Day 28 Sunday:

  Today, I have nothing to do whatsoever. I basically stayed in my room and did nothing while my parents did their own thing. Umma knew about my situation but didn’t tell Appa. She just made an excuse as to why I didn’t come with them today.

  I flopped on my bed, stomach pressed against the mattress. I closed my eyes as I wanted to drift into a deep sleep. I wanted to dream about happier things rather than think about all this crap. I’m tired of my depressed state but it doesn’t want to go away.

  I heaved a sigh and rolled on my back to stare at the ceiling. I stared at my ceiling fan as the blade spun round and round. I tried following it out of boredom but I couldn’t catch up to it.

  I groaned. What should I do now?

  My phone rang.

  I ignored it but it came again. I scratched my head as I sat up and muttered, “What now?” I answered it without looking at the caller ID. “Hello?”

  “My-Myung Hee?” A familiar voice piped in the other line.

  “Eli? What is it?” Why is he calling? I don’t want him to call because it’ll just bring memories of Jaeseop. I don’t want to talk to him but I don’t want to just hang up on him. I’m pretty sure he’ll call right back.

  “I know what you’re going through.”

  I snorted.

  “But Jaeseop has his own reasons.”

  I don’t really want to hear it. I don’t want to hear anymore pity. I get it! Everyone is sorry for me because of the stupid break up. Everyone knows what I’m going through! EVERYONE ING KNOWS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO FEEL LIKE YOU DON’T WANT TO LIVE ANYMORE!

  I bit my lip as I restrained myself from yelling at him. I shouldn’t be mad at him. He just wants to comfort me like everyone else has. Only Umma had made me feel real comfort unlike everyone else. To me, it felt as if they felt pity for me and nothing else.

  “I want to tell you, but I don’t know if you’re listening.” He said through the phone.

  I haven’t really said a word. I don’t know if I’m ready to hear what he has to say. Could his parents have found someone else for Jaeseop to marry since we refused to? Could he be moving? Could it be those typical cliché reasons? “I’m listening.” I muttered.

  I heard him taking a deep breath. “He doesn’t want to hurt you.”

  I scoffed. So it was a typical cliché reason. “Why? What does he not want to hurt me from?”

  “Business reasons. He knew you hated thinking about the business and he didn’t you to carry the burden.”

  “What do you mean?” I was confused. Either way I would have to continue the business because I’m the only child and Appa has told me it would be passed down to me.

  “If Jaeseop’s father buys your company, then you don’t have to worry about handling the business. But he was thinking if you two were together, then they would set an arranged marriage and you would be forced upon the business. He didn’t want that to happen.”

  I didn’t care. Eli was right about me not wanting to take care of the business but that shouldn’t be the reason why Jaeseop broke up with me! I could do what Umma does: Marry my Appa and live a normal life while he’s taking care of everything. It just doesn’t make sense! Why did he go to that extent? But then I realized what Eli told me at the beginning. “Wait, his Appa is going to buy our business.”

  He gasped. “Uh…” He’s the one who said it so why is he so surprised? “Well… Yeah… that’s the whole point why his Appa signed a contract. But of course, cash rules everything.”

  “So you’re saying Jaeseop didn’t want to take advantage of me? He thinks he’s taking advantage of me because his Appa is going to buy our company?!” I was practically yelling at him. This was wrong! But I do know for a fact Jaeseop wasn’t the one who used my family and me. It was his Appa. I clenched my fist tight.

  Eli sighed. “You could say that…”

  I punched my pillow. His Appa was taking advantage of my family! What is wrong with him?! What is he thinking?! Has he been planning this from the beginning? Did he know his own son will grow close to me? Did he know Appa would ask to be sister companies?

  I screamed.

  Eli stuttered, “My-Myung Hee… I-I’m sorry. Jaeseop just didn’t know what to tell you.”

  Now I’m mad at Jaeseop. I’m mad because he didn’t tell me. He didn’t tell me his situation and just broke up with me! What’s wrong with boys and telling things that bothered them? Does he not know what it would do to me?

  Tears dripped down my cheek as I let out small sobs.

  “I’m sorry, Myung Hee but I had to tell you. It was bothering me, seeing you like that.”

  “What do you mean?” I haven’t seen him since last week.

  “I’ve been watching you. Don’t get me wrong!” He exclaimed, “I was just worried because something was wrong with Jaeseop, too. That’s when I realized you two broke up. But don’t give up on him. He loves you but he just can’t see it. He’s oblivious to love because his parents had trained him to work hard. They wanted him to be successful. Ever since you came, he was happier. He was less stressed. You need to go back to him.”

  I closed my eyes and sat crisscrossed on my bed. “How and why? I can’t even talk to him.”

  “Just pretend you don’t know him and act as if it’s the first time you met.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “I can’t…” I repeated. I just can’t. Every time I see him, memories flow into my mind and I felt hurt. I couldn’t accept the fact that he broke up with me. I just can’t accept it.

  Eli stayed silent on the other end. Then, “Wait. Soohyun wants to talk to you.”

  I don’t want to talk to anybody anymore.

  “Hello, Myung Hee?” Soohyun’s voice came from the other end, soft and comforting.

  It pained to hear this. I don’t want anymore comfort or anyone telling me to go back to Jaeseop. “Soohyun.”

  “I think Eli’s words weren’t the right words to say.” He chuckled an awkward chuckle and continued, “He’ll come back. Just don’t act as if you two don’t know each other. He’s getting worse and worse. He doesn’t want to talk; he doesn’t want to eat-”

  “He can’t even sleep!” Eli’s voice echoed in the background.

  “Yeah. So we’ll talk to him too and maybe lighten him up. He needs you and I’m sure you need him.”

  “Then what about the company.” I muttered. They can’t forget about that important detail.

  “I don’t know what to do about that. But Jaeseop is fighting his Appa about it and I heard was about to cut off his expenses and move back in their house.”

  I bit my lip. This feels too unrealistic. I’m tired of all this crap, but I know it won’t disappear with a snap of my fingers. I want him back but I also don’t know what I can do to stop our business from being sold. What’s wrong with being together? Wouldn’t that mean our companies would be united? But what would happen if I loose interesting Jaeseop. No. That won’t happen. “I’ll do whatever I can to get him back,” I simply said.

  I could tell Soohyun was smiling on the other line. “Great. We’re going to talk to him now. I think he’s awake. Bye, Myung Hee.”

  “Bye.” I hung up and plopped on my bed. Jaeseop just made everything so complex! Does he not realize if we were to be married, we could live happily together? But then, I remembered we disagreed on the marriage. Maybe that was on his mind when he decided to break up with me. But don’t worry about it Jaeseop because I will not let you go.

~~~

  I feel as if this chapter was kind of iffy, but you guys do know that AJ's dad wants to take over both companies and AJ didn't want that to happen. He broke up with Myung Hee because he believed she would think he used her when she finds out his Appa did buy the company (But it hasn't happened)