Jiyeon stirred, rubbing her sleepy eyes, awakening from her slumber. She remembered her love's promise that he would wake her up before sunrise. She glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table. The clock read 3:45 a.m. Damn you, Baekhyun! You ruined our plan to watch the changing colors of the sky as night turns to day! She groaned inwardly and shoved herself off the bed. She grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders before she padded over to her door. Slowly, being as quiet as she could, she turned the knob and pushed the door open. Thank goodness, Mom didn't lock me up. A sigh of relief escaped her lips.

She exited her bedroom as quietly as possible, leaving the door open, heading for the staircase. She tiptoed up the stairs. At the top, she drew a deep breath before she reached for the handle of the glass door and gently swung the door open. She was greeted by a cold burst of air. She shivered. Tightening the blanket around her shoulders, Jiyeon stepped out onto the rooftop. The whole world seemed as if it were still sleeping. The quiet solitude was so calming to her. She sat down on the concrete floor with her legs crossed and head leaning against the wall of the glass box topping the stair, watching stars twinkle against a dark canvas.

Looking southeast, she saw a beautiful star, so bright. The bright morning star was winking at her, and it was enchanting. A bright broad smile lit her face. She breathed deeply, savoring its beauty. Feeling satisfied, Jiyeon rose to her feet, rearranged the blanket wrapped around her shoulders and strode to the edge of the rooftop. She leaned against the railing, watching the eastern sky. The day was just dawning. The dark sky slowly turned deep purples then faded into reds. All the sharp points of light that she saw began disappearing slowly. The pinks, magentas, and finally fuchsias started slowly to brighten along the lower atmosphere and then moved upward across the sky as the thin layers of clouds provided a canvas backdrop. She felt quite small in the grand scheme of the beauty that came upon her. Being so overtaken by such a golden moment, she choked up and shed a tear.

"Jaehyun, I'm sure you're witnessing it too. Our sky is an endless, ever-changing canvas of awesome," Jiyeon mumbled as she brushed the tear away. This splendid phenomenon was worth waking up for. She'd always been the latest to go to sleep and the latest to rise.

She stood still, soaking up the silence and the calm. The color show was already starting to fade. The fuchsia display had subsided and given way to the oranges and yellows. Slowly becoming visible, the sun's entrance into the sky was over. She could hear the birds chirping away in the distance. A gentle gust of cool northwest wind elicited a murmur of shivering leaves from the trees. It was another day and another beginning—there was always an end where there was a beginning. She breathed in great lungfulls of the crisp air and raised her arms toward the sky, letting the blanket fall off her shoulders to receive the first welcome warmth of the dawn sun.

"You're up really early, did you wet the bed again?" her mother's voice filled the air.

Jiyeon dropped her arms and turned around to see her mother standing in the doorway. "No, I didn't. I decided to wake up early—very early—to watch the changing colors of the sky," she replied as she bent down to pick the blanket off the floor then walked over to her. She stood before her and asked, "Is there anything you want to tell me, Mom?"

"Junmyeon declined the arranged marriage." Her mother reached up to touch her cheek. "He said he loves someone else and wants to marry her."

"That's good news." Her face broke into a huge smile.

"I have real good news for you." Her mother's expression matched her serious tone. "You and Baekhyun have known each other. He's a nice young man. He has good manners and comes from a good family. He will be perfect for you."

Her smile faded. A look of annoyance replaced it. "Do you want me to marry him?"

Her mother nodded, beaming. "Sweetie, he's interested in you. He agrees to the arranged marriage. His mother has invited us to dinner later tonight."

"When did you talk about it?"

"Last night after Mrs. Kim and Junmyeon returned home, I called him. He came here with his mother and his aunt."

"Did his aunt support his decision?"

Her mother shrugged. "She didn't say anything. She just listened to our conversation."

"Do you know he hasn't yet completed his bachelor's degree?"

"I know. At least, he isn't your student."

Jiyeon gripped the blanket tightly as anger welled up from the pits of her stomach. "There is nothing wrong with a teacher falling in love with a student, so stop making it sound like a crime. Stop punishing me with an arranged marriage. Jaehyun is not minor. I chose him as my partner, why don't you respect my decision?" she hissed through clenched teeth. "Mom, Baekhyun is interested in revenge. The only reason why he agrees to this arranged marriage is, he wants to take revenge on me."

Her mother cupped her face in her hands and looked her dead in the eye. "Listen Park Jiyeon, your relationship with that boy not only ruins your teaching career, it brings shame and embarrassment to our family. Forget him. Don't ever mention him to me again. And don't be prejudiced against Baekhyun," she countered in a very stern voice. Her voice softened as she added, "Your dad is grilling now. We should be eating in about ten minutes." She then spun around and hurried down the stairs.

She opened to shout, but closed it again. She took a deep breath. "Calm down, Jiyeon. Don't waste your energy on arguing. You know what you want in life. No one can tell you what to do. Remember, just because you grew up with them doesn't mean you have to grow old with them. Let's create good memories before leaving them," she inwardly told herself then nodded, agreeing with her own words.

"Mr. Byun Baekhyun, I congratulate you for your success in convincing Mom that you're a nice man. Okay, I'll definitely attend the dinner meeting. I want to meet your mother," Jiyeon muttered as she stepped down the stairs, heading for her bedroom. She entered and closed the door behind her.

She directly went into the bathroom and threw the blanket into the laundry basket. She turned the shower on, quickly stripped off her clothes and tossed them into the basket before stepping into the shower. She let the cold water run over her body, not caring that the boiler hadn't fired up properly. She felt her mind come alive with the shock of the icy blast hitting her back and instinctively held her breath. She resisted stepping out of the jet of water before she allowed herself to breathe again when warm water started to filter through. She stood for a long time, just letting warm water run over her body. It felt so good. Then she lathered up her hair and body, brushed her teeth, rinsed off and turned off the water. She grabbed the towel and dried off then wrapped it around herself.

"Baekwoon, I will finally have a chance to meet your mother," she hummed as she got out of the shower and stepped out into her room. She walked over to the closet and flung open the door. Her hands skimmed over the formal clothing then sighed. "You're punished. If you come to school, you will be sent home."

She grabbed her casual clothes: a pair of blue jeans and plain gray T-shirt. After putting them on and combing her wet hair, she walked out of her room and rushed downstairs to the dining room. She stopped in the dining room doorway and silently listened to her parents' conversation while they were having breakfast.

"Soeun, you should stop setting up an arranged marriage for our daughter. She has the right to marry someone she wants to be with. Someone she is happy to be with. Someone who treats her well. Not someone who looks like a good match from the parents' point of view."

"I'm just trying to save her reputation." Her mother sounded angry. "Yongha, don't expect me to accept that boy who ruins her teaching career as her partner."

"Don't blame him. Jiyeon is the one who announced their relationship to the class. She is a grown-up woman. She knows what she's doing." 

"So you approve of him?" Her mother raised her voice.

After a brief silence, her father said, "I'm done my breakfast." He rose from his seat and moved closer to her mother. He bent over and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "I will talk to Jaehyun in person after teaching. I'm leaving."

Her mother didn't say anything. He grabbed his briefcase off the table and slung the strap diagonally across his shoulders, smiling as he walked over to Jiyeon. He stopped in front of her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll meet him after teaching."

Beaming, Jiyeon gave her father a hug and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Dad."

"Go eat your breakfast." Her father squeezed her shoulder gently before heading for the front door.

Jiyeon strode over to the dining table. She was about to take a seat beside her mother when she heard her father call her, "Jiyeon, someone is looking for you outside." She hurried to the front door, opened it and saw her father sitting on the bicycle seat with hands on the handlebar while talking to Eunji.

"What brings you here?" Jiyeon asked as she stepped out onto the porch.

Her father glanced over his shoulder, raised his hand and waved at her. "I'm leaving."

"Be careful, Dad," she said. He nodded before pedaling away.

Eunji approached her. "You left this in our house," she said, handing her the bag.

"Thank you," Jiyeon mouthed as she took it.

"Good morning," Eunji said with suave politeness, bowing her head slightly. Jiyeon glanced over her shoulder to find her mother standing, leaning against the door frame.

"May I take Jiyeon to the playground?"

"If you want to talk to her, just talk here."

Jiyeon turned around and walked over to her mother. She hugged her and whispered softly, "Mom, she is the one Junmyeon wants to marry. Would you please let me go with her? I promise I won't run away. I'll gladly attend the dinner meeting."

Her mother pulled back. Her eyes grew moist as she caressed her cheek gently. Maybe she felt guilty for slapping her hard yesterday. She kissed her forehead and smiled. "Go ahead and go with her."

"Thank you, Mom." Jiyeon kissed her mother's cheek and handed the bag to her before turning back around. Eunji held out her hand. Smiling, Jiyeon took it. They walked side by side down the sidewalk, heading for the playground.  

"You love being barefoot, don't you?" Eunji asked, looking down at her bare feet.

"I enjoy the feeling of freedom and liberation," Jiyeon replied. "We as humans were not designed to wear shoes. The nerve ending at the bottom of our feet require stimulation. Footwear prevents this from occurring. Why do you wear shoes?"

"It's a choice," Eunji responded. "I do like going barefoot in natural surfaces. What I like most about being barefoot is the sheer comfort and freedom I feel whenever I feel my soles touch the ground."

They exchanged glances and smiles. The sound of a slamming door stopped them in their tracks. They looked to the right and saw a young woman with a flushed face and red, puffy eyes storming out of a house, followed by a shirtless muscular young man wearing only shorts. His eyes were b with tears. He caught her shoulder, turned her so that she was looking at him. She jerked his hand away.

"I want a divorce." She seemed to choke on the words.

The shirtless man knelt down and hugged her legs, begging between sobs, "Hyomin, please don't divorce me. I'm really sorry I didn't mean those of what happened. I was in my manic state. I didn't exactly know what I was doing."

"You've cheated numerous times. I'm fed up with you using your bipolar as an excuse for your actions," she retorted, her voice cracking. "Instead of relying on government agencies, major organizations, professionals for explanations of your disease, I went straight to the source: to the scientific journals that provide empirical evidence to support or refute psychiatric theories. The first and most striking fact I unearthed was that a chemical imbalance has never directly been observed in humans. You…you are not suffering from a chemical imbalance. You are just very greedy for women." She bent down and roughly removed his arms from her legs. She dashed to the car parked in the driveway and climbed in.   

When the car engine growled to life, he sprang to his feet and ran to the vehicle. "Please, don't go! I promise I'll change!" He tapped on the driver's side window, moving as his wife slowly reversed out of the driveway then sped off.

"I'm glad she chooses to get a divorce instead of holding onto a toxic relationship. I hope he will learn his lessons and move on as a better person," Eunji said in a low voice, her gaze following him as he walked back into the house, weeping. "People need to stop the use of made-up diseases to explain away their bad behavior. We should be accountable for our behavior. We cannot blame 'fictitious mental diseases'. 'I was late because of my ADHD.' This needs to be replaced with, 'I was late because I misjudged the amount of traffic I'd encounter.' Just be honest. Plain and simple."

"We know exactly what we're doing and we're capable of stopping ourselves if we choose to try. We have been led to believe that we are powerless, but the reality is, we are more powerful than we are ever allowed to know, because the true power lies with us," Jiyeon remarked. "Hyomin is such a smart woman. She thinks critically. I'm so sick of hearing it's a "chemical imbalance". Who told them that? Where's the proof of this? People just go with the flow without questioning things."

Eunji shifted her gaze to her. "The gods in white coats told them—" She ducked her head down as she resumed, "Jiyeon, I'm sorry I've hurt you. I regret for telling my brother to forget you." The tone of her voice spoke sincerity.  

"I won't lie, your advice did hurt me—" Jiyeon put her arm around her shoulder and added in a joking tone, trying to defuse the awkward situation, "Even though I knew he wouldn't take it."

Eunji lifted her head and smiled. "My brother, indeed, didn't take my advice. In fact, he is waiting for you in the playground."

Without saying anything, Jiyeon ran as fast as she could, ignoring Eunji's calls. Her face broke into a smile as she saw her love playing a soccer ball with a toddler boy barefoot. Bright smiles adorned their faces. They both wore exactly the same outfits: plain white T-shirts and navy jeans. A young lady in casual clothes sitting on the swing was talking on the phone, keeping her gaze on them. Jiyeon sat down on the grass, watching them. He kicked the ball gently to the little boy who kicked it back to the side. The boy giggled. Jiyeon couldn't help but chuckle at his adorable reaction.

Jaehyun praised him by clapping his hands and saying, "Thank you!" He jogged to retrieve the ball and dribbled it back towards the little boy. "Here comes the ball. Kick the ball back to me."   

The little boy did as he was told. He kicked the ball back to Jaehyun who gently kicked it back to him. They kicked the ball back and forth between them. They somehow looked like a father and son.

"He's really good with kids." Eunji sat down beside her. "I'm sure he will be a good father in the future."

With a loud voice, Jiyeon blurted out, "You're right. He will be a good father for our future children."

No doubt, Jaehyun heard what she just said. He was beaming a bright smile in their direction. Eunji put her arm around Jiyeon's shoulder, gave it a gentle squeeze and asked, "So how many kids do you want to have?"

Jiyeon looked at her and replied, lowering her voice to a whisper, "I want to have two kids, a boy and girl. Being an only child is boring."

"What are the names of my future niece and nephew?" The excitement in her voice was priceless.

Jiyeon sighed. "I don't know yet. I never even think about it—" She gave her a curious look. "The blue shirt I wore yesterday was specifically ordered for you, but why did you never wear it?"

Eunji let out a small laugh. "Who told you that?" 

"Kim Junmyeon, the one who ordered it. I met him last night," Jiyeon countered, keeping her voice low. "I thank him for declining the arranged marriage. Do you want to know the reason?"

Receiving no response, Jiyeon looked back at her love and saw the young lady pick up the toddler. She held him in the crook of her left arm and bowed her head in thanks as Jaehyun handed the ball to the little boy.

"Thank you, uncle," the little boy said innocently.

Jaehyun touched the boy's head, a sweet smile lighting up his face. "I hope we meet again."

The little boy nodded. The lady kissed his cheek then looked at Jaehyun and said, "Thank you for playing with my son and being so kind. It was a pleasure to meet you. I think you will be a great dad someday."

His smile grew wider. "It was really fun playing with your son. How old is he?" 

"My little boy is two and a half year old." The lady kissed his cheek again then gave Jaehyun a small bow.

Jaehyun gave a little wave as the lady walked off. He then ran towards Jiyeon, grinning widely. His expression mirrored hers. He sank to his knees in front of her and hugged her gently, whispering in her ear, "I missed you."

Jiyeon returned the hug, murmuring, "I missed you too." They hugged each other for a long time in silence; she savored the warmth of his body against hers. Her eyes were closed.

"It's getting hot here." Eunji's soft voice broke the silence. They pulled apart from one another. She gave them a smile and said, "Sorry for disturbing your moments." She got to her feet, moved to the nearby tree and sat, resting her back against the trunk. "Jiyeon, can you tell me what the reason is?"

Jiyeon stood up and held out her hand to her love. Jaehyun grabbed her hand and rose to his feet. They walked over to Eunji and settled down on the grass in front of her. Jiyeon took a deep breath before speaking, "The reason is he loves you and wants to marry you. You broke up with him because you needed to focus on studies, didn't you? Now you quit your master's degree. Do you want to get back together?"

Eunji was quiet for a few seconds and then replied in a serious tone, "No, I don't. I don't want to get involved with anyone who practices psychology or psychiatry. Judging a person's conversation and calling it an illness is the most ludicrous practice."  

"Junmyeon said he doesn't give people labels."

"He's a paid friend." Eunji's voice took on a more serious tone. "I'd rather die alone than be married to someone who profits from the misery of others. "MH" built a fraudulent industry on a host of false premises, all of which revolve around the illogical fallacy that thoughts and feelings, negative mental/emotional experiences, are treatable diseases. This is called fear mongering and disease mongering. Stigma is often used in the context of having the effect of someone not seeking "care" when they should. The "mental health" system wants to remove "stigma" to get more customers! That's what really matters to them."

"Now I get it, why you never wore that blue shirt," Jiyeon responded. 

Jaehyun moved to sit beside his sister and held her hand as he asked, "Sis, if he quits being a therapist, I mean a paid friend, will you give him a chance?"