Chapter III: Finally, I Found Her!

“Wakey wakey baby girl” I felt a gentle nudge on my shoulder and slowly opened my eyes to see my appa beaming at me. I turned my back to him, feeling so sleepy because of what unni and I did last night - tirelessly laughing together because of the picture I took of appa wearing that Pororo outfit. Too bad he only wore the cap and goggles. 

“Sofi-ah, do you like ice on your back?” Oh no. I became alarmed and quickly sat up to search for a glass of ice but when I realized he doesn’t have it, I huffed and stormed out of my room. My appa is threatening me! But before I can close the door, I saw Liyin unni coming towards my way and I called her.

“Unni~ Appa is being mean~” I hugged her and glared at my appa who just laughed at me. I looked at unni with a pout and she raised her brow, having that amused face. She then crouched down and whispered something to me that made me smirk like a little devil.

“Oppa, can you finish what I’m cooking while I give Sofi a bath?” Unni asked appa as she entered my room then went over my closet to pick up my towel and clothes.

I saw appa nodded after standing up then went beside me to pinch my cute little nose. “Yah appa, don’t forget I have that Jaeroro photo of you!” Good thing unni told me that I can use it to blackmail appa. Nice thinking! And I snickered when I saw that shocked face of him again. Ooh~ Life is so great!

“C’mon Sofi, you don’t want to be late for school, do you?” Unni called and that, I almost forgot. It’s my first day to be a student! I squealed and dashed towards the bathroom while I heard appa’s laugh. 

“Well, someone’s excited” She grinned and ruffled my hair then for probably about half an hour, I finished taking my bath and now standing on my bed while unni lifted my clothes up to my eye level. “What do you like?” She showed me two dresses and I picked the blue one. She placed the other dress back to the closet then helped me wear the one I chose. “All done…oh wait” She opened the cabinet near her, taking out the cologne and sprayed some of it to me.

“Unni, I saw someone following you yesterday” I said out of the blue when I suddenly remembered what I’d seen through my window here in the second floor. “Is he your stalker?”

“Are you sure?” She asked and I saw a blush on her cheeks. What the? That’s a no-no! Stalkers are creepy!

“And you’re happy about it? Wow, you're weird, unni” She hit me on my forehead but not that hard and I stuck my tongue out to her then skipped my way towards the dining area.  

“Oh my, my baby girl is so pretty~ give your appa a hug” Appa got on his knees and spread his arms then I ran towards him and gave him a bear hug.

“Good morning appa!” And as usual, I kissed him on his cheek.

I settled on my seat and unni followed suit while we’re waiting for appa to bring our breakfast. “Sofi-ah, don’t tell oppa about him, araso?”

I tilted my head to the right, thinking what she’s talking about then it got to me. “Oh~ your stalker, unni?” She widened her eyes and shushed me since I was a bit loud when I said that.

“Stalker?” And dun dun dun! Appa heard me and when I looked at unni, her face was flushed red. “Did I hear it right, Sofi?”

“Mol-lah-yo~” I shook my head slower while saying those three syllables and prolonging the third one. My appa narrowed his eyes while unni was glaring at me. This is so much fun!

“W-we better eat now or else we’ll be late” Unni stuttered and I muffled a laugh because she’s sweating especially when appa was giving her ‘the look’. And I can say that appa is a protective brother to unni. Well, in fact, he is and his sense of hearing is really sensitive when he heard unni talking about a guy or any synonym of it. And that reminded me of what Uncle Yunho told me, that appa gave a sermon or more like he threatened the guy who’s courting unni two years ago and guess what happened? Unni’s suitor stopped talking to her and didn’t want to get near her anymore.

But lucky for unni, appa didn’t interrogate her today and we started eating. Then after another half an hour, we’re ready to go to my school as appa was driving the car while I’m sitting on unni’s lap.

“Sofi-ah, Liyin is going to pick you up later so wait for her” Appa instructed me and before I knew it, we arrived at the front of my school. “Here we are” He parked the car and I saw Teacher Yoojin near the door, welcoming the other children.

“Let’s go Sofi” Unni opened the door and accompanied me towards my teacher. “Behave, okay?”

“Hi Sofi” My teacher greeted and showed me that nice smile of hers but I still feel bitter inside, remembering that she can’t be with appa. Hmp! I then turned my head to unni to bid her goodbye then waved my hands at my appa.

It’s my first day of class and I suddenly felt nervous when I entered the classroom. There are already children inside, playing with each other while I walked and stayed at the corner as all are ignoring me. Now I want to go home. It’s better to be with my appa and unni but they got stuff to do.

“Hey there” I looked up and was in awe when I saw a very pretty lady in front of me and she chuckled a bit when I kept on staring at her. She’s so pretty along with her cute dimple on her left cheek.

“Why don’t you play with them?” She asked glancing at the other children then back at me and that made me stare down on the floor.

“I don’t want to…I want my appa” I mumbled as my eyes became watery while I’m fidgeting with my hands. I don’t think I’m welcomed here.

“Really? But they’re waiting for you” I looked up to her again and when I glanced to my left, my teacher and my classmates were all looking at me. The lady beside me stood up and clasped her hands next. “Children, what will you say to our new friend Sofi?”

“Hello Sofi” They said in unison, smiling and waving their hands at me and out of reflex, my lips curved up. “Come sit with us” Teacher Yoojin called and I smiled at the lady next to me, thanking her then sat beside my classmates.

The class started by introducing ourselves one by one and when it’s my turn to speak, I thought of my mission then stood in front of them. I told stories about my family and my mission in finding a wife for my dad. They giggled and one of my girl classmates raised her hand, telling me that she will help me and soon, all of them did the same. 

We did several activities like doing arts, free play, circle time, learning new songs and dances, eating together, taking a nap, outdoor play, and story telling. I find it really enjoyable but I became depressed when it’s time for us to go home. Now I know what it means when they say that time flies so fast when you’re having fun. I seriously don’t want to go home anymore. But what can I do?

I bid goodbye to my classmates when their parents arrived at the school while I stayed in the room waiting for my unni to pick me up. I scanned around and saw my teacher who just came out from the kitchen, holding two glasses of juice. “Teacher, where’s the pretty lady?”

“Pretty lady? Oh you mean my cousin. She left a while ago. Why?” She sat beside me, handling me one of the glasses.

“Will she come here tomorrow?” I asked again after taking a sip of the juice and tilted my head to her.

“I’m not sure dear, but I’ll tell her that my cute student is asking for her” She smiled and I giggled.

“Sofi, I’m here” Liyin unni entered the room and I quickly jumped out of my chair and ran towards her after putting the glass on the table.

“Unni, what took you so long?” I put my hands on my waist, faking to be angry at her but of course she didn’t buy it since she knew me well, besides she’s my best friend after all. “Hehe...I’m just kidding~” I told her then went towards the shelf to get my bag. “Let’s go unni. Bye teacher!” I bowed and the two of us went out of the room and head back home.

“So how’s your first day?” My unni asked while both of us were walking towards our house. “Hey Sofi, wanna buy our favorite cake?” I nodded immediately as we turned right and then we entered the pastry shop. I looked at the different display of sweets and my lips because of too much cravings.

“Hi there nerd girl” I heard someone and my eyes widened when I saw the owner of the voice pushed my unni on the shoulder.

“What do you want?” Liyin unni talked in an aggressive tone and has this cold look while the girl together with two others laughed at my unni. Oh no they didn’t!

“Unni, let’s just buy the cake and not waste your time with three ugly people” I went beside her and crossed my arms as I gave those girls my mean stare. “You know what, you’re just envious because my unni is good at everything that’s why you’re treating her like this” I smirked when I saw them stiffened at my remarks. That's right. I can be so evil when it comes to people hurting my family.

The other people in the shop were all looking at us and witnessed the commotion. The three girls hurriedly exited the shop and I proudly looked at my unni but saw her somehow feeling ashamed and that made me frown.

She ran out of the shop, leaving me there at the center of attraction – or distraction. I followed her but she ignored my calls. Good thing our house is not that far away and I managed to get back home with ease.

“Unni~” I knocked on her bedroom door but all she said was to leave her alone. What did I do? I just defended her from those girls. Is it wrong for me to do that? “Unni please open the door” I knocked once again but I heard nothing. I then sat on the floor, resting my back on her door and waiting for her to open it.

But I’ve waited long enough until sleepiness overcame to me and when I opened my eyes, I’m already in my own room. I quickly went out and came in unni’s room as I saw her playing the violin.

“Unni” I called out, a bit afraid of what she will say to me but when she turned to face me, she greeted me with a smile. I ran forward, hugging her and kept on apologizing. She then sat on her bed as she held my shoulders.

“I’m sorry Sofi. I didn’t mean to do that”

“You don’t hate me no more?” I rocked my body back and forth with my hands at my back then she laughed.

“I know your style, Sofi-ah...You’re acting cute!” She pinched my cheeks softly and I did the same to her. And this is how we forgive and forget. Then we heard a click and saw appa took a picture of us.

“Appa! Welcome home!” I ran to him as he’s already in the position to lift me up and when I’m in his arms, he twirled me around, making me squeal.

“How’s school, baby girl?” He put me down and patted my head next.

“Dae~bbak!” I told him, remembering what happened earlier. “I made new friends. We played a lot and I saw this really pretty lady! You know what appa, I want to be like her when I grow up. And oh, these three girls bullied unni when we’re about to buy a cake. They’re mean!”

I saw appa glanced at unni then she suddenly told us that she’ll prepare dinner as she hurriedly went out of the room. Oops, I said something wrong, didn’t I?

“Appa, let’s just keep it a secret, okay? Don’t talk to unni about what I said” I whispered to his ear as if unni can hear me and all appa did was to laugh and I saw his face, like he was entertained seeing me like this. “Yah appa, sshhh araso?” I placed my finger on my lips and he nodded, still laughing.

“I’ll help unni. Change your clothes now appa then we’ll eat!” I shouted as I ran towards the kitchen. Not him knowing that I suddenly thought of an idea about my mission. I first need to tell this to unni then our modus operandi will begin. Just wait appa. You’ll see how great of a daughter I am!

***

Sofi’s reply

Annyeong! I forgot to tell you, Teacher Yoojin is Eugene from S.E.S. Did you enjoy chapter 3? I hope you do!

Hi paopao~ and no, the teddy bear is all mine! My teacher won’t get angry at me because I’m cute lol and who do you think is the pretty lady? Bleh~…soshiyuri unni, I still have it too! Appa is so funny wearing that Pororo outfit! XD dreaming777 unni, don’t take my place =( I’ll tell appa to adopt you!so I can have a big sis~ hehehe and I think I know who’s this ‘right’ one ahihi! This is what yuichi unni said “I still don’t know when they will meet but Sofi will help them meet for sure” Me? What will I do? Luna322471 unni, it’s okay. Why are you staying there? Because of school? Yuichi unni said most of her classmates stay in dorms or apartments because school is far from their home, good luck with your studies! kimchi11 unni, thank you~ *blush* and unni wants to thank you for subscribing to her other stories ^-^

Thanks again for the comments and for my subscribers! Let’s meet again in chapter four!