"You seem awfully down today. What happened?" San asks.
I just shrug because I don't have any answer to give him. I can't tell him about what happened to Yeonjun and that is the only thing that is going through my mind right now.
It is the only thing that has been going through my mind all afternoon and evening. Even during my tutoring session, I kept getting the same thing wrong because I couldn't focus properly.
"Did uncle aunty not like your report card?" he asks concerned. I shake my head.
"No. They are proud of it. My mother congratulated me, got me a large bowl of noodles with etra meat, and then went ahead counseling me about how to keep up this good work and focus on clearing a civil service exam" I look at him and he winces.
"Are you ever going to tell them that you plan to pursue writing?" he asks and I snort. We were walking back from my tutoring to Hive. I had yet another closing shift.
"You act like you don't know how many times I have tried to tell them that I like writing and I want to go ahead in that. I want to be an author. But they never listen" I shrug dejected.
I am partially thankful for having this conversation with San because at least it takes my mind off Yeonjun for at least a while.
"No. I mean really sit them down and tell them that you're passionate about writing and you're a very good writer at that and you want to give it a shot" he suggests and I just give him a shriveled look.
"Give it a shot? You really want me to be hit by my mother, don't you?" he half laughs half embarrassed.
"Hey, Woojin pursued what he loved and now he got an apprenticeship at one of the most renowned universities and early entrance" he shrugs as if this is his case.
"Yeah, but his passion was something of value. My mother and father think that writing is only for the rich who do not have to worry about putting food on the table or do not have any responsibilities. It is tough to explain to them that this is a viable source of income"
San nods sympathetically, understanding the uphill battle I face when it comes to pursuing my passion for writing.
He knows all too well the weight of parental expectations and the struggle to break free from the confines of societal norms.
"I get it," he says, his voice tinged with empathy.
"But sometimes, you have to fight for what you believe in, even if it means going against the grain."
"And, am I really a good writer? I have not written a single thing ever since I joined Royals High" I shrug. It is the honest answer. I have not picked up my pen and diary to write ever since I joined the school.
The drama at school, the drama with Royals and then my family, the part-time jobs, all of this drains me out too much to even want to write something.
"Hey, I have read your pieces. You are a great writer. You even aced your literature exam. And besides you're Park Yuri. You can do everything and anything that you put your mind to" he bumps my shoulder with his and I smile at him.
His words strike a chord within me, stirring a sense of determination that had been lying dormant beneath the surface.
Perhaps it's time for me to stop hiding in the shadows of others' expectations and start carving out my own path, no matter how daunting it may seem.
"You're right," I say, a newfound resolve infusing my words.
"I can't keep living my life according to someone else's script. It's time for me to take control and pursue my dreams, no matter the obstacles."
YOU ARE READING
Royals
Fanfiction"That's the difference. You may think, just going to this school makes you a Royal but no. They are the true Royals. They not only own this school but they own the world"
