Sunlight streamed in through the curtains and onto Seoyeon's face, disturbing her peaceful slumber. She rubbed her eyes before opening them, and sitting up. The clock told her it was already 11 a.m., an hour before she was meant to leave for the lunch. Sighing, Seoyeon dragged herself out of bed and down the corridor to the bathroom.

Half an hour later, Seoyeon was back in her bedroom, trying to find her eyeliner. She couldn't remember the last time she'd used it and she looked through all of her drawers and cupboards feverishly. Finally finding it under her bed, she quickly drew thin lines and little cat flicks before pulling on her clothes. She frowned at the little crease and brushed her hair over her shoulder.

“Seoyeon, honey? You almost ready?” Mrs Park called up the stairs.

“We're leaving now,” her father added.

“Just coming!” Seoyeon glanced at her appearance one last time, put some cute ballet pumps on and ran down the stairs.

“You look lovely, dear,” her mother smiled, seeing the outfit for the first time. Seoyeon smiled and opened the door.

“Remember, smile!” Mrs Park whispered as the small family walked into the luxurious-looking hotel.

“What's this dinner for, again?” Seoyeon asked, having forgotten.

“It's celebrating ten years of the company!” Mr Park sighed, exasperated.

“Ah,” Seoyeon nodded. She plastered a smile on her face, knowing this was important, and tucked her hair behind her ear, showing her youthful face.

“Yeon!”

Seoyeon whipped around to the sound of Sam's voice. She was in the middle of greeting a pompous man and his wife. Looking around for him, she spotted him, and his newly dyed blonde hair. She made a beeline for him, weaving in between the tables and adults milling around.

“Your hair!” Seoyeon squealed, ruffling Sam's hair.

“You like it?” he asked, worried.

“Love it.”

“That's lucky!”

“Can I sit by you?” Seoyeon pointed to the empty chair next to Sam's.

“Sure! I was saving it for you anyway,” he smiled.

Seoyeon slipped around the back of Sam's chair and into her own, just as her mother tapped a wine glass to catch everyone's attention.

“I'd like to thank everyone for coming along today,” Mrs Park started. “These last ten years have been ten of the best, and none of this would've happened without any of you. Thank you, let's celebrate together and have a great afternoon!”

Applause filled the room and Seoyeon rolled her eyes. She'd entered with a positive attitude but was already bored, and she was starting to wonder how long she could spend sitting in the toilet before people got suspicious.

Chatter filled the large room and Seoyeon placed her head on her hand, gazing around tiredly. She realised that her legs had gone to sleep from being in the same position for too long.

“Just going to the toilet,” she said, patting Sam's arm as she stood up shakily.

As Seoyeon washed her hands she looked around. Huge mirrors covered one wall and another held a few cubicles. Drying her hands, she looked around again, and spotted a window. A window big enough for a slim teenage girl to fit through. She grinned as she walked back into the dining room.

“So, Seoyeon,” a middle-aged man leant across the table to address Seoyeon. “How old are you now?”

“Sixteen,” Seoyeon smiled. “Why?”

“I haven't seen you since before the business was started,” he said. He looked at Sam. “Are you her boyfriend? You're very lucky.”

Seoyeon blushed. “We're not dating,” she told him. The man raised his eyebrows.

“If you say so,” he said quietly, and sat back down in his seat, turning to talk to his wife.

The dessert plates were just being cleared away when Seoyeon slipped away to the toilet again. When she got in there, there were several people in there, which meant she had to sit in the cubicle until there were no witnesses. Looking under the door before she left, she checked her hair in the mirror before opening the window as wide as it would go and climbing up onto the ledge. She gave a little satisfied smile as she stepped outside, grateful they were only on the first floor.

“Where's Seoyeon?” Mrs Park asked Sam quietly.

“She told me she was just going to the toilet,” Sam shrugged. “You know, girl things.”
“Girl things my... bottom,” Mrs Park growled before hurrying into the said toilets.

Seoyeon walked briskly away from the hotel and down a busy street. She searched around in her purse for some change and found just enough to get home. Turning a corner, she saw a bus stop, and perched on the bench under the shelter. She wondered how long she had before her phone exploded with texts and calls from her worried parents, and turned it off quickly. The bus arrived and she jumped on, smiling at the driver as she paid her fare, then began rehearsing what she'd say when her parents arrived home.

Mrs Park rushed into the toilet, surprising a few ladies who were examining their reflections in the big mirrors.

“Seoyeon? Park Seoyeon!” she called, knocking on the closed cubicle doors. She felt a light breeze and turned, noticing the window, opened wide enough for Seoyeon to hop through. Her face hardened.

The phone rang just as Seoyeon stepped over the threshold of her home. She paused, wondering if she should answer it. She knew her parents would rather release their anger face to face, so she bravely picked it up.

“Yeonnie?”

Seoyeon let out the breath she didn't realise she was holding. “Sam.”

“Are you okay?” he asked, sounding really worried. Seoyeon felt a twinge of guilt.

“I'm fine,” she said. “Um... girl things.”

“Knew it,” he almost laughed. “Can I tell your mother that you're home? She's really worried.”

“Yeah, okay,” Seoyeon nodded. “Sorry if you were worried too.”

“Don't worry. I would rather be anywhere else, to be honest. Maybe I can escape soon and you can come over tonight?”

“I'd love to but I don't think mum would let me,” Seoyeon sighed. “Maybe next time.”

“That's okay,” Sam said. “I'll talk to you later, yeah? Bye Yeon!”

Seoyeon put the phone down and glanced around the hall before picking up her bag and running up the stairs.

“Park Seoyeon!”

Seoyeon was in the process of getting in bed and hiding under her covers when her mother's usually soft but somehow shrill voice came from downstairs. She slowly took the duvet off her head and walked downstairs with the energy of a death march. Surprisingly, her mother enveloped her in a quick hug before looking at her sternly.

“Why did you leave? We were all so worried.”

“I was bored,” Seoyeon said simply. Usually she wasn't as rude but the tiredness from the day had kicked in.

“Now you're going to be even more bored, because you're grounded. For a week.”

“A week?”

“You want two weeks?”

Seoyeon looked down. “I'm sorry. I won't do it again.”

“Good girl,” Mrs Park smiled slightly. “If you're well behaved you can have a friend over in the week.”

Seoyeon knew by “a friend” she meant Sam. “I'm going to bed,” she said. “Good night.”

She kissed her mother's cheek and walked back upstairs slowly. She was already in her pyjamas, so she flopped onto her bed and fell asleep almost instantly.