Author POV –
"Yaah, you lazy a$$, wake up! Even the twins are awake and ready, but look at you—sleeping like a pig after selling the horses. Get up, or we are leaving without you. And then come with your own money because the company won't pay for your missed flight."
The moment Maggie heard that she'd have to pay by herself if she missed the flight, she jumped off the bed quickly.
"I'm up… I'm up! Just give me five—no, no—ummm ten minutes. I'll come down in fifteen," she said hurriedly and then rushed to freshen up. Ah-rin sighed.
"I knew that she would be late. That's why I asked her to stay here tonight. Otherwise, she would've surely missed her flight and then cried like a baby over the phone," Ah-rin muttered to no one specific.
She shook her head and left the room.
Almost thirty minutes later, Maggie came down shouting like a mad bull.
"Yaah, Seo Ah-rin! There's still one hour left for our flight. You woke me up too early!"
"How much time did you take to get ready exactly, Queen Victoria?" Ah-rin asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"I—I… that's not the point. I could've slept ten more minutes, you know!" Maggie stammered.
"And then we'll land at the Korean airport with your private helicopter, right, Ms. Billionaire?" Ah-rin replied dryly.
Sarcasm dripped from her voice. The twins giggled at their mommy's remark. Ah-rin glared at them before turning back to Maggie.
"Are you coming or—"
"Coming, coming! Such a Hitler you are, Seo Ah-rin! Hmph!" Maggie cut her off quickly.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm a Hitler. That's why I asked you to stay overnight—so you wouldn't miss your flight and waste your money. What a kind-hearted Hitler I am!"
Rolling her eyes, Ah-rin walked out of the house, leaving the giggling twins behind. Maggie cursed Ah-rin's sassy attitude and followed her quickly. Seeing their mom and aunty leave, the twins ran after them.
Time Skip — At the Airport
Almost every male eye turned toward them, staring as if they were some kind of hot meal.
Most of those gazes were fixed on—
Our sassy queen 👸
Maggie.
Ah-rin hissed in annoyance at the overwhelming attention towards them. She hated being stared at—especially when it involved her or her babies. That's why she usually avoided attracting attention in public. But now, thanks to this idiot Maggie, they were drowning in it.
The airport hallway felt unusually narrow—not because of space, but because of the attention following them.
Ah-rin walked with measured steps, posture straight and controlled. She wore a crisp white button-down shirt, neatly tucked beneath a black, structured bustier-style top that hugged her torso with quiet authority. The contrast was striking—soft white against sharp black—professional yet undeniably elegant. Her tailored black trousers flowed cleanly down her legs, ending just above pointed black heels that clicked softly against the marble floor.
A white overcoat rested neatly over her arm, folded with care rather than worn, as if she refused to let the environment dictate her composure. One hand held her phone, the other gripped the coat tightly. Her long hair framed her face perfectly, her expression unreadable—though the tightness of her jaw betrayed her irritation.
She could feel the stares.
Lingering.
Assessing.
Gnawing.
And beside her—
Maggie was an entirely different storm.
She wore a knee-length black dress, fitted at the bodice and subtly flaring at the hem. A white inner blouse beneath, with softly puffed sleeves, made the outfit deceptively innocent—dangerous on second glance. The neckline dipped modestly yet purposefully, drawing eyes without effort.
Her heels were quiet, but the effect she had wasn't.
Every male gaze in the room seemed magnetized to her—security staff, applicants, even a few officials who forgot professionalism for a moment too long.
Maggie didn't slow down. She didn't look up. She simply walked, unaware—or perhaps indifferent—to the chaos she caused.
Ah-rin noticed everything.
Her fingers tightened around the coat.
She hated how easily Maggie drew attention, hated how even in a place as sterile as an airport they were being consumed visually. She shifted slightly, angling herself forward, silently shielding her irritation beneath a calm exterior.
This wasn't Seoul.
This wasn't a runway.
Yet the moment they stepped inside, they were no longer just applicants.
They were a spectacle.
"Why did you wear such a short dress, Maggie?" Ah-rin hissed with irritation.
"What do you know about fashion, Queen of Antarctica?" Maggie shot back with full attitude.
Ah-rin smirked—she already knew her comeback.
After clearing all procedures, they boarded the flight and took their seats.
Once the plane took off, Maggie slowly started clinging to Ah-rin like a frozen kitten.
"Now what do you want, Maggie?" Ah-rin asked, eyes still closed as she tried to sleep.
"I'm cold," Maggie admitted.
Without looking, Ah-rin could tell Maggie was pouting.
"What do you want me to do if you are cold? And why are you making a duck face like that?" Ah-rin teased.
"Yaah!" Maggie protested weakly.
She quickly composed herself, knowing she had to please Ah-rin for her own sake.
"Please, sister. Give me your coat. Or I will freeze to death. See? I already have goosebumps," Maggie pleaded.
"What about your fashion knowledge then? I don't have any fashion sense, as per your assumption. So forget about it. My coat will only spoil your fashion sense, miss Sassy Queen." Ah-rin teased further.
"Fu—" Maggie stopped herself just in time.
Ah-rin glared at her, knowing exactly which word she was about to say in front of her four-year-old twins.
"I—I mean duck the fashion to water. I want to live longer, sister. I still haven't married my dream man, haven't even had the chance to—"
Ah-rin glared again.
Maggie slapped her own mouth but muttered under her breath, "I don't want to die being a virgin."
Ah-rin smiled briefly at her childish behavior before masking it with her usual cold expression. Then she took her overcoat gently. Maggie smiled, thinking finally she was going to enjoy some warmth. But to her surprise, Ah-rin gently placed her coat over the sleeping twins beside her. Maggie pouted, then shook her head, understanding that the twins needed it more than her, as children catch colds more easily than adults. But she couldn't stop herself from shivering.
Ah-rin noticed everything but said nothing. After making sure the twins were comfortable, she called the air hostess.
"Yes, ma'am. How can I help you?" the hostess asked politely.
"I need two blankets, please. We're a little cold," Ah-rin said softly.
"Of course, ma'am. I'll bring them to you right away."
When the hostess returned with the blankets, Maggie was dumbfounded. How had she forgotten such a basic service existed? She had just embarrassed herself in front of her best friend.
"Don't put too much pressure on your peanut-sized brain. This is what exactly I expected from you. Sleep if you want. It will take time to reach there," Ah-rin said calmly with her eyes closed, as if she could still read every expression and mood of her best friend with a closed eye.
Soon Ah-rin drifted off to sleep. Or that's what it looks like to Maggie.
Maggie cursed under her breath one last time before finally closing her eyes. But what she didn't know was that Ah-rin beside her was fully awake, pretending to be asleep.
For the first time, Ah-rin didn't sleep. She kept her eyes closed and counted every unfamiliar sound. She could sense it. She could still feel that her now composed life would soon turn into a disaster with an unknown storm. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be as peaceful as she had made it anymore.
To Be Continued…