Take Note: Italicized sentences are Seohyun's thoughts. 

Ring~~ Ring~~

I woke up hearing the phone ring. It’s just 5:35am for goodness sake. I’m too tired to open my eyes but I had no choice. It might be my boss.

“Yoboseyo?”, she said.

“Joo Hyun-ah, It’s mom.”

“Oh. Hey Mom. Good Morning? Is there something wrong?”

“Not really, Joo Hyun. I just want to remind you must attend your dad’s party tonight. We’re expecting you..”

“Okay Mom. I won’t forget.”, assuring her.

“See you Joo Hyun-ah. Omma loves you.”

“Love you too.”

Hearing the voice of my mom makes me miss my family. Guilty as I am, I seldom contact them. It’s just that every time they see me, they kept on mentioning me taking over our businesses. I never wanted to manage hotels, resorts and restaurants. I’ve always wanted to be a writer who inspires her readers. 

I love books. I really do. Ever since I was young, books have been my treasures. My favorite genre is the self improvement books. Girls usually like romantic books. But ever since I became a writer, irony as it is, the books that I write are all love stories. Love stories in which I think is good but not on the market. How come my stories don’t match the taste of everyone?! It’s not that bad.

It’s already 6am. Since I’m up this early, better make myself useful.

“Oenni~~”, as she lay down beside Hyoyeon.

“Joo Hyun-ah!”, Hyoyeon said who was half awake, “Go!!!”

“Make breakfast oenni, I’m hungry..”, she said while talking to her like a 10 year old girl. Trust me, it works all the time.

Hyoyeon oenni opened her small eyes and grabs her wrist watch. Irritated as it is, she hit my face with a pillow.

“OENNI! APEO!!”

“It’s so early. Make your own breakfast!!!!”

“Please.”, using her last hope, her big, round, puppy eyes.

“OKAY! let’s go so you’ll stop.”

                Hyoyeon oenni is my best friend. She’s a year older than I am but, who cares?! Can’t I be bestfriends with people older than me…. Anyways, she’s the daughter of my mom’s best friend and history repeated itself. We became best of friends. She’s like a sister to me and I adore her. She knows me very well.

“Joo Hyun-ah! You owe me.”

“Arasseoyo Oenni. Komawoyo.”, smiling happily.

                Oenni prepared French toast and bacons for breakfast. It’s been a while since I ate breakfast. I’ve been too busy with work. I’ve already written 3 novels. It wasn’t successful though. I’m lucky my boss hasn’t fired me yet. I’m ashamed of it but it’s all thanks to my family. She knew who my father was. My boss told me I should write my next novel but I don’t know where to start. Life surely is difficult.

                I got myself freshened up and so does oenni. She’ll be going to her dance studio while I’m on my way to the office. Although I have a car (dad gave it to me), I still take the bus. I just can’t use something I don’t deserve. I just use it whenever I have to see them.

                I got to the office and greeted every one. Even though I don’t earn that much, I love every bit of my work. I enjoy it so much that I spend too much time on it.

                I went to my table and saw a note.

                Joo Hyun, please drop by my office

                                                                -Jessica.

“Hi Gyu Ri-shii, can you tell Ms. Jessica Seo Joo Hyun is here.” she said to the secretary.

“Okay. Sure Ms. Seo. One moment please. “

I entered the office and as usual, Ms. Jessica’s facial expression is blank. She really is the Ice Princess.

“Ms. Jessica, you wanted to see me?”

“Joo Hyun-ah. You’re here. Sit, please” Jessica said while smiling.

“Is there something you wanted to tell me?”

“Ah. As a matter of fact, Yes.”, Jessica was still smiling but her expression started to change into seriousness. “Joo-hyun, I want you to write another novel. I’ll give you four months. When it’s good, we’ll be publishing it.”

“Uh. Okay Ms. Jessica. I think I can do that.”

“But there’s a catch. If you’re next novel does not pass the 100,000 mark, we have to let you go..”

                Unknowingly, my mouth was out of words. I was dumbfounded. Seriously?! They’re planning on letting me go. I know this time will come since my books only sold less than 20,000 copies but I’ve never imagined that it would only be just in a few months. I’m not being pessimistic but how can I even pass 100,000 copies. Just, HOW?

“I’ll work hard Ms. Jessica.”

“You better.”, as she pointed her index finger to Joo Hyun. “I don’t want to let you go but I, too, am following orders from the man behind the desk. You know what I mean.”

“Thank you Ms. Jessica. I’ll be going..”

                I’m not really an emotional type of girl but hearing this makes my heart sank. Am I really that bad? Were my novels not good enough? How come Hyoyeon oenni smiles when she reads it? Is it a smile because she likes the story or a smile that means its written funny?

                I’m so pressured right now. They’ve given me four months. I wanted to write now but how? How can a writer write a good story if she’s not inspired at all! This is the disadvantage of being single for 8 years. Yes, I’ve been single for 8 long years. It’s not that I don’t like guys (actually, I really do like them) but my past relationship gave me a true heartache. Have you ever felt like he was the one (I do) and suddenly he breaks your heart? Ever since then, I don’t want to just jump into a relationship. When I meet “the one”, I’ll make sure that he’ll be my second and last boyfriend. But time flew by quickly huh? It’s been 8 years and I still haven’t found him.

                I left work earlier than before. I have to prepare for my dad’s party later. It’s a celebration for the new partnership he has with a foreign company. I don’t like these kinds of gatherings but I don’t want to disappoint my family.

                Hyoyeon oenni was already at home. She’ll come with me to the party. I’m lucky I have oenni. She helps me pick a dress and make up myself nicely.

                The party is held at my parent’s house. Well, it’s not really a house but a mansion. It doesn’t really matter because it was once my home. It’s the place I grew up.

                We arrived at the party and there were already a lot of people. Those people and their unfamiliar faces. I saw them look at me and thank goodness my mom saved me.

“Joo Hyun-ah!”

“Omma”, she hugged her mom tightly, “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.”, her mom then pulled herself out from the hug. “You’re father is waiting for you. Go greet him.”

“Arasseoyo”

                I walked to my dad’s direction. Even from a far I knew something has changed. My dad’s getting old. I want him to relax but how can he do so if I stubbornly deny his offer of overtaking the company.

“Good Evening.” she greeted the colleagues of her dad. “ Hi dad.”, and kissed his cheek.

“Joo Hyun-ah.” He kissed her forehead. “Gentlemen, I want you to meet my one and only daughter, Joo Hyun.”

“Hello.”, she smiled at them

it breaks my heart when my dad told them that I’m his one and only daughter. How I wish I had a sibling.

                They continued to converse while I excused myself. I was bored. They talked too much about business. I looked for Hyoyeon oenni but it looks like she’s having a blast. She’s currently talking to a cute guy. I just wanted to kill the boredom and so I went to our library.

                Our home library has never changed even though more books were added. It’s still my favorite part of the house. I was looking for the switch for the fireplace so that I can read when suddenly, I heard a man coughing. I looked around and saw a man reading at the corner of the library. How come I didn’t even notice him?

“Excuse me?”

The man looked at her. (he was good looking) “Who are you? What are you doing here?” she said.

“Oh. Sorry.” He stood up. “I felt bored with the party and then I saw this room so I entered and read.”

“Is that so?” she looked at the book he was holding and it her novel, Loving You. “It’s my first time seeing you? May I know your name?”, she asked to the unknown man.

“It’s your first time?! I thought my popularity in two years hasn’t declined. Anyways, I’m Jung Yong Hwa.”

“I’m Seo Joo Hyun.”, she smiled and hoping he would notice that she was the writer.

“Seo Joo Hyun?”, he then looked at the book, “You’re the one who wrote this?”

As proud as she was, she said, “Yes, that’s right..”

                He then started to laugh.

 It was a laugh that I was sure was meant to be an insult. Why is he laughing? Do I have dirt on my face?

“Excuse me but what’s so funny?”

“Well, it’s your book..”

“MY BOOK?!”, her head was starting to heat up. A man whom I just met today has just insulted my baby. “As far as I can remember, it’s not comedy but romance.”

“Well, Ms. Seo Joo Hyun, looks like you lack something?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Chapter 7, Minho kissed Min Young’s lips passionately. She never knew that it would feel like she was as if floating..”, he said.

“I don’t see anything wrong with it?”, she answered.

He then leaned closer to me and whispered, “looks like Ms. Seo Joo Hyun lacks experience.” He then looked at her and smiled. “I must go. See you around, Joo Hyun.”

                He left and I was dumbfounded the second time today. Who was this man? Me, lacks experience?! What makes him say that? I may be single for 8 years but I’ve experienced love, okay?! I was not in the mood to read at all. That guy ruined it.

                I went outside the library and joined the party again. I don’t drink but champagne tasted really nice tonight.

“Joo Hyun-ah.”, her dad said.

“Hey dad. Why?”, she asked.

“I want you to meet my business partner.”

                They then walked towards the other side of the function room and she saw a familiar face who is Jung Yong Hwa.

“Joo Hyun, this is Mr. Jung Jin woo. He owns Sunflower Resort in Jeju.”

“Annyeonghaseyo Mr. Jung. I love Sunflower Resort. I always stay there when I visit Jeju.”, she said as she was looking only at Mr. Jung. But she can clearly see Yong Hwa smiling.

“Annyeonghaseyo Ms. Joo Hyun. You’re very beautiful. By the way, this is my son, Yong Hwa.”

“Hello. I’m Jung Yong Hwa”, he bowed, “Nice meeting you all.”

Her dad shook Yong Hwa’s hand. “Hello Yong Hwa. Nice meeting you. So, what do you do?”

“I’m an actor and singer. I just got released from the army two months ago. I’m currently shooting a drama and music video.”

She smirked.

So, he’s an actor huh? Hmm. Come to think of it, he really is familiar.

Her dad smiled at him. His smile was as if he met his son-in-law.

NO WAY.

                Their fathers converse while they left the two together. She knows her dad is looking so she had no choice but to stay. He then broke off the silence..

“Joo Hyun-shii, have you thought of what I just said? About you lacking experience.”

She  looked at him, “I think your mistaken..”

He leaned closer to me, “Well then, Should I teach you?