Narrator POV

“Halmoni I’m here!” Ara called joyfully as she entered the little shop. 

“Ara dear! I thought I told you to stop coming and focus on your internship!” despite her words, the old lady still greeted the young girl with a warm hug. 

“My internship is over Halmoni, and I decided to leave.” 

Halmoni frowned, “Why is that?” 

“I want to focus on my studies,” Ara replied good naturedly as she already started sorting through the boxes, “Don’t worry about me Halmoni, I can take care of myself.”

Halmoni sighed and shook her head, “I don’t know why you always hole yourself this ancient cave of mine.” 

Ara opened to respond but Halmoni interrupted, “Don’t mention how it’s to see me because you know I’d much rather invite you to my home for a cup of tea than having you work here for me.

“Aigoo, Halmoni I just like being here,” Ara smiled, it’s the only place that resembles a home. 

“If you insist,” Halmoni patted Ara’s hand, “Well let me heat up some cookies to welcome you home then.” 

Ara grinned and nodded as the little old lady disappeared to the back. Dropping her bag behind the counter, Ara tied her hair up and started organizing the shelves when she realized that they ran out of printer paper. 

Grabbing a flashlight, she made her way to the basement. Just as Ara opened the door, she heard a grunt and some shuffling.

That’s weird, she thought, Halmoni was upstairs and Harabeoji had a bad back so he couldn’t make it down these stairs which mean only one thing, a thief. in a breath of air, Ara reached for the nearest weapon that happened to be the exacto knife in her back pocket. 

With a good amount of the blade sticking out, she advanced forward attempting to locate the intruder. 

“Ah found it! Eomeoni I told you not to-…”

“DON’T MOVE!” 

“AGHHH…Ara?”

Huh? That voice sounded strangely familiar, Ara lowered her flashlight and took a good look at the thief’s face, “Kihyun?”

“Is everything alright down there?” Halmoni voiced out concern from above. 

“Uh, yes Eomeoni! We’ll be right up,” Kihyun called back. 

Ara gasped, “You’re Halmoni’s unfilial son?” For one thing, she expected him to be a lot older and… more rigid looking? 

“When we go up just follow along with what I say ok?” Kihyun pleaded, “I’ll explain later,” he then dragged both of them up. 

“Ara!” Halmoni looked astonished, “What are you doing with the knife like that!” 

“Uh…” Ara’s glanced at her unsheathed exacto knife and quickly restored it in its shell, “Nothing Halmoni!” 

“Ah! I believe you two haven’t met yet! This is Kihyun, the son you’ve always heard about but never seen,” Halmoni smiled at the lady, “Did this rascal scare you in the basement?”

“A-A bit,” Ara gulped and stared at Kihyun unsure of what to do. 

“He’s on break right now and came back to see me and his dad for two weeks,” Halmoni explained.

“Hi, nice to meet you, I’m Yoo Kihyun, head professor of the social science department at Columbia University,” he stuck his hand out. 

“N-nice to meet you,” Ara shook his hand and Halmoni seemed pleased. 

“Eomeoni, we ran out of printer paper, I’ll go get some right now, can Ara help me? It’s been awhile, I forgot where the store is,” Kihyun spoke sheepishly. 

“Of course!” Halmoni smiled at Ara, “If you don’t mind.”

Ara nodded, “Of course.” 

The two then left the shop, and as soon as they turned the corner, “Columbia University… social sciences… professor…. really?” the girl raised an eyebrow. 

Kihyun sighed, “It’s a long story let’s find a café to sit down at.”

*                      *                      *

~Flashback~ 

“Do you go to school?” the girl asked as she devoured her triangle kimbap. 

“No,” the boy replied biting into his tuna flavoured one. 

“Then what do you do during the day?” the young girl cleaned off her wrapper. 

“I… hide,” the boy stopped eating. 

“Hide?” the girl cocked her head, “From what? Are there bad people chasing you?” 

The young boy nodded. 

“Do you want to come to school with me tomorrow? School is a safe place, only teachers and kids can enter.”

“Really?” the boy’s eyes glistered with hope then dimmed again, “But… I can’t… I don’t have that,” he pointed at her uniform. 

“Oh,” the girl shook her head, “They have a lot of extra ones in the storage room, we will go early tomorrow,” she grabbed a fe