That morning, a new year morning, was such a great morning for some people that they thought can have the world for a while. The roads were already filled with full of cars and motors.

The sky was so bright showed that day will not rain for some people, but they will never know what will gonna be for tomorrow morning.

Nobody knows what’s their fate will gonna be that day.

Each one of them too much enjoying their busy life just for their started day.

But, for Taeyeon, she made the new day just like her past day. She looked for a while to the students that walked through the pathway to go to school, just few more metres away further from her family’s house. She’s a little bit jealous they walked together with their parents, accompanied them to their main destination, not like her before.

She’s already put on her work outfit, as she’s sitting for a while outside the balcony while rested her chin on top of both of her hands at the banister. An hour more before she will go started her job as a waitress in her mother’s friend’s restaurant.

Supposedly, at her age that reached 22, she still suitable to be called a college girl. But all her dream, she just kept inside just for helping her family’s income that was so bad since her stepfather deprived from his job, due to his bad behavior; always drunk, and didn’t come to work in time.

“Taeyeon…!” suddenly her sigh disturbed by that anger voice came from downstairs.

Without any complains, just a scared feelings, Taeyeon immediately went downstairs.

“Yes, father…?”

“Where’s my breakfast…?!” her stepfather, Dae Sung, as usual, drunk no matter day or night, sitting at the couch lazily.

“I-I already prepared at the dining table…” told Taeyeon, stuttered. She’s afraid that she will get another bruise, and got noticed by her boss or her other fellow workers again.

It’s always makes her afraid when someone got noticed that she was got beaten by Dae Sung, and they report the welfare people about it. It’s making the problem even worst. Dae Sung really know how to lie through his teeth, and they will believe his words rather than Taeyeon just like that.

“So, do you already got your salary for this month…?” Dae Sung asked, stood from his sit, makes Taeyeon tooka step backward.

“N-not yet, father… maybe today, or tomorrow…” Taeyeon kept on stuttered, lowered her head, still didn’t want to meet her father’s always-in-anger-stare.

“Make sure the money come to me first…” Dae Sung spoke but didn’t even wait for Taeyeon’s answer, as he made his way to the kitchen, filled his empty stomach.

Her mother, Do Yeon that didn’t even interrupted her second husband and her daughter’s conversation, sitting at her wheelchair, while watching the television silently.

Taeyeon understood why her mother can’t defent her. She really understood it, and she didn’t even force her to do so, cause Do Yeon just same like Taeyeon. A single word that Dae Sung thought was mocking him, will got a hit from him.

Maybe more than that.

For years Do Yeon already in that situation, hopelessly since five years ago. She was palsied due to hard accident in her work place as a factory worker.

Taeyeon looked for a while to her mother’s calm face, but there’s hidden a lot of emotion behind all of it.

If Taeyeon followed her heart to just leave the house, she’s already do it since eternity. But since her mother still need her help, and she’s also really owing her mother’s kindness for raising her ‘til she know how to took care of herself, she kept holding on living with the drunker, and need to feed him who always finishing all her salary with gambling at late at night.

Taeyeon also didn’t know why her mother accepted that old man to be her husband when she still know nothing about life back then. Even her stepbrother Seungri, really followed his father’s bad behavior.

“Yah… Taeyeon… I need some money…” Seungri suddenly coming down from upstairs, already in his school’s outfit while still fixing his necktie.

“Didn’t you already ask for money from me last night…?” Taeyeon spoke, as she stood infront him.

“I need more. I need to buy something for my school’s thing…”

For didn’t want to arguing with him, and she knows she will lose the ‘battle’ with the help from his father, Taeyeon took out her purse from her handbag, then handed few dollars to Seungri.

As soon as Seungri got what he want that actually, of course he used it to buy cigarette, and hang out with his useless friends, he walk out from the house without even told his both parents and Taeyeon.

Taeyeon then approaching Do Yeon, as she softly spoke to her mother, “Mom…? I’m off now… take care, okay?”

“Already bought your lunch box?”

“Here…” Taeyeon showed her left hand, holding other bag filled with her lunch box.

“Be careful, honey…”

“I will…” Taeyeon kissed her mother’s forehead.

But when about she stood from kneel down to have her exactly different height from her mother, she was stopped by Do Yeon, “Taeyeonie…?”

“Yes, mom…?”

Do Yeon pulled Taeyeon to hug the petite girl to her embrace, as she caressed Taeyeon’s back, then she spoke, “Thank you… always know that I love you…”

Taeyeon pulled back from their hug, she looked carefully to the smiling woman infront her. Eventhough her body seems so weak, champed by her age, she still have the most sincere and beautiful warm smile to give her daughter.

“I-I love you too, mom…” Taeyeon replied.

She didn’t know what’s wrong with her mother, but she can’t just ask bluntly what’s inside her mother’s mind towards her, as she’s also replied her rare warm smile to only for her mother.

She kissed Taeyeon’s forehead for a few seconds, then cupped her both cheeks, a little bruise on her lips and her right cheek still visible can be seen by Do Yeon.

She wanted to crying, but she kept hold on infront Taeyeon.

“Be careful,” Do Yeon repeated again her words, as she’s waving to Taeyeon at the main entrance of their house.

Standing outside at the path of her house as she nodded, trying to smile cheerfully. Do Yeon looked frail and tired, dark circles etched around her eyes.

But before Taeyeon could say anything about how tired she looked and how she should take a nap, Do Yeon gave Taeyeon a little push, “You’ll be late,” she reminded Taeyeon.

Taeyeon nodded to her and then set off down the roads where she will passed the high walls of the street gleamed white.

“Taeyeon-ah…” called her mother’s friend, and also her big boss, Min Jung.

“Yes, aunty…”

“Here, your salary for today. Plus, your over time bonus for that whole two weeks to replace Ricky…”

Taeyeon smiled from ear to ear, but then turned to a gloomy face, when she remembered back about her father’s words this morning. She’s hopelessly took her handbag and put the envelope filled with money inside, and placed it back under the counter desk, where Min Jung will took care of her workers’ things.

“You’re okay, Taeyeon…? is it, not enough…?” asked Min Jung, noticed of how Taeyeon’s face changed.

“No, aunty… this is more than enough…” Taeyeon spoke, faking her happy smile.

She’s in silent for a while. She looked to Taeyeon’s face. That baby face had a new bruise, again, she thought.

“You should live with me, Taeyeon…” suddenly Min Jung spoke, almost like a whispered to Taeyeon, but she still can heard it clearly.

Very clearly indeed.

Taeyeon looked at her with her tired eyes.

“…” no answer. Taeyeon just lowered her head, as she grip her tip work shirt, thinking deeply thought about it.

Min Jung knows, she will reject again this time, as she whined, “Huh…. it-it’s okay… Go on, better continue back your job. Lots of customers waiting for you there…” she’s also tired for kept on telling Taeyeon to live with her.

She knows, Taeyeon will reject her offer, since the first time ever she asked Taeyeon to do so.

Surely, she can protect Taeyeon and her mother at her house, cause she live with her five children who’s inherit her late husband’s great expertness, taekwando.

She didn’t even know, how come Taeyeon still so strong to holding on with that useless father ever towards her and her mother, or to be correctly, her stepfather who doesn’t and can’t afford his own family, makes Taeyeon’s the one who need to do all that.

Taeyeon took her steps further from Min Jung at the counter desk, as Min Jung sitting silently, looking to how hard working Taeyeon is, as she’s havi