Chapter 1

Lee Hyelin walked to her first class of the day with a straight face and her fresh blonde hair. After work the week before, she used her paycheck to get it done for herself. She was planning a Harley Quinn outfit for Halloween. The outfit she bought online, but the hair dye she decided to get it done at the salon she worked at.

Hyelin dropped down in the last seat of the front row. Since most of her professors usually picked on students in the middle and back of the class, that seat was her best bet. As usual, before class started—instead of talking and joking with friends—Hyelin took out her MacBook, a notepad, and a pen so she can read about the current news and make notes. 

Hyelin works part-time at a hair shop and part-time intern at J&J publishers. She is at the hair salon on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and is at the Publisher’s office on Tuesdays and Saturdays. She cuts hair for people of all ages and genders when needed be and works the cash register most of the time. She works at the salon to keep up with the rent and other essentials, since her father paid for her full college tuition. She interns at J&J because when she graduates that would be the field she would work in. Hyelin is a Journalist Major and a Business Minor. She wanted to be a journalist, but her father made her minor in business so that she would have a fall back when all else fails. Plus she would have all kinds of skills. Since he paid for it, she had no complaints.

The professor came in and started class while Hyelin drowned him out. Her mind was too focused on taking notes on the heir of Kim Universals. Lately, the news reported him starting as an intern at a rival company’s main office even though no one knows who he is, they are all on high alert. They aren’t on alert because he’s working at the rival’s company, actually the rival company is great friends with the Kims and it is rumored that the son of the Kims is engaged with the daughter of this rival company, but she too is unknown. Everyone is only on alert because they are curious as to which of the newbies he is.

Hyelin used her sources to find out he was not there to spy, but as a learning mechanism to build him up through a company different than theirs. In a recent interview that Hyelin’s boss did with the stockholders of Kim Universals, the reason the Kims kept their children’s identity hidden was because they wanted their children to enjoy life before taking control of the company and being kept under public eye.

As Hyelin wrote her outline out for the article ready to post it, her professor came around and tapped lightly on her desk. She looked up slowly, knowing that she got caught.

“Miss Lee,” the journalism professor smiled. “Would you like to share with the class what you are so focused on?” Hyelin had to make up an excuse fast, she didn’t want her drafted article to be brought to the light before it was ever published.

She blinked her eyes almost innocently, “Sorry professor, I was just brainstorming a new article topic for our next assignment.” She gulped and pulled a sheet of paper from underneath the one she was just writing on. “I just love doing things ahead of time,” she finished with a grin. 

“Well that’s ok to do Miss Lee, just make sure that next time you aren’t doing this while I am speaking. You could be missing something important.” The professor walked away and continued his lecture. Hyelin now relieved, put her notes away and took out another note taking pad that was used for that class. She thought that in her next class she could type and finish it up.

 When it comes to looks, Hyelin is well-known for being pretty. She has gotten at least three love confessions her four years of being in college. She had turned them down because with her current situation—all the school and work—there is no room for love. She viewed love skeptically. Whereas she thought what her parents were when she was a child was love, turned out to be wrong. To her it seemed like one had loved the other, while the other had no feelings of love at all.

She reached her second class of the day, science. Oh how she dreaded science. It was her most hated subject, hence why she waited her last two semesters to take them. She pulled out her laptop—instead of taking notes like the good student she isn’t—during the whole class period, she wrote up an article on the mysterious son of Kim Universals to be published today after school. Tuesdays and Saturdays are the days where she visits the headquarters to submit her articles. 

“Alright class,” the professor interrupted. “Remember that Thursday will be our first lab of the semester. So whatever spot you find on Thursday, will end up being your seat and the people around you will be a part of your lab group for the rest of the semester.” As class ended the science professor warned the students about the lab class starting in the next few days. And the first lab of the semester started the day before Halloween. Whoop dee doo.

--

When Hyelin arrived home after dropping off her work that day, she noticed something was off. The door was unlocked and she always locks it when she leaves the house. But then the stench of alcohol filled her nose and she knew, , her father was home.

The father that only came home once every 6 months to leave three hundred bucks cash was there, two months early. He only came for Christmas and for her birthday, June and December every year since she was twelve years old.

She winced she was saw him leaned over with beer bottles scattered everywhere, a beer bottle in his hand, and a drugged look on his face. Hyelin sat her bag down to grab a trash bag and start cleaning up the mess he made. She always kept the apartment spotless while he was gone. Her father who now worked in America, her father who she rarely sees, her father who every time she did see him is a drunken mess because she looked similar to the one he loved so dearly, looked up at her with tears streaming down his face. Hyelin’s poor pitiful father who was a victim to love, shed tears once again. The last time she saw him this broken was when her mother left all those years ago. She had counted the years she was gone at first, waiting for her mom to comeback and return her heart to them, but after so long she gave up and catered to making her dad feel better.

As she turned around to pick up another beer bottle, a hand grabbed her tightly around her wrist. “Hye, I should’ve changed my number, I don’t know why I didn’t. I guess I was hoping that the one day she would call me. She would call me and we’d cry and talk about our mistakes while rebuilding our family again. But she didn’t. She called me because she saw your name somewhere and was curious how old you were and how you were doing.” He said the word curious with so much venom. “I didn’t think I’d be this devastated, but I am,” Hyelin’s dad handed her his phone. “I couldn’t get myself to curse her out and delete her number. I wanted to tell her that she had no right to ask about you after she abandoned you; abandoned us. But I couldn’t even open my mouth, nothing would come out. Here the number is still saved on there, give her a call.”

Hyelin stared at the phone in disgust. She couldn’t believe how after all these years her mother could just attempt to pass over her father and try to contact Hyelin. She wasn’t going to call her and she wasn’t going to pick up even if she called first. Not ever. She placed the phone down and went over to her father to help him to his room.

“Sorry Dad. I know it must have took a lot out of you to come all the way out here, but I have no intention to get in contact with her at all,” Hyelin said as she tucked him in. “Well then father, sleep well, I’ll be going now,” she bowed and closed the room door softly as her dad fell into a deep sleep.

--

That Thursday morning, Hyelin headed out to class after making her father some breakfast before his trip home and packing her something to eat later. Her and her father had a long talk on Wednesday when she came home from work that night. They talked about whether or not she would call her mom and talked about her plans for Christmas and graduation since the next time he would come back would be for the holiday. He gave her head a pat and her cheek a kiss when she left.

The only class Hyelin had today was her lab class. Something she really didn’t look forward to at all, but was required to graduate.

“Hi,” the girl Hyelin’s physics lab group exclaimed. She was a pretty one. She had tanned skin and round eyes that looked like it could brighten a person’s day. Hyelin usually didn’t talk to anyone at school, but for that class it was required and since it was the first lab of her science class that semester, she would have to get used to it.  “My name is Saemi, Kim Saemi”, the girl cheerfully indulged.

Hyelin smiled at her, “Hi, Saemi. I am Lee Hyelin. Nice to meet you.”

Saemi tossed her notebook aside and scooted in closer to Hyelin. “Okay. So I know that we just met and all, but I’m trying to get to know the kids at school this semester, so I’m throwing this Halloween party for everyone here on campus tomorrow night,” she told her animatedly. It looked like she had stars in her eyes from being so excited. Saemi handed an invitation to Hyelin with a genuine and bright smile on her face. “It is at the Kim Universal A hotel. I know the owners, so I was able to block book the whole 21^st floor which has a bar and pool area along with bunches of rooms which I will have open to freely walk in and out”. The way she explained it was so passionate that Hyelin couldn’t say no.

Hyelin had never been invited to a party, and she barely had time to make for friends, but she decided to be different this one time. She smiled politely back at Saemi, “Sure. Why not? It’s a Friday night and I never have anything else to do. Because you are super adorable and extremely excited for this, I will go and have some fun.” Saemi beamed widely.

“Thank you Hyelin” she said.

Hyelin felt ecstatic to know she could possibly find someone to be friends with. “Actually you can call me Hye, Saemi. Since you are my new friend.”

A/N: There it is! The first chapter! Please let me know how you like it. This chapter was set to be a sort of background chapter before the big event next chapter. :) Hope that you stick with me till then.