Shin Hyun Hae’s alarm sounded off at exactly 6:30am. She’s a shallow sleeper who wake up easily even with the sound of a house lizard landing onto her bed’s headboard so long as she have slept for at least three hours; less than that and nobody, and I say nobody, can wake her from her slumber.

Well, she has slept a good eight hours so everything is bright and beautiful. Today is the day she is to start on her job as an online writer in a music site in Korea where she has been living for a good four and a half years now.

Hyun Hae’s father is a full-blooded Korean, whereas her mother is half Japanese, half Filipino, making her a half-Korean, one fourth-Japanese, and one fourth-Filipino, if ever that should be stated.

Born in the Philippines where her parents met when her father went there for a vacation, and her mother is working as a bartender in the hotel her dad stayed, romance sparks between the two, hence, the birth of their one and only daughter—Hyun Hae. She also had her primary education there before moving to Japan where she spent her High School.

Being an inter-racial child might be cool-sounding for others, but for her, it’s a pain in the . They have to move to Japan when her mom’s Japanese mother went to care for her then sick older sister, her Onee-sama. They then decided to move as a family since her Filipino husband is not with them anymore.

Now, why is she living in Korea again? Right, because she decided to experience living in her father’s country. Know the people, which are her people basically, and, simply live the Korean way. Her father is not with them anymore, he died of a tragic traffic accident back in Japan. It was a case of hit-and-run, the driver was never arrested.

After her high school graduation, Hyun Hae asked her mother if she can attend and finish college in Korea—a topic they didn’t get to settle that easily since her mother wanted them to stay together given the fact that theirs is a small family. She soon won the argument when she said that she’ll visit them every three months.

So now, for four and a half years, she’s been living in Korea with her friend and college classmate, Lee Hara.

Hara is a Korean girl, an only child just like Hyun Hae. She lives with her parents near Hyehwa University where they both attended. They met on the first day of classes and immediately became friends since they both love to laugh. Hara is fascinated by the fact that Hyun Hae is from Japan and can actually speak fluent Nihongo. Hara is a big fan of anime and manga, so having a Japanese friend is an AWESOME thing for her. Hyun Hae found her fun, hence, the beginning of a new friendship. Hara also offered for Hyun Hae to live with them when the last asked for a cheap apartment to rent. From then on, they lived like sisters; Hara’s parents are like her parents.

The house is along Hyehwa/Daehakno University road, a stop north from Dongdaemun station on line 4 of the subway. It’s not a traditional Korean house just like every other house in the area. Rather, it’s modern. The first time Hyun Hae laid eyes on the house, she thought that it’s a lovely one. You can feel that the people living in there are warm and happy.

Now, as she checks herself in front of the full-body mirror in the room Hara shared with her, her lips curved into a bright smile. She’s wearing a white long-sleeved polo which she folds neatly right up her forearms, black well-tailored slacks, and black pointed shoes which is just slightly elevated; she’s not comfortable with higher wedges, she’s born with a flat foot, that’s why. She has a light BB Cream, evenly applied on her face; eyes lined thinly, and some lip gloss. Smiling at her reflection, she raised her fists in front of the mirror; cheer herself up by saying, “Hwaiting!”

Somebody chuckled and Hyun Hae quickly looked to see who it was.

“I came to say exactly that to you, but I guess I don’t have to anymore, eh?” Hara chuckled.

“Eonnie! Pray for me, okay?”

“Of course, I will. And don’t worry, you’ll do well. You’re my dongsaeng, remember?”

“Komawo, Eonnie!”, Hyun Hae said smiling before she turns to leave.

She went down, out of the house, then in front of the flower shop the family owns, though Hara’s salary from being a photographer in a fashion magazine can support the whole family, the couple insists on keeping the shop due to sentimental values.

“Eomma, Appa, I’ll go on ahead”, she waves to the couple who she treats as her second parents. They treat her as their daughter as well.

“Take care, Hyun Hae-ah! Hwaiting!”, the couple then wave smiling at her. “Don’t be late for dinner, arasso?”

“I won’t, Eomma, annyeong!”

She then walked to the subway station.