Masked Juliet

Chapter 1

It was a typical Sunday for me. I was looking through my window, down on the busy and noisy streets of New York. I guess it's not called the city that never sleeps for nothing. The sun was up high, and the sky was a beautiful blue. Birds were chirping a beautiful harmony and the flowers on my window sill were blooming like it's spring. I stretched as I let myself get intoxicated by the beauty of the morning that greets me.

Although how much beautiful the weather was, I closed my curtains and smiled to myself. "What a beautiful day to go to sleep and wake up at noon." I threw myself on my bed.

I heard a knock on my door and reluctantly dragged myself out of bed. Almost crawling with eyes closed to the door. 

"Honey, were you sleeping? Sorry to disturb you." My mom says as she ushered me inside my room and sat on my bed with me lying down on on stomach like an intoxicated teenager. 

 "No, not at all mom, I wasn't sleeping. I was just.. trying out how it feels like to be in a coma." I said with my head buried on my pillow.

She narrowed her eyes at me before saying,"I need to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, okay mom. Spill the beans, I'm listening...

even though it doesn't seem like it but carry on." I said.

"I'm thinking about.. well, you see, I'm thinking about..

going back to Korea." she said, her voice so low it was merely a whisper. 

I thought I was just hearing things and laughed - which immediately died down as soon as I sat up and saw that my mom was serious. 

I frowned. "You're not serious right, mom?" I laughed nervously. "Don't joke around so early in the morning."

She stared at me and held my hand. I looked over at our hands and I felt numb. Waves of nervousness washing over me. 

"I'm not joking, Krystal. Korea is still home. Don't you think it's time to go back?" 

"But, mom, everything here is fine. I'll find it hard to adjust back there."

"I know, you can just give it a try. The moment you find it hard, just tell me. We can go back here anytime. But Krystal, I'm not getting any younger. I want to at least relax a little bit and just handle our company in Korea. It's easier to manage than the one here in New York," she said and then stood up. "I'll give you some time to think." She turned her back on me and walked towards the door.

"Don't you find it hard to go back there? I mean, with dad leaving and all." I said, which made her stop on her tracks and looked at me.

"That's all in the past, Soo Jung. It's not a place to dwell in. You can never move on until you stop clinging onto your past. Learn to let go." She patted my shoulders and continued walking. 

"Mom!" I said. She turned to look at me and I continued talking, "when will we go back? and please don't call me Soo Jung anymore."

She smiled. "I was thinking that maybe you'd go back in three weeks time, 2 weeks before school so you would have at least some time to adjust. For me, I can't say but as soon as I deal with everything about the company, I'll be going after you."

"How long will that take?" I asked.

"I don't know but it won't take long. Besides, your cousin will be there to guide you" she said and then gave me a reassuring smile before leaving my room.

"There's no harm in going back there Krystal. No one could possibly even tell that you're you now. You've changed a lot. Besides, you're tougher. You're no longer that vulnerable little kid who your father left on your exact birthday - for another woman and his illegitimate child. I think it's time to show what kind of family your father lost."  I thought to myself. Constantly stopping my tears from falling.