Not so great morning

"Amber, wake up!" Sarang shook Amber to wake her up so they can have time to prepare for their respective obligations.

            "Five more minutes." Amber sleepily mumbled. She hugged JackJack vaguely remembering that at some point of the night Sarang brought him to her.

            "You said the same five minutes ago. Get up. You need to shower, eat then to airport. Your sister is coming and you have a schedule, remember?" Amber rubbed her still closed eyes.

            “She sent me a message last night. The plane took off an hour later than it should have therefore we have an extra hour.” Sarang smiled at her funny morning voice but she had to be strong, after all, they have to get up and get ready.

            “I’ll pour cold water on you.”

            She almost jumped out of the bed. "Crap! I’m up, am up!" Sarang took JJ pointing with her hand at joined bathroom door.

            "Go shower, I’ll make us breakfast."

……………………………………....................................................................................................

            "Good morning." Amber said cheerfully. The soft yet energetic song was playing in the background.

            "Morning. Did you sleep well?" Sarang asked putting a glass of milk and a plate full with eggs and bacon in front of Amber who stretched arms smiling pleasantly.

            "Yes, I don’t remember feeling this rested in awhile. That is a big breakfast." She observed.

             "It has to be. It’s the most important meal of the day. Eat up."

          "You sound like Victoria." Amber complained making Sarang smile at her cuteness.     

             "More like my late nanny. My brother is coming soon. I’m so excited.” She jumped up and down with excitement. “I can’t wait for you to meet him."

          "Mholonhevnsahi" Amber mumbled with full.

            "I haven’t quite caught that." She swallowed her bite.

            "Sorry, my mouth was full. How long you two haven’t seen each other?"

            "This time… a whole month."

            "That’s a long time to stay alone."

            Sarang smiled bitterly knowing how sometimes she feels lonely but thinking about how much Hyukey sacrificed she doesn’t mind being alone. "I don’t mind too much. I already took a lot of his time, of his life. And he has to go to military. Besides, I spend a lot of time with few of my friends."

            "I think I heard you sometime last night. Did you woke up at some point or it was my dream?"

            "Yes, I couldn’t sleep so I went to bake my brother’s favorite cookies and I talked with him. He asked me why I was whispering and when I told him that I have a friend sleep over he flipped.” Sarang smiled devilishly taking a sip of law-fat milk.   

            “You did tell him I’m a girl? Right?”

            “Of course I did, after I tortured him a little.” Amber swallowed her gulp of milk following Sarang with her eyes. She was already dressed up in a school uniform. She looked really good, though those big glasses hide half of her face and her beautiful eyes.

           “That shirt looks much better on you than me.” Sarang observed the clothes she gave her earlier because Amber's clothes from yesterday were dirty from laying on the ground after their basketball duel the night before.

            “Really? Thank you for lending me. They are just my style and size.” Sarang and Amber are of similar size and it turns out that Sarang wears clothes two size bigger. Her uniform says it all.

        “A friend of mine designed it. He’s amazing.” Amber stood up bringing her empty glass of water and went to help Sarang in drying the dishes.

     "You wear a boy’s uniform." Amber stated the obvious.

            "Yes, I don’t like to wear skirts anymore."

            "Anymore? Why?"

    Sarang contemplated whether to tell her or not. "It’s a stupid reason. My legs are full of scars. It’s easier to cover them than to answer people’s questions. And, I can’t run in skirt freely as I want."

            “How did you...” Amber went to ask her about how she got the scars in the first place, but a man in suit stopped her mid sentence.     

            "Miss Lee, Mr. Lee is here to meet you."

            "Sam? What the heck he wants this early. I’ll see him in school later." Sarang bowed to the man dismissing him.

            "Not that Mr. Lee." At those words, Sarang jumped from her seat, took Amber’s hand and dragged her over to the kitchen counter.

             "Please, hide here. He can’t see you." She said panic creeping it’s way to her bones while her friend became confused.

             "Oook..."

            A loud and harsh voice made Sarang twitch and she turned to face the person leaving Amber in crouching position behind the kitchen counter.

            "Leave us." He ordered Mr. Chan who looked at Sarang, not wanting to leave her alone considering that he promised  Mr. Kim that he would protect her. Sarang nodded her head telling him that he can go.

            "Father." Sarang said in a monotone voice as if she was disinterest for the whole situation. "What brings you here after... a year?"

            “Don’t be coy with me child!" He yelled at her throwing a yellow folder on the kitchen countertop in front of her. Amber almost jumped from her hiding spot but Sarang didn’t even flinch.

             "What is that?” Sarang asked confused at why he’s here in the first place.

            “That is what I want to know." He opened the folder showing its contents. He threw a bunch of pictures of her with Henry and Amber from yesterday. One of them sledded right in front of Amber.

            "Did you meet them in public on purpose?" Sarang squared her jaw tightly almost to the point of grinding her teeth. "No. It was coincidence." She said simply.  

      "Coincidence? Coincidence you say? Do you want to bring shame on our family?" Sarang clenched her fists trying not to lunch herself at him. She smiled sarcasticly.

            "Family? Shame?" She than yelled. "I can‘t bring any shame to a family I don’t have. And it’s not my shame it is yours."

Mr. Lee banged his fist on the counter. "Don’t disrespect me child. I gave you everything and this is how you repay me?!"

            "You gave me nothing. You hear me, NOTHING." She tried very hard not to cry but somehow the only time she is crying is when he is around.  "You think money is what I want and need? I earn my own money. The only valuable thing you gave me was my mother’s house. Everything else, love, support and companionship I got from my nanny and her son."

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