“Haneure bitnadeon byeori, Jeo meolli bitnadeon byeori, Nae mame naeryeowannabwa”

“Gaseume saegyeojin byeori, Gaseume bitnadeon byeori, Ama neoingeot gata”

As you carried on singing, the people strolling down the streets stopped and stared. Even students who were on their way to school stopped to listen to your sweet and angelic voice.

“Tteollineun soriga deullini, Oh star~Tteugeoun simjangeul neukkini, You’re my star~”

Suddenly the change people kept in their pockets were being thrown into your open guitar case in front of you.

Your song came to a close and was followed by a ringing of applause from your audience who gradually started to walk away after you thanked them with a polite bow. Your eyes averted to the amount of change in your guitar case. “Wahh~ Daebak!” you urged, eyes widened “I can afford the cafeteria food for a whole week now! Sweet~” you sat down onto the floor, eagerly grabbing a handful of the change with the guitar behind your back when suddenly you large figure casts a shadow over you from in front.

“AHEM!” the figure cleared his throat. But with such a huge shadow casting over you, did you dare look up? “Got that license yet? Miss Han Ji-Eun…” His deep, firm voice questioned. You innocently tilted your head to meet with a buff man in a business suit, a familiar police badge over his blazer pocket. You gave him an awkward laugh, pulling your best naïve smile you could before waving the money in your hand.

“Wanna share?” You raised your shoulders, batting your eyelashes as the police man gave you a fake laugh, you copied him, laughing along with him before smacking your guitar case shut and legging it, only to stumble and pick yourself up at the speed of lightning.

“HEY!” 

The man ran after you as you struggled your way passed the odd few business men who were too occupied with their business calls to see you. “Sorry! ‘scuse me! My bad!” You mumbled quietly to them as you dashed through the streets, trying your best to keep the change in your guitar case from clanking around.

“HAN JI-EUN! STOP THIS INSTANT!” the man bellowed from behind, losing his breathe already- as were you. You bite your bottom lip in determination and raced into a bus that conveniently stopped for passengers to get on. “HAN JI-EUN! AISH! THAT GIRL!”  The man called out before the bus could close its doors and be on its way. You rushed to the back to see him with the most aggravated look on his face, on the verge of pulling his hair out. You pulled a sour face at yourself before raising your hands together apologetically- genuinely feeling sorry.

“Mianhaeyo…I swear I’ll get a street license one day” You said to no one in particular before slumping onto the bus seat with a sigh. You relaxed for a second before your eyes caught sight of the road you were heading- completely on the other side of town. Your eyes widened and you pulled your coat sleeve up to check the time on your watch. “CRAP!” You reflexively got up from your seat, causing the elderly woman sat in front of you to flinch right out of her skin.

You carried your guitar case in your arms as you pushed the stop button on the bus. “Stop please!” You yelled to the bus driver as he stopped at the nearest bus stop. You jumped off, almost landing on your face in the process. “Now’s no time to be clumsy Ji-Eun!” you commented to yourself as you scurried off, the bus driver raising an eyebrow at you before driving off.

(back ground http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD6THOJy72g- click if u want)

You had- as quickly as you could- ran back to a convenience store where you had parked your white bicycle, throwing yourself over it and riding off through your hometown. You rode pass a grocery shop, where you caught the attention from an old grandma.

“Oh! Ji-Eun-Ah!” She called. You hastily hit the brakes to your bike and awkwardly rode backwards towards her.

“Yes?” 

“Can you do the morning shift tomorrow? My husband isn’t well and I’d really appreciate it if-“

“Tomorrow. Morning shift. Got it! See you then Ajumma!” You started riding off once again. “Tell Ajusshi I said hi!” you added.

The woman shone a smile, “Aigoo that girl…” she murmured gratefully and walked back into the store.

As you pedalled your bike and rode down the streets, everyone was a familiar face. Since you went around the place often, it was no surprise that you recognised most of the faces; however, you passed a seemingly normal guy wearing huge titned sunglasses- despite it being the middle of winter- not to mention he had his hood over his head. You pedalled right passed him, not thinking much about his get-up, but hadn't realized that he'd turned his head to watch you from behind. 

“[Calling 1565- Kim Jongin]” A small voice rung in his ears from his left earpiece. The boy pressed his fingers against it, clicked a small button at the sides as he replied, “Number 1565- Kim Jongin” His continued to watch you pedal on your bike, not even laughing when you suddenly swerve to avoid a post box.

“[You finished?]” Another voice called. The boy smirked; his eyes glued onto you until you turned the corner and disappeared from his sight. “Affirmative...information collected”

You made it to a pizzeria where you served the various flavoured and sized pizzas to customers for an hour.

“Here is your order!” You placed the dishes of garlic bread and pizza around the table, wearing a red waist apron and white bandana over your head. It was a ridiculous uniform, you know, but hek, you weren't the boss so...“2 garlic breads, one peperoni pizza and a Hawaiian- will there be anything else?”

“Ji-Eun! Table 4! Take their order!” Your boss ordered.

“Yes!” you dashed to a table of students to take their order. And after futher decision, you finally got an confirmed order, “So that’s two Medium sized margarita with stuffed crust- great choice, one Hawaiian pan sized, two orders of chicken wings and one garlic bread, would you like any refills?” 

Time flew by like it always did. The hour was up and you threw away the silly bandana and red apron to your boss before making your way to a nearby petrol station where you had changed into a navy grey jump suit with a matching cap.

A man driving a BMW parked and rolled his window down to you.

“How much would you like sir?”

“Give it a half” He ordered.

“Not a problem- would you like shell or-“

“Shell is fine” he replied before throwing you the key to the oil door. Rude people you thought to yourself after rolling your eyes and then filling the oil up to half full as he told you to. After half an hour of filling up car oil, you moved onto the next 45 minutes of washing and scrubbing cars. Once that was done, you changed out of the silly jump suit and back into your regular uniform and made another departure on your trusty steed- the bicycle.

You got out of the petrol station, stuffing your pay into your blazer pocket before hoping onto your bike. And finally, you got to a small bakery café. Where a large sign painted in an elegant text read ‘Latte Café’. You attempted to park your bike gracefully but ended up crashing it onto the wall, you flinched but were in too much of a hurry go and check on it. You pushed the handle of the glass door and were welcomed by the sweet aroma of freshly made cakes and tea. The bakery was beautifully decorated and you had always loved knowing that your mother was the one to have designed it.

“Hi! Sorry I’m late!” You greeted seeing the number of customers having already filled the shop. You threw your guitar case behind the bar as well as your coat, scarf and school blazer.

“Ji-Eun-ah, breathe, it’s alright, you’re on time” A women in a black and white waitress uniform patted you on the shoulder with one hand whilst the other was occupied carrying a tray full of milk tea’s and green tea’s. Her brunette hair pinned up into a messy bun and her deep red coloured specs rested on the bridge of her nose just under her eyes, a peeling white sticker on her black blouse reading ‘Rin’ in black marker. Rin was an employee here at Latte Café- your mothers’ bakery café since she passed away, you were ever so grateful to her for helping out all these years and even for helping with the redecorating when the furniture got old. She’s a couple of yours older than you, but she was like a sister to you. One you looked up to and could count on. 

You gave a big breathe in and out. “Breathe…Right! Sorry” You chuckled, tying back your long hair with a bobble that was around you wrist. You continued, “School starts tomorrow; the new school year is never easy” your face turned bitter at the mere thought. 

"And you're wearing your uniform now?" she scoffed. You had to admit, you got some pretty weird looks for wearing a school uniform on a sunday, but it was easier since it was possibly the only appropiate outfit to work in- since tattered jeans were out of the option...

"Well it's either this or jeans and a t-shirt to work in a cafe"

“Sure sure, but you sure you can work once it starts? You'll be pretty nackered”

“Don’t worry! I have it all planned out!” you replied. “Tuesday I can work at Phil’s Yogurt store until 10:00am and I can finish early on Thursdays and Fridays to help out here and the petrol station, oh! And the Ajumma in 8awake- I can help her out tomorrow morning too”

“Whoa~ Whoa~ I thought your school starts at half 8?” Rin turned to you with a raise of an eyebrow and rolled her eyes to the wall clock that read the time as 9:30am

“Ah~ Well I can’t afford the full day admissions so~” You continued, nicking the tray Rin was holding. “I skip study periods and homeroom class so that I don’t have to pay the full amount! Clever right?” You winked at her with a proud grin before galloping towards a couple sitting at a table. They thanked you politely and you walked back to the bar where Rin started making drinks.

“I’m sure your mother wouldn’t like you skipping class~” She sung, her eyebrows sown together.

“Ha-ha, No- But she would like me having a roof over my head”

“Yeah sure, a bakery roof…” She added, tapping the coffee machine for the beans to grind. “I still don’t know how you survived these past what- 10 years?”

“8” you corrected. “Hey, it’s either above a bakery or the streets, I don’t know about you- but I pick a bakery” you chuckled as if you were joking.

“Well at least you don’t have to pay rent in the streets” She commented whilst stirring a mix of mocha green tea into a fancy glass cup and placing it onto a tray. Rin had always hated seeing you in so much trouble with your own rents and payment at this age and has tried helping many times, but something you hated more than rents was debt- and you wanted none of that off Rin.

“Hey, some may say pitiful- but its life” you said in a playful voice and Rin chuckled.

“Go, table 12 is ready” she shooed you once she was finished. You grinned at her “Yes~” you took the tray full of drinks and tried your best not to trip up whilst making your way to table 12. Rin peered at you and scoffed. “That girl…Still so bright yet so…unlucky” She shook her head.

“Is it okay if you turn up the volume to the screen please” The man who you served asked as well as gesturing towards the mini flat screen that had been installed a couple of weeks ago.

“Ah, yes no problem” you nodded before going behind the bar to find the TV remote and turning up the volume to the music channel when suddenly the news round interrupts.

“[Yet another occurrence of a natural disaster yesterday as an earthquake hits the coast of Japan. Strangely and fortunately enough no lives were taken however a few suffer from minor injuries]” the women broadcasted, the news catching people’s attention as well as yours as the screen shows the damage done in Japan.

“[Yes, and not only that but once again police investigators have discovered the peculiar symbol which is yet to be named- the same one discovered in Malaysia and France after the tsunami and typhoon had hit, police investigators from all over the world are coming together to try and solve these mysterious mishaps and have marked this as an S ranked investigation]” The man continued to talk whilst Rin stood beside you. Photos of an odd looking hexagon symbol imprinted in large on ground which seemed to have been taken by helicopters were being shown.

“Another one huh?” She asked. You blinked before she continued. “Weird…as if they actually think someone is behind natural disasters” you crossed her arms in disapproval.

“[Nothing has been confirmed yet, but I can assure you now, we will try our very best to bring this investigation to a close…Project X will not go pass without its proper closer]” A tall middle aged man around his late 40’s spoke down the various numbers of microphones with a confident voice. Rin averted her eyes at you after noticing him.

“…Your dad…isn’t he?” She mentioned. You nodded with a blank expression. Rin sighed and stared at the screen. “Dear oh dear…How can a grown man leave his only daughter alone after his wife dies and think about nothing but work...I tell you Ji-Eun if you’re mad then you have every-“ She turned to face you, however sees no one there.

“RINNIE! We need two more mocha green tea! Make it a hot one! ^--^”

“That girl isn’t even upset!?”