Cont

3:12pm

Meeting with investors at the karaoke club. Akiaya made sure that the room was booked and had an abundance of alcohol, with plenty of food. Every song that she knew each investor liked was queued for them to enjoy. She looked around to see their spirits were high. Her father who never drinks, accidentally picked up the wrong cup. Akiaya watched him put the cup to his lips. She quickly coughed; loud enough to grab his attention. Geun glanced her way, but attempted to take another drink. Akiaya started to cough uncontrollably, which garnered the investors attention along with Geun Hye. He hastily placed down the cup and ran to his daughter. "Akia you alright? Did you not eat properly?" She only nodded her head daring not to speak in front of the investors. 

Once their attentions returned to the merriment she whispered to her buchin, "Papa you idiot! You almost drank sake. You know what mama says about you having alcohol." He only ruffled her hair before grabbing a different cup filled with tea. She breathed out a sigh of relief. Sipping her own cup of tea, she watched the men act like a bunch of high schoolers. As the alcohol continued to flow, the men continued to gush about their latest toys and wives. They seemed to all have forgotten her presence. Akiaya could only bury her head in her hands embarrassed by their conversation. She received a message from her mother. [Akia tell papa that he needs to be home by 6 tonight. We have plans.<3] She looked from her phone to her papa and sent back her reply with a smirk. [Aye ya Mamacita aleumdaun. I'll bop him on the head and tell him to leave. Also papa had unicorn blood today. So.. you know just saying.] She snickered just lightly when she received an angry reaction. A few moments later she heard her father's phone ringing. He looked down to see it was Kenisha <3 wifey. He hurriedly answered the call. "My lo… uh huh… yes dear." He looked over at Akiaya with narrowed eyes. She only smiled back at him. Geun Hye bowed to the investors before making his departure. Akiaya stood up and explained that her father had an urgent matter to attend at home. The men understood they all valued their wives and left as well. She was tidying up the room before the attendants came to finish. She checked her watch to see the time. She still had a few hours before she needed to be ready to meet Chun-Hei. 

6:19pm

Akiaya reached her home just after traffic was dying down. She walked the two flights of steps, barefoot before reaching her apartment. Her phone rang to see it was Chun-Hei calling. Fumbling with her keys, she placed her phone between the juncture of her shoulder and ear. "Yeah, did you need me oh horrible cousin of mine?" She unlocked her door when she heard the excited squeals of Chun-Hei on the phone. "Please don't be mad. I promise you'll have lots of fun plus you'll be meeting my nae salang. Now be ready in one hour. I'll pick you up ok?" Before Akiaya could refute the new time the call ended. She sighed in exasperation over her cousin's demanding ways. An hour didn't give her much time to prepare. Quickly, she found her red short Gucci dress with leopard print trimmings that cinched her waist with a belt. Grabbing her black five inch heels with the red strip she rushed to freshen up. Pulling her hair from the confining bun, she had for work, to allow her natural wavy hair to shine. Cleaning her face she prepared it for the nighttime scene. Garnering red eye shadow and lipstick. She finished her makeup with mascara, elongating her lashes. Akiaya was dressed and ready by the time she received the call from Chun-Hei that she was downstairs. 

7:25pm

Akiaya descended the stairs and rushed to hug Chun-Hei. It had been a few years since she seen her. Their family was still treated as outcasts because her father, the eldest son, decided he wanted to marry her mother, a southern African American woman who was fascinated with the Asian culture. It only improved slightly when her father bought out her traditional grandfather in his inheritance. It was quite the scandal for a few days. The news outlets couldn't believe it. A disinherited son buying out his father and removing him from the board of directors. The media was in a tizzy. She was about ten years old when she finally met her father's family, after the buy out. Her grandfather called for a sit down with them to discuss Geun Hye ruthlessness against his family. Akiaya was so happy to see them that she ran eagerly to him calling him baba. "baba, baba. It's so good to see you." She lunged at his waist nestling her head against his stomach. He took a step back to brace himself against her accelerated body weight. He grunted at the contact looking from her to his son. Eum Bing In-Su, felt his heart melt just a bit at her warm hug. He pulled her from his body and kneeled down. "I am not your baba. Baba is father in Chinese. I am your harabeoji little one. And what is your name?" She had looked up to him with bright clear eyes and a smile. "Mama and papa named me Akiaya. She said it means destined one. I think she watched too much anime and read too many manga. That's what she would read to me at night. Do you read manga?" That's when she had meet Chun-Hei. A precocious little girl that ran up to her as she had to her harabeoji and hugged her. "Cousin, cousin. You look so pretty. Harabeoji, I want hair like kai mai."