“Yo man, you comin’ out later?” a deep husky voice spoke through the phone, “Heard there gon’ be a lot of y ladies coming out tonight.”

“Nah, I’m fine, don’t worry ‘bout me.”

“You seem to be in a slump lately, you ‘ight?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it bro.”

“Okay, if you say so.”

“Have fun, but don’t have too much fun, keep your guard up. You know that they will be watching, they’ll get you when you’re at your most relaxed state.”

“I know, I ain’t a foo’ I know how to take care of myself.”

“Sometimes, I think you don’t hyung. You’re sometimes too reckless.”

“Look whose is talking. You’re the most reckless amongst us. Anyways, I think they ladies are getting impatient, call you tomorrow to settle that deal.”

“Sounds good, have fun.”

“Later, Jiyong.”

The line went dead.  Jiyong chuckled as he placed the phone down, turning his chair around he looked down to the playful lights of Seoul City, the city that never slept.

...

“Sandara, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Bom yelled furious as she stared at the shorter girl, “You’re ing kidding me.”

“I wish I was, but I don't there isn't any other way..” Sandara said timidly.

“You’re going to sell your body just for money?!”

“It’s the only way  I can make enough money for Cheondoong to go to school and eat. You know how much they pay me at that restuarnt and the kimchi factory. Sewing dolls doesn’t even get me half a month of Cheondoong’s food plan at the university.”

“Tell him to back to Korea, and stop going to school in America then, Seoul universities can suffice for his future.”

“He’ll have a better future if he goes to school there…”

“Then tell me how he will feel when he finds out that his sister sleeps around with men to make money to get him through school? Wouldn’t he lose his respect for you? Wouldn’t he be angry and mad at you?”

“What am I suppose to do, if I don’t make money he won’t be able to go to school and have a place to stay or food to eat.”

“Tell him to get a job then, he can support himself as well can’t he? I lived in America for two years and I was able to support myself, he can make money.”

“He needs to focus on school.”

“I understand that he is your only family now and you want to pamper and not let him think about anything but studying. But you’ve got to take care of yourself as well. You live in a shack you barely have any sleep nor food in your stomach! You’re thin and always sickly! Now you want to sell your body just to make a couple of extra bucks?!”

“WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?!” Sandara screamed bursting into tears, “THE DEBTS ARE PILING, THE SAVINGS THAT I’VE SAVED UP IS GONE! IF I DON’T MAKE MONEY WE’LL BE ON THE STREETS, I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE!”

“YOU HAVE CHOICES SANDARA!” Bom yelled as she grabbed her arms, she shook her as she stared straight into the doe like eyes of her best friend, “YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE CHOICES.”

“What other choice do I have? Ask the loan sharks?” Sandara said with a deadpan voice, “Become like my father? Pile up even more debts than I already have because of him? Run and pass the debt on Cheon Doong when he starts making money and tell him that it’s his fault that I have this debt and that he should pay it? After disappear on the face of the Earth so that Cheondoong can’t find me?”

“You don’t have to be like your dad…” Bom said as she let go.

“I have no skills. I have nothing to offer for jobs that give good pay. I only have my body.”

“I’ll lend you money, I have savings.”

“You’ve lent enough money. Besides, I won’t be able to pay you back with my current condition.”

Bom shook her head, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll lend you however much you need, just to keep you off the streets, you don’t understand how bad it is.” She held onto Sandara’s hands. Sandara pulled her best friend into a warm embrace as she repeated ‘thank you’ over and over again.