????????? || ??? ??||

- Song Harin  as Aeri's mom
(The actress in the picture is Oh Nara)

I arrived home and was greeted by my mom welcoming me at the door.

"Mom?" I greeted, surprised to see her.

"Weren't you supposed to come next week?" I asked sitting on the couch as she joined me.

"I finished my work earlier than expected," she explained, sitting down beside me.

"I ended up selling the house next door," she told me, showing me something on her phone.

"Oh really? I thought you were planning to rent it out," I said, as Anna handed me a glass of water.

"I considered that, but decided it would be better to have new neighbors instead," she explained.

"Our new neighbor will be moving in anytime soon," she said with a smile, to which I nodded before excusing myself and heading upstairs.

"Aeri," I heard my mom call out. I turned to see her standing up and walking towards me.

"Have you met Choi San?" she inquired as I nervously glanced at Anna, of course Anna knows about San being in love with me.

"Yeah, I know him," I replied with a smile.

"Who is he?" she questioned, raising her eyebrows. I could sense the tension building as beads of sweat started to form on my forehead.

"He was a senior at our university, and his dad is one of the owners," I explained.

"Did he ask you out?" she questioned, hands behind her back.

I shook my head, fully aware of my mom's expectations.

"I declined," I answered in a low voice.

"I think you should go on a date with him," she suggested with a smile, leaving me puzzled.

This wasn't the familiar side of my mom that I knew.

"But only him, not anyone else," she warned.

"I don't want to," I replied.

"Why not?" she pressed on.

"I just don't like him, mom," I said honestly.

"It's important to build connections with wealthy people, don't you know that?," she remarked, leaning in closer and placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Having rich friends can be beneficial in times of need, not the poor," she explained, more like a smirk.

Fucking business minded lady.