Minjoo stepped out of the gates and into the bustling crowds of people that were pushing their ways in all directions. She sighed, knowing that it would take a while for her to get out of the airport. She couldn’t wait to get home and meet her new family – her mother, a new stepmother and a new stepsister.

Minjoo was always alone, being the only child in the family of three. Her oppa, Joonmyun was always in China, preparing for his Chinese comeback for his idol group, so he was hardly seem anymore after his company decided to keep them in Chine permanently because they were so popular. Her mother wasn’t totally conversable and she needed someone her age anyway. Her father – she didn’t want to mention her father. He was a drunkard and abused her mother and called her and Joonmyun ‘accidents’.

The only thing she had was the piano. At school, Minjoo would often sneak into the music rooms and play around with the keys. A music teacher, seeing how dedicated she looked, offered her free lessons and Minjoo accepted, ecstatic and enthusiastic.

Now, Minjoo was almost famous, known to be accompanists of the greatest Korean and overseas singers. Now, she’d just come back to Korea from a concert in Australia and decided to sightsee too – may as well; Australia was beautiful.

In the two months she was gone, a lot had happened. Her mother had remarried, her brother’s idol group was topping the Chinese charts, and she had passed her 100^th piano recital. Her music teacher, who Minjoo was still in touch with, had congratulated her and had asked her for lunch today, which was where she was headed. Later, she would be able to meet her family – finally!

Minjoo got off the taxi and walked through the doors of the restaurant. She took note of the sophisticated and calm atmosphere. Finding her teacher waving his hands wildly, she sat down next to him, all smiles.

“I see our Minjoo has gotten prettier.”

“Mr. Lee. It’s been a while.” He nodded in response, while pouring a cup of tea for her.

“I ordered already. Food should be here soon.”

“Thanks for inviting me.”

“How could I not? You’re my favorite student, after all.” He patted her back and Minjoo chuckled. He continued, “Oh - that reminds me.” He reached into his satchel and took out a small trophy and placed in on the table dramatically.

“What do you think? Sorry; it’s a bit small, but it’s the thought that counts, right?” Minjoo picked it up and examined it closely. On the bottom, it said ‘Happy 100^th Recital!’

“You’re professional now, Minjoo. Acknowledge it.” She felt tears coming to her eyes and she pinched her nose jokingly, emphasizing her actions.

“Don’t make me feel bad!”

“No…really thank you. I’ll treat it with my life.”

“You’d better.” The two laughed, ignoring the weird looks that people nearby were giving them.

After some small talk and a meal, they walked out of the restaurant and were ready to pass their separated ways. They said their goodbye and soon, Minjoo saw Mr. Lee’s car go past her. She waved to the back of it, although he wouldn’t notice.

She watched the car disappear around the corner, and then Minjoo heard a deafening crash. Surprised, she ran around the corner and was terrified to see a big mess of metal and blood in front her. Immediately, she called an ambulance, screaming and gasping. She hung up to have a better look at the faces in front of her.

Minjoo’s heart hung, seeing Mr. Lee among the car crash. He looked half-dead and was wheezing for breath. She glanced at the other car to see another man. He was definitely dead – his eyes were closed and there were masses of blood flowing out of his head. Minjoo shuddered, unable to take the sight.

In the corner of her eye, she saw the man’s arm shake. Her eyes widened, seeing a girl crying on him. Minjoo felt she couldn’t move – how the girl must’ve felt that her father was being taken away from her. She went back to her senses, hearing approaching sirens. The workers, helped the girl our, but forgot her almost immediately, helping the two men that were inches away from dying.

Because Minjoo was the closet to her, the girl reached for her, her hands shaking. Minjoo grabbed her hands and hugged her, caressing her head and patting it softly.

“You’re like my mother.” The girl’s words were shaky. “Unnie.”, she added. “I can call you unnie…right?”

“Shh.” Minjoo looked at her with concerned eyes, watching the girl cry. She continued to try and comfort her, although she had almost no idea how to. “Hurry – we must go to the hospital.”

Minjoo hailed a taxi and they rode to the hospital in silence – except for the girl’s sobs.

“Unnie…can I hold that?” She pointed to the trophy that Minjoo clung on to and she gave it to her, hoping it would calm her down. The girl’s hands traveled over the rough engraving. Her eyes went over the letters in curiosity. “Happy 100^th Recital.” She read it out lifelessly and handed it back to Minjoo who seemed quite scared at the whole different feel she gave to the supposedly happy words.

The girls half ran into the hospital, requesting the rooms that the people in the car crash were in, without time to say thank you politely.

On their way to the hospital room, they passed two doctors. They heard their conversation, which echoed through the hospital hallways.

“They’re dead.”

“Both of them?”

“Yep. Due to a third person’s reckless driving. He escaped. Bummer he wasn’t caught though.”

The girl stopped in the middle of the hallway to her father’s room. She broke down in sobs, banging on the walls and Minjoo watched her helplessly. She clutched the trophy in her hand, thinking of both Mr. Lee and the girl’s father.

The girl stopped bawling all of a sudden. Her eyes were glued to something or rather someone. Minjoo followed her eyes, seeing her mother.

“Mum!” Minjoo froze, realizing it wasn’t her calling for her mum, but the girl. Putting two and two together, there was only one explanation – the girl was her stepsister.