I built this Home for me, for you

Chapter 6

They got ready for work quickly, with Lisa pretending that she didn't see Jennie's concerned looks while they showered and dressed. Lisa made them all breakfast, while Jennie prepared lunches for everyone, and then went upstairs to drag Seolhyun out of bed to come downstairs and eat. That was a challenge in itself, causing an early morning argument as Seolhyun bundled up under her blankets and ignored Jennie. "Come on, Hyun, I don't have time for this. Get up and get ready, or I'll drag you out of bed by your ankles."

With a muffled sound of frustration, the blankets were pushed down off her head, revealing a wild mess of dark curls. "I'm suspended," Seolhyun grumbled, "I don't have to go to school."

"I know, but you're not lying in bed all day," Jennie told her in a clipped tone, "get up and get ready."

"Why? I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes you are, you're coming to work with me," Jennie told her, giving her a stern look as she opened her mouth to argue. "No. No complaining. Missing school and staying home to play video games isn't a punishment; you're spending the day at the office, and you better behave yourself. Now shift your ass."

She didn't move from the doorway until she watched her eldest daughter slowly push the covers back and climb to her feet. For a moment, Jennie was struck by how similar this all was; Seolhyun had her old bedroom, filled with computers and blueprints, shelves of books and gadgets, just like it had been when Jennie was a teenager. Then there was herself hovering in the doorway, chastising the dark haired girl who seemed to be moving exaggeratedly slow, in a similar game that Jennie had played with her own mom when she'd been in Seolhyun's position. Her lips quirked up into a small smile, "you're not doing anything that I didn't do to piss off my mom. I have all the patience in the world and I'll cancel every meeting I have this morning, but you'll be in the car with me when I go to J-Corp. Now, stop messing around and get in the shower; there's pancakes downstairs."

With a sigh, Seolhyun started to move at a normal speed, rolling her eyes as she padded barefoot over to her door, brushing past Jennie and pausing slightly. "You have to put money in the swear jar," her daughter snarkily replied, and Jennie laughed, ruffling her messy hair and giving her a gentle push towards the bathroom.

"I'm leaving in twenty - if you're not ready on time, I'll purposely put you on security with Hector all day, which would be even more boring than school," Jennie warned her.

Shaking her head, she walked back downstairs, pausing in her office to fetch her briefcase on her way to the kitchen. Ryujin was eating a stack of pancakes next to Lisa when Jennie walked in, rolling her eyes as she took in her daughter's messy hair and untucked school shirt. "Where's your tie, Ryujin?" Jennie asked as she walked over to the half-full jar of coins, tossing in a few and pouring some coffee as she walked over to the table.

Taking a couple of pancakes off the precariously stacked pile, Jennie raised her eyebrows at her daughter. "It's in my room," she sighed, "I'll get it before I go."

"Good. You don't need detention as well," Lisa said, wrinkling her nose as she smiled. Jennie stared at Lisa few a few moments, scrutinising her face as she took in the dark shadows under her eyes, and the weary look as she ate her breakfast without her usual enthusiasm. A few moments later, the sound of footsteps on the stairs got their attention, and they turned to look as Seolhyun walked in. "Ah speak of the rebel," Lisa laughed, and Jennie grimaced slightly, shaking her head as she cut into her food. Ignoring everyone, Seolhyun sat down and neatly stacked a few pancakes onto her plate, drizzling maple syrup over them and silently cutting into them. "How'd you sleep?" Lisa asked.