1. Baek's Family

Today’s May 3th, Friday. I wake up from a comfortable night of sleep and half-awake half-asleep I walk towards my seven-year-old stepbrother’s room and walk in. I reach his bed and sat in its edge. I shake him up as I rub my left eye and he groans in protest. I give him an affectionate slap in his under covers and tell him that it’s time to wake up. Knowing that Chung Ho will eventually wake up I leave his room and go get dressed and ready to leave.

I put on my school uniform and do my hair in a ponytail. I grab my bag, which is actually full of books and notebooks and go to the kitchen to have breakfast. At this time mom has already prepared everything. As I approach the kitchen’s entrance I hear mom speaking with my stepfather, Jeong Suk.

My biological father died with cancer when I was only a little girl with five years old. It didn’t give me enough time to make as much memories as I wanted to. The few memories I have of him are precious, but as time passes by my memory starts to fail and those beautiful memories begin to fade. Then, only photographs will remain. Four years after dad’s death mom remarried with Jeong Suk and a year later she had Chung Ho.

I enter in the kitchen and greet everyone with a sleepy good morning. Mom and Jeong Suk greet me back but Chung Hee remains silent as he eats his food. I know that he’s not mad at me or anything like that. The reason for his silence has not to do with me and I know it.

Ever since mom remarried with Jeong Suk, Chung Hee, my older brother, has turned into a cold person. He doesn’t get along with our stepfather as he had never accepted the marriage between mom and Jeong Suk. For my older brother, the bond existing between mom and our stepfather is a betrayal to our father. Even though he still thinks in that way, he has grown used to Jeong Suk’s presence and tolerates him more than he had done before, but that doesn’t end the frequent arguments the two have.

“Chung Hee, why don’t you greet your sister?” Jeong Suk asks my brother.

I clearly see that Chung Hee is holding himself not to blow and yell at Jeong Suk and so, I speak “It’s okay. Maybe he woke up in a bad mood. Don’t mind him,” I tell Jeong Suk and seat next to mom’s seat.

I’ve never called Jeong Suk as dad, but I know he understands that is not intentional, is just that I’ve never felt comfortable enough to call him in that way. I recognize that he’s like a dad to us (I and Chung Hee), because he’s taking care of us and he’s doing his job amazingly well, except when he has his business trips that he has to be away from home for some days.

Right after, Chung Ho enters in the kitchen while rubbing his sleepy eyes. He seats in his usual seat and greets everyone with a good morning.

As we’re eating together Jeong Suk finds the moment appropriate to announce something. He clears his throat and states “I’ll have to be away for a week,” he tells all of us. I take my eyes off of my toast and look at him.

He has had these trips in which he stays