"Mommy?"

"yes bae?"

"what is true love?"

"hm…. What do you think love is sweetie?"

"Love is when mommy pets my head!"

My mother laughed wholeheartedly at my seemingly clueless 5-year-old idea of love.

"well, I do pet your head because I love you sweetie. But true love is…."

Bae woke up distraught. She doesn’t dream of her mother as often as she did. But a rude awakening blasted through her room door demanding answers.

"good morning to you too headmaster…" bae calmly rubbed her eyes and sat down properly on her bed.

"what is this talk I've heard of you moving out?! Is it some sort of silly joke?!" the headmaster with Mr. Choi tailing closely behind him looking equally shocked

"I am serious headmaster… And can we talk about it without the whole mansion staff staring at us?" the headmaster looked back and the house. And one look is all it took for them to disperse.

"… come to my study… we need to discuss this" the headmaster turned around and left the room. Mr. Choi glanced back at bae and she caught him looking kind of… sad.

Bae freshened up and headed to the headmaster study. She knocked on the door.

"come in bae"

Bae slowly opened the door and was startled. The headmaster wasn’t alone.

Irene was there too.

"I don’t mean to be rude headmaster. but I thought we were talking alone?"

"Irene also wanted answers for why you wanted to leave. Sit down bae"

Its because you won't love me back… its because you won't look at me.

"are you not happy here bae? is there anything I am not providing you with?" the headmaster is looking at bae. his old sharp features softening. While Irene is avoiding eye contact. Bae looked at the headmaster. and then moved her gaze to Irene who wasn’t even looking at her.

"not at all headmaster. I am just trying to become less of a burden. I wasn’t planning on living under your care forever. This isn’t a sudden decision I thought about moving once I could provide for myself"

The Headmaster glanced at Irene and then asked bae. "to be completely honest. I see you as family already you're not a burden bae soojung. But is that really what you want?" and after what seemed like the longest pause bae answered.

"yes headmaster"

 Bae looked back at the mansion she called home. The staff are all helping to move her stuff. Bae didn’t bring anything the headmaster bought with her. She didn’t view those things as hers. She only took the stuff that she came with her when she moved in. Except for all the pictures she took with her friends. she took them with her.

 "thank you everyone for putting up with me this past year. I won't forget your kindness" bae looked back at the staff she thought would be happy to see her go. But they all looked dejected.

"Miss bae!" Mr. Choi ran to bae after hesitating for a second.

"here. I want you to have this" bae looked at what Choi had in his hand. It was a good luck charm.

"fighting!"

Bae giggled and looked back to Choi. "thank you. Minho" bae didn’t feel the need for formalities anymore. She hugged Minho who tensed up at first but hugged back eventually.

Bae looked back at the mansion one last time. Searching for Irene. Irene didn’t say goodbye. The car started driving away. The mansion became smaller and smaller. And Irene still didn’t show up. Bae started crying. She felt like no matter what.

Irene wouldn’t look at her.

The newly established Hwang enterprises. People looked as busy as they should be. As bae walked to Jay's office. The gazes. Or stares. Were more than noticeable.

"hi jay. I am here to check the apartment arrangement. How is it coming along?"

Jay was talking to woman who seemed like she is bae's age. Bae didn’t get to see her face. but her uniform was enough to know her age. High schooler.

"oh bae! actually about that. Meet your housekeeper! Meng Meiqi!"

"huh? I don’t need a housekee-" the girl turned around and bae forgot to breathe for a moment. The blond haired girl turned around and looked equally startled  

"what do mean? You're either in school or you're at work! You need someone to do all the house chores! I insist!" jay gently pushed Meiqi to bae. "Meiqi this is a good girl don’t worry she wouldn’t be too much trouble" Meiqi looked back at jay still confused.

"Hello miss bae. please take care of me" Meiqi bowed.

"same here" bae frantically bowed back. Jay giggled at the interaction.

"Meiqi. I need to speak to bae alone. You can go now" Meiqi nodded and left the room after looking at bae again… but bae knew her look wasn’t admiration like the rest of the looks she got today. It was something else.

"how is everything bae? your face is so puffy! Did Irene make you cry again?!" Jay looked concerned and mad at the same time. But bae shrugged it off.

"I am okay jay… who was that girl" bae needed to get to the bottom of that look the Meiqi gave her when she left.

"oh Meiqi? Sad little thing that girl…"

"huh?"

"Meiqi is a close friend's sister. She lost her family in a house fire while she was at school. I offered to give her a place of her own to live in. but she refused. Saying that she wants to work for it. So I offered that she becomes your housekeeper"

As bae was listening she could somehow relate to Meiqi. Losing family. Refusing to live off someone's kindness. And now living in someone's house. Bae just listened to the moving details from jay. Jay handed her the keys to her apartment and office and bid her farewell. Bae headed to her office and finished what she needed to finish and then as she was packing up to leave jay knocked on her door.

"oh bae by the way. Jennie was just messing with you at the party I asked her to do all of that to make Irene jealous lol"

Huh?.... oh… the kiss…

"it's okay. I already know nobody would like me like that. And definitely not miss kim…" Jay looked flustered and looked around. Way to go idiot.

"ahem… here's Meiqi's number… go straight home you'll be late!" jay frantically closed the door and left. Bae looked at the number in front of her. she contemplated calling the girl and suggesting to buy chicken as a housewarming dinner. But before she could think even more she already hit the dial button.

"…hello?"

Bae who wasn’t ready blurted a bunch of sorry excuses of words.

"uaahh. Ahem hello"

"who is this?"

she realized she took Meiqi's number but Meiqi had no idea who was calling her.

"Oh sorry. It's bae soojung. I was just wondering if you like chicken. I was planning on getting some. You know as a housewarming gift" bae already regretting every word coming out of .

"oh. Its okay I already ate. I can make something for you miss bae"

"oh… okay" mission housewarming: failed. Bae thought how stupid every word that left sounded like to this girl.

"… is that all?"

"huh? Oh yes. Goodbye Meiqi" bae realized she was silent for a long time.

"goodbye miss bae"

Bae drove to her apartment and was excited to have her friends over and to do all kinds of things in her apartment. She opened the door and found Meiqi preparing food.

"please sit down. Food will be ready soon"

"Oh okay. I need to change though. And prepare for school tomorrow. I won't take long" bae felt kind of… awkward. Meiqi was acting like the mansion staff. And bae didn’t like that.

Bae quickly took a shower and found her uniform and stuff already organized. She got dressed and went to the dining room to find all her favorite foods spread out.

"I made my favorites. I didn’t know what you like to eat. I hope you don’t mind"

"these are actually my favorites too. I'll eat well. Thank you" bae started eating and felt a familiar taste.

Food that tasted like home.

She smiled and kept stuffing her face. until she heard a giggle.

"slow down there's enough food for everyone" Meiqi who was washing the dishes and had her back to bae remarked. Bae finally saw Meiqi do something the mansion staff didn’t do. And chuckled.

"its so good I couldn’t slow down"

"that’s good to hear miss bae"

After demolishing the food. Bae by instinct picked up her plates to wash them. But Meiqi was thinking about the same thing and they pumped hands.

"its okay please let me wash the dishes. You already made such delicious food." Bae took the plates not waiting to hear Meiqi's complaints.

"miss bae its okay. That’s what I am here for…" bae knotted her eyebrows in discomfort. She understood how Meiqi felt. And she did wish she didn't.

"Meiqi please let me do this much. You worked hard today. Thank you" Meiqi was taken aback by the sudden appreciation to argue back. But she still went to help bae.

"Aish this girl… fine you can help…" bae and Meiqi finished washing the dishes and went to sleep in their own respective rooms.

The next morning bae awoke to the smell something delicious. Not even bothering to wash up she went to see what that sweet smell is.

"good morning miss b-pfftt.. umm I made pancakes." Meiqi held back a laugh when she saw bae. eyes half closed. Bed hair. A hot mess. Meiqi was already in her uniform and ready to go.

"I luv pancakes" bae smiled as she reminisced her memories with her mom. Meiqi reminded her so much of her mom somehow.

"okay go wash up. You look like a mess." That managed to snap bae out of her daze. She lazily walked back to her room and as she looked at the pictures on her wall. She realized she had to see Irene today. She brushed the thought off and got washed up and got ready for school.

When bae when to greet Meiqi properly she didn’t find her and only found a note saying that Meiqi left because she would be late. Bae ate her pancakes alone and texted Kyungsoo.

"yo. Want me to pick you up in my car? 😉"

"YOU HAVE A CAR ?!"