"Stupid guys." She mutters while nursing her still sore . 

  Gah.      What's wrong with this incapable humans and their unreasonable fondness in ruining her day?   

"Hey hey sweetcake what happened? What's with that sour face??? You're really cute even when you're mad." Hanbyul was holding two, oh no make that four shopping bags. She grins at Dara and sits down across her on the table outside a cafe. 

Dara scowls at her. "Nothing unnie. I just happen to trip over some blind moronic cat." She clasped her hands together under her chin.    "What? Huh?" Her unnie frowns.  "Anyway sissy, i just got a call from one of my college friends and she's looking for a creative writer for their magazine here. You remember Hye Sun neh? And I instantly thought of you, so I told her you're the right person for the job. So yeah, you might wanna give it a go?"   "You what???" She could only snigger. Harhar. "A girl with a law degree working for a fashion magazine? Yeah unnie, that seems plausible. Seriously. Just gag me with a spoon please."    "Whoa what's up with that? And who are you? Where is my cheery baby sister? What have you done to her? Tch. You've been in NY for only four months now and you're this sardonic already?" Hanbyul's eyes widen in surprise. She moves to the chair next to Dara's, squinting her eyes at her like some maniac investigator.    "Life, life happened unnie." She sighed. "You know Dad abhors my writing and now you want me to take a job like that? You might as well have asked me to jump off a cliff."    "That's the thing sissy, you let him get his grip on you." Shaking her head in disapproval, her unnie starts gathering the bags. "Let's go home and eat, i know you want nothing else but mom's cooked meals."    'He doesn't give me a choice unnie.' She was about to answer.            Things are different for her.   She doesn't get to decide on what to do with her life. If she did, she would have a double major in literature or journalism by now.   But yeah, she was born with only few choices and sometimes, none. She's not the icing of their appa's cake. She's not the cherry top. It's Hanbyul. Always been her.    She grew up trying to win over their Dad even for once but she never did. Even when she was clearly smarter than her unnie or more responsible. Even when she got into the best schools and graduated with honors.    Their dad disregards her like one of his old rifle guns up on the shelves in their basement.   And she was too bent up in pleasing him that she gave up the only thing she's good at. She gave up writing and painting.   She never even tried having a boyfriend after the incident four years ago in fear that her dad might disapprove once again.          As though reading her thoughts her unnie halts from walking and suddenly hugs her, "Listen, YOU WILL TAKE THIS JOB. For once in your life you will do something that makes you happy. You've sacrificed enough. I won't let Dad interfere, I will protect you, you're not my baby sister for nothing."    Dara couldn't help the tears and hugs her unnie back.   Okay, she may not live in an ideal world but luckily enough she's okay knowing she got people who genuinely loves her. Even if that doesn't include her appa.                         "WHAT??? Are you out of your mind? Is this the reason why you aren't taking any of the interviews seriously? You ungrateful child!" Her appa's voice booms all over the house and Dara cowers in her seat.    " A-appa it's not like that." Her voice trembles as she fights the tears threatening to grace her face.    "Yeobo, please." Omma tries to reach for his hands in an attempt to calm him down.    Her dad dismissed her mom and turns back at her with piercing grim eyes, "You will no longer be a disgrace to this family! You are not going to take that pathetic job, you understand? This is absurd and I will not have this talk with you again so you better reject that offer!"      What does he mean by that???   How was she ever a disgrace?      "Yes she can. It's her life." Her unnie says in a rather icy tone that made both their parents turn their heads in surprise.    "Bwo?" Her dad's tone suddenly drops down and looks somberly at her unnie.    "Dad why can't you let Dara with what she wants? I mean, it was easier for me to be like you and omma, I've always wanted to be where I am now. But Dara, she likes to write. She's good at it. She's special in her own way