6: plans

Min Eunji arrived home after such a long day.

Luckily she found the bus station without getting lost again and didn't stumble upon the two boys from earlier.

She walked to the kitchen, placing the box of cake she bought from the cafe she visited a few hours ago in Gangseo.

'Too bad it's far.. otherwise I'd go there daily'

She chuckled and went to her bedroom, grabbing clean pajamas and underwear then went to the bathroom.

She took a long bath and brushed her hair then headed back to the kitchen, to make herself a light dinner.

After eating, she cleaned her plate, went to the bathroom again, brushed her teeth and headed to her bedroom after taking a slice of cake with her.

She set the plate on her desk and sat down, taking out her school books.

She did her homework and studied a bit while slowly eating the dessert.

Once she finished, she closed her notebooks and sighed, remembering today's events.

"I can't believe I met Big deal's number one and number two. I'm lucky I didn't talk with them a lot, I doubt they'd remember me. I really don't want to get involved.."

She whispered to herself, looking at a picture frame that was already there on her desk.

It was her and Mira, both making peace signs and smiling Brightly at the camera.

She chuckled, remembering how Zack was grumpy that day because he was the one who took the picture and couldn't be with them.

"But.." she bit her lower lip in frustration, taking the frame in her hands. "Is it really alright for me to… stay like this, Without doing anything? There is a high possibility my friends will get hurt. And even THAT thing that happens to Mira..!" She tightened her grip on the photo frame, recalling the traumatize event with the r*pist.

'I am Afraid. If I make one single mistake, the future will drastically change. If that happens, my knowledge will become useless. The danger might increase instead of decreasing.'

She furrowed her brows , still lost in thoughts while staring at the picture.

'But still. There should at least be one thing I could do to help them. Even if it's small. I.. want to help them, without interfering with fate too much.'

She thought for a while, before deciding to re-read the story from the mysterious phone to help her get an idea.

She halted on the very first chapters, her eyes litting up from the notion that came to her mind.

"That..!"

'This woman suffered so much and sacrificed a lot for her son. She deserves better. Plus, the story didn't focus on her and she rarely got mentioned! There was someone I could help all this time.. yet I..'

She sighed, staring at the screen that displayed Daniel's mother.

The only thing that was needed to flip someone's life over, either to the good or the bad side is…

"money.." she muttered before biting her lower lip.

She grabbed her phone, tapping a little bit and checking on her account balance.

It was…overloaded with money.

Money was no problem to her from the beginning.

But she didn't want to use it, she felt like she didn't merit it. It wasn't her own, it was her parents'.

They were the ones who made it, from working and studying so hard all their lives.

Even though she never used it, they still sent her a good amount monthly, sometimes even weekly with the excuse of giving her allowance -which was way too much to be a mere allowance-.

She stood up and laid on on her bed, the device still on her hands but this time she was looking at her mother's contact.

'Should I..'

She swallowed her saliva, feeling nervous for no real reason.

She sighed in defeat then clicked on the call button.

After a few seconds of waiting, the person on the other side picked up.

"Hello, mom..?" Eunji greeted but it sounded more like a question.

"Eunji! You finally called, I was getting worried! How are you? Did you eat? Are you doing well in school? Is anyone bullying you!?-" the mother showered her daughter with various questions, overwhelming Eunji who couldn't even answer at least one.

"Ma..I'm fine, don't worry about me. How about you? And dad? Are you guys okay?"

"we're as good as we were when we were your age, Dear! "

Eunji chuckled softly then sat down on her bed, gulping.

She wasn't sure if what she was going to ask was okay.

"Mom..?"

She received a hum in response, signaling she had her attention.

"Is it alright for me.. to use the money.. you sent me..?"

All she received was silence.

before her thoughts filled with negativity, she heard a sigh.

But on the other side of the phone, you could see a middle-aged woman smiling gently, her eyes held love and affection for this girl, for her one and only daughter.

"Eunji. You're still thinking like that? "

Said girl stayed silent. She knew too well what her mother meant.

"Min Eunji, " she called her full name, affectionately. "Since the day we decided to give you that name and take you in, You became our real daughter.

No matter how much time has passed, we'll always consider you ours. "

"Thank you, mom..." Eunji whispered. "You have no idea how much this means.."

"Oh, Eunji.. Don't thank us. That's part of being parents." A small chuckle escaped her lips

"As for what you have to do with the money.. it doesn't matter. We gave it to you freely and willingly. Do whatever you want with it. As long as you're safe and happy."

Eunji felt warm inside listening to her mother's words.

Min Eunji wasn't their real daughter, she was adopted by them when she was 7 years old.

But they always treated her like their own bloodline.

They loved her truly, only wishing the best of the best for her.

They were there for her emotionally, physically and financially.

When she moved with them for the first time, they took a long break from their work so they could take care of her and help her adjust and get used to them, slowly.

They didn't want to scare her or make her uncomfortable with them.

They almost lost their job at that time, but when Eunji got mature enough -at least in her perspective view- she convinced them that at least one of them had to go and they could take turns.

Her parents were hard-working individuals. Even with the pressure of work, they never mistreated her and never blamed her for anything.

Years later, they became well known CEOs after starting their own company.

Now they moved overseas along with their company.

Min Eunji didn't want to leave Korea.

Her friends were here, she didn't want to leave them.

She lived her whole life here, she couldn't even imagine moving somewhere she had never been to before.

Her parents wanted to accept her wishes and allowed her to stay.

She had a hard time trying to convince them she could live alone without a guard or anyone else.

They admitted defeat but they had a condition that she at least accepts to live in a house they chose and they bought it for her -rent was the last thing they wanted her daughter to worry about-

What surprised her was that they got her a simple house. Unlike how they'd usual be, they didn't buy a mansion which she was thankful they didn't.

They still send her money occasionally but she didn't use any, it wasn't hers.

She felt like she didn't deserve it. She wanted to become someone who was good enough to stand by their side.

But she was wrong.

She didn't need to worry about that. They loved her dearly. She was their daughter even if she didn't share their blood.

"Ma.. I love you. And please tell dad I love him as well. I'll call you guys later. "

She whispered gently, tears threatening to fall down from her eyes.

"I know, dear. We love you too. Please don't ever think like that again. Remember, you're our Daughter Min Eunji whom we would protect and love at all costs."

The mother replied in her sweet voice before they both hung up.

Min Eunji put her phone to charge and went back to her desk, taking out a sheet of paper and pen.

"I need a plan. A way to help Daniel's mother without making it suspicious. If I just go there and give her money she'll never accept.."

She started scribbling random things on the paper.

"What if.. I act like an employee from a company that would like to buy all the boxes she picks up..?" She groaned, pressing her forehead with her thumb. "I can't think of anything else! I'll just offer her a contract that states we'll pay her 5 times what she gets now. At least.. for now."

She sighed, "phew. Looks like I have another long day tomorrow. "