[CHAPTER 5]

The feeling about waking up so early in the morning wasn’t my favorite, especially when it was freaking Saturday where I could at least wake up after nine or ten. I groaned inwardly, not wanting to believe that I would spend my precious holiday with so many thoughts occupying my brain. Letting out carbon dioxide, I looked at my alarm. It was still freaking six in the morning, even the sun still hadn’t shown itself yet, and the roosters probably weren’t ready to crow, yet I was feeling so desperately exhausted like I was done running million kilometers. I tried to recall everything that had happened in Baekhyun’s dorm this evening. I was washing the dishes with Jiyoung, talking about Luhan and it did end up with her telling me the story about Baekhyun and his personal matter. Well, I shouldn’t have let my mind being occupied with some other matters but knowing that Luhan was probably living at Nowon was killing me inside.

It was nearly two years we haven’t seen each others. I hated him to the point I would volunteer myself to give punch on his pretty face, yet I missed him so badly like a teenager being away from her boyfriend. And even though I was still teenager, Luhan couldn’t be considered as my boyfriend because although I had spent almost all of my ages being together with him, he had never confessed me. And the truth was Luhan now had a girlfriend. I couldn’t even believe that I’ve swum my life together with him just to make him attract to me, yet I’ve always failed on everything I set up. But it was like flipping your hand, Luhan probably had completely forgotten me and decided to find a Seoul girl. Indeed, Seoul girls were attractive, unlike the one laying on her king-sized bed with her eyes lazily opened.

 I sat down at the edge of my bed, ruffling my hair in stupid manner as it was going to help me decrease my stress, but it wasn’t so long until I heard a familiar tone ringing underneath my blanket. Who the hell was calling me at this time? I might have scolded the caller for being so crazy calling me in the morning before I looked at the caller ID and saw my mother’s name on the screen. It took me mere seconds to frown my brows, realizing that my mother barely called me ever since I was moving here. Filling my lungs with oxygen I’ve just breathed in, I pressed the green color just to hear my mom’s voice from afar.

“Sae Jin?” she said, her voice was still beautiful as always. I knew I was missing her so badly but I still didn’t want to face her yet, because I could be easily mad at her for the decision of bringing me here. Not to mention how much I wanted to go back to Busan and live with Minseok.

“Yes mom, what brought you to call me?” I asked, grabbing one of my pillows and started hugging it since I didn’t even have teddy bear to be hugged. The sudden laughter coming from my mother’s mouth was startling me, I wonder why she laughed. But before I could even ask her, she cleared and started talking about something I haven’t imagined before.

“Don’t you miss your mother, sweety? Why did you ask me such a rude question? Am I not allowed to call the daughter of mine?” she said in cheerful tone. I could guess she was happy, with the reason I didn’t want to bother about it further.

“Not like that, mom. We both know that I’m still mad at you.” I replied. No, I lied. I couldn’t be so mad at my mother yet the one I should be mad at was my father. He was the main reason of this ing trouble which had happened.

“Ugh, come on Sae Jin. It’s been two weeks and you don’t forgive your mother yet? Mommy is sooooo soowry~~”

I smiled at my mother’s words. She was born with an annoying gift from God, and surprisingly enough, despite I was indeed her daughter, I didn’t have any of it. Aegyo.

I rolled my eyes, even though I couldn’t see her but I knew she had her trademark sparkling eyes set on her face. Well, it had always worked.

“Tell me.” I said after sighing hard. My mom wouldn’t have called me if there was nothing she wanted me to hear, or she wanted me to do. We both knew each other very well and I could say the saying ‘like mother like daughter’ was indeed true, well, not that true because I didn’t have those stupid aegyeos. She obviously wanted me to do something for her good –but she would definitely say it was for our good, I was sure of it.

“You know me so well sweety,” She paused to breathe, “Mommy wants you to stay overnight on next weekend, darling. Will you mind to grant mommy’s wish, pretty please?”

“You meant stay overnight at your condo?

“Yes, please please please.” She pleaded. Why the hell did she want me to stay at her condo all of the sudden?

“Sae Jin, are you there?” she began asking after a moment of silence. I was being occupied by my own thoughts till I didn’t realize that my mom was waiting for my answer.

Sighing hard after closing my eyelids for mere seconds, I faintly smiled, only to reassure myself.

“Yes. Yes, I’m here. But wait, why so sudden?” I asked, getting up lazily from my bed, I rushed to the kitchen, filling my dry throat with the water which I took out the fridge.

“We’re having dinner, sweety. It’s been a while since we ate together. I have always been missing your cooking, really.” I smiled onto the compliment of my mother. She liked my cooking, she would eat every snack I made for her, and knowing that she had been missing my cooking was just enough for me to force smile across my lips. “You’re coming, aren’t you?”

Without thinking much, I said ‘yes’ and my mom attacked me with those aegyeos over again, making me roll my eyes because that was really disgusting. Before she decided to end the phone call, I asked her a question. I was thinking of it while smiling, and I thought it was not a bad decision, so finally after clearing my throat, I asked the woman on the line.

“Mom, can I bring my friend?”

“Sure, dear. I’m glad that you are having a new friend in Seoul. Bring him and mommy will be soooooo happy.” She teased, I could sense she was giggling like a teenager from the tone of her words. Fatal misunderstanding, I thought.

“Who said I would bring a boy? She definitely is a girl, mommy. Boys in our school are stupid and I don’t want to befriend them.” I stated, huffing my cheeks because I did literally remember about Baekhyun and the gang. Haha, the name sounded even really stupid.

“Okay okay, darling. See you on next weekend, and wait!” She paused, I sighed once again, waiting for her next words. “Don’t forget to wear your best dress because mommy is going to give you a surprise~”

“What is—”

I cursed under my breath after hearing the phone being hung up from another line before I could even finish my question.

“MOMMY, I’M NOT DONE TALKING WITH YOU!”

***

I walked alone through the hallway. After having a stupid conversation with my mother, a sudden urge to fill my throat with something fresh popped out my mind. School was nearly empty, except for those 3rd grade students who are going to hold a final examination, I barely saw people walking through the corridors. The dormitory building was located on the south wing, and the school building was on the north wing. There was a park separating the two of big buildings, not too large but it was perfectly beautiful, and I took my time to examine the beauty of the park. It was summer, the flowers grew beautifully, and the scent of roses filling my lungs as I inhaled deeply. Humming my favorite song all the way I walked, I decided to scan the dancing room. Not because I wanted to, but because I was curious. Someone might be there, though it was quiet, I could hear the sound of music playing in the air.

I peeked by the window, tiptoeing because m