The following morning, I awoke lying in fetal position on my bed, eyes wide open and on the brink of tears. There came an unexplainable, inexplicable pain resonating from my behind to my lower back. I sighed deeply and upon exhaling, the tears follwed freely from my eyes to the pink pillow beneath my head and hair. I was aggravated, I felt violated and confused and I didn't know why. 

I just felt like I was out of my element. I couldn't explain it. But I chose not to tell anyone about it.

Partly I was glad because Uncle Hwangbin and Aunt Ji hye were leaving today. I however chose not to greet them at the breakfast table that morning. I would just pretend that I was sick and stay in bed all day so that mommy could tend to me and she couldn't force me to eat with them and see Uncle Hwangbin's horrible, monstrous face with that plastic, fake, voracious grin on his face that was ready to devour, ready to eat up anything he saw.

I don't know, to this day still, why it had to happen to me. 

"You seem to have slept well, sister." father said as he ate his scrambled eggs. Aunt Ji hye smiled at him and nodded. 

"I certainly have. Your home as a certain warmth and comfort that comes out during the Christmas season. I don't now how you do it!"
 

"It's a combination of hospitality and fireplace." daddy winked. He turned his head to Uncle Hwangbin who had that idiotic grin on his face, plastered since last night's dinner.

"You seem to be in a good mood."

"I always am." he looked tired but satisfied and happy, like he had gotten something, a prize that he so long wished to get. 

"Well, good to know you're in high spirits. Enjoy your breakfast then." daddy said. Mommy llooked at him and squinted her eyes, as if knowing somehow that sommething was up. 

"I wonder where Joo hyun is. I haven't seen her all day." said mother. Mother knew that I woke up pretty early most of the time so when time came that I wasn't down at the breakfast table before 7, she started to get very worried. Mother got up from the table and cllimbed up the stairs. Upon arriving at the doorstep of my room, worry filled her and apprehension petrified her hand, nearly preventing her from knocking at my door.

[KNOCK KNOCK]

"Go away!" I shouted.

"Joo hyun, it's mother." said she. I tried to get up from bed and when I did, I walked sluggishly towards the door and opened it, hiding half of my body behind it.

"What's the matter dear?" mother crouched down and touched part of my cheek. Tears began to roll down my face again as I was embraced by her and I hugged her tightly, returning it. She was all the more alarmed when I wouldn't speak. 

"Tell mother what's wrong. Please tell me so we can do soemthing about it." she spoke. Just then, Uncle Hwangbin and Aunt Ji hye came up the staris with Uncle Hwangbin in the lead. Upon seeing his face again, I fell to my knees and moved in closer, huddling closer to my mother and crying, crying mmy eyes out. Mother looked at me and back at Uncle Hwangbinn and that unknowing smirk was all it took for mother to know what had happened.

Later that day, Aunt Ji hye and Uncle Hwangbin were off to their homes, an embarrssed look on Aunt Jihye's face and the same, nonchalant, arrogant look on Uncle Hwangbin's. I was more than happy to see them go and that day, I never strayed my mother's side.