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MidReal Story
The Silent Type
Scenario:Sixteen-year-old Eunchae has always struggled with social anxiety, autism, and a form of mutism that makes it difficult for her to communicate with new people or in stressful situations. She has already met Jihyun, her father's new girlfriend, but the thought of meeting Jihyun's daughter, Yunjin, fills her with dread.
Eunchae's father, who has been growing increasingly frustrated with his daughter's social anxiety, decides that it's time for the two to meet. He organizes a family dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant near Yunjin's apartment.
As they walk into the restaurant, Eunchae's heart races, and she starts to scratch her hand, a nervous habit she has developed over the years. She tries to avoid making eye contact with Yunjin, who is striking with her ginger hair and stylish yet comfortable styling.
At first, Eunchae is very shy and barely says a word. Her father, who has reached the end of his patience, snaps at her, telling her to "just try to be normal for once." The comment stings, and Eunchae feels tears prick at the corners of her eyes.
But then Yunjin, who has been watching the exchange with a concerned expression, steps in. She gently takes Eunchae's hand, stopping her nervous scratching, and asks if she would like to go outside for a walk to calm down.
To Eunchae's surprise, she finds herself nodding. As they walk together, Yunjin chats easily about her studies and her interests, never pushing Eunchae to talk but making it clear that she is there to listen if Eunchae wants to share.
By the time they return to the restaurant, Eunchae is feeling calmer and more relaxed. She even manages to join in the conversation at the table, albeit in a quiet, hesitant voice.
From that day on, Eunchae finds herself drawn to Yunjin. Every time they meet, she feels a little bit less anxious and a little bit more at ease. And before she knows it, she has developed a habit of hugging Yunjin every time she sees her, seeking out the comforting aura that Yunjin seems to radiate.
As for Yunjin, she has come to see Eunchae as a little sister, someone who needs a little extra care and support. She is patient with Eunchae's anxiety and never pushes her to do anything that makes her uncomfortable. And in doing so, she helps Eunchae to slowly but surely come out of her shell.
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Eunchae
She is a high school student with severe social anxiety and autism. She is introverted,anxious,and vulnerable. Jihyun's daughter,Eunchae struggles to communicate and make new friends at her new school. Her father introduces her to Jihyun and her family,hoping to help her integrate better. Eunchae feels awkward and anxious around them but finds solace in Yunjin's gentle nature. Yunjin becomes a source of comfort for Eunchae,helping her cope with her struggles.
Jihyun
She is the girlfriend of Eunchae's father and a university student majoring in psychology. She is warm,caring,and understanding. Jihyun meets Eunchae for the first time and quickly befriends her,trying to make her feel welcome at home. She observes Eunchae's difficulties in social interactions and offers support to Eunchae's father in helping her integrate into their family. Jihyun's relationship with Eunchae's father strengthens,despite Eunchae's initial awkwardness.
Yunjin
She is Jihyun's daughter and a high school student preparing for college. She is kind,gentle,and compassionate. Yunjin quickly forms a bond with Eunchae,sensing her need for support and understanding. Despite being a bit older than Eunchae,Yunjin takes on a protective role towards her,helping during their family dinners and offering companionship when Eunchae feels isolated. Her interactions with Eunchae are filled with empathy and friendship.
Sixteen years old.
I was sixteen when I first met her.
My father had just remarried, and I had a new mom and a new sister.
I didn't know what to do with a new sister.
Especially since I had such severe social anxiety that I couldn't even make new friends at school.
And I was autistic, which made it hard for me to understand people sometimes.
And I had this thing called selective mutism, which meant I couldn't talk when I was stressed or around new people.
So meeting my new mom and sister was super hard for me.
I think my dad thought it would be easier for me if he introduced us slowly, so he brought home his girlfriend first, and then a few weeks later, her daughter came to visit.
I didn't know what to do.
I sat in my room and listened to music, trying not to think about it.
But I could hear them laughing and talking, and it made me feel so anxious.
I wanted to escape, to run away.
But where could I go?
I reach for my phone with trembling fingers, fumbling to adjust the volume on my playlist.
The cheerful voices from downstairs still filter through my headphones - Dad's booming laugh, Jihyun's gentle chuckle, and Yunjin's melodic voice.
I press the volume button repeatedly until the music drowns everything else.
The familiar beat of my favorite K-pop song fills my ears, but my heart won't stop racing.
I curl up tighter on my bed, wrapping my arms around my knees.
My fingers find their way to my forearm, scratching at the skin there.
The music grows louder and louder until it hurts my ears, but I can't bring myself to turn it down.
"Hey, can I come in?" Yunjin's voice was soft but clear, cutting through the music.
I hesitated, my fingers frozen over the volume button, before nodding slightly even though she couldn't see me.
The door creaked open, and she stepped inside, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of understanding and something else—something that made me feel like maybe I wasn't so alone.
Yunjin took a few careful steps into my room, as if she knew that sudden movements might startle me.
She sat down on the floor, keeping a comfortable distance from my bed where I was huddled.
"I'm Yunjin," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the music still playing in my ears.
Her eyes wandered around the room, taking in the posters of K-pop groups plastered on my wall.
"Oh, you like BTS too?" she asked, pointing to one of the posters.
I didn't respond, but she didn't seem to expect me to.
She continued talking about her favorite songs and how much she loved their music videos.
It was different from the way others tried to force conversation out of me.
Yunjin spoke as if she were just sharing her thoughts, not expecting me to reply.
After a few minutes, I reached for my phone again and lowered the volume of the music, though my fingers still trembled slightly.
For the first time, I felt a quiet sense of connection.
I sit curled up in the corner of my bed, staring blankly at my phone as notifications pop up one after another.
They're all from classmates, making plans for the weekend or sharing funny memes.
None of them are for me.
I wasn't invited to any of those plans.
My thumb hovers over Yunjin's contact info, but I close the messaging app instead.
Even though she's been kind to me, I can't bring myself to reach out.
The house feels empty today.
Dad is at work, and Jihyun has gone on a weekend trip with her friends.
I pull my knees closer to my chest and pick at a loose thread on my sleeve.
It's an old habit of mine when I'm nervous or anxious, scratching at my skin until it leaves marks.
But lately, I've been trying to replace it with picking at threads instead.
The door creaked open slightly, and Yunjin's head peeked through.
"Hey, I brought some snacks," she said with a small smile, holding up a bag of chips.
I hesitated for a moment before nodding, and she stepped inside, sitting cross-legged on the floor again.
She set the bag of snacks between us and started talking about her day.
I couldn't focus on her words, though.
My fingers kept twisting the loose thread on my sleeve tighter and tighter until it cut into my skin.
Yunjin paused mid-sentence, her eyes following the movement of my hand.
I quickly tried to hide it under my thigh, but she had already seen.
Instead of saying anything, she slid her phone out of her pocket and started showing me funny cat videos.
At first, I just stared at the screen, but as the videos went on, she slowly moved closer until our shoulders almost touched.
The distraction worked - my hands relaxed, and I found myself leaning slightly toward the warmth of her body.
When she finally turned off her phone and looked at me, she asked softly, "Are you okay?"
I stare at my hands, which are still curled into fists.
I try to unclench them, but they shake slightly.
Yunjin notices and reaches for her phone again.
She opens YouTube and starts playing a new video.
This one is of a cat chasing a laser pointer, pouncing around in circles with a high-pitched meow.
Normally, this kind of content would make me smile.
But today, it doesn't feel right.
My chest tightens as I think about sitting alone at lunch earlier.
The sound of everyone laughing together still echoes in my mind.
Before I can stop them, tears start falling down my cheeks.
Yunjin's eyes widen slightly, and she asks softly, "Are you okay?"
I shake my head, unable to find the words to explain how lonely I feel right now.
She reaches out to touch my hand, but I pull away before she can make contact. It's not that I don't want her comfort; it's just that this is only our second time meeting.
I can't handle being touched right now.
Instead, I curl myself into a tighter ball and let the tears fall silently down my face.
I curl into myself on the bed, tears still falling down my cheeks.
Memories of sitting alone at lunch flood back into my mind, and I can't help but wonder why I've never been invited to join anyone's table.
Yunjin stays seated on the floor, keeping her distance from me.
She doesn't try to touch me again, but instead starts humming a familiar tune.
It's the song by BTS that I've been playing on repeat lately - the one she noticed earlier.
The gentle melody fills my room, slowly replacing the sound of my sniffling.
After a few moments, Yunjin starts singing the lyrics softly.
Her voice is quiet and soothing, like a warm blanket wrapping around me.
I uncurl myself slightly, focusing on her words as they wash over me.
My breathing steadies, and the tears slow to a stop. Yunjin doesn't try to touch me again, but she slides a tissue box closer to where I'm sitting.
I take one with shaking hands and dab at my wet cheeks while she continues singing.
Yunjin pauses, looking at me with a gentle smile.
"You know," she begins softly, "I used to feel like that too, like I didn't belong anywhere."
Her words hang in the air, and I look up, surprised by the vulnerability in her voice.
I stare at my hands, which are still clenched into fists.
Yunjin sits quietly beside my bed, giving me space after my breakdown.
She asks softly, "Do you want to talk about what's making you sad?"
Her voice is gentle, like she's talking to a scared cat.
When I don't respond, she starts telling a story.
"I remember my first week at a new school," she says.
"I ate lunch alone in the bathroom every day."
My fingers twitch at the familiar scenario.
Yunjin continues talking about her own struggles with loneliness, never pushing me to respond.
I peek at her through my bangs and notice she's looking at my BTS poster instead of staring at me.
Her consideration makes my chest feel less tight.
I stare at my hands while she talks.
The words build up in my throat until they finally spill out in a whisper.
"I felt invisible too."
My voice is so quiet that I'm not even sure I heard myself.
It's been so long since I've spoken that my throat feels like it's going to break.
I grip the sleeves of my shirt tighter and wait for Yunjin to react.
But she doesn't jump up or scream excitedly like most people would if they heard me speak after so long.
She just nods and continues looking at the BTS poster, giving me space to find my voice again.
When I don't say anything else, she shares another memory about feeling left out during her school days.
Yunjin glances at me briefly, then says, "You know, sometimes I used to pretend I was part of the group, even if I was just sitting on the sidelines."
Her words resonate with a truth I've never admitted to myself, and I murmur, "I do that too, just to feel like I'm not completely alone."
I stare at my hands, my fingers trembling as the words spill out.
"I'm tired," I whisper, my voice cracking.
"So tired of pretending."
My chest tightens as I force out each word, years of exhaustion finally breaking through.
Yunjin remains silent, her eyes fixed on the BTS poster while I continue speaking.
"I can't keep watching others laugh together, acting like I'm fine being alone."
My voice grows smaller with each word until it's barely audible.
I pull my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them.
"I want it to stop," I say, pressing my face against my knees.
I keep my face buried against my knees as Yunjin asks softly, "What do you want to stop?"
The question makes my chest tighten painfully.
Dark thoughts I've never shared with anyone swirl in my head.
How easy it would be to just disappear forever.
My fingers dig into my legs as I struggle to find safer words.
"Everything," I whisper, my voice cracking.
"School. Pretending. Being..."
I trail off, unable to finish the sentence.
Yunjin shifts closer, and I tense up, terrified she'll somehow see the truth in my face.
I stay curled up tight, but Yunjin's hand gently touches my shoulder.
"Eunchae," she says, her voice heavy with understanding, "are you thinking about hurting yourself?"
The question makes me flinch.
My silence answers for her.
She doesn't pull away or panic like I expected.
Instead, she sits closer, her presence steady and warm.
"I see you," she whispers, "even when you try to hide."
Tears stream down my face as she continues, "And I'm not letting you disappear."
Her words crack something inside me.
I lift my tear-stained face from my knees, still trembling.
"Why do you care?"
I whisper, my voice cracking.
The question has been burning inside me since she first sat on my floor.
Yunjin stays quiet for a moment, her hand still steady on my shoulder.
I watch her fingers tap gently against my sleeve - the same nervous habit I have.
My chest tightens as I wait for her answer, expecting her to pull away or give some generic response about being family now.
Yunjin takes a deep breath, her eyes meeting mine with a fierce determination.
"Because I've been there," she says softly, "and I know how it feels to think you're all alone."
Her words hang in the air, heavy with a truth I didn't expect.
I stare at my hands, letting her words sink in.
The idea that she could possibly understand loneliness doesn't make sense.
She's confident, pretty, and seems to have everything figured out.
My fingers start scratching at my sleeve, confusion building in my chest.
She's only known me for two weeks, but she acts like she truly cares.
When I peek at her through my bangs, she's still watching me with that intense look.
I want to ask her why she bothers with someone like me, but my throat closes up.
I watch her face carefully as she shifts closer on my bed, her fingers still tapping my sleeve.
"Last year was my first year of high school," she says softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I dyed my hair all these crazy colors and wore the flashiest clothes I could find. I wanted to look confident, like I knew what I was doing."
She pauses, her eyes drifting away from mine.
"But inside, I felt empty. Like I was pretending to be someone I wasn't."
Her voice cracks a little, and my heart clenches.
"I remember crying in bathroom stalls between classes," she continues, "just like you did today."
I glance up at her, surprised that she knew.
"I saw you," she explains gently, "and it broke my heart because I knew exactly how you felt."
She rolls up her sleeve, revealing faint scratch marks on her wrist.
"I used to do this too," she says quietly, "when I was feeling overwhelmed."
My breath catches as I stare at the marks.
They look just like mine. Yunjin takes my hand gently in hers, showing me that we have the same nervous habits.
I've never let anyone hold my hand before - not even Mom or Dad.
But with Yunjin, it feels different.
"You're not alone, Eunchae," she says, squeezing my hand reassuringly.
Her eyes are filled with a vulnerability that mirrors my own.
"We can figure this out together."