Dork.

seventeen.

"Hah... you're kidding. Mom I'm serious just tell me," I scoff.
"I'm afraid I'm not kidding," she says, and the tiniest bit of sympathy in her voice makes my stomach drop- because i Know she's serious now.

I stutter for words as I pace around my room, "My ex boyfriend, Hanbyul?? Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sorry" she says, but I can here her rummaging through papers on the other end.

"Mom, you know what he did to me..." I say, trying to make my voice quieter but I hear Kevin's humming come to an abrupt halt.

"I know, but in the name of business sometimes you must forget past mistakes," she says.
"What are you saying?? That wasn't a mistake. Nothing about what he did was a mistake." I say, blood boiling.

"Okay, okay, wrong choice of words. But you get what I'm coming at here. This is very important. the files have important signatures and information and you need to get it to him so he can get it to his dad. I've already set up a meeting time and day and location, all you have to do is show up." she says.

"You set it up without asking me first?!"

"Well... I know what a good daughter you are. and how you would do anything for me," She says, with a manipulative tone I've heard before.
I sigh, "When are you getting back? Why can't you do it?"

"I'll have to stay here for a while, There's a new office building in Busan where I'm at. I have to be there early morning and late night so it's not worth it for me  to commute, I'm renting an apartment here now." she explains, typing on her computer.

"Okay... so you kind of moved across the country and like didn't tell me?" I say quietly.
"Well, I suppose so. It's been so busy and I know you're so independent, and now you have Kevin." she says.
"Hah... typical" I mutter.

"Ah yes, now that you're staying with him, you'll get better twice as fast!" She adds.
"Mom, that's not how it works. I don't have some contagious disease or something, it takes time" I say.

She sighs and says, "Ah yes, right. Well keep working on it. Anyways I have to go now. Please just take the folder and flash drive to him. It's a quick moment of suffering for you, but a lifetime of success for me, don't you want that for me?"

I don't owe her anything. When I needed help most she wasn't there for me, so why should I be there for her?

I sigh, realizing she has all the power over me, and now she owes me one if I do this. "Alright fine."
"Thank you sunhee, really" she says.
"Whatever" I hang up, I have a headache now from talking to her.

I throw my phone on my bed, but of course it bounces off and hits the floor.
"Argh!" I dramatically melt to the floor and stare at the ceiling, rethinking my existence.

This sucks. How am I supposed to face him?? I never talked to him again after Hanbyul did what he did. He still goes to my school, but I begged the principal not to put us in the same class for the rest of my time at this high school. Shizzle. What do I do?? i think I'll have a panic attack as soon as I see him.

There's a knock on my door and I rub my forehead, "What." I say.

Kevin pokes his head through the door and it takes a second for him to spot me laying on the floor.
"Woah, you good babe?" He asks, slightly laughing.

An extra spark of energy pulses through me from just him being here and calling me that. It's weird I know.

"no" I say quietly, still staring at the ceiling and rubbing my forehead. Kevin walks over and lays next to me on the floor.
"What happened?" he asks.

"For business reasons, my mom wants me to pay him a visit again" I say.
"Who? Your dad??" kevin gasps.
"No, he's somewhere in taiwan now, couldn't care less. I meant him" I respond. "Hanbyul. My ex"

"What?!" kevin sits up immediately. "Why? for what? To get back together?"

"Oh god no. she needs me to bring him some folder, but also make a public appearance because his dad works at some Ad company and she wants it to look like our families are friendly" I sit up against the wall. "Which we're not"

"pssh. that's bs" he says. "Why can't she do it?"
"She's staying in Busan for a while" I say. "Speaking of, just tell me whenever you want me to leave. I'll woman up and move back to my actual apartment"

"no no no! you can stay here as long as you want. You can stay here till you're 100 years old if you need to, and I'll stay with you" kevin says, a bit of panic arising in his eyes.

"Hah, thanks." I glance at his face and the panic is gone.

"So what are you going to do?" He asks.

"I don't think there's a way out of this, so I just have to get it over with" I say.
"I feel like it's not safe though," Kevin adds. "Do you think you'll feel safe?"

"Pfft, no. No way" I say,

"Then I'll come with you" he says.

"Huh?"

"I'll go with you," Kevin repeats.
"Really? Do you think you can?" I say with a peak of interest. "because there will be some sort of press person taking a photo"

"ask your mom!" he says.

I nod, picking up my phone from the floor. I feel a bit better already.

Mom 👿

Mom👿
This friday. 8 pm, the corner of XXX street.
the folder is in the our apartment on the left drawer in my desk.
Thanks again.

Me
By any chance am I aloud to bring a friend along?

Mom👿
Unless it's a boyfriend, no. it's not necessary.
read 7:45 pm

:::

"Dang," I say, and put my phone down.
"What'd she say?" Kevin asks.
"Anything short of a boyfriend is a no no. And I happen to be out of those" i say. "I guess I'm going alone. But it's on some random street, and at 8pm... it'll be dark by then. It's like she wants me to be gone"

"Absolutely not, no way am I letting you go alone," Kevin says firmly.
"listen, if I'm not back by 8:30, you might want to start worrying" I say, mentally preparing myself.

"No no, we'll have none of that," kevin says, an idea forming by the look of his face. "i know what we can do"

"What"

"Be my girlfriend."