"Sojung!"

The barista promptly looks up from her phone as a shorter, cheery woman prancily approaches her table.

The blonde had gone on her break after an early morning open shift at the coffee store and had just sat down not too long ago.

"Yewon!" Sojung answers as soon as she recognised who had called out to her. "It's nice to see another familiar face around, what brings you here today?"

"Do I really need an excuse to see my favourite math tutor in the whole world?" Yewon smiles cheekily before holding out an expensive looking gift bag right in front of her. "I thought you'll be on your break, so I came to thank you for all your hard work and for helping me out all those time."

Opening up the bag, Sojung was surprised, yet hesitant to find an assortmant of fancy snacks placed tidely within the bag. "Yewon..." The taller pushes the bag back to her "I was just doing my job, you've already paid me heaps, I can't take this"

It's a secret that only a few in her life would know... and by a few... its really only one...

one family that is... 

The taller had come from a poorer background.

Her family were much worse off than the average middle class income household... but in all honesty, that reality never bothered Sojung.

From an early age there was only one thing the blonde had learnt and understood. 

and that was understanding her one and only ticket out of poverty for her and her family, was to study hard and securing a spot in university. The goal was to attain a well-paying job that could pave the way to a better future.

That was just how the world worked around her and she was ready to play. 

Her studeos nature, had granted her a scholarship to the university of her first choice and like all students within her position, Sojung could not be more thankful for the opportunity she had received... Because that meant all her years of hard work had paid off.

But alas, throughout her life, if there was one thing she figured out clearly, it was the fact that not one single plan ever turns out to be a straight line. There are always unexpected bumps and zigzags along the way. Unfortunately, for her, this became all too evident when her mother succumbed to a coma following a tragic car accident.

The older woman, who should have been enjoying her retirement, found herself making delivery orders to make ends meet at home. On a rainy day, fate took an unfavorable turn when a driver, unfortunately, missed the lady while making a first turn.

The impact left Sojung's mother in a coma, necessitating additional funds for the hospital machines that were crucial to supporting her.

Additional funds that they did not have.

So Sojung began working odd jobs, 

Running random errands,

Becoming a barista,

becoming a tutor.

She did all that whilst studying full time.

And she did not complain.

Not even once.

Because that's how the world around her worked.

That's how the game works... and she should always... always be ready to play...

Right?

As this new lifestyle continued to progress, Sojung found herself spending more and more time working and less time studying

so....

It was no surprise that in the end, Sojung lost her scholarship, only putting a further toll on herself and her family.

Now, not only did she need to work to support her mother, but she also needed to work to keep her tuition.

It was a viscious cycle

One she cannot escape from.

But still, she never complained.

She won't lie, there were days where the stress became too much for one person to carry.

Sojung genuinely thought she was going to crack under pressure like glass where everything will just shatter into a million and one pieces..

but that was until Kim Yewon entered into her life.

A girl she briefly bumped into in a math class, where they bonded over their similar last name.

It didn't take long for Sojung to discover that Yewon was the heiress to a chain of renowned hospitals known for their innovative and groundbreaking surgical procedures, particularly for cases considered incurable by conventional means.

She was a girl that came from money.

But despite that,

The blonde was never jealous of the heiress' life. Because it just wasn't her life to live.

But also because..

Yewon was also a girl who was humble

A girl who was friendly and strangely very approachable and down to earth...

And also... she was a girl who was extremely bad at math...

Like the worse.

Failing her mathematical modeling subjects twice, and on the verge of failing the third time, Yewon's father intervened by hiring Sojung as a tutor since the latter had already gained a reputation for helping every student she tutored pass their subjects with flying colors.

and sure enough, Yewon was no different from her other students, ensuring her failures within the math subject did not reach a third.

Sojung had taken the job for the extra money at first and she can't lie, the knowledge of Yewon's father's legacy had intrigued her greatly, initially taking the temporary position in hopes to garnering a significant sum of cash she could use for her family.

But as luck would have it, Yewon's family took a liking to Sojung,

A kind, pretty and hard working soul.

It was hard not to like.

Getting closer throughout the weeks, Yewon uncovered Sojung's situation.. and passed the message on to her father.

An idea was comprised then, Sojung's mother would be taken care of within one of the heiress' hospitals free of charge... in exchange of course, for any future tutoring services the barista could provide.

Businessmen always knows how to make a deal afterall, but it was a deal sent from the heavens for Sojung and her family.

Her mother had significantly improved since then. Under the care of Yewon's family, she had made a remarkable recovery, and just a few months ago, she was finally discharged from the hospital.

It was like a breath of fresh air for Sojung. 

A deep breath of nice crisp clean air that she was finally able to inhale after what felt like decades of hypoventilations.

Because things had calmed down so much, Sojung had learnt to let loose as well, not wanting anyone else to cover her tuition but herself, she continued to work as a barista to cover the costs, blaming nobody but herself for losing her scholarship.

But nevertheless, these days you could actually find the blonde going out for once, bleaching her hair again and hanging with her friends at a bar once in while and grabbing a drink or two... but never more than two.

Her frugil nature still had a held on her.

Understandably of course.

Needing to make money, despite her life having calmed down, she would still take as many shifts as possible, so going out with friends is really just for special occassions.

That's why, despite Sojung recommending or telling people about her favorite recreational facilities, it's unlikely you'll ever catch her there, except maybe once in a blue moon.

She supposes this lifestyle choice is also because, one, she does enjoy going out, and two, she doesn't want others to catch on to her past or her situation.

She didn't need the pity... and now... with her mother discharged, the deal as Kim Yewon's tutor should've came to an end as well... but Sojung could never bring herself to do such a thing, not after the younger had quite basically turned her life around, no matter how much Yewon would continue to remind her that it was "No big deal"

Because it was... Yewon's family practically saved her.

So she continued to tutor Yewon for free, with just as much passion and effort as before.

She owed the heiress.

It was the least she could do to repay her debt...

Which brings us here...

The younger standing in front of the barista, gift in hand, trying to shove it towards the taller.

"Seriously Sojung take it."

"Yewon-"

"I'm never letting you tutor me again if you don't"

That made Sojung halt for a second. "And deliberately fail another math subject, not a chance"

"That's why" The heiress grabbed and extended out the taller's hand "You should take it"

She was final on that offer, so Sojung eventually gave in. Taking the ba