[Chapter 1]Part.1

“Don’t ever show up in front of me, again. We both know we’re on different paths now on. You’ve got the idea already.”

“Seonbae….” Could not utter else, she merely articulated a word.

“Haeri-ah, being together like we used to be, like we’re meant to each other, I no longer think so. Do move on with your life and I’m with mine.” Devoid of having her response, the latter went away shortly, leaving the jetty.

‘…I --- I’ve just got dumped…’ Murmured, Haeri sighed in frustration. Her dismal eyes still locked, far away at the frontage, looking at the latter’s back – the now official ex-boyfriend seonbae.  She continued, ‘….over again. What a ---’

“What a lucky day!” A voice cried out from the rear.

Wrinkled the forehead, Haeri turned around immediately. She seemed to be pissed off.  Yes, she was. The creature that always angered her, always wronged her for all the things she had done, at that moment stood at the front. “A lucky day? What that supposed to mean?” She sounded mad.

“Congratulation.  You’ve been abandoned yet again, for the third time. What a ‘very lucky’ day of yours.”  A wicked insinuation. Simultaneously, he drew closer.

Saw him giving a devilish smirk, Haeri became strained.

By some means, he got his lips near her ear and stated, “how does it feel? being ditched? Serve you right, you nasty.”

Folded her hand fully and firmly, the patience Haeri had been holding onto most likely soon to be loosened. She glared him as if to death. “You bloody jerk, Kim Kyung Rok! I wish you would suffer terribly for your whole life! You freak monster!”

Nipped his teeth, Kyung Rok reacted as he could not stand those insults fling straight to his face. After, he moved towards the girl, along with the furious look he seldom displayed. All of sudden, somehow, Haeri grew stirred. Her foot attempted to move backwards when out of nowhere, her forehead was shoved forcefully by just one finger of Kyung Rok and doing unstable, she was flung into the lake, unfortunately.

“H- hel—p! Help!” She could feel herself drowning.

“Andwae! No! Help me!” Lifted her body up, Haeri awakened, in a big shock that she panted, could not breathe properly. To her surprise, she was not in the water. She was not drowning. Repeatedly, scanned around her, she was actually in her bedroom, at home. “Omo! Was I dreaming?” Asked herself, breathed in ease, Haeri learned then all those were just a nightmare. “Ouff! It was only a dream. What a relief. Hoh..” At halt, she blew up later on. “That jerk monster! What the heck he turned up in my dream then?” Scratched her head a little, she continued. “Eissh! No doubt  always grants me bad lucks. Even in my sleep. Ousshh!!” Hardly ruffled her hair, it was so obvious she had just flied off the handle.

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A bit reluctant. Pondered on how to begin the subjet, she knew very well she could have been scolded right after letting know the real matter – the real matter she had been keeping mum for quite some times and now was the right timing for her to send it out. “Uhmm…!” Haeri had cleared – now was the third one, as if she was giving a signal that she had something to say.

Consequently, eyes already set on her, observing the act and being wondered. “What’s with you?” The mother asked. She was having breakfast while sitting opposite to the daughter, Haeri. “Something wrong’s with the throat?”

Haeri grinned. “Ahni-a.” Seconds later, she gave out a little sigh and half-confidently, she announced. “I’m going to quit the job.” Finally.

At a fast pace, her mother frowned. “Don’t start it over again.”

“I’m not going to work for that arrogant monster starting today. This time, I’m telling you the truth, the real truth.” Responded boldly, Haeri was indeed with her own certainty.

Instantly, slammed her palm down on the dining-table and fiercely, enough made Haeri startled right away. “Yaah! How come you’re fighting against me over and over? Quit the job? How many times do I’ve to tell? The pay you have from your current job is more handsome than any other job you’ll get. You even won’t get sort of money with the permanent job, can’t you think of it? With those pays, we’ll be able to settle things up and save this house from the pawnbroker, understand?”

“Omma, if you didn’t pawn this house to somewhat broker in the first place, I wouldn’t have to work as a maid for some inconsiderate humanless-being person. You were the one who created this mess. So do not drag me into it. I’m not going back there.” Haeri resisted.

“You brat! How dare you say those to your own mother? Ouff! What kind of daughter you are?” Heaved a big sigh, the mother bit her teeth, annoyed. “I’m not listening to you. Better get ready for work now, you little ---”

“Me either.” Mindlessly, Haeri brought a halt to her mother’s sentence. “I’m not listening to you as well. I’m quitting the job and I’ll find another one.”

“Ousshh! It’s easy for you to say it that way, isn’t it? Stubborn girl! Are you so confident having another instant job that easy? Look at you, you even can’t get a permanent one, now you’re becoming big-headed? It’s simply a part-time maid and you can’t endure longer? Can’t you just hold back all the things for our family’s sake? Can’t you?”

Eating up her meal, Haeri did not throw any reply, only let her mother spit out her dissatisfaction.

“So, you certainly want us to lose this house? Don’t you?”

“What are you thinking? It’s not that I completely won’t get a job after this, why can’t let me quitting? I’ve told you I’ll definitely help you getting this house back. Just, please! I don’t want to work for him anymore. I’ve been tortured all this time. Do you truly want me to die?!” Turned out to be irritated, Haeri could not deal with it.

“Whatever the case may be, the main thing right at this point is for you to get up and go to work.” A phrase from the mother was heard as a command. Apparently, she had no need to comprehend her daughter’s complicated situation.

On the contrary, Haeri chewed bread and swallowed it, ignoring her mother.

The mother had stood up with angry face and still, Haeri had not put attention on her.

“Lee Haeri, get to your feet already! You’re such --- ”

“I won’t.” Stood firm with her say, Haeri had not make a move yet.

“Are you really doing this?” Being angrier, the mother tried to calm down a bit. “Fine. Let me take your spot then.” At last, she surrendered. Did she? “Where’s the key?” Moved inched away from the corner, she attempted to find something on the rack. “I’m asking where the scooter’s key? Don’t you hear me?!”

Grimaced, Haeri got up from her sit, eventually. She stared at her mother’s reaction. “Omma.”

“Where’s the key?!” With a loud voice, the mother retorted. Yet again, asked for the same thing.

“What for?!” Haeri snapped with the ‘get-annoyed’ mimic on her face. She was provoked by the mother’s act.

“I’m going to ride the scooter. Otherwise, I’ll be late for work.”

Smirked a little, Haeri struggled to gather her tolerance. “Are you insane? Do not push me.”She estimated, ‘do you really want to test me, mother? Do you?’

“You don’t want to work anymore, do you? So let’s swap. You manage the market and I become a maid. So long you’re not working for that person, it doesn’t matter to you, right? Better get going with this.”

Gazed at her mother keep peeping at the shelf, searching for the key, Haeri demanded a previous knowable answer for the question. “Is the job more important for you?” No feedback from the mother. Thus, let out an undesired breath and then she emitted. “Know what? I guess it is.” She seemed submitted. The expression she showed already told she did not like the idea, very beyond doubt.

“Oh, here it is.” Lastly, the mother obtained the key for the scooter and was about to get out of the house.  “I’m afraid if I’m late, it will give a cut to the pay. So, I’m going. Wish me luck, dae?”

Speedily, Haeri grabbed the key from her mother’s hand. Next, she looked at her despairingly. “What an act! Cut it off already, omma. Want to ride the scooter? You? Don’t kid me, puttakhae yo.” Took her bag along, at once, she left. On the sly, she was frustrated at herself.

“Yaahh! Odi kha?” Called out from the front door of the house, speculated where would she lead to, the mother was anxious.

“Going to work, what else?” Against her own will, Haeri replied.

“Do not lie, hear me? If you try to find another new job, I’ll kill you! Do you hear me?!” Such a threat from the mother. So it was greatly a true that the mother considered the job was more essential than her daughter, it was all because of the pawning stuff.

Without ado and without paying any heed to the warning, Haeri started the engine. She put on a helmet before leading the scooter out of the area. It appeared she got the initiative what to do for the time being.

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Listening uninterestedly to some irritations which were voiced out towards her, Haeri simply bent her head a bit down. Such a habitual routine for a half-time maid as her – whenever fault was discovered, infuriation, sarcastic bashing and impulsive shouting were all she would gain as punishments. Curiously, while she had been trying to do well, yet never all the things had she done were any good in the latter’s eyes. The only matter he would find in her was mistakes.

“Isn’t it good to have your room cleaned?” Haeri gave a reason for tidying up the owner’s bedroom. She calculated she did right with that. Instead, she was repaid by somewhat displeasure.

“Isn’t it the best for you to follow what I’ve ordered you to obey? The bedroom is one of my privacies that should not be entered. Who do you think you are?” Sounded mordant like often, Kyung Rok presented a serious glare, cold and solemn which dissuaded Haeri to look up. “You only work here and that’s justly in short-term. Thus! Do not do thoughtless things as if this place is yours, merely if you intend to stay working. Got that?”

Tossed a newspaper his hand had been holding away onto a couch, Kyung Rok could not hide his discontent from view. He really did not like it every time he had enlightened something to not be done and to be complied with, rather, his statement was ignored, so indeed he must have being furious.

“I guess I’ve stated what must be done and what mustn’t while working here, at my place. It’s been solely six months and you’ve already forgotten the rules?” Hinted artfully, Kyung Rok had not finished his words. “I’m in doubt  where would you put your brain that I’ve to recap them all? Huh? What a dumb.”

Creased her brows, Haeri simultaneously showed unhappiness. In spite of that, she did not sound off. If it was not because unintentionally she found his bedroom was a bit messed yesterday, she would not have to be reprimanded at this instant. And yes, she once had been given talking about rules which ought to be adapted no matter what. Still, had it been wrong to make a cleaning? She complained in silence. It was not that she aimed stealing anything from it.

Placed her bag on the table counter at the kitchen spot, Haeri uttered a sigh. Kyung Rok already went out of the apartment devoid of having meal she had prepared earlier. That was very common of him – always leave without even breakfast. Never did she see him do so. What was the problem actually? She had no idea. To be honest, she did not care.

“Nothing good happens every day I want to begin it nice.” Moaned, Haeri prolonged. “I shouldn’t have taken this maid job from the beginning. Ousshh!”

‘How many times do I’ve to tell? The pay you have from your current job is more handsome than any other job you’ll get. You even won’t get sort of money with the permanent job, can’t you think of it?’  Those sayings of her mother slowly recurred in her mindset, in her ear. She thought those had persuaded her in making up her mind over and over to continue working at that chagrined place whilst not the least bit did she want it to be. Plus, she did realize there was no way to get a job easily nowadays. Somehow, she kind of agreed with her mother.

Had another sigh, she convinced herself. “Well, mother maybe right. Let’s just do this, Lee Haeri. For our house’s sake, you’ll make it to the end. Yeah. You will.” Left the event that had happened behind, she attempted to achieve a positive thinking and to be more optimistic – reckoned these were the further reasons she remained being patient all this while, though having been served up by awful manners.

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A lift had opened. Directly, Kyung Rok went his way out of it, heading to the right side. Came into an office unit, passed by some employees there, he appeared to not be concerned about giving them morning greetings, even though they all were working at the same building. As usual, along with the cold plus impassive expression on his face, he stopped in front of a person. “Here I am.”

“You are, Kim Kyung Rok. I’ve been waiting for you. Come in.”

Inside the office room belonged to Choi Hyun Joon, one of  recognized musicians, took a seat facing that person, Kyung Rok did not have to wait longer for the latter to speak first.

“M Empire has held me responsible for a soundtrack album of upcoming SBS drama. Isn’t it a good news?” Hyun Joon showed a smiley face when he was informing the matter.

“For you, may be.” Answered Kyung Rok, casually.

Laughed, Hyun Joon folded his arms while looking at the former. “Certainly it’s a good one for you either. As the previous ones, I’m going to work this out with you.”

Kyung Rok’s emotionless eyes immediately met Hyun Joon’s.

“What? You can’t catch it up?” Let out a breath named sigh, Hyun Joon emphasized. “Oh come on, Kyung Rok-ah. You’ve been at halt for quite some times now. This is the right timing for you to get back here and resume your career. For the really first move, come work with me. As usual, you take care of the pieces and I’ll do the lyrics. Okay?”

No reply.

“Hey, are you listening or not?”

“I am.”

“Good. Well….?”

Still, no exact response.

“Yaah!”

“Agree.”

Sighing, Hyun Joon criticized afterward. “What’s with the snail pace?”But then, clapped his hands just once, he displayed the enjoyment. “Awesome! That’s my buddy.” Rested his back against the chair he was sitting on,  again, he uttered more delights of him. “Whoaa. I can smell what our combination will taste like – success. Definitely.” He beamed with poise.

A smirk- what was simply Kyung Rok could contribute at Hyun Joon’s high prediction.

“We’ll make it a hit this time, yet again. Anyways, welcome back home.” Stood up, he forwarded his right one.

Left the seat, Kyung Rok raised and next, he shook hands with the partner.

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