She sharply inhaled as the sound of her alarm finally hit her. Minrin looked to her left and saw that she had overslept–again. She looked to her left and saw that the bed was empty.

“He was already awake and didn’t even bother waking me up?” she hissed as she quickly went to the bathroom to get ready. “Wookyung!” she shouted with her toothbrush still in as she walked to her daughter’s room. She opened the door and saw the teen messily sleeping. “Get up, we’re late!”

Wookyung groaned, “It’s okay, mom."

“No it’s not.” she kept the door open, “I want you up and awake with your uniform on in ten minutes–down stairs.” Another groan was heard from her exhausted daughter. Minrin went to the bathroom and spat out the paste in and gargled some water. Hastily, she put on her work clothes and figured she could just apply her minimal make-up while in the heavy morning traffic.

She grabbed her bag and briskly walked downstairs. In the kitchen, Kyungsoo was watching the morning news and sipping on some coffee. He looked at her then nodded to the kitchen, “I made some coffee if you want some.”

Minrin threw her purse over her shoulder and glared at him as she put on her heels. “You were awake this whole time and you didn’t wake us up?” she said with a deep and angry voice. “Nevermind me but you didn’t even have the decency to wake her up?” She looked at the clock hanging on the wall, “Do you have any idea how late we are now!” she shouted.

“I didn’t wake you two up because I knew you guys were tired!” he explained. “Wookyung had a late recording last night and I just wanted her to sleep a bit longer so I turned off her alarm. Is that too bad for me to do?”

“Yes, since we’re thirty minutes late!”

“Sorry you didn’t hear your alarm!” he argued sarcastically.

“That’s not the point, Kyungsoo!” She took a deep breath, “Seriously why are you so hard to communicate with right now?”

“Stop arguing!” The two parents looked at her. She was tired of this constant arguing. It was non stop and she wanted an end to it. It was too damn early in the morning for her to be hearing all this bull. “I’ll just hitch a ride with Chijin and Nayoung.”

Minrin glared at her useless husband. “No, I’ll take you.” She looked at her daughter, “Got everything?”

“Yes,” she said exasperatedly, “Now can we just go?”

While driving she couldn’t help but notice just how tired Wookyung was. Her head was pushed against the window and rocked as the car traveled. “Wookyung, sweetie? Do you hear me?” she asked. Wookyung hummed as a response. “How ‘bout we stop all these activities so you can just focus on school.”

The star shot right up from her seat and wiped the small trail of drool on the corner of her lips. “No, mom!”

“But you’re not getting any sleep. I just don’t want your grades to slip.”

“No, mom, please! They won’t I promise! Manager Kang just told me that they got me to be a model for Etude House.” Wookyung clasped her hands together in a prayer-like gesture. “Please mom, please don’t make me stop now. You know how much I’ve always wanted to be with Etude House.”

Minrin sighed, “Sure, but–”

The car jerked and they forcefully lunged forward in their seats. Minrin looked at her rearview mirror and saw the person in the car that had just bumped into hers. She sighed and pulled over to the side of the road. Minrin unbuckled her seatbelt, “Stay in the car and don’t get out.” she told her daughter. She got out and looked at the back of her car. Already a dent can be seen from where the person crashed.

“Sorry bout that,” the person said.

“It’s alright,” she looked away from the indention, “Just give me your info and I’ll give you mine.” She took out her cell phone to take note of his information. “What’s your name?” she asked not looking.

“Kim Jongin.”

Before she typed that in, she looked at him. She couldn’t believe it. Kim Jongin was out. He looked back at her with a small grin. “Took you long enough to actually look at me.” He chuckled. “Hello Minrin, long time no see.”

Minrin slid the phone back in her coat. “Jongin, wow,” she looked at him from head to toe. The rumors about prison was right. You either come out just as bad as you entered or you come out buff and in shape. As if he wasn’t in great shape before, he looked like a real man now. He was entirely bulky, but was a nice type of muscular that any woman would admire. “You look great.”

He looked in her car and saw a girl glancing at their situation but quickly turn back in her seat. Jongin looked at Minrin. “Is that her? Wookyung?”

“When were you released?” she asked, changing the topic.

“Just last week.”

Minrin gave him a look of disbelief, “Why didn’t you call me so I could have picked you up?”

“Why would I? You have your own life now. I don’t want to disturb you any more.”

“You’re not a disturbance, Jongin. You should’ve called.”

“Does she know about me, yet?”

She looked back at her daughter in the car, gesturing for her to hurry before she would be late for school. Minrin shook her head, “No.”

“Good, let’s keep it that way.” He looked at both of their cars. “I don’t have any major scratches but your car is a mess.”

“You’re fresh from prison.” she reminded him. “A car accident wouldn’t look so good. We can just drop this.” She gave him a reassuring grin, “Welcome back, Kim Jongin.” she said as she pat his back. She got in her car and drove off.

“You guys talked for a long time,” Wookyung said to her mother as they reached her school. “Does it take that talk when you’re exchanging information?”

“Not always.”

“Are we suing him?”

“No.”

“What, why?” she exclaimed completely baffled by her mother’s choice. “He nearly made me crack my neck, mom, look!”

“Don’t be dramatic, Wookyung.” she said softly as she parked for her to get out. “Bye sweetie have a nice day. I’ll see if I can pick you up today.”

“It’s fine, Manager Kang will.” She shut the door and Minrin rolled the window down, “I have a headshot with Etude House today so I’m stoked for that.”

“Alright but remember, if you’re tired rest your head okay?”

Wookyung nodded and waved her mother away. Just a few steps and already she sensed trouble. The familiar sound of a girl’s nasty snicker caught her attention.

“Don’t you think it’s dangerous for you to be doing headshots?”

Just ignore her, Wookyung. she told herself.

“Unlike that cheap face of yours, their camera is expensive, you know.”

Why does she keep attacking me and only me, I swear.

“You’ll shatter the camera with your ugliness.”

Ignore her. You don’t want anything negative in your profile.

“Are you deaf now? I’m talking to you!”

Before she could pull Wookyung back, the antagonist’s hands were kicked away. Chijin rubbed the soles of his shoe on the cement. “Ah, what the hell. These shoes were expensive. It's amazing how an ugly being could make the price of these shoes drop so drastically.” He scoffed, “Bang Jooshil. Just because you need all sorts of surgery to be average looking, doesn’t mean you can pick on the naturally pretty ones.”

Compared to the other girls, Jooshil was on the heavier and thicker side. Her eyes were round almond shaped and her lips were a bad combination of small and plump. Like most teens at this age, she had patches of acne scattered on her face. Red, bumpy, and oily, it was obvious she tried to conceal them with BB cream and heavy foundation but that only made it more cakey and noticeable. Bang Jooshil was an eyesore and her ugly personality did not improve it one bit.

With his eyes, he gestured for Wookyung to start walking. “So tired of ugly girls terrorizing pretty ones.” Chijin turned back to look at Jooshil, “If you’re so upset, go make an appointment with a plastic surgeon. Stop messing with Wookyung, it’s seriously getting old.”

He turned back to Wookyung and clicked his tongue at her as they walked to their spot. “Why don’t you say anything back? Haven’t you been observing me and Nayoung?”

“Yes but I don’t want her to be spreading nasty rumors about me when I make my huge debut.”

“Screw that. If she continues for all we know she could rip your face in half with her fat hands.”

“Chijin don’t be mean.”

“I’m serious. You’d think she would stop and just continue hating you in secrecy, but she just goes on and on.” He loosened up his tie, “Seriously, I’m getting tired of saying the same over and over again.” Chijin gave her a side stare, “So. Etude House, ey?” he nodded his head, impressed. “Make sure to get me Sulli’s number.”

She clicked her tongue, “There always has to be be an incentive for you, huh.”

Chijin laughed, a very deep laugh. His voice was velvety and energetic, changing in pitch and range from time to time depending on his expression. He had grown into a very handsome young man and was taller than his father. His hair was brown and was an attracting disheveled. Kim Chijin had a tender smile that made girls swoon and an arrogance that women liked.

On the other hand, Wookyung had matured and blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Her hair was kept long and her wavy although messy bed hair was tied in a high pony tail. Unlike her mother, Wookyung had somewhat of a tinted skin. It wasn't incredibly dark but it was a nice blend of honey and ivory. Her complexion was flawless, thanks to the company, and her body was thin and petite. Do Wookyung was absolutely lovely. There were no other words to describe her.

“Where’s Nayoung?” she asked.

Chijin laughed, an obvious fake and forced laughed that was used to make up an excuse. “She’s at the doctor’s.”

“First you now Nayoung? Why are you two always visiting the doctors? I don’t understand.” Last week it was him that was barely at school and now it was his sister. Wookyung pondered over the question. The season was definitely changing, but it wasn’t changing enough for the two siblings to be going to the doctors that often.

Chijin chucked his tongue with a twitch of an eye, “Now I see why Jooshil hates you, you ask too many questions!” he said louder this time. The bell rang and he pointed at her, “What do you say when Jooshil starts bugging you?”

“What do you want now, rat.” she recited in a monotonous voice.

He grimaced, not too satisfied, “We’ll work on the tone.” They parted ways and walked to class. His phone vibrated and he checked the text.

From: Annoying Girl__ 
My tests came back and I’m cleared. It’s just you O n O. Mom’s going to take you out early to make sure.

Chijin slid his phone in his pocket and walked away. “Thanks, dad.”

Wow it's been forever since I've updated and I apologize for that. I don't know, I've just been out of the writing mode and since school started for me, I've been really studying and trying to get all A's for my senior year. Anyway I want to thank you all again for being such amazing readers and sticking with me.

So now we're in the presence. Wookyung is now 15 years old and Kyungsoo and Minrin are...constantly arguing. Jongin is out of prison, oh my goodness! Wookyung's SMC&C career seems to be going fabulously, Etude House very impressive. However still being picked on by Bang Jooshil. Chijin is still as arrogant as ever. What did the text mean? "Thanks dad"? Hm, has lots of meanings to it.