Vernon entered his car, where his driver was waiting, as he watches Jessica step into the van with Taehyung. Without thinking, he ordered his driver to secretly follow the black van. He watched from afar as the couple entered an ice-cream store and waited for them to come out. Soon enough, the two returned, each with a cone in their hands, as they cheerfully joked with one another. Vernon’s heart sank a little as he observed how different Jessica was when she was with Taehyung. He was angry with himself, as he was not able to see the playful and bubbly Jessica whenever he was around. Vernon sighed as he continued to watch Jessica chase Taehyung after he smeared some of his ice cream on her cheek.

“Why can’t I have that effect on her?” Vernon whispered to himself.

The driver looked at the young master via the rear mirror and frowned, “What’s wrong with him today?” He thought to himself, confused because he has never seen Vernon so worked up over a girl.

Vernon and his driver continued to follow the black van as Taehyung dropped Jessica off at her house. Vernon looked around and noticed that she lived not too far away from his house. After making sure that she has entered and was safe inside her house, Vernon went home.

Upon arriving, he was greeted by his mother and his younger sister, Sofia, who had disappeared and left him alone for a couple of days.

“Vernon Hansol Chwe! Where have you been? Do you know how late it is? You got me worried sick” His mother asked with concern as soon as he stepped into the mansion. The boy scoffed and rolled his eyes,

“I could ask you the same! You left without saying a word for a couple of days. And you didn’t even call!”

“Your father and I were on a business trip and Sofia went camping with her class. I left you a note next to the vase.” His mother explained calmly as she looks around for her favourite vase. Puzzled, she looked at her son,

“What happened to my vase?” She queried and the teenager shrugged his shoulders. His mind flashed back to the night that Jessica was over and how she broke his mother’s favourite vase.

“Don’t know, don’t care” He replied before beginning the climb up the stair case to lock himself in his room.

“Vernon.” A stern voice called after him. Vernon let out a sigh as he turned around the face the owner of the voice.

“Father.” Vernon replied, almost mocking the tone of his father.

“We need to talk.” He glared at the boy before softening his eyes to look at his daughter, “Sofia, honey, why don’t you go to your room and finish the book that we were reading together before”

Sofia nodded her head and obeyed her father’s order as she senses something bad was going to happen. She briefly hugs her older brother as she passes by him and he gently pats her head. Once the youngest in the family has left, Vernon looked at his parents bitterly. Ever since they forced him to move to Korea, they were not on good terms.

“I received a call from your principal today. He told me everything you’ve done.” His father began as he crosses his arm and looked at Vernon with an unamused expression. “You need to grow up, Vernon. Stop acting like a brat”

Vernon rolled his eyes, “Since when did you start caring?”

His mother looked at him with teary eyes and she wraps her arm around Vernon, “Of course we care, honey. But you know you can’t go around acting like this.”

Vernon scoffed as he pushes his mother’s arms away from him.

“What is wrong with you, Hansol? Ever since we’ve moved to Korea, you’ve been acting like a nuisance. I’ve given you everything that any kid would want. You wanted money? I gave you money. You wanted a new play station? I got you the play station. You wanted a new phone? I got you your new damn phone. You need to start behaving or else –“

Anger boiled in Vernon as he carefully listens to every word that escaped his father’s mouth. He thumped his clenched first on the dining table and stood up from his chair,

“Or else what?” He interrupted, “Have you ever thought that all of those things that you’ve given me isn’t what I really wanted? All I wanted was for us… to be a family again… like when we were back in the States. Ever since we got to Korea, both of you have been too absorbed with the business. You’re never home… hell, you don’t even drive me to school anymore!”

By now, his mother was in tears and his father stared at him with shock in his eyes.

“Vernon… you’re not 12 anymore. We can’t go and spend the day at a petting zoo or go to those childish amusement parks. Your mother and I are working hard to earn money so that you kids get a proper education and live a comfortable life. But here you are, wasting our money as you misbehave at school!” His father raised his voice and slammed his hand on the dining table.

Vernon chuckled and shook his head. He fought back the tears that were threatening to fall. He couldn’t believe the words that came from his father and didn’t want to believe that this family no longer existed. Without saying a word, he left his parents in the kitchen and walked towards the front door. He looked up the staircase and could see his younger sister, who was hiding behind the rails and was silently crying to herself.

“She must’ve heard everything…” Vernon thought to himself as he gave her a sympathetic smile. He watches as she wipes away her tears and whispered ‘I love you’ to his baby sister before he left the house. Grabbing his bicycle from the shed, he pedalled away without a set location in mind. He wasn’t sure where