Chapter 9

Chaerin wakes up lazily, and went downstairs to find her father is cooking breakfast.

“No morning class?”

“Nooohhhhhhhhh”

Chaerin replied while yawning.

“Whew, at least brush your teeth”

Mr Lee teases his kid.

“What’s for breakfast?”

Chaerin pours a glass of water and drinks, ignoring her father’s remarks.

“Something delicious, still doesn’t want to wash up?”

“Nope.”

Chaerin reach out for a slice of kiwi that her dad prepare and ate it.

“Aigoo.. whose kid are you?”

“Apparently you”

Chaerin sits down lazily while munching down the fruits.

“Dad, I have something to ask you”

“What is it honey?”

“Umm, why are you suddenly friends with uncle Kwon?”

Mr Lee stacks the last piece of pancake on top of the previous one and places it on the table. Chaerin watch while her father washes his hand and finally joins her at the table. She’s waiting patiently for her father to say something.

“Listen, honey. The Kwons are in some kind of trouble and I’m just trying to help them”

“Trouble?”

Mr Lee then continues to tell Chaerin over what had happened the other day and Chaerin nod in pity of the Kwon’s state.

“No wonder Jiyong is acting like that”

“Honey, there are people who is in deeper problem than what we have you know. There’s explanation for everything if you just pay attention for a little bit you might see past their true self behind all that behavior they put upfront for people to see.”

What her father said just now cut deep into her heart.

Chaerin suddenly felt what she is going through right now is beyond comparison to the Kwons who might lose their legacy.

“So what will happen to them? Are they going to lose the restaurant?”

Mr Lee sigh.

“We hired a private investigator to locate the brother and he manages to track down Ilseul. His signature is the key for the Kwon’s freedom and we need it before the thugs’ come by again.”

“His signature? Why?”

“Jiyong’s dad and Ilseul name are on their father’s will. Stating that every property is to be shared by both. So by signing a contract to dissolve the brother ownership on the restaurant, the Kwons will automatically be free from that horrible deal the lost brother have made”

“But I thought it’s own by uncle Kwon?”

“That’s the thing, to start off, he took a loan from his late father so it’s basically owned by his father although he had paid him completely. Probably, his late father forgot to take the restaurant off the will. Knowing that he still have the ownership to the restaurant, Ilseul put it as collateral and hence the problem they are in now”

“Oh no, poor them. But what will happen to uncle Ilseul if his name is dissolve? Aren’t the thugs going to like do something horrible to him?”

Mr Lee throw his gaze away.

“Well, we haven’t gone through that part yet, but we will figure something out”

Chaerin look devastated. She glanced at her father and finds more reason in admiring him. Not only he is willing to put his problem with Mr Kwon behind, but he also delves into the problem together with him when he knows he does not have to.

“It’s terrible and I just know about this. That’s not fair…”

“Life’s not fair honey, that is why you need to treat little Kwon better, he is having a hard time as well.”

He touches her hand and smile weakly. Chaerin stare blankly ahead, reminded of Jiyong.

“No wonder he needed a friend”

Chaerin mentioned quietly.

“Hmm?”

“Well, Jiyong and I are actually trying to fix our relationship the same way you and uncle Kwon are doing right now.”

“Wow, that is nice to hear Chae. So, both of you are friends now?”

“Kind of…. I guess?”

“Why do you sound so unsure?”

Mr Lee chuckles.

“Because it’s awkward. Just like moments ago we were on each other’s throat and now, we patch things up. It’s awkward dad”

Chaerin rolls her eyes as her dad begins to laugh even more.

“Touché my girl. Touché”

“Well I’m proud of you  dad, the way you help them even though your relationship with uncle is a bit rocky”

“Sometimes you need to put aside your disagreement and just be there for people. We need to learn to coexist with people around us if we want to grow as a human”

Chaerin adore her father for this selfless trait and now determined to do the same to Jiyong.

******************************

“I’ve heard..”

Chaerin lays down on her bed. Listening to her sister’s mellow voice.

“Yeah.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Great”

Chaerin exclaim sarcastically.

“Chaerin.. Hmm… Are you holding up okay?”

“There are days that I just wish it could go by faster so that I wouldn’t have to risk on bumping to him at college”

“Baby…”

Chaerin listens to Bom’s sigh.

“It’s okay though, believe it or not, I have made friends with me when goes down and they are there to comfort me. Well, you know dad. He’s the worst at comforting. He treated me like I have terminal disease for the first few days I’ve broken up with Jimin.”

They both chuckles.

“Well I’m just glad that you are meeting new people.  Hyuna, is it? Saw her pics posted on your instagram”

Bom is relieved to know her sister is occupied there knowing that she’s too far to be with her.

“Yup… that’s her, she’s a little bit like you. So bubbly and chirpy and sometimes clueless..”

Chaerin laughs.

“Yah! I’m not clueless”

“Keep telling yourself that, sis”

“Sorry for not being there with you sis”

“It’s okay, I’m coping, don’t worry”

Of course she wants her here. She wants her sister. But she wouldn’t say it to her like that, given the circumstances, they both know it’s impossible even how desperate she wants Bom here with her.

“Oh right. How’s your preparation for the competition?”

Bom proceed to talk about something else, she would not want to pour anymore sadness onto Chaerin.

“Same old…same old”

“Wow you sound very excited”

Bom replied sarcastically.

“Nothing new, you remember I told you last time that we have this combined practice with the football team? Well, that’s not working for me anymore.”

“How so?”

“Tskk sis! Jimin’s on the football team remember? So as Jiyong”

“Oh right, sorry”

Bom smacks her forehead. Maybe this is the clueless part that Chaerin mentioned just now.

“Urghhhh”

“Don’t be so grumpy. Anyways, what about Jiyong?”

“What about him?”

“You mentioned Jiyong just now..hellooo“

“Oh that… umm, here is a funny story. He asks me to be his friend”

“Say again?!”

“Right?!”

There’s a brief silent on the other line.

“Unnie… you still there?”

“Yeah, hold up I’m searching for something”

“What?”

Bom scroll on her Ipad and go into Instagram. She looks at what Jiyong had posted two days ago. Apparently they are following each other on Instagram since a while back. They follow each other when she visited Korea for 2 weeks last time because Bom is friendly towards Jiyong. She hangs out a lot at her stepfather restaurant and often joins Jiyong and his stepdad at the premise when Chaerin was occupied with her phone facetiming Jimin.

Bom look at the post where Jiyong posted a picture of a daisy with a quote ‘Cheers to the new beginning’.

Bom smile cringingly at the post quickly screenshotting it and sending it to Chaerin.

“Yah, I’ve send you something. Look at it and tell me what you think”

She proceeds to giggle, irritating Chaerin.

“What’s so funny?”

“Look at it yourself. Anyway, I have to go. I’m on call. Somebody needs me. Bye! Love you. Send my regards to dad. Take care!”

Before Chaerin could reply, Bom have ended their call.

Chaerin smile and shakes her head lightly. She is used to the hasty goodbye from Bom. She then proceed on opening Bom’s text and look at the screenshot.

She frowns before noticing it is Jiyong’s Instagram.

“So? What does this have to do with me?”

Chaerin voices out. But the more she looks into it, the more she feels like it is related to her. She checked the time it was posted which was two days ago. The day that they’ve become sort of friends and remembered mentioning daisy as her favorite flower. Chaerin contemplate for a while before brushing it off as coincidence and proceeds on taking her shower.

Practice is waiting.

****************************

Chaerin is working out for the final few minutes inside the hall. She is with few of her team mates who take on new schedule arranged by their coach. She felt sorry that due to her, some are affected. She manages to say sorry to them although they do not mind at all.

“Last final round!”

Their coach yelled and they put their best to spar with each other.

“Okay that’s it! Take a rest. Good job everyone”

Chaerin lays down puffing exhaustedly followed by Jisoo and some others. Training is damn intense and she felt her soul is leaving her body.

She stood up with the help of Jisoo and together they gather around their coach to receive comments. A lot of technical points were given to improve their techniques and they listen attentively. It ended after a while.

“Chae, when will you be leaving for Gwangju?”

Coach Jang walks with her as they are leaving the premise.

“Ahhh… I almost forgot. Can we pretend that I went but accidentally miss the bus?”

He then give her the side eye due to Chaerin remarks.

“Joking”

“Yeah well, Mr Han is not going to like it”

“But coach, Jimin is going to be there”

“And Jiyong.”

“Righhhhhttttttt”

Chaerin sigh.

“This is all going to end soon. Just think of it as a bitter sweet memory”

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