"I can't go with you." I told my boyfriend. He was quite surprised, it even took him a couple of seconds to reply.

"Why not?" He looked directly into my eyes, unamused.

"My family will be visiting my aunt in the Philippines." I clicked my tongue as I looked at the ceiling. It's not that I really wanted to go but my parents insisted to. I don't have any other choice. I pulled the sheet to cover my body and sat down. "But we'll be back by—" He cut before I could ever finish what I was saying.

"By what? The end of our semester break?" He stood up and picked his clothes on the floor. It's been like this for the past four months. We've been arguing a lot lately. Small arguments become bigger and the fighting won't stop unless we have . It's a miracle we don't bicker after and then another fight forms. Can't he just understand that my parents said so? "I'm tired of this bull. Why can't you just understand that my parents wanted me to go with them? As much as I wanted to be with you this coming music festival, but I can't do that!" My voice started to raise and so as he.

"You have a choice!"

I know he would say that. He's always like this, first my friends and now my parents. He is so inconsiderate. "You're so inconsiderate! I told you I can't say no to this trip!" I pulled the sheet and covered my body as I search for my clothes on the floor. By the time I found my scattered clothes he was done changing his. He went out of the room slamming the door. God, how rude can he be? Why did I fell for that kind of person anyway? I put my clothes on and went back to bed as I let my tears of anger fell off my cheeks. Most of the times I wanted to give up on that lunatic. Too much heartache. I can't endure it anymore. I'm tired.

***

"Seulgi come. We'll take a family photo together." Mom beckoned while we were waiting for our flight. She's so enthusiastic meeting her sister. "Seulgi, do you remember you're aunt Seola?" It's been eight years since she last saw auntie Seola. I bet mom missed her so much. They were inseparable until the day my aunt decided to migrate to the Philippines for business reason.

"How could I not? She's the best cook in our family." True that. I always love aunt's cook since birth. She was always the best when it comes to cooking and her food makes me fat. What I love most is her signature dish, spicy garlic steamed crabs. Once you started eating you'll never hit the breaks until you're genuinely full.

Minutes later our flight was up and we board the plane. I'm not used to flying and it makes me plane-sick. Especially when the plane goes up my intestine tickles. It took us almost five hours to reach Philippines. The pressure is still clinging on me and I hated this feeling. I have to move my jaws in a circular motion. I pulled my phone out of my bag and took a picture outside the window. I uploaded it on Facebook with a caption, "Touch down Davao." But the travel is not over my mom said aunt's house is far from the city proper. I wonder if we'll be staying in a condominium or in a hotel. My mother didn't tell me anything. And my dad is busy with his galaxy note. Dad's presence really amazes me. He's here but it looks like he's not, maybe that's just how he is. He is kind, silent and gentle. He is the only guy I like the most.

"Do you need something?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just like looking at you dad."

He covered his face shyly. "Don't, I might melt." Dad can be so funny sometimes. I turned to my mom to ask her where will be staying.

"I'll tell you when we'll get there." And so I just I did. The travel was about more than an hour, it's not that I'm not used to it. Way back in Korea our hometown was an hour and a half travel going to downtown but the way I see the place is rural. I wonder why my aunt moved here.

"We're here." Mom told us. There's nothing much here. It's a small town, few small building, old houses on the street. Definitely a rural place for me. This .

Finally, we have arrived at aunt's house. I did not expect her house would be this big. Hers was the biggest in this place, though there are other big houses too. I did not expect people in this small town are loaded.

Dad rang the doorbell several times until someone opened the gate. She was beautiful like a radiating sunflower on the hill. Stunned, I just gawked at her without any words. She let us in and called my aunt who was busy cooking in the kitchen. My mom hurried inside to see my aunt while dad and I were unloading the bags off the taxi.

"Sunmi! Long time no see I miss you so much." My aunt hugged my mom and she also hugged me tightly when I was standing behind them. "Seulgi-ya, you've grown a lot. I miss you chubby cheek-o." She pinched my cheek softly. I smiled. I miss how aunt treats me nicely. She's so kind, charming and beautiful. She's the definition of a perfect aunt.

"Wow Seung Won still looking good eh?" Aunt coolly fist bumped with dad.

"Please don't say that. You make me shy." As always, shy dad.

"By the way leave your stuff there and let's eat first."

“Good, because the flight made me hungry.” Mom said.

We had our lunch merrily. They were chit-chatting almost everything about life. Including the beautiful woman who was sitting next to aunt Seola. I wonder who she is and why is she living together with my aunt. Mom never told me anything about her but it seems she's pretty close to mom. On the other hand, I only talk when I was asked.

"I heard you have a boyfriend." Aunt asked all of a sudden.

"Ah yeah." I don't really feel comfortable when they ask me this kind of question.

"But she never introduced him to us." Mom injected, while dad was surprised he almost choked. I haven't informed my parents about it but mom was fast at picking up signs. As usual, mom always knows best.

"Hey, I'm left behind. I didn't know about this." He drank his glass of water. I don't usually tell my dad because he is so anti-men when it comes to me.

"We're not in good terms so it's better not to talk about him." I don't even want to talk about him at all.

"I respect that honey." Mom replied as she continued eating.

"Hey, I'm still left out." Dad still injected but he shut up when mom glared at him.

"Thanks mom." Good thing mom is always there for me so I continued eating my meal solemnly.

***

The house is so big it got even five big bedrooms. Aunt let me occupy the biggest room on the second floor. When I opened the door the room was spacey. Not much stuff but definitely a nice place to stay. Everything was purple. I rushed to the queen sized bed and laid down The bed was cozy. This is a perfect life to live in. I notice the curtains were swaying so I stood up and open the curtains, fresh air touched my skin. I looked at the window to see the outside view, it was a vacant lot. Looking at it made me feel empty. I remembered my jerk boyfriend I wonder what he's doing right now. I opened my Facebook messenger but there's no message. Maybe I'm expecting a lot from him that he'll message me asking for an apology. I should forget about him, at least for now. I decided to arrange my stuff and so I opened my stroller and put all my clothes in the closet neatly. I wonder what would I do next. It would be boring if I just stay in the bedroom for the whole day. I went outside of the house and saw my aunt's friend watering the garden. She has a fair skin, long chestnut hair and has a slender body. She saw me and waved. I approached her.

"Seulgi, right?" She smiled at me. I just realized how captivating the woman is. I don't usually admire tan and fair skin but she has an amazing beauty of a Filipina.

"Yeah. By the way, I didn't know your name."

"Rennee." She her hair back while watering the plant. "Bored?"

Of course, I am. "A bit. I'm still new so I haven't checked the place yet." Well, I lied a bit.

"Then go outside. Give it a tour then. We have a bike in the garage."

"Oh, can I?"

Rennee just nodded. “You're free to use anything from here. Your aunt is fine with that.” When I was about to go, she lends me a five hundred peso bill. "Go buy something you want."

"Er, thanks." She's so kind. I wonder what does a five hundred peso bill could buy. In Korea, this isn't enough I don't know how much is the currency here. I don't have any idea so I asked her. "Will this be enough to buy me a single food?"

"That would be enough to buy plenty. Go now before dark sky catches you."

I went out of the gate riding my bike on the street. I don't even know where I'm going so I'll just follow where my instincts will lead me to. I realized back then I was talking Korean to Rennee, it amazes me how she was fluent in speaking Korean. Aunt Seola must have taught her.

Riding bike makes me uncomfortable especially when people's eyes are pinning on me. Is this their first time seeing a person biking? I can even see other people biking on the street or people are just ignorant of seeing foreigners around here. Whatever the reason, it's annoying.

I turned to whatever street I feel making a turn and stopped when I saw a Korean mini-mart. I'm surprised that there are also other Koreans living in this small town. I parked my bike on the side and entered the mini-mart.

“Annyeonghaseyo!” The ajjushi in the counter greeted me. I also greeted my fellow Korean. “Good to see a fellow Korean around here.” He said.

“We just came here to visit my aunt.”

“Did you mean Cheon Seola?”I nodded. I'm not surprised they knew each other, they're the only Koreans here in town.

“Well she buys here most of the time and she's a close friend of mine. Please tell her I sent my regards.”

“Of course.” I smiled.

“Please find any food you like to buy.” He gestured the snack section though I'm not blind not to notice it.

“Thank you.” I went to that section and picked up some Ojingeo Ttangkong and Pepero. Good thing Calinan has a Korean mini-mart. I would have died not having Pepero, this is my all-time favorite snack. I was looking around the store for a bit before going to the counter. I picked some sodas and Samanco, one of my favorite ice cream cake since I was little. When I was done I went to the counter to pay. Ajjushi tapped his calculator to sum what I have bought. “It'll be 640 Pesos.”

I mentally cursed in surprise. I only have a five hundred peso bill in my pocket. “I don't have enough peso bill, can I pay some of it in won?”

“Oh it's ok, it's ok.” He laughed. Good thing he's so kind. If I had gone to other stores surely I will be in trouble for having short in cash.

“Thank you so much ajjushi.” I thanked him wholeheartedly. When I was about to go out of the store Ajjushi halted me.

“Little missy wait!”

I stopped on my way and looked at him.

“I have something to give to your aunt.” Ajjushi left the cashier and called someone inside the stock room. “Irene, please get six packs of Nori for Seola.” He went back to the cashier and a few seconds later a girl came out of the stock room holding the pack of Noris. She was five feet tall, dark silky hair, pale skin, and her lips were pink as cherry blossoms. She has an in-explainable drawing aura that makes your attention only pins at her. She was the epitome of beauty and innocence. Probably the prettiest person I've seen in town. Well, except for Rennee, she's Filipina and the girl in front of me is Korean. There are plenty of pretty girls in my neighborhood but they're full of plastics. 

“Please give those to little missy.” Ajjushi instructed her. She approached me but the way I see her coming feels like in slow motion like she's walking towards me, like an untouched blooming flower. It seems that breathing was almost a voluntary movement for seconds.

She gave me the Noris and I accepted it mindlessly. It's weird. “T-thanks.” I stupidly stuttered and I don't know why. She's giving me a weird jolt feeling.

“Its no big deal. We own the store and your aunt buys here a lot, and she's even close with my dad.” I don't even know if I'm listening everything she said but all I do was stare every piece of her. I don't understand myself today. There's this weird feeling that I can't even explain. “So if you need anything I'll be here at Bae Mart.”

I came back to my senses and nodded. “T-thanks for this, again.” I stupidly stuttered. “I, I have to go now. My aunt will be so worried.” Now I sounded more stupid it's still early and I'm an adult now.

“Oh I see, take care.” She waved at me and so did I.

When I was about to go out of the mini mart I don't know where my courage came out of me. “May I know your name?” I asked her name out of the blue.

“Irene.” She smiled beautifully.