PB4G: Kat's Khaotic Birthday, Pt. 6

Kitty Kat's Khaotic Birthday Week, Pt. 6
---
July 11, 2032
"...and then she said, 'Kitty Kat already read me the Moon Thief story'. So I said back, 'But she doesn't tell it like how *I* tell it'." Lin spoke, while eating breakfast in her apartment.
"Please tell me you didn't corrupt my princess." Kat replied, sitting across from her.
"I was on my best behavior! Ya think I'm gonna give Dr. Scary any more reason to give me the evil eye? I've gotta show that I can be responsible. I want this time to be different."
"Well I appreciate you stepping up like that. Whenever I look after Shizuka, I take my cues from how you used to look after me. I'm glad you haven't lost that touch. Also, 'Dr. Scary'?"
"You've seen the look she gets, right? It's like 'I'm not mad, I'm disappointed' but taken to the umpteenth degree! I dunno what she's got hiding up her sleeve and I don't wanna find out."
"Yeah, I know she can be intimidating. I'm sure they're both grateful that you looked after Shizuka. She behaved herself, right?"
"Of course. She slept the entire night after I read her the story. Didn't even stir when her moms came back. Sound sleeper, that one."
"Don't I know it."
"So what's your plan for today?"
"Gonna be doing a bit of a cultural trip with the gang. We're heading up to Jongno to go see the palace."
"Oooh, fancy. You're really hitting all the big spots with 'em, huh?"
"Gotta show my mates the best time possible. After that I'm hopping onto FFXIV with Parvie for a little while. Poor thing's been sick and worried about the school year."
"Yeah, heard she wasn't feeling too good. I might join in if I'm free. Eun wants to hang out later, and we *might* be getting a call in from Hyun?"
"Oh, that'd be sweet. How long's it been since you've heard from him?"
"Too long for me. I know he's not getting into fights up there but...I'm still worried, y'know?"
"I get it. You really like him, don't you?"
"It's a different L-word, So. I think he might really be 'the one'. That's the other reason I wanna get my act together. I don't want to mess this up. I know he's no French heiress, but he's so sweet and responsible. And you know when Mom approves, that says a lot."
"Oh, yeah. Hey, speaking of Mom--"
Their discussion was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"That Eun?" Kat asked.
"Shouldn't be. She's not free till the afternoon." Lin got up to answer. The one standing there surprised her.
"Good morning, Ms. Kit." Rose looked inside. "And to you, Ms. Kit. May I come in?"
"Um...sure. Be my guest." Lin uttered in reply.
"Hey, Doc...is Prof with you?" Kat asked.
"Rin is still asleep. I'm here by myself, though she is fully aware of my reason for being here." Rose sat at the breakfast table.
"Oh, uh...tea, right?" Lin asked.
"If you have some."
"Let me grab some of Uncle Vik's mix real quick..." Lin took to the kitchen.
"What's this about, Doc?" Kat asked.
"Here ya go, one cup of his finest Chai." Lin handed Rose a cup.
"Thank you." Rose took a sip. "There is an important matter we need to discuss, Ms. Kit."
"Um..."
"The elder Ms. Kit, for clarity."
"Should I step out?" Kat asked.
"No, it's better that you're here." Rose looked to Lin. "First, I must thank you properly for looking after Shizuka for us. She was very pleased with your care. Even went so far as to say that it was very much like when your sister looks after her."
"Aw, it was nothing. It helps that she's such a quiet kid." Lin replied.
"It was not my idea to have you sit for us, but it provided the perfect test of your intent to change. And after speaking with Rin, we came to an agreement."
"An agreement on...what?"
"On providing an end to your curse."
Rose produced an oval object resembling a mirror. "Do you recognize this?"
"It's kinda small, but...it's like that creepy mirror Death's Hand had."
"Correct. This was made with fragments of the Vulcan Driver--the Theban device used to grant Persona-like abilities to select individuals. Such as yourself. It took some time to gather enough pieces to make a functioning model, as well as to analyze all of its properties. That is why it took until now to bring it to you. I was going to present it sooner, but for the...incident."
"Um, so...what's it gonna do to fix what I've got going on?"
"The Driver has two primary functions: gifting power, and taking it away. But through research, and discussions with Ms. Hanakotoba, we found that removal of its gifted power could cause one's true Persona to awaken, should the prerequisite conditions have been met."
"So it'll replace the fake Naga with...the real one? But that power's what's giving me this look in the first place. Won't the new one do the same thing?"
"Not necessarily. Saku's powers were changed up after they woke up for real. If making you more snakelike isn't part of your real power's deal, then maybe it'll cancel it out." Kat suggested. "That's your thought too, right, Doc?"
"Correct. Should the new Driver work as intended, then any adverse effects caused by the false Persona would be reversed. There is always the chance, however, that it may simply be how your power was always meant to work." Rose replied.
"Any chance is better than none! So what do I do, just touch it--" Lin reached for it, but Rose pulled it away.
"Let me make one thing clear. I'm giving you this second chance because Rin and I believe that anyone is capable of change. Your actions on our first night here tested that belief. Rin believes that your efforts to straighten out your life are legitimate. I want to believe it myself. You need to keep it that way. If I hear of any kind of immaturity or criminal actions coming from you, I won't hesitate to have your power removed altogether. This all hinges, of course, on your sister's approval."
"Really putting the pressure on me, huh, Doc..." Kat replied. "I want you to be happy, Lin. I want us to keep being like this, instead of what happened the other night. You have to keep your act together. And if you can't do that for me, then I'll know it's never gonna happen." She took hold of the mirror. "Promise me, Lin."
"....." Lin went silent. "...if I screw this up, you've got my permission to take it all away. If this thing really gives me back what it took away, you won't hear another bad remark from me ever again. I'll kiss the ground the Professor walks on! I'm just...so tired of looking in a mirror and seeing these eyes. Touching my back and feeling those ugly scales. Going to bed and dreaming that I'll turn into a monster. If there's any chance that this can make it happen, then...I promise I'll be good."
Rose looked at Kat. The latter nodded.
"Very well. Put your hand on the surface." Rose advised.
Kat put the mirror down. Lin took a deep breath, and put her hand on it. At that moment, a black hole-like swirl appeared on its surface, as the surroundings were replaced with a photo negative coloration for a brief moment. Once it switched back, Lin fell over.
Kat checked on her. "You alright? Let me see your--"
"Check my back first, So. Please. If I'm gonna see something awful in the mirror, I want to know first." Lin asked.
"Okay." Kat pulled up the back of Lin's shirt. She put a hand over her mouth. "...!"
"What is it?! Is it still bad?!"
"Lin...they're gone. I don't see any scales."
"Bull, don't play any tricks on me. Get me my camera."
Kat gave Lin her phone, turning on the camera app. With extreme hesitation, Lin opened her eyes. "Ahh...!"
What was staring back at her were not the yellowed eyes of a snake. Instead, they were a set of emerald green eyes. A pair she had not seen in almost four years. "M-M-M-My...my eyes...they're...my eyes..."
Kat was astonished. "Oh my God, Lin..."
"Holy...holy shit...please tell me this ain't a trick." Lin got up and ran to look in the mirror in her bathroom.
"Doc...you're not screwing with her right now, are you?"
Rose shook her head. "I am nothing if not brutally honest. What you see is reality."
Lin walked back out, looking as though she was trying to keep herself from bursting into tears.
"Sis...?" Kat uttered.
"Y'know...maybe it's cuz I haven't seen them in a while...but my eyes look like they're prettier than ever..."
"Know what? I think you might be right. And I always used to think they were pretty."
"Oh my God, So! I'm seriously gonna cry! I can stop fibbing to Mom and Pops about why they looked like that! I can go to the pool and wear a bikini without worrying about people seeing those ugly-ass scales! I'm not gonna spend the rest of my life curled up in a cave, laying eggs! I...I'm not gonna die a monster!" Lin got on her knees in front of Rose. "What do I have to do to repay you?! Clean your house, cut your grass, massage your feet, what do I gotta do?!"
"As tempting as those offers may be, I need no repayment. All we expect from you is an honest attempt at keeping your life in order. Set a good example for your younger sister." Rose replied.
"Yes, ma'am! I'll be the goodiest goodie-two-shoes this side of the Han! I swear!"
"Good. Because I *will* be keeping a close eye on you. This is a gift. And I do not take misusing our gifts lightly." Rose got up. "Thank you for the tea. Good day, ladies."
"Thanks a million, Doc!" Kat bid as Rose departed. "Oh, Lin, this is awesome! Mom and Pops are gonna be--"
"Asking a thousand questions, probs. I'll just say that I got tired of wearing contacts." Lin continued looking at her phone's camera. "All those nasty things I said, and they still sign off on giving me back my eyes."
"That's just the kind of people they are. But now you have to hold up your end of the bargain. No more mean remarks or laziness or dips back into the pickpocket life. The less things to keep Mom up at night, the better."
"Oh no, I said I'd be on the straight and narrow, and I meant it. I'm...tired of disappointing you and the fam. No more bad examples. You deserve a good big sis."
"Love ya, Lin. And you already are." Kat glanced at the time. "Alright, should probably get moving before the rest of the gang wakes up--"
"Hold on there, kitten. Before we got our visitor, you were starting to say something about Mom?"
"Oh...right. I'm...starting to worry about her. Aunt Mini said that she's got a bad case of Empty Nest Syndrome."
"Oh, geez. She got the shaky hands again?"
"Uh-huh. I think she's scared of us resenting her. Like we're gonna talk to her like how she talks to Grandma. Or worse, how Aunt Mini talks to Grandma."
"As in, not at all."
"Yep."
"So what do you think we should do?"
"I think, for once, do the normal family thing and sit down, talk it out, and get our feelings across."
"You *do* realize that we're talking about Mom here, right? She's never exactly been the beacon of emotion."
"Then it's past time we fix that. Cuz I'm sick and damn tired of her trying to win over Grandma's approval. You know that's always been what it is."
"Yeeeeeah. Dunno why when it's pretty damn obvious it's impossible. Y'know what her gripe with Hyun is? 'That boy makes tattoos, he's practically a felon!' Like fuck off, excuse my French."
"I get the double dose of 'she's a foreigner' and 'she's a she'. She hates Pops, she hates Uncle Vik--"
"Which I will *never* understand."
"Point is, Grandma hates everyone and Mom needs to stop pretending that she can win her over somehow. And we need to get it through to her that we're not gonna leave her and Pops alone forever. So.. you in?"
"Well when you put it like that, I've got no reason not to. When do you wanna do it?"
"Tonight. Mom's busy with school stuff, so after I get home, I'll call you over. If you're not busy with a video date."
"Nah, I should be good. Think we should get Aunt Mini on-board?"
"Good idea. If anyone can get Mom's guard down, it's her. I'll let her know."
"Kid sisters have that effect."
"Ha. Well, I'll see ya later. Enjoy your eyesight."
"Have fun with your nerd trip!"
Kat exited. 
Lin looked back into her camera. Back at those eyes that she had been missing for so long.
"Where've you been hiding, sexy?"
---
The historic Jongno district is often labeled as the center of Seoul, due to the presence of many significant structures. Temples and palaces are prevalent within the district, and its status as a cultural and political hub is further highlighted by it housing multiple foreign embassies. Kings and presidents have made their homes here for over six centuries.
Most significant amongst these locales was Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty that served as the home of the royal family for over two-hundred years of its history. Conflicts both foreign and domestic had led to numerous rebuilding efforts over the years.
"Eat your heart out, Buckingham Palace." Tabby confidently proclaimed. The young Artisans were in front of the front gate.
"Gyeongbokgung, also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace. For any note-takers out there, that translates to 'Blessing Scenery Palace'." Cindy said.
"I can see where that comes from. Even the atmosphere feels regal." Barbara replied.
"Hold up, I just realized something. Isn't adding 'Palace' to the end kinda redundant? You're basically calling it 'Blessed Scenery Palace Palace'." Sahir pointed out.
"Kinda like how DC Comics is technically 'Detective Comics Comics'." Max added.
"My advice? Don't think too much about it." Kat suggested.
"You've got to be chomping at the bit to see the architecture, right, Kenny?" Natalia asked.
Kenneth was turned away.
"Kenny...?"
He quickly moved something into his pocket, and turned around. "Ah, yes, architecture. Plywood and concrete and all that."
"What's in your pocket, Kenny?" Natalia puffed her cheek, confident she already knew the answer.
"Nothing at all but my wallet."
"Are British wallets cylindrical in shape?" Carrie asked, noting what was jutting from his pocket.
"Only the most state-of-the-art models."
"Oh for God's sake Kenny, just take it out! And I mean what's in your pocket." Kat demanded.
"Curse you." Kenneth took out the can of freeze-dried pufferfish.
"Oh, not that thing again!" Sahir groaned.
"We never gave it back, though." Max said.
"...I bought another one." Kenneth uttered, ashamed.
"I send him out to get some milk, and he comes back with more candy!" Natalia griped.
"Blame this one, not me!" Kenneth pointed at Kat.
"We're all responsible for our own actions, Kenny." Kat retorted.
As the bulk of the group bantered over the canned sweets, three of their number were off to the side, far more subdued. "Hey, so...it's not just me, is it? We've been getting some weird looks since we got here." Ibuki said.
"I've gotten a few side eyes throughout the week, but there's been a lot more since walking into this part of town." Kibō replied.
"I was expecting it. I know Japan and Korea don't have the nicest history."
"That is putting it delicately." Sakuya interjected. "We are in the cultural center of Korea's capital city. Many intellectuals live in this part of town who know of that sordid history between our two nations. There was a time when this land we stand on was under Imperial control. This palace we stand before was demolished during that time."
"They sure did a good job rebuilding it. Even if it's not the original building, it still makes me feel..."
"Like it knows what we are and doesn't like us?" Kibō spoke.
"We having a secret meeting over here?" Kat walked over. "What's with the serious looks? I'm guessing you're not talking about puffers."
"Are you sure that it's alright for us to be here? Considering who it was that last destroyed this palace." Sakuya questioned.
"Is that what y'all are freaking over? Babes, that was almost a hundred years ago. Nobody's around that even remembers it happening."
"The looks we've been getting since we got here tell a different story." Kibō replied.
"Were any of you guys here when they knocked it down?"
"Obviously not."
"Was anyone from your family here?"
"My family's history is all in either politics or combat sports, so...probably not."
"I've never cared to look into my father's family background, but I assume no." Sakuya added.
"I've done a lot of digging into my family history. My great-great-grandpa was a foot soldier in the Imperial army. He was never stationed here, as far as I know, but he was still in the same operation as the people that took over this place." Ibuki informed.
"And what's that got to do with us, huh? Ugh, I hate this generational trauma BS. I'm not gonna be held accountable for something someone else did a hundred years ago. And I'm not gonna let it color how I view things. If some ignorant morons wanna give you the side eye cuz of that, well that's a 'them' problem. So c'mon. Don't make me have to spank you." Kat walked back to the rest of the group.
"You're gonna want to spank us either way." Kibō responded.
"That was a bit passionate, wasn't it?" Ibuki questioned. Sakuya silently observed Kat.
"Alright, we all good?" Kat asked upon returning.
Natalia had taken the can and stuck it in her purse, while Kenneth looked frustrated. "He's not getting these back until after lunch." she said.
"I don't know what the problem is. It's just candy." Kenneth said.
"It's a lot of candy in a short amount of time that your body's never had before. You gotta moderate it a bit." Kat replied.
"For real, you never know what kind of weird side effects that could have." Kibō added.
"It's frozen candy shaped like a fish. How harmful could it possibly be?" Kenneth questioned.
"I'd have to see the ingredients first, but overconsumption of unfamiliar substances could have unforseen effects." Cindy pointed out.
"You'll thank us later, Kenny. Let's get inside." Kat directed.
"Don't let them get to you, Kenny." Tabby reassured him. Suddenly, a pair of white, feathery wings sprouted from the sides of her head. "I think they're overreacting."
Kenneth blinked, and rubbed his eyes. When he opened them again, the wings were gone.
"You alright?" she asked again.
"...sound in both mind and body." he replied.
"...oh, hang on!" Kat paused.
"What's the matter?" Carrie asked.
"Let's wait a few minutes. They're about to do the changing of the guard. They have reenactments every hour here at the main gate. We can watch from across the street."
"Ooh, that sounds neat. I was wondering about the people in old costume." Barbara replied.
The group walked to the open space across the street. At the center was a large stone statue of a sword-wielding man in old military regalia, holding onto his cloth belt.
"This is Admiral Yi Sun-sin, born April 25, 1545, died December 16, 1598. A national Korean hero and often regarded as one of history's greatest naval commanders." Cindy began to relate, as though she were reading from a book. "Despite being outmanned and outgunned in nearly every battle against the Japanese Imperial fleet, he won each time in overwhelming fashion. The most famous was the battle of Myeongnyang, where despite his fleet of thirteen ships being firmly outnumbered by the Japanese, he destroyed thirty warships without losing a single vessel."
"Is she doing a book report...?" Sahir questioned.
"Told y'all that brain is like a supercomputer." Ibuki replied.
"--praised heavily for his strategic planning, but also for the kindness he would show to those affected by war. His reputation among the people of Korea is not only as an exemplary commander, but as a human being..." Cindy continued.
"She just related all that without taking a break." Kibō said.
"Oh...was that too much? Sorry. I spent a few days before coming here learning everything I possibly could. I must sound like a Wikipedia article."
"Nobody here's judging. Maybe your true calling is to be a tour guide." Max replied.
"She's got the perkiness for it." Kat added.
"...hm. Maybe you're onto something." Cindy pondered.
"Wait, I wasn't being *serious*..." Max denied.
Kenneth, meanwhile, was staring at the statue. 
"Pretty imposing, isn't he?" Natalia asked him.
"....." Kenneth silently observed.
"Yes, Kenneth, aren't I imposing?"
That got his attention. "Who the...?"
"Up here, Kenneth."
He looked. The statue of Admiral Yi was staring down at him. "Sorry if my voice sounds gravelly today. I am made of rocks, after all. Bahahahahaha!" 
Kenneth shook his head, and blinked a couple of times.
"Oh, you poor boy. It's the beard, isn't it? A clean-shaven lad like yourself wouldn't understand the care and maintenance that goes into it. One might even say that I've chiseled it to perfection. Bahahahaha!"
"Kenny...Kenny!" Natalia called out.
Kenneth snapped back to reality. He looked up. The statue was immobile.
"...apologies. I was just...admiring the craftsmanship." he replied.
"Alright, time for another history lesson. Eyes on the entrance." Kat directed.
The group was treated to a 'changing of the guard': re-enactors in old-fashioned red uniforms and sheathed swords switching out with other re-enactors, complete with drums and a flag display.
The crowd applauded the effort. Soon, they dispersed, either back into the palace or to the rest of the prominent district.
"Such a charming performance. I can see why it's so highly regarded." Carrie said.
"I love any good re-enactment. Performance art makes my heart sing~." Barbara chimed.
"Spoken like the Disney princess you are, beautiful." Kat commented. "Okay, peeps, let's see what the house looks like on the inside."
Everyone began to walk back across the street.
"Hey, man, you sure you're alright? Didn't look like you were focusing back there." Kibō asked Kenneth, as the hair strand sticking out from his head suddenly bloomed into a sunflower.
Kenneth blinked to undo the image. "Never better."
The group walked inside, into a series of rebuilt gates and buildings harkening back to the days of yore. They split off to observe at their own leisure.
"Hey, Natty Cat. Is your man alright in the head?" Ibuki asked Natalia.
"He's probably just annoyed that I took his candy." Natalia replied.
"That looks less like annoyance and more like withdrawal. Or a trip." Max responded.
Kibō looked around. "Oh, I don't like this. I don't see him anywhere."
"Oh, geez. Where the hell did he go?" Kat asked.
"He said he was going to the loo. With a funny look in his eye." Tabby answered.
"I'm gonna go find him before he hurts somebody." Sahir went off.
Inside a nearby restroom, Kenneth stood in front of a mirror, rubbing his eyes. "Grr...get it together, Kenneth. If this goes on, the others will think you're some...depraved candy man."
Those last two words echoed out. "Candy man, candy man, candy man, candy man."
Suddenly, the room went dark, and Kenneth witnessed someone appearing in the reflection. As he focused in, he realized who it was. Sahir, wearing a purple coat.
"What's wrong, Kenny?" Sahir's voice reverberated. He raised his hands to reveal that his right one had been replaced by a bloody hook. "Afraid?"
"Gah! Begone, villain!" 
"Kenny, Kenny, Kenny!" Sahir grabbed him, returned to normal. "Bro, calm down!"
"Geh, ugh...sorry about that."
"What's gotten into you, man? You've been acting coo-coo since we got here."
"I'm...fine."
"C'mon, don't hide it. You know everyone else is gonna sniff it out if I can."
"Tch...it would appear that the concerns that the candy may have some odd effects...may be valid."
"Well why not just say so! You can't go through the whole day going nuts. Let's let everyone know--"
"No no, no, the last thing I want to do is be the reason for something else going awry. You've seen how Kat is waiting for something to go wrong. Me getting intoxicated and making a public show of myself could very well send her into another spiraling depression."
Sahir blinked in disbelief. "I'm sorry, are...are you hiding your being drugged up on candy so you don't ruin 'Kat's' day? And did you just call her Kat instead of 'Katherine'?"
"If you mention any of that to her, I will fill every waking moment of your life with the most shrill noises the human mind can comprehend."
"Unless you've got recordings of my sisters trying to sing, you're out of luck, there. This way, Your Snarkliness. Hopefully it's already starting to wear off."
Sahir took Kenneth outside. 
It became clear that it was not, in fact, wearing off.
The sky had turned neon pink and green, as what looked to be giant, translucent pufferfish of all colors floated about. As it all played out in front of Kenneth, a hypnotizing hymn began to fill his ears.
"'If ever you hear thiiiiis, my words aaaaare for you~. I know what you did waaaaas, the right thiiiiing, the right thing to do~'"
"...am I in hell?" he questioned.
"Even better, Kenny!" Barbara appeared next to him, dressed as Jasmine from Disney's 'Aladdin'. "It's a whole new world of sensations!"
In a puff of smoke, Tabby appeared dressed as the villainous Jafar, complete with a penciled-in goatee and a wooden parrot sitting on her shoulder. "I'll show you a whole new world--of pain!" She chased after Barbara as she ran.
"'Everything I lost, when IIIIIII, I lost you, made me feel that I would ne-ver re-co-ver~, now my life has changed, and IIIIIII found someone new, and I would give anything just to back youuuu~'"
"Dude? Are you alright?" Kat asked, now looking as though she had emerged from an early-2000s Scott Pilgrim comic.
"Puffers are a hell of a drug." Max replied, appearing similar.
Kenneth's eyes were replaced by a sea of swirling colors as the bizarre visuals consumed him.
In reality, he was staring up into the sky, mouth agape, as the others looked at him.
"Uhhhh..." Max uttered.
"Oh, dude is tripping BALLS!" Ibuki exclaimed.
"I...think we should take him outside to detox." Kat suggested.
A short while later, they had him seated on a bench outside. Natalia sat next to him, massaging his back.
Carrie appeared with a drink. "Here you are. Ginger ale to settle your stomach."
"Thank you, Caroline." Kenneth uttered. 
"You doing alright now?" Kat asked.
"Well, nobody's sprouted wings in the last ten minutes, so we might be getting there. Suppose it goes without saying, but I'll be eating candy in moderation from now on."
"If I even let you have it, you big dummy! You should've said something was wrong before it got as bad as it did." Natalia chastised.
"Yeah, why keep your mouth shut if it was getting that weird?" Kat questioned.
Kenneth tried remaining silent, but Sahir nudged him. "Grr...to maintain your sanity." he relented.
"Maintain...*my* sanity?"
"If I had made a spectacle in such a prevalent place as this, how would you have reacted? Would you have consigned yourself to your room for the rest of the week? Perhaps I would have gotten the same physical treatment as your sister. So I elected to keep it all to myself."
"....." Kat sighed. "Kenny, come on. I don't want you suffering in silence cuz of me. If you're feeling sucky, you should just say so. It makes me feel worse that you're uncomfortable than if you'd had a moment. Just rest up and get your head in order, then we can go back to the fun. And uh, just an FYI, I'm gonna be searching your room for more cans of the puffers."
"You won't be finding any. I only bought the one."
"That he'll admit to." Natalia responded.
"I'm still gonna look. So...what exactly were you seeing?" Kat asked.
Kenneth looked across the street, at the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
"Nonsense. Bloody nonsense." he replied.
---
Later that night, at the Kit home.
"...alright, sounds perfect. See you Tuesday." Wei hung up his phone.
A knock at the door.
"Unless you're selling insurance, come in!"
The door opened, and Mini entered. "Hello, Wei."
"Oh, hey Mini. I didn't know you were coming."
"The girls wanted to have a meeting."
"Ah, of course they wanted you in on it. She's vented to me already. She's more vulnerable than I've ever seen her. I think we're finally at the hour of reckoning."
"So it would seem. Will you be taking part?"
"As much as I want to, I'm still getting things ready for Tuesday. And the girls insisted that it should be a ladies-only meeting."
Kat emerged from atop the stairs. "Hey, Aunt Mini. Thanks for coming. Mom's in her office." She turned around. "C'mon, Lin."
Lin followed behind her. "Yo, Aunt Mini."
"Hello, Lin--did you do something to your eyes again?" Mini questioned.
"I finally dropped the contacts. Interested parties have told me they're nicer like this."
"Hyun definitely thought so." Kat teased, her sister nudging her to keep moving. "...you ready to do this?"
"I've been wanting to have this conversation for a very long time. Try as she might, she still needs that extra push." Mini replied.
"Yeah. Time for a hard talk. Wish us luck, Pops."
"You know where the tissues are." Wei replied.
Inside of her tidy, well-kept educator's office, Joon sat at her desk, jotting down her lesson plans. A glass of wine was sitting within her reach.
The door creaked open. "Hey, Mom. Can I come in?" Kat asked.
"Good evening, So-yin. By all means. I'm finishing up for the night." Joon replied.
"Cool." Kat entered, alone.
"How was Gyeongbokgung today? Was it informative for your friends?"
"Yeah, it was definitely...ah, informative. They all really enjoyed it. Even though it was a little awkward for the Japanese trio."
"Perfectly understandable given history."
"I told them that history shouldn't be held against them or make them feel a certain way. And on that note..."
She gestured for her sister and aunt to enter.
"Hey, Mom."
"Hello, Joonie."
Joon raised an eyebrow. "...you're not here to talk about palaces, are you?"
"It's more serious than that, sister."
She took a sip of her wine. "Alright. First of all...Lin-mae. Your eyes."
"I went back to my real look. I don't wanna look scary or like trouble. I'm serious about not screwing up this time." Lin answered.
"At the very least, I'm pleased to see those ghastly contacts gone. Now, why exactly are you all in my office?"
"Freeing you from every chain you've wrapped yourself in." Mini replied.
"Do I look like I'm in chains?"
"Aunt Mini told me everything, Mom. About why you're so wound-up about this week going good." Kat said.
"Did she now. I thought we'd agreed on that being strictly between us, Min-li."
"Oh, so incensed that you're using my full name. In this case I thought she had a right to know, given that it directly involves her." Mini replied.
"You're afraid that I'm not gonna come back around if things go bad. Why would you think that?" Kat asked.
"Why? Oh, no particular reason, other than that's exactly what happened between myself, your aunt and your grandmother. Other than her occasional critical phone calls, we've both agreed to stay far away. The less I have to be critiqued on my parenting style, the better." Joon replied.
"Well if you want so little to do with Grandma...why are you still trying to get her approval?" Lin asked.
"Excuse me? What would make you think I'm trying to get her approval?"
"The fact that you're so insecure and crazy about us making a mistake or something being out of place! You think if you run a tight enough ship, she'll leave you alone and finally give you the pat on the back she never gave you. It's not gonna happen, Mom."
"Grandma finds a problem with everything. Pops and Uncle Vik, me and Lin's partners, how we dress. Remember the call she gave you when she found out my nose was pierced? Or how about when I went to Japan? I thought she was gonna show up at my dorm and drag me back home." Kat added.
"It would be so easy to just not answer the phone, Joonie. You let her get under your skin." Mini said.
"It's easier for you to say. She's completely disowned you. I'm the one she won't leave be. And if I don't pick up the phone, I know she'll make her way here, and that is something I *do not want*. I could never cut her off completely." Joon insisted.
"If Dad could, so can you."
"Dad did it by going on a journey of 'self-discovery' to every overseas casino he can find. For me it's an impossibility."
"Says who, Mom?" Lin asked.
"Says *me*." Joon reached for her glass, only to realize that it was empty. "If you'll excuse me, I need another glass."
She started to get up, but Mini stopped her. "Please don't, Joonie."
"Move." Joon's hand shook.
"No, sister. You need to listen to me, to your children. The stress that you're putting on yourself is hurting you. We only want what's best for you."
"If you're scared that we're gonna leave, don't be. I'm not mad at you for being so strict. I know you were just trying to keep me out of trouble. I didn't make that job any easier. And I'm sorry about that. But I don't want you thinking that I hold it against you." Lin said.
"Life here hasn't always been easy for me. And I still think that leaving was the best thing that could've happened to me. But it's not anything to do with you. I mean, it was your idea for me to go to Japan in the first place. And even if I decide to stay in Europe or somewhere else far away, it doesn't mean I'll cut you off forever. I could never do that to you. You're my mom and I love you." Kat started to tear up. "And I'm so happy that you care about me so much and you're trying to make this week go well. I don't want you to be stressed out that I'm gonna walk away and never come back. I've been scared that my friends wouldn't want to come back. I want to keep bringing them here. And it's because my family's here."
Joon began to slump back against her desk.
"I'll never turn away from you, Mom. I'll never cut you off. We only want you to be happy."
"We just want our mom to be our mom. You don't need to win anyone's approval. We just don't want you to be so wound-up." Lin added.
With her hand's shaking only continuing, Joon tried to maintain a veneer of calm. "...I really could use a drink." She tried walking out again. Mini put her arm in front of her.
"Don't, Joonie."
"I'm not going anywhere, Mini, I just need a drink."
"You can't drown your stress in wine forever. Your children are being extremely real with you. There's nothing wrong with being vulnerable in front of them."
"Oh, I highly disagree with that--" Joon tried to move.
"If you keep this icy wall up, then you really *will* be like Mom. Free yourself. You'll feel so much better afterwards. If you're afraid of embarrassing yourself, or making a scene of it, or what other people will think of you, then forget all that. That's not you talking. If you didn't want to be free of all that, then you wouldn't have married a man who made a career out of public spectacles. Your children are all you should be thinking of right now."
Joon leaned back against the desk, and took off her glasses. "My children. Yes. The most important parts of my existence. My very reason for being. The ones that keep me up at night wondering if they're alright without me there until the realization sets in that they're probably happier without me micromanaging their lives. Then the crippling loneliness arrives and I slowly realize that my children don't need me nearly as much as I need them. Mother's voice echoes and repeats my every maternal failure, and I ponder how I even function--"
"STOP IT, MOM!" Kat yelled. She ran up and embraced her mother. "Please...please stop talking about yourself like that! Don't ever think you're not good enough, that's not true! Please don't ever think that..."
"Not...good enough...?"
A vision from Joon's memory came to the fore. Fifteen-year old Song Joon-yi returned home, school notebooks in hand and a pleased look on her face. Taking off her shoes so as not to dirty the frequently-cleaned floors, she looked around. "Mother, Father, I have great news! I--"
"Uggggh, I hate it here!"
Storming down the stairs was her thirteen-year old sister Min-li, her hair its natural black color.
"Mini? What's wrong?"
"Guess who found out I was talking to a boy again? I wasn't even trying to get his number or anything, it was just talking! I can't go anywhere or do anything without someone snitching on me to her!" She headed for the door.
"Wait, where are you going?"
"Anywhere but here! I'm sick of being the good little daughter and still being treated like a criminal! Maybe I'll go sell drugs or some other bad thing like what she thinks I'm doing! You deal with her, Joonie!" Mini stormed out.
With that bit of drama squarely in her mind, Joon walked upstairs. She looked inside an office, dimly lit save for a fireplace. Facing away from the door was a sofa, whose occupant was hidden save for her hands, one of which held a wine glass. "Mother?"
"Did your sister's outburst just now indicate in any way that I wish to speak right now, Joon-yi?" Her mother took a sip. "Well, out with it."
"Ah, yes, well, um--"
"Um, um, um, are you some kind of cave person?"
"No, ma'am, apologies. I wanted to let you know that the Academy released the semester placements today. I finished third overall in the class."
"Third. Hm."
"Yes, out of a class of--"
"With such lofty expectations for yourself, you'll be working with your father in waste management in no time at all."
"....." 
"The parade of disappointment continues on. Your dinner is in the oven. Make sure to leave no crumbs."
"Y...yes, ma'am..."
Joon walked away, feeling as though she had been stabbed through her heart. Slowly marching downstairs, the tears began to stream down her face.
The memory shifted to five years later. Joon sat inside a restaurant booth. Mini, a blonde streak in her hair, sat across from her, alongside a younger, clean-shaven Vikram. "So are you calling the golden man back, or not?" he asked.
"I don't know. I probably shouldn't..." Joon replied.
"Joonie, come on now. This is *the* Golden Wei we're talking about here! All the skimpy girls brushing up against him at that party, and he singles you out." Mini said.
"Probably because I was the only one not showing any skin. And besides--"
"No no, let me guess..." Vikram pretended to read her mind. "...Mommy wouldn't approve of the devilish, shiny man."
"Come on, Joonie. We're finally away from her. It's not like she has the place bugged. Do something for yourself for once." Mini advised.
"Mini, please, a famous singer would only ever date someone glamorous. Not a teaching student who doesn't know the first thing about fashion." Joon replied.
"So why did he give you his number, hmmm? Hmmmmm? Vikram asked.
"It probably isn't even his real number."
"Excuses, excuses, you won't know unless you try!" Mini said.
"Mini, please, I'm not good enough..."
"Joonie, that's what Mom always said about your grades. She was wrong then, and you're wrong now. Give him a call." Mini held up her flip phone.
"Mini--"
She put the phone in her sister's hand. "Give. The famous man. A call."
"Do it, do it, do it!" Vikram urged.
Joon looked at her sister and her boyfriend. She could hear her mother's protests in her head.
For the first time in her life, she ignored them.
"This might be the worst decision of my life." she said, opening the phone.
"Or the best." her sister countered.
She dialed the number. "He's not going to pick up, this is a waste of--"
The ringing stopped. "'Yello."
"Ah..." Joon was stunned. Her companions looked intrigued. "Hello, would this happen to be..."
"The one and only, often imitated, never duplicated, man, myth, and legend combined, Golden Wei-yin, at your distinguished service."
"Well, you're nothing if not humble."
"The most humble guy on Korea Radio's Top 15. Now, if my ears are correct--which they rarely aren't--I'm gonna assume this is the studious-looking lass from the other night. Was it Junebug, or something along those lines..."
"It's just Joon, smart guy. I, uh..." She started to turn red. "I was calling to see if I could, you know...take you up on your offer to get dinner sometime."
"Oh, Shiva, this is gooooooood." Vikram said.
"Shush." Mini nudged him.
"Oh...wow. I, uh, actually didn't think you'd call. I thought 'this girl's way too cultured to go for someone like me'." Wei said.
"Y-You think I'm cultured?" Joon asked. "I didn't think you'd actually accept, I mean, someone like you must be so busy..."
"Not too busy to show a nice girl a good time. How's an 8 o'clock movie tomorrow sound?"
"That sounds...nice. I'd be more than happy to. As long as you don't wear any foul cologne."
"Heh, I'll break out my best bottle. See you then, cultured girl."
The call ended. Joon ducked her head into her shirt. "I'm going to explode."
"Yeeeeee, my bookworm sister's going on a date with Golden Wei! This is incredible!" Mini exclaimed.
"Are we getting free concert tickets now?" Vikram questioned.
"Oh, Joonie, this is wonderful! You're inching ever so slowly away from Mom's demands. You'll feel so much better now."
"This was a mistake. I'm going to be tabloid fodder now." Joon uttered. "When Mother finds out--"
"Who cares? A famous singer wants to take you on a date. This could be the best thing to ever happen to you."
"Yes, it could. Or the worst."
Joon emerged from her memories, as her youngest daughter embraced her.
"You're the best mom I could've ever asked for. You're the one that got me out of here and let me find myself. Never let anyone tell you you're not good enough, because it's just not true..." Kat buried her head in her mother's chest.
"....." Joon's grip on the desk behind her only intensified. "...do you remember what I said the first time I chose to do something for myself, Mini?"
"You mean when you called Wei to accept his offer for a date? Of course. You said it could end up being the worst mistake you'd ever make." Mini replied.
"I...I would like to formally reject that statement." Joon returned Kat's embrace. "So-yin...my sweet, sweet baby...I'm so sorry that I made you worry...and Lin-mae?"
"Y-Yeah...?" Lin uttered, not sure how to react.
"Come over here, please."
With some hesitation, Lin walked over. Joon pulled her in. 
"My dear firstborn who I've been far too critical of...I'm sorry for being so restrictive over the years...I should've known that would only push you away."
"Aw, Mom...it's not your fault..."
"I wish I had been more nurturing to the two of you...but I am pleased with where you are now. The house just feels so much more empty without you in it. And it's brought back those old fears that I've repeated my mother's mistakes."
"You don't have to worry about that, Mom. You trying everything to make this week go well says enough. All we want is for you to be happy when we're not around." Kat replied. "And I might have an idea of who to talk to about that."
"I have a feeling I might know who. Thank you for the wake-up call, my girls. Would you give me a minute to talk with your aunt?"
"Yeah, absolutely. C'mon, Lin."
"Mom hugged us, dude." Lin uttered on the way out.
"You complaining about it?"
"Not complaining, I'm just saying...wow." The sisters left the room.
"How are you feeling?" Mini asked.
"Spent. Vulnerable. Like I really need a drink." Joon replied.
"It was what you needed. I don't keep my feelings from my children, and neither should you. I wouldn't worry about them closing you off. Give them the more emotional relationship they clearly want with you."
"You know, shouldn't I be the one giving *you* life advice? Anyone would assume I was the younger one."
"You're not *that* much older than me. I can be wise when I want to be."
"Oh, is that right?"
"Who was the one who told you to call the K-pop star?"
Joon leaned back. "So what do I do now?"
"Pending whatever So has planned, I'm more than happy to keep you company for the day tomorrow. Maybe you'll *finally* let me turn that wardrobe upside-down."
"Mini."
"First step in moving on is looking how you want to feel. Saying goodbye to Joon, the stuffy teacher, and saying hello to Joonie, the pop star's wife."
"I already don't like where this is going." Joon sighed. "But if you think it'll help."
"I know it will. And besides, I'll use any excuse to spend time with my best friend." Mini picked up the wine glass. "I love you, Joonie. I hope this is the start of something wonderful for you."
"Thank you, my wizened sister. I'm assuming that you'll be staying for dinner?"
"Any excuse, Joonie. I'll give you a few minutes." Mini winked, then left the room.
After a minute to compose herself, the door opened again. "Heeeey, beautiful. You let our girls know how you're feeling?" Wei asked.
"You knew *exactly* what they were up to, didn't you?"
"I might have. Or maybe I was blissfully unaware. Who can say?"
"Hm. So are you checking to see what kind of grandiose transformation I've undergone?"
"Oh, no. I just figured that my hard-working wife would be exhausted after such a long day, and needed assistance getting to the dining room."
"Your concern is touching, but rest assured, I'm fully capable of walking down the--Wei what are you doing?"
He bent down and picked her up by the waist. "Providing express service, ma'am."
"Wei, this is unacceptable! You put me down right now!"
"Y'know, I haven't held you up like this since I brought you home after our wedding. It's like stepping into a time machine."
"Save the nostalgia! Wei--Wei, are you even listening to me? Don't you dare take me out there like this!" she complained as he started walking.
Ignoring her demands, he hummed as he walked.
"Wei we are going to have a serious talk about this--So-yin, Lin-mae, you take those smirks off your faces! I can't with any of this..."