"Come on Fellas! Let's get our rear ends into high gear to the Talent Show rehearsals! The show is tonight!"

Gabe claps his hands as we hurry and scatter to get our clothes on and to get out the front door. I grab my guitar from it's case and go out the door sitting on the porch railing waiting for the others.

I hold my guitar on my lap strumming a few notes to my song. I smile, feeling satisfied with my song. I absolutely cannot wait to sing it loud and proud to everyone. 

We went down the main hall where the rehearsals are being held. I found myself a secluded corner of the room to practice my song. I take out my note book and sang the song to myself as I strummed my guitar. I seemed to be having a bit of trouble keeping i tune for the second verse. I git my forehead with my pal. I knew something would come up somehow...

"Hi Ji." A voice suddenly chimed in, making me jump. I look to see it was Seung Hyun. He gave me his typical dorky smile.

"You dork! You scared me. What do you want?"

He shrugs.

"Oh nothing I just wanted to hear some more of your song.... if that's okay?"

I shake my head.

"Sorry buddy. I'm having a bit of an issue with the song right now. Maybe later okay?"

He nods.

"Oh okay."

He walks away to wander around the room while we all rehearsed. I continue to battle to myself which solution is right for the song when I hear a small yet slightly deep voice since a verse of my song. Am I going nuts? IS SOMEONE STEALING MY SONG?? Oh fists are going to fly...I stand up sharply stomping in the middle of the room ready to injure whoever is singing. My eyes catch Seung Hyun balance walking on a bench. I study his lip movement, confirming that the voice matched the face. 

"A love I thought would be eternal, Drew to a close, and even all the many friends I had are leaving me... I've gotten older so I guess I become an adult... Why am I so anxious... AH!"

He abruptly stops singing and jumps back, nearly falling off the bench. He looks softly into my eyes. 

"I-I'm so sorry Ji.. I-I just like your song-"

"Sing it again."

He did a double take, looking at me like I killed someone. 

"Wait... what?"

"Sing it again." I repeat.

He gulps and nervously repeats the verse he sang. I smile which made him more nervous.

"Are you good with being on stage?"

He agrees.

"Why?"

"I think I found my back up singer."

I stop strumming my guitar.

"Okay Seung Hyun let's try this again. Remember it's: 'With your radiantly glowing and beautiful one last smile'. Okay?"

Seung Hyun nods as I start to strum the music to the verse. He clears his throat. 

"With your radiantly glowing then... beautiful one last smile..."

I stop strumming. 

"Oh my God you damn dork What are you doing to me??"

He looks down at his shoes.

"Sorry Ji..."

I set my guitar down standing from the chair for a stretch.

"Ah it's fine, but I know that you're gonna be the death of me...Take five."

He sips water as I take a moment to write out a verse on an index card for him to study. He's got the entire song except for that one chunk memorized. I'm hoping that this method will help him some. He takes a minute to sip water. I give him the index card.

"Here. Study off this for the next couple hours. That'll give you some time to get in your brain."

I knock on his head. 

"It takes time to soak anything in that hollow thick skull."

He sticks his tongue out at me then started studying off the index card. When I told him to study, he took it just a tad too seriously. The whole way to the cabin for our quiet time, which they greatly bumped up to two hours, he did not take his gooney eyes off that card. He tripped a couple times over roots, and walked into Hong Ki's back. He is still studying it climbing into his bunk. I look through the slots of the bed guard at him.

"Dude you can stop studying it for a moment if-"
 

"Shhh! I'm studying..."

I shook my head. He's a dork indeed. I lay on my bunk looking the picture of my baby sister. No matter how many times I look at her face, I cannot get over the cuteness. I don't know why, but there is something about chunky babies that makes them so darn cute. My sissy is no exception. 

I close my eyes taking a deep inhale through my nose. I'm quite surprised how fast this summer has flown. Of course, I most certainly didn't expect for a second that I would actually be enjoying myself. I expected to be begging to go home. 

I yawn deeply. How on earth can I be so damn tired?? I shut my eyes. Just to take a little rest...

"Mom!" I cry out, running after her. 

She had fallen down the stairs. I hold crying Mary Kate in my arms. 

"I told you not to brain wash my son!"  A familiar voice boomed from upstairs. 

Mom lays unconscious on the bottom steps her head bleeding heavily. I try all I can to stop the bleeding. Loud deep footsteps get closer to the bottom. I look up to see my hateful father coming toward us. He carries a baseball bat. 

"Get away from her!"

I stand angrily.

"You probably just killed her!" 

He swats me across the face almost sending me backwards.

"You listen to me boy! If your Mom remembered to take the pill, this conversation would not even be happening! You and that thing you're holding is a whoops. Now quit being stubborn and let me try to make some use out of you."

He grabs my arm and I snatch back.

"NO!"

I run out of the house holding Mary Kate tightly in my arms. I swipe my bag and the baby bag on my way out. I sprint down the street in the direction of my aunt's house. Tears sting my eyes. I had out run him by a lot. I was certain I lost track of him, I hide in my aunt's cluttered shed. I look down at my crying sister.

"It's okay Mary Kate he's gone... Oppa is here for you."

I rub her back eventually calming her down. I lay her on my knees as I work quickly making her a bottle. I pour a scoop of formula in the empty bottle and pour room temperature water from my water bottle into the container. I twist the top on and give it a quick shake. 

She accepts the bottle. I hold her in my arms covering her with my sweatshirt. She closes her eyes as she away at her bottle.

"I got you don't worry sissy you're safe now."

My heart melts just a little as I realize this is a moment I'll forever cherish. It's not everyday that a teen can feed his baby sister. It's definitely a bonding moment. 

I heard a loud bang at the shed door. It startles Mary Kate to make her cry again. I try to shush her again. I see boxes tip over and my father is standing in front of me.

"Leave the brat here and come with me."

I hold her back. 

"NO!"

He clenches the bat he has in his hand. 

"Very well."

He held the bat over his head in swinging stance. Panic struck me and I let out a scream. My aunt comes into the shed yelling at my dad. He told her if she intervenes he will swing the bat and strike all three of us. I felt something break inside me.

"Wait...!"

I quickly hand the baby to my aunt and give her the baby bag. I knelt in front of him.

"Don't hurt the baby or Mom's sister... Hit me instead. I deserve it."

I bow my head down, tears streaming from my eyes.

"I deserve it... I'm a mistake and not meant to be here.... Please don't hurt them..."

I fell forward when I felt a sharp pain hit the back of my head. My own blood starts pouring onto the ground. I heard him cackle. He stands above me with the bat over his head ready to slam it down.

"Any last words?"

I look at him, my strength diminishing quick. I give him a glare with my drooping tear filled eyes.

"I really hate you..."

I jolt awake immediately sitting up in my bunk. A loud scream escapes my lungs. I let out a wail that I've never done before. I even surprise myself.

"Ji Yong..." Gabe calls out to me, as he rushes over to me. Luna knocks calling for Gabe. Hong Ki lets her in.

"Gabe what's going on?!"

I see Luna sit by my side and she tightly hugs me. She quietly shushes me. 

"It's okay Ji Yong. Calm down..."

After a minute I managed to calm myself down. I wipe my eyes.

"I-I'm okay."

Luna stands helping me up. We walk outside onto the porch.

"You were dreaming Ji Yong. We heard you yelling for your Mom and your sister just as you jolted up."

I nod.

"I'm sorry Luna. I'm okay. It's nothing too concerning to talk about."

She nods, seeming to understand, and she left after saying goodbye. We were instructed to go back to the main hall to finish rehearsals. The show starts in a couple hours. Seung Hyun happily gets down from his bunk as I tie my shoes.

"Ji! I got it memorized! It's: 'With your radiantly glowing and beautiful one last smile'! 

I clap. 

"Good job! We'll finish rehearsing."

Once down at the main hall we were served sandwiches and soda for dinner. We ate and continued to rehearse. I strum my guitar as we both sang the entire song twice. I clap happily.

"Great job! Just like that and we'll do perfect!"

We took the rest of the time to relax. Before we knew it, it was show time. The main hall is packed full of campers, counselors, and they threw the idea around for a bit, and decided recently to allow parents attend. They let the smaller kids go first. A boy named James of Team Yellow went first, he danced free style to a PSY song. Everyone awed and clapped for him, four kids from Team Green did a line dance, a kid from Team Blue recited the periodic tables of elements, I have to say that was impressive, a couple kids from Team Purple did a drama skit, finally making it to Team Tie Dye. 

Daesung went first singing a 2NE1 song called Ugly, he nailed it with flying colors, Seungri and Taeyang sang a song they wrote, Hong Ki sang his favorite worship song, and Seung Hyun did a great beat box. I became self conscious all of a great sudden, each of my cabin mates did such an awesome job out there, there is no way in heck I am able to top it. 

"We saved the best performance for last! He worked extremely hard to write this song, Kwon Ji Yong duet with Choi Seung Hyun, singing a song called Last Dance."

A round of applause boomed through the hall. I grab my guitar and sit on the stool behind the microphone. I nervously look out at the crowd. 

"Um... this song I wrote for my mom and baby sister. I'm happy I'm able to complete it before her birth. It's called Last Dance. My mom and sis out there tonight, this is for you."

Seung Hyun adjusts both microphones. I strum the intro and began to sing. I sounded a bit off in my voice. 

Who knew I had stage fright? I clam up a bit and pause after a verse. 

"Dammit..." I whisper under my breath. I lower my head. I'm making a complete fool of myself. I have no talent whatsoever.

I hear a whistle in the crowd. I look up to see Mom and my aunt waving to me. Mom holds the baby outward mouthing the words: Keep going. 

I strum again, my confidence slowly building up. I began to sing fully and more in tune with my music. Seung Hyun nails it with the verse, he indeed memorized, and he did the back up vocals perfectly. I smile big as he sang the last bit of the song. I conclude the rest of the song with a final guitar strum. Cheers and whistles filled the room and echoed off the walls. There was absolutely no reason for me to be nervous, everything went great and ended better than I thought. 

Seung Hyun and I bow. I took a last glance at my Mom and aunt who's clapping hard and I actually saw my Mom crying tears of joy. I pat Seung Hyun on the back. 
 

"Good job Dork."

He laughs as we took a final bow and exited the stage. I know the answer to Janie's question now... I want to be a singer.