Start Up Alternate Ending

Chapter One

Dal Mi looks up from her laptop's screen and sighs. "The search continues," she mutters disappointedly under her breath. She isn't sure why she keeps going back to the same websites to search for the elusive Nam Do San as if by some miracle a new lead will pop up today... "Unless..."

She clicks to refresh the page. This website's collection of Locals Near You! slowly, slowly loading, struggling with the busy coffee shop's limited internet. She suddenly lets out an exasperated cry. "Ah! ZERO RESULTS? HOW HARD IS IT, YOU STUPID COMPUTER, TO FIND NAM. DO. SAN. NAM DO SAN! THREE WORDS! I had enough of this! I'm going totally crazy here-"

She trails off as she realizes the busy bustling and noise of the coffee shop has died down - by, like, a lot. Everyone's eyes are now on her, boring holes into her body as if she is some freaky exhibit that had escaped from a lab somewhere. Her flushed cheeks feel hot as she quickly packs up her things in a disorganized fashion, hurrying to leave at once. The coffee here is overrated anyways. I must never return.

Back home she finds that her grandmother is watching a popular game show on their TV as she is prepping vegetables. "Can I ask you something, my dearest, super special Halmoni?" she asks as she wraps her arm around the plainly dressed woman. She takes in the older woman's comforting scent which was a soothing scent of rice, her jasmine scented shampoo and the various spices she cooks with. Her shoulder length, silver hair is tied back into a smooth pony-tail. Her face is slightly marred and lightly speckled with sun spots and wrinkles from her days of working hard under the bright sun selling delicious Korean hot dogs and other assortments of Korean street food from her food truck. However to Dal Mi, Halmoni was and is still a beautiful, kind hearted woman with whom Dal Mi shares a feisty flair.

"What's this? Why so sweet all of a sudden?" Halmoni balks, suddenly suspicious of her favorite grandchild.

"Can you tell me more about Do San? Like, what did he look like back then?"

Unbeknownst to Dal Mi, Halmoni eyes the room warily before fixing them back to the TV. She clears her throat and begins to speak cautiously, "This again? You are so annoying. You literally asked me this a couple of days ago when you came home crying because In-Jae came back. You should let him go. If you can't find him after all these years, what makes you think you'll find him again?"

Halmoni abruptly turns over to face her sullen granddaughter. "Stop pouting. Dal Mi, it's time to grow up. There are millions of nice, good boys out there. Why limit yourself to this person from so long ago? Dal Mi, don't you think it's about time you bring him off the picture perfect pedestal that you've placed him on? What if Fate brings you to meet him and he's now a slovenly, fat and rude guy who lives off his mother? Won't you be devastated?" Halmoni stops and turns away. In reality, Nam Do San has turned from a good looking, pretty face kid into a very handsome, wealthy businessman who stands at a staggering height of over six feet tall and works in investment. Moreover, his real name is actually Han Ji-pyeong, and he is still very much Dal Mi's perfect guy.

"Halmoni," Dal Mi starts after a short moment of contemplating, breaking the awkward silence between them, "I won't be devastated. I have a feeling that that person won't disappoint me." With that she kisses her grandmother's cheek and wishes her a goodnight before bounding off to her bedroom.

"Tsk, this annoying child," Halmoni mumbles in amusement, shakingly head from side to side in defeat. The old woman sits quietly in front of the TV, looking forward but not quite watching. She muses over past memories, and briefly dwells on the memory of her deceased son. "I wonder what you'd make of this, dear son. Your daughter is so stubborn."

Bzzt! Her phone's vibration catches her attention. She lifts up her phone to read a text message from that person. "Alright. I'll meet her."

"You will?" Halmoni hurries to reply. "When?"