Daisy

What Came Before

*A clacking sound over the freshly opened cold can of beer*

Seulgi's dad sat by her side and handed over the beer.

"What's keeping my favorite daughter up? Is she waiting for a meteor shower tonight to be staying up here at the rooftop?"

"Of course I'm your favorite because I'm your only daughter."

"What if I say you're not my only daughter?"

Seulgi glarer at her father.

"Just kidding!! See? You looked at me. You've been silent and staring nowhere. Is there any problem?"

Seulgi sipped from the can of beer.

Seconds later she splashed it out.

"DAAAAAAD!!!" The beer turned out to be a black coffee.

Her father laughed at her.

"You know I don't like this!!"

"See how you are inattentive you didn't even noticed"

"You're point?"

"I just want to shift your mood." Her father pouted and pinched her cheek.

"I'm not a baby anymore for you to pull a prank like this."

"Okay okay okay, calm down" her father gestured her to sit.

"About it....."

"About it??"

"I'll tell you someday... I don't think I can tell you about it now."

"Whatever is bothering you right nowc remember, I'm always here to listen about your life rants."

"Thank you, dad."

"For?"

"For coming here."

"I thought you didnt like my presence?"

"You are pissing me off and I know you're doing it for a purpose..."

"You're welcome, anything for my daughter." Her father patted her head.

"Is anything bother you?"

"Who? Me?"

"Who else?"

"Nothing new, it's just that there's a lot going on, the office and your mom has been worrying over your twin. He's been coming home with a bruise, like always, every day. When you get to study in the same university, I hope you'll look after him and tell us what he's up to. I came to his school, worried of him being bullied but there was no report about it. His teacher told us they'll keep us updated. But nothing bad news came, I was relieved but there is still something bothering me"

"It's fine dad, after our sem in our respective schools, we will finally graduate senior high school"

Every time his brother had a problem with their school they are forced to transfer. It's been like this for 4 semesters, 2 years passed yet still his brother has been causing problem. Pulling off a riot, being a leader of a g**g, stealing exam papers, bullying, vandalism, destruction of school properties, ditching classes. Her brother is in fact blacklisted from attending his previous universities, with connections their father have,they finally moved in a university at Seoul.

Seulgi and her father had a talk.

"I'm sorry."

"You can't pull a prank on me this time."

"I think it's time for me to confess about this..."

"I dont care"

"Jongin... is not your twin brother."

"I know...dad, I'm 20 now, do you think I'll believe to be blood-related with that asshole??"

"I mean it's true, you're not blood-related with him"

It's been silent between the two, Seulgi got up to leave.

Her father stopped her.

"But please don't treat him like he's not-"

"About your confession, I kind if knew it when I was a kid. I read our birth certificate having different moms, it will never be possible for us to be twins."

"Seul-seulgi-yah"

"Where is my mom?"

"If I tell you, will you listen?"

Seulgi got back on her seat as a response.

"She died when she was giving birth to you. I thought it would be harsh for you to grew up without a mom, so I remarried."

"Ain't it more harsh to have a mom who doesn't treat me like her own daughter? Have you never considered she will be like that? That stranger never took care of me but only my brother. I grew up envious and jealous of him. And now you're talking about being harsh?"

Seulgi tried to hold back her years while talking to her father.

"I never resented you because I love you, dad, you've been there for me but now, now I know why you're the only person I had in this household because those two mistreated me."

It's been since then that Seulgi and her father had a chance to talk.

Some days, Seulgi will long for the time his father will pull out a dad joke for her. Some days, it's the moral stories she's been missing.

The last story her father shared is about their favorite vacation place, their tree house in the middle of the jungle.

There was a time two couple lived in a tree house. Unlike other house from the city, this was build of love and hardwork.

The jungle is also unlike any other, every living thing there represents a human. The human counterpart shall never meet his plant counterpart, for it will mean death of one.

When it was time for the woman to give birth, her husband was the only person left to manage.

"I shall never meet my flower" the woman said before she had her last breath.

Her husband held the healthy baby.

"I promise to raise her well." He shed a tear.

Despite never meeting her flower, the woman died.

Ever since then, the husband avoided planting a flower with his own hands.

The flower you will plant with your bare hands using a seed from this jungle will grow into someone as beautiful as your other half.

Afraid, he might see his wife's counterpart, he avoided it.

The floweres growing from the jungle either turn into your counterpart or you other half's counterpart.

Seulgi would love to listen another story from her father but with their relationship now, it would be impossible.

Soon their classes started in their university where she met her friends and someone who moved her world just by stealing her id from her.

This girl disappeared a day after.

Intramurals came. Last day is their feast and a concert held on their campus fields. Thinking it would be easier to move on and fill her empty self, she dated Tzuyu out of curiosity.

Fireworks popped and sparkled above.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" She asked Tzuyu.

A kissed, she replied.

Simultaneously, Miss Bae appeared meters away.

Seulgi's heart pounded as fast as the drums for their school's feast.

She run after her, leaving Tzuyu behind.

"Varsity #43? Where have you've been all this time?"

"Looking after you"

Someone held Seulgi's hand behind her.

"What was that?" Asked Tzuyu.

Seulgi turned back at her id thief, varsity #43, who suddenly disappeared.

"Where is she?"

"What?"

Confused of what happened, Seulgi just let herself be dragged back by Tzuyu.

-------

Their relationship went good, bland, but at least healthy in the first few months, not until Tzuyu kept her like a possession and started restricting her from doing her personal business such as merely meeting her clients. She grew jealous of pretty girls around Seulgi. She never listened about Seulgi's interests, her dream, her passion, which made Seulgi grew apart from her. This happened without Tzuyu knowing. 

--------

A sculpture contest opened for all students of all levels was held.

To keep the fire for her passion and to lure herself of loving Tzuyu despite slowly falling out of love, Seulgi joined the contest. It will ve their monthsary on the same day of the contest and so Seulgi prepared a surprise for her.

She kept this from Tzuyu.

Few days passed when the contest day came.

Tzuyu received the letter left in her locker but kept it in between her textbook as she hurried for her morning class.

Each contestant, picked their numbers that will be attached for every entry to keep each of them anonymous and avoid bias judgement.

A fire alam broke out the university which made everyone panicked.

Worried of Tzuyu, she hurriedly went to her building. Soon after, the ringing stopped.

An announcement came.

"Everyone go back to your respective classrooms and those who joined the contest may go back to the university gallery building. The alarm was clicked by a student out of prank, we, the university prefect of discipline, will take care if it and find the culprit behind this."

Afternoon that day is the announcement of the winners which is being held at the university field.

"And the grandprize winner is Contestants #20. Please come to the stage to receive your trophy and certificate of recognition" 

Seulgi jumped out of happiness and searched for Tzuyu around. 

"She should be here, I sent her a letter. I will make her proud by winning this"

"Contestant #20 please come to the stage."

Seulgi got up only to see her brother.

"Wait, what's going on?" Asks the emcee of the event.

"Which one of you is the winner?"

"The two are twins, one must be here to hand the trophy" says the other emcee

"The winner according to the entry is Contestant #20 Kang Jongin."

"Oh, it seems that the brother is the one receiving the prize"

"What a delightful event for the twins." Says the emcee

Seulgi out of shock punched Jongin on the stage.

"HYAAAAA!" He screamed while lying down the floor.

"What's wrong with you" he asks.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!!" Seulgi replied.

"That sculpture is mine, how dare you steal it?"

"How sure are you it's yours, the judges announced my name, are you deaf?" Jongin stood up and held her collar.

"Someone stop them" announced by the emcee.

The school security guards came to stop them and forcefully drag them to the prefect of discipline.

After being held for an hour, only one of them has been let go. Seulgi was left in the office.

"SIR, WHY ME??"

"Seulgi, listen, I called your parents."

It was that day, Seulgi was declared to be expelled.  The university is his brother's last chance, if he was expelled this time too, he'll never be accepted in any university anymore. 

It was too late for Tzuyu to read her letter and know about the news. Too late for her to keep Seulgi by her side. It was their last day of meeting at their university.