Start Up Vol.2

Chapter 2

"What? Jeon Jihyun? You don't even come close to Nam Jihyun!"

"What?!" Jihyun finally snapped. If not for her best friend, she would have send a flying kick to his bald head.

"Ya! You bald head, how can you criticise me so quickly just because I don't look like your JEON JIHYUN? Don't you look at yourself in the mirror?!" Jeez, she hated such superficial people. They get on her nerves easily.

"Jihyun-ah!" She turned around and saw Jae Won, her best friend since high school, walking towards her with scrunched up expression.

"I should have just kill you back then! Why are you still betting and losing money?! Don't you learn anything with that empty brain of yours?!"

He knew that date was not successful, looking how angry she became as usual.

"Jihyun-ah, it's just for fun. Furthermore...you need to settle down soon too."

She gave him a cold hard stare. "Why? Just because I'm a woman? A 34 year old virgin who have yet had any relationship up until now?"

He held her arm, swinging it slightly. "Ya, you are my friend. I wish to see you settle down, bask in happiness..."

"I'm fine now, happy. What's wrong being single? I'm off now. You idiot, I'm supposed to be mourning. Why are you dragging my ass out just to save yours?"

Jihyun's father passed away few days ago due to complications. He was involved in an accident 3 years ago at his workplace which caused him to be paralysed.

That night, she couldn't sleep.

Her mind was drifting off somewhere to a point she didn't realise her mum already settled by her side.

"Omo." She quickly clutched her chest, catching her breath. "Omma, can't you just say something and not stare at me?"

She smiled. "Why? I love seeing you all flustered." That tiny smile was heartbreaking. For someone who just lost her lifetime companion, that smile surely took a lot of effort. To Jihyun, she has always been proud of her parents.

Life has never been easy for her whole family. Although she used to work in a big corporate company, earning high salary, most of the money was spent on physiotherapy treatments and upgrading wheelchair for her elder brother, Ji Tae.

After her father became paralysed, she had to stop working and depended on freelance projects to survive. In addition, she work odd-jobs to support her family.

"Have trouble sleeping?" Jihyun reached for her hand. She nodded.

"I just ate sleeping pill."

"Don't get used to eating that. It's not good for your body in long-term." Jihyun let out a forced snort. "Omma, don't worry about me. You should be resting in your room. It's been hard on you these days."

Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Jihyun wiped them off and gave her a hug. She gently patted her back.

"Omma, don't worry about me. Let's live our lives purposefully from now on."

----

Somehow the sleeping pill didn't have any effect and she remained awake in the dark-lit room.

Her phone screen lighted up. She received a message from someone.

Yeon Jihyun,

Do you still remember me? Lee Sejun!
I hope you are still surviving in design industry.

I have an offer to make.

Call me.

An intellectual sunbae that she looked up to during her college days. Hearing from him usually meant good news as he successfully helped many fellow juniors with their job search.

"Sejun-sunbae?" The background noise on his side was so annoying but she tried to stay cool.

"Ya! Jihyun-ah, I'm surprised you are still awake to call me. Anyway, are you still working?"

"I'm not working for now. Why?"

"Let's go to Sandbox and build startup together."