435 new messages

214 missed calls

108 voice messages

28 emails

My iPhone froze for five minutes the moment I got off the plane and got connected to a local telecom. I scrolled through my list of missed calls.

Mom, Mom, Mom, a gazillion more of my Mom’s name, some from my best friend Tiffany, some from other friends and more of Mom

Whatever Mom, I’m not going to talk to you.

I looked through my messages and they were from the same people who were concerned at my sudden disappearance after leaving a note written in lip stick on my mirror.

I’m not getting married to Jongwoon Oppa and that’s final. Goodbye, don’t come looking for me.  

Yes, I packed some clothes, bought a one-way ticket and left the country to escape a marriage set to happen in a week. I wouldn’t have to resort to this drastic measure if not for the fact that my Mom was being a selfish b… (I’m sorry but I can’t help but want to swear at her at this moment) and wanted me to marry a man I didn’t love just because she thought we were good for each other.

I met Jongwoon Oppa when I was 8 and that was the one and only time we ever saw each other. He didn’t even say a word to me because he was absorbed in playing with his tortoise. Yes, a tortoise. He talked to it the whole time we were forced to sit in my living room to play tea party. I can’t blame him that he didn’t like to play tea party because honestly I hated it as well. But my Mom, she thinks it’s cute if I made imaginary tea for my teddy bears so I couldn’t say no.

Mom controls my life ever since I was a kid. I didn’t have a Dad to help me out from these sticky situations so I was left to fend for myself. I don’t know who my Dad is, Mom wouldn’t tell me. But I know he’s somewhere here in Seoul so here I am today to look for him!

It’s my first time back in Korea since I was born. Mom took me to California when I was about a year old so I grew up an American but still a Korean citizen.

I got my passport stamped and excitedly took out my phone to give Tiffany a call to let her know I was safe. She must be worried sick.

“Hello Tiffany.” I said in a cheeky voice.

“OH MY GOD! WHERE ARE YOU? YOUR MOM CAME KNOCKING ON MY DOOR LOOKING FOR YOU!”

“Don’t tell her where I am but I’ll let you know. I’m in Korea!”

“Wow that’s so exciting! You always wanted to go back there to find your dad!”

I took the escalator down to the baggage area and waited at the designated belt for my suitcase. It’s bright purple so I wouldn’t have a hard time looking out for it.

“I hope I can find him. The only clue I have is a photograph of us. Anyway, I won’t be back so soon and tell my Mom I wouldn’t talk to her.”

“She's so mad at you. You should have seen the look on her face. I was so worried she was going to collapse in anger.”

“Going back would mean a forced marriage to her best friend’s son I don’t care about. I’m not going to let her dictate my lifelong happiness.”

I looked around the corner and saw my bright purple suitcase on the belt. Ah, there it is. I casually strolled over towards it but out of the blue, a hand reached out for it and took if off the belt.

“I’ll talk to you later, Tiffany. Bye.”

I hung up the phone, stuffed it into my Chanel purse and ran towards the figure that had his hands on MY luggage. I caught my breath and tapped the dude on the shoulder. He turned around and looked at me in curiosity.

“Excuse me Sir; I think you’ve mistakenly taken my suitcase.”

I had my head tilted up to meet his eyes. He was tall, had broad shoulders and basically just overwhelming compared to my size. He kept his eyes on me and then shook his head.

“It’s mine, Miss. I’m sure about that.”

He sounded so sure of himself. I placed my hands on my hips and shot him an annoyed look.

“Dude, I’m sure it’s mine. It’s bright purple, what’s a big guy like you doing with a suitcase in that gay color?”

He looked startled by my rude response and crossed his arms against his chest.

“It’s my suitcase; it’s none of your business what color I like.”

I reached over and tried to take the suitcase handle but he grabbed it before I did and hid it behind him.

“You’re a thief. You’re bullying a young woman. I’m going to get the security.”

Before I made my way to the security post, someone else tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to another luggage on the belt.

“There’s an exact same one over there.”

Oh crap, so we both had the same suitcase. I scowled at him and pushed my way through the crowd that had unknowingly formed around us as we faced off against each other. What an embarrassment. I took the suitcase off the belt and dragged it towards him.

“We have the exact same suitcase?” He asked in disbelief and rolled his eyes at me. What a jerk! How dare he act like it was my fault? “Now how are we going to tell which is mine?”

“Let’s open it here.” I suggested boldly. Though I would prefer that he didn’t see what was inside my suitcase…

“Right, I guess that’s the only way out.”

We went to a quiet corner where there weren’t any people and opened the suitcases. I opened the one I had just pull off the belt and burst out into laughter when I saw the content.

“Wow that’s A LOT of stuffed animals. Couldn’t tell a big guy like you had a thing for these. ”

But the smirk on my face instantly vanished when he had opened my suitcase and fell into a laughing fit with his hands around his stomach.

“Nice choice of lingerie!” He exclaimed before slamming the lid shut and shoving the suitcase back to me.

Oh crap, I didn't have the time to sort my stuff into bags so my lingerie were exposed. How dare you laugh at me, you feminine-toy-loving-big-guy! It’s not my fault that my Mom restricts me from buying y lingerie and I ended up with granny-looking ones.

“Gosh, I wouldn’t have guessed those were yours. Are you 40 or something?” He made another dig at me before grabbing his suitcase and walking away.

My face turned crimson red and I looked around to make sure no one saw what happened before I took my suitcase and walked out of the immigration area.

I’m strapped for cash. Actually, I don’t even have much money on me to last long. If I spent frugally, maybe I could make it for a couple of weeks. But after that, what’s going to happen to me? I can’t use my credit cards because my Mom controls them. She would find out I’m in Seoul, fly down here to hunt me down and I’m toast. Ok, I'll worry about that another time. 

I figured the cheapest way to get to my hostel in Seoul was to take the airport bus. I bought the ticket and rushed to the boarding area. Thank God I made it in time, the bus was about to take off. I got my suitcase loaded up and boarded the bus. Wow it was packed but thankfully there was a seat near the back so I walked towards it and sat down.

“It’s you again. Ajumma, are you stalking me?”

I turned to my right and my eyes instantly turned into slits when I found out it was the same guy with the purple suitcase.

I mumbled some curses under my breath and paid no further attention to him. I took out my iPod and started bobbing my head to the music I enjoy. He, on the other hand, had his hands over his stomach and closed his eyes to take a rest.

Some time passed. We were on the highway, on bridges across some water and finally I started to see some buildings that resembled the Seoul I saw on the internet.

“Wow!” I exclaimed as I got up from my seat and tried to stick my head towards the window to get a better view. Suddenly the bus took a sharp turn and I ended up falling across onto his body. The jerk got startled and shot up from his sleep, colliding into me. I was stunned, shocked at the sudden intimate body contact we had. His hands were touching my s. I turned to him and he gave me a sorry-please-don’t-kill-me-but-what-just-happened look. My next instinct was to get up and shove him hard.

“How dare you!” I growled in a ferocious manner before I sat back on my seat and straightened my blouse out.

“What were you doing leaning over me like that? It’s not my fault you decided to invade MY space.” He retorted, though I was pretty sure he was feeling embarrassed as well from the red patches on his cheeks.

I nervously tugged some strands of hair behind my ear.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re gay.” I commented.

“No I’m straight. But no way would I be interested in touching you.”

Ouch that hurts. I had always been desired by men, this was the first time someone attempted to hurt my ego like that. What a mean guy.

We stayed silent for the rest of the journey which lasted for 15 minutes but felt like eternity.

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A/N:

I got the first chapter up earlier than expected. Thanks to all the subscribers so far. I hope you will enjoy this story! :) 

Anyway, I updated the Forewords so check it out to see which other characters you can expect in this story!