“Good Morning, Mom!” I said, coming up behind her.

“Morning, Princess.”

I poured myself some juice and sat down at the table across from where she was attaching little gold horns to some kind of white twig arrangement. “Where are you going to put that?” I asked.

“These are for New Year’s, Dara. We’ll be taking them as gifts when we make Christmas visits.”

“Mom, how long have you known about Aunt Hyori and Uncle Hyun Bin?” I asked.

“Hyori told us this past weekend. We’re not really happy about it, given that Hyun Bin is recently divorced, and well, he is a little eccentric. Anyway, she wanted to tell you in person, and we let your sisters know last night when you were out. Speaking of which…”

“Yes?”

“Could you pick them up from YGU? It’s their last day and early dismissal. I told them to look for you.”

“No problem.”

“The roads may be slippery, and I trust you more than their boyfriends,” my mother went on. “Not that they’re not nice boys, every one of them. Now, the one that…”

“I understand, Mom. I’m glad to do it.” I said, cutting her off before she went page by page through the boyfriend catalog of my sisters.

A FEW HOURS LATER

I pulled on my parka, which showed the wear of many camping expeditions I joined.

“Are you wearing that?” my mother asked with a  frown.

“Yes. It’s cold out, Mom.”

“Here,” she said, producing a coat so quickly, either she’d learned magic or had fetched it earlier from Chaerin’s closet.

“It’s not mine, Mom.”

“Wear it,” she said, pointing her glue gun on me. “And enjoy yourself,” she added in a more motherly voice, “Meet some nice boys.”

She never gives up, I thought.

When I arrived at the school, the lot was filled with cars. I was a few minutes early and feeling restless, so I parked my car and got out to walk. The rain had stopped, and a cold wind was beginning to blow. I was glad I had the hood to pull up over my head.

I strolled along the pavement in front of the school until I reached along, rectangular wing building with a rounded top – the gymnasium, I figured. Suddenly a door opened and Jae emerged. His eyes were far away, and his lips held a straight, almost grim line. I took a step back, unsure of whether to speak to him. If he saw me as I turned my back, he might think I was snubbing him. But he didn’t look as if he wanted to talk to anyone either.

I turned to re-trace my steps and accidentally a loose stone. He turned his head quickly.

“Hi,” I said. Clumsy, Pabo, Dara!

“Hi.”

“How are you?” I asked.

“Okay.”

“Good.”

There was an awkward silence. Jae glanced at his watch.

“I’m here to pick up my sisters,” I explained quickly. “It just happens that I keep ending up in the same place as you. My mother sent me.”

He laughed. “It’s okay, Dara. I know you’re not chasing me.”

I nodded and turned to continue my walk alone but Jae followed beside me.

“Were you visiting old friends?” I asked when it  was clear he was strolling with me rather than trying to get somewhere.

“I just saw one of my teachers and my coach Se7en.”

“Se7en?”

“That’s his nickname.”

“I bet he was glad to see you,” I said.

“How would you know?”

I blinked.

“Sorry,” Jae apologized, “I’m still in that bad mood. Though I faked pretty well last night, don’t you think?”

“You did great. Min actually called Aunt Hyori by her own name once. Still, faking is hard to keep up for too long.”

“Sometimes there isn’t any choice,” he murmured.

“Well no one is around,” I told him as we walked. “It’s all right to be in a bad mood till your friends come out.”

He looked down at me. For one crazy moment I felt beautiful by the way he’s staring.

“Uhm…It’ll get better,” I promised him. “You’re back with your old friends now, kids who know you.”

Jae looked away.

“I’m sorry it’s so hard for you.”

“It’s much harder on Min,” he replied. “He’s still having a hard time adjusting to our situation in Busan. He keeps thinking that we’re the reason why our parents were unhappy. Our lunch at the rest stop was the first time I’d seen him laugh for a long while.”

“If it’ll help,” I said, “I’ll be glad to take him out during the vacation, watch a movie or just have fun. He’ll be a good distraction. Really,” I added in response to Jae’s curious look, “it’s going to be a long two weeks for me. I’d enjoy doing things with Min.”

We had reached the end of the lot and turned back, walking silently for a minute.

“Why is it g