JI YEON SUDDENLY STOPPED SCRIBBLING ON HER NOTEBOOK and settled her eyes on Hae Soo who’s now looking at her, her chin was over her arms, looking at the former with twinkling eyes.

“Hae Soo,” Ji Yeon called, her voice starts to sound whiny.

“What?”

“You asked me to study with you. So why do you keep on staring at me?” Ji Yeon asked, with a frown.

‘Because you’re beautiful,’ Hae Soo wants to answer the question but instead, she chuckled. “Your face looked like Psyduck, you know that Pokémon duck dude, while frowning. Why so serious?”

Hae Soo yelped when Ji Yeon hit her head with her ballpen. “I know you’re a smarty-pants, Lee Hae Soo but stop fooling around or else I’ll not gonna give you your favorite sandwich I made for you.”

“Okay,” Hae Soo pouted and Ji Yeon giggled and pinch Hae Soo’s nose.

Hae Soo couldn’t help but flaunt a smile.

Just like that, Ji Yeon can make her happy… just like that.

It’s been six years since Hae Soo last saw and stepped in South Korea. She studied Elementary there with Min Ah but when Min Ah’s parents decided to send her to Nightingale Bamford School, am all-girls school in New York, Hae Soo decided to study there as well. It’s her dream to study abroad and live independently and good thing her mom supported her. She’s her one and only princess and what she wants is what she gets. There were couple of times that her parents, especially her mother kept on bothering her to come back to Korea but she don’t want to. Hae Soo knows that her mom already missed her and albeit she’s not expressive when it comes to her feelings, she also missed her. It’s just that, that country gives her sad memories. It gives her sad memories especially when her dad’s face flashed by just mentioning the country she called ‘home’.

She always rejects her mother’s requests of going back to Korea a couple of times, whether it’s for vacation or important gatherings. Good thing her mother always respects her decisions not until today. She even froze Hae Soo’s debit cards and she sounded mad about something. Hae Soo could sense that there’s something wrong.

‘Don’t think of turning me down again, Hae Soo-yah. I don’t want to send my secretary and some of our bodyguards to come and pick you up there.’

For the first time Hae Soo followed her mother’s request—more like it’s an order or command whatsoever because of her not-so-friendly threat. After she shopped with Min Ah, they went to a travel agency in New York and booked her flight.

It’s kind of hurting for her to leave New York, especially she haven’t heard anything from Ji Yeon today. She don’t want to leave but she have to since her mom really needs her presence there and she don’t want to admit but but she kind of, already missed her mom already though she’s a bit annoyed because her mom froze all of her debit cards for no reason.

Hae Soo’s was silently packing her clothes in her luggage when Min Ah entered her unit with a smile on her face as she’s having a chitchat with someone on her phone. They knew each other’s passwords so they could enter each other’s units as long as they want and they feel like it.

“*Arasseo, appa! I’ll be a good girl there, *yaksokhaeyo! Thank you so much! You’re the best! *Saranghaeyo!” Min Ah smiled widely as she turned off her phone and faced Hae Soo. (*Okay, dad! (2) *I promise! (3) *I love you!) “Are you done packing?”

“Uh, yeah? Why?” Hae Soo asked as she finally closed her luggage, slightly frowning as she looked at her cousin’s excited face.

“Great! Now, let’s go to my unit so you can help me choose what should I pack!” Min Ah clapped her hands like an excited child.

The former’s brows creased. “Wait, what? Pack? Are you packing? Why?”

Min Ah rolled her eyes. “Well, duh? Obviously, I am coming with you to Korea. I already booked my flight with you too, you didn’t notice it earlier when I asked for another form too? I don’t wanna be left alone here in Brooklyn. Eomma and appa already agreed that I’ll go back with you to Korea in case I’m planning to go to Singapore to visit them since you know, we have a new branch there and Korea is quite a near route so Singapore. And, in case there’s something wrong in your place, I am here to support you! My mom said that to me too when we started our 7th grade in Nightingale, remember?”

Hae Soo chuckled when Min Ah winked at her. “Yeah, right. But, you don’t have to do this, Min Ah. You’re already happy here in New York. You don’t have to accompany me in returning to Korea.”

“Yeah, I’m happy here. But I’m not happy being alone, especially when you’re not here with me. I’ll miss your cold, nagging ass if I’ll stay here, you know.”

It’s not Hae Soo’s trait to smile on other people’s presence since she’s comfortable flaunting her resting bitch face but she couldn’t do it in her cousin’s presence who did nothing but to support her in everything she do.

“Err… okay. I’ll help you in choosing what you want to pack then.”

“Alright!”

“But please, don’t bring too much stuff.”

“I know. So, leggo? I’ll wait for you in my unit!” Min Ah grinned as she run back to her unit.

Hae Soo sighed as she picked up her phone resting on the couch and dialed Ji Yeon’s number.

But like the other calls she did, none of the calls was answered by Ji Yeon.

Hurt, Hae Soo decided not to bother calling her best friend anymore. She decided to send a text message before slipping her phone inside her jean’s backpocket.

She looked around her condo unit and sighed before going to Min Ah’s unit.

‘Guess it’s already good bye, New York then.’

From: Hae Soo

Ji Yeon-ah, I know I’ve been bothering you today by calling you so many times but I just wanna talk to you before I’ll head back to Korea because my parents need me there.

Me and Min Ah will be at the airport by 5 a.m. I hope we could see you there.

Putting her phone beside her, the former hugged her pillow and sobbed.

“How could you do this to me, Lee Hae Soo?”

ღ

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Incheon International Airport. Local time is 3:00 p.m. and the temperature is 24 °C…"

“Hey, Hae Soo, wake up. We’re here,” Hae Soo’s eyes slowly opened up when she felt someone is shaking her arm.

Hae Soo squinted her eyes and looked around her surroundings.

She nodded and stood up, following Min Ah until they went out of the airplane and went to their luggage check-in section to get their luggages. She walked together with Min Ah and the other passengers who arrived with me. She sighed. She’s not in New York anymore. After six years, she’s finally back in Korea.

And for the last time, she haven’t seen Ji Yeon.

Ji Yeon didn’t went to the airport to see and send Hae Soo off.

Biting her lips secretly, Hae Soo swallowed back her sob and pushed her tears attempting to flow out of her eyes.

"Good afternoon passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight CI 701 to Taipei. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you."

As they walked in the airport, they saw a man in his early 40s holding a long bondpaper and Hae Soo recognized it as her name.

‘이해수 (Lee Hae Soo)’

“I think that’s our driver,” Hae Soo said and Min Ah followed her gaze.

“*Kaja. Let’s go to him now. Gawd, I badly need to sleep. I really hate jetlags,” the latter pouted as she pushed her cart full of her luggages. (*Kaja — let’s go)

Hae Soo couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she pushed her cart as well. Compared to Min Ah who brought five, Hae Soo only brought three for herself. “Don’t blame the jetlag, Min Ah. Just admit you stayed up all night watching that Jang Ryu Jin dude and his so-called band.”

The latter pouted. “It’s his band’s guesting in iHeart Radio. I don’t want to miss it.”

“May I inform you that we’re in the technology age and we already have the goddamn YouTube for you to watch the episodes that you’ve missed.”

“But it’s live! I don’t wanna miss it!”

Hae Soo rolled my eyes again while hearing her whines. “Whatever you say, Min Ah.”

The two girls walked towards the man who was holding a long bondpaper where Hae Soo’s name is written on it. The man smiled and bowed to them. “Welcome back to Korea, *agassi,” he, then, raise his head to face the two girls. “Your mother instructed me that as soon as you arrive, you’ll head to their house and fix yourself before I’ll take you to the company’s building.” (*Agassi — Miss)

“Okay,” she nodded as she took off her Jucy Judy J Handmade Sleeve Lettering Embroidery coat, revealing the world map printed shirt and black shorts that she’s wearing. “Is the man with her?”

Min Ah noticed how stiff and cold Hae Soo’s question is that she couldn’t help but gulp and held on the collar of her crewneck stripy sweater in red wine that she’s wearing.

Her mom’s secretary also noticed it but he chose not to think about it. “I haven’t seen him earlier, agassi.”

“Whatever,” she slightly waved her hand after fixing her coat. “Let’s just go now. I’m tired.”

“Ye, agassi,” the secretary answered and bowed again before calling one of the Lee’s bodyguards to put the two girls’ luggages in the compartment. Hae Soo just silently went inside the backseat to seat while Min Ah took a deep breath as she looked at her cousin’s face who’s now leaning on the car’s window.

‘After all those six years of staying with me in New York, you still hate him. You’re still not healed after all.’

ღ

They arrived at Grande Geum Incorporated, her parent’s company’s building after they took their quick meal and quick shower, changing their clothes and retouching. Hae Soo is now wearing a Capricieux Velvet Ribbon Dress and Min Ah was wearing Reiss Vivid Floral Dress. The former slightly fixed the ribbon on her dress’ neckline before she took a step out their car. Min Ah is following her from behind before she went to her side as we walked on the building’s ground floor with their chins up.

They started to hear whispers and murmurs and they also felt the curious stares from people when they walked pass them. Hae Soo seriously don’t want people’s attention but she couldn’t blame them—they never met me for six years so they might be all curious to death about who she really is.

But it’s not my concern now. She needs to know what is wrong with her mom to urgently order her to go home.

When she’s already in front of her parents’ office’s door, a woman in a corporal dress approached them. “Good afternoon, ma’am. May I help you?”

‘If I need your help, I should be the one to approach yoi. But since I didn’t, you should get the fuck out and mind your own business,’ Hae Soo mentally rolled her eyes. She, then, looked at the woman in a blank expression. “Actually, I don’t need your help because it’s not necessary. I am here to talk to my mom.”

“You must be Lee Hae Soo-ssi?” the woman asked, amazed.

She smirked. “The one and only.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I didn’t recognize you. You can get inside now. Lee Ha Yoon-sajangnim is waiting for your arrival,” the woman opened the door for them and gestured Hae Soo’s mom who’s sitting on her swivel chair facing the glass walls of the office. (*Sajangnim—president)

“Eomma!” Hae Soo called, with a smile flaunting on her face as she sashayed her way towards her mother. Albeit she’s cold to everyone, Hae Soo will always be mama’s girl.

“Hi, auntie! Long time no see!” Min Ah grinned with her voice full of enthusiasm but mom didn’t bother to greet her back because of her mood began to gloom.

“Eomma, how are you?” Hae Soo asked. She was about to say how she missed her mom and want to converse with her about what happened to her in New York in the past six years but when she got near her mom’s table, her mom suddenly gave her a sharp look which made her frown in confusion.

“Hae Soo,” her mom called stiffly. “We did everything for you. We gave everything to you—all you want, all you need, all your caprices because we want you to do well at school. We want you to be on top. I even agreed that you’ll study to that prestigious school in New York with Min Ah, thinking that it will train you both in your physical and mental capacity as an heiress in our company but what did you do?”

“Eomma, what—?” before she could ask, her mom threw a bunch of pictures on the table, just in front of her.

Pictures of her with Ji Yeon—in casual and intimate way.

“I don’t actually want to believe these pictures my private investigator sent me while you’re still in New York. Yes, I hired a private investigator to monitor what you’re doing in New York and…” her mom took a deep breath while staring at Hae Soo. “You disappoint me, Lee Hae Soo.”

“E-Eomma, I—”

“Why are you having a relationship with a girl?!”