Hard-knock life

After leaving the café Jin-Ae then ventured off the school campus and started to head home. As she was walking down the street a silver Hyundai Nexo pulled up beside her. The tinted windows rolled down revealing Ae-ra in the passenger seat and her brother Min-Seok behind behind steering wheel.

"Hey, Jin-Ae, do you need a ride?" Ae-ra asked.

"It's fine, I don't want to bother you guys." Jin-Ae assured.

Min-Seok then pulled Ae-ra from the window so he could see and said, "It's no bother, come on get in."

Jin-Ae mashed her lips together as she weighed he options. She finally made up her mind and got into the car. "Where do you live? Send it to the GPS." Min-Seok turned his head to the backseat where Jin-Ae was sitting.

She pulled out her phone and typed where she lived then send it to the car's GPS. Upon seeing where she lived Ae-ra voiced, "Hey, our family was invited to a party that's going to be held this Saturday at this same house."

"Oh really? What a coincidence." Jin-Ae smiled.

Min-Seok turned the car onto the street and started driving towards Jin-Ae's house. Jin-Ae looked through the window of the car as she became lost in her own thoughts.

A few minutes later

Min-Seok pulled up the car in front of Jin-Ae's manicured front lawn. Realizing that Jin-Ae was not getting out of the car; both him and Ae-ra turned around and looked in the backseat to see Jin-Ae staring through the car's window.

"Jin-Ae." Ae-ra called, but there was no answer.

"JIN-AE!" She shouted once more. Startled Jin-Ae looked at them with an enlarged eye, "Yeah, Sorry I was thinking about something." She apologized.

"Whatever you're thinking about you must be racking your brain to the point of being lost in your sub-conscience." Min-Seok teased.

"We're here." Ae-ra informed, pointing her hand to the house.

Jin-Ae looked through the window, "Oh, thanks for the ride guys." She said getting out the car. She closed the door behind her and was about to walk away when Min-Seok called, "Jin-Ae."

She turned around and walked back to the car. "Yeah?"

"Would you mind giving us your number." He asked.

Jin-Ae contemplated whether or not she should give them her number, but as to seeing how nice they were and that they were trying to befriend her she agreed. She gave her number to

Ae-ra who said she will share it with Min-Seok.

They said their goodbye's and Jin-Ae headed to the front door of the house.

When she entered the house she saw her adoptive mother sleeping in the couch. Jin-Ae tip-toed to the stairs and as she was about to walk up her adoptive mother, Mrs. Lee Ann-Myeong yelled, "Why are you back so late?"

Jin-Ae froze. She turned around and walked to back to stand facing Mrs. Lee.

"I asked you a question, and I expect an answer child." Mrs. Lee snapped at Jin-Ae.

"The auditions were over later than I expected." Jin-Ae answered having her head aimed down at her feet.

"Did your feet asked you the question or did I?" Her Mrs. Lee shouted.

"You."

"Then why is that head of yours aimed at your feet, look at me if you're talking to me."

Jin-Ae raised her head having her eyes meet the aggrieved expression on Mrs. Lee.

"Now, I'm going to ask again and this time I expect an honest answer. Why are you late?" Mrs. Lee repeated.

"I'm not lying, It was over later than I expected." Jin-Ae assured, but Mrs. Lee wasn't having it, she got up from the couch and walked up to Jin-Ae.

As Jin-Ae was about to step back her Mrs. Lee grabbed her and shook her screaming, "Didn't I say not to lie, you annoying leech."

"I'M NOT!" Jin-Ae yelled.

Mrs. Lee pushed her onto the ground. Luckily the backpack that was still on Jin-Ae's back, shielded her back from being directly hit by handle of the chair.

"Eun-Ji." Mrs. Lee shouted for the oldest of her twin daughters.

At hearing her name Eun-Ji walked out the kitchen, "Yeah, mom?"

Mrs. Lee turned to her daughter, "What time was the auditions over today?"

"Because of the surprise song from Kings of Hearts, around 1:30." Eun-Ji answered lifting her head from her phone screen.

Mrs. Lee then irritatingly turned towards Jin-Ae, "You say you're not lying then if it was over around 1:30 why are you home around 4:00?"

Jin-Ae was breathing hard on the ground, she clenched her fists in utter rage but released them soon after and explained, "I went up to the roof for fresh air during the surprise song and lost track of time. When I realized what time it was I started to head home but I got hungry and went to buy a latte at the café behind the school. The line was long and that's why I'm late."

"Are you guys talking about Blossom Café?" Eun-Ju, Eun-Ji's twin sister asked as she walked down the stairs.

Jin-Ae got up from the ground quietly moaning from the pain in her back.

"Yeah, I saw her there. She ordered two latte's and gave one of them to Min Yoon-Gi, who gave it to Jeon Jung-Kook." Eun-Ju added.

Mrs. Lee along with Eun-Ji furiously looked at Jin-Ae.

"Wait so not only were you hitting on a guy but it was the Jeon Jung-kook, the nerves." Eun-Ji scolded.

"It's not what you're thinking, Yoon-Gi was waiting in line and saw me in front of him. He applauded me on my performance for the auditions and since I was ahead of him and was going to order the same thing as him, I offered to order and bring it for him. I left right after I gave it to them, I promise." Jin-Ae spelled out.

"Again with the lies." Mrs. Lee yelled.

"Listen missy, I'm the reason you have a roof over your head, a place to sleep, clothes and food to eat but you dare defy me. You obviously have enough free time on your hands you relax on a roof and stand in line to get coffee. I want this house to shine from bottom to top before the sun rises tomorrow morning, make it spotless you hear me." She then ordered Jin-Ae.

"But....I just cleaned this house yesterday." Jin-Ae complained.

"No buts, I suggest you do as I say, or instead I could keep you from going to school and have you work in the house." Mrs. Lee threatened.

Jin-Ae hardly inhaled as Mrs. Lee and her twin daughters walk away from Jin-Ae laughing and discussing about Saturday's event.

Jin-Ae fell to her knees, and took a hard blow, she clenched her fists and banged the floor hard, so hard that it caused her hand to bleed a little. She then got up off the ground and walked towards the stairs with her backpack in her hand.