"Lee Yookyung, please report to the office." was heard over the PA. Everyone turned to look at Yookyung who was about to mix chemicals together when she put down the chemicals and took off the goggles. "Miss, I'm excused right?" she asked. The teacher nodded and she left the classroom.
She walked down the corridor and stopped in front of the principal's office. She knocked a few times. "Come in." She entered and bowed. "Sit down please." the principal gestured. She put her stuff down and sat down in front of the principal. "Am I in trouble?" she questioned. He shook his head, "No. I just called you heard because you're father called. He wants you to report home immediately."
Yookyung looked confused but she bowed and left the principal's room. She walked out and her chaffeur was already there. She was surprised but he opened the door and she got in. He drove off and arrived at their mansion.
She got off and rushed inside to find her father sitting on the couch with his face buried in his hands. She walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, "Appa, what's going on?" He sighed, "I don't know how to tell you this. I'm such a failure."
He looked at her and said, "Appa's company is going bankrupt." Her eyes widened in surprise and she exclaimed, "What?! How can this be? You always took good care of your company so how did this happen?"
He scooched over and patted the space next to him signaling her to sit down. She sat down and put her hand over her father's. He shook his head and started, "I should've known not to trust him." "Trust who?" He sighed, "Hwang Hyoshin. I gave him 5 million won to put into the company's account, but he ran away with it. We tried to track him down but he got on a plane to America. I have business partners looking for him but there's no word."
Yookyung shook her head, "What's going to happen to us now?" He put his hand on her back, "We're going to have to sell the house." She stood up and her father was surprised. "What?! This is our only home! I don't want to sell it."
Her father sighed, "It turns out that Hyoshin owed 10 billion won to loan sharks. He gave them my name and they're going to come after us. We need to sell the house. That way we can at least pay off some of the loan." She shook her head, "I don't understand. Why are you paying for his debt?" "Because, the loan sharks are hounding me for the money. We have to sell our possesions and move out."
Yookyung collapsed, "No, this can't be happening. Just yesterday we were happy with our regular lifestyle. And now we have to sell the house and run away from loan sharks? What's next? I have to transfer school?" Her father picked her up, "About that, we won't be able to afford the tuition at Seoul Elite Prep so I signed you up for TOP Academy. It's near our new apartment and it's free."
She exploded, "What?! I have to transfer schools and live in an apartment?! Why can't I just live with Nami or Taewoo?" He shook his head, "I don't want to burden their families. Besides, it's a great way to experience a new lifestyle. You'll start attending your new school the day after tomorrow. I'll try to find a job."
Yookyung sighed and said, "Alright. I'll start packing then. Are there boxes?" Her father pointed to a huge stack of them next to her. *How did I not notice that before?* She took about 10 and walked upstairs to her room.
She plopped down onto her bed and looked around. "How am I going to pack up?" she asked herself. "Well, you could ask us for her." a voice said. She spun around to see her 2 best friends standing at her door. She ran and hugged them.
Nami pulled away and looked her dead in the eye, "Why didn't you tell us? We could help." Yookyung shrugged and said, "I don't know. I was still really dazed. But thanks guys." Taewoo smirked, "So, are we gonna pack up or what?" She smiled and gestured them to enter her room.
Taewoo walked to her drawer but then Yookyung screamed, "Don't open that!" He jumped and looked at her in confusion, "What? I thought we were gonna help you pack up." She gave him a stern look and said, "The stuff in there is private and girl stuff." He took a moment and then nodded in understanding.
The three of them headed to Yookyung's walk in closet with boxes in hand and they shouted, "Fighting!" They were packing up only the shoes and clothes that Yooykung adored and always wore.
After about 2 hours, all 10 boxes were full of Yookyung's possesions ranging from clothes to shoes to pictures to albums to her mother's necklace. She took it out of the box, opened up the little box and stared at it lovingly. "You still have that?" Taewoo asked. Nami elbowed him in the stomach. She shot him a look.
Whenever Yookyung's mother was brought up in a conversation, she would always stay quiet since it was a sensitive topic. She put it back and smiled, "Thanks for helping. If you weren't here, I would've taken 6 hours." Nami softened. She could tell that Yookyung's smile was forced.
Yookyung was taken by surprise when Nami hugged her. "We'll visit you as much as we can. Stay safe and call us whenever you need help, okay?" she whispered. Yookyung hugged her back and nodded. Taewoo was tearing up and joined them.
The 2 of them left and Yookyung was left all alone in her barren room. She looked around and took everything in. "I can't believe that I'm going to move out of this luscious mansion. All of the good times here will be gone." She sniffled and turned in to bed.
