"Are you guys sure Mi Yeon and I don't need to send you to the airport?" I asked.

     I looked at my parents who are standing by the hallway, checking their baggages for the fifth time. 

     "Yes, honey. Sung Jae here is going to drive us there," my mom answered.

     "Don't worry. I'm a good driver, remember?" Sung Jae reassured, winking at me.

     I rolled my eyes and turned to my mom. "Mom, call us when you get there. And tell Se Ra ajuhmma that I miss her, too."

     "You could've told her that in person," she muttered.

     "Eomma.."

     "It was your father's decision, not mine," she reminded me.

     "Urgh."

     "Eomma," Mi Yeon said as she entered through the front door, "I thought you'd leave at nine? Isn't it a little too early to be saying your farewells already?"

     "Isn't it a little too late already for you to get home at this hour?" I scoffed.

     "Shut up. I'm not talking to you," she countered.

     "We decided to leave a little earlier," my Dad told her as he approached us, carrying luggages.

     "Oh, Appa, Eomma, I'm going to miss you guys," she cooed as she hugged both of them.

     "Am I supposed to join them?" I whispered to Sung Jae.

     "Uh, maybe? If you feel like it," he answered. "Just wait for an invitation."

     "Psh."

     "Mi Ne-yah, come here, sweetie," my Mom called out from the group hug.

     "There you go," Sung Jae whispered to me.

     I joined them hesitantly. The hug actually felt real. I realized, it's been a while since the last time we had a group hug. The last one included In Soo.

     "Can I also join?" Sung Jae asked jokingly.

     "Sure," my Dad answered.

     And we all hugged each other. Looks like a perfect, happy family, only it's not.

     After breaking the group hug, Mom and Dad started hugging everyone, one by one. When she hugged me, she whispered, "Take good care of your sister, no matter what." I rolled my eyes. "I love you, sweetie."

     "Love you too, Eomma," I whispered back.

     When Dad hugged me, he said, "You guys take care of yourselves. Get in touch always. Don't go to college parties often. Love you," and kissed my head.

     "Love you too, Dad," I replied. I don't think I'd ever go out partying. After what happened to In Soo, I became allergic to parties.

     Mom and Dad gave their final farewells. Sung Jae helped loading their luggages in the trunk of the car. They're not bringing a lot because their other stuff was already sent first.

     Mi Yeon and I waved our hands to them as they drove away. When the car turned at the corner, I sighed and went back in. Strangely, I suddenly felt lonely. I glanced at the grandfather clock in the living room. It read quarter to eight.

     Mi Yeon walked past me and went straight up to her room. Great. The silent treatment. Thinking about how I'm going to deal with her for the next few months gave me a headache. I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. After finishing it, the glass slipped out of my grip but I have good reflex so I was able to catch it. Damn. That gave me a mini heart attack.

     Before going upstairs, I took out of the fridge the white chocolate that Sung Jae gave me a few days ago.

     It's my first night alone with my sister. If she wants to stay in her room and give me the cold shoulder, I might as well stay in my room too and Netflix while eating chocolates.

     When I walked past Mi Yeon's room, I could hear muffled music blaring through her speakers. When I entered mine, my phone that was on my bed lit up. Someone's calling. Ji Yeon.

     "Hey, you!" she greeted.

     "Hey, you, too!" I cheerfully replied as I sat on my soft bed. 

     "So how's the first hour of freedom?" she asked and chuckled.

     "My sister's being a ," I replied. I heard her laugh from the other line. I was about to tell her to stop laughing when another phone call came in. I checked to see who it is. Sung Jae. "Wait, Sung Jae's calling," I told Ji Yeon. I answered Sung Jae's call after hearing Ji Yeon complain about being the second friend.

     "Hey, 'sup? Did they board the plane already?" I asked.

     "Mia.." he called my name in a shaky voice. I started panicking. My heart pounded and I could literally hear it beat as I waited for Sung Jae to continue. "There w-was an a-accident," he stuttered.

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