Jiyeon entered her room, feeling dejected. On her bed lay her tabby cat Mopi. The cat looked at her boredly, his eyes squinting. He didn't even get off the bed to greet her. Jiyeon looked at Mopi.

"You're not like Cute Cute who really greets me everyday. I feel you're like Jin Woon who gives me those mocking eyes of his."

"Meow," Mopi answered loudly. He then got off from bed and went out her room.

"And you also act like Jin Woon! Aish! How could my cat had that guy's characteristics? It's so frustrating!"

Jiyeon got her cellphone and punched Suzy's number. Her friend was in a fabulous salon having her hair treatments done. Suzy answered the call, but it seems to Jiyeon that her friend was a little bit distracted.

"You called. Wae?"

"i'm just..feeling a little lost and down..."

"Let me guess. You had another encounter with Jin Woon Oppa, didn't you?"

Jiyeon narrated to her what happened at the photoshoot.

"Girl, I suggest you give yourself a life. You weren't like that before he arrived. He's NG, ha, NG..no good. Why would you stoop to his level just so that you'd impress him? You're a princess, you have all at your feet. He's just dust that stings your eyes."

"Yes, he is the dust, yet it irritates me and it makes my eyes red. He just leaves that mark in me."

Suzy sighed.

"Come here. I guess you need to pamper yourself once in a while."

"I've always been pampering myself. But you know what, Suzy-ya...I feel kind of tired having this kind of life."

"So? What do you have in mind?"

"I...I don't know...I guess I'll just think about it...I'll call you later, bye."

***

Jiyeon wandered around Hong Dae, looking at the boutiques, looking at the people passing by, doing really nothing worthwhile. She observed a family with three little cute boys dining in a restaurant. She smiled with envy. Jiyeon couldn't remember the last time she had a meal with her family. Her appa was always busy with his business, and her eomma was always travelling. She missed Cute Cute and her nanny, and Mopi wasn't helpful either. She was in deep thought when someone spoke to her.

"If you're hungry, you should get inside and eat."

Jiyeon turned to the sound of the voice.

"Annyeong hasaeyo, Jung Il Woo-ssi," she greeted with a bow.

Il Woo noticed the sad tone of Jiyeon's voice and her unhappy demeanor.

"Gwaenchanhayo?"

Jiyeon nodded. "Gamsahamnida."

"You seem to be carrying the world on your shoulders. Did my brother say something bad to you?"

Jiyeon looked at Il Woo. "Ani..."

Il Woo led Jiyeon in the restaurant. He looked at the menu and asked Jiyeon what she wanted.

"My treat, Jiyeon."

"Well..it would be embarrassing. Let me pay the other half."

"No, I insist. It's rude for a host to let his guest pay his meal to."

"A...arrasseo."

Jiyeon was uneasily looking down the floor. Then she shifted her gaze on the family again. The kid with slightly wavy hair and cute dimples was having a hard time eating his kimbap, and it made Jiyeon smile absentmindedly. Il Woo noticed the smile and he looked to where Jiyeon was looking.

"Do you like kids?" he asked.

"I do. I wished I just had someone I could call my brothers or sisters. It's so lonely growing up by yourself."

"Do you want to live with us sometimes?"

Jiyeon's eyes widened with shock. "Andwe. I'd be seeing Jin Woon Oppa and it would be too hard for me to get along with him. I'd rather that I talk to you or to Yong Hwa Oppa than your arrogant maknae."

Il Woo squinted his eyes and moved his face towards Jiyeon's. "You liked Jin Woon, didn't you?"

"Oppa!"

"Mianhe, I didn't mean to scare you. But that's how I interpret your body language. Oh, here's out food. Help yourself."

Jiyeon smiled and grabbed her chopsticks and spoon. She got a spoonful of soup, slurping it loudly. Her eyes widened to taste that it was good, so she got the bowl and drank the soup, slurping it to the last drop.

"I didn't expect the daughter of a chaebol to be this unrefined."

"Oppa, this soup is just so good I don't have time for manners. ANd besides, I'm not in my posh hotel, nor am I in a very important gathering. Sometimes, I feel like I wanted to have my hair down."

"It's all right. You can be comfortable around me and my brothers. We even wished we had a sister."

They were still talking when the little boy approached her.

"Noona, please take this," he answered as he gave Jiyeon a kimbap.

"Mavin, come back here!" Mavin's mom went after him, grabbed the kimbap and bowed to Jiyeon.

"Joesonghamnida. My son just dropped his food, and I didn't know why he'd give it to you. Joesonghamnida."

"It's all right, madame. Your son is actually very cute," Jiyeon said.

"Ah...Gamsahamnida. Mavin could be a spoiled brat, but he's a very good kid. O, Mavin, say sorry to Noona."

"Mianhe, Noona."

"Aish, you are not respectful to strangers!" Mrs Moon scolded his son.

"It's okay. I'll take that as it is. We're friends now, right, Mavin?"

"Ne. Noona is also very beautiful too."

"Mavin!"

Jiyeon and Il Woo laughed. Mrs Moon took his son back with him and had him sit back on his chair. His other brothers Mason and Maden began to turn their heads and also went down their chairs.

"Mason, Maden, come back here!" Their father called out to them. But the boys didn't listen. Instead, they went to Jiyeon. Mason pulled Jiyeon and hugged her, while Maden came in next and gave her a kiss on the cheek. When Mavin saw what Maden did, he shouted.

"No fair! I should be the one to kiss Noona!"

Mason and Maden went back to their seats. Their Canadian father began to scold them in English, making Jiyeon look at him. She tried to make sense of what he was saying because she wanted to know more about the language.

"It seems you've got young admirers today." Il Woo commented as he took a shot of his soju.

Jiyeon smiled, slightly embarrassed. "I wish I could have them even just for a day."

Suddenly, Jiyeon's phone rang. It was Suzy.

"Yah, Jiyeonnie, I tried calling you many times but you weren't answering. Where are you?"

"Mianhe, Suzy-ya, I'm in Hong Dae right now."

"Arrasseo. I could have tagged you along to my mother's hometown, but I guess you might not be up for it. Let's go there some other time."

"Where's your eomma's hometown?"

"In Mungyeong."

"Ah...arrasseo. Mianhe..but okay, let's go their next week. Bye Chingu-ya."

"Who was that?" Il Woo asked, kind of curious.

"Ah..it's my bestfriend Suzy. She knew that I was kind of downtrodden, so she suggested we go to her eomma's hometown in Mungyeong."

"Geurae? When are you going? "

Jiyeon sighed as she mixed ker kimchi with her bibimbap. "Next week, but I have to plan for it yet. I might have to see my modeling schedules."

Il Woo knew that Jiyeon's face could sometimes be seen in some ads in some clothing lines and in some cosmetic ads, that's why he didn't ask. He also knew that Jiyeon might not have any idea at all where Mungyeong might be and what it meant to her, but he guessed that memories will start to flood back to her once she goes there. For it was at Mungyeong where she and Jin Woon had first seen each other some eleven years ago.