Bang bang bang.

'Yah An Dahye! Your phone is ringing!'

It was bright and early and you were busy having a morning shower. Nari banged on your door.

'Yah! Your phone!'

'Who is it?!'

'It says... Ayumi?! Do you know someone called Ayumi?!'

You sighed and turned off the shower, wrapping up in a towel and opened the door. You grabbed your mobile and quickly shut the door again on your best friend.

'Yoboseyo? Ayumi?'

'Did I wake you up, Dahye?'

'No, I was in the shower. What's up?'

'Switzerland is in 2 days. Have you packed?'

'2 days?! But it's not in 2 days. It's a whole week away...'

'We moved it to Friday... Didn't Kwonchan tell y-... Oh. Right. Never mind'

'It's okay. At least I know now, right?'

'Yes, exactly. Anyhow, I wanted to know if you were up for going shopping this morning?'

'Shopping? What about work?...'

'We don't need to be in today. We've done all the preparations so all we have to do now is pack and finalise things with our models.'

'But... What do I need to buy?'

'Don't worry about money. Petey's giving us magazine funding for this trip, remember! That includes clothes we buy for our holiday!'

'Really?!'

'Really. Have you got a ski jacket? And thermals?'

'Ski jacket? Oh... I didn't really think about that...'

'Right, we're buying you one. Have you got thermals?'

'Define thermal?'

'Okay, we're buying you those too. Meet me at the Coex mall in say... an hours time?'

'Sure... Oh no wait, Ayumi!'

'Yes?'

'Did you see my book yesterday?'

'The one you hid from me?'

'Yeah, that one. Do you know if anyone looked at it?'

Ayumi paused. 

'No one's seen it. I put it on your chair and hid it under a pillow.'

You sighed in relief. 'Oh thank god. Thanks, Ayumi!'

'N-No problem.'

'Coex in an hour?'

'Coex in an hour.'

---

'Oppa?'

'Go away, Jieun'

'Can you let me in?'

'No. Go back home.'

'But you haven't let me come over for days!'

'And you think that by pulling that stunt last night, I'll invite you over again?!'

Yukwon opened his door and stared down at his girlfriend.

'Just who do you think you are to try and take those letters away from me?!'

Jieun looked behind Yukwon and saw the letters scattered on the floor. 

'Well I didn't actually do it...' she said quietly

'That doesn't matter! If I wasn't there, you would have! You're a crazy, manipulative !'

'Yukwon!'

'What?!'

Jieun glared at him. 'Don't ever say that to me again.' 

'Or what?! You'll call your father?! Go ahead! See if I care! I haven't seen my parents in years now!'

'Yukwon, just-' Jieun tried pushing her way through. 'Just, just let me in, ne? Yukwon? Let me in!'

Yukwon pushed her away and she stumbled back. She fell down and looked up at him, waiting for him to help her up. He never did. He shut the door on her.

'Go to work without me. I'm not coming in today.'

'But how will I get to work if you don't take me?!'

'You know how to drive! You know how to call a cab! You know how to use the bus or the subway! Get there yourself, Jiwon!'

'Don't call me Jiwon!'

Yukwon opened the door. 'With Dahye back, you should be wary.'

'Dahye doesn't love you anymore, Yukwon. You hurt her too much for her to ever forgive you.' Jieun glanced at the letters and smirked. 'Didn't you?'

He didn't reply and instead slammed the door in her face once again. Jieun called through the letter box.

'You've let down the girl you love already. Break up with me and you'll be letting down your parents too.'

---

'Yeobo, drink this.'

Over in a neighbouring city, Yukwon's parents were having their breakfast. 

'Take a seat and rest. I need to go to work soon anyway. Don't tire yourself out.' said Yukwon's father.

'Is Mr Jung still...'

Yukwon's mother couldn't continue. Her husband nodded.

'As long as Yukwon is still with his wretched daughter-'

'Darling, we shouldn't call her wretched. She's just grown up under the wrong influences.'

'I know... You're right. But I feel so sorry for our son. As long as he is with her, I'll have a job. It's too much of a burden on him.'

'We don't even know where he is...'

'And Mr Jung refuses to tell me. It's obvious his daughter is with Yukwon but he's keeping it away from me.'

'Honey, do you think we'll ever see our son again?'

'It's my fault he left, isn't it? I don't think he'll want to come back.'

'Yukwon's a good boy though. I'm sure he understands why you agreed to that sick man's plans. He hasn't left that girl either. I mean, you still have a job.'

'I just hope he'll forgive me. To die without ever seeing my grandchildren will be sad'

'Let's not think about that, honey. You should go to work now. We wouldn't want Mr Jung finding more reasons to throw us down, would we?'

Yukwon's father hugged his wife and gave her a kiss.

'I'll be making soup for dinner tonight, yeobo' she said, 'I'm going to head to the market later'

'I'll make sure I'm back in time. Take care. Wrap up warmly.'

'You too. Don't let Mr Jung bring you down.'