2

Jessica. She is so timid, fragile, and quiet that I feel obliged to protect her with my life. She is my life. We went through everything together. Where I was, she was there, too. She’s the reason why I no longer feel myself drowning in deep despair. She brings solace in her wordless presence. She gives me a sense of home and security with her endless fears that, in some weird sense, charm me. She makes me feel needed when every other being threw me away like an empty can of soda beside a trash bin. No one makes me feel as alive as she does. No one and nothing, not even drugs.

      At night, in the house, Jessica would always sneak into my room and slip under the blankets from below to sleep with me because she often had nightmares. Tonight is not an exception.

      “Wae? Is it the closet?” I ask her in a whisper. The closet in her room was strange, too. It wasn’t before, but it has been since 3 days prior of our plans to move to Seoul. It keeps opening on its own.

      She nods to the question and snuggles even closer to me.

      “It’s okay. It’s okay. You can always sleep in here. With me,” I say, as I envelop her in my arm as a security over anything bad and evil.

      At 3a.m. I wake up to an abnormally silent house. Jessica is still there in my bed, peacefully sleeping. I head downstairs as I felt the urge to wet my very dry throat and accidentally stumbled upon a sleeping Tiffany, sound asleep on the living room’s couch. I walk towards her and I caress her black, thick, and shiny hair – despite all the work and responsibilities weighing on her shoulders, they were still impressive. Her hair, I mean. I faintly touch her face, knowing her struggles, unable to fully understand her sacrifices, yet aware of her efforts. She is sorry toward us, but we are thankful towards her. However grateful and sorry I am to Tiffany, I also hate her. Not to the point of despise, but almost. Ever since she hired Mrs. Choi, whatever we do have always been wrong and that woman is the person who is right, faultless.

      “She’s