“Namjoo-ya? Are you ready? Let’s go!”

 

“I’m coming mom!”

 

Cicadas settled onto the trunks of old persimmon trees, singing their heart out as they basked under the dizzy heat. The appearance of bright, clear, blue skies was the perfect indication that summer is here. Across the village were paddy fields that paint colours of nature as farmers continued to work like bees.

 

But today, is a special day for one family.

 

Parked outside their quaint home is a lorry, its space filled with heavy boxes and sorts. They are moving out to a place that every Chungcheon villager dreamt of, Seoul City.

 

“What took you so long?”

 

“Wanted to take a few pictures before we leave for good.” Namjoo replied, hopping inside the lorry and squeezed her feet in.

 

“I see that you’re making good use of that.” Chorong eyed on her daughter’s phone, clad in a pink case decorated with cute animal stickers.

 

“Of course! You bought it for me! You have no idea how long I’ve waited to own my own phone! I love you, mom!” Namjoo smiled widely as she leaned and hugged her. Long gone were the days where she had to cycle miles just to visit the only internet café in Chungcheon and access the online world.

 

“I’m driving.”

 

“Right.” The daughter immediately jumped away and cleared .

 

Chorong never thought of returning back to Seoul. It had been nearly 15 years since she had last visited the city where she used to work several odd jobs such as a cashier, clerk, attendant, kitchen helper and many more. It was all thanks to her smart daughter who worked very hard to earn an exclusive scholarship at a renowned high school.

 

Of course, everyone thought city life meant good. But not all things, brings happiness.

 

That was why Chorong insisted to live with her daughter in Seoul. She was worried that Namjoo might end up with bad influence from arrogant, city kids. But surely these were all stereotypes formed in her head thanks to television, dramas and the word of mouth.

 

She has heard good things about Seoul from her cousin, Naeun who works there. Ever since she left to continue her university life, the two keep in close contact. During the holidays, Naeun would return back to Chuncheon with her brother, Dongwoon, just like what every family did.

 

 

“Mom! Mom!! Mom!!!” shouted Namjoo loudly as she ran towards the paddy field, waving an envelope in her hand.

 

“What is it, Namjoo-ya? Did something happen?”

 

“Yes-”

 

Chorong gaped.“Did Uncle Shindong break the flower pot again?”

 

“No.”

 

“Did Aunt Soonkyu sent another suitor again?!”

 

“Mom! It’s none of that! I swear, you worry too much on the little things.” whined Namjoo as she took out a paper from the envelope and waved it to her mom.

 

“Oh my...this…” gasped Chorong as she looked at Namjoo, wondering if she was seeing things. But it’s real.

 

“I’m going to Seoul mom!!!” squealed Namjoo as the mother and daughter embraced each other, celebrating in joy.

 

Namjoo is selected as one of the three students for a full scholarship at the prestigious Seoul High. This is great news.

 

The family could finally get out of Chungcheon village, away from grumpy elderly who would ask for all kinds of errands and pester Namjoo to get married instead of getting a job. They would be free from living in a house where the roof kept leaking during rainy days and have their feet stuck from broken potholes of their wooden flooring.

 

The best of all, they can finally reunite with their relatives, Dongwoon and Naeun who have been pursing their own dreams in the city.

 

All of those sleepless nights were worth it.

 

It is a dream come true.

 

Throughout the ride, Chorong paid close attention on road as she would listen to the radio. Her daughter on the other hand, was far too indulged in her new phone. Just the night before, Namjoo was up, creating various social media accounts in order to catch up with the latest trends.

 

“Did you just take a picture of yourself?” laughed Chorong in amusement, hearing the camera click.

 

“It’s called a selca mom. I’m uploading it as my first post on Instagram.”

 

“And why would you do that?”

 

“Because that’s how social media is, mom!”

 

Chorong frowned at her daughter and sighed. She will never understand how youngsters get so caught up in the latest technology.

 

Indeed, there will always be a generation gap between them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Fana Corporations has invested 42 billion into this project with our assistance. I believe that if we proceed with this, we will not only attract the young but old generation as well.”

 

Men dressed in suits nodded along and began murmuring to each other, they were a mixture of young and old entrepreneurs, all shareholders and directors of J&J Ltd.

 

Standing in front of them, was the CEO. A woman, who had a powerful aura around her and a strong leadership. She is dressed in a white blouse that was cloaked over a black jacket. Her eyes were burning with passion and has remained that way since the reign of her company.

 

“Very well. I believe this is a good idea Eunji-ssi. We will approve of this project.”

 

“Thank you very much sir. How about the rest?” asked Eunji look at the others with a pleased smile.

 

It was always about her charming smile. It became a special trait that every reporter would write about; The CEO with a magical smile. There is a saying that shareholders and investors alike would say yes to anything once that smile was put on.

 

The board exchanged glances and nodded their heads in agreement. It was approved with no objections.

 

With the meeting over, the CEO was onto her next schedule. Each day was busy and it wasn’t always about sitting at the desk doing paperwork. Her heels echoed the hallway as she greeted her shareholders who were taking a break with sweets and treats prepared. But she has no time to entertain them. Her next event, was to attend Seoul Fashion Week.

 

“Excuse me madam…” Her secretary, Nana approached her from behind.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Your daughter, Hayoung has just spent another 900,000 won on her credit- I mean your credit card.” She whispered quietly as to not attract any attention.

 

The CEO heaved a sigh. “Call the bank and cancel the credit card. Where is she anyways? She’s supposed to attend fashion week with me today.”

 

“Right. I’ll get Hyerin on that.”

 

“Good. I know that daughter of mine never reads my text.”

 

Striding quickly into the elevator and arriving at the basement car park, Eunji greeted her chauffeur before entering the black limousine, hands busy as she was dialing someone. There were fashion coordinators and makeup artists waiting on stand by, ready to beautify their CEO and make her presentable to the public.

 

“Great. Not you too.” She sighed as no one was picking up the call. “Nana, can you also check up on Bomi? She’s not answering my calls.”

 

“Roger that, madam.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Winner winner, chicken dinner!!” triumphed Hayoung in victory as she won another round of Battlegrounds against her gaming partner, Heechul.

 

Heechul is the younger son of Fana Corporations. The two grew up together, developing an interest in video games. He was always considered a brother to Hayoung and never a love interest. No matter how much the press would try to twist the story and make up scandals, the whole community knew that it would be impossible for the two of them to be in a romantic relationship. 

 

“Argh! You sneaked up on me towards the end! Fine, you win.” He said in defeat, taking out his wallet and handing her 100,000 won. The two were playing a bet and the loser would have to pay. 

 

“You can’t beat me oppa.” smirked Hayoung as she adjusted her round glasses. “Now then, let me buy some upgrades.” Her hands moved quickly, clicking away.

 

However, her card was not going through the system. Confused, the girl tried it again but it was to no avail. Having a hunch of what was happening, Hayoung took her phone to check her unread 900 messages from her friends, gaming groups, her mom’s co-workers and her mom.

 

“Your mom said that you would never read your texts so she asked me to cancel your credit card. If you want your credit card back, please attend Seoul Fashion Week with your mom today.” – Nana

 

“Damn it!” scowled Hayoung as she slammed the desk out of anger.

 

“What happened?”

 

“She keeps using the same tricks, ing hell.”

 

“Your mom cancelled your credit card again? That .”

 

“I gotta go now and attend that stupid fashion week show. Ugh. See you later oppa.“ Hayoung mumbled angrily, getting up from her seat.

 

“See ya. I probably have to go too before my dad finds out that I’m slacking off.” chuckled Heechul.

 

The daughter of J&J Ltd didn’t even need to do anything. By the time she got out of the internet café (she rented out the whole building), her chauffeur was already outside waiting for her.

 

“Get in. We will be late.” said Hyeri as she rolled down the window.

 

“Whatever.” shrugged Hayoung as she entered the Audi car.

 

Scrolling through her phone, the girl remained quiet as she checked her social media accounts. It was no surprise that the daughter of J&J Ltd’s CEO would have thousands of followers. But to Hayoung, she was used to receiving special attention that was a perfect replacement from wanting to receive acknowledgement from her mom.

 

It was more than enough.

 

“There isn’t much time left before your summer break ends.”

 

“Don’t remind me, Hyeri unnie.”

 

“I’m just saying. Here, eat this before you go.” The chauffeur handed a plastic bag filled with packages of her favourite bread. “It’s from your favourite Paris Corner.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

During middle school, Hayoung’s aunt, Bomi could no longer fetch her to places as she was assigned to other jobs. Thus, Eunji hired a personal chauffeur for her daughter, Lee Hyeri. Although at first, Hayoung was cold-hearted towards Hyeri as she didn’t feel comfortable. But slowly, the ice broke and Hyeri was like an older sister to Hayoung who would take care of her and listen to her troubles.

 

But no one could beat her favourite aunt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Your phone keeps buzzing.”

 

“Whoops. Sorry.”

 

Rather than checking the messages, she switched her phone off and tossed it back on the marble table. Squinting her eyes at the light filtering through the white curtains, she groaned and turned around, giggling as she met with the most beautiful sight.

 

“Morning Bomi.” Greeted the woman in front of her.

 

“Morning Naeun” She grinned. “Sorry my phone’s being an attention-seeker.”

 

Naeun giggled at her sentence. “Are you sure about switching your phone off? Wouldn’t your boss get angry?”

 

“I start work at 3pm so my boss can only call me at that time.” smirked Bomi as she naturally wrapped her arms around Naeun’s thin waist. Under the blankets together, they felt each other’s bare skin. The couple wanted to spend another moment like this, before they returned to reality.

 

“How would you define our relationship?” asked Naeun as the two stared at the bare ceiling, enjoying each other’s warmth.

 

“I don’t know.” The lady shrugged. “Friends with benefits?”

 

“But don’t people view that in a bad way?”

 

“Who cares about what they think? They don’t know us.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

It’s complicated.

 

Aware that it could be a sensitive topic if their relationship was revealed because of Bomi’s identity of being Eunji’s close friend, they were always careful when out in public. That was why their perfect haven of privacy was hanging out in Bomi’s grand apartment owned by J&J.

 

Located on the highest floor, a spacious penthouse with all of the amenities and facilities, Bomi was certainly living that life. Each weekend, Naeun would visit Bomi and the two would have a great start with chatters and laughing, talking about their work and happenings in the life. All of these ooh’s and aah’s with a sprinkle of alcohol would end the couple in bed, finding comfort in ual pleasure.

 

They were just a perfect match.

 

But they were not lovers. Simply best friends, who exchanged each other’s bodies for pleasure. Nothing more.

 

It was a complex relationship hidden under the wraps for over 15 years.

 

“We started with pen and paper.”

 

“You called yourself redbear.”

 

“I called you silverhand.”

 

“And now we’re here.”

 

“Did we just parody a cliché line?”

 

The couple laughed and giggled. Nothing but pure happiness that made their heads go giddy.

 

“There’s a live stream of Seoul Fashion Week Red Carpet later on SBC. Wanna watch it?” asked Bomi, reminded of Eunji’s schedule today.

 

“Sure. We still have time.” Naeun got up from the king-sized bed, the LED TV as she headed to the kitchen counter to prepare coffee for the both of them.

 

“Wow look at you being all y, how dare you walk around in my house!” whistled Bomi with a tease.

 

“Oh please, it’s not like you had a rule saying that I can’t walk . Plus, it’s summer. I would sweat again if I put my clothes on.”

 

“That’s true. Then, I won’t wear any then.” laughed Bomi as she followed Naeun, helping her to make coffee because she knew how much of a klutz Naeun was.

 

“I won’t make a mess!” whined Naeun, immediately knowing Bomi’s intention.

 

“Don’t want you burning your fingers again, Miss Clumsy.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“In other news, the police are still searching for the suspect involved in the -murder case last week.”

 

“What are you watching Namjoo-ya?” asked Chorong as she turned down the volume of the radio. They were now stuck in city traffic, something which the lady didn’t miss at all. “Shouldn’t you be looking up? I thought you were really excited to visit Seoul?” Her daughter was glued to her phone, not taking one look at the view outside.

 

“There’s going to be a live stream happening soon mom. This is more important!”

 

Chorong rolled her eyes. “Is it about your favourite group again? What were they called again? Shine?

 

“It’s SHINEE mom! They’re going to appear on the red carpet soon!” The girl exasperated as her eyes remained glued onto her phone.

 

“Kids and liking their idols these days- “

 

“Oh! They’re on screen now! Mom, look at my boys!” Namjoo yelled in excitement, her feet jiggling up and down in the midst of the cramped space. “Onew!” She pointed out and showed the screen to her mom, who didn’t look impressed.

 

“He’s handsome but...that’s all.”

 

“Come on mommmmm!” whined Namjoo. “They’re wearing clothes from J&J. I swear that brand is everywhere.”

 

“That reminds me, I think the daughter of J&J’s CEO goes to your school.”

 

“ing rich, arrogant kids.”

 

“Namjoo, mind your language.”

 

“Oops! Sorry about that!”

 

The mother dropped another heavy sigh as she looked at her daughter, gently fixing Namjoo’s dishevelled hair after all the fangirling. “I want you to make friends, not enemies. I know how you are always very expressive and straight-forward with others, but city people are different.”

 

“I know, I know.” said Namjoo, obviously not listening as she was busy screenshotting every second of her favourite boy group, SHINEE. Switching between the video and her Twitter account where she tweeted about them, she saw people talking about the J&J mother and daughter duo making an appearance. It was making headlines on news portals but certainly, it was a form of publicity.  

 

While her daughter didn’t have a good perception about J&J; mostly just city kids, but it was party due to the influence of dramas where rich characters would always portray a cocky attitude, Chorong on the other hand, was different. She managed to get a copy of Eunji’s self-written biography. Reading her story, she could relate in terms of how Eunji struggled to build her company as a young adult while being a single mother. Unlike Namjoo, Chorong had a lot of respect for Eunji.

 

Chorong wouldn’t mind if she could talk to Eunji one day and share her own experiences of being a single mom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photographers and reporters alike, all squeezed into the front of the red carpet as they anticipated the next VIP guest. The CEO of J&J Ltd, Jung Eunji and her daughter, Hayoung. The crowd began to murmur upon the appearance of the black limousine from afar.

 

“Remember, just smile and let me do all the talking.”

 

“Yeah whatever. I have to listen to you otherwise I won’t get my credit card back.”

 

“Excuse me, it’s my credit card.”

 

“Whatever.”

 

Eunji breathed a sigh, upset at her daughter’s cold reactions. But she has always been like that ever since that Busan trip. Deep down, the guilt was always there, pounding painfully inside. The CEO knew very well that this was all of her fault and it was probably too late to fix everything.

 

“Madam, it’s time.” said Nana as their chauffeur got out and opened the door for them. Immediately, white flashes blinded their sight. Reporters shoved their cameras in, photographers mercilessly clicking their cameras away and pushed each other to get the best shot.

 

Whenever the two had an event to attend, it was all an act. An act of publicity.

 

Gently holding onto Hayoung’s hand, the CEO lead her daughter onto the red carpet as they stood in the centre for photo time. Waving and smiling at all directions, they looked pretty in their fancy dresses and accessories.

 

“, I’m going to get blind.” mumbled Hayoung in a tone that only her mom could hear whilst smiling.

 

“Just hang on for a few more minutes.” replied Eunji who continued to sport her famous, gleaming smile.

 

Soon, the MC came over and asked a few questions in which Eunji handled professionally well. She’s used to it and always knew how to counter questions in relation with her daughter. The CEO knew that Hayoung was terrible at answering questions. Hayoung had hung around with Bomi too much that all she knew was making savage, cursing comments.

 

Obviously, Eunji could not let that happen.

 

Once the big obstacle was over, the two guests were ushered inside the grand exhibition and shown to their VIP seats where they would watch the grand fashion walk. Popular models from all of the world would be on the runway, endorsing most of J&J’s latest designs with possible investors watching and analysing the results. Eunji watched proudly while Hayoung on the other hand, would yawn and entertain herself on the phone.

 

“Wow, I’m ing bored.” mumbled Hayoung.

 

“I’ll triple the amount in your credit.”

 

“Then I’ll shut up.”

 

After the event was where Hayoung’s nightmare began.

 

Her mother would leave her side, entertaining clients and possible investors as she would talk confidently in front of them. Unlike her mother, Hayoung was not a social butterfly and was shy towards strangers. Feeling without Eunji’s presence, the high schooler would hide herself in a dark corner, drinking water alone as she pretended to be on her phone.

 

Luckily, no one approached her because everyone was scared to confront the daughter of J&J Ltd. Perhaps it was due to the intimidating black sunglasses she had, or her towering physique. Either way, it was suffocating and Hayoung wished she could just go back to her favourite Internet café, away from the stares she was getting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was time. Bomi had to fetch Eunji and Hayoung from Seoul Fashion Week while Naeun returned back to her apartment as her relatives were going to start living with her today. But it wasn’t a sad goodbye as the two friends would meet again just like they always would.

 

Driving off in her Benz, Naeun arrived to her two floor apartment suite and noticed the lorry parked outside the guard house. It was indeed the most eye-catching vehicle among the other fancy cars.

 

“Naeun unnie!!! I’ve missed you!” squealed Namjoo as she ran into Naeun’s arms and hugged her.

 

“Me too. Welcome to Seoul, Namjoo.” smiled Naeun in reply. “I’ll ask the guards to help us with the things.” She turned to Chorong who nodded.

 

One after another, Naeun’s spotless living room was now filled with towering boxes and dust flying all over. She had two extra, empty rooms and it would soon become the bedrooms of Chorong and Namjoo. Not many would be lucky to have a large suite like Naeun’s, and it isn’t because she is rich. It was all thanks to Bomi who bought her the house as part of her birthday gift last year.

 

Looking from a different perspective, people might think that Bomi is Naeun’s sugar mommy. But that’s just not what it is.

 

It took time to sort everything out. Before they had realised, the sun was down. Sunday gone in a blink of an eye.

 

“Since we’re done, let me treat you to dinner.”

 

“Wow, really?!’ gasped Namjoo, thrilled as she began to think of indulging herself in the delicacy of Seoul’s food.

 

“You don’t have to do that Naeun-ah.”

 

“It’s okay. I got a bonus recently. Might as well celebrate it.” smiled Naeun.

 

Namjoo was wide-eyed, staring at everything like she was in an alien world. The chandelier hanging from above, men and women dressed professionally in black suits as they served customers and the night view of Seoul city below. It felt so unreal. Namjoo couldn’t believe that she was dining in a classy restaurant, the ones she had always seen on television.

 

“Here is your rib-eye steak miss.” said the waiter.

 

“Wow!”

 

“Namjoo, please lower your voice.” whispered Chorong. “You’re too loud.”

 

“Sorry…” Namjoo nodded her head slightly to apologise, but her eyes were glued to the slab of meat. She swallowed her saliva, ready to devour it.

 

Naeun giggled at Namjoo’s reaction and found it adorable. “Let’s eat.”

 

As the family indulged themselves, Namjoo stuffed herself with meat and salad. The cousins on the other hand, talked about something more serious which the younger one didn’t hear.She was too concentrated on eating.

 

“You haven’t found a job yet?” asked Naeun in worry.

 

“Not really…do you have any recommendations?”

 

“That’s a problem unnie. You may have the experience but you don’t have any degree qualifications. You did not go to college so getting a job at a company would be tough.”

 

“I can just work at the market again. It’s fine.”

 

“I don’t want you to do that. Look at your fingers, they are all wrinkled up from the hard labour. You’ve been working so hard all these years, there’s no need to go back to that.” Naeun furrowed her eyebrows cutely, her eyes filled with worry. She didn’t want her cousin to go back to those days.

 

“Alright Naeun-ah.” smiled Chorong. She was aware Naeun was concerned and that touched her heart. “Then, why don’t you help me find a job since you don’t want me to work at the market?”

 

Naeun took out her Gucci handbag and handed a name card to her cousin.

 

J&J Ltd.

 

“Unnie, why do you have that card?!” whispered Namjoo in a gasp.

 

“I work for them sometimes.” said Naeun shyly. In truth, she didn’t want the attention. It was not like she was a permanent employee anyway. “I have a friend who works there and she said there is a vacancy for chauffeurs. There will be a walk-in interview this Monday. You can check it out.”

 

“Won’t hurt to try. Thank you Naeun-ah.” Chorong took the name card and placed it inside her wallet.

 

“Starts at 10am, don’t be late. J&J are very timely.” Naeun advised her.

 

“Wait, what do you actually work as unnie? You never told me.” pouted Namjoo, feeling like she was missing out on something.

 

“That’s because you were too young at that time.” giggled Chorong.

 

“Hey, I’m going to be in my first year of high school! I’ll be an adult soon!”

 

“Is that so?” laughed the two adults.

 

“Don’t tease me!”

 

“I work as a freelance English translator. Sometimes, I might have to translate some business reports from their foreign clients or go overseas with the CEO.”

 

Namjoo gaped. was so big that flies could go in. “Do you meet celebrities too? Like…SHINEE for example?”

 

“Not to that extent. Namjoo, it’s not that grand. I don’t just work for J&J, there are a lot of other companies too.”

 

“I…see…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Good work!” greeted Bomi in her BMW sedan.

 

“You didn’t read my messages.” eyed Eunji.

 

“Oops. Sorry, boss.” The lady laughed nervously. “So, back to the office yes? As for Hayoung, where do you want to- “

 

“Take her back home. She’s not allowed to go to the internet café.”

 

“What?!” protested Hayoung.

 

“Why are you spending your time on those useless games? Your summer break is almost over, you should be preparing and reviewing the syllabus! I gave you the credit card so that you can spend that on food, necessities, not video game purchases!” The mother began to give a lecture. Bomi remained mum and decided to divert all her attention to driving. It’s not the right time to be interrupting the two. After all, the CEO can be pretty scary when angry.

 

“...”

 

“You’ve been hanging out with that good-for-nothing son of Fana Corporations, have you? Why of all people would you stick close to Heechul when you could befriend with the older son, Junsu? Junsu has the knowledge and he can teach you about running businesses. All Heechul knows is gambling and play games!”

 

“…”

 

“You’re not going to be a kid anymore. You have to open your eyes to the reality, understand the business world and start being more open in front of others. Stop wasting your time on video games. How are you going to behave once you have to accompany me onto big, important meetings? Events like today, is nothing.”

 

“Why do I even have to follow you to all these annoying events? What does it even have to do with me?!” Hayoung finally spoke.

 

“Because you are my daughter- “

 

“I don’t have anyone like that.” interrupted Hayoung coldy, before turning away to avoid eye-contact with Eunji.

 

Hearing those words, the CEO went silent.

Letting a heavy sigh out, she couldn’t say anything after that. Instead, there was a long silence and a big empty space in between their seats. Eunji looked out at the window while Hayoung played with her phone. It was always like that whenever the mother and daughter were put together in the same place.

 

After Bomi stopped by J&J Headquarters to which Eunji left to attend other duties, she was now all alone with Hayoung. Making sure that her best friend was completely gone, she turned the wheel and started driving away.

 

“Where are we going? Are you seriously going to lock me at home?” asked Hayoung.

 

“Oh please, you know I never listen to your mother.” winked Bomi.

 

“I love you Aunt Bomi.” The girl finally smiled.

 

As much as Bomi loved hearing Hayoung say that to her, sometimes she just wished to hear the girl say the same thing to her own, real mother.

 

“Let’s stop by Paris Corner. It’s about time for dinner and I’m sure you’re exhausted after that dreadful act in front of everyone.”

 

Bomi knew that Hayoung would be in a bad mood whenever she was faced with her mother. She would try to cheer her up and pamper the girl with food; everyone’s best friend.

 

“I know right! I’m so hungry!” The girl exasperated, casually removing the necklace that was being an annoyance to her.

 

Bomi smiled, finding it amazing how Hayoung could immediately change her expressions. She was certain that Hayoung acts differently around Eunji and becomes her natural self in front of everyone else. The lady always thought that it was her own way of telling her mother to change. Hayoung was a nice kid, but had subtle ways of expressing her feelings.

 

It was like a game. You had to figure out the secret code behind her messages. But obviously, Eunji was too dense to notice.

 

“You should go to acting school.”

 

“W-What for?” Hayoung almost choked on her water.

 

“How long are you gonna act like that in front of your mom?”

 

“What act? I’m always like that around her.”

 

“Hah, lies.”

 

“…I hate how you can see through everything.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re planning Hayoung. You know that it has always been my dream to see you two make up. I’ve told you so many times how your mom felt guilty about what she did to you last time.”

 

“And I won’t forgive her.”

 

“Hayoung.”

 

“Can we change the topic to something happier? I don’t get to see you often especially once I start school.” The girl pouted.

 

“Alright.” Bomi smirked as she had a brilliant idea. “Let’s talk about your crush.”

 

“A-Aunt!”

 

“It’s your fault for telling me everything. Now, have you taken the chance yet?”

 

“How can I even ask her out? She’s so much older than me…”

 

“Age has no limits my dear. It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

 

“What if I get rejected?”

 

“Like I said, you’re a good actress. I’m sure you would know fully well how to act in situations like that.”

 

“That wasn’t helpful.”

 

“It isn’t supposed to be helpful.” Bomi laughed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standing in front of J&J Ltd, Chorong gulped but took a deep breath to calm her anxiety. She was here for the walk-in interview and had been preparing for the past few days. The lady wanted to remain positive and confident. Taking big steps, she headed to counter where the receptionist led her to the interview room that was on the 18^th floor.

 

Along the hallway, there were other candidates who are as nervous as her. Sitting restlessly as they waited for their turn, the lady remained calm. She analysed her surroundings, there were people much older than her, some in their early fifties and forties. In fact, Chorong seemed to be the youngest candidate. Was a chauffeur job meant for older people?  Perhaps the requirement this time was different, which was why Naeun recommended it to her.

 

“Miss Park Chorong.” A J&J staff called her out.

 

“Y-Yes?”

 

“It’s your turn.”

 

Chorong was ushered into a square room and asked to sit in the middle. At the front was a long desk composed of three members of J&J who would be her interviewers.

 

“So your name is Park Chorong.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“36 years old. I think you might be our youngest candidate for this round.”

 

“I’ve read your resume. You don’t have any qualifications?”

 

“No, I don’t.”

 

“How can you apply for a company without a degree qualification?”

 

“I do believe that experience is important too.”

 

“Do tell us what have you worked as previously.”

 

“I’ve worked several jobs in the retail and service industry. These include working as a cashier, kitchen helper, mover, part-time clerk and lorry driver. I’ve also worked at KTX as a train attendant for two years. I believe the credentials are in the folder that I have given you.”

 

“Yes, it says right here. Impressive.”

 

The interview continued for about an-hour until Chorong was asked to leave. The J&J members were involved in a deep discussion and informed her to check the results in the next few days.

 

Breathing a sigh of relief, Chorong could finally go home. With the interview off her mind, she could now focus on grocery shopping and preparing ingredients for dinner. Today is a Monday, it is also her daughter’s first day at high school. Knowing how Namjoo has a big appetite, Chorong wanted to cheer her up by cooking up a feast. Of course, this included Naeun too who would be exhausted from working.

 

The lady constantly thought about others first, rather than herself.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hi, my name is Kim Namjoo and I’m from Chungcheon. Please take care of me!” bowed Namjoo nervously in front of the class.

 

“Thank you Namjoo. You may sit over there. As for the rest, do be kind and show Namjoo around the school. Now, let’s move on to our class. Please take out your textbooks, we will start with the first topic, Algebra.”

 

First day of high school didn’t go too bad. During break time, Namjoo became the centre of attention as classmates surrounded her with curiosity. It was rare for someone from the outskirts to study at Seoul High, a prestigious high school where rich entrepreneurs send their sons and daughters to. So, it was no wonder that the daughter of J&J would be attending as well.

 

Namjoo had hoped that she wasn’t in the same class as her. She had no time to deal with someone’s cocky attitude.

 

But, speak of the devil.

 

In the middle of break time, a tall girl entered the classroom from the backdoor, munching onto bread from Paris Corner. She didn’t even notice Namjoo’s presence, dumping her bag on the floor and sat down at the far window seat.

 

“Oh, that’s Hayoung. She’s the daughter of- “

 

“Yeah, I know. I saw the news.”

 

“Wow, so Chungcheon people know too!”

 

“Yeah…” Inside, Namjoo was a little annoyed. It seemed as if they were belittling her just because she came from the countryside. She didn’t like this at all.

 

“Hey Hayoung! Have you met our new classmate yet? She’s from Chungcheon!”

 

Hayoung raised her head from her phone and stared at Namjoo.

 

“Sup.”

 

It took only two seconds. Before Namjoo realised, Hayoung was back to playing games on her phone. It was as if, she did it for the sake of greeting her. It frustrated her even more. But Namjoo had to keep her cool. She couldn’t just break out in anger on her first day.

 

“Move outta the way. Why don’t you just go back to where you were?” A short girl in braids squeezed over. “Hi Namjoo! I’m Wheein and I’m from Jeonju!”

 

It was a breath of fresh air. Finally, someone who wasn’t from the city.

 

“Hi Wheein!” She returned the handshake.

 

“Don’t worry.” Wheein leaned nearer. “These people are going to pretend you don’t exist after today. They’re all doing it for their image.” She whispered into her ear.

 

“W-What?”

 

Wheein placed her finger on her lips.

 

“Now excuse me, I’m gonna take Namjoo around and show her our school.” Wheein grabbed onto Namjoo and pulled her out of the crowd. “Move, move.” She squeezed her and now, free from all the attention.

 

“Hey- “

 

“Ssh- “ Wheein silenced her and refused to let go of her hand. “We’ll talk more once we are away from everyone else.

 

Namjoo was lead to a narrow alleyway. There was another girl waiting for them.

 

“Oh, hey! So, you’re the other country girl they got eh? Impressive.” She had a prominent mole on her lower left cheek.

 

“Hwasa, you had no idea how hard it was to pull her out! You’re right, those fakers just flock to her!” said Wheein.

 

“Um…what’s going on?” asked Namjoo confused.

 

“Hi, I’m Hwasa and Wheein probably introduced herself already. With you included, we’re the only three country girls in this whole school. That also means, we’re gonna be the left out group.”

 

“Huh…”

 

“I know it’s surprising but you’ll see the difference tomorrow. Those city brats won’t give a damn about us and you might get bullied at one point. Shall we make a bet?” asked Wheein.

 

“I’d say this week.”

 

“No, she’ll get bullied tomorrow.”

 

“W-Wait, I don’t want to get bullied…”

 

“It’s okay! That’s cause we’re here to protect you! Anyways, welcome to Seoul High! It’s a ty place for us low rats, but let’s survive together!”

 

“T-Thanks….”

 

Throughout the period of their remaining break time, Wheein and Hwasa explained the complex system of how Seoul High worked. The richer and powerful you are, the higher your status as a student is seen. But there was one way to change the tables. It was through getting good grades and being the 1^st on every weekly exam that is held every Friday. Students have all tried to catch the first spot but only one student has stayed that forever.

 

“And who is that intelligent brat that refuses to move?” asked Namjoo.

 

“Hayoung. The daughter of J&J Ltd.”

 

“Damn.”

 

“Yeah, you’ve seen her. She doesn’t care about us. Everyone treats her like some kind of god or something, it’s utter bull.”

 

“Anyways, just be careful when you cross paths with Hayoung.” warned Hwasa.

 

“Noted.”    

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Here are the candidates for today’s interview. We’ve crossed out the incompetent ones and left with two. Oh, and I personally picked out the other one because she’s pretty.” said Bomi with a wink as she presented the report to Eunji.

 

“As always, you and your lesbian .” Eunji rolled her eyes. “Thanks.” She continued, scanning the report.

 

“I’m leaving to do some errands that you dumped on me since yesterday. Bye.”

 

“Wait.”

 

“What?”

 

“This lady.”

 

“Oh yeah, her?” Bomi went to look at the picture. “That’s the one I said, she was pretty.”

 

“Park Chorong…I’ve seen her before.”

 

“You have?” Bomi raised her eyebrows in amusement. Her boss never remembers any of her employees. Well Bomi is an exception of course, but because J&J was such a big company, it was impossible to remember and recognize everyone.

 

“Hire her.”

 

“Huh, who was it to say not to hire someone because she’s pretty?”

 

“She’s more than just pretty. She has a lot of skills and experiences. Although she may not have a degree in anything but I believe people like her would add more colour to our company.”

 

“Oh right. Okay then.” shrugged Bomi who wasn’t listening. “I’ll send the confirmation email to her then. See ya.”

 

Eunji was always quick to making decisions. Although her board of directors often worry that it may be her biggest weakness because she doesn’t not carefully plan out her thoughts well, but the CEO believes in instinct first. She constantly had an interest towards different people who came from all sorts of backgrounds. The most interesting ones, were those who didn’t come from the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As much as Hayoung would always escape to the internet café after school, today was different. It was a Monday, meaning she would have a private tutoring session at home. As troublesome it may sound, the girl didn’t mind at all. In fact, her heart was beating nervously.

 

Returning home and ignoring her butler (as always) Hayoung changed her clothes and waited for her tutor to arrive. 5:30pm. The door bell rang.

 

Indeed, she’s always on time.

 

“Hi Hayoung.”

 

“Hi, Naeun unnie.” The girl smiled, glowing up with energy.

 

“Did you complete the homework that I’ve given you?”

 

“Yup, it’s easy.”

 

“Hm, we’ll see about that.” eyed Naeun with a tease.

 

Although she works as a freelance English translator, Naeun takes other jobs as well. In this case, she’s a private English tutor for Hayoung. Thanks to Bomi’s recommendation, Eunji hired Naeun after reading through her qualifications and experience. She would be lying if she said that she had no relationship with J&J’s CEO at all. It was all a business relationship and Eunji paid triple the amount just to have Naeun tutor her daughter.

 

The other private tutors which Eunji had hired previously, all failed because they were too strict with Hayoung. Naeun was the perfect choice. She’s pretty, gentle with her words, knew how to make jokes and had the knack of the English language.

 

“You’re still terrible with your grammar.” said Naeun with a chuckle, marking Hayoung’s work.

 

“I watched the movies that you recommended. They are really helpful.” said Hayoung with a giddy smile. She enjoyed having lessons with Naeun. It made her feel at home, away from the stress and anxiety in school. This was where she could finally be herself.

 

“Is that so? Watching is one thing, but practicing is another.”

 

“Right…” She pouted.

 

The lesson went on for about two hours. But throughout the whole time, Hayoung wasn’t able to concentrate. All on her mind, was the big question she wanted to ask her teacher.

 

“Alright. Time’s up. It’s 7:45pm. Complete the homework that I gave you and I’ll see you next week.”

 

“W-Wait!”

 

“Yes? Do you have a question?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“Um…” Hayoung looked around nervously. “Are you free during the weekends?”

 

“Hayoung, you know I don’t work on weekends.”

 

“No, I didn’t mean extra lessons. Can we like, go out together? Go shopping or visit a café?”

 

Naeun smiled sadly. She knew what this meant. In fact, Hayoung had been showing obvious signs the past weeks yet, Naeun didn’t want to break the poor girl’s innocent heart.

 

“Hayoung.”

 

“I like you, Naeun unnie.”

 

 

 

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A/N: The Seoul Fashion Week scene is inspired from this video. Thank you for reading! ^^