HAE SOO WAS LOOKING AT THE WINDOW of her condominium’s unit, admiring the city lights of New York. She sighed in such view. Even if she stayed for almost six years in Brooklyn, she couldn’t get enough watching the city lights visible in her window.

“Boo!”

She flinched a little when she felt arms wrapping on her waist, she turned her head and saw Ji Yeon’s face, smiling brightly at her.

'Brighter than the city lights.'

“Ji Yeon-ah, you scared me! Don’t do that again!” she whined, faking an angry face on the latter.

Ji Yeon rolled her eyes playfully. “I didn’t scare you, Hae Soo-yah. Don’t be such a drama queen.”

“She’s always a drama queen. Get used to it,” Min Ah, Hae Soo’s cousin shrugged as she kept on flipping the magazine she’s holding while biting the straw of her Korean strawberry yogurt she bought in a Korean market near Brooklyn.

“Shut up, Min Ah,” Hae Soo hissed as Ji Yeon laughed and walked towards Min Ah just to take a peek on the magazine the former is reading. “Reading youngest billionaires edition of Forbes, eh?”

“*Eung!” Min Ah grinned at her. She looked so adorable with her eyes crinkled like crescents and her black straight hair falling into place. She’s adorable if you ask Hae Soo—adorable in an annoying way. (*other term or way of saying “yes” while nodding) “I heard that this edition of Forbes featured my ideal guys so I really grabbed the copy,” she glanced on the magazine again.

Hae Soo rolled her eyes. She already expected this from Min Ah. This cousin of hers loves to swoon over boys in many ways, ungodly ways, anytime, anywhere. She loves a guy who’s tall, rich and handsome, a *sangnamja, that’s why when she saw one, she falls head over heels with him in an instant. Even if that guy has a rotten attitude. (*real man)

“Seriously, Min Ah? You’re admiring and falling in love in an instant with every single guy you meet that is qualified to your ‘tall, rich and handsome’ criteria? Seriously, do you wanna build a harem in your love life? Geez, you’re ridiculous,” Hae Soo made a face, grabbing the bowl of popcorn on the mini table as she flopped herself beside Min Ah. Ji Yeon chuckled and shook her head as she sashayed her way to the kitchen.

“I can’t help it. Before I realized, I already fell in love with him. You know the three-second rule? It will take you three seconds to fall in love,” Min Ah said in a dreamy tone. Her face suddenly scrunched when she felt a kernel of popcorn thrown on her face. “Hey!”

“*Meomcheongi, you’re believing that bull. It’s called infatuation, teen hormones or sexual urges. Love, my ass,” Hae Soo made a face as she kept on eating popcorn while looking at the TV screen, watching MTV. (*stupid)

“You’re so bitter. You’ve never been in love to someone that’s why you can’t relate to what I’m talking about,” Min Ah rolled her eyes on her cousin.

Her hand stopped mid-air and she slowly put the kernel down. Hae Soo’s eyes settled on Ji Yeon who’s now fixing the bunch of roses she brought on a vase.

'Min Ah, you’re wrong.'

She’s wrong. Min Ah is totally wrong.

She already did. She fell in love with someone for a year now. Hae Soo could still recall how she fell in love with her own best friend, how she fell in love with Kang Ji Yeon.

[Flashback (sorry, they don't have Italic options so I'll just put it here)]

Hae Soo hated this setup.

She’s really damn sick of this common scenario in high school. Even if she belonged to the second caste system—those rich kids who also topped the school ranking—(the first caste system are the rich kids who their families own empire of companies, the second caste system are the ones who came from rich families who also rank in higher positions during school rankings, the third caste system are the jocks, the cheerleaders, the queen bees and other popular personalities and the fourth caste system are the basket case, the commoners, the ordinaries, the losers, the nobodies) and being an “It” girl in Nightingale Bamford School, an all-girls school in New York. Having such title, popularity and reputation, she still hated it. She hates popularity. She hates fake praises and attention.

But what’s funny about having her in the caste system and popular cliques is that she’s isolated from those groups. She had no one, aside from her cousin Min Ah, around her.

She’s untouchable.

“Hey! Students are not allowed slacking around the hallway! Go back to your classes!” one of the teachers named Mr. Montgomery shouted at the students who were running and playing around the hallway as if they didn’t heard the school bell.

Hae Soo is so indulged in listening to Natalia Kills’ song on her white earphones when she accidentally bumped Mr. Montgomery that made the man looked at her in an annoyed expression. “Hey, you! Where are you looking—”

He stopped talking when he met Hae Soo’s cold gaze locking on his. She’s still silent while her favorite song kept on playing on her earphones while her eyes were locked on the angry teacher.

“Y-You! How dare you look at a teacher like that?!” Mr. Montgomery asked angrily at her.

But Hae Soo didn’t bother herself to answer the question as she kept herself staring at the old lad. It took ten seconds for Mr. Montgomery to look away and clear his throat in a harsh manner.

“Ahem!”

“Mr. Montgomery, you’re sweating a lot. Are you alright?” she asked in a monotone voice as she held Mr. Montgomery’s hand but the old man pulled his hand away, almost shrieking in front of her face.

“I-I’m alright! Just go away!” he said as he nursed his own hand and walked away hastily.

“Wow, she won against Mr. Montgomery! Amazing!” one of the students who was watching the scene said while looking at Hae Soo.

“Everyone calls her ‘Ice Queen’. She can freeze everyone up by just staring, glaring or touching them.”

She turned her head towards the gossiping crowd and their breaths hitched when they met her icy cold gaze.

“No! I don’t wanna die yet!”

“Save me!”

Her schoolmates were running away for their lives, as if she’s a monster that is ready to gobble them up because of the fright that she could see on their faces.

That’s right, one of the reason why Hae Soo isolated herself from those group of popular cliques is because they find her intimidating—and not just intimidating, because she has an ice cold attitude, given that she’s the school’s Ice Queen.

She’s definitely untouchable.

And that’s the reason why she’s alone.

Today is Valentine’s Day and Hae Soo was sitting on the rooftop’s cemented railing, watching her schoolmates giving roses and cards to their friends, exchanging smiles and hugs with each other. She may be the “It” girl of the campus but she never had friends—real friends precisely—she will not wonder why. She’s sarcastic, rude and cold towards them so no one dared to be with her. She didn’t trust them either, they’re just bunch of two-faced bitches—they’re so nice with you when you face them but they’ll say nasty or worst, backstab you on your back.

She don’t entirely trust her own parents who gave everything she wants and let her do what she wants. It’s obvious that she don’t trust other people other.

“Hello.”

Hae Soo turned her head to the owner of the voice. She was greeted by the girl’s sweet smile. Her eyes crinkled into crescents as her cheeks were tinted with light shade of pink.

The former looked at her from her feet to her face. “What do you want?”

The girl cleared her throat before meeting Hae Soo’s cold eyes again. “I’m Kang Ji Yeon. I’m the same class as you. I know you don’t know me and I know we’re not friends but…” she raised the rose she’s holding as her hair was gently blown by the wind. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Lee Hae Soo.”

That moment, Hae Soo realized that she finally fell in love… with someone.

[End of flashback]

Hae Soo’s breath hitched when Ji Yeon smiled at her after the latter arranged the roses on the vase. She cleared her throat and eat the kernel she’s holding earlier. “You always bother yourself bringing a bunch of roses in my unit.”

Ji Yeon rolled her eyes. “Because your unit is so dull without flowers.”

Just as the latter chuckled, Hae Soo couldn’t help but smile.

“You know Hae Soo, she dislikes everything because she’s bitter,” Min Ah stuck her tongue out at Hae Soo who’s now glaring at her.

“For the record, I’m not bitter. It’s just that… man is the least of my priorities right now,” 'and because I already love someone, it’s Ji Yeon'. “I wanna enjoy my life, you know? I have so many things to do like travel the world, shopping…”

“…collecting shoes,” Min Ah added for her.

“Yeah, collecting shoes, jewelries, bags and I wanna enjoy accompanying myself,” she pointed out.

“But still, you have to get out of your comfort zone and at least meet new people. You never know, you might meet your soulmate that you’ll going to end up with in the future,” Min Ah said in a dreamy tone. She lifted the magazine and shoved it in front of Hae Soo’s face. “You can meet someone like, Gustav Magnar Witzoe, the owner of SalMar ASA or Evan Spaniel of Snap Inc.— a camera company that operates Snapchat or Ludwig Theodor Braun of B. Braun Melsungen or John Collison who co-founded Stripe. You’re so lucky if you can marry someone like them!” she looked at the flatscreen TV, showing a four-membered band singing and performing on stage. “Or you can marry someone like Jang Ryu Jin! The main vocalist of Michaelangelo and he’s one of the highest paid artist in Korea! He’s a freaking superstar! Ah, *nae seutail. If I have a chance to meet him, I will definitely date him or marry him!” (*my style)

“But sadly, you are just one of his fangirls drooling over him,” Min Ah pouted on Hae Soo’s response.

Ji Yeon walked towards Hae Soo and wrapped her arms on the latter’s shoulder. “Just let Min Ah do what she wants. That’s her happiness.”

“I love you so much, Ji Yeon-ee!” Min Ah raised her hand and Ji Yeon gave her a high-five. “You should really need to date, Hae Soo-yah. You’re reeking in so much bitterness. You really need a man to make your heart happy. You really need an eye candy, cous. Seriously.”

Hae Soo held Ji Yeon’s hand gently. 'But I am happy…'

Her eyes settled on the magazine and shook her head. “Nah, I’m good. I have so many things to do for myself and I don’t need a man. I’m already rich as hell so I can provide my caprices and do what I want without a man in my life aside from my dad.”

“*Omo,” Min Ah cringed on her response. “You’re so sassy, Lee Hae Soo.” (*Oh my)

She smirked at Min Ah and grabbed the Forbes magazine she’s reading and threw it away from the latter, earning a whine from her. “Hey!”

Hae Soo stared at her blankly. “Now, get your butt off the couch and let’s get out of here. We’re going somewhere.”

“Somewhere?” Min Ah creased her brows. “Are we going to go shopping in Fifth Avenue? Time Square? Gawd, Hae Soo-yah, we already did that yesterday!”

“Actually, I was planning to do that. Tomorrow. So, tonight, we’re going somewhere. And you already know that somewhere.”

Min Ah’s eyes twinkled in so much delight, totally figured out what Hae Soo is trying to say. “Oh, oh! We’re gonna boy hunt?”

Hae Soo rolled my eyes. Here we go again. “Just get your butt off the couch and change. I don’t wanna be late because of you.”

“Aye, aye captain!” her cousin yelled excitedly as the latter hurriedly went to her guest room. Min Ah loves to stay more on Hae Soo’s unit so most of the latter’s clothes and things were in Hae Soo’s guest room.

Hae Soo shook her head and turned to Ji Yeon who’s now sliding her phone inside her bag.

“You’re coming with us?”

Ji Yeon looked at her and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Hae Soo-yah. *Eomma texted me. She wants me to accompany her in her visit to Aunt Constance’s house. You know she wants to hangout with her best friend,” she walked towards Hae Soo and hugged her. “I’ll go with you next time, I promise.” (*Eomma means ‘mom’ in Korean)

Hae Soo nodded as she stroked Ji Yeon’s hair gently. “Take care, okay? Send my regards to Aunt Soon Ae.”

“I will,” Ji Yeon smiled at her widely and kissed her both cheeks. “I gotta go, bye!”

Hae Soo kept on waving her hand as her eyes followed Ji Yeon’s trails until she gone out of her unit. She smiled lovingly and sighed in contentment as she walked towards her room.

ღ

Hae Soo stopped her Porsche 911 Turbo S in front of a bar—it’s a sort of restobar that was owned by her friend Wesley, the guy she met in a party Min Ah was the one who hosted in her condo unit. She usually hangout and sing in the said restobar. Not that she took it as a part-time (she’s too rich to do that). Hae Soo just love singing and no one knows except Min Ah and Ji Yeon that she love singing. No one knows… and that includes her parents.

She was wearing a white midi dress and denim jacket with her long, black hair in messy twin braids. She also wore her new availed New Balance white shoes. She just wanna be simple looking for tonight. She’s not really in the mood to overdress. Min Ah was wearing blue stripe choker top and black skirt and black Birchell Strappy Leather Sandal.

Min Ah flaunted a cringe expression as she stared at the restobar’s name blinking because of the orangy, vintage-like LED light. “And here I thought we’ll go clubbing to boy hunt. I never thought you brought me here in Wesley’s restobar. And look at you, you’re hiding your sexy frame with that getup.”

Hae Soo showed her poker face to her cousin who’s now wearing a disappointed expression. “I’m not in the mood to overdress like you and clubbing that’s why I came here. And for the record, this is still a bar. I heard some young and rich bachelors were always going here. I bet you gonna find your ideal ‘tall, rich and handsome’ in this place.”

Min Ah’s face lighten up. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go inside!” she exclaimed in excitement as she walked faster to the restobar’s door. Hae Soo shook her head and followed her hyperactive cousin.

For Hae Soo, Min Ah might always talked about boys but she’s actually hopeless romantic and she wants her love life to be like those romance novels and movies she’s always reading and watching. She had a relationship before when they’re in their 10th grade but it ended up so easily. They didn’t even reach one year. It was just once and she never had a relationship after that.

As of Hae Soo, she had so many suitors but she don’t have any interest in them and some of them are scared of her because of her cold attitude. Min Ah is even jealous of her for that. Her Chinese classmate even defined me as bài fù mêi which means white, rich and beautiful. They even encourage her to accept one of her suitors even just as flings to have fun.

But she don’t have any intention on chaining herself to a guy and be in relationship. For her, having a man in her life will restrain her to do what she wants.

Or maybe not.

Maybe it’s just her excuse because she was trying to find that someone who can make her heart beats fast like crazy and who can complete the missing piece in her life.

She wished it’ll be Kang Ji Yeon, her best friend… and the girl she loves.

Hae Soo jaw dropped and she frowned as soon as she got inside the restobar. She didn’t even notice that her cousin already sashayed her way to the island counter talking to a guy who matched her ideal type.

But, that’s not the issue here.

Hae Soo is so pissed.

She knew her jamming schedule is eight o’ clock in the evening in Wesley’s but look, someone stole her schedule.

“How dare this fella stole my schedule?” she muttered in angry Korean.

♪ Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now

Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same

When our friends talk about you, all it does is just tear me down

'Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name ~ ♪

The guy wearing a black-framed spectacles with a funny, messy orange hair while wearing blue beret, a black-striped shirt and black silk jacket is currently playing the piano while singing to Bruno Mars’ song. Hae Soo is pissed as hell to this person who stole her schedule but she admits he has a nice voice—no, nice is an understatement. He has an awesome voice that she had never heard from any other man. His voice gave her goosebumps. She could really feel his emotion while he sang the song.

♪ It all just sounds like ooh, ooh ooh hoo hoo

Mm, too young, too dumb to realize

That I should have bought you flowers

And held your hand

Should have gave you all my hours

When I had the chance

Take you to every party 'cause all you wanted to do was dance

Now my baby's dancing

But she's dancing with another man ~ ♪

She didn’t know why but she felt something’s creeping inside her chest and it’s annoying that she didn’t know and understand what it is.