She was at a beach at sundown with her five best friends in the world.  Three out of five were attempting to push each other into the water, one was trying to start a little fire up in one of the public grills, and one was sitting next to her.

“This isn’t fair!” whined one of the boys who was fooling around in the gentle waves.  “You’re bigger than both of us, Seunghyun!”

“It’s not my fault that I grew up big and strong,” said Seunghyun.  “Did you forget to drink your milk when you were little?”

“You know that none of us had good milk when we were kids,” complained the boy who had spoken.

“This stupid thing won’t light!” ranted the boy who was trying to light the grill.  “Matches are useless!”

“Jiyong, are you or are you not a dragon?” asked the boy sitting next to her.

“We’re not like that this time around, remember?” Jiyong asked, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

“Hey!  Daesung!  Is there anyone else around here?” the boy next to her shouted to one of the three boys still fooling around by the water.

“Eh…nope!” Daesung called back.  Then he was pushed into the water.  “Hey!  Youngbae, this is your fault!”

“Heh, I guess I owe you,” said Youngbae as he stood.  “Here, Jeonghye, take my coat,” he said as he draped it over her shoulders.  “I’ve gotta go save Dae.”

Jeonghye (for that was her name) nodded.  “Don’t come crying when Seungri and Seunghyun team up against you and Dae,” she said.  “I’m completely neutral!”  Youngbae flashed her grin before running off to help his fallen friend.

“Got it!” Jiyong cheered.  “Hey, Jeonghye, got the marshmallows?”

“And the chocolate and the crackers and the kebab sticks,” Jeonghye said.  “Honestly, Ji, you boys would forget your heads if it wasn’t for me.”

“And that’s why we have you,” said Jiyong.  “Hey, why don’t you bring over the food so we can test the fire while those guys goof off?”

“Sure.”  Jeonghye picked up the bags next to her feet, adjusted Youngbae’s coat, and went to join her friend.

“You know,” said Jiyong, as he opened the bag of sticks, “we should do this more often.”

“Mm,” Jeonghye agreed.  “It’s nice.”

“I mean, your parents are always so busy now that they’ve struck it rich,” Jiyong continued.  “You shouldn’t have to spend so much time alone just because they have to go to all of those social gatherings.”

“Hey!  You’re hogging our precious flower all to yourself!”  A dripping wet Daesung, followed by an equally wet Youngbae, made his way up to join Jeonghye and Jiyong.

“Aw, you’re just choosing this moment to get distracted ‘cause you guys know you were getting your butts kicked,” complained Seungri, who was dry from his knees up.

“It’s a good time to get distracted,” Seunghyun, who was in a similar state of dryness as Seungri, said.  “I want s’mores.”

Jeonghye held out sticks for them.  “Hey, you crazy people,” she greeted them.

“Aw, the water’s not that bad,” Youngbae said.  “It’s actually kinda warm.”

“It’s just the night breeze,” Daesung said with a nod.

“Here, take your coat back, then,” Jeonghye said, shrugging off Youngbae’s coat and handing it to him.

“What about you?” he asked.

“I’ll take Seungri’s,” she said.

“Yeah, yeah, always pick on the baby,” Seungri said, but his tone was light and clearly held no real negative feeling.  He willingly slipped off his jacket and gave it to Jeonghye.

“You may be a few months younger than me, but you’re no baby, Mr. Flirtatious,” said Jeonghye, poking him.  “Now hurry up and grab your marshmallows before everyone else eats them on you.”

~*\_/*~

She entered the living room of a luxurious apartment in which two adults, her parents, she assumed, were waiting.  She was dressed up in fine evening attire, her hair was done up elegantly, and she was wearing expensive-looking jewelry and a modest amount of makeup.  “What’s the occasion?” she asked.

“We have decided that you are of the proper age to start taking suitors,” said her father.

“…Taking suitors?” she asked.  “You’ve set me up on a blind date?”

“You can refer to it that way,” her mother said with a nod.

She frowned.  “It would have been nice to have a little heads up,” she remarked.

“You’ll have to start talking like a member of the upper class now that we’ve moved up in status,” her father said.  “You’re no longer Sim Jeonghye, the ordinary city-dweller; you’re Sim Jeonghye, heiress of the now-wealthy and affluent company owner.”

Jeonghye bit her lip.  “Yes, Father,” she said formally.  “Who am I to expect to meet?”

“His name is Jung Jihoon, and he is the heir to the Rain Company,” said her father.  “I expect that you will find him agreeable and worthy of our new standards.”

“He should be here in a few minutes,” said her mother.  Sure enough, the young man arrived at their door bearing flowers.  He bowed to her parents and allowed himself to be introduced before escorting Jeonghye out the door and to a fancy and expensive restaurant.

Jeonghye found Jihoon to be polite enough, but something of a showoff.  He did not seem to be able to go for more than a few sentences without mentioning some accomplishment or possession, and while he was certainly eloquent, he did not seem to be the type to desire to engage in deep or intellectual conversation.  However, he did enjoy talking, and so Jeonghye allowed him to run the night’s conversation, as she had no desire to do so herself.

Upon returning home, her parents demanded the details of the date and her opinion on the young man.  Jeonghye answered that he enjoyed speaking of his possessions and not much else, and that while he knew how to speak and had a nice voice, he was not overly pleasant to listen to.  Her parents nodded, and she did not go on a date with Jihoon again.

However, her parents did not give up.  They continuously and incessantly arranged dates for her with strangers, and each time, Jeonghye gave them mediocre feedback.  He was pleasant but had nothing intelligent to say.  He was intelligent but had no personality.  He was a pompous piece of work whom she quite honestly never wanted to see again.

Finally, she was summoned to the living room for a serious talk.  “Jeonghye, do you understand how important it is for you to marry up in class in order to secure our family name in the ranks of the social elite?” her father asked.

“I comprehend the strategy,” Jeonghye said.  “However, I do not want to be used as some kind of bartering chip.”

“You’re not a bartering chip,” her mother said, “You’re our family’s ticket to wealth, comfort, and happiness.”

That did not seem any different in Jeonghye’s opinion.  “I understand that I must marry up for the social status of the family,” she said.  “However, I want to marry someone that I love.  I’m sure that there has to be more suitable upper class young men in Korea than the ones you’ve presented to me.”

“Jeonghye, at some point, one must make sacrifices for the good of the family,” her father said.  “Your mother and I have worked as hard as we can in order to build ourselves up to this point.  We sacrificed our blood, sweat, and tears to make this family what it is today, and you’ve benefited from it.  Now it’s your turn to contribute.”

Jeonghye was still for a moment.  “I understand,” she said.  “Please, may I have a few days to myself in order to collect my thoughts and myself?”

“Of course, dear,” said her mother.

~*\_/*~

“They think they can tell me who I can and can’t marry!” she fumed.  “They think that they’ve done so much good for me!  They’ve given me social status and money, right?  Well, they didn’t give me anything I really need!  They weren’t there when I was in the midst of puberty and in a state of emotional and hormonal turmoil; they were in the city working out a business deal.  They weren’t there when my coughing got so bad that I almost cracked a few ribs; heck, they haven’t even bothered to set a doctor’s appointment for me, and I’m not a legal adult yet, so I can’t do it myself.  And now, after all the things they’ve done for me, they think that I need to sacrifice my happiness in this life so that they can cement their place amid the Korean elite!”

“I think that this is the angriest I’ve ever seen or felt you in any of our lives, Jeonghye,” said Daesung, concerned.

“And she’s justifiably so,” Seunghyun said, a dark look on his face.

“Do you want us to whisk you away and start over?” asked Jiyong.  “Seunghyun, Youngbae, Daesung, and I are all legal adults now.  We can save up money and move to somewhere where they won’t find you until you’re a legal adult and can make all of your own decisions.”

“Yeah,” said Seungri, “And I think I can make my parents understand if I told them I was spending some time helping a friend.  With a little bit of luck, we should be able to remain hidden for the five months until your birthday.”

“But that’s the money we’ve been saving up for the doctor’s appointment,” Youngbae said with worry.  “If we make the move, we’ll have to start saving all over again, and we don’t know if her health will hold out for that long.  We might be risking her life.”

“I’d rather have a short and happy life than a long and miserable one,” Jeonghye muttered.

“I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’d rather see you alive and well than dead,” said Youngbae.

“Yeah,” said Daesung.  “Your parents might not approve of your marrying, say, one of us, and withhold their blessing, but they can’t force you to sign the legal papers certifying your marriage.  I don’t think we need to go to such extremes as hiding you away.  If you can keep them waiting for five months, you’re an adult and move out.”

“They’ll hunt me down,” Jeonghye said.  “You know how they are – they’re obsessive.  When I was growing up, they were obsessed with becoming rich, and they were willing to essentially abandon me in pursuit of that wealth.  Now they’re obsessed with maintaining social status, and they will find some way to make my life miserable.”

“Then report them to the police,” said Seungri.

“They’ll find a way to pay off someone,” she said.  “Maybe I can find a way to make them disown me.”

“Your health is delicate as it is,” Youngbae warned.

“I know,” Jeonghye said.  “But what good is life if I’m trapped?”

“You’re starting to scare me with that kind of talk,” said Jiyong.  “What if we just figure out a way to off your parents so that you get the money, can pay for your own medical procedures, and make everything work out?”

“Off her parents?  Really, Ji?” Seunghyun asked.  “That’s a bit much.”

“You know I’ve always hated them,” Jiyong growled.  “I mean, I’ve got pretty lousy parents.  I mean, Dad walked away when he couldn’t take mom’s alcoholism, and obviously Mom spends everything on alcohol.  But at least Dad gives enough of a ---- about me to send me enough money to pay the rent, and Mom actually does care enough about me to let me keep living under her roof.”

“Language,” Daesung said, nudging him.

Jiyong ignored him and continued on his rant.  “You’re dirt poor, Daesung, but at least you have loving parents and siblings.  Seunghyun’s and Bae’s parents might pressure them academically and act jerky sometimes, but at least they want a good future for their children.  Seungri may have been abandoned, but his parents had the decency to leave him at an adoption agency so that he could have a life.  But do Jeonghye’s parents give a ----?  No!  They just want money and fame, and they’re willing to use her like some pawn in their game.  For crying out loud, she’s ill, and I’m not even sure they know it.  Shows how much they care.”

“I’ve made my decision,” Jeonghye said suddenly.  All five boys turned to her.  “I don’t think I could live with myself if I bent to my parents’ wills and married someone who I don’t love, and I also don’t think I can stay living in the upper class if the cost is my freedom.  I don’t know if my parents will continue to support me once I tell them that I won’t marry who they want me to.  If they try to force me into anything because I’m still a minor and under their legal guardianship, then I’ll leave, and once I’m legal, I’ll start my own life.  If they listen to me and support me, then I’ll stay with them and attend a university so that I can make my own life.”

“That sounds much more reasonable than anything we’ve come up with,” Seungri said with a laugh.

“Leave it to Jeonghye to make us all sound like fools,” said Seunghyun with a smile.

“Yes, that’s what I’ll do,” Jeonghye said decisively.  “That way if my parents listen to me, I’ll have the option of seeking medical help and graduating high school with some idea of what my future could be.  If they don’t, well, I’ll figure something out.”

“There’s a lot of ‘I’ in that statement,” said Youngbae.

“Yeah, don’t forget that we’re all behind you no matter what you do,” Daesung said.

“But Ji’s taking care of his mom, and you’re working to help support your large family,” Jeonghye argued.  “Bae and Seunghyun are still in the university, and Seungri is still in high school.”

“We’ll work out the details when we know the path your parents decide to take,” Jiyong said.  “But whatever ends up happening, never forget that we’re always with you.”

~*\_/*~

She steeled herself for the confrontation.  Her parents had returned from another business trip, which they had used as timing for her period of reflection.  Now they sat at dinner together at home.  Jeonghye bit her lip.  She could feel how anxious she was, and her increased coughing over the last two days told physical testament of her distress.

“Father, Mother, I have something to tell you,” she said finally.

“Ah, have you made up your mind on who to marry?” her mother asked, almost excited and interested in her daughter, for once.

“In a way,” Jeonghye answered.  Her mother’s partial smile faded.  “I have decided that I will marry who I want when I want.  You see, I haven’t even finished high school yet.  I want to go to a university and experience more of life before I decide to settle down.”

“Why would you need to go to a university?” her father asked.

“Well, if I’m to end up taking over the company when you guys retire, I’m going to need some type of qualification, yes?” Jeonghye asked.  Her parents shared a glance.  Jeonghye read it and was aghast.  “No way – you guys want to marry me off to become some sort of trophy wife so that my rich husband can take over the company later?!”

“Now, let’s not be hasty,” her mother said quickly.  “You see, we’ve taken into consideration your health problems, which you’ve mentioned to us once or twice before –“

“Oh, so now you care about my health?!” Jeonghye exclaimed.  She could quickly feel her temper slipping.  “I’ve managed my whole life, school and puberty included, with chronic coughing and fainting episodes, and you haven’t cared enough to set up a doctor’s appointment for me.  Now you think that I can’t manage to run a company because I cough!”

“It might be an extra stressor for you…” her mother said weakly.

Jeonghye was about to open to retort, when her father slammed his hand down on the table.  “I don’t think you understand the situation,” he said firmly.  “You will marry up, and if you don’t choose from the young men we’ve presented you, then we will!”

Jeonghye’s eyes narrowed.  “Do you think you can make me sign the papers?” she asked.

“Yes,” her father growled.  “See, I happen to know that you still keep in touch with those little friends of yours from our old neighborhood.  What if something was to happen to one of them?”

“You’d dare…” Jeonghye whispered.

“I would and I will,” her father said seriously.

“I’m done here,” Jeonghye said suddenly.  She stood.

“Where do you think you’re going, young lady?” her father asked.

“I clearly have no future in your home,” she said.  “Therefore, I’m leaving.”

“And where will you go?” he asked.  “To your little penniless friends?”

“I’d rather be penniless and happy than trapped in a gilded cage,” she snapped.

Her father had stood and was striding toward her.  Jeonghye ran to her room and barricaded the door.  She grabbed her phone and group-texted her friends.  Help.  Then she added, He’s threatened you all.

Let him come, was Jiyong’s answer.

We’ll be right there, wrote Seunghyun.  Pack what you want that can be carried.

Jeonghye ignored her father’s banging and her mother’s shouts.  Coughing, she grabbed her phone, though she knew the service would be shut off soon.  She took what cash she had stowed away and changed into something warm and comfortable.

We’ll wait for you, wrote Daesung.  You know the place.

Jeonghye pulled her hood over her head and picked up a stick of expensive lipstick.  On her dresser mirror, she wrote ‘Goodbye.’  There was soft tap on the window.  Somehow Seunghyun had climbed the fire escape.  She opened the window and crawled out, carrying her backpack.  He slipped it on and scooped her up before she could protest.  He put her on the back of the bike that he sometimes shared with his little brother in this life, handed her a helmet, and they took off.

“No one saw?” she asked as she pedaled.

“I’m sure I’m lucky tonight, even without Seungri’s help,” he answered.

“Luck is only luck, especially if it’s without a boost,” she said, worried.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said.  “We’re disappearing tonight.  Bae and I can commute to the university from wherever we end up, and we’ll make up something for our parents.  Ji’s going to keep sending money to his mom, but he’s going to stay with you, and so is Dae.  Seungri will finish school before coming to join us.  What do you want to do about your schooling?”

“I’ve got some money,” said Jeonghye.  “I’ll rent us a small place and finish my schooling online, if it’s possible.  If not, once I’m legal, I’ll change my name and stuff and start anew.  And if my parents try to find me, I’ll leave the country for somewhere like Japan or the United States.”

“You know we’ll follow you,” Seunghyun said.

“I know I can’t get rid of you,” Jeonghye said.

Seunghyun had steered them deep into the dingier part of the city, where the others were waiting.

“It went that badly, huh?” asked Seungri.

“Yeah,” Jeonghye said.

“So, what are we gonna do?” asked Youngbae.

From there, everything got confusing.  There were some flashes of her living in a small apartment with Jiyong and Daesung, and some of her working at a beauty parlor.  Three times she was in the audience of a graduation ceremony, one for Seungri, Seunghyun, and Youngbae.  Then she was back in school, but a university rather than a high school.  She lived in a new home, now, in the suburbs of some foreign city.  Then she was back in the classroom, but as the teacher of high school age students.  Was she teaching them Korean?  Maybe, but suddenly she was looking at the ceiling, and her students were shouting anxiously, and one of them was dialing the emergency number of whatever country in which she was teaching (she was not sure what it was, as she could barely hear anything).  Then she was on a stretcher, being rushed to the hospital.  The lights were bright, so bright…

 Jiyong, Seunghyun, Youngbae, Daesung, and Seungri were gathered around her bed, their faces filled with worry.  “Sim Jeonghye, don’t you dare close your eyes!” one of them cried.  She could hear the tears in his voice.  “No!”  Her vision was blurring.  Was it from her own tears?  She was not certain.  Her vision was darkening, and the pain in her chest, which she had not really noticed before, began to disappear.  “Jeonghye!  Jeonghye!  Jeonghye!”

~*\_/*~

Vera woke up Sunday morning disoriented and confused.  Revan was curled up in her arms, and the November shone gently on her face through the blinds.  Sitting up, she realized that she was crying.  She could hear the tune of the first song the band from the previous night had sung ringing in her head, but that did not bother her.  She knew that she had had a dream, a most vivid and realistic dream.  She had been being forced one way, but she wanted to go another, or something like that.  She knew that she had had friends who were willing to support her in any and every way they could, and that was alright.  She wished that she had friends like that in real life.  However, what bothered her the most was what she could remember most clearly about her dream.

Sim Jeonghye.  That was who she had been, but that was not her.  So who was she last night in her dream?  Who was Sim Jeonghye?

School is back, and so am I.  However, I can pretty much guarantee that I will not have another chapter out for a while.

I do not know what is up with the formatting.  The first chapter had no indents for paragraphs, the second had them, and the third did not.  If someone knows how to fix this, please tell me.

Please leave any comments, constructive criticism, pointing out of typos and grammatical errors, etc.  I would love to have other readers and writers advice in order to improve my writing – I’ll take everything with elegance, except for flames.