“I don’t understand you, Daesik,” told Sandara to her manager. “Why we need to get a condominium unit? Where will we go to pay the rentals?” she wandered her eyes to the big unit the gay rented for them to stay.

“And where will you let me stay? In Busan?” he flared. “I have no money, Sandara. And I am trying to find a job here to support myself until you finally brought your mind back, and we’ll go back to New York.”

“Why you don’t have money? Omma had been paying you all these years. I can’t believe you’re broke…”

“I don’t care what you believe but it is the truth. I’m penniless! And unless we went back, I will be starving to death here. And I don’t want to stay here in Korea!”

“You’ve been gambling, Daesik!” she said unbelievingly. He didn’t smoke. He seldom went out with men. But he was a chronic gambler.

That’s the reason why he’s so worried when her mother’s health fluctuated. Daesik didn’t think Sandara would make it without her mother.

And the gay also thought that her mother used her body to gain favors from big bosses. One time, she even heard Daesik accused her mother about it. Her mother just laughed at this.

“I just picked you from gutter, Daesik,” her mother told, “you’re nothing without me. So I’ll forgive you the insult. You have no eyes for real beauty and talent that’s why you’re telling me that. What I do with the men in my life is my business and they have nothing to do with Sandara.”

Her mother was no saint. She had been undeniably beautiful as well as brilliant. Sandara knew she had some secret affairs with some of the men she had been dealing with. But that’s what her mother’s business. She herself too is sure that those men have no connection to her success.

“I talked to Prada’s representative yesterday over the phone,” continued Daesik. “They need you back there, Sandara. Your contract’s waiting, for pete’s sake! And I know you’re money is not enough now. You almost spend them all during your mother’s treatments.”

Sandara didn’t answer. He’s right. But she’s certain that she could at least establish a small business here with the remaining of her money. She graduated in one of the expensive school in New York for nothing, as for her. For her mother, it will just flourish her credentials abroad when the media wrote something about her.

And when her business becomes established, she would enroll in fine arts. That’s what she really wants to do—drawing and arts. Maybe she will not be a very talented painter, but she will finally do what she really wanted for her life. And no one will know that someday because of that business she will have her very first own gallery.

“I’m still not certain on when to go back to New York, Daesik,” she told after a long silence. “And when you have no money, you should not get a condo. Find a job suited for you. And most of all, stop gambling.”

For one moment, anger flashed his face but replaced by sorrow immediately. He released a deep sigh. “I really hope you’d come to your senses, Sandara,” he weakly said. “Our life’s in New York.” He turned his back to go outside and walked when he stopped and glanced at her. “Oh by the way. Politician Soo Man Mizuhara invited us in his private pa