The car pulls up at a large building, but then all the buildings here are taller than your regular house back home. But it wasn’t hard, finding a two story house was hard enough… but here--- they must be 50 floors high! I exit the car as my driver Mr. Jang had instructed, he told me he’d be my only driver for the next 5-7 years of education… which I’m glad about, I would like to have one familiar face to see every day. He grabs my small luggage and hulls it up into the building.

“Morning Miss Min.” A doorman says as I pass through. “I hope you feel comfortable here and please come to me if you have any problems.”

I nod and follow Mr. Jang to the elevator where he enters and clicks the button reading ‘Penthouse’. However it requires a special key… I’m intrigued to know why and ask. “Why did you have to beep that plastic over the button?”

“Because Miss Min, there are some people around here who aren’t permitted into the Penthouse.” He smiles towards me.

I bite my lip and say. “Is there where my sponser lives?”

He nods.

“So I’ll be living in the same building? I thought we usually live separately?” I say with a shakey voice.

He chuckles and says calmly. “The Lee family do not like their scholarship students living alone, they feel that you should be kept close.” He looks to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. “A lot of things will change for you Miss Min, your lifestyle will be nothing like your previous one in the countryside.”

I nod. “So, not just the same building then… together? With their family…”

He smiles and just nods. “I too, live there.”

“They have live-in staff aswell.” How rich are these people?

“That’s right, you’ll see now.” He points up to the dial above the door that now points to ‘PH’, Penthouse. He smiles and the doors open revealing a grand hallway. It’s like a mansion inside of a building… there are large stairs that lead up to an open second floor with a crystal chandelier in the centre of the room.

“Wow…” Is the only sound that can come out… soon there are a line of maids and butlers holding different food and drink, must be how they welcome people here?

“Welcome Miss Min.” They say and bow in sync.

I bow back and then see an old lady stood at the end of the line with a warm and truly welcoming smile on her face. “Welcome, Namjoo-si… oh I hope you don’t mind me using your name?”

I shake my head. “I’d prefer it to Miss Min.” I say politely.

Mr. Jang bows and says. “President, nice to see you’re feeling well today.”

I look back to her in shock, she’s the President? The woman who is sponsoring me! I bow instantly and say. “Sorry for being so rude, I didn’t know you were the President… ugh, President Lee.” I didn’t know what to call her…

“Please, President Lee is my late husband. Call me Halmeoni.” She says with a bright smile. “Shall we meet the rest of the family?”

I nod and what feels like a whirlwind we’re upstairs and in the main dining area. Halmeoni smiles and takes my hand whilst I’m faced with four very posh and neat looking people. “Hello.” I say shakily. “My name is Min Namjoo, thank you for letting me stay here and study too.” I bow full 90 degrees.

“Don’t be so formal! You’re a member of the family now.” Halmeoni says pulling me back up straight. The four people consist of an older man and woman, with two young and very handsome men. “Introduce yourselves then…”

The older man stands up and says kindly. “Hi, I’m Lee Danggeum, I’m the only son of the Lee family. This is my wife, Kim Jangok. And these are my two sons, Lee Sungkyu and Lee Howon.” He signals to his sons and the older of the two comes forward and greets me.

“Hi, I’m Sungkyu, I’m a first year university student at Sungkyukwan. I’m studying to become a lawyer.” He smiles and then gestures to his younger brother. “Howon, is the same age as you, you’ll be good friends. Right Howon?”

Howon stands, but doesn’t look at me. I’m getting the feeling him, and his mother, doesn’t like the idea of me very much. “That’s not going to happen hyung and you know it.” He comes closer to me and finally looks at me. “Look, the reason you’re here… isn’t because we want you here. It’s because my Hanabeuji set up this sponsorship before he died.”

“Howon.” Halmeoni says with a strict tone.

But he doesn’t stop. “I won’t be socialising with you, I won’t be seen with you and more importantly. I don’t care about your life before or after your sponsorship. Once this stupid thing is over and done with I hope I never have to see your pitiful face again. Let’s make this easy for the both of us and say now. Hello and Goodbye.” He smirks and then goes to walk past me, and suddenly every polite bone disappears from my body.

“Hey, Chaebol.” He stops and looks at me. “As much as you don’t like me, I won’t like you. I’m here to study and make a better future for myself. Which makes me thankful and more importantly indebted to your family, however a friend back home always told me to treat people how they treat others, want to be a jerk? Fine.”

I hear Sungkyu chuckle to himself and then I realise what I’ve done. I turn to Halmeoni and bow.

“I’m sorry… that was-“

“The right thing to do.” Halmeoni finishes. “However next time, let me handle it. Okay?” She smiles at me then looks to her son and daughter-in-law. “Namjoo will be staying in the west wing of the house.”

“But Omeonim! That’s where Sungkyu and Howon also stay?!” Mrs. Kim protests. “It would be uncomfortable for them if she stayed there too.”

I think she truly showed her hatred there…

“That’s quite enough of that.” Halmeoni said then she turned to Sungkyu who was just smiling at the situation. “Sungkyu-ah, would you feel uncomfortable living in the same quarters at this beautiful young girl?”

He shook his head and said. “I have no problem, however Howonie might terrorise her?” He smirks to himself as if he’s got some type of plan. “But I can stop that—if you give me permission to?”

“Aigoo Sungkyu-ah, Howonie will warm up to Namjoo.” She pats my shoulder and then gestures something to Sungkyu… next thing he carrying my luggage. “Take her to her room, she can stay next to the library, I’ve already prepared everything!” She giggles excitedly.

Sungkyu leads the way and I bow as I exit the room. “So, Miss Min.” He says in English which was really cute! “You’re quite a cutie…”

I feel myself blush and I look away from him. “No… I-“

He cuts me off and says. “Minnie, you’re like Minnie Mouse. You’re really cute.” He laughs to himself and then as we make our way through a large door labelled WW. West Wing. He states, “Since your name is MIN Namjoo, I’ll call you Minnie as a nickname.”

“You’re cute too.” I blurt out without thinking. I mentally hit myself and then hit what feels like a wall. I look up to see Howon looking down at me.

“What is this doing here?”

Sungkyu pushes him, lightly, away from me and says. “She’s staying in the West Wing… Halmoeni’s orders.”

“And I’m not a ‘this’ I’m a ‘she’, but if possible you could call me Namjoo, since we’re same age friends and all. Howon.”

Sungkyu laughs at me and says. “He likes for his friends to call him Hoya.”

“Hoya?” I question.

Howon shivers and then says. “It’s what my friends call me; I never said I liked it.”

I smile and see the room labelled ‘Library’. Oh my room must be here then. I walk towards the door and open it, revealing a large and overly decorated room.

“What are you doing, opening doors as if they’re your own?!” Howon attacks me.

I look at him and say. “Halmeoni said mine is the room next to the library.”

He makes a disgusted face and gestures to the room about 5ft away. “That one, this is my room… why did she put you near me for god’s sake! The West Wing is big enough!” the last part is almost muttered, as if he tried to hide it but didn’t really care after doing it.

“I think Halmeoni wants her to be comfortable to study, so she put her next to the library.” Sungkyu tries to rationalise the situation.

Howon sighs and then pushes past me, into his room and slams the door into my back. I jolt forward only to be caught by Sungkyu. I move away from him and straighten out my top, not that it’s flustered more like my face. “Sorry.”

Sungkyu smiles and keeps hold of my wrists before saying cutely. “It’s okay Minnie, I don’t mind.”

We stare at each other for a second and share a moment. He’s really good looking. Always the way; rich, handsome and charming. “I-uh should probably unpack my stuff and—“

He giggles noticing I’m nervous.

“If you two are going to stand around looking longingly into each-others’ eyes all day long, can you move from outside my door?.” A stern and irritated voice says from behind. I move away from Sungkyu and see Howon stood there, I never even noticed him open the door. “Since you two already want to screw each other, why don’t you move into hyung’s room? Away from me?”

Sungkyu moves forward and flicks his forehead. “Minnie is still only a high school student, just like you! You should speak so dirtily at such a young age… do you even how to ‘screw’ a girl?”

“Hyung…” Howon just sighs he looks to me and then says. “Minnie doesn’t suit you at all. Stick to calling her Haksaeng…”

I let out a puff of air and just grab my stuff off of Sungkyu walking past the library and into the next door, I close it behind me and then see the beautiful pink and white room. Walls hung with baby pink wallpaper. Floor carpeted white. The bed was on a slightly raised floor with 2 steps to lead up onto it. The bed was metal framed, a princess bed with long draped curtains hanging from the top. A white wood dresser, walk in wardrobe, and on suite bathroom that had both a bath and shower! It was like a dream, I could have never dreamed of! A miracle! I leave my luggage by the door and sit on the bed with a smile, and then I see 3 gift wrapped boxes on the edge of the bed, a note on top.

To Miss Min Namjoo,

Welcome to our home… by the time you read this letter and have moved into our house. I will be gone. It’s a shame I couldn’t wait to meet you, but when your time is up. It’s up. I brought a couple necessities for your stay here; you’ll find them in the gifts next to you. Don’t feel burdened here, don’t think your burdening my family. They are spoilt and conceded I hope you can show them a different life then what they lead now, take care of my wife and if there is any problems consult Mr. Jang your driver, I entrust him to you. He was my personal driver until now; I know he will treat you well.

Yours Sincerely

Lee So Man CEO

I put the letter down and pick up one of the gifts, when I open it I’m surprised to find the latest Samsung mobile phone. Then I open the next two and find a Samsung Tablet and Camera. All the latest on the market and highly expensive… I’ve never owned a mobile phone before, let alone a camera or tablet. I leave them in their boxes… mainly because I don’t know how to use any of it. Then I look at the big room around me… when I first saw it—I was amazed. Now looking at it, I feel lonely. “I miss you Myungsoo…”