, was out of my reach.

But surprisingly, I was okay with that.

I understood early on that my family and my life was very different from the lives of the students there.

I got a taste of reality check much quicker than I could have anticipated but it helped me understand that my golden dream was just glitters over a tarnished idea.

Now that this happened, I really didn't know what to do.

I didn't know how to feel.

I didn't know how to react.

There was a whirlwind of emotion inside me and I didn't know which emotion will surface first.

I know the emotions will burst out soon because it is bubbling under the surface.

I just don't know when it is going to happen.

Well, mental breakdowns never really come with a warning, now do they?

"How did auntie and uncle take the news? They must have been so happy that you got in" he smiles as he finally pulls away from me, studying my expression.

As I just stare at him without answering, his smiles become smaller and smaller till his lips are in a thin line.

"You didn't tell them, did you?" he asks and drops his hands from my shoulder.

I just shrug.

I don't really know what else to say.

San can see through me.

He knows me too well for me to lie but I also don't want to voice out my insecurities.

There was no point in voicing it out. It would only concrete them.

"Hey, talk to me. What's wrong? Why didn't you tell them? Is it because of the fight you had with auntie?" he asks and pulls me down to sit beside him.

I just shake my head.

I don't want to tell him the truth. I know he will try to understand me but I don't think anyone who isn't in my shoe would truly understand my concerns fully.

"No. The fight was before I read the email. I didn't think I would get it, honestly. Woojin didn't get it. Of course, I didn't think I would!" I throw my hands up in the air.

Woojin was the best student I knew. If he didn't get in, how could I? It wasn't possible.

There must have been a mistake.

"I mean that guy studied so hard for the test and even with his extracurricular activities, social service, and whatnot. I wasn't even going to open that email. I don't know what came over me but I did. I still can't believe it" I say everything in the go, like ripping off a band-aid.