Chapter 4

C H A P T E R 4: K.R

S O N A I A ' S   P O V

"What if he's Kassio?" she calmly said and stared at me waiting for my reaction.

"Haven…" I warned her.

"I mean, you like Kassio and you're obsessed with his art so-" she added.

"Still that's impossible, Haven" I glanced at her.

"It's possible, you met him at Kassio's gallery right? and he was hiding his face? So it's possible" she shrugged.

"You really want to make your best friend be a fool to men" I sighed.

"I'm just saying" she shrugged her shoulders again.

"But you know what? The guy I slept with last night gave me 2 thousand dollars" she brought up that topic, Again.

"Where tf did our topic go?" I stood up from the dining table and immediately sat on the couch.

"I want to meet him again though, not for money but for his-" She stood up.

"Haven..." I rolled myself on the carpet, turning on the TV.

"I know I know, to all the men I had sex with he probably has the biggest-" Before she could finish I yelled. "Haven! How many times have you talked about that?" raising the volume of the TV.

"You know your best friend's a whore" she shrugged while sitting next to me watching the tv.

"Just go to sleep" I rolled my eyes again.

"Tsk" she muttered.

MY week passed just like that, today's my first day in school. I walk into the campus in my sweat set and sneakers. You can't blame me, it's very comfortable. I also tied my hair in a ponytail and did my makeup naturally.

Other students were riding bikes and hoverboards, some of them were chatting with their friend group. How nice. I only have Haven then and now, this nostalgic feeling after stressing out as a Teacher I became a student again.

New faces, New names, New cities, New Country, New topics, everything was new to me. I felt out of place in this school, whatever I'm just here to take my master's that's it.

I was sitting in the shallow corner of the cafeteria, eating my food peacefully. "Uhm, Hi" a guy holding a tray greeted me. "H- Hi" I greeted him. "Is it ok to sit here?" he asked, his eyes like a puppy waiting for his owner to ask him to sit. "Sure," I said shortly. "Are you a freshman too?" He dropped a question."No," I was busy looking at my food.

"So a sophomore?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No," I said between munching my food

"Then-"

"Masters" I answered shortly.

"I already got my bachelor's degree, I'm here for my master's," I added.

"Oh, I thought you're a freshman you look young" he scratched the back of his neck looking embarrassed.

"Are you saying I'm old?" I said soullessly.

"No- No No that's not what I meant" he muttered panickily.

"Just joking," I giggled, but I wasn't joking though.

"Hoooo" he let out a heavy sigh.

"So you're 23?" he curiously asked.

"24," I said shortly.

"Oh"

"How about you?" I asked.

"uh ei- eighteen" he hesitated.

"Ohhh really young," I said like I'm surprised but in reality my face was dull.

We talked a lot during that time. His name was Knight Agnes, eighteen years old, a freshman in the Engineering Department. He talks a lot, he even walked me to our department. He reminds me of my brothers. He wasn't bad, but our age? Nah

My day went on like that. I can say it was pretty new. I didn't go home after that. I went to Kassio's gallery to get registered as a staff member, even though the schedule was on March 20 I came earlier so that I wouldn't forget.

"Hello Ma'am may I help you?" It's the same person who greeted me when I pretended to be Haven.

"Uhm I got accepted as an assistant and I'm here to get registered" I brought up.

"Oh of course. Your name should be here on the new employee list. Right, Ms. Haven Turner?" she asked.

"Oh no no no" I denied.

"Am I wrong?" She looked confused.

"How should I explain this-"

"What's happening there?" a low-pitched business tone voice came from the desk's assistant's headphones. it was loud enough for me to hear it.

That person's voice sounded familiar.

"Oh Sir, she said she was getting registered and I was just confirming her name." She explained, I can see her hands shaking.

"Ok, do it fast," he said in a cold voice.

"I'm s-sorry ma'am, what was your name a-again?" she asked me with a trembling voice.

"Sonaia Jung" she looked at me twice, finding it suspicious.

"Aren't you Haven Turner ma'am?" she asked again.

"Uhm Haven Turner is my best friend. Her father set her up on a blind date so I came in her stead I'm sorry for that. Also if you're wondering why I have an Asian last name and I don't look like one because I'm adopted" I almost told her my life story jeez.

She giggled before she answered "You didn't have to say that Miss"

"You can go to the seventh floor, right-wing," she motioned to the elevator.

"Thank you" I smiled brightly

I skipped to the elevator, pressed the 7th-floor button and the door closed.

I'm nervous, really nervous. Jeez.

I arrived at the 7th floor "Right-wing" here ok. The right side faces the big windows and couches.

Skipped till I arrived at the only door on the right-wing.

I knocked three times. "Mrs. Cecila?'' I opened the door, landing my eyes on the newspaper floor with a bunch of opened paints, used paintbrushes, and a stack of the canvas.

"Who- Who are you?" I heard a low-pitched voice. I looked up to see a man covering his face with a canvas. He was trembling but I was not in my mind to react immediately.

"GET OUT!" he shouted, making me pick up my mind again.

"Ah- ah I'm sorry" I immediately closed the room and ran back to the elevator. I went to the wrong room.

I thought it said the right-wing? Never mind, let's just go here. I saw three rooms on the opposite wing. The first room that greeted me was Mrs. Cecilia's room. Her name was on the door display.

I knocked three times "Mrs. Cecilia?"

"Oh Miss Come in"

"Ms. Sonaia right? Are you here to get registered?"

"Yes Ma'am" I straightened my back.

"Drop the honorifics you're going to work here anyway, Naia" I flinched, did she just call me by my name?

"May I call you that?" she added.

"Of course ma-" I stopped.

"Lia" She twinkled.

"Pardon?"

"Call me Lia, I'm just a few months older than you" She tapped the seat next to her.

"Oh ok, Li- Lia" I hesitated.

"Good"

We talked about work and I got registered. She gave me an ID that would help me enter the company without looking for assistance.

Lia also toured me a little on the floor.

"This office next to me is the owner of the building's room and next to his office is the meeting room" she explained

"And on the left-wing" so you need to face the elevator, Ah~

"Is Kassio's office and personal room, he paints there, sometimes he's here sometimes he's at home, painting"

"Really?!... Oh, I'm sorry I'm just a big fan of him" I apologized after letting out a scream.

"It's ok, as long as you don't go near that door everything's ok"

"Oh ok" I already went near that door, I even opened it. Wait?! If it's Kassio's room? and no one is allowed to go near that doo-... AHHHHHHH

Does that mean the guy I met earlier was Kassio?!

I calmed myself before entering the elevator with Ma'am Cecilia.

The 6th floor was the floor for the staff. Free snacks, free drinks, beds to rest, games, and your own personal table.  There were only seven tables.

"We don't really hire a lot so this will be your table" pointing at the center table, the biggest office table in the room.

"Eh?!"

"Yes that will be your table, your work as an assistant is also assisting me and Kassio to help the staff"

I stared silently. Even here I feel like I'm being spoiled.

"You don't like it?" she giggled.

"No, of course, I like it. I love it but isn't this too much for a newbie?"

"Of course not, it's the best position for you" She smiled.

"Thank you very much, Please take care of me" I bowed down, again. Raised in SoKor Check.

"Now, you can actually start whenever you want" She smirked

"Then I'll start this Saturday" I answered

"That's good then" her phone rang.

"Yes Sir I'll be up there sir" Picking up the phone and I heard that business tone low pitched voice again.

"Now Naia, I'll go. Suit yourself" caressing my shoulders with her palms

"Thank you, Lia" I beamed.

I took a step looking, admiring the nightlights of the city.

Sydney.

My first week was hectic, I wanted to go back to South Korea real quick. My life here is not the same as my life in South Korea, maybe because I was spoiled but here I can freely move and do anything I want. Back in South Korea, the maids were the ones who would iron my uniforms. I would wake up with breakfast ready in my bed, my bath already at the right temperature with the right amount of bubbles. I realized how spoiled I was. A week before coming here to Sydney. I would stay up late to learn how to cook, learn how to fold clothes, and even how to clean. Yes, I was so spoiled to the point that I don't even know how to turn on a vacuum. But I learned pretty quickly though, fast learner I guess.

I went down the elevator and waved goodbye to the front desk receptionist. When my phone Rang.

Haven calling.

"I'm on my way back home no-" when she cuts me off.

"Bitch, the man I slept with a week ago wants to marry me!"

"What?!"

"I know I know just come here ill send you the address" She hung up. Fuck! Haven never really calls me when she's with a guy or what. Somethings wrong-

"Taxi! Kallista Hotel Please" I hurried.

"Haven!" "Sonaia!"

"Did he touch you or something?"  I grabbed her hands.

"No no" she shook her head.

"Then let's go!" I wanted to pull her away from whoever that guy is.

"Stop!, who are you to grab my fiance's hands like that" this business tone low pitched voice- … Don't mind that for now Sonaia.

"And who are you to call her fiance when she didn't agree to it" I spat out

"Shall we sit down and talk this out first?" he suggested. I swallowed my frustration. In the end, both agreed, a good talk is enough right?...

I and Haven are sitting together, in front of us is the man.

"Medium Rare Steak, Fries, and any drinks you would recommend" as I smiled at the waiter.

"I would get what she wants" Haven returned the menu brightly.

"Then how about your sir?" the waiter turned to the man.

"Usually" he answered shortly, he didn't even bother to look at the waiter. The waiter nodded and told us it would be ready in a few minutes.

This atmosphere again, is suffocating.

"Again, I want to marry you, Ms. Turner," He asked, crossing his legs with two of his hands on them. Haven went poker-faced. "I already told you, No".

"My best friend is in a relationship with my brother-"

"and?" rage nearly consumed me when he said that. I took a long heavy sigh. "And you should respect that"

"And why should I respect that?" That's it, he woke up my anger.

"WTF? WHO TF ARE YOU TO SPEAK LIKE THAT? IF YOU CAN'T RESPECT THAT HOW AM I GOING TO TRUST YOU TO MARRY HAVEN?!" I shouted my thoughts out.

"Khalil Regulus"

***

04/01/2022