You couldn’t open your eyes properly this morning. Your eyes felt like those were burning, and every time you tried to open your eyes, it shut immediately. Your throat felt dry and you could taste bitterness all over your mouth. You felt dizzy as well when you tried to get up off the bed. You must be sick.

You heard a familiar knocking sound on the door. “Miyeon-ah? Are you awake?” Minkyung called you from behind the door. You wanted to answer but no sound came out. You tried to swallow your saliva and tried to speak again.

“Miyeon? Are you okay? Could you open the door?” Minkyung asked as she sensed something went wrong.

You took a deep breath and tried to get up. You stood up slowly but the dizziness struck again. You stumbled a lot while walking and your eyes still couldn’t be opened properly. You grabbed the door knob and powerlessly unlocked the door. Minkyung opened the door slowly and she was surprised to see your weak and pale face. She led you to the bed. You were glad to be back laying down on bed because it healed the dizziness a bit.

“You are sick,” Minykung stated. You didn’t answer—you couldn’t anyway. Minykung placed her hand on your forehead to quick-check your temperature. “It seems pretty bad… Wait for a minute, I’ll bring the thermometer.” As soon as she said that, she left the room in a fast pace. You heard footsteps nearing your room, but instead Minkyung alone showed up, your mom tagged along behind her. Minkyung measured your temperature and the thermometer showed 39 degrees celcius.

“It’s pretty high, Mom,” you heard Minkyung said in a concerned tone. “Miyeon should be taken to the hospital.”

You heard your mom sighed. I’m sorry for being such a burden. “I have meetings today and I can’t be late,” Mom said. You closed your eyes because it felt hotter as tears began to be formed.

When Minkyung was sick, your mom would cancel all of her schedule of the day and stayed with her at home or brought her to the doctor.

“If you allow me to skip school today, I’ll take Miyeon to the hospital,” Minkyung negotiated with Mom. You were relieved when she said that, because you preferred to be taken to the hospital by Minkyung.

Mom rejected immediately. “No, you should go to school, Minkyung-ah,” she said, then she looked at you. “Try to get ready and we’ll go to the hospital.” Mom left the room—you bet she contacted her colleagues, informing she couldn’t be present until she took you to the hospital.

“Get well soon, Miyeon-ah,” Minykung said while arranging your bangs. “I’m sorry I couldn’t accompany you to the hospital. I should be going now, or else I’ll be late. Bye.” She hugged you and walked away.

“Be careful on your way,” you said with weak voice.

Minkyung turned around immediately. “Save your voice, but thank you and I will be careful on my way,” Minkyung said with her beautiful smile. You tried to smile back and you succeeded eventhough the smile was weak, more like a pathetic one. She left the room and closed the door quietly.

You were in the hospital’s waiting room with Mom. You didn’t talk at all and Mom didn’t try to build a conversation with you as well. You preferred this silence rather than hurtful comments you got every time you had a conversation with Mom.

She wasn’t that cruel, actually, she was not cruel at all. She just preferred something else over you, most of the time. You didn’t know if that was cruel or not. Well, you couldn’t blame her.

Your parents were very busy with their works and planned to have just an only child in the beginning of their marriage. They couldn’t guarantee that they could pay attention if they had more child in the house. They were ambitious and they wanted their child to be a successful person who mastered every single competence. Actually, they wanted a son. A perfect, reliable son who could be their one and only successor. But instead of a son, your parents were informed by the doctor team that your mom beared a twin—and they were girls. They were disappointed at first, until they noticed Minkyung’s multitalent since you and Minykung were in early childhood phase.

Soon, Minkyung became their favorite. Minkyung made them proud in every single way. Your parents always talked about Minkyung to their friends and colleagues, explaining how she won a national painting competition and got the first place for academics in the entire school. Moreover, Minykung really was lovable and pretty. Who could resist such a pretty face with beautiful personality and y brain? No one.

Your parents didn’t get proud when you won the second place in writing competition when you were in middle school. You remembered being happy to finally achieved something, showed them your second place trophy to your parents and being crushed immediately after saw their response. They were not impressed at all.

First of all, they considered that everybody could write. Did they count ‘choosing words’ an