Just like the God had listen to Taeyeon’s prayers, after she got a job, today Taeyeon received a good news from their school principal that she passed the test of their school program to study on a prestigious university overseas. She also got a scholarship for that.

“Miss Kim, Congratulations!” the principal said to the young girl who got her eyes were glistening and tearing in joy

“Thank you Mrs. Shim, I’ve been waiting for a break like this for so long!” Taeyeon sobbed in happiness as she held the envelope that contained her result with all her life.

“Now, all you need to have is a permission from your parents or guardian so we can proceed to the next step.” The principal smiled at her “We already sent your result to your address.” Mrs. Shim added

“Thank you Mrs. Shim.” Taeyeon bowed many times and smiled towards the principal

“You deserve it.” The principal replied with a proud smile as she patted Taeyeon on the shoulder

---

Taeyeon walked on her way home happily, she jumped around and skipped few steps in one leap, ignoring those weird gazes that people gave her. She can’t erase that big bright smile on her face. Everything felt like surreal to her. She finally got a job and she had an opportunity to study on a prestigious university she dreamed of. She skipped on her way home with a positive vibe, until she heard a voice out of nowhere.

“Don’t go home yet.” Taeyeon heard a voice as she felt someone poked her back, she knew already who was it.

“Sooyoung, I told you to stop poking me with that cold slender fingers of yours and at least appear in front of me not behind me! Gosh, you’re freaking me out.” Taeyeon complained to the ghost

“Old habit. It dies hard.” Sooyoung shrugged

“What did you say a while ago?” Taeyeon asked

“Don’t go home yet, your aunt is on rage!” Sooyoung told her

“She’s always on rage.” Taeyeon said as she continued walking, ignoring the ghost’s plea

“DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU! STUBBORN MICROSCOPIC CREATURE!” Sooyoung yelled in distressed

“I don’t care chopstick!” Taeyeon nonchalantly replied

---

Taeyeon arrived home with a huge smile, she opened the door to greet anybody on the living room.

“I’m home!” she was greeted by a flying crumpled paper on her face.

“KIM TAEYEON!” her angry aunt said

“W-What did I do?” Taeyeon asked in fear

“You’ve been planning to run away with your mother’s money and study abroad, aren’t you?”

“What do you mean, auntie?”

“Ch, don’t pretend to be clueless. Listen, I won’t let you escape with your mother’s will! You’ve been a heavy burden for me for 9 years, the least you can do is give me your mother’s will and all the money she’d left for you! Aren’t you ashamed at all? All you had given me is headache! There’s no way I will let you go before you give me the damn money that I deserve!!” her aunt yelled at Taeyeon in frustration

“I-I wasn’t thinking like that, I swear!”

“Where’s the will? Come on, tell me!”

“I do not know, I swear auntie.”

“You don’t know, huh? Well, to tell you, I’m not going to let you study abroad!”

“But auntie!”

“That’s final, now cook me some dinner before I hit you! I’m hungry already!”

After she cooked dinner for her evil aunt, Taeyeon went outside the house to get some fresh air. She was sobbing all by herself as she sat on a stair outside . She was sad that her perfect day was ruined by her auntie’s selfish choice, all because of that stupid will she had no idea about. Taeyeon felt the coldness and someone poked her back.

“I told you not to go home yet, but you didn’t listen to me.” Sooyoung appeared out of nowhere

“When will I be happy Soo?” Taeyeon asked with tears in her eyes that surely broke her ghost friend’s heart.

“I wish I could tell you., but have a little faith. Maybe it will come soon!” Sooyoung tried to cheer her up

“Were you happy during your life Soo?”

“In a way, yes. Though I wasn’t able to do everything I wanted to do. But cheer up, you’re still alive, you still have a chance to do what you want to do and be what you want to be!”

“Thank you for being there, Soo, though you freak me out a lot of times with your cold slender fingers poking on my back.”

“Don’t cry anymore, you look ugly, and you’ve been sniffing on your hoodie, it’s so wet already with your gruesome snorts, midget.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You’re welcome, by the way, I’ve seen a lot of cheap hoodies on children size as I wander on a shopping store awhile ago, I think you should buy one.”

“Hold up, I’m in a mood for lighting some incense. Have a good sleep outside chopstick!”

“I’M SO SORRY, COME BACK HERE! Haish! Just when will you learn your lesson, Choi chopstick?! Wait, I must be crazy. Since when I start referring myself as chopstick like that midget do?” Sooyoung asked to no one as she scratched the back of her head.

---

Taeyeon came to work looking so sad and lifeless. She really wanted to pursue her dreams abroad but her auntie wouldn’t let her, and there’s no way she could get that scholarship abroad if her aunt doesn’t sign on the paper. It seems like she’s being played around by life.

Unconsciously she kept mopping the same floor mindlessly for hours and her boss was observing her.

“Haksaeng..” Tiffany called the part-timer’s attention

“...”

“Earth to Taeyeon?”

“O-Oh, sajangnim! What is it?” Taeyeon asked as she rushed toward Tiffany’s side

“You’ve been mopping for hours already. On the same floor it is.” Tiffany pointed out

“I-I’m sorry…” Taeyeon bowed

“You look gloomy as the weather outside.” Taeyeon looked outside the window of the shop and had seen it was raining heavily. She groaned inwardly because she forgot her umbrella.

“Come here.” her boss ordered her and Taeyeon complied. Tiffany reached out an envelope to her. “This is your salary. You can go home now. I guess that’s all for today.” The woman said in her usual monotonous voice

“Thank you, sajangnim!” Taeyeon accepted the envelop with glee on her eyes

“Take an umbrella and a coat, it’s cold outside.” Tiffany said without looking at her as the latter was still busy counting passersby outside and drinking her shots. “50….” Tiffany counted softly as she looked down sadly on the table “It’s not today again.” the woman said and sighed

“T-Thank you...Are you okay sajangnim?” Tiffany looked at her and smiled softly

“Never been better.” She said, beaming a smile that didn't even reached her eyes.

From that day, Taeyeon learned a few things about her boss and knew why she was counting.

First, she seems cold and indifferent at first but caring. Second, she counts passersby because she’s been waiting for someone special for the rest of her life to come. Third, she smiled to cover the wounds she has on the inside. After learning all of those facts of her boss, Taeyeon has to say that something inside her was stirred, intrigued.

Guess all she needs is someone to pull her out of this sea of depression that‘s drowning her, just like me. Guess we’re not so different after all. Taeyeon inwardly thought as she makes her way out of the store.

---

After work, Taeyeon went home and was greeted by her aunt.

“What took you so long, I’m hungry already?” her aunt complained, grumpy and heartless as always

“I’m going to cook dinner now.” Taeyeon proceed to the kitchen and discovered that there refrigerator was empty. “Auntie, I just did some grocery few days ago right?” Taeyeon asked

“So?”

“Nothing left from it?” she asked carefully

“NOTHING LEFT FROM IT BECAUSE YOU’RE A BURDEN TO ME AND LEECHING OF HERE IN MY HOUSE!” her aunt ye