“So you’re moving…without me? As in, you’re leaving me behind?” I asked incredulously at my parents’ announcement. Apparently, something urgent came up in my father’s company’s lab in Daegu and he needed to resolve it before he could proceed with his current research. So urgent, in fact, that they decided to leave their one and only daughter behind. Moreover, according to them, this move was going to last for at least a year. I highly doubted it, of course.

“It’ll just be for two weeks, Paran. It’s too abrupt for you to transfer, anyway. So while the school processes your documents, me and your mother are going to get the new house and my office settled.” Dad explained, and once again his tone was final. Because, really, there wasn’t going to be any discussion about it. As usual, no one was going to ask me if I had anything to say about this new ‘plan.’

“It hasn’t even been a month since we moved here….” My eyes widened in panic as soon as the words escaped my mouth. Even if it had been the truth, I’d never ever complained about moving. I had always been supportive of my dad’s work. At the same time, I knew that whatever made my dad happy also made my mom happy. So every time my parents said we were moving, I put on my ‘good daughter’ face and went along. It wasn’t easy, but I knew it was one of the few things I could do to help my parents.

“I know, dear. You’ve always been so accepting when it came to these transfers, even though we know deep inside that what you want is to have a stable life once and for all.” Mom joined in, and I suddenly felt guilty knowing that they knew all along. There goes my acting career, I suppose.

“That’s why we’re making this move. Your dad and I thought about it a lot, you know. To be honest, it’s also a big step for us. But this time, I promise you that it’ll be our last move. At least, for the rest of your high school years.” My mom pulled me in for another hug as she said that, and then she faced me, putting her hands on my shoulders and said, “Will that be fine, with you, Paran?”

I opened my mouth but no words came out. The fact that she was even asking me if the whole plan was okay with me rendered me speechless. It opened a door towards a whole new option, the chance to say ‘no.’

Thoughts of the things that would come along with my parents’ new plan raced through my mind. Earlier I had doubted whether this move would actually last for a year, but my mom just told me that they were willing to stay for the rest of my stay in high school. That would mean that if we made this move, I’d finally be able to have a normal high school life. Possibly make friends, real ones, with sleepovers and summer trips and such. Also, take part in extra-curricular activities and clubs that I can actually commit to. Maybe they’d even let me keep a pet, something small, like a rabbit or a guinea pig that can be easy to clean up after.

It was all good until I happened upon a pair of eyes in the back of the room. A pair of eyes no one else could see. A pair of eyes that belonged to Park Chanshik, the boy I had promised to help. And those eyes reminded me of another pair that belonged to the boy I’d promised not to leave. I felt another form of guilt for looking forward to my new life without thinking about those two.

“Paran?”

But I knew what I had to do. In fact, the choice hadn't been a real choice at all, even if my parents were sincere about it. So I bit my tongue and prepared to lie to my parents for the hundredth time, hoping that this time they wouldn’t see through me.

“I think it’s going to be great.”

“That’s my girl.” I beamed at my dad’s words, while trying to avoid noticing Chanshik’s expression. “I’m afrain you’ll have to stay at home by yourself for the rest of the week. But I have arranged with Junseok to take you in next week.” Junseok was my one of my dad’s closest friends, but I usually called him Mr. Kim. He also happened to be the one who drove me home the first night we moved here.

When I first met Chanshik. The thought distracted me for a bit, until my dad spoke again.

“Do you think you can manage that?” He asked. I almost snorted at his patronizing tone.

“Geez, I dunno. I might set something on fire by accident.” I replied jokingly, but my mom sent me a stern look that made me stop grinning. “I mean. Totally. I can handle a few days by myself.” Mom finally smiled and I could see dad chuckling at my immediate change in response.

We exchanged a few more words, mostly ‘take care’s and ‘call often’s, before they left and my teacher let me go back to lunch. There were fifteen minutes left until the first afternoon class and I wasn’t sure if I had the appetite to eat. But I remembered leaving Jae-eun in the cafeteria so I decided to go back anyway.

“Wait. So you’re going to move away? You haven’t even been here a month!” Jae-eun sounded incredulous when I told her what my visit to the teacher’s lounge was all about. I’d say it was a pretty normal reaction, especially since she wasn’t the one who’s been moving around practically her whole life. I let a soft sigh escape my lips before humming in response.

“That ! What’ll happen to me if Yaehee gets sick again?!” She cried, her lower lip protruding a little bit more than usual. I chuckled at her reaction; although her words made me feel a little sad about moving away, especially, since I knew about Yaehee/Miran-eonni’s real identity. Now she was surely going to be left alone.

Jae-eun must have sensed the change in my mood because she switched the topic to a lighter one, “But hey, you’re going to attend my dad’s party next week, right?”

“Ah.” I froze after realizing that, “I forgot to ask.”

I looked at Jae-eun apologetically, and she sighs and shakes her head at me. Somewhere along that exchange, we ended up laughing.

“I’m going to ask when I call them tonight. I promise!” I held up both hands in mock surrender.

“You better!” She stabbed her chopsticks towards me.

“Alright! Geez. You’re so demanding!” We laughed some more.

“So are you going to tell him?” Jae-eun asked and the atmosphere tensed up. I took a full minute to consider her question before answering, “Yeah. There’s no reason to keep it.”

“Besides, I bet you’re going to spread it around the school within the day, anyway!” I teased and Jae-eun stuck her tongue out at me.

“Am not!” She spat back, before adding, “But seriously, would you mind if I do?”

“Jae-eun!”

“I’m kidding!”

So that was pretty much how the rest of the school day went. Jae-eun gave in to temptation as soon as we returned to the classroom, and she announced to the whole class that I was moving away in two weeks and that they should hold a going away party for me. She then proceeded to invite each of our classmates to her father’s party next week. During all of this, I managed take my seat and not face palm at how things turned out.

I was pretty sure that the news had spread around the school by the time the classes ended because I found Chanyeol waiting for me outside the school gates just as I was about to make my way home.

“Is it true?” I didn’t need to turn around to confirm it was him because I recognized his voice right away. Chanyeol’s voice was the kind you could pick out of a chorus, deep and velvety, and oftentimes distracting. It actually took me a couple of seconds to comprehend what he just said.

I turned to face him, and immediately felt guilty because he looked sad and, possibly, betrayed. Nevertheless, I nodded, deciding against words because I didn’t know what I was supposed to say.

“Oh.” He bit his lip and turned away, probably to keep me from seeing the expression on his face. I looked down, fighting the urge to reach out and take his hand when I realized that the of events may have been for the best.

If my family moved back to Daegu in two weeks, I probably wouldn’t need to exert any more effort hiding my feelings from him. And it wasn’t like I needed to break my promise to him or Chanshik. All that had to happen is for the case to be solved and the murderers to be found before I left.

So with that in mind, I began to hatch a plan.

A/N: Yay another update! :D Whaddaya think?