Sungjong decided to spend the night at the nearest sauna. She was tired and sleepy as she walked to the counter where an old woman was sitting behind it, reading a magazine. The old woman looked up at her and closed the magazine, then she waited for Sungjong to say something.

“One person please.” Sungjong said, taking her purse out of her bag.

The old woman raised an eyebrow at the sight of her purse, but then she just handed Sungjong a blue sauna outfit.

“Ajumma, why did you give me this?” Sungjong asked confusedly, holding the blue outfit which was obviously for boys in her hands.

“What’s wrong with the outfit? I gave you the right size, didn’t I?”

“It’s not the size, it’s—  ” she stopped as she realized why the old woman had given her the blue outfit. “It’s… It’s nothing…”

She paid the fee and quickly walked to the changing room with a smile on her face. Fortunately, the changing room was empty  or else how would she convince the other people that she was a boy like what she did with the old woman? The old woman totally thought she was a boy!

After she changed into the blue sauna outfit, she went to the resting area and bought some boiled eggs and yogurt drinks for herself. She found a nice spot for her to settle and then sat down as she ate the boiled eggs, thinking about her mother who had run away. She wondered if her mother would come back to the house. But then she wouldn’t be there to welcome her mother back.

She sighed as she lied down on the floor, making up her mind that she would go back to the house the next day in case her mother returned.

The next morning, she had gotten up extra early to avoid other people in the changing room and she had been careful as she made her way to her house in case the loan sharks were lurking around. She didn’t encounter any of them though. She went to the front door and was about to push it open just to find the door locked. Then she remembered that she had forgotten the house key inside of the house the day before. Since the door was still locked, it must mean that her mother hadn’t come back at all.

Sungjong had been abandoned.

She turned around to leave and almost screamed when she saw someone standing behind her. She was prepared to run for her life, but then she realized it was just the landlady.

“Sorry for scaring you.” The landlady smiled. “You must be looking out for the loan sharks. Don’t worry, they’re not around here. I haven’t seen your mother around either.”

Sungjong frowned.

“I can offer you a safe place for you to sleep for a few days. If your mother comes back, I’ll let her know where you are, don’t worry.”