"Seo Bora!"

I tumble a bit as my best friend, Baek Seunghye wraps her arms around me in her usually rough manner. I simply let my arms wrap around her waist as I smile at her. My seat mate. A very bubbly person.

Then comes the boy with his usual boxy smile joining us. Our infamous senior of the modern dance crew, Jung Hoseok. He simply walks beside me with his hands tucked in his pocket, his face not really showing any emotion.

"So where are we hanging out today?" he asks the usual question. We usually either head over to Seunghye's house or mine, since our parents are both not home most of the time. But that day, on that particular day, I don't feeling like going home.

"Seunghye?" I turn to look at her and to my relief, she just nods twice.

"We'll have to head to the food vendor for lunch though. I don't think I have anything left in the fridge."

"That's fine with me." Hoseok rubs his hands together excitedly in thought of the street foods we always eat together.

I would usually have the same excited grin on my face but I am sensing something weird. I keep on seeing this black car parked across the street ever since we walked out of the school. It seems really suspicious to me but I don't want to say anything. Hoseok would panic in a milliseconds and it would be impossible to calm him down once he does his flailing thing.

I dont feel like dealing with that right now so I just silently observe the car, pretending as if I'm obnoxious to it.

I should've ran away and hide in Seunghye's house because two guys in black suit actually came out of the car to get me. Don't even ask why I think of that movie Man in Black before I think of anything else. I don't want to fight it physically since we are in public and Hoseok's violent flailing is not needed at this time. So I just act calm ask what do they want with me.

They say it's the Chairman's order to pick me up from school. I frown immediately. Then they say my mother's name and I sigh heavily, ignoring Seunghye and Hoseok's confused stare at me and the two Man in Black.

There's only one explanation to this. I've been through this too often not to understand it immediately. My mom went overseas for her work and obviously she found herself a new man to screw his life over. And the new man turned out to be the director of a private school, the unknown Mr. Chairman.

Mom, it had just been three months since we moved... I groaned as I stare at my two friends. It's time to say farewell again.

***

I don't even dare to fall asleep along the way to Seoul. How can I ever, in the car with two strangers on my way to somewhere I don't even know? They could be lying about this whole thing and I am pretty sure not even my blue belt in Taekwondo can help me deal with those two.

The car finally takes a sharp turn and goes up a slightly steep hill. They zoom past the security, exchange a few nods and the guards let the car enter the enormous bungalow. I groan for the nth time of the day as they park by the curb and one of them held the door for me. I blink in confusion as I alighted the car and wow, they actually left me standing there like an idiot while holding my backpack.

Ha, funny. What kind of prank is this? What am I supposed to do here anyway?

I contemplate on leaving for a bit but before I can even move, another car zooms in right to the place where I am standing. A Black Mercedes. I just stare at the car blankly as it moves closer to me and finally, I get to smile amidst this confusion.

"Bora honey!"

"Mom!"

I run towards her as soon as she opens the door and proceeds to hugging her tight. I am totally obnoxious to the old man who just came out of the front seat and a boy who just slammed the door as hard as he can. I am honestly just really relieved to see a familiar face in this strange place.

"Bora, there's someone you need to meet." my mom says that usual line of hers as soon as I pull away from the hug to hold her hand. A man smiles sweetly at me. He looks like he's in his mid forties- or maybe I am wrong. He might be younger by a few years. My eyes then dart towards a boy by his side, his sour expression contrasting the man's warm smile greatly.

"Nice to meet you." I say with a smile mirroring his own as I bow slightly. He erupts into a small laughter as he pats my head affectionately.

"What a pretty daughter I will have. She grew up so well." Chairman Kim says with his fond smile never leaving his face. My mother smiles proudly as she tucks a strand of my hair behind my ears, her eyes staring at me.

"Can we not do this family bonding thing outside the house? I'm really thirsty."

Three heads turn towards the annoying voice in a few seconds upon hearing that. Chairman Kim's face turns into a rather displeased one as he watches the boy moving towards the door and enters the house. His house.

Who the heck is this anyway? Did anyone ever teach him about manners?

"Ah, young blood." my mom just chuckles as she pats the chairman's shoulder in such a gentle manner. I would puke right there right then if it isn't for how cliche the scene is to me. She always does that to the guys she introduces me to.

Cliche.

"Give him some time and he'll be a great son to you. I promise." he says, grabbing onto my mom's hand. Her grip on my hand slowly loosens as she moves closer to the chairman and practically hugging his arms.

"I have all the time in the world for that."

They exchange cheesy smiles with each other before entering the house, leaving me behind. I sigh deeply as I stare at the house.

"Hello my new hell." I mutter to myself before I follow them inside, my eyes first greeted with the sight of a grand chandeliar in the middle of the living room.

At least they decorated this house with a taste that perfectly fits my style. Who knows, I might be enjoying this more than what I think.

***

My mom explains the whole situation of how she met the chairman while she had to attend a course organized by her company in London. (He is just so gorgeous you can't expect my eyes to tear off him right? Moreover with that Rolex on his wrist?) I just nod wearily as I shift uncomfortably on the bed; which is supposed to be my bed starting from today.

My mom keeps on gushing over the chairman without realizing how I am still in my school uniform despite it being 6pm. It's not that I am not interested, really. The story she tells me is typical. Her relationships always starts like that. A simple meeting that she would start and then somehow boom, she got him wrapped around her finger.

It's amazing, really. After hearing almost the same story every single time this happens, I wonder how did the tactic work every single time. Bending herself to pick up a pen, exposing her cleavage. A trick that never grow old, isn't it?

Ah right, dinner.

I go down with my mom, hands in hands after I finally get her to give me my clothes. After a few times experiencing this kind of thing, I can guess that she already bought me new clothes and stuffs. I don't get to choose. Like it or not, most of it are pinkish and girly stuffs. This is why I don't allow myself to get too attached to the things I have. Sooner or later, I have to move on from it anyway, so what's the point of liking something too much?

That's my dear mother for you.

We are busily chatting on the dinner table while waiting for the chairman, who comes down 15 minutes later with a sullen face.
"He won't come down?" my mother asks casually as the chairman sigh.

"I don't know what to do with him anymore." he rubs his temple and I think he just aged an extra 3 years by the look of it now. My mother reaches out for his hand on the dining table, patting it assuringly.

"It's fine. I can bond with him some other time, hmm?"

"I wish he is as easy going as you, Bora. He's... too shocked to accept all this."

First timer huh? I'm a veteran at this.

Well actually, I wish I can get away with locking myself in my room like he did. My mom, as gentle and graceful as she sounds, won't ever tolerate me messing up with this kind of meeting. And I am way too numb with this to even care anymore. I am literally a robot every single time this happens. She wants me to smile, I smile. She wants me to be the best version of me and here I am, pretending as if I am okay with all this happening.

Honestly, I kinda understand him. I don't know his name yet but yeah, I'm pretty sure we can get along well- or so I thought. But dinner went well, even without him. It sure feels like a warm, small family dinner, just like the other houses I went to before this.

"Ah so, how about Bora's school admission?" my mother asks while we are devouring our dessert. I also look up from my vanilla ice cream to stare at the chairman with my curious eyes.

"I handled it. I even picked her homeroom myself. Found her the best homeroom teacher as well. Everything will be fine. Taehyung will be around to assist her."

"Well, Bora is supposed to be her step sister after all. I believe he's a trustworthy person." My mom nods simply.

"Exactly. Um,