“You know, I don’t think there’s a drink in the entire world I’d like better than raspberry iced tea. It’s what heaven must be like.” Irene glanced down at the tall, glistening glass in her hand and turned to face Tiffany.

“It really is the most remarkable beverage.”

Her childhood friend shook her head in amusement. “It doesn’t take a lot to make you happy, you know that?”

“Not true. I’ll get back to you when I win the lottery and move to Hawaii.”

She punctuated the last word with a raising of her eyebrows and a deep pull on her straw as she stared dreamily into the sky.

It was Saturday and Yuri was spending the night with her cousins.

Irene welcomed the opportunity for a little girl talk with Tiffany at Sabro’s, the little outdoor café they frequented.

“Anything else I can get for you, ladies?” the waitress asked as she cleared the dinner dishes from their table.

“I think we’re going to need another round, if I know my thirsty friend here.” Tiffany angled her thumb at Irene who nodded happily.

“So what else is new with you?” Tiffany asked, turning her attention back to Irene fully. “We haven’t talked in over a week. It feels weird not to see my best friend for days on end. I’m neglected.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. We picked up kind of a big job and Mama was shorthanded, so I took it.”

Tiffany Hwang had been Irene’s best friend since she’d moved to San Diego as a child.

They’d lived 2 doors down from each other through the entirety of their growing up years, and there was no one closer to her in the world.

“You know something, it’s actually kind of nice to be out in the field. You should see this place, Fany. You would die.”

“It’s in bad shape?” She played with her straw.

“Not even close. It’s a mansion, at least, and in absolutely pristine condition. It’s like no one ever really lived there. They just came by to take tours and snap photos. The warmth is completely absent. No family photographs on the wall, no greeting cards tucked away or messages on the refrigerator. It’s completely presentational.” Irene shrugged, mystified.

“I don’t think I could be comfortable in a place like that. I don’t care how luxurious it was.”

“Me neither. I don’t see the appeal of having nice things if you never use them. I kind of feel sorry for the woman in a way and her daughters too.”

“Her daughters?”

“Yeah, she apparently has 2. Her younger daughter is the one who hired me.”

“What’s she like?”

“Beautiful, successful, rich, and she knows it. Outside of that, I can’t tell you much. It must have been a cold place to grow up though. You can’t fault her for how she turned out.”

“Well,” Tiffany began, tossing her napkin onto the table, “as much as I’d like to stay and talk with you for another hour or 5, Chi Yeol, lord of the manor, will be home soon and complaining obnoxiously about the whereabouts of his dinner. If I didn’t love him, I’d kill him.”

Irene laughed. “Geez, another reason I long desperately to be married again.”

“Oh, you’ll get your turn. In fact, I’ve been waiting for the right moment to mention this. I have someone who I think would be perfect for you. Before you say anything, hear me out.”

Irene groaned loudly and nudged Tiffany’s shoulder with her own as they walked down the sidewalk to their cars.

“No, Fany, no more setups. Absolutely not. They never work out, and I always wind up feeling like a failure.”

So she sounded like a petulant child, that’s how she felt.

She had her daughter to consider, and maybe that made her standards way too high.

At any rate, she was exhausted from Tiffany’s endless setups and was coming to the conclusion that she was best on her own.

She and Yuri against the world.

That’s how it should be.

End of story.

“Before you hang up your little black cocktail dress for life, just go out with this last one. His name is Choi Minho and he’s an architect who works on the job site with Chi Yeol.”

“An architect?” Irene couldn’t help but perk up a tad.

An architect did sound promising a steady job, an education maybe one date wouldn’t hurt.

“All right, all right. I can get behind one date, but don’t get your hopes up.”

She sighed. “Is he free Friday?”

“I’ll check,” Tiffany practically sang. “Did I mention he’s an architect?” Her eyes sparkled in match maker victory.

***

Seulgi didn’t make it to her mother’s house the next day or the 2 days after that.

She had meetings late into each evening and was still playing catch up from the days she’d been out the 2 weeks prior.

She decided to check in with Wendy on her way out for the day, knowing she’d be working late on the sales kit redesign and going over the mock-ups with a fine tooth comb.

She stuck her head into Wendy’s office and smiled. “I guess you win tonight. I’m out.”

Wendy swiveled around in her chair and jokingly patted herself on the back. “It’s rare that I outlast the boss. I accept the victory proudly. I would like to thank God and Red Bull.”

Her light brunette hair was pulled back loosely into a clasp at the back of her neck, and she’d already removed the designer jacket and heels she’d worn to work that day.

Seulgi knew her well enough to tell that she was settling in. “I’ve got at least another hour, maybe 2, probably 3. I’m proud of you for breaking away though. You’ve been working like a crazy person.”

Seulgi shot Wendy a wry look, smiling internally at the irony. “Says the girl who has at least another hour, probably 3.”

“Hey, that’s why you pay me the big bucks. Plans for tonight? Hot date? Please say no. I haven’t had a date in months and I’ll die.”

“Nope. You’re destined to survive. I need to head over to Mother’s and see how it’s coming. I think I’ll pick up a pizza first. Starving. Today got away from me and I never caught up.” She rubbed the back of her neck in defeat.

“Did you use the service I suggested?”

“Yeah. They sent someone over. She seems competent enough. She dances.” Seulgi smiled as she thought back to the scene she’d interrupted earlier in the week.

“I’m sorry. She dances?”

“Never mind.” She waved off the comment. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

When she arrived at the house this time, she considered knocking so as not to startle Irene.

Exhaustion precluded those plans, however, and Seulgi opened the door with purpose.

Hunger trumps manners, she thought.

Everyone knows that.

She was impressed actually, to see Irene’s car still parked out front.

She thought there was a strong chance she would have left for the day.

Apparently, Irene shared Seulgi’s strong work ethic.

She wasn’t in the least bit prepared, however, for the mountainous display of boxes that greeted her in the entryway.

Seulgi gazed in amazement at nearly 100 tightly packed boxes, stacked systematically along each wall.

Upon further examination, Seulgi could see that affixed to each box was a typed up label detailing each and every item the box contained.

As she studied one of the labels, still in amazement at the organization she was witnessing, Irene appeared carrying yet another labeled box.

“Oh, hey, Seulgi,” she said cheerfully. “Better day at work today?”

“A little, thank you,” she answered absently.

Her mind was still focused on the overwhelming progress Irene had made in just the few days since she’d been to the house. “Did the agency send you help?”

She set the pizza on the small table.

Irene glanced at the boxes and then back to Seulgi. “No, still just me. But not to worry, I’m getting there little by little.”

“I’ll say. I can’t believe you’ve done all of this. I’m utterly shocked.”

Irene, who now seemed to understand that Seulgi was impressed and not concerned, smiled.

And it was a nice smile.

Warm.

“I just try to stay systematic with my approach so as to not overwhelm myself. One room at a time.”

“And the labels?”

“Right. I hope it was okay that I used the PC in the office to print them out. I thought it would make it easier if I cataloged each item for you, just in case. There’s a master list of everything I’ve packed and that can be cross-referenced with the box numbers located on the upper right hand corner of each label. The boxes are stacked in order as well, so if there was an item or keepsake I didn’t know to set aside for you, it could be easily located and retrieved.”

Seulgi didn’t know what to say.

“I’m sorry. Should I have checked with you first?”

“No, no. This is just more than I had imagined. I have to admit, I’m beyond impressed.” And she was.

She liked the way Irene had come in and taken it upon herself to organize such a detailed system.

This woman was a go-getter.

Irene beamed even brighter at Seulgi. “Thank you.” And then she appeared to relax a little. “I was worried you’d be upset. You seem like someone who likes things done a certain way.”

She turned then moved back into the living room and began taping up yet another box.

Seulgi was intrigued by the comment and couldn’t resist following Irene into the next room. “What makes you say that?”

Irene gestured to Seulgi’s designer suit. “You run a very successful company and didn’t get there by accident.”

“True. But I c