To Find Something True

※ five

Mist sprayed, sweetening the air with the strawberry-scented perfume. The girl gracefully walked into the sweet mist as the particles landed on her white, short sleeves blouse.

The laces on the sleeves that stuck in the band, sticking around her elbows were pulled out. An illusion skirt with flower embroideries on it reached below her knees. Inside the illusion fabric, there was a light blue, stretchable satin fabric shorter than it. She tucked the hem of the blouse into the skirt.

Combing her hair and gathering them in one hand, she had it in a neat, high bun hair. The mirror copied her beam, and a slow exhale left her nostrils.

After allowing a silver wristwatch to engulf her left wrist, she grabbed a small backpack. A small bottle of perfume, a small comb, a lip balm, a wallet, a small packet of tissue, and a small mirror was stuffed in the teal bag. Before she moved out of the room, she took a beige file on the table in swift. The door shut with the help of her foot as she checked the papers inside the file. She hastily tapped the papers a few times to tuck them in.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and soup lingered around the living room when she stepped out of her room. She took a peek to see her father sitting in the living room at the usual position on the floor, having breakfast.

"Good morning, appa." She went to the entrance after greeting, taking her ice blue Converse. As she put the socks on, she told her father, "I'm going out."

Her father let out an approval short, deep hum. "You're leaving too early," uttered the father before slurping his soup. "Have some breakfast before you go."

She made a glance at her watch and then, looked at her father, feeling sorry as she saw the amount of food her father had cooked. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'll be late for the bus."

"Never mind the bus. Just ride a taxi. I can give you money."

Just when Mr. Lee was about to lift a knee, Jiah cried out, "ugh, appa!" She glared at him with a pout. "Why do you always give me money every time I go out?"

Mr. Lee was bewildered. He blinked his eyes.

"I'm not an elementary student anymore, I'm not a fifteen-year-old anymore. I want to be independent. Stop giving me money." She sprang up after being done tying her shoelaces.

Mr. Lee was getting more speechless as his daughter stomped out of the house. But it was not a minute since she stepped out when she returned to make a quick wrap of Bossam* without garlic.

Jiah showed the confused man an awkward smile. She then whispered, "my stomach grumbled." Chewing her food quickly and swallowing, she then said, "bye."

As the girl disappeared into the entrance path, Mr. Lee snorted.

"Like mother, like daughter."

**********

Jiah stopped at a café to have breakfast at her best friend's workplace. By chance, her best friend had helped her to pass her curricular vitae to the manager and both of them were hoping that she would get a job there.

Han Shinhye advanced to Jiah's table with a toast and a cup of Jeju green tea on the dark brown tray. Jeju green tea had always been Jiah's favorite and she did not need to tell Shinhye what she wanted for a drink.

As Jiah took a sip of the green tea, the sweetness touched her taste buds. She moaned in delight. Another sip as another hand lifted the toast and tore it with her middle and index finger.

"Hey, hey, you can put it down," Shinhye said. She attempted to grab the cup but failed as Jiah backed off.

"It's been a while since I drank."