This was before Lake's reincarnation.
~~~
[Lake Ryeokja POV]
--
In this world, there are winner and losers—well, at least that's what everyone says.
The truth is, in this world, everyone is both a winner and a loser. Ultimately, to become something, you have to sacrifice something... that's the simple rule.
The beautiful idols on the television have a dark life behind the camera; they manipulate and seduce, in short—they lie. Whilst the terrible scammers on the other side of the globe have a family to feed, children to take care of. Nothing is either black or white.
That is ever more true for me.
The Ideal Human Project, a program in which hoped to make the perfect human. It was labelled the greatest success in modern human history in Japan—with the creation of geniuses. As such, the Republic of Korea decided that they also wanted to start such a project.
Named the Korean Gen. Ideal Human Project, it was funded entirely by the government.
In the end, it was a failure.
Of the 120 children admitted, only one person could even be labelled anything close to a 'success' and that person was me.
Still, I'm far from perfect.
• ───────────────── •
[Return to 3rd Person POV]
--
It had been two years since Lake was adopted into the Ryeokja household.
"La-keee... I'm hungry... can't you make something for me...?"
"Can't you make it yourself."
"But your food is much better! I don't know how to cook anything other than eggs..."
After being poked on the face a few times, he finally caved and rose from his comfortable seated position on the couch. Making his way over to the small, slightly-run down kitchen, he looked in the fridge for something to cook.
"Can you make some potato salad?"
"I can, but we're out of onions."
"That's fine~"
The Ryeokja family was anything but rich. Constantly struggling with financial issues due to being raised by a single mother, they had not had any meat for the last few weeks. Lake's older sister, Ruby, tried her best to earn some money on the side, but due to the intensity of her studied, she struggled to do so.
In the end, they were forced to live in poor conditions with only cheap meals.
"So, Lake, have you gotten a girlfriend yet?"
"No."
"Come on~ I'm still waiting for you to bring one home!"
"It doesn't really work like that."
"Just ask someone out~. You've got the looks, maybe if they don't know your personality yet they won't be turned off."
"That's not very nice."
"I'm just kidding~. But you really need to be more social with others. Smile and laugh sometimes, you know?"
"You know why I can't, Ruby."
"Was the Ideal Human Project really that bad? You haven't really told me about it."
"My current personality is a direct result of it. I wasn't always like this."
Ruby was stuffing herself with the potato salad that Lake made. It was her favourite food after all. Eventually, she finished her bowl and stretched her arms.
"Seconds please~"
"That's all I could make."
"Ah, are we low on potatoes again?"
"Sorry."
"Don't be! It's not your fault. I need to work harder... I want to support you and Mom. Maybe I'll ask for some overtime..."
"You need to work on your studies as well, Ruby. Don't worry about us too much. You can have the rest of my bowl if you want."
"No! You have the rest!"
Ruby got up and made her way over to the fridge.
"We really are starting to run out again..." she muttered, melancholically.
"Mom says that her paycheck has been delayed. The next few days are going to be hard."
"I really should ask for some overtime..."
'I won't stop you. But your studies are important, Ruby. Once I'm old enough, I'll get a job as well."
With a sorrowful expression, Ruby hugged her brother.
"At least we've got each other~"
"I'm lucky to have you."
• ───────────────── •
A few days later, both Ruby and Mom died in a car crash.