You groaned when you checked your phone again, the short vibration indicating that it was a text this time. It was another message from your mother and in any other situation, you would have answered her when she called the first time an hour ago. But it was your second week as an intern at your new job and you were a little busy.

And by a little, you were literally being run off your feet.

Answering her call would have to wait but she seemed incessant about getting in contact with you that you started to panic. Was it something to concern yourself over? You had been preoccupied trying to balance two trays of takeout coffees as you dashed back into the office when she rung the last time. Then you were photocopying enough copies of the month end report for all the team members when you felt it vibrate in your pants pocket once more.

Deciding you couldn’t do anything about it until you could squeeze in a toilet break, you made the decision to place your phone into your bag under your desk and began typing up the sales reports your supervisor had just placed down next to you.

“Y/N, I need them in an hour!” she called out after her departure and despite your pleasant response, you were grumbling on the inside. You’d even have to hold on to go to the bathroom now too.

Finally, your work day was over and as you exhaustedly left the office you turned out the lights, being the last to leave for the day. You were barely out of the building before you heard your phone vibrate again and you groaned, fishing it out of your bag and pressing talk.

“Oh what, Mum?!”

“Finally, you answer!”

You sighed heavily from your outburst and pulled the phone away from your ear momentarily to see how many notifications had stacked up over the day. Gasping at the number, you pressed the device back to your ear. “Is everything okay there?!”

“It would be too bad if it weren’t with your lack of attention. What made it impossible for you pick up a call for five minutes?” she prattled and you heaved another sigh, your annoyance returning.

“Having five minutes to myself today would have been a blessing,” you admitted with a groan and narrowed your eyes on the darkened street ahead of you. All you wanted now was food, a shower and your bed.

“Well, do you have five minutes for me now?” she asked, her tone changing. You knew that tone all too well and it made you teeter between hanging up and listening on to what she had to say. “Do you?”

“What, what?” you bit back, hearing her triumphantly laugh at garnering enough of your curiosity. “Let’s hear what’s been so important for you to blow my phone up about!”

“Your apartment, remember how your father and I helped pay the deposit for it?”

“Please don’t tell me you took out a loan and now I’m homeless so you can pay it back,” you breathed down the phone and the older woman gasped.

“What do you take me for?! It was your Uncle that one time and I paid you back every cent I borrowed. Some filial daughter you are.”

“Fine, what?”

“Channie.” She started and you huffed out air at the mentioning of the real pride of your family. “He’s coming to Seoul.”

“So?”

“He needs a place to-”

“What, no! Mum, you know Chan and I never get along together. He’s so frustrating and I’m too old to put up with him,” you cut in, shaking your head at her half spoken request even though she couldn’t see it. “I can’t, I have adult friends and important things that I do with my life.”

Like order in Chinese food and cry over k-dramas romances, you thought sadly to yourself, unable to even bring your pathetic lifestyle up to the woman who raised you.

“You act like Channie is still that awkward kid who followed you about everywhere. He’s an adult too. I