[08]

| march 10, 2018 | 9:25 pm est | 10:25 am kst|

L e a h.

Grabbing my things, I get out of my car and walk to the door. "Mom," I call out as I walk through the door. I hear laughter coming from the kitchen so I make my way there.

"Ah hi, Ina~ How are you?" I say and put my stuff on the kitchen island.

"I'm good Leah, how are you?" She smiles at me.

"I'm alright," I smile back and join them at the table. "Sorry I couldn't make it to dinner."

"Oh no," Ina waves me off. "It's fine. We can always plan for another time."

"I made a plate for you," Mom smiles. "It's in the microwave."

"Thanks," I smile back and get my food. Once I rejoin them at the table they both look at me, with suspicious grins on their faces.

"What?" I ask, switching my gaze between them.

They share another look before mom says, "How have you been doing recently?"

"Uh... Mom, shouldn't you know? I mean—I live with you," I chuckle to her. "But I've been fine though, great actually."

"You know... I've been seeing and hearing you a lot happier—"

"What your mom is trying and failing to say is, has this change happened because of a boy?" I stare at their wiggling eyebrows and over-sized grins.

"Is it that boy, uh-Mm-uh..." She struggles to find the word—or rather, name. "What was his name?" Mom huffs.

"Minjae?" I say with arched eyebrows, an unsurprised look on my face.

"Yes! So is it because of him?"

I laugh, "Mama~, haven't I told you already that Minjae and I are just friends. And we only talk when he's free." I shake my head at her silly accusation.

"Is there someone else? I've noticed you been up later than usual."

I chew the remaining food in my mouth before answering her back. "Yes, there are other people I talk to," I laugh before shoving another spoonful of rice into my mouth.

"And are any of those people boys?" Mom says, continuing to raise her eyebrows.

I laugh and shake my head. "Can I not have guy friends?"

"Of course you can," She replies. "You know how I am Lee."

"Yes I do," I mumble, mouth full.

"Babe... Leave her alone," Ina, who has been idly sitting by amused by our interaction, says.

"Thank you, Ina," I smile at her, which she gladly returns. "How's work been at the gallery?"

"Pretty good!" Ina says, happy to change the conversation to her passion. "We've just contacted this young new artist recently, to see if she wants to work with us soon."

"Has she answered back yet?"

She chuckles softly, "Not yet, but that's understandable seeing as we found her graffitiing the building a few times."

"No wonder," I laugh. "She must think you're trying to arrest her or something."

"Most likely but you should see her work... It's wonderful. I don't want to wash it off the building." She laughs.

"Do you have a picture of it?" I asked, curious to see.

"I do actually," she pulls out her phone from her pocket. "I took it yesterday," she said while handing her phone to me.

"I took it yesterday," she said while handing her phone to me

"Wow~"

Mom leans over the table to look, "She's very talented," she compliments.

"Yeah~," I say, still in awe with the photo. "This is still at the gallery right?"

"Yeah, people have been stopping by a lot more since she painted this on the building."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Well, sort of..." Ina starts. "We've had more gallery walkers, but many of them ask to see work from the 'artist of the wall.' And when we tell them we don't have any of her pieces, they just leave..."

I put the pieces together, "Oh... That's why you're trying to contact her."

"Yes—well, that and I really believe she could go somewhere with her art. I know I would pay for some of her pieces."

"Well, I hope she gets back to you," I say while getting up to put away my dishes. "Thanks for the food."

"No problem," Mom says. "Don't stay up too late."

"I won't," I wink at her and leave the room.

<.>

In the shower, I thought back to this morning. "It would be easier if we had each other's numbers..."

"Smooth as ever." I chuckle to myself. I turn the faucet off and gently ring my hair out before reaching for my towel. As I reach the sink, I glide my hand over the mirror, creating a small section where I can see my reflection.

My eye-bags prominent now that my light makeup has been washed away, I sigh at the sight. I have no right to lecture Tae when I can't take my own advice... I shake my head, trying to physically shake those thoughts from my mind, and begin my nighttime routine.

<.>

| march 11, 2018 | 12:43 pm kst | 11:43 pm est |

T a e h y u n g.

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Meliora: XXX-XXX-XXXX

Meliora: i'll be looking forward to your text message, Tae Tae

Meliora: i expect to see it when i wake up ;)