"--------" the alarm went off at exactly 5:00 AM.
I started my morning with a fresh music playlist to get rid of the sleepy feeling since I just woke up.
I placed everything aside and then began to prepare the only items I'd be bringing overseas.
They also told me not to pack much and to only bring the important ones I will need in studying since they can purchase the rest of the items I would be needing and are available there.
But me being me packed up to two suitcases along with a backpack I won't risk leaving behind.
'I only had a few hours to gather my belongings before the flight, and I should have expected this...'
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hurried as I saw the sun settle even when I just checked the time not too long ago.
Sarcastically, I haven't even bid farewell to all the people here at home except for Ivy who personally sent her driver to assist me on my way to South Korea.
Mister, who..?
Nevermind his name.
The driver insisted I place my baggage in the trunk from right behind but since I had already taken them in, he gave way and just headed off.
Rumors seemed to spread faster than what was supposed to be classified as important, for example, the country's issues which the public should always pay attention to.
But then again, I did have an image that my father expected from me despite knowing the difference between reality and expectations for them to unlikely have false information involving someone.
In particular, me...
We are a family, to begin with.
And there came boredom in the air, I lowered the car window to enjoy the cold breeze I would only get to feel for the last time that night in New York. "I am so not gonna miss any of them..." unconsciously I spoke, it made the driver check on the rearview mirror and took a peek at me, I must say that he did get the mood we were in.
Even if it worried me about going abroad at least change was bound to happen in my life and recalling all those actions I did in front of other people who my father appointed for me to meet regarding work, this made me feel relieved.
Without my parents near me, I could breathe comfortably and be myself.
For some reason though, I had a bit of a guilty feeling when I showed up as someone I had never imagined myself to be and so, I learned my lesson when it comes to life.
I was not gonna wear thick make-up in my life again, those heels that seemed to be inches tall plus the dresses I wore were too revealing and inappropriate for anyone's eyes as well as those gowns that I accidentally ripped off for being annoyingly long and I was never gonna act all prim & perfect.
How I wonder what my life would have been if my parents never dolled or signed me up for activities.
I'd rather choose not to do so even if my life is at risk.
My obedience at its finest! Another act in life.
Talk about raising me all these years, all they did was pretend to have a happy family who got along well with each other only in front of other people to have a clean image or impression around them.
And seriously, I thought they had booked me in first class but did they really have to go this far?
Just went with the flow, I tried not to be ungrateful for what I received. I brought out my baggage on my own and pulled them on the way to the private plane as the driver followed behind to assist me.
I made sure to place the suitcases wherever it wouldn't trip anyone which could have caused another disappointment to my parents because of my clumsiness.
Mister went in already to answer a phone call as the plane didn't take long to board, obviously, it'll be too nosy of me to pay attention to his conversation when he's just right across me so I will use PLUM to listen in secret all-around about the people I came in contact with.
I plugged in my earphones and set it at a low volume to avoid being caught.
Now, it did sound like a creepy thing to do but it was how I get to know others.
I've caught many who planned to act as if Honey Lou did something bad to them...
Nevermind that…
Thinking about those times turned my mood upside down so I'll stop caring about their problems.
After all, it is theirs to deal with.
I glanced outside the plane and it was mesmerizing, the sky at night had many twinkling stars scattered in the open, as well as the colorful lights, flashed there in New York from down below.
Something I missed the most after going somewhere far away for who knows how long I'll be staying.
Still, I'll be free from some of my worries.
There will be no more fancy outfits, housemaids who just enter my bedroom not knowing how to knock despite probably having the idea of me bathing before taking my laundry as well as the media who treats me as if I were some celebrity.
I disliked it very much whenever someone took a photo of me, having no idea if I even looked good…
After a while, I started dozing off from the soothing silence there was around the plane, and as no one paid one bit of attention to me, I became fully relaxed and it led to a long, long, long nap.
--Author's Point of View--
After Honey Lou fell fast asleep, the driver continued his phone call with his boss, Miss Eun who resided in South Korea. She sent the driver to pick up the girl who was in slumber.
They had been continuously keeping an eye on her for a while now, knowing that she had been living close to her father.
Almost everyone in the family knows of Soonji's 'inner side' and couldn't trust him whenever he was around other people.
Even with his own children.
Eun cherished her nieces very much as she didn't have a child of her own.
She would send someone to watch over her late sister's daughter in New York while the older one she had kept near her. As closely as possible.
She took responsibility and raised the girls as to how her younger sister would have done if only she were still alive and with them. Including the fact that the siblings have been separated due to the loss of their mother or even before the moment she passed away.
She planned to reunite Honey Lou with her friends whom she had been away from all these years.
Not that they intended to but because of family issues with both of the parties, it turned out this way for each and every one of them.
But in Ivy's case, she had a different reason why she agreed to this arrangement and that is, because she noticed something quite strange between her husband and Honey Lou, specifically, about the incident from 4 years ago, on the day their daughter had been caught in an accident.
She found it hard to believe that the only person who witnessed the accident was her husband.
Another reason for the benefit of the doubt was that the location where it occurred was somewhat deserted during that time it happened, and no other vehicle was found to pass by the spot where Honey Lou daughter was hit.
She also considered the advantages they had gotten by sending Honey away, to certainly expose the truth to everyone since she couldn't let anyone continue suffering because of Soonji, especially the very victim up close, the daughter who knew all the unrighteous deeds her father committed.
Not only did the man do such cruel things to those who are in the shadow but also led his own family scattered and away from one another.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
He observed as the girl frowned at the sunlight directly shining on her, he covered up the glare of the light to help Honey become more comfortable while the plane was yet to land.
He waited for a while before waking her up, "Miss Lou, don't you think it's time to eat something?"
the driver suggested, he lightly shook her after noticing that she had not eaten a single thing since the plane departed.
Honey covered her face and freshened up then waited for the flight attendant to bring the food she chose.
Being hungry made her chew less and swallow in a hurry so she finished in a short amount of time just when the plane was about to land at their destination.
Honey got off the plane along with the driver and followed after him, who obviously knew the country better than she did but then she found herself leading the way towards the vehicle they were gonna use on the way to Seoul where she was told to stay.
She then settled within the vehicle, closing the car door as they headed on.
During the trip, Honey asked the driver so often to make a stop so that she could take a snap of the scenery she had difficulty taking her eyes away from.
The driver found this quite annoying, and it delayed the time when they should already be in Seoul...
She noticed this and decided to keep herself from being too loud before she ended up making the driver drop her off on the roadside and immediately freeze due to the cold atmosphere.
She brought out her phone to message a friend from around the area, asking about the famous places there were in Seoul for newbies like her.
She received only one short reply that there was a certain café where they usually spent the entire time together and that they were somehow regulars there since they go to that place almost every single day.
Honey found it funny how her younger friend hadn't realized yet what she meant.
After waiting for a few more minutes, the girl finally received the response she had been giggling about this whole time, the reaction her dear friend had expressed was priceless, she thought.
"It's about time..." she inaudibly whispered knowing that the driver could not have possibly heard it again, she took her luggage as they arrived at the place her parents bought for her.
The driver departed as soon as he saw her enter safely into her new home, and of course, the place was already organized because they would not have bought just the house and instead, the whole package.
In other words, the furniture, and appliances she wouldn't use often but Honey being her usual self, re-organized everything to the way she wanted.
She started unpacking her few clothes once everything already seemed suitable for her.
Her mother mentioned that she would only be temporarily using her clothes on repeat.
After a day, Ivy would be sending plenty of new branded things to her daughter so as to not tire herself out in bringing a lot.
She dusted every corner of the entire household making sure that it wouldn't irritate her in the future before she washed the plates and utensils stored to keep their usability when she needed them.
As the day began to end, she took a rest after exhausting herself in cleaning as well as from the trip, and the long ride towards her place.
It didn't feel new to her as if it was a common experience that she had already gotten used to.
Traveling every single day, adjusting to a new environment, and having to re-organize a place for herself. "It all felt like a repeat of yesterday…" she stated.