>> Many Lives by Andrew Belle 

As the bright shine of the sun reflected her light brown eyes, Imme didn't blink even for a second, once she spotted the city view of Incheon City from the tinted car window. It's her first time in the place, but she found nothing different from Seoul, the metropolitan city where she belonged to.  

"You'll be staying with Mrs. Jang's daughter for a while, Imme. I heard, she's one of the finest economic experts that our country has. I used to attend the same class with her during high school, so she's not totally a stranger to you," the driver of the day, a.k.a Mr. Cho himself, said after he made a right turn at the junction. 

He glanced at his side, caught her stone expression from the left passenger seat. 

Imme lifted her eyebrows, not really interested in whatever her father just said. 

"Come on, it should be interesting since you're the one with the smart brain," he added while focusing on the road. 

The young Imme kept her eyes away, watching the slow-pacing clouds, admiring the bright blue sky, and secretly cursing her father for letting her stay with someone she barely knew, as he was confident, it's to secure Imme's future as his successor. She was only eighteen, home-schooled, and had never been away from their mansion. 

Of course, she's afraid a little, to meet the world so suddenly. 

"I thought you've said I should enjoy my life like a honeymoon after I finished school," Imme muttered. "Now what?" 

Cho Min Joon chuckled afterward. Eyes still on the road, he replied, 

"Just for a few months, baby Cho. It won't be that bad," 

She rolled her eyes in annoyance, "For you, it looks not that bad. But for me, not even a heaven, or a hell. Like I'm trapped in this stupid plan forever," 

The father intruded,

"You're a big girl already, Shin Mi. I want you to understand the importance of being responsible, not just for yourself, but for others around you as well," 

"At this young age, you must know, hardship and sacrifice are vital if we want to live better when we're old and useless," 

"Well, you are quite old but still useful?" Imme asked. 

"I'm not that old, for your information, thank you," he corrected and they both laughed. 

There was a brief and calm silence until Mr. Cho voiced out using his pleading tone, 

"Please, can you hold it for daddy? I can't stand people bossing me around sometimes, but this is the only way you can be far away from Mrs. Jang, even for a while? This is not my stupid plan, but an escape plan for you, baby Cho. You are temporarily taking a break from that bossy woman, so isn't that great?" 

Imme, finally shifted her face to her father on the driver's seat. 

"Yeah, sounds great. It's like I ran away from a tigress but ended up in a lion cage," she said. "Can you guarantee this short escape gonna be fun and useful for me, daddy? Not another mind torture?" 

Avoided his daughter's curious question, Mr. Cho smiled, before pointing his chin upward. 

"Look up, Imme," 

The teenager copied her father and changed her attention to the view in front of them. 

Her pupils slowly dilated, once the scenic panorama of a beach-lined island was welcoming them in less than 500 hundred metres ahead.

She saw how their vehicle tackled the distance and making its way directly to the wide-opened seaside, as her father put on the blinker, turned left and drove it through another long way down the road. 

Mesmerized by what she just saw, Imme muttered in disbelief, 

"I'm in heaven, finally," 

>> Perempuanku by Irwansyah

Cho Min Joon/ Mr. Cho put his massive right palm on Imme's shoulder as he guided her through the beautiful front garden. 

"You have your own room and there are many helpers here in the house, Imme. What's with that long face?" 

Imme paused from her walk and looked at him. "Can you stay for a night here? I thought you're off duty for the entire day?" 

He sighed calmly, noticing Imme's gloomy face. "No... Imme, I have a very important diplomatic conference tomorrow's noon. I must prepare as much as I could tonight so I need to get back, okay? But I promise I'll visit you next week if I have a clear day off. What do you think? Fair, right?" 

Her eyes met the ground first before nodding weakly. 

"You made a promise, not me. So, it's fair for you," she said, looking away and continued to walk through the pebble-made sidewalk. 

"See you around then, sir," Imme added as she left him behind, didn't bother to turn around to bid goodbye. 

He stood there, watching how Imme ignored him at that moment and entered the house without proper farewell words for him, who was leaving the place soon. 

"She's still young, Min Joon-sshi. Allow her emotions and feelings, then you can be in peace," his former classmate's voice greeted him from the back. 

"Hahhh, a teenager, Nara-sshi, always a teenager," Mr. Cho sighed. "My daughter is a great kid, always listens very well but I don't understand why she's kinda mad at me for this whole day," 

The woman named Nara let out a small chuckle, as she put both her hands at the back. 

"I will be mad too if I'm in her shoes," 

"Why?" Mr. Cho frowned. 

"Min Joon-sshi, usually, a normal teenager who just finished school should enjoy her day with friends and family. A little celebration, maybe? Clearly, it's a solid reason for her to be sulky like that. And she's a girl after all," 

Mr. Cho immersed himself in his own thoughts momentarily while processing his friend's words. 

"Don't worry, I'll take care of her like my own child, Mr. Cho Min Joon. I'm not like my strict mother, so leave it to me. Imme will get a chance to experience something new and fresh here, mark my words," Nara made a promise as they exchanged stares. 

He didn't say anything back, instead of flashing a little smile, although his heart getting loaded and heavy- since it's his first time realizing he's being a bad parent to his only child. 

XXXXX

Imme ran her fingers through the bookshelf, trying to read every title her eyes can see. When none of them seemed interesting, she exhaled her breath and flopped her skinny body to the bed. 

Just when she wanted to close her eyes, the door has been knocked from outside. 

She changed to a sitting position as her father's friend opened the door and asked, "Are you hungry, Imme?" 

Already not in the mood due to the boredom, she replied properly, not intended to be rude, 

"Not really, Ms. Nara. I'm good," 

The woman understood immediately the reason Imme has been so gloomy so she tried another trick.

"Can I come in?" Nara asked, putting a smile on her face. 

Imme just slightly nodded. 

"Do you like your room?" she questioned with a calming voice before walking to Imme's bed.

Another nod from Imme then. 

Placing herself on the mattress, next to the latter, she stated out, 

"Before you judge me too soon, I'm gonna tell you, I can be a crazy silly auntie sometimes," 

Imme looked at her with a confused expression. 

Next, Nara furthered, 

"Your father suggested me to you, right? Because I'm doing great in my job and I'm the only candidate that your life coach has approved. And that life coach of yours is none other than my own mother, Imme. Frankly speaking, I don't like her too sometimes," she whispered at the last part. 

When she noticed Imme's little laugh, Nara was in relief. 

"I don't hate your mother, Ms. Nara," Imme spoke and avoided the woman's stare. "It's just, she's too hard to understand, sometimes," 

"Oh to me, not sometimes, Imme. All the time," Nara interrupted. 

"Really? Is she... hard to you too?" 

Breathing to the cool air inside the room, Nara nodded her head at Imme, without taking the time to be hesitant. 

"Imme, our parents always think they want the best for us. But they always forget about our real existence. Our rights to stand out for ourselves for example," 

Imme hugged her knees and hummed. 

"But she's my mother, I know she loves me," Nara told Imme and gently fixed the teenager's short fringe hair. 

"Your daddy loves you so much, Imme. Forgiving his mistake sometimes will make you feel much much better. Trust me," 

She stared at her next study coach and agreed with her. 

"I know," she said, with a little smile. 

"Alright, forget about anything else for a while. Now let's think about what to eat since you just finished school, successfully," the woman changed their topic and put on a bright face. 

"Eat?" 

"Yeah. Any cravings?" 

Imme let her brain roamed by itself before she got something to say. 

"I have. But... it's not healthy," 

Flapping her hands to nowhere, Nara flinched playfully, "Just-- can we forget about details? I mean, eating junk food for a day won't get you fat, am I right, honey?" 

"I think so?" 

"So, what would you like to have? It's on me tonight, between us only," the woman raised her pinky finger, asking for the teenager to make a promise with her. 

Imme hesitantly linked her pinky to the woman's but can't help to curve a little happy smile. 

"My cousin loves jajangmyeon too much. She can have it anytime she wants, but Mrs Jang clarified to me how dangerous it would be to my skin if I consume it regularly," told Imme. "Once, I sneaked out with my cousin and she brought me to Myeongdong street. It was my first time tasting real street food like jajangmyeon, and that place is like the heaven of food!" 

Laughing, Nara replied, "Of course! Who doesn't know what kind of place Myeongdong is???" 

"Oh dear, if jajangmyeon is what are you craving for, it's gonna a piece of meat to get it now," 

"... But it's quite late for delivery?" Imme guessed. 

Sighing, Nara nodded vigorously at the teenager before she rose from the soft mattress. 

"Yeah, but not too late for the convenience store," 

CU Convenience Store, 11.30 pm. 

Nara secretly watched how the young Imme walked excitedly through the snack section and paused to find her craving food. She made a short monologue, "It must be hard for you, Imme. There are so many rules and conditions that were set, even before you were born. It seems, your future has been sealed, but not to your liking," 

She snapped back to reality when Imme approached her and showed two bowls of instant jajangmyeon, wrapped in plastics. "Can I have more than one? I'm actually... a bit of starving," 

Nara sniggered at Imme's innocence. She ruffled the short hair of hers and nodded without saying anything back. 

"What about a drink? Iced Coffee?" she asked while guiding Imme towards the fridge.

"O-oh, I--I'm not a coffee fan, Ms Nara. Can I pick anything else?" Imme replied. 

"Aigoo! Just grab any drink you want, Imme, I really don't mind! It's your cheat day by the way hun!" Nara chuckled as she grabbed herself a bottle of brewed iced coffee. "I tell you what, because jajangmyeon is sort of greasy food, I suggest you enjoy it with carbonated drinks? And I'm gonna buy kimchi, radish pickles, eggs for side dishes, and ice cream too for desserts. Now go, explore everything and meet me at the counter, okay?" 

Understood the assignment, the young Imme grinned and smiled brightly at her temporary life tutor. She opened another door of the fridge and took her time to choose what's the best to drink with her craving food. While for Ms Nara, she walked further to another section and hoping to find herself something delicious and instant to eat as well. 

"Soda, lemonade... or beer?" Imme thought as she talked to herself. Kneeling down a bit, she searched for the lower part of the fridge, checking every beverage available. "I like soda but it's too strong for my baby throat," she continued her self-talking and peeked her head slightly inside while holding the fridge door with her free hand. 

"Are you sure you're old enough to have a beer?" suddenly, out of nowhere, Imme heard a girl's voice. She shifted her face to the right side then. 

(Playing "Her" by Jacob's Piano) 

Imme was speechless as her eyes locked on the other. The owner of the voice who greeted her just now happened to be a short girl with a neat ponytail, and wearing a vest full of pockets. 

They exchanged stares for a moment, before Imme's eyes directed to her nametag. 

The girl was frozen too once she caught Imme's eyes were staring at her. 

Almost breathless, Imme was thinking hard why she couldn't mutter a thing back. 

Somehow,

She felt the sudden wind, heat and strange emotion as they lingered inside her for quite a time. Leaving the innocent Imme in her own thoughts, she gazed at the girl's beautiful face and not knowing why she wanted the moment to stay longer. 

And that's how Imme met her first love, 

Joanne.