SPOILED ROTTEN || SAIDA

xii

The Minatozaki Manor was huge. Dahyun didn’t think these kind of houses even existed anymore as anything except tourist attractions, yet the manor stood tall and very much inhibited.

“Darling, you’re leaving marks on the car window.” Sana said gently, not looking up from her phone.

Dahyun’s face was indeed pressed up against the car window as she tried to get a closer look at the manor. She pulled her face away and turned to glare at Sana, saying, “You’d know a lot about leaving marks, wouldn’t you?”

Sana let out a bark of laughter at this. Dahyun was referring to the (unnecessary) amount of hickies Sana left on her body last night.

The driver pulled up in front of the manor where a butler stood, ready to greet them. A freaking butler.

“I forgot how rich you actually are.” Dahyun said, albeit a bit breathlessly.

Sana giggled and said, “C’mon, my parents are dying to meet you.”

And so they left. The butler warmly greeted Sana when she stepped out of the car and the two of them headed inside the manor. Their luggage was left for the butler to tend to.

The interior of the manor was breathtaking. The traditional Japanese architecture captured Dahyun’s unwavering attention and she let out a series of gasps as she took it all in. If it hadn’t been for Sana’s hand pulling her along, she would’ve wandered the halls the whole day just admiring the beauty presented to her.

“You look adorable right now.” Sana said, grinning at her.

Dahyun grinned back and asked, “Just right now?”

“Always.”

As it turned out, Sana’s parents were waiting for them in the parlour room. They were discussing something that Dahyun couldn’t understand because it was in Japanese. Even the little Japanese words Sana taught her weren’t recognisable.

“We’re home.” Sana said, the joy clear in her voice.

The two of them turned to look back and Dahyun was astounded. They were definitely Sana’s parents, possessing a blend of Sana’s features. She had her mother’s eyes but her father’s smile. For a moment, Dahyun realised that Sana existed outside that little bubble they huddled themselves in.

Sana belonged to more people than just her.

“Sana-chan!” Her mother called happily and moved to hug her daughter.

The happy family were soon wrapped up in a big hug and Dahyun could feel how happy Sana was in that moment. It made her heart flutter to see Sana smile so brightly.

“How has Korea been?” Her father asked, his voice lower than Dahyun expected.

“Good, business has been booming.” Sana said, the pride evident in her voice.

Dahyun had no idea what they were saying so she just waited patiently. That was when Sana’s mother pulled her forward and said, “Dahyun-chan!”

She smiled from ear-to-ear and said, “Yes, that’s me.”

Her Japanese wasn’t great but she wanted to do her best to communicate with Sana’s family. And judging by the proud smile on Sana’s face, she appreciated it.

Sana’s father turned to his daughter and said, “She’s very pretty, dear, you picked a good one.”

“I know I did.” Sana said, looking straight at Dahyun.

Dahyun, completely unaware of this, was still doing her best to talk to Sana’s mother.

She asked, “Do you like Japan?”