Title: “Tell Mommy Then.”
It was early in the morning, way too early for someone like you who'd planned to sleep in. Your face was half-buried in your pillow when suddenly—BANG!
The door to your room slammed open.
“Wake the hell up!” your mom’s voice thundered like a war siren. Before you even understood what was happening, she yanked the blanket off your body and grabbed your arm, practically dragging you out of bed.
“What the fu—?!” you hissed, squinting at the bright hallway light.
“I don’t want to hear it,” she snapped. “Get ready. You’re going with Ha-Yun to the store. And don’t even think about buying anything for yourself, you selfish brat. This trip is for her. You got that?”
Your head throbbed, your body still half-asleep, and already your blood boiled. You hadn’t even opened your eyes properly and she was barking orders like you were some damn soldier.
You gritted your teeth. “Why do I even have to go?”
“I said get ready,” she growled, eyes blazing, “or I swear to God, I’ll ground you for a month.”
With no choice, you dragged yourself to the bathroom, washed your face in cold water, and pulled on whatever clothes were closest to the floor. Your mood was already wrecked, and you hadn’t even left the house yet.
At the store, things got even worse.
Ha-Yun was there already, her smug little face smiling and chatting it up with her two annoying friends—Min-Seo and Jiwon. They acted like they were royalty, walking around the store with their noses in the air, laughing way too loud over stupid shit.
You didn’t even greet them. You just kept your hood up, earbuds in, and went the opposite direction.
You didn’t want to be here. You shouldn’t be here. But if you were stuck wasting your morning anyway, then screw it—you might as well look at the game section. That PS5 game you’d been eyeing for weeks? It was there. Right there on the shelf, taunting you like it knew your mom had said no.
You grabbed it.
Then another one.
And just for the hell of it, a new controller. You didn’t even care anymore. Your mom wasn’t here. You weren’t about to let Ha-Yun’s shopping trip be the only one that mattered. You moved quick, weaving between aisles, trying to avoid her and her stupid friends as you carried your forbidden loot like a secret mission.
But your luck didn’t last.
You were just about to make it to the self-checkout when you heard that voice.
“What the hell are you doing?” Ha-Yun’s voice rang out, high-pitched and sharp like nails on glass. “Didn’t Mom say not to buy anything for yourself?”
You froze.
She stomped over to you, arms crossed, her friends snickering behind her like hyenas. Her eyes flicked to the games in your arms.
“You’re unbelievable,” she hissed, loud enough for her friends to hear but low enough to pretend she was being subtle. “So pathetic you had to sneak off like a little rat just to grab your stupid video games?”
You narrowed your eyes. “Mind your business.”
“Oh, it is my business,” she snapped, stepping closer. “I’m so telling Mommy what you did. Just wait till we get home.”