WARNING: LONG CHAPTER AHEAD

Our alarms were set to 6:30AM, since we had to join our parents for breakfast downstairs. I woke up groggily from my bed, stumbling around, finding my way to the bathroom.

I yawned before starting my morning routine and putting in my contacts, tying my hair up in a bun. 

I yawned again before walking to Pandora's bedside and waking her up. "Dora..Wake up, please! Wake up before you feel my wrath," I said, shaking her. Pandora moved around a bit, mumbling things as she slowly sat up. 

I pulled her arms so that she was sitting more straightly. I lightly slapped her face, "Pandora~!" I sang again. "Wake up~!" Pandora swatted my hands away, tiredly. 

"Leave me alone," she mumbled. I pulled her blankets away, "Get up! Now! No food for you if you don't get up!"

When Pandora heard 'food', her eyes instantly widened. She quickly ran out of her bed and to the bathroom. "FOOOOD!" she said outloud, chanting it as she brushed her teeth. 

I chuckled as I changed my clothes. "This girl..." I mumbled, shaking my head. After about ten minutes, Pandora was already out and changing her clothes. 

"Where did my shorts go!?" She said loydly to me in frustration. I laughed and pointed to the drawers where I unpacked our clothing. "Dora, we still have like another 20 minutes," I said. 

Pandora shot me a glare after finding her shorts. "What?" She said. I blinked a couple of times, smiling. "We still have 20 minutes," I said again. Pandora facepalmed. "UGH! I HATE YOU, PANDA!" 

"I could've used those 20 minutes to sleep in some more! Gosh, I hate you!" She said again as she layed back down on her bed. I bursted into a huge fit of laughter as she struggled to sleep again.  

"Girls, ready?" My mom said, peering in from their room. I nodded, containing my laughter and grabbing my brown shoulder bag. 

"What's so funny?" My dad asked as he joined us in the hallway. We all headed to the elevators together as my mom pressed the button. I shook my head, "Nothing, dad. Just that Pandora was super excited for food this morning." 

I glanced over at Pandora who was glaring at me like there was no tomorrow, making me laugh again as the elevator door opened. I sighed as we got in, the four of us the only ones in there. 

"So, like I said, we have business meetings to attend to. Julia, I want you to come join me on some of them, because you'll need to know about the business soon. Pandora, I heard that there are some activities for you to do downstairs, " my mom said. I sighed, my mood instantly ruined. 

"Do I have to go with you?" I said, already tired with just the thought of the meetings. My mom gave me a stern look, "Yes, you do. I have to report back to our workers too about changes and stuff going on as well, so I need your opinion on some things." 

My dad patred my shoulder, giving me a reassuring smile. "It's not as bad as it sounds, promise," he said, winking. 

I sighed in defeat, knowing either way I would have to go. I looked down at the floor when I heard Pandora stomp her feet, "I don't think it's fair to just dump me to some daycare for little kids. I'm 12 years old, mom!" 

The elevator doors opened, and we headed to the area where breakfast was being served. "Pandora, I know that your getting older, but you have to understand that you can't just run around everywhere," my mom said, trying to make her understand. 

Pandora crossed her arms, "No. I can go with Panda! She's not going to ALL the meetings with you. We could hang out with the other teens our age here." She turned towards me and gave me a hopeful look. 

I held both my hands up, shaking them. "Hey, hey. Don't bring me into this!" I said. Pandora pouted before turning towards my mom again. My mom shook her head as we all seated down together. Pandora turned to my dad and held his waist, using her aegyo. 

I facepalmed. Our dad could never resist Pandora's aegyo. My mom gave my dad a stern look but he averted his gaze, sighing in defeat. "Fine, you can go," he said. 

Pandora squealed before squeezing him in a hug. "Only if Julia goes with you though," my dad said, interrupting her celebration. Pandora glanced at me and scrunched up her nose. 

"Fine. With Panda," she said, accepting the terms. I sighed before getting up with my mom to get some breakfast. While I was waiting for my toast, my mom came up to. 

"Soo..what's up with you and Mark?" She asked, grabbing some jelly. I gave her a weird look. "Mom, why are you suddenly so interested," I asked. She shrugged as she took my toast off for me. 

"No reason. Why? I can't be curious about my daughter? This is one of the first times I've ever seen you interact with a boy!" She said as we walked back together. I grabbed some yogurt to add to my breakfast before sitting down. 

"Mom, are you kidding me? Just because I've never dated does not mean you need to be so interested when I start talking to a guy. I talk to many guys! You should know! Most of my friends at school are guys. They're practically my brothers!" I said, taking a bite of my scrambled eggs. My mom sighed, "Well, I know. It's just that, you two got along so well!" 

I rolled my eyes and shook my head as my dad and Pandora came back. "So, you know Mr. Tuan from last night? He's so cool! Way cooler than other people say! We were talking about business last night and he and I have like, nearly the same mindset!" My dad said, fanboying. 

I scoffed and shook my head. I just didn't get how he could be so into business! I tuned my family out as I continued to eat in silence, occasionally nodding to whatever they were saying. 

I noticed some girls come into the dining hall and take a seat together at a table not too far away. One of them looked my way and gave me a friendly smile. I smiled back in the same way before returning to my food. 

Just then, I heard a familiar laugh. I looked up to find Mark walking with two boys. One of them had blonde hair while the other had a cap on backwards. 

I instantly darted my gaze down back at my food when Mark looked my way. 'Please, please, please, don't let him notice me!' I thought, eating my food. 

But a little part of me was hoping he would acknowledge me with a smile and a wave. I looked back up to see his back turned away from me as he grabbed some food.

I inwardly sighed as I finished my food then. "Hey, Julia, can you please put our dishes away over there?" My mom asked, giving their dishes to me. I sighed and looked up to where she had pointed to. It was next to Mark and his two friends. 

"Why can't Pandora go?" I asked. Pandora stood up, "I'm getting some more food! I'm not done yet!" She instantly dashed away before I could even reprimand her. 

I sighed before standing reluctantly and taking our finished plates to where they were to be put for washing. 'Don't turn, don't turn, don't turn!' I wished as I set the dishes down, scraping off the excess food. 

"Julia." I closed my eyes. Someone did not just say my name. I slowly turned to my right and saw Mark peering down at me with his head to the side. I gave him a small smile. "Hi," I simply said. 

Mark's smile widened. "Hey, you survived!" He said, jokingly. I shook my head, smiling. "Of course I would! I'm not that easy type of girl that goes down easily!" 

Mark shook his head before sitting down at the table near me. I was still standing, thinking about whether or not I should sit down. Just then, his two friends came along. 

"Ooo~! Who's this!?"the guy wearing the snapback said as he took a seat next to Mark. "Yeah, Mark. Who's this girl? Another girl you're hitting on?" The blonde one said. My smile slowly wavered at his comment as Mark hit his arm. 

I was slightly hurt by what his friend had said, whether it was true or not. Mark glared at him. "No, she's not! She's...she's someone I met last night. I am not a player," he said sternly. 

The blonde one laughed, "That's what they all say!" He high-fived the one wearing a snapback as they both laughed. I gave Mark a small smile, not able to give him a real one. "I'll go now then..." I murmured. 

I started to walk away before I heard another thing from Mark. Was I really just a play thing to him? Or was I not? I made my way back to my family just as my mom rose from her seat. 

"Ah, there you are! I was actually just about to call for you. Come on, you and me have a meeting to go to," she said. I nodded as I grabbed my shoulder bag, glancing over to Mark's table. I tried to stop myself, but couldn't. 

Maybe I was hoping he would come after me and tell me what his friend had said was not true. That he wasn't hitting on other girls. Mark had his back turned and was conversing with his friends. 

I sighed, disappointed. I had had my hopes up too high. I scoffed to myself as I followed my mom to one of the conference rooms. 'I can't believe I'm feeling like this right now. It's not like we're dating or anything anyways!' I thought as I sat down on a vacant seat, next to my mom. 

I decided to shake my head and not think of Mark. I had to focus on whatever business meeting this was about and take notes with my mom. 

The first two meetings we had gone to had taken about an hour and a half each, and I had no idea what they were talking about at all. 

"Mom, are you serious!?" I don't want to stay here in this meeting with you! Can't I just go upstairs to the room?" I said, crossing my arms. My mom gave me a side glance before sighing. 

"Fine. Go. But I'm going to come get you at 12. I need you in another meeting for your insights," she said, handing me the key card. I broke into a smile. "Thanks!" I said, giving her a quick hug before fast-walking to the elevators. 

"Hey! Wait up!" I stopped and turned my head in the direction of the voice. A girl wearing a V-neck and some sport shorts came up, a friendly smile on her face. 

"Hi! I'm Lin! I was just wondering if you wanted to join us? We're just hanging out right now, since there isn't anything to do. We look around the same age, right? I'm 17 going on 18, but most of the group is smaller, like around 14-18. What's your name?" 

I gave her a smile, "I'm Panda." Lin's smile widened. "Panda? That's cute! Well, would you like to join us?" she asked. 

I shrugged, "Maybe later," I answered. Lin nodded, "Okay, then! We'll be hanging here in the lobby and jammin', so just come if you get bored. We're going to the park later at 2, and we'll be walking there at 1:30, okay?" 

I nodded, "Alright, thanks." Lin turned around with a little wave and headed back to her group of friends in the corner of the lobby. I watched her go before noticing a guy looking back at me. He gave me a small smile, which I returned. 

'Dang..all the guys here are cute..' I thought as I got into the elevator. I sighed as I watched the number slowly climb to my floor. 

'Too bad I won't be able to talk to any of them,' I thought as I stepped out of the elevator. I walked down to my room, opening the door and plopping down on my bed. I grabbed a pillow and layed on it. 

'I'm too socially awkward! I wish my friends were here...' I thought. I sighed and took out my cellphone. Still no texts from anyone. 

I sprawled out on my bed, looking up at the ceiling. It was already 11AM, and I was absolutely tired and ready to sleep again. Just then, my mind wandered over to Mark and our encounter again this morning. 

'I'm socially awkward..but Mark totally makes me lose my awkwardness....but..what his friend said..' I sat up, shaking my head. "No! I have to stop thinking about him! I can't! I musn't!" I slapped my cheeks, trying to get a hold of myself. 

I got under my covers and layed there a moment. "Just one encounter and you've got me going all crazy!" I whispered to myself. I scrunched my nose up before pulling the covers more over my head as my eye lids got heavy, my body succumbing to sleep.

Thoughts and images of Mark filled my dreams as I napped. I woke up to some loud banging on my door. I rubbed my eyes before getting up and opening the door. 

"OHMYGOSH! THIS IS WHERE YOU'VE BEEN!?" Pandora yelled in my face. I shook my head, not comprehending the situation. "What are you talking about?" I asked her. 

"Mom has been trying to reach you for the past couple of hours! You've got her all freaked out! Geez! Even Mark, the Tuans, and Dad were freaked out! But you've been here the whole time!?" Pandora yelled, dialing on her cellphone. 

I slowly nodded, "Yeah...Mom should know...she gave me the key card..." Pandora shushed me as she put her cellphone on speaker. 

"Pandora! Did you find her!?" My mom said desperately. "Yeah! She's been up here the whole time, napping!" Pandora yelled, shooting me a glare. 

I shook my head. It wasn't my fault she didn't remember! 

"She is!? Thank goodness! Tell her to come down with you so we can go get some lunch!" My mom said, sighing in relief. I pursed my lips as Pandora grunted in answer before saying goodbye and hanging up. 

Pandora looked up at me as I looked at my cellphone. There were 20 missed calls and 7 text messages. I looked at the time. It was already 2PM. 

Pandora crossed her arms, standing up. "Let's go as Mom spreads the word of your existance," she said making her way to the door. 

I rolled my eyes. "It's not my fault!" I said to her. Pandora waved her hand nonchalantly as we waited for the elevator. "Sure, sure. Whatever!"

When we got downstairs to the lobby, I saw my parents talking to the Tuans. I noticed Mark with his eyebrows furrowed together as he talked with the guy from earlier who had a snapback, except he wasn't wearing it now. 

My dad was the first to notice us. "Panda! Dora!" He said, laughing. I gave him a wave and a smile as he engulfed us in a hug. "Ready for lunch?" He said, ruffling my hair. I made a face at him asI fixed my hair.

"Dad!" I whined as I noticed Mark turn towards me. His eyes widened. "Julia! You're...you're okay!" He said, smiling in relief. 

I nodded and looked away awkwardly. I could feel the eyes of all the adults on us as he talked to me. "Your mom came to us, super worried, asking if we had seen you! You were sleeping?" He asked me. 

I glanced at my mom who was smiling slightly as I ran a hand down my arm, not knowing how to deal with the sudden attention. 

"Yeah...I was..." I said. The boy behind mark cleared his throat, making the both of us glance back at him. He gave me a little wave and stuck his hand. 

"Hi! We saw each other this morning, but I didn't formally introduce myself. I'm Jackson Wang by the way. Your name is...?" I accepted his handshake, smiling at him. 

"I'm Panda," I said. Jackson cocked his head to the side. "Panda?" He asked. He glanced at Mark before looking back at me. "Mark told me your name was Julia though. Why is it suddenly 'Panda'?" 

I glanced at Mark before glancing back at Jackson. "Panda's what my friends all call me. The people that call me Julia are only family members and close relatives. Or friends of my parents." 

Jackson nodded in understanding. "That's cool! Panda's pretty cute too!" He said, winking at me. I held back my laughter and out came a 'pfft'. Jackson chuckled when Mark touched my arm. "Hey, I need to--" "Mark! Jackson! This where you've been!" 

Mark's hand left my arn as he turned around to look at the blonde boy from this morning. "Lin's wondering you wanted her to wait, or if she can just start with Ari and them," the boy said. 

I bit my lip, not sure what to do in the situation. Mark sighed and nodded, "Yeah, okay. Bambam, just tell her that she should start ahead. I don't think I can make it." 

"Julia! Come on, let's go!" I turned around to see my mom waving me over. I glanced at Mark and noticed him still talking to the blonde haired boy. I quickly walked away before I could be stopped. 

My mom looked down at me as she slung her arm around me. "It looked like Mark had something to say to you," she said. I shook my head, "No, he's busy with other things." 

My mom gave me a weird look. "What?" I asked her. She shook her head. "I don't know. You seem...different in a way. Maybe it's just me," she said. I looked away and down at my hands. 'Was it that noticable?'

Our parents had just left for a party that night, when Pandora came out of the bathroom, drying her hair. She plopped down on my bed as I lay there, texting a friend. 

"Unnie, can we go downstairs? I want to meet some of those young people our age," she said, laying her head on my back. 

I glanced back at her before turning off the TV. "No, we can't," I said. Pandora sat up and pouted. "Why!?" 

I set my cellphone on the bed before sitting up and giving her a push. "No. It's late! There's going to be no one down there," I said as Pandora reluctantly got up from my bed, heading to hers. 

Pandora crossed her arms. "Nuh uh! A girl called Lin said that they would be having a late night hang out at the pool!" I gave her a stern look. "No. Plus, the pool closes at 11PM. You'd only have like an hour down there," I said to her as I got under my layers of cloth and blanket. 

Pandora scoffed as she pulled her pillow into her lap. "Psh, you just don't want to see Mark. You're scared you're going to bump in to him," she murmured. My head whipped in her direction. "What!?" I said. 

Pandora crossed her arms. "I can easily tell, unnie. You obviously really like him. You're just scared to get close to him, aren't you?" I scoffed and turned my back on her. "Like you would know anything? You don't know anything about love." 

I heard her blankets rustle as she got underneath. "Fine, unnie. Let's say that what I said is true. You have to let him know! Not knowing is worse than rejection!" She said before turning off the light. 

"Think about it, unnie." I sighed and stared at the wall. 'Dora's right...but..we just met yesterday...I can't tell him. Not yet.' 

I closed my eyes. 'Not yet,' I repeated. 'I'll tell him at the end of the week. Who knows? Maybe this is just temporary.'