"Umma!!" shouted a young 9 year  old girl.  "Umma, where are you?"

A woman in her late 20s got up from her bed and called the girl over.

"Umma, appa's here."

The woman gave her daughter a weak smile. "Thank you for telling me Jae." She stood up and patted the girl on her head, giving her a gentle smile. "Go and look after Yoogeun. Umma wants to talk to appa." 

Listening to her mother's instructions obediently, she left to look for her one year old brother. He was still asleep and the young Jae couldn't contain her curiosity as to what was happening between her mother and father. She took a small peek into her mother's room.

"This is all I have right now." her mother said as she coughed softly and handed over an envelope to the man.

The man quickly checked the envelope and let out a disappointing sigh. "Aish, really. What have you been spending the money on?"

"I'm sorry." the woman was interrupted by her coughing. "It's just that, Yoogeun is just one so I've been spending some of the money buying necessities. I just got another job, so I'll have more the next time."

"...You'd better. I'm heading out now." the man turned to leave but the woman stopped him.

"Aren't you going to at least spend some time with the kids?" she asked him, but she continued to cough, and it was getting louder.

"I don't give a damn. Now let me go." he said as he pulled his hand away and left.

Jae Sun could only watch as her mother fell to her knees, coughing hard. Her mother was already juggling two jobs and now, a third. She couldn't bear to watch her mother suffer but what could she do? She was only just a child. And so she took it upon herself to look out for her brother.  Seeing her mother cough, she immediately went and got her a glass of water. Her mother thanked her and gave her a weak smile. 

The days continued to pass by and Jae noticed that her mother's health kept deteriorating. Her coughs were getting harder and louder and she had a fever that would never go away. Despite Jae urging her to see a doctor, she chose not to and continued going to work. On the day of her break, she stayed in bed for the whole morning, which was unusual. Jae went to see her mother in her room. She walked over to her mother who was sweating and breathing hard. She felt her forehead and she was hot. She then immediately went and got her mother a glass of water and got her a bucket of ice and a wet towel. She tended to her mother for the whole afternoon while Yoogeun was being watched by one of her mother's friends over at her house. When her mother gained some strength, she took her daughter's hand and thanked her. She knew that the time she had left was short. 

"Jae Sun ah..."

"Umma. Are you okay?"

She gave her a weak smile and nodded her head. "I need you to listen to me."

Jae nodded her head, holding her mother's hand. 

"Umma doesn't have much time left. So I need you to listen to everything I say."

Jae nodded her head and bit her bottom lip. She knew something was wrong. 

"Your father...if he comes back to ask for money, don't give him any. Save all your money for yourself and Yoogeun. Understand?"

And again, she nodded.

"And also, take care of Yoogeun. He's young so you will have to take care of him. But remember that it's not your burden alone."

Once again, she nodded, feeling the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"But my dear Jae Sun, remember to take care of yourself as well." her mother said to her as she weakly wiped away the tears on her beloved daughter's face. "Thank you for being a good girl. Umma really loves you. Umma is sorry that she couldn't do more for you."

She shook her head and took her mother's hands. "Umma, don't be sorry. Jae Sun will be a good girl, so umma, you rest and get better soon. Promise, okay?"

The woman smiled at her daughter. "Promise. Just...let umma rest for a bit..." She rested her eyes and went into a deep sleep. One she wouldn't wake up from. Her hand fell out of Jae Sun's grasp and she knew. She knew that she wouldn't hear her mother's voice again. Jae sobbed and tears just flowed down her cheeks. She furiously tried to wipe them away, but it didn't do anything. That was the last she ever saw of her mother.

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Jae woke up and looked around her. It was a Saturday afternoon and she had fallen asleep while composing a new song in her room. She sighed to herself and leaned back on her chair.

"Umma..." she whispered softly to herself. Umma....are you resting well? 

Just then, her phone rang and she checked to see who it was. She smiled at the name that appeared. It was Key. She always wondered how he was always there whenever she needed someone. She answered the phone and the two talked for hours. They talked about anything and this took her mind off her  mother. And she was grateful. Grateful for his presence in her life. Because he made it much better than it was. Much more brighter.

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End of chapter. I guess this is just to...give some background? Umm...yeah...And then as for what happens next...We'll see^^ Thoughts?