The morning sun streamed through the loft's large windows, but the girls were slow to wake. After yesterday's chaos at Myeongdong and Namsan Tower, everyone was savoring the rare peace and quiet—until Jisoo's phone began to buzz insistently on the coffee table.
Groaning, she reached for it, squinting at the screen. Her mother's name flashed across it in bold letters.
"Ugh, why now?" Jisoo muttered.
Vanessa, still half-asleep on the couch, cracked one eye open. "If it's important, they'll call back. Or just pretend your phone is on silent."
"I can't," Jisoo said, sliding her thumb across the screen to answer. "It's my mom. She'll keep calling until I pick up."
She put the phone to her ear, her voice automatically switching to a more formal tone. "Hello, 엄마 (eomma)."
What followed was a flurry of rapid-fire Korean that Jisoo struggled to keep up with. From the snippets her friends could catch, her mother sounded serious—stern, even.
"What is she saying?" Chloe whispered, leaning closer.
Jisoo shot her a pained look before replying to her mother in Korean. "Yes, I'm in Seoul. Yes, with my friends."
There was a pause, then her mother's voice became sharper.
"Have you gone to see your uncle and aunt yet?"
Jisoo's stomach tightened. She gripped the phone harder, her voice dropping. "Not yet. We've been busy."
"Busy?" her mother repeated, disbelief dripping from her tone. "You're in Seoul and you don't have time for your family? Do you know how embarrassing this is for me? Your uncle called and asked why you haven't visited. They think you don't care."
Jisoo closed her eyes, already feeling the weight of guilt settle on her chest. "I was going to go. I just—"
"No excuses, Jisoo!" her mother interrupted. "Your father and I worked so hard to give you this life, and now you're ignoring the people who helped us when we had nothing? Do you know what that makes us look like?"
Chloe, Vanessa, and Asha exchanged worried glances as Jisoo's posture sank deeper into the couch.
"엄마 (mom), I'm not ignoring them," Jisoo said, her voice shaking slightly. "I just...I know how they see me. They always make me feel like I'm not enough. Like I'm a stranger to them."
Her mother's tone softened, but only slightly. "They're family, Jisoo. Family isn't perfect. You have to show respect, no matter how they treat you."
Jisoo bit her lip, trying to hold back tears. "I'll go see them," she said quietly. "I promise."
"You'd better," her mother replied. "I don't want to hear another word about this from them. Call them today."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Jisoo staring blankly at her phone.
Vanessa sat up, her voice cutting through the silence. "What was that about?"
Jisoo sighed, rubbing her temples. "My mom. She wants me to visit my uncle and aunt while I'm here. Apparently, they called her and complained that I haven't gone to see them yet."
Asha frowned. "Complained? That's...a lot."
"They've always been like this," Jisoo said bitterly. "They act like they're doing me a favor by acknowledging me, but they never miss a chance to criticize me. My Korean isn't good enough. I don't act Korean enough. I don't even look Korean enough for them."
"That's nonsense," Chloe said firmly. "You're perfect the way you are. If they can't see that, that's on them, not you."
Jisoo shook her head. "It's complicated. In their eyes, I'm the spoiled American girl who doesn't understand our culture. They always make me feel like an outsider, even though I'm trying so hard."
Vanessa crossed her arms. "Abeg, why are you stressing yourself over these people? If they don't rate you, why bother rating them?"
"Because it's family," Jisoo said quietly. "And in Korean culture, that means everything."
Chloe slid closer, wrapping an arm around Jisoo. "You don't have to do this alone. If you want, we'll come with you."
Asha nodded. "Yeah. We've got your back. It'll be four against...however many of them there are."
Jisoo managed a small smile. "Thanks, guys. But I don't think they'd appreciate me bringing a squad. They'd probably see it as more proof that I'm 'too American.'"
Vanessa scoffed. "And that's their problem. Listen, Jisoo. You're smart, you're kind, and you're a great friend. If they can't see that, it's their loss."
"Exactly," Chloe said. "And if they give you any trouble, just call us. We'll come running."
Jisoo exhaled deeply, feeling a bit lighter. "Thanks. I don't know what I'd do without you guys."
"Cry in your room," Vanessa said bluntly, making everyone laugh. "But don't worry. We won't let it get to that."
Later that day, as Jisoo prepared to make the dreaded phone call to her relatives, she glanced at her friends lounging in the living room. Vanessa was scrolling through her phone, muttering about the "goddess stalker." Chloe was sketching in her notebook, and Asha was reading a novel.
In that moment, Jisoo realized that no matter how her relatives treated her, she had a family of her own—one that chose her, flaws and all.
It didn't make the situation any easier, but it gave her the strength to face it.
And for now, that was enough.