THE STRIPPER || purinz

Meeting the Family; Problems

YUNJIN

I looked out the small window of the plane that was passing through the clouds, seeing the beautiful view that it provided me with. It had been a while since I felt completely happy about going to my family's house. Saying this to someone would be the same thing as saying that I don't love them, but I do love them, more than anyone can imagine. Life has many twists and turns and sometimes it stops at the wrong time. Since my childhood a lot of things had changed, my foundations and my safe haven wasn't as strong as it used to be.

I hated to feel weak or fragile, to feel that at any moment I could break down. That was against my nature, but I felt like this now, just like in all the other times that I visited them. But unlike the other times, now someone would help me get out of it.

"You have important meetings on Monday."

I heard Chaewon's voice beside me. I turned to look at her, she was beautiful even with a sleepy face. I wasn't even caring about what people would say about me for taking Chaewon to my parents' house. She was the perfect way out of that place, but I wasn't with her only for that. Miss Kim in the last few days was my best company, she had a good conversation and positive energy. Everything that I needed in my day-to-day life. Maybe with her I was different, I felt more relaxed as if I knew that she wouldn't hurt me.

"I have? With whom?"

She continued to slide her fingers on the iPad's screen, seeing the commitments in my schedule.

"With some stakeholders from Brazil. They want to know about your services."

"Brazil? Wow, that's great!"

"Yes, have you thought? Building a Brazilian branch office?"

"I had never thought of that, but it's a good idea.
Let's work hard for them, ok?"

"Don't worry, ma'am."

Was she never going to lose the habit of calling me
"ma'am"? I stared at the young woman with an accusative look.

"What?"

"Ma'am?"

"I'm sorry, Yunjin."

I smiled at her, who returned the smile. And then went back to looking at the device in her hands. I didn't understand what Chaewon had to make me feel so at ease with her, to make me feel the will to leave aside all of our professional relationships to simply be her friend.

Friend...

"Is everything alright?"

I heard her speak.

"Yes, I was just thinking."

I smiled at the young woman who nodded, and leaned against her seat, closing her eyes. Chaewon had such familiar features, I just needed to know with whom.

Hours later we landed at New York airport, and as expected, our car was already waiting to take us to my family's house.

"Have you ever been to New York?"

"Actually no, I didn't have the opportunity."

"I see that I'll be the opportunity for you to meet many places, Miss Kim."

Chaewon smiled shyly, causing me to chuckle.

CHAEWON

I was feeling kind of embarrassed. Yunjin and I didn't have so much intimacy to the point of spending a weekend together, I knew that this would be the way for her to escape her weekend with family. But despite everything I was happy, happy to be in her presence that made me feel so good.
When we got out of the airport we saw the parked car with the driver waiting for us. As soon as the man saw us he picked up our bags and put them inside the car. Yunjin was serious at every instant, she only joked once, but nothing too much. The way to her house was made in pure silence, it was late already but the streets were still busy. Tourists going from one side to the other with their cameras, excited about everything. I looked at Yunjin who was quiet, only staring at the landscape through the window. Was she feeling bad? I couldn't understand the reason why visiting her family was so bad like this, she seemed to get along with all of them. Something bothered her a lot, and I'm sure that sharing that with me would be hard.