A Time for Us

2

The clocks chiming around her reminded Haerin that it was seven, meaning the party had officially started. She looks back at Hyein, who is running behind her as they try to make it back to the older girls' room before her mother gets there. She could see the younger girl's eyes become wide in shock. She knew they were both thinking the same thing–they are late. She has no time to think and starts running even faster to get to her bedroom to hopefully beat her mom there. The two girls round one last corner before finally reaching her bedroom door and swinging it open. No one is here.

"I really thought we were going to be caught this time." Hyein slowly closes the door behind her as she takes a deep breath, leaning over with her hand on her knees, trying to catch her breath. The older girl leans against the wall behind her with a small smile as she looks at the younger girl, trying to steady her breathing.

"I told you we wouldn't get caught Hye! You need to start trusting me more." Her smile becomes bigger as she watches the taller girl lean up to visibly show her that she is rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be too sure of that." The two girls freeze at the voice of none other than Haerin's mother, who walks out of the bathroom adjoined to Haerin's room. The young Kang girl sighed deeply, closing her eyes. She knows her mother won't make a fuss about it now, as the party has already started and guests are inside, but she will most surely get an earful later about her disobedience. She doesn't even want to look over at Hyein, knowing she will also get an earful from her. "I will not ask where you were. Compose yourself and be downstairs in five minutes so we can make our entrance." She fixes the glove on her hand, not even glancing at them as she makes her way to exit Haerin's bedroom.

"I'll be down soon." Her mother just hums and turns around to face them.

"Hyein, come down with me and help some of the girls bring in hors d'oeuvres." The tall girl immediately nods and walks out of the room, making a B-line for the kitchen downstairs. That leaves Haerin and her mother alone in a silent staring contest. "Paris is downstairs with news for you." A brow raises on the younger girl's face at her mother's vague statement. What kind of news? Before she could ask her mother, the woman walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Haerin stares at the door for a few seconds before plopping down on the chair in front of her vanity, now staring at herself in the mirror. Her hair is a little messed up from the running, but it's not bad–easily fixed. She grabs the brush and slowly brushes down the stray hairs, restoring them to their previous condition. The Kang girl sits there with an unusually heavy heart. Paris has news. Why does her heart feel so heavy at this? She takes one last deep breath before standing up, admiring her beautiful dress, and walks out of her bedroom, going downstairs to where her family will meet to enter the party.

"My beautiful daughter, there you are!" An older man with a polished beard approaches her, picking her up and spinning her around, making the young girl laugh. Haerin's father has always been a lively and boisterous man. She giggles a little bit as he continues to spin her.

"Put her down before you mess up her hair and dress!" The older man laughs at his wife's stern look, putting his daughter down before stepping back.

"I don't think that's possible. Our girl is the most beautiful in this entire party, the city. No, the country!" Haerin laughs at her father's loud gestures toward her as he slings his arms around to get his point across. The older woman's stern look dropped for a second as a small smile crept across her lips. "Of course, besides my beautiful wife!" Haerin's father wraps his arms around the woman's shoulders, kissing her quickly before pulling away.

"Uncle, they are ready for you to enter." A deep voice rounds the corner and comes into their line of vision. Jay, Haerin's cousin, stands in front of her father. She knows she should not, but she feels uneasy around Jay. He is always one of the perpetrators on the streets during these fights. What did the Kims do to him? She looks over to her father, who looks at Jay with fondness and respect. She knows he wishes he had a son–a son who could take over the Kang household. She cannot.