At precisely seven in the morning I felt my watch buzz. I pressed the off button and rolled over. At least until I hit the ground. “W-Whoa!!”

BAM!

This is so not a good morning start for me.

I held my head up with the most annoyed expression glued to my face. I sat up from the floor and stood up carefully and tried to restrain myself from the backache due to the fall. I scratched my head, and once my eyes were fully round and open, I quickly remembered of yesterday’s incident. I wasn’t home.

I looked around and noticed that the place was quiet and peaceful.

I guess the girls aren’t up yet.

I skipped ahead to freshen up in the bathroom. There wasn’t much I could do. The bathroom was nothing like back home and it gave me chills having the thought of being in an unfamiliar place.

I slashed some cold water on my face and looked at my expression in the clean mirror in front of me. A sigh escaped, but I build back my courage and walked out the door.

Before I went out the dorm, I scrambled through my backpack to find my wallet. Instead I grabbed my phone. It made me wonder how mom and dad were doing since the day I snuck out. But I shook the thoughts out from my head.

Anyways, I bet Jessica’s gonna tattle anytime soon.

I slung my backpack over my shoulder and left the dorm. Would Jessica even tell if I was missing? Or she’d probably think yesterday was all a dream.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I reached town perfectly by foot within minutes. I observed my whole surroundings as I walked down the streets of Seoul. Things were still the same since the day I left. It kind of made me miss the old times. But well, it was for the best. Beats having Sones complain on the forums about how I am nothing like Jessica, I’m nowhere near as pretty as her, and I can’t even hold a note without plunging back down.

Yea. Those were some good memories. You can’t blame me for being an anti. Not to Girls’ Generation, but to Sones. And Jessica still asks why I don’t wanna become one?

Maybe it’s best if she doesn’t know.

I glanced down at my red watch on my left wrist. It was eight thirty in the morning and I could hear my stomach start to grumble. I took out my wallet and checked my savings. There was only fifty bucks left.

I looked around and wondered. What can you get for fifty bucks?

Then my eyes landed on a stall with fish balls, crabsticks, and quail eggs.

Steamboat? Good enough.

I took out the fifty bucks from my wallet and-

“Watch out!”

I looked up ahead. A cycler tried his best not to run into me but ended up screeching towards the sidewalk; making me jump and skidding down to the ground. That wasn’t all. The worst part was that the fifty bucks in my hand, the only fifty bucks I had, flew far off, and…

…down into the pipe drain.

This cannot be happening.

I got on my knees and crouched down, thinking of a way how I could grab the money.

Darn it, darn it, darn it!

While I was busy scrunching my hair desperately, the cycler got up from the ground and approached me. “Miss? Are you alright?” he asked with concern.

I was alright, but my growling stomach wasn’t.

“I’m gonna starve…” I blurted while holding my head down.

“Look, I’m sorry. It was my fault. But you’re ok, right? Do you need anything?”

The word made my head spring back up.

Anything?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As we walked down the sidewalk, I started to devour the fish balls and quail eggs. It tasted so delicious, even for a steamboat stall!

Or maybe it’s ‘cause I haven’t eaten anything ever since I arrived yesterday.

“You sure are hungry.” The guy said.

I gave out an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

“Well that answers it.” He chuckled as he walked along beside me while steering his bike with him.

“Thanks, by the way.” I said.

“No problem. I owe you.”

I nodded shyly and continued to chow down the fish balls. He seemed like a pretty decent guy. His bright hair was most likely the number one eye-catching thing about him. He had charismatic smile, and his looks showed that he was quite the diligent type.

He was… cute.

Ok, did I just say that?

“I should get going.” He said as he hopped on his bike. I was cut off from my thoughts. A part of me felt a little sad that he was leaving already. “See you around.” He smiled and waved before riding off.

Once he was out of sight, I began to hit myself. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

I didn’t even get to say a goodbye. Let alone get his name.

I felt a sudden pang hit me.

This is why Jessica says I’m never good at getting boyfriends. My timid self is the worst case about me.

Idiot. I muttered inside my head.

I realized that it was already nine and still no luck of finding any job. I slumped my shoulders and decided to just head back and maybe try again later.

When I arrived and walked inside the dorm, I was greeted by a pillow smashing onto my face as I was happily eating my quail egg. My smile disappeared and turned into a sour grape frown.

“Erika Soojin Jung, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!” Jessica yelled in anger.

I didn’t bother to pick up the pillow on the floor and just walked in.

“Hello! I’m talking here!” she whined.

I finished the last of my quail egg and tossed the empty plastic back inside the dumpster in the kitchen.

“Erika, get back here!!” Jessica wailed from behind.

I decided that it was time to calm her down. “Chillax, I was just getting some breakfast.”

She sighed with a little tensed groan and slumped her shoulders back. “Well you could’ve at least told me.”

“I didn’t wanna wake you.” I gave the innocent eyes and she stopped her babbling.

I walked over towards the couch and slumped down. She followed me and stood in front with her arms crossed.

“I called mom,” She said without any kind of expression, whatsoever. I pursed my lips and looked down, avoiding eye contact. “…and she said to let you stay ‘till you’ve made up your mind.”

My eyes widened. “For real?”

“But you still have to go to college whether you like it or not. Or I’m driving your back to California and send you to London to study designing.”

And there goes my happy thoughts.

“Sica,” I said with a cold tone while trying to restrain myself from bursting. “I don’t want, I repeat, don’t want to go to stinkin’ college!”

I was off the couch and in front of