I headed straight home after me and Jungmi had ice cream.

In front of me is the worn out door I had grown accustomed to seeing whenever I leave and return home.

I opened the door and it released the familiar loud creak because of rust surrounding it.

"I'm home." I muttered as I removed my shoes.

"Ah, Se Mi-ya, we'll have quite a feast tonight. I prepared Korean beef!"

"Eomma!" I yelled. My mom stopped and her smile dropped to that of being awkward.

"It's just this once Se Mi. I want you to eat good food once in a while like all your other classmates do."

"Eomma, I told you not to buy unnecessary things with your salary. I'm fine. I don't need what they have. We're even barely living with Dad leaving us." I said.

I sighed. "Never mind. Let's just eat. It'd be a waste if we leave them there. It's my part time salary this Saturday anyway."

I suddenly felt a bang on the table. "Se Mi, I told you that I would not allow you to work! I want you to focus on your studies and hang out with friends like any normal teenager..."

I clenched my fists. "This is my choice! We need to live, to eat! You're barely making anything and I don't want to be some burden!"

"Se Mi... You're not a burde--"

"I want us to rise up from this kind of life. I'd given up on being a 'normal' teenager when we're living like this! My life was far from 'normal' when that man left us for good!" As I finished saying that, I felt a stinging sensation on my cheek.

"Your father did not leave us. He's working hard for us somewhere far away." I heard my mother gritted through her teeth.

"That's what you want to believe. A whole 2 years without contacting us?! Do you even think he's working for us?!" As I finished bursting out, I go straight to my room, locking it.

"Se Mi! Se Mi, I'm sorry..." I ignored my mother's plea as she kept knocking on the door.

I will not cry. I'd be stronger. I would not cry for that man.

I knew I was crazy, deceiving myself for thinking that. I crawled towards my bag to open my notebook.

I felt cold. Shivers continually ran throughout my body.

The note... It's- It's gone! I panicked, rummaging through every part of my notebooks and books, trying to see if any small paper would fall off.

There was nothing. Where? Where did I last see it?!

His promise! That small part of me, still hoping... He'd...

Why did I lose it? I have to find it... I have to.

3rd POV

Se Mi shifted positions as she couldn't sleep, still thinking about the missing note.

She thought of all the places where she could've been and the classroom was the only place she thought of.

They didn't do cleaning duty earlier. I heard Jungmi mention it. I-It's still there. I-It's there Se Mi. Calm down.

She forced her eyes to close, letting sleep consume her although that wasn't until a few hours later.

Waking up. She felt ragged and out of sorts. She looked at her old clock and saw that it was 7:30.

Her eyes widened and alertness washed over her as she was now wide awake. She hurried to the bathroom, taking a bath and dressing up.

As she was about to leave the house, her mother