Alex woke up with a start and tried to to prise her eyes open, with the alarm ringing so loudly and through her brain.
"This can't be morning... Can it?" Alex thought snuggling under her blanket.
"Rise and shine!" Her mum announced, appearing in the room, putting off the alarm, she sat at the edge of the bed tapping her slightly.
"Can't you just hold on a little bit mum?" She muttered beneath her breath, hoping her mum won't here her say that.
"Don't be lazy kid, Chloe mum called this morning." Her mum conveyed.
She quickly sat upright at the mention of that name. "She called?" Alex asked.
"Actually, I called her mum to say hi." Her mum said retiring the bed.
"Why didn't you wake me up to say hi as well." She queried... " Besides, what time did you called?" She asked, fully awake.
"At 7. I spoke with Chloe, and she promised to call you when you're awake." Ann said trying to get on her nerves.
"Give me her contact." Alex said reaching out for her mobile on the side table.
"I don't carry my phone around, neither do I have her number." Ann replied making her way towards the door.
"Come on Mum!... Are you trying to get on my nerves now?" Alex said, almost yelling, rising on her feet.
"Just go get ready for breakfast..."
"I'm coming with you for her contact." She snapped.
"Like seriously Alex... Exercise patience, we're in the same house, either am I running away." Her mum concluded amidst chuckles as she exit the room.
"Argh." She grunt, dumping her mobile on the bed, slumped on it in frustration. She haven't gotten to shut her eyes when suddenly she heard a dog backing in a distance, outside the building. She flipped her eyes open, hurrying towards her window side as she looked down through her 6th floor window, but surprised nothing was beneath the apartment.
"I just find it difficult to mind my business." She muttered, making her way to bathroom.
* * *
"Alex!" Her mum voice rang through her ear as she made her way into the room, making her jolt from bed.
"Aren't you coming to the dinning for breakfast?"
"I've eaten." She replied, taking her eyes off her phone.
Her mum shook her head in exasperation as she sighted the junk wraps beside her bed.
"This won't last you for the next 40 minutes." Ann blurted out.
"And thats why I bought more than what I can take for a day." She said finally sitting up.
"Alex. I ordered what you're familiar with..."
"Rice." She snapped bot waiting for her to complete the statement.
"Yes." Ann replied with a sigh. "All you have to do is try to adapt to everything. You can't continue eating junk during your stay here, which might be forever." She completed taking a seat beside her.
"Forever?" Alex asked amidst scoff.
"Maybe." Ann replied with a frown... "Come on baby." She added pinching her cheeks which made Alex let out a soft chuckle.
"Okay, fine. I'll try the familiar meal, and decide whether or not to keep on taking others." Alex concluded with a genuine smile on her face.
"Good then... Mrs Park will be here for the outing any minute from now." Ann said vacating the bed.
"You promised me Chloe's contact." Alex reminded.
"I'll fulfill it on our way out." She replied making her way out.
"I won't mind." She muttered as she vacte her bed exiting the room.
There was a knock on the door, just immediately she descends the sixth staircase of their apartment.
"I'm coming." Her mum announced stepping out of the kitchen, cleaning up her wet hand in her apron, whole Alex made her way to the dinning table not minding who they visitor or visitor might be.
"Good morning!" She heard her mum greeted , immediately she opened the door.
"It possibly can't be Mrs Park." She thought clutching on her spoon.
"Good morning Sir." Her mum continued. "Come in." She said ushering the visitors in.
" She came with her husband this time huh?" She thought as she tiptoed from the dinning to catch a glimpse of her assumed Mrs Park, but to her utmost surprise, she saw two strangers already sitter on the couch.
They saw her before she could retreat back to the dinning.
"That most be your daughter." The female visitor inquired, while her mum came to her her without warning. She exchanged a confused glance with her mother who dragged her from her hiding place to the sitting room.
"Meet my daughter Alexander, Alex for short." She said while they nodded letting out a slight smile.
"Hi." She said with a sly smile.
Welcome to Seoul dear." The man said.
"Thank you." She replied taking a seat beside her mum.
"And I hope you're enjoying your stay here already." Her wife asked.
"What a question... How can I enjoy a place I have no friends." She thought.
"Yes... Here is not as bad as I thought." She lied.
After more conversation with the couples, they stood to take their leave.
"Thank you for visiting Mr and Mrs Lee." Her mum said.
"You're welcome." Mr. Lee replied.
"Feel free to call us if you need anything." His wife added.
"Yes we will... Thank you so much." Ann said as lead them out, closing the door behind them, she turned to like at Alex who was staring at her.
"Was anything suspicious?" Alex asked.
"Your act was splendid." She commended.
"You weren't expecting anything else, were you?" Alex asked.
"Not really." Ann replied making her way to the kitchen. "Get ready, finish your meal, Mrs Park will be here soon." She added.
"Here we go again. Expectation." She mumbled retiring to the dinning.
* * *
An hour later, there was a low knock on the door, which made Alex half closed eyes flicked open, cutting her off her reverie.
"I'm coming." She heard her mum said.
"Not now Mrs Park." She muttered sighing heavily.
"I wasn't expecting you again." Her mum said in disappointing as she ushered her in.
"I'm so sorry. Seoul traffic as usual... Where's Alex." She asked looking around the room.
"She must be getting ready." She heard her mum said as her feets fall heavily on the stairs . She quickly stumbled off her bed to the dressing table picking a comb. Her door opened almost immediately.
"Mrs Park is here, and I hope you know what's next." She asked peeping inside.
"I'm getting ready... Expect me in less than 5 minutes" She said turning to her mum. She said convincingly as her mum shut the door without further argument.
"Phew." She exclaimed, grabbing her mobile just in case her mum remember to give her what she has been demanding.
In the way to the grocery store, she tried to remind her mum if the contact but always found a way of bringing up topics that both ladies will get deep into. She remain quiet throughout their rude to the store, while Mrs Park tried to get her into their topic.
They finally arrived at (Lotte Fresh & Deli) grocery store.
"We've arrived." Mrs Park announced.
"Did you draft out your list mum." Alex asked.
"Oops... I was so excited that I forgot." Ann said searching through her purse.
"I knew you'll surely forget something." Mrs Park said mounting off the which her mum did same. Alex watched from the car as the two women made their way towards the store chatting.
"They seriously forgot me in the car." Alex thought, rising an eyebrow. Just like a dream come through, her phone beeped up with a call from an unidentified caller.
"Who could this be?" She thought doubting if she should answer it or not.
"Okay, here we go." She let out a deep sigh as she proceed on picking the call.
"Hello." She said with a clear doubt.
"I'm sure you don't want to go missing here in Korea." A hoarse voice said at the end of the line without a greeting.
"Who are you?" She questioned, a little bit frightened.
"Someone who might come for you anytime." The voice said making her fidget.
"Whoa, that's freaking me out... Whoever you are, I'm hanging up." She said.
"It's a prank!" She heard a familiar voice on the line. "Can't believe you fell for that." The voice said laughing.
"Chloe?" She said, unsure of herself.
"Who else could it be? So, don't fucking hang up on me." She added as Alex squeal in excitement.
"Oh Lord, Chloe!" She heard herself saying with a clouded eyes.
"I'm sorry for calling late." Chloe apologized.
"Come on Chloe, I'm really sorry for not calling at all. Mum won't give me your contact." Alex said apologetically.
"Well, that wasn't her fault. I asked her not to give you because... I want to be the one who call first." She said amidst giggles.
"That's so silly of you." She chuckles, cleaning her tears.
"Just a minute." Chloe said, and without warning, hung up.
"Come on Chloe." She sighed as she held the phone on her chest in relieve. Just as she hung up without warning, a video call popped up without warning as well. "Here we go again." She muttered, excitement looming all over her voice.
"Hey bae.* Chloe said in the video.
"Missing you a lot." Alex replied.
"Missing you more, I can't still believe you left." Chloe said as her face became gloomy.
"Either can I." She said.
"Is it fun over there?" Chloe asked lightening up the moment.
"Can't say Chloe... U have been indoor since my arrival, except for today." She added with a phew.
"Okay..." Chloe said after a long silence.
"You would like to meet someone." She said moving the camera herself to Troy.
"Hey." Troy said, making her go in awe, she was shut of words as she stared at her screen. "Are you there?" He asked with a wide smile.
"Sure, I am." She replied, sly blush appearing on her cheeks.
"Sorry I didn't call." He apologized.
"It's nothing. Besides, I should have been the one to call." She said.
"Where are you now?" Chloe asked cutting into the conversation.
"Shopping." She replied coming out of the car. "I'm outside the store, and here is the front view." She added turning her rear camera to show the view.
"Not bad." Troy commended.
"Aren't you going in?" Chloe asked.
"I have no choice." She said while they giggle over the line, she went in still on the call. "Mum and new friend busy with shopping." She said stroding the store.
"Do you eat there food too?" Chloe asked.
"She forced me to... And I succumb" Alex said, still engrossed in the discussion till a strong arm swooshed over hers making her loose her composure as she landed on the floor as well as her mobile.
"No!" She explained, quickly picking the blacked out mobile. Loosing her comportment, she stood up, anger flushing through her veins.
"Do you walk with eyes closed?" She asked the young guy who just stood, hand tucked in his pocket, staring at her.
"What's going on here?" Ann ask hurrying over.
"Isn't it clear you're the one at fault here." He replied.
"You're in a public place young lady. You shouldn't be busy video chatting, when obviously you don't even know this place so well." He said, ego filled in his voice.
"Who the hell does he think he is?" She thought fuming and clenching her first in anger.
"We should be on our way." A young man at about his age walked up to them with a wide smile, but it faded when he noticed the tensed moment.
"You should apologize." Alex said clenching her first tighter.
"Alex, come on." Ann cautioned taking her hand which she snapped away furiously.
"I don't have to make it sound like I'm sorry when you're the one who's wrong here." He said getting pissed off.
"Let's go Min Jun." He said, both making towards the exit.
"This won't get pass me." She thought hurrying towards them.
"Hey." She called tapping him from behind. Immediately he turned in reply, he met with a slap from her which made Min - Jun gasp.
"Hyeon." Min-Jun exclaimed.
"You don't go around messing with everyone." She said walking away while he just glared at her exiting figure.
"What was that for?" Ann inquired immediately she approached her.
"Just let's go Mum." She replied avoiding her question.