Bo-na and Eun-sang arrived in front of their hostel in Seoul NU and immediately started unloading their things from the trunk of the car. Bo-na’s father had suggested that the driver drop them off at school but Bo-na had shot down that idea. “We want to be normal college kids appa.” So Bo-na had driven her shiny red convertible that her father gave her for birthday to school. It took two trips for them to get all their things into the room from the car.

“Oh my god. We are sharing with someone else?” Bo-na said when they entered the room and saw three beds.

“It’ll be fun.”

“What if she is a total psycho? What if she wants to borrow our clothes?”

“Why would anyone want to borrow my clothes Bo-na?” Eun-sang said and started arranging her books on her bedside table. Just then, the door swung open and they both turned to see a red-headed girl come in pulling a trunk along. She stopped in the middle of the room and stared at them. She turned, checked the number on the room door to see if she was in the right place and then turned back to them. “Daebak! My roommates are beauties.”

Hye-won stepped off the bus and looked around. It was her first time back in the city after her parents divorced eleven years ago. Her mother, brother and sister had seen her off to the bus stop. She wondered what school would be like, what her roommates would be like. She hoped they were nice. She boarded a taxi to her school. She was in awe of the huge buildings around. It had been so long since she had left Seoul and so much had changed. Her mother had insisted they moved to the country after the divorce, she was only nine years old at the time her brother was five and her sister was two and a half years old. When she got to school, she paid the taxi driver and went to find her hostel. As she entered the building, her phone rang. “Omma.”

“Hye-wonah. How are you? Did you reach safely? Are you alright? How’s the room? Are you roommates nice? Are they pretty?”

“Omma, I haven’t even gotten to the room yet. Can I call you back after I’ve settled in?”

“Arasso arasso. Take care of yourself. Let me know if you need anything. I miss you already.”

“I miss you too Omma. I’ll call you later okay?”

“Hmm.” Her mother hung up.

It must have been hard for her mom, they hadn’t been apart for twenty years since she was born. Her mother didn’t know that she had heard her crying after her acceptance letter came in. She sighed, she missed her mother. She hoped her roommates were nice. She reached her room and saw that the door was slightly open. “My roommates must be here already.” She swung it open and two girls turned to look at her. She paused and checked the room number to see if she was in the right place, ‘203’. It was the right room. She smiled, her mum would be glad. “Daebak! My roommates are beauties.” She said.

Eun-sang and Bo-na had twin looks of confusion on their faces. The girl stuck her hand out at Eun-sang first, “My name is Yoon Hye-won. Nice to meet you. I’m your roommate.”

Eun-sang shook her hand and smiled. “My name is Cha Eun-sang, and this is Lee Bo-na. It’s nice to meet you too.”

“I don’t share my clothes.” Bo-na said and Hye-won giggled.

“That’s okay. I have plenty clothes of my own.” She made her way to her bed and started unpacking her things. “What are you girls studying?” She asked.

“Journalism. What about you?” Bo-na said.

“Literature. You girls are really beautiful.” Hye-won said, glancing in their direction.

“Ah, thank you.” Eun-sang said.

When they were done unpacking, Hye-won presented them with cookies. “My mum made them. She insisted I give them to my roommates.” She blushed. “She must think I’m starting Kindergarten or something.”

“Hmm, they are delicious. Your mum makes good cookies.” Bo-na said biting into hers.

“I’m glad you like them. Tell me about yourselves.” Hye-won said. And they did.

“Tell us about yourself Hye-won.” Eun-sang said when they finished talking.

“Well, I am the oldest of three children. I have a brother Ji-hoon and a sister Hye-sook. My parents are divorced, I live with my mum. Please don’t look at me so pitifully, my parents have been divorced a long time.” She smiled. “My birthday is on the 29^th of November, I like ddukbokki, pizza and strawberries. I hope we can be great friends.” She finished.

Hye-won called her mother later that night. She had left her room to take a walk around campus and she now sat on a bench beside her hostel. “Omma.”

“Hye-wonah. How are you? Tell me everything.” Her mother said.

She and her mother were close and acted like friends more than mother and daughter. Her mother, Jin-ah, had given birth to her when she was only nineteen years old. Jin-ah’s parents had insisted she marry her boyfriend when they found out she was pregnant and that was when the problem had begun. As her parents lived together, they realized they were too immature to be married. They fought constantly and didn’t see eye to eye on anything. They tried to work things out and it got a little better after Ji-hoon was born. However, her father started staying out late and her mother found out her father was having an affair. Hye-sook was a year old when Jin-ah separated from her husband and the year after that, they divorced. A bitter custody battle ensued but Jin-ah was eventually granted custody of her three children. She moved them to her hometown where her parents refused to welcome them back. It took Jin-ah five years to get back on her feet. She had promised herself that she would be a better parent to her children than hers were to her, and so she had cultivated a friendship with them.

“Eun-sang and Bo-na are very nice Omma, and they liked your cookies.”

“Well of course they did. Are they pretty?”

“Yes, they are very pretty.”

“That’s good. Beautiful people always be-friend other beautiful people. Socialize with them and get to meet lots of beautiful boys. You better get yourself a kkotminam boyfriend Yoon Hye-won.”

“Omma. I don’t need a boyfriend, kkotminam or otherwise.”

“Who says? I want a kkotminam son-in-law okay? Why do you think I sent you all the way to Seoul?” her mother’s voice sounded exasperated.

“Omma, let it go. I don’t need a boyfriend.”

“Hye-wonah, you let it go. It’s been over six months already.”

Hye-won sighed, her mother had to bring that up again. “Omma, I’m really tired right now. I just wanted to let you know that I settled in okay. I miss you.”

“We miss you too. Ji-hoon and Hye-sook send their greetings. Take care of yourself. Eat well and sleep well. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” She hung up.