Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā chanĀ isĀ notĀ anĀ idiot .Ā heĀ mightĀ beĀ aĀ littleĀ soft ,Ā andĀ lackĀ aĀ littleĀ bitĀ ofĀ commonĀ senseĀ atĀ times ,Ā butĀ heĀ knowsĀ howĀ hisĀ parentsĀ (Ā particularlyĀ hisĀ momĀ )Ā feelĀ aboutĀ winona .Ā hisĀ momĀ wasĀ anĀ academicĀ āĀ sheĀ knewĀ aboutĀ fiveĀ languagesĀ andĀ inĀ theĀ throngsĀ ofĀ learningĀ aĀ sixth ,Ā sheĀ heldĀ twoĀ phdāsĀ andĀ wouldĀ probablyĀ getĀ aĀ thirdĀ ifĀ sheĀ wasnātĀ jettingĀ aroundĀ theĀ worldĀ forĀ conferences ,Ā butĀ sheĀ likedĀ gossipingĀ withĀ otherĀ auntiesĀ ifĀ givenĀ theĀ opportunity .Ā sheādĀ neverĀ doĀ itĀ aroundĀ hisĀ father ,Ā though ,Ā asĀ theĀ conversationsĀ atĀ theĀ dinnerĀ tableĀ wereĀ moreĀ aboutĀ whatĀ theyĀ sawĀ inĀ aĀ newĀ yorkĀ timesĀ articleĀ orĀ onĀ cnnĀ earlierĀ inĀ theĀ day . asĀ sheĀ comesĀ intoĀ theĀ mansion ,Ā chanāsĀ handĀ scratchesĀ atĀ theĀ backĀ ofĀ freshlyĀ dyedĀ blondeĀ hairĀ andĀ bowsĀ asĀ well ,Ā hopingĀ thatĀ hisĀ motherĀ didnātĀ haveĀ ulteriorĀ motives .
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā hisĀ motherĀ comesĀ aroundĀ theĀ cornerĀ asĀ ifĀ sheādĀ beenĀ eavesdropping .Ā onĀ theĀ campusĀ ofĀ stanford ,Ā hisĀ motherĀ isĀ usuallyĀ dressedĀ inĀ aĀ sharpĀ dressĀ orĀ suitĀ thatĀ showedĀ sheĀ meantĀ business .Ā however ,Ā whenĀ sheĀ wasĀ atĀ home ,Ā theĀ academicĀ letsĀ herĀ hairĀ downĀ andĀ skirtsĀ aroundĀ theĀ houseĀ inĀ aĀ linenĀ mansurĀ gavrielĀ dressĀ andĀ aĀ pairĀ ofĀ slippers.Ā Ā āĀ Ā eommaĀ ,Ā āĀ chanĀ speaksĀ softlyĀ whenĀ sheĀ comesĀ intoĀ view ,Ā andĀ aĀ cheshireĀ grinĀ appearsĀ onĀ theĀ womanāsĀ face .Ā Ā āĀ oh ,Ā missĀ rhee ,Ā āĀ ninaĀ speaks ,Ā andĀ chanĀ tunesĀ herĀ outĀ almostĀ immediately .Ā sheāsĀ usingĀ theĀ voiceĀ sheĀ alwaysĀ putĀ onĀ whenĀ sheāsĀ speakingĀ toĀ someoneĀ sheĀ doesnātĀ particularlyĀ ā¦Ā likeĀ .Ā āĀ itāsĀ soĀ NICEĀ ofĀ youĀ toĀ joinĀ us .Ā dongwookĀ shouldĀ beĀ homeĀ soon .Ā ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā itāsĀ likeĀ hisĀ parentsĀ areĀ oddlyĀ inĀ syncĀ withĀ oneĀ anotherĀ asĀ heĀ hearsĀ theĀ doorĀ leadingĀ outĀ toĀ theĀ garageĀ opens ,Ā signalingĀ theĀ returnĀ ofĀ hisĀ father .Ā āĀ jesusĀ christ ,Ā āĀ chanĀ muttersĀ toĀ himselfĀ andĀ passesĀ offĀ theĀ flowersĀ toĀ hisĀ momĀ inĀ hopesĀ thatĀ sheāllĀ goĀ getĀ aĀ vaseĀ toĀ putĀ themĀ inĀ andĀ getĀ distractedĀ withĀ herĀ husbandāsĀ affection .Ā thankfully ,Ā thatāsĀ exactlyĀ whatĀ happensĀ andĀ chanĀ snapsĀ outĀ ofĀ hisĀ tranceĀ toĀ pullĀ winonaĀ intoĀ oneĀ ofĀ theĀ roomsĀ futherĀ awayĀ fromĀ theĀ kitchen .Ā hisĀ feetĀ dragĀ andĀ heĀ catchesĀ hisĀ motherāsĀ sharpĀ tongueĀ asĀ heĀ releasesĀ aĀ pentĀ upĀ breath .Ā āĀ whatĀ āĀ whatĀ doĀ youĀ meanĀ sheĀ invitedĀ you ,Ā winĀ ?Ā āĀ godĀ heĀ soundsĀ soĀ fuckingĀ stupid ,Ā butĀ heĀ canātĀ helpĀ it .Ā Ā āĀ doĀ iĀ haveĀ toĀ callĀ theĀ copsĀ toĀ keepĀ youĀ twoĀ fromĀ killingĀ eachĀ otherĀ ?Ā ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā IN Ā THE Ā FUTURE Ā , Ā winona Ā would Ā like Ā for Ā people Ā to Ā remember Ā her Ā for Ā the Ā fact Ā that Ā she Ā never Ā flinched Ā in Ā front Ā of Ā nina Ā park Ā . Ā her Ā soul Ā may Ā have Ā been Ā ripped Ā out Ā of Ā her Ā body Ā but Ā winona Ā never Ā even Ā twitched Ā . Ā Ā Ā nina Ā was Ā ... Ā terrifying Ā . Ā intensely Ā smart Ā , Ā insanely Ā beautiful Ā ( Ā especially Ā for Ā having Ā a Ā fully Ā grown Ā son Ā ) Ā , Ā and Ā cultured Ā , Ā the Ā woman Ā was Ā the Ā meat Ā of Ā her Ā nightmares Ā . Ā but Ā she Ā was Ā also Ā who Ā she Ā wanted Ā to Ā be Ā like Ā when Ā she Ā grew Ā up Ā . Ā if Ā , Ā of Ā course Ā , Ā you Ā ignored Ā the Ā fact Ā that Ā she Ā was Ā fully Ā grown Ā . Ā and Ā it Ā deeply Ā bothers Ā her Ā that Ā the Ā woman Ā hates Ā her Ā . Ā objectively Ā , Ā winona Ā knows Ā how Ā she Ā looks Ā on Ā the Ā surface Ā : Ā pristine Ā , Ā beautiful Ā , Ā and Ā calm Ā with Ā the Ā bearing Ā of Ā a Ā princess Ā . Ā but Ā she Ā gets Ā the Ā oddest Ā feeling Ā that Ā nina Ā can Ā sense Ā the Ā depth Ā of Ā her Ā self Ā - Ā loathing Ā and Ā narcissistic Ā tendencies Ā . Ā that Ā she Ā can Ā see Ā past Ā every Ā single Ā wall Ā that Ā she Ā has Ā built Ā up Ā . Ā and Ā she Ā finds Ā her Ā lacking Ā . Ā hell Ā , Ā she Ā finds Ā her Ā more Ā than Ā lacking Ā . Ā and Ā winona Ā hates Ā her Ā for Ā it Ā . Ā it Ā makes Ā her Ā feel Ā like Ā she's Ā standing Ā naked Ā in Ā their Ā foyer Ā , Ā the Ā eyes Ā of Ā millions Ā on Ā her Ā pale Ā , Ā unscathed Ā skin Ā . Ā not Ā only Ā that Ā but Ā winona Ā can Ā remember Ā the Ā time Ā when Ā she Ā argued Ā about Ā certain Ā tenants Ā of Ā catholicism Ā while Ā tipsy Ā and Ā she Ā knows Ā that Ā her Ā relationship Ā with Ā nina Ā and Ā dongwook Ā never Ā recovered Ā . Ā Ā Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā despite Ā her Ā lack Ā of Ā an Ā outward Ā reaction Ā , Ā winona Ā is Ā already Ā deeply Ā regretting Ā this Ā decision Ā . Ā especially Ā as Ā nina Ā park Ā glides Ā into Ā the Ā room Ā looking Ā fabulous Ā . Ā and Ā also Ā like Ā she Ā has Ā already Ā plotted Ā winona's Ā death Ā and Ā prepared Ā invitations Ā toĀ Ā her Ā funeral Ā . Ā she Ā doesn't Ā give Ā her Ā the Ā satisfaction Ā of Ā frowning Ā . Ā she Ā knows Ā that Ā would Ā only Ā be Ā gossip Ā material Ā for Ā the Ā aunties Ā . Ā instead Ā , Ā she Ā pastes Ā the Ā sweetest Ā smile Ā on Ā her Ā face Ā before Ā bowing Ā respectfully Ā . Ā her Ā mother Ā would Ā have Ā been Ā proud Ā of Ā her Ā . Ā she Ā shudders Ā to Ā think Ā of Ā them Ā meeting Ā , Ā honestly Ā . Ā her Ā mother Ā may Ā have Ā seemed Ā soft Ā on Ā the Ā outside Ā . Ā but Ā the Ā woman Ā had Ā built Ā her Ā two Ā children's Ā careers Ā up Ā from Ā nothing Ā . Ā and Ā she Ā had Ā managed Ā to Ā strike Ā fear Ā into Ā the Ā hearts Ā of Ā hollywood Ā executives Ā while Ā doing Ā it Ā . Ā winona Ā is Ā suddenly Ā ( Ā viciously Ā ) Ā glad Ā that Ā they Ā had Ā never Ā met Ā . Ā ā Ā your Ā house Ā is Ā as Ā lovely Ā as Ā i Ā remember Ā and Ā i'm Ā so Ā glad Ā to Ā be Ā here Ā , Ā ma'am Ā . Ā thank Ā you Ā for Ā inviting Ā me Ā over Ā . Ā ā Ā it's Ā a Ā perfectly Ā respectable Ā response Ā . Ā one Ā that Ā she Ā hates Ā , Ā considering Ā that Ā she's Ā just Ā dying Ā to Ā be Ā petty Ā . Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā as Ā the Ā door Ā to Ā the Ā garage Ā opens Ā , Ā winona Ā is Ā extremely Ā grateful Ā that Ā it Ā signals Ā dongwook's Ā return Ā and Ā the Ā subsequent Ā distraction Ā of Ā his Ā wife Ā . Ā she Ā blinks Ā up Ā at Ā chanĀ Ā as Ā she Ā is Ā pulled Ā into Ā another Ā roomĀ Ā byĀ Ā herĀ Ā wristĀ Ā .Ā Ā Ā then Ā , Ā the Ā brunette Ā lets Ā out Ā a Ā snort Ā of Ā laughter Ā as Ā she Ā realizes Ā that Ā he's Ā concerned Ā . Ā ā Ā do Ā you Ā think Ā she's Ā planning Ā on Ā murdering Ā me Ā , Ā chan Ā ? Ā ā Ā while Ā she Ā wouldn't Ā put Ā it Ā past Ā nina Ā , Ā she's Ā gathered Ā that Ā she's Ā meant Ā to Ā be Ā a Ā reassuring Ā presence Ā . Ā she Ā reaches Ā out Ā to Ā touch Ā the Ā hand Ā that's Ā on Ā top Ā of Ā her Ā wrist Ā and Ā : Ā ā Ā honestly Ā , Ā if Ā i Ā had Ā known Ā that Ā i Ā was Ā coming Ā to Ā my Ā funeral Ā , Ā i Ā would Ā have Ā worn Ā something Ā else Ā . Ā ā Ā Ā Ā her Ā lips Ā twitch Ā into Ā a Ā smile Ā before Ā she Ā pulls Ā awayĀ Ā ,Ā Ā shovingĀ Ā her Ā hands Ā into Ā the Ā pockets Ā of Ā her Ā burberry Ā shirt Ā dress Ā .Ā ā Ā i Ā didn't Ā come Ā here Ā to Ā fight Ā . Ā i Ā came Ā because Ā she Ā called Ā and Ā asked Ā if Ā i Ā would Ā join Ā you Ā and Ā i Ā didn't Ā want Ā to Ā turn Ā her Ā down Ā . Ā also Ā , Ā you Ā haven't Ā been Ā answering Ā your Ā phone Ā and Ā i Ā wanted Ā to Ā see Ā you Ā . Ā if Ā you Ā think Ā me Ā being Ā here Ā is Ā a Ā bad Ā idea Ā , Ā i Ā can Ā go Ā . Ā ā Ā she Ā leans Ā forward Ā , Ā that Ā same Ā smile Ā still Ā playing Ā on Ā her Ā lips Ā . Ā ā Ā if Ā you Ā want Ā to Ā escape Ā with Ā me Ā , Ā i Ā told Ā the Ā driver Ā to Ā wait Ā around Ā the Ā corner Ā . Ā i Ā think Ā that Ā it's Ā only Ā forty Ā steps Ā between Ā us Ā and Ā salvation Ā .Ā Ā actuallyĀ Ā ,Ā Ā iĀ Ā knowĀ Ā itāsĀ Ā onlyĀ Ā fortyĀ Ā .Ā Ā iĀ Ā countedĀ Ā .Ā Ā ā
