I can't believe this. I'm failing all my classes.

I sit in front of my homeroom teacher, Mr. Yunho, looking miserable. 

"Youngmi," he continues, cautious of his chosen words. "I don't know what happened, but... I know you're better than this. You were doing fine all these years I've taught you."

I grate my teeth together, holding back the tears threatening to fall. If he continues to be sympathetic, I'm not sure I can keep my emotions tucked inside safely.

"Tell me so I can help..." he pleads when I stay silent. "You went from excelling to failing everything."

I can't speak. I have to fight the tears and it's taking all my energy to hide my emotions.

"You changed so drastically since the start of the new term..." he says. "What happened?"

What happened? 

"What happened?" I say, my voice rising. "Life," I manage to mutter before tears start streaming down my face.

Everything always starts with a small amount, then it snowballs and grows bigger. 

That is what happened to small problems in my life. In all of our lives.

That is what is happening to my tears. I let it flow quietly as Mr. Yunho observes me. The tears become more continuous and bouts of hiccuping start. 

Mr. Yunho is obviously taken aback. It never fails to shock people when they see a person cry for the first time. 

I don't really expect him to do anything, but he reaches out and passes me a tissue. 

"What happened?" he repeats.

I take a pen and pull a tissue. I scribble something on it and pass it over to him.

Wait, I wrote. 

He waits until my cry subsides and I'm calm enough to produce coherent speech. 

----------

I was doing my homework when the front door slammed, distracting me for the umpteenth time. 

Furious, I took off my earphones and strode out into the living room, searching for the culprit.

"Hey, who has been slamming that door? Seriously, I'm trying to study!" I yelled, upset.

I heard more noises from the kitchen and followed it there. "Excuse me," I said, but stopped dead.

My sister, Jang Hanna, was putting numerous items into a box.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"What do you think?" she said, irritated. 

"I'm sorry?" I felt offended by her tone. "Hanna, what's going on?"

She stood up, grabbed the earphones poking out of my pocket and threw it to a wall.

I had never seen her do something like that. I was angry, but I was still composed enough not to snap back at her.

"What is going on?" I asked again, picking up my iPod off the floor, checking it to see if it was broken.

"You need to open your ears and eyes, Youngmi! Stop acting like a child!" she yelled, shoving the box she previously held to my direction. "Dad's going to jail."

I felt a cold shiver went through my spine. 

"You've been so busy studying, you missed out on all the arguments they had," she continued. "This box is full of things we need to sell."

"What..."

"I've packed up a couple of boxes. I'm going to sell them and save the money for myself...and you."

"Hanna, what..."

"Wake up, stupid!" she poked my head with her index finger. "Didn't you know dad has been working with alleged criminals?"

"He said it wasn't true," I argued. "He said they were accused unfairly."

"I don't know what dad's role is in this, but his colleagues were definitely doing something shady," Hanna said, and she sat down on the floor, leaning against the cupboard. "The police found concrete evidence. He was taken in a few hours ago."

I stood frozen at the spot. 

"That means nothing for now," I finally said. "Why are you packing all these boxes? I don't get it."

"Youngmi ah, he called from jail. He said that all his accounts would be frozen until this investigation is over. It could take years."

"Does all our money come from his bank account?" I wondered, feeling stupid. "Does mum not have any other account?"

"Mum is considered their accomplice, Youngmi. She works for them too."

"But I saw her when I came back from school--"

"She's safe for now, but dad said the police will be here as soon as they can to arrest her as well."

I was speechless.

"Look, dad told me to sell this stuff. He told me where to go. I've got my YG training, so I think I will be fine. I get a fair bit of allowance. I have a place to stay with the YG trainees, but I can't bring you. Some of this money, I'll give you, but you have to do your part and find a place to stay."

"Are we moving out?!"

Hanna's annoyed expression returned. "We can't pay for the rent, stupid. We have no parents, no money and nothing."

She stood up and started packing things into the box. "Help me out and put valuables in here."

"But I've got homework..."

Hanna glared at me. "Are you serious? Haven't you grasped the gravity of the situation yet?"

-----------

My uniform stinks. I sigh heavily, undressing myself in the female bathroom. I know not many students enter here at night because they think it's haunted.

Well, the ghosts of this toilet can haunt me as much as they like but I really need to wash my uniform tonight. Taking out an oversized t-shirt, I pull it over and wear it.

I take some of the handwash and dump it on my dampened clothes and start washing. I hang it to dry on the doors of the cubicles, fanning them as boredom takes over me.

I flip through my textbook, reading bits and pieces here and there. 

Where am I going to sleep tonight? I put some of my things in Hanna's place and usually come by once a week to pick up a change of my stuff, but I haven't visited her for three weeks now. I sold my phone cause I can't afford to keep it anymore so there was no way of contacting me.

I did drop her an email using the school's computer, so I suppose that's a form of communication. 

What am I going to eat tomorrow? 

I'm still full from my lunch - if partially hungry can be considered as being full - and I don't know if I can create any fire. I've got my reliable matchsticks with me, but it's been raining since morning...

Like my clothes, everything is too damp. I wake from my thoughts and wear my undergarments. I fold my uniform and put it in my bag, squishing it between two books so it doesn't crumple too much.

I put my stuff in the classroom and take out another bag filled with survival items. Out I go to find shelter.