On Rainy Days

Summary: When biracial, Korean-American, Kim, So-Ri decides to return to her homeland, Korea, and make a fresh start, she did so with a plan. Plans don’t always go the way you plan...?

Genre: Romance/Angst/Hurt/Comfort/Drama

Alternate Universe: K-Pop Artists

Rated: M for Mature Content

-x-x-x-

“This house is breathtaking~!!”

So-Ri nodded, “yes it is...” she watched the Home Appraiser wander around her mothers house as she talked with a Community Agent. “Why are you two here?” She didn’t want to deal with any of this anymore. “I decided I wasn’t going to sale the house.”

“Well, it’s true that your mother owned the house, the contract is fully under her name. If you are going to retain the contract under your name, you would still owe Property Taxes, and then we would need to talk about monthly or biweekly lawn maintenance fees. A contract will be drawn up for the remaining year, and then renewed on the start of each year. The same for housekeeping, if you want the inside to be maintained as well.”

“That’s fine, and if the time comes that I can’t afford to continue paying the Property taxes, then I will consider selling. We can talk about the Housekeeping and Lawn Maintenance contracts in my moms office.”

“Very well, do you know what all you’ll be taking with you to...where are you going again?”

“South Korea. As for what I’m taking with me...I’m not messing with the integrity of my mothers house. I’m taking the cats with me, but everything else will remain for when I return to Los Angeles.”

“...yes,” The Agent smiled, “why so far a move?”

“Why not?” So-Ri looked at the appraiser who had remained silent the entire time, “there’s nothing else that he’s needed for then, right?”

“Oh...uh, no,” the agent walked the man to the door and said farewell to him before returning to talk with So-Ri.

-x-x-x-

“IntlMovers, this is Rebekah speaking, how can I help you?”

So-Ri was sitting in her appartment on her couch after having left her mothers house. The copies of her two newest contracts laid on her antique coffee table, contrasting vibrantly against the old and battered greyish blue woodtop.

"I need to get things packed and moved, pronto. It’s furniture, a car and books. Select things here and there, but I’m leaving California and moving to South Korea at the start of September, so I need this done relatively quick.”

“I can send a team of packers, but for the car, we will need a few things.”

Feeling a new headache form as she realized that more was going to be added to her already stressful month, she sighed. “What do you need?” So-Ri grabbed a pen and notepad, ready to write down whatever it was the woman told her she needed.

“Well, for starters, we will need a Certificate of Conformity, Proof of Ownership, Proof of Road Worthiness, Proof of Insurance Cover, and Proof of VAT payment...along with the registration you need to pay tax to the country you move to.”

“...I don’t drive it, it’s purely collectible, as in...no one touches the wheel. This car hasn’t had gas in it for twenty years.”

“...one second.”

So-Ri tapped her foot in aggravation, a habit that she usually only had when dealing with needy celebrities. A few minutes passed as she waited for the woman to come back.

“I’m sorry, ma’am?”

“Yes?”

“If the vehicle is at least twenty-one years old, there are no EPA compliance requirements upon importation. A motor vehicle that is at least twenty-five years old can be lawfully imported into or out of the U.S. without regard to whether it complies with all applicable DOT Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. What year exactly is the vehicle?”

“1962, it’s a California Spyder. Well over twenty years old.”

“Yes ma’am, we would just need you to sign a few papers for the shipment, but we can take care of that later today. Did you still want me to send a team of packers your way?”

“Yes, please. I don’t have boxes though...”

“We use crates, since they will be transferred by a cargo ship. It takes about a month at the least to get to Korea from California...”

She supplied both the address for the car and then the address for her apartment.

-x-x-x-

Monday came far quicker than she’d anticipated.

“...what is this?”

So-Ri smiled, “my two weeks notice and all of the clients I’m in charge of. I already divided them among the other Specialists, and put down a list of things that needed to be done before I leave as far as informing them goes. I will take care of letting my clients know of the change, and will make their transition painless. I also made a list of the upcoming Concerts that, Security Teams, I was to be in charge of.”

“...”

“I’m moving.”

“Out of State? We can transfer you to another one of our locations, we don’t want to lose someone as hardworking-”

“The country.”

“...what?”

She sat down across from her boss and placed the stack of papers on his desk. “I’m leaving the Country. I’m moving to South Korea. I’ll see if I can find my dad, visit my grandparents on his side, start over from scratch. I’ve already started putting in applications in Korea. I would appreciate your support, and I was hopping for a letter of recommendation, I understand if not...but this is the direction I’ve decided to take.”

“...get started calling your Clients and transitioning them over to the Specialists you’ve chosen for them. I assume you’ve given each client special consideration when changing their Agent?”

“I have, yes sir.”

“Then get started, I’ll talk with you more later about your two weeks notice.”

So-Ri sighed, but nodded all the same. Grabbing the stack, she left the notice on his desk before retreating back to her own office. She walked over to her desk and took in the new glass of the picture frame that now lay face up on her desk. A small smile found her lips as the first feeling of happiness found her heart after a long week of hurt. “Jason~!” She called out.

Her secretary ran to her door and peered in, “You called, Sorina?”

“...” She lifted the frame with her family photo in it, “thank you.”

He smiled, “it was nothing,”

-x-x-x-

August 17, So-Ri was sitting at her desk, placing pen to paper as her phone started buzzing in her pocket. Having grown tired of her ringtone, she’d muted it to avoid the oncoming headache that occurred now every-time she heard it ring. She put down her pen as she pulled the device out and answered it before answering, “hello?”

“Is this So-Ri Kim?”

“Yes,” she placed the phone between her shoulder and ear as she returned to what she was looking at on her computer. “Who is this?”

“Norma Martinez, I’m calling from the Claims department with ZARZAR Modeling Agency. Do you have a moment to talk?”

“I do,” she gave her attention to the woman on the phone. “Mrs. Norma, was it?”

“Yes ma’am. I’m calling concerning the Claim that you signed for on August 14. Before I go into too much information, can you verify your date of birth for me?”

“Eight, thirty-one, nineteen-ninety.”

“Thank you, and the last four of your social?”

“Nine-six-six-six.”

“...right, thanks. Now, Miss. So-Ri, you filed your Claim on August 14, for the total of five hundred thousand dollars, the claim was approved but it will take anywhere between thirty to sixty days to be completed as paid-out.”

“Tell me something, how much money was my mom making?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’m trying to figure out how she could afford this lifestyle and still put money away for her daughter.”

“I have no way of answering that, and I don’t think our company is allowed to-”

“No...it’s fine, not that important. Please continue,”

“...right, a letter with your claim will be sent to your address, you should receive it in the next week.”

“...”

“Do you have any questions?”

Shaking her head, she answered, “no, I don’t.”

“Then I hope you have a wonderful rest of the day.”

Hanging up the phone, she glared at the device before tossing it onto the desk in her office. “I’m almost done right?” She was talking to herself, the stress of the last couple of weeks was building up like unpaid bills. Though, if bills had been a problem before, she was sure that after all this money hit her she’d be fine. “I didn’t realize what kind of a difference there was in what I made and what you made annually.” Her phone went off again and she turned her eyes to the device before closing them. Reaching over, she picked it up and answered, “hello?”

“Hello there Miss. So-Ri, it’s Rebekah with IntlMovers, your Spyder is in set for our ship transfer, we are going to send it ahead if you are okay with that.”

“What about the rest of my stuff?”

“Oh, sorry, everything will be going with it, I merely meant that we were going to go ahead and send it ahead of your departure. I understand that you plan to leave around the first week of September, and it takes a month or more for ship Cargo...so, once we have the rest of your boxes on a cargo pallet, we can send it on ahead. Does this sound acceptable to you?”

“Yes ma’am, and the stuff at my apartment?”

“Everything you told us to pack is in cargo boxes, A lot of the items were fragile based and so, prices were a bit different than we discussed.”

“That’s fine, we can discuss that when you are ready to ship it.”

“Very good, then we will provide you with the list of everything packed, the way the list is set up, there are multiple sheets set in categories. Kitchen, Library, Bedroom, Pets, et cetera...in those categories will be sub categories, such as furniture, books, jewelry and so on...at which, a list of items will be listed below.”

“That sounds great, you guys have been amazing and quick at getting things done, thank you.”

“No problem, I’ll call again once we are ready to ship your belongings.”

The line went dead and So-Ri stretched ready to take a quick lunch. It was only three, and she was still on the clock technically, but all of her work was done already and she needed a break. “I should start putting in applications for a job too...” She disappeared through the elevator doors and let her thoughts wander as she pulled out her cellphone once again and started installing job apps. Starting to become excited as Korea grew to be more of a reality with the latest call she’d received. Leaning against the wall of the elevator, she felt a small smile find her lips and a soft sigh escaped her. “...daddy...just a little longer...”

-x-x-x-

Me: I know it’s been awhile, this chapter was particularly hard to write, lol. I ended up finishing it three times, each with different outcomes and finally decided on the route I wanted to take the story in based on future chapters I already have written (which will most likely be rewritten at some point too). Anyways, tell me what you think, and I’ll work hard on the next chapter. New characters will be introduced in the next chapter as well, which means, a few more to go before BTS comes in, yay~!!! Review guys, tell me what you think, and if you have ideas, I’m always open to hearing them~!