Age 13: Reading
Do You Remember?
Three hours of homework and I think my brain is fried. A tip for the masses: never try and do all your homework last minute on a Sunday night. Especially when you have homework in almost all of your classes.
My parents screaming downstairs doesn’t help me focus on my homework, but I try and keep doing it anyways. I don’t even know what they’re yelling about anymore, anyways. It’s probably something stupid again, or just another argument about Dad’s alcohol intake (which he wouldn’t change for anything).
I finally finished another homework assignment: algebra for Mr. Cho. It took me an hour, but I finally figure out how to find those variables. And he said I’d need the back of the book… not this time, teacher!
After that, it seemed like I was finishing all my assignments real quickly. Political science, 20 minutes (thank you, Mr. Kim). Spelling, 10 minutes. Biology, 35 minutes. And then it got to the dreaded reading class.
My reading teacher, Ms. Byun, assigned us to read this book for her class and write a book report about it in a week’s time. Bad news was that it was due the next day and I had only read nine pages of it. Sure, I like books, but The Year of Impossible Goodbyes was just… unbearable (sorry, Choi Sook Nyul). I tried skimming the book; no luck there. Internet search? Nope, no results.
I moved from my desk over to my bed, looking out the window and at Joonmyun’s house. When I peeked outside, I noticed something that almost made my night: the light was still on in his room! I’m saved!
I ran downstairs and grabbed the cordless phone, sneaking by so my parents wouldn’t see me, and ran back into my room. As I put his number into the phone and then waited for him to answer, I stared at that impossible book. The book I had dreaded to read for an entire week, and hopefully, Joonmyun would be able to help me in a matter of hours.
After a few rings, I heard someone pick up the phone. “Hello?”
“Myong Jae,” I whispered, “it’s Su Min from next door. Can I talk to Joonmyun?”
I heard Myong Jae groan. “But it’s almost midnight! Don’t you know how to sleep?”
“I have a book report due tomorrow morning and I need his help.”
He groaned again, letting out a long, drawn-out, “Fine, I’ll let him talk to you.” I heard his heavy footsteps go across the hallway, then his groggy voice talking to Joonmyun. After that, I heard Joonmyun’s voice, also groggy. “Hello?”
“Myunnie, I need your help.”
He sighed. “With what?”
“The Year of Impossible Goodbyes. I have a book report due tomorrow and I can’t sit through it. Can you help me?”
“Su Min, we have school tomorrow. I need to get some sleep.”
“And you will! Just as soon as you help me with my report!”
I heard him groan some more, then the springs on his bed creaking from him getting off. I then saw, through the window, his tired self approaching his window and looking right at me, rubbing his eyes as to tell me he was still tired. “What do you need?”
“Everything.”
“Everything?”
I nodded. “I can only get though nine pages of the thing. What do you expect?”
I saw him shake his head, then heard him chuckle. “You know, I need to start teaching you how to sit though books and actually read them instead of running to me every time you decide not to read an assignment.”
“You’re the book nerd, though!”
“And I’ll start calling you at midnight every time I need help with grammar.”
“You’re already good at grammar!”
“Oh well!”
I opened up my binder and recited my assignment: Please compare the main character’s life to someone in the real world (i.e: political figures, someone you live with, celebrities, etc…).
He sighed. “Well, the book’s mostly about the author’s life during the Japanese reign in 1945. She’s separated from her family and works hard throughout the entire book until the end, when she crosses the border and is reunited with them. Who have you heard that has done this?”
I was confused. I’ve never heard of anyone that’s gone though this situation before, so what was I supposed to say? “Uhh… the author?”
“No way!” he sarcastically yelled, “Good job, Su Min! You deserve a sticker!”
“Hey, I don’t know!”
“Well, if you don’t know, you could always make something up.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know… I’ll just write about my grandma. It’ll be believable.”
I watched him laugh from the window. “You’d better write one good lie then, Minnie.”
“Oh, I will. Watch!” I pulled out my notebook and started writing, saying everything going into the notebook out loud. “A person I know that represents the main character in The Year of Impossible Goodbyes is my grandmother. She, too, worked in a sock factory and had a hard childhood.”
Joonmyun laughed some more. “Su Min, Ms. Byun is not going to believe that crap.”
“Oh yeah?” I asked, “Watch.” I continued writing in my notebook, trying to make up at least one slightly believable story about my grandmother who supposedly worked in a sock factory. The both of us were silent, only my pencil breaking up the awkward silence. Suddenly, I heard something shatter on the floor below me. More like… a few things shatter. I placed my pencil down on the desk and immediately stood up.
“Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know,” I said, “Hold on a second and I’ll be back.” I placed the phone down and looked out the window, seeing Joonmyun’s concerned expression. I smiled at him, then walked down the stairs to see what happened.
Mom was sitting on the floor in the kitchen, picking up pieces of a few china plates. Dad was leaning against the door, watching her clean it up. I got to the bottom of the stairs and, like I was expected or something, Mom stood up and shooed me away. “Don’t worry, honey,” she said, a tear falling from her cheek, “I can do it.”
Dad turned to me, anger prominent on his face. “Yeah, she can do it herself.”
“Do you want me to get a broom or-”
“Go to bed.” He pointed up the stairs. “Don’t make me tell you again.”
“Yes, sir.” I quickly ran up the stairs, shutting the door as I entered my room. As I got to my desk and picked up the phone, Joonmyun started talking to me again. “What’s going on? Is everyone okay?”
I didn’t want to tell him about the plates, my mom, or the way Dad had been acting recently. I just didn’t want him to worry about me. “Yeah, it’s fine. My dad just dropped a plate on the floor. Clumsy Dad, huh?”
“Yeah,” he chuckled, “but he’s always been like that, so it doesn’t surprise me.”
I smiled. “He sure has. I’m gonna finish this paper, but thanks for helping me.”
“Anytime, friend. I’ll see you in the morning?”
“6 am, like every day.” I hung up the phone and walked over to the window to close my blinds. Joonmyun was still standing by the window, waving to me as I shut the blinds. I waved back, thanking him again for helping me. He nodded, closing his blinds and turning off his light. I followed suit, then fell into bed.
I really hope Dad doesn’t keep acting like this. I don't want to keep secrets anymore.
A/N: Thank you to louixe23 for inspiring me to keep writing. I'm in a little of a slump right now, so your words of encouragement really helped.
Until next time,
Carly
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