AN UNEXPECTED MOMENT

I sat quietly in the corner of my classroom, my head resting against the cool windowpane as sunlight streamed in, warming my face. The day was unusually bright, but my mood was anything but. The numbers and equations on the blackboard blurred before my eyes as I tried to focus. Suddenly, my math professor's voice shattered my daze.

"Eun Hee! Answer the question on the board."

My heart pounded. My throat tightened. My voice wavered as I stammered, "I... I... I don't know."

Disappointment was evident in his eyes. He sighed, shaking his head. "My whole life, I've been teaching students to solve math, to feel it, to understand it. But you—you're just wasting your potential. Meet me in my office after this lecture."

A wave of shame crashed over me. It wasn't that I didn't try; I just didn't love math. My true passion was literature—words, stories, emotions—but I wasn't allowed to choose that path.

After the lecture, my best friend, Aura, grabbed my hand playfully. "If you give me your English notes, I'll be the happiest girl in the world!" she giggled, squeezing my hand like a child.

I handed her my notes without a word and walked toward Mr. George's office.

Knocking softly, I stepped inside. Without looking at me, he dropped a thick stack of math problems onto the desk. "Finish this by the end of the week. I expect no excuses."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. "Ms. Lee, I'm disappointed in you. Now take this and leave."

I took the heavy stack, feeling the weight not just in my arms but in my heart. As if this day couldn't get any worse, my aunt had summoned me to her house. I had a sinking feeling that she wasn't going to congratulate me on my academic performance.

At the entrance of my aunt's pristine bungalow, I took a deep breath before stepping inside. Everything was spotless—exactly how she liked it. The butler led me to her office, where she sat, perfectly poised, waiting.

She studied me for a moment before speaking. "You have disappointed me, Eun Hee. You promised to achieve good grades in math. If you failed, you would listen to my decision, remember?"

I lowered my head. "Yes, I remember."

"Good. Then it's final. You are getting married."

Her words sent a jolt of electricity through my veins. I stood frozen, unable to comprehend what she had just said.

"W-What?" I barely whispered.

"The engagement is in a month. Enjoy your remaining days of freedom." Her voice was firm, final, unyielding.

I wanted to scream, to run, to escape—but deep down, I knew it was pointless.