Seoul, South Korea

5:47 pm 

Friday 

"Minho-ssi this is it?" I said to my uncle over my shoulder as he grabbed all of the things from the car. 

I looked up from where I stood on the side of the street, staring up at my new home, the apartment complex. 

Minho pulled two more suitcases out the back of his car before slamming the door shut and huffing as he rolled them up on the sidewalk. 

"Yep! It's not so bad, right?"

I shook my head and took one more look at my new home before following my uncle inside the building. The lobby was quiet, just a man that was probably the same age as uncle Minho, writing something down on a piece of paper at the desk. His hair was bleached blonde and he had piercings down his whole left ear and a black and white polka dot shirt that was tucked into jeans. Very different I thought to myself.  

My uncle moved over to the desk to get all the things and I looked around the lobby where a few chairs were placed around all against the wall. Vintage lamps hung down from the ceiling and there were posters of 2NE1, BigBang and American rappers put up. A flat screen tv in the corner, had some music show on where the MC was talking much to fast to go against the loud screaming of the girls below. I shook my head and turned back to my uncle when he called me and followed him to the elevator. 

"You're apartment 34A. Got it?" He looked over at me and pressed the button to go up. 

I nodded my head and when the elevator came, we pulled my stuff inside and got in, pressing the fifth floor and watched as the doors to the lobby closed and the elevator started. I leaned my head back on the glass and sighed, the ceiling was cushioned in leather and a camera was placed in the corner, the red dot blinking slowly. I couldn't believe I was standing in an elevator of a place I didn't even know, living on my own. 

My uncle leaned over to squeeze my shoulder and I turned my head sideways to look up at him as he stared back. 

"You hanging in there?" 

"Of course," I nodded. 

No I wasn't.

I could tell that he thought I was lying to him, so he just gave me a small smile and squeezed my shoulder until the elevator dinged, we had reached my floor. When the doors opened up, we pulled the luggage out and strolled all the way down the hallway until we stood in front of the room that I would be calling home.  

"Wanna do the honors?" He smirked and held the keys out for me. 

I smiled at his humor and rolled my eyes before unlocking the door and letting it fall back gently to reveal the inside. 

"Oh wow," I breathed.

Uncle Minho chuckled and pulled the things inside while I stumbled behind slowly. 

I walked down the hall where it opened up to a nice space that was glowing because of the sunlight. There was a huge sectional couch in the middle of what I assumed was the living room and a nice size coffee table that was placed on top of a single rug. A piano was pushed back into the corner of the room and my eyes were immediately drawn to the two big windows that overlooked the city. The kitchen was simple with the necessary appliances and granite counter tops with a small table that sat only two people. It's not like I was going to be using it very much. 

"The apartment came furnished? With all this?" I asked in disbelief .

"Courtesy of your favorite uncle, yes," he smiled sheepishly. 

"Wow, you shouldn't have, well got all this at least," I motioned around. 

"It's no problem, it's the least I could do for my niece," he shrugged. 

But more than my parents had done. 

While placing the keys on the counter, I walked down the opposite hallway where a bathroom was on the left hand side and my room was at the end of the hall. I pushed open the door and looked inside, there was a twin bed pushed against the wall and white curtains that concealed the window; followed by a desk that you could put your computer on and some book shelves. 

"Do you like it?" I heard my uncle shout from the living room. 

"Yeah," I called back and took one more look around my room before shutting the door and walking back. 

Uncle Minho stacked my bags against the couch and dusted his hands off before running his fingers through his hair and sighing. 

"That should be it, you have your keys and your mailbox is downstairs around the corner from the lobby. This month and the next months rent is taken care of so just take it easy until you get a job. You have my number right? And I'll pick up the rest of your stuff from your parents place tomorrow okay?" 

I nodded my head and he opened his arms for me, which I didn't hesitate to throw myself in his embrace. 

"Thank you so much for everything," I sighed and clutched onto the back of his shirt tightly while burying my face in his chest. 

"No problem kid," he rubbed my back and kissed the top of my head. "Everything is going to be fine, my brother and your mom will come around soon, they love you and I know it may not seem like it. Plus you always have me," 

I nodded against him and he pulled back to kiss my forehead before letting me go. 

"Do you want me to bring you some food later on after work?" He asked. 

"A-aniyo, I can manage," I shook my head. 

"You sure?" 

"Ne," 

Uncle Minho pursed his lips for a moment before sighing and nodding and reaching for his own car keys. 

"Alright, like I said, just call me if you need anything Kyungmi," 

"I will," I mumbled and waved when he was out the door and locking it behind him. 

I looked around the apartment in silence and took a deep breath before sighing and taking a seat on the couch.  

I was alone. 

I had no one. 

My parents didn't even want me.

They had abandoned me. 

I tried so hard not to cry today but it was difficult when I was in an unfamiliar place and fending for myself without the help and guidance that I need most, from my umma and appa. When I felt the tears running down my cheeks, I wiped them away quickly with the heel of my hand and pushed my emotions in the back of my head.

So what they wouldn't accept me now that I was finally doing what I had always wanted. I didn't want to be a doctor or go to medical school or work in a hospital. I wanted to take pictures, I wanted to walk around and have my camera everywhere I went and capture every single moment. It was my turn to prove them wrong and show them that this wasn't a useless career choice. Despite the fact of my uncle telling me that my parents loved me, I knew they wouldn't come around. 

I grew up in the Gangnam district of Korea where all umma's friends had kids going to prestigious universities and studying abroad in America and Europe. Every woman either had a child that was in law school, medical school or an engineer somewhere. The look of disgust and betrayl on her face and my appa's was enough to tell me nothing less would be accepted. And now look here I was. 

I pushed myself off of the couch a minute later and went towards my bags, pulling them down one by one and opening them up to pull everything out. I took all my clothes out and laid them across the floor then pulled out my hygiene stuff for the bathroom and a few more necessities until all the bags were empty. I moved back and forth from the living room to my room, putting all my clothes away in the closet and dressers then straightening up the bathroom. 

Afterwards when I had straightened up everything I could in the apartment, I checked my phone and it was almost eight thirty so I looked up places where I could get some cheap take out and found out there was a Chinese restaurant that was only two blocks away and delivered.  

At least I had managed to somewhat survive the first day on my own. 

Soooo first chapter, did you guys like it? I hope you did. I was actually happy I finally got this one off and going. Next chapter will probably be more of a background of what happened between Kyungmi and her parents and her getting kicked out. Yeah I know, sad. 

But read, comment, upvote and subscribe. Love you guys!