The days passed by, and today she was living with Nu'est for almost two weeks. She really felt comfortable around them, and so did they. She was really like one of the boys, so they didn't mind hugging her anymore. They had put a video online presenting her as their Noona, where they told about why she was living there (she has some problems, so Aron hyung is being a good friend and he helps her) and where they were mocking her attempts to speak Korean. She didn't mind. It was going better, if they spoke slowly and simple, she could understand most things, but she still answered everything in English, because she didn't feel comfortable with speaking Korean yet. 

She was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Aron wanted pizza, and since he liked hers best, she had offered to make it. Her phone started ringing, she hurried to wash and dry her hands and answer the call, so she forget to look at the display.

"Hello?"

"Erica. Where are you?" It was her mother. It had been over two years since she had heard anything from her. She dropped the spoon she was holding and sank onto a chair.

"Mom?"

"Yes, it's me. Guess who's been stalking me for almost two weeks? That lovely boyfriend of yours, please tell him where you are so he can stop bothering me!" Erica was a little shocked about the way she spoke to her. No friendly hello, no how are you. Just that snarly tone she always used, even to her own daughter.

"He is not my boyfriend anymore."

"I don't care, I don't want him ringing my door anymore! Make it stop, you are the one who chose him over me."

"You didn't leave me any choice, you just kicked me out. And besides, he is not my problem anymore, I want nothing to do with him!"

"Sweetie, you don't even have a job or a college degree, do you really think you can make it on your own?" She bit her lip to prevent herself from crying. She knew her mother was right. But she also knew her mother was a , and if there was one good thing about her relationship with Jake, it was that she learned to stand up against her mother.

"That's none of your concern. Just like I don't give a damn about your stalker. Call the cops, and let me live my life the way I like without bothering me." She said no goodbye, but simply ended the phonecall. She noticed how much she was shaking when she put her phone back on the table, and she buried her face in her hands. Two years. That's how long her mother had pretended she didn't exist. Ever since graduation. And the first thing she says when she's calling is a question to get her ex-boyfriend away from her. Erica sniffed. She couldn't care less about what was going to happen now. Or could she? It was still her mother. It was still about the guy who had cheated on her while being in  -what she thought to be- a happy relationship.

"Noona?" She looked up, Ren was standing in the doorway, worried.

"Oh, hey," she said with a smile.

"Are you okay?" She nodded.

"Yeah, I was just... thinking." She didn't want to tell him, even though she was sure he had heard the phonecall. 

"Well, erm, you're water is..." He pointed at the stove, where the water for the pasta was over boiling. She said a few curse words, then rushed to the stove to limit the damage. She sighed, she was still weak in her knees.

"If you want to talk, I have time." Ren sat on a chair, and his determined face told her he was not leaving until he had heard every single detail. 

"Did she really say those things?" I nodded, Ren pouted. 

"She shouldn't say that. A mother should be nice." 

"Tell me about it," she mumbled.

"About what?" She looked at him for an instant, than she laughed.

"It's an expression, Ren. When you say tell me about it, you actually mean you totally agree with someone or already know something they are telling you." He giggled.

"Well, okay, you're never too old to learn." 

"And now you know how I feel." They laughed together, and she loved the way he always seemed to cheer her up. He was like a cute puppy that would wag it's tail when you'd come home, and all of your worries would disappear. 

"You don't have to do it alone. You got us!" Ren said. He made a funny face towards her, she giggled.

"I know. But I can't stay here forever. I'll have to go back one day, find a job and get my own life."

"But not yet, right?"

"No, not yet."