After going back home, we had a small celebration for me being accepted in the Scythe's Academy as a Special Student.
It was a small but meaningful celebration. We ate, we laughed, we enjoyed and it made us happy. In the midst of us enjoying and celebrating, a knock on the front door was heard.
'Knock'
'Knock'
'Knock'
Being close to the door and hearing the knock first, i said, "I'll go get it", and went to open the door with a smile on my face.
I grabbed the door knob with my right hand and twisted it clockwise. I pulled the door open and the person I saw on the other side of the door and who it was, made me drop my smile with disgust and disdain.
The person I saw on the other side of the door was Rachel.
She looked the same as before; sweet and caring with her innocent eyes. However, I already knew her true self now. The caring and sweet personality she had until the end was just a facade.
The smile that dropped from my face after seeing her, I forced it back on and asked in a soft voice, "hey Rachel, what are you doing here?"
It disgusted me how I pretended to be the same old me. But, I do have to say: I'm a damn good actor!
"Jin! It's been so long! I missed you!" Rachel said with innocent eyes like that of a child's, in an enthusiastic way like two friends meeting after a long time, jumped on me and hugged me tightly with her arms around my neck. Not letting go.
"But, it's only been a few weeks since we last met." I said with a pretended smile plastered over my face. My left hand was on the doorknob and my right hand was on the wall. I did not touch her the way she was hugging me and holding me tightly. My hands did not move from their place.
"But it felt like forever, you know!" She said in a childlike voice as the grip of her hug got tighter around my neck.
I removed my right hand from the wall and tapped her on the shoulder and said, "you can let go now."
She then responded immediately, "but I don't want to!", and tightened her grip on my neck even more.
I sighed as I remembered how she used to be so clingy.
Reacting to my sigh, she asked with a sad expression, "why are you acting like this?"
Pretending not to know, I asked with a question of my own, "what do you mean?"
She responded immediately after and said, "you're acting cold towards me?"Aren't you happy you get to see me again?"
Feeling annoyed and not having any energy to answer her, I thought, "did I really had to deal with this every single day? This is just too much. Please go home. I don't wanna deal with this."
As if sensing my predicament and rushing to my rescue, my mom said in a cheerful voice, "Rachel! How are you dear? How have you been?"
Rachel heard my mom's voice and her grip on my neck loosened until she finally let go and rushed inside to my mom and hugged her.
Thanks mom.
I thanked my mom internally after Rachel had finally let go of me.
"I've been good auntie, how are you? And that dress looks so good on you!" She said as looked at my mom's dress.
"Aww, thank you dear!" My mom responded in a soft voice.
"And look at you! Still as handsome as ever!" She said as she now looked at my dad.
"Ahaha! Handsome? Me? Come on!" My dad responded with laughter.
So, this is how she managed to win their hearts and manipulated everyone, huh.
I thought internally as I watched her from a distance.
After charming them, she asked with a curious gaze, "anyway, why are you all dressed up?"
Oh. She wants to know, huh.
I thought internally after I had closed the front door.
Answering her question, my dad responded, "oh this? We just came back from the Scythe's Academy. And… Jin got accepted!"
"…what?"
Hearing this, Rachel's expression darkened, as if what she heard was an unbelievable thing.
Oh? What's this?
Seeing her expression, I thought internally.
Rachel continued with her question and asked, "what do you mean… accepted?"
Hey, don't despair now. It's too soon. Go back to the old you. Because I'll savor every moment when I take my revenge on you.
Rachel's expression changed however, my parents expression stayed the same. Cheerful. And they responded, "it's exactly what it sounds like. Jin got accepted into the Scythe's Academy!"
"Oh… I see! It's good then! I'm happy for you, Jin!" Rachel responded. Her expression quickly changed. She had a cheerful smile.
Yes. Don't despair. Stay just like that, your innocent, caring, charming and cheerful self. I wanna expose you for who you really are. But, now is not the time. I'll observe you every time you're around me. You won't have things your way like before.
"Come Rachel. Celebrate with us. Who knows when we'll get to enjoy something like this again." My mom said with a soft smile.
"I would be glad to!" Rachel responded with the same soft smile.
"Come on over! Star of the show! Why are you standing there?" My dad said with a chuckle.
I complied and went over to them.
The enjoyment that was meant for me and my family, was interrupted by someone unexpected. A pest had now joined in on our fun time and our enjoyment. Normally, if someone was in my situation, they would want to throw away the celebration because a pest had jumped and joined in on their family time and ruined all the fun. However, I could not care less about the pest. Though she was in front of my eyes, I ignored her as if she did not even existed. I, with the parents, enjoyed the celebration to the fullest.