“OMO!” Unnie walked in my room just to find everything in a mess.

“What are you doing?” she asked and shoved some boxes beside me then sit.

“Nothing…I just feel like cleaning” I answered and she smirked.

“This is not cleaning at all…you are making your room a dumpster” she said, making me laugh.

I look around my messy room and sighed heavily. I don’t know what’s gotten into me for I just tripped on looking for my things back when I was still in Korea. All of them are in big boxes and I even got them in the attic.

“Aigoo…these are all his” Unnie grabbed a shoe box and looked at its contents.

My eyes scanned what’s inside the box and sighed heavily “Yeah” I said.

A CD player, CDs, a shirt, a beanie, and most especially, the heart shaped origami with his first and last letter to me. I’ve never seen these things for years and it’s making me miss him more.

“Look at this” Unnie is holding a picture of us with a wide smile on her face.

“How old are you two here?” she asked and I stared at it while thinking.

“hmm…six” I answered and a smile appeared on my face all of a sudden while thinking of the things that we’ve been doing when we were still kids.

“You really look good together” she said and I just rolled my eyes at her.

“Yeah right” I continued digging for things in a big box.

August 18, 1994. It was my sixth birthday and it’s the crappiest day of all. Our family has to move from Jeju Island to Itaewon because my Appa’s company based him in Seoul, so we got no choice but to come with him to the city. I’m no city girl. I grew up with beautiful sceneries and a deep blue sea with hot sand. I can still remember when we’re about to go down the plane already, I hugged a stewardess and cried so hard while saying “Bring me back to Jeju again….please”. That was my most embarrassing moment for a lot of people saw me. Oh well, I’m a kid so it’s given for kids are usually crazy.

“Snap out of it J” Omma said while we’re walking out of the airport.

Snapping out of it is the last thing on my mind during that time. My plan is to whine all day and even planned to do a majorly annoying tantrum so that they’ll bring me back to Jeju again. I’m all good without my parents actually for I basically grew up with my grandparents. Truth is, I feel much safer with them than with my Appa and Omma.

“Here we are” the car pulled up in front of a beautiful house and my Unnie and I jaws dropped because none of us expected a house like this at all.

We live in a big house in Jeju but city houses are so different for they are much modern and well- constructed. The moment I got out of the car, I looked around right away and saw a boring and very plain street. I can’t even see a single shadow. I feel like I’m in a ghost town.

“I don’t want it here” I told Unnie while we’re watching Appa and Omma unload our things from the car.

“I love it here” as expected, she loves it for her biggest dream is to live in the city.

“C’mon….let’s go and see our new home” Appa held my arm and led me inside the house.

It’s not only beautiful on the outside for the interiors are really cool as well. Appa is an architect while Omma is an interior designer, no wonder this house looks perfect and everywhere you look, you’ll really see them.

“I really love these windows” Omma said while admiring the floor to the ceiling windows.

“This house is so beautiful Omma!” Unnie can’t even hide her excitement, while I’m just sitting on the black leather couch, swinging my feet.

“Aigoo…why does my baby look sad? It’s your birthday today and we just moved to a beautiful house...give me a smile ….please” Appa is using his charm on me once again, but it’s not working at all.

“Where is my room Appa?” I asked in a flat tone.

He sighed and carried me “I’ll bring you there” he kissed my cheek and walked me up the stairs.

I’m not really feeling the house. Actually, I’m not feeling everything at all. I’m missing the beach and the fresh air of Jeju already.

“This is going to be your room” he placed me down and I gasped in awe.

I ran to the big bed right away and jumped on it “Aigoo….be careful” Appa said and that was the first time that I smiled after hours of being smug.

“You’ll be sharing this room with Unnie” he said with a wide smile on his face.

I stopped rejoicing and looked at him in disbelief “What? Appa!” I whined and he sat on the edge of the bed.

He pulled me down to his lap and my hair “Why? Is there any problem with that?” he asked and I gave a nod.

Of course there is a big problem for my Unnie is really a when we were young. She’s not that good to me. She doesn’t even want me in her room before when we were still in Jeju. Her things are all off-limits when it comes to me and borrowing things from her is really a big challenge for I have to go through a needle hole before she permits me to have it.

“No! I don’t want to be in one room with J! Omma! Appa! This isn’t good at all!” as expected, she’s against it as well and I’m hoping that our parents will give her a new room. No. I won’t leave our room anymore for I really love it.

“We know that this is really going to be hard for the two of you…but you girls don’t have a choice for there are only three bedrooms in this house…you really need to share” Omma said and I sighed in frustration.

As a kid, I don’t have a voice in our household at all. I’m one obedient girl with stubborn attacks once in a while. My Unnie on the other hand is the “boss” for our parents listen to her always and she can make them give her what she wants in just a snap of a finger. Between the two of us, she’s the spoiled one.

I spent the whole morning at the backyard during that time and is not even talking to my family as well. That was my first birthday wherein I feel so sad and totally lost. I can’t stop from thinking of my grandparents and friends back in Jeju that it made me cry in just a split second.

And because no matter how I whine and cry and plead my parents to bring me back to Jeju again, I just up reality even though I’m hating my life deep inside.

Appa took us for a stroll and dinner that night to celebrate my birthday. I can still remember that all I did that night is frown and sigh h