"Mom what time should I go to your office? Your secretary told me you will have a meeting during the afternoon" I told my mother through the phone.

"Come during the meeting"

"What?"

"I said come during the meeting, I need your opinion on the latest designs for the winter collection"

I can't believe it. Mother is asking me to join her in a meeting? Is she training me this early?

"Okay I'm hanging up now" I told her and hanged up.

I walked out of my room and headed downstairs to eat lunch. I eat alone on almost every meal except sometimes I eat dinner with mom which is usually four times a week. It's lonely but I got used to it already.

I ate my club sandwich quietly, chewing slowly. I might as well take things slow since I've got nothing to do now. I'm already done studying for the final exams which is next week and the meeting will start at 2:30 pm and it's still noon.

After a half an hour, I finished eating. I went upstairs to take a nap. I haven't been able to sleep well for the past week. I took mom's sleeping pills two days ago to help me sleep but I didn't want to take them again last night cause she might notice. 

I drank tea first to try and make myself relax before I laid on my bed. I closed my eyes and tried not to think of anything.

Your engagement with Tan is off Rachel.

I'm breaking up with Youngdo's father Rachel.

Your father and I are getting a divorce Rachel.

I opened my eyes and sat up on my bed.

I need to stop thinking. I need to stop thinking. I need to...

"Ugh! This is hopeless! I still can't sleep!" I said frustratedly.

I walked towards my bookshelf and grabbed a random book. I might as well read to pass the time.

After two hours, I was halfway through the book. I looked at the time. Only half an hour left until the meeting, I better get ready.

I went into my walk in closet and changed. Does mom really want me to be at the meeting? Maybe I shouldn't go. I should just arrive late.

I went downstairs and called the driver.

"Your ride is ready miss" our butler told me.

I nodded and went outside. I got into the car and told the driver to drive me around Seoul.

"Excuse me miss but your mother told me to drive you to her office at exactly 2:30" the driver told me.

"No, I want you to drive me around first then you can send me to mother's office"

"But miss I-"

"I said drive me around" I ordered.

"Yes miss" the driver obeyed.

After almost an hour, I finally agreed to go to mom's office. The meeting should be done by now.

I got into the elevator and went to the top floor. Mother's secretary greeted me as I arrived.

"Miss Rachel your mom has been waiting for you" she said and opened the door for me.

Mother was sitting at the head of the table. Infront of her lay catalogs.

"You're late Rachel" she told me. "Sit down"

"Why would you need my opinion on your designs?" I asked her and sat down next to her.

"Because I need a highschooler's opinion" she said and handed me one of the catalogs.

I browsed through the pages. Taking time to look at the designs. Mother is a great fashion designer and a business woman as well.

All the designs look stylish and comfortable, a work you can always expect mother to do.

"The designs look good and they look warm. I hate feeling cold" I told her when I finished looking.

Mother just looked at me and smiled.

"You want to go some place warm for a vacation? A tropical country perhaps?"

I looked at her with surprise.  A vacation with her? Does she even have the time?

"Why are you suddenly talking about vacations mother"

"Why not? We could have a vacaion, just the two of us"

I scoff. "A honeymoon with you? No way"

"I'm worried about you Rachel. I noticed that you have beeen drinking my sleeping pills"

I looked away from her. She must have noticed that some pills were gone.

"Don't worry, it's not an addiction. I just can't fall asleep" I told her.

"You should see a doctor Rachel"

"I will mom"

I followed what mom said and went to the doctor she recommended right away. The doctor was still seeing a patient so I sat down and waited.

Hyoshin suddenly came out of the doctor's office.

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I opened the door and was surprised to find Rachel sitting on one of the chairs. She comes here for therapy too?

She noticed me and looked at me with surprise.

"You come here too?" I asked as I sat down next to her.

"It's my first time" she told me.

I stared at Rachel. I didn't notice it before but Rachel has a pair of amazing eyes. They have this certain sharpness to them that would just make you obey her every command.

Wait... Hyoshin did you just think that Rachel's eyes are amazing?!

I looked away from her and leaned down on my chair.

"You find out another secret about me" I told her and I automatically smile.

She smiles.

"Why do you come here anyways?" she asks. She sounds like she genuinely wants to know.

"In order to live" I tell her simply.

She nods in understanding. I feel the weird feeling again. I think I feel... touched. I think Rachel understands me more than I think she could. 

I suddenly remember the short conversations we had before the awkwardness, before the... kiss.

I used to see Rachel as a lonely girl who needed to talk to someone occasionally. I didn't see her as a rich snobby princess, like all the other kids at school.

Rachel and I would talk effortlessly, without any seriousness. We still talk without effort now but there's this something that's changed, there's this something that I feel after sharing a kiss with her.

I don't know what this feeling is.