A little girl was sitting at the table in the quiet living room alone. She glanced out to the yard out the wide open sliding door of the traditional house beside her. There was a pond there with a few fishes living in it. The girl went back to her homework in front of her. She sighed and looked up to the clock.

“Eonni should be home by now”

Five minutes passed. The little girl was still immersed in her homework. The front door was opened and the little girl lifted her head. A broad smile was on her lips. She dropped her pen and sprang up. “Eonni!” she ran passed her doll house on the floor near her. A few dolls were around the play area.

“I’m home” Lee Dabin closed the door and took off her shoes. “Eonni, you’re home” the little girl stood in front of her. Dabin replied her smile. “Sorry. You must be hungry, right?”

“No” the little girl shook her head and took the groceries from the elder’s hand. “I’ll help you make dinner”

Dabin bent down and ruffled her head with a smile. “Thank you, Dawoni. I’ll get change first, okay?”

“Alright”

Dabin walked into the hallway and Dawon watched as her elder sister made her way into her room. Her school uniform was drenched with sweat. Dawon knew her sister was tired though she never showed it.

* * *

The two sisters were enjoying their dinner. Dawon stole a glance at her sister who was watching the TV. Dabin pressed the remote control and turned to Dawon.

“Why do you turn it off?” Dawon asked. “The news is boring” Dabin ate another spoonful of soup and looked at her. “And I think you have something to tell me, right?”

“Me? No” “Come on. What is it about?” “Well” Dawon pointed to the letter scattered on the floor near her school bag. Some of the letters were red.

Dabin sighed and put down the spoon in her grip. She heaved another heavy sigh. “I guess I have something to tell you too”

Dawon lifted her head.

“Since we failed to pay for the utility” Dabin jerked her head to the letters. “I made a huge decision. But I want you to know that this is not an easy decision for me to do too”

“What is it, eonni?” “I think we need to sell this house” “What?” Dawon was speechless. She lifted her head to the family picture hung on the wall. In the picture was her and Dabin with their parents. Dabin followed her gaze. “I know omma and appa wouldn’t like it but” she sighed more. “Situation had put us in this edge. I found a new place that’s quite cheap-“

“But how can we sell this place? It’s our parents’ last treasure” “But it’s our last solution”

Dawon looked up to Dabin. Dabin avoided her eyes as tears started to blur her vision.

“I can’t think of anything else besides selling this place off” Dabin stated. “We have nothing now, Dawon. After omma and appa left us, we have not a penny left behind. And I don’t think I afford to pay for the bills anymore”

“No, eonni. Anything but the house. I know” Dawon patted on her chest. “I can quit school. That way we don’t have to pay for the school fees”

“No, Dawon. I promised to omma not to neglect your study. I’ll think of other way”

Dawon’s eyes fell to her dolls laying on the floor. Her mind busy thinking for a moment.

“I should quit school” Dabin stated. “No, eonni” Dawon suddenly stated. They exchanged eye contact. “Both of us shouldn’t quit school”

“But the school fees-“ “Why don’t we transfer school? You know the school at the end of the road? I heard people go there because of the fees” “But what about me?” “They have the high school beside the elementary school. It shouldn’t be a problem to us. It’s also near our house”

Dabin played with her food, thinking. “I should look into it. But transfer school…Means I have to leave my friends too”

“Then I will too”

Dabin turned to Dawon.

“If you are to make such sacrifice just for our happiness” Dawon said. “Then I will too”

Dabin smiled and caressed her head. “I’m sorry, Dawon. For making you live in this worse life too”

“If you’re having a hard time, then I will too”

Dawon gave her a smile before went back to her meal.

*I just hope that I can grow up and help both of us*