CHAPTER 1

“I don’t care! Let me out! Give me the key now!” Min Ah shouted in Min Ho’s face.

                “You know that you don’t even have the right to shout at me right? Stop pretending like you are totally innocent. What are you thinking Min Ah? How could you keep it a secret from us? Who do you think we are?” Min Ho exploded with Min Ah’s childish manners.

Min Woo sat on the couch and hugged a cushion tightly on his chest. He wanted to stop the fight, but he knew how Min Ho and Min Ah would scold at him if he does so. Zipping his mouth closed always is the best thing to do in this situation.

Min Ah glared at Min Ho, she hated the way Min Ho locked her in the house. She has to go out no matter what. Why should she stop doing what she used to do? So what if she has brain cancer? Not even once Min Ah ever wants to suffer this terminal illness.

Min Ho believed that what he done always be for Min Ah. He didn’t want to lose her after their parents had gone. It hurt him to get mad at his beloved sister. Before, he would consult with Min Ah and Min Woo if they have problem. It’s totally not his style to increase his voice to them. After knowing that Min Ah hid her illness from him, he couldn’t accept it and not even once he ever listen to Min Ah’s excuse.

                “Why you are being this way? Is it just because of my cancer? This is totally insane!” Min Ah stormed into her room and locked herself for hours.

Min Woo came knocking at the door, calling Min Ah to join them for dinner.

                “Noona, dinner is ready. Are you joining us?” He called softly.

                “Go away! You guys are damn cruel! You guys don’t understand how bad I feel. Go!” Min Ah dunked her face on her pillow.

Disappointedly Min Woo left Min Ah’s room and headed to the dining table where Min Ho had been waiting. He pulled a chair next to Min Ho. Min Ho scooped some rice for Min Woo. He noticed the dark clouds in Min Woo’s face.

                “What is it? We are having our meal. Please behave.” As a brother, he reminded Min Woo.

                “Hyung, don’t you think this is too much?” Min Woo was trying his best to hide his madness toward Min Ho. For him, all Min Ho’s rules on Min Ah were too drastic. He should talk to Min Ah and let her explain her situation. Punishing is not what they usually do to solve a problem, especially when it involved Min Ah, the stubborn girl.

                “Stop it, Min Woo. I don’t want to talk about it now.” Min Ho turned his face away from Min Woo and started eating.

                “Hyung, please. Don’t make her hate you. You know how much she loves you right? Being strict to noona is just worsening her condition.” Min Woo advised his brother, though he knew it’s not that easy to influence Min Ho.

The shining sun in the morning awakened Min Ah from her deep sleep. She pulled her blanket up to her head, covering her eyes. But, the irritating heat from the sun burned Min Ah up and made her threw her blanket away. She started that morning with heavy sigh.

Slowly she jumped off her bed and went to the bathroom to wash. Done brushing her teeth, she washed her face. Min Ah stared at her reflection in the mirror. She caressed her hair gently with her wet hands.

                “Why it has to be me?”

                “I have my own path. And, why I stuck in here?”

She uttered to her reflection.

Suddenly, a hand patted her back, trying to comfort her sadness. The reflection in the mirror showed a woman appeared from Min Ah’s back. Her eyes widened as she saw her mother’s reflection in the mirror.

                “Mum.”

Min Ah bit her lower lip to hold her tears.

                “Shhh~~” her mother continued patting Min Ah after silencing her.

                “There’s some time when you don’t need to say anything to tell what you feel, my love.”

                “Min Ho loves you, honey. He doesn’t know what you feel, but..”

Gently she pulled Min Ah’s head lying on her shoulder.

                “Believe me that one day, his love towards you will show him how bad you suffer.”

              “Min Ah, you still have time to be happy. Why are you wasting this precious chance with hatred and madness?”

Min Ah opened to talk back, but her mother suddenly vanished from her eyes. She turned around to find her mother, but she’s nowhere to be found.

                “Mum!”

Min Woo came shaking Min Ah who was screaming and shouting in her sleep.

                “Noona, wake up! Another nightmare?”

Min Woo was so glad to see Min Ah quickly opened her eyes. She took her breath and exhaled it heavily.

                “Dreaming of ghost?” he ushered a glass of water to his sister.

Min Ah was gulping the water without even care about Min Woo’s question. As she’s breathing easily, Min Ah turned to Min Woo.

                “Can you bring some ice cream for me?”

                “What? Don’t start it noona. It’s already late. You know we are not allowed to eat cold food after eleven.” Min Woo vigorously shook his head.

                “Then, out of my room. Now!” she shooed her brother out.

Min Woo was being pushed out of the room with no mercy. He came to ensure his sister is fine, but it ended with him being kicked out.

Min Ah slammed the door in Min Woo’s face. Gradually she started to feel guilty for being too harsh to Min Woo. She rolled on her bed back, closing her eyes. The thought of what her mother said made Min Ah realized something. She has many dreams to do all her life. Since her time is coming, she should make everything comes true earlier than planned.

Again, she opened her eyes.

                “Which one should I start?”