Chapter 3

Dahyun decided to grab some spicy chicken dumplings from the Chinese food stall on her way home, having eaten nothing out of the date. As she waited in the queue, she logged into her ID on the Love & Co. app and ticked on the date completion bar. The commission was instantly transferred to her payment account.

Dahyun sighed. She fumbled with the extra heavy notes in her pocket that she had received from Momo earlier. Another step towards clearing her family debt. As the smell of the steamy buns filled her nose and the warmth around tingled her skin that reminded her of her mother’s loving embrace, tears almost pricked her eyes.

How much longer was she going to carry this burden? If only their family’s traditionally passed down sweets shop wouldn’t have burnt down. If only the insurance company wouldn’t have been fraud. If only they hadn’t lost their home to the creditors. And lately she finds herself also thinking if only she hadn’t been the eldest child… because honestly, she was tired. Between working a full time office job, a second job till night, and countless other part time jobs and online work – Dahyun was so damn tired.

Sometimes she wanted to run away from all of her responsibilities. They were living in a rented basement house while her parents were managing a home-run delivery meals business. Her younger sisters were about to hit college next year and that meant they had to withdraw another student loan…and Dahyun had still been unable to pay hers off entirely. It felt too much sometimes that she didn’t know what to do.

The queue moved forward and she stepped ahead. There was a couple standing some steps away. The guy had stuffed his girlfriend’s hands interlaced with his own inside his jeans pocket. The girl laughed and the sound of joy stood out to Dahyun amidst the countless chatters and sizzles of food cooking. Sometimes, when the loneliness was unbearable, she also found herself wishing for someone who she could lean on. Someone who could support her and hold her back up whenever she fell. Someone who would undoubtedly be there for her, always.

She smiled this futile wish of hers away again. It was pointless. She’d been dealing with everything on her own since she was nineteen and she’ll continue to do so, all by herself. Having someone around wasn’t really going to change anything. Besides, it’s not like she had any time to seek a partner anyway.

Soon it was her turn to pick up the order. Grabbing two plastic bags full of hot and spicy dumplings, Dahyun made way towards her neighborhood. Another long day had come to an end.

When she opened the door the sight earned another, albeit a much more sincere, smile on her lips. Her family was sitting around the table on the ground with each handling a specific task. Her mother was kneading the dough for glass noodles while her father was rolling it through the processor – chunky strings of ramen passing through the other side. Her middle sister was cutting vegetables and finally their youngest was preparing the spices that will be used in the morning when her mother would cook the Japchae and her father would be packing it up in containers for delivery.

“Oh, my little Dahyunnie has come back!” Her father chimed as his old eyes fell on her.

Dahyun grinned as Dasom left the spices and ran into her arms for a hug. “Appa, your Dahyun is not so little anymore.”

“You’ll always be little in my eyes!” He faked a frown and both of them burst into laughter. “Come here, I haven’t hugged you in a long while either.”

Dahyun as she fell into his big bear-like embrace. “We hugged this morning. You’re so dramatic.”

“That’s where you get your dramatics from.” Dahye snarked midst chopping carrots.

Dahyun stretched her arm and pulled one’s of Dahye’s hair strands in retaliation. She tried to hit Dahyun back but she was quicker and ran away.

“What’s this? You bought dinner?” Her mother asked, eyeing the plastic bags. Dahyun nodded and a very worrisome sigh heaved her mother’s chest.

“Don’t worry. It didn’t cost me a fortune. Besides, we deserve a treat or two once in a while.” Dahyun placed the dumplings on the table while Dasom fetched her some bowls. She divided the dumplings equally with proportionate soup and the little family settled around the meal.

“They’re truly the best!” Her father hummed just after a bite.

“They really are. Eonnie, why don’t you do something about it?” Dasom asked.

“What can I do?” Dahyun asked back as she sipped the hot onion soup.

“Like getting them a deal with your company.” Dahye said, trying to push her glasses up that were fogging with the steam. Dahyun helped her instead. Her smartass sister growled at her but Dahyun could see the faint smile of gratitude playing on her younger sister’s lips as soon as she looked away. “I’m sure they’d appreciate the sponsorship.”

“I’m sure they would…but…would my company appreciate it?” Dahyun frowned, chewing her dumpling faster and harder now that she was picturing Kim Sana in her mind. “Not in a million years. It’s not up to her standards.”

Snobby, stubborn and superficial. The best words to sum up Kim Sana, her boss. She was mad about the date again just by envisioning her pretty chiseled face…

But as quickly as the anger rose …seeing her family enjoy the warm meal, it evaporated just as quick. Dahyun let go of today’s disastrous incident and focused on the things that actually mattered to her.

Dahyun ran despite her two inches tall heel to catch a place at the elevator that was about to close shut. If she missed this one, she’d have to wait another ten minutes to reach her floor. And she was already running late today. Regretting the soju shots with her parents at midnight, Dahyun fought the headache as she dashed and slid in.

There were only two other female employees so the silent ride up wasn’t all that awkward. Dahyun stuck closer to the corner and tried not to eavesdrop on their conversation until her perky ears picked up Kim Sana’s name.

“The date she went to last night seems like a success.” Whispered the taller one. “Someone I know said they’re already engaged.”

Whenever did that happen?! Yelled Dahyun in her mind. She took a step closer without being noticed.

“Oh my God…I can’t believe it. Didn’t they always say she’s impossible to impress? The date must’ve been someone really influential.”

“Influentially gorgeous or influentially wealthy?” said the taller again and they giggled.

“Well…neither…”

Dahyun said her thought out loud subconsciously. She quickly looked the other way and pretended it wasn’t her as the women turned around with squinted eyes. They observed her for a moment before resuming their groundless discussions.

“Afterall, going on all those dates must have been tough on Sana, since…” the shorter one trailed off.

“Yeah…since that…I feel bad for her.”

Since what? Since when, what? Carry on! Dahyun was doing her best to pass her message telepathically but it didn’t work. They remained silent afterwards and soon the elevator dinged open to their floor. They stepped out and Dahyun was left alone in the shiny confinement. She wondered why would someone feel bad for Sana of all people, as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She noticed she had some strands sticking out of her hair that she hadn’t combed through properly, looking like a messy bedhead. Embarrassed, she quickly ran her fingers through them.

Dahyun loved her day job. She did