Chapter I:

O’Haera

~

The vibration of Haera’s phone forced her eyes open. The dream that had previously consumed her mind, drained from her eyes. She reached her hand toward the phone laying beside her, to switch off the alarm that chimed along with the vibrations. 6:30 AM - August 9, 2017. Her eyes closed in exhaustion, as she slowly emptied her lungs. Couldn’t it be yesterday? Or tomorrow? The one day she should be looking forward to is the one she always dreads the most. It didn’t really change anything did it? She had to get up and start her routine nonetheless.

Haera pulled her upper body up so she was sitting. She extending her arms up above her head, stretching her back and shoulders. Haera needed to warm up her limbs to get rid of the aches. It isn’t unusual for Koreans to sleep on the floor, but then again most people had sleeping mats, or heated floors. Haera lived in the extra storage room above the garage, the floor was always cold, and her Aunt and Uncle insisted all she needed was a pillow and blanket. It wasn’t like Haera was going to complain of course, she new the trouble she caused her family.

Dawdling wasn’t in her schedule though, so she pulled her black hair back into a ponytail with her rubber band, standing to fold her blanket up. Pulling off the crop top and shorts she wore to bed, Haera ignored the goosebumps raising on her skin. After changing into her work uniform, she crept out of the storage room and into the upstairs hall. The warm air surround her, causing a shudder to race down her spine. The three doors upstairs were shut, and Haera could tell from the lack of light coming from beneath them, that her family members sleeping in the two bedrooms weren’t awake yet. Haera snuck the chance to use the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face, knowing she wouldn’t get the opportunity once her cousin Yongchae woke up. She opened the bathroom door and flicked on the light to wash up.

When she got down stairs she grabbed her phone and earbuds from her backpack, plugging in some music to help wake her up. Though she hadn’t checked which playlist was on, she knew Epik High was playing nonetheless. Which she personally liked to think, was a good way to start the day. Haera opened the fridge and retrieved different ingredients for breakfast, as well as lunch, for her and her cousin. She did this everyday so she was quite accustomed to keeping a speedy pace. Which ultimately made the process a lot easier. When that was done, she set the table in the living room and turned back to the kitchen, deciding to make one last dish.

Haera had switched out the laundry for her to fold after work, and started sweeping the floor by the time her cousin was down stairs, her Aunt and Uncle not far behind. The food had cooled to a edible temperate when they sat down, but something made Yongchae pull a face she only ever used with homework. “Why is there seaweed soup? Oh wait…” she scoffed, “It’s your birthday isn’t it?”

“Yeah, happens every year, usually on the same day.” Haera retorted, adjusting her rolled up sleeves.

“Don’t pull that smart mouth, kid. You know we don’t like seaweed soup.” Her uncle scolded her, his beady eyes glaring at her from the top rims of his glasses.

“I just thought—”

“What did we tell you about thinking?” He challenged, and Haera felt her shoulders deflate, her knees knocking together.

“Not to.” He smirked, and turned back to the table to stuff his face with the food Haera had prepared. Yongchae and her mother had both become too preoccupied by their appearances to pay any attention to Haera and her Uncle. Yongchae was checking her hair and outfit in a compact, her mother constantly readjusting the moisturizing mask that covered her face. This was something Haera was sort of glad about. What she hated the most was when the three of them ganged up on her.

When she finished sweeping, Haera checked the time. It was 8:00 already. Work would begin in half an hour so she grabbed her backpack and phone, heading for the front door. Her family watched her slip on her shoes.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Her Aunt inquired, in a voice far from friendly or even casual.

“Work?” Haera answered, but it felt more like a question, even to her. She’d stopped from turning the handle of the door from the moment she heard her Aunt speak.

“Not without telling us where you hid your mother’s money you’re not!” Her Uncle bellowed, and her eyes turned down as her head dipped.

“I told you I don’t know where it is…” Haera sighed, figuring it was best to leave now before the yelling started. Finally turning the knob, opening the door wide, she tried to leave. Unfortunately the moment she stepped over the threshold, a hard object struck the back of her head, and she winced. Haera looked down to see scattered rice across the floor, and a bowl by her feet. Her Aunt must have thrown it at her, because no matter how horrid Yongchae or her Uncle could be, Haera’s Aunt was the only one to ever threaten to harm her physically.

She didn’t bother with the voices that screamed after her, she just bolted from the house. Not even looking back as she pulled open the front gates and neglected to close them. In fact it wasn’t till she reached the bus stop, that Haera felt an ounce of relief. The green and white bus pulled up in front of her, and she didn’t hesitate to get on, grazing her pass across the scanner. Once Haera was at the back of the bus, she rested her head against the window, trying to let out a contained breath as the warm salty liquid leaked from her ears, and slipped into . She tried whipping her cheeks, but the tears didn’t seem to want to let up. While managing to keep her emotions in check by the time the bus got to her stop, Haera hurried to pile off with everyone else. It was going to be another long day, to which she would return home to her family and all the loneliness that came with them. But is it really family when it’s absent of love? She decided she didn’t want to ask herself that question, let alone know the answer, by the time she stood outside the video store. She worked in a video store that sold old western movies and ‘hipster coffee’ as she liked to call it.

Haera shoved her stuff into her locker in the back room, pinning her name tag to the collar of her polo shirt. When she got to the counter she didn’t hesitate to slump onto the stool and lay down on the smooth countertop. Her best friend turned around from the wall where he was trying to attach a Gone With The Wind poster, and raised his eyebrow.

“What happened this time?”

“I took a bowl of rice to the head. How was your morning Daehwi?” Haera straighten up and started preparing the cash register. The time for dwelling was over. Short intervals were all she let herself have when releasing emotion. At least this way she would have a huge break down out of nowhere.

“Wow...I feel bad now cause I had a pretty awesome morning.” He pouted and it made Haera feel worse.

“Just because I didn’t have the best start to the day doesn’t mean yours needs to be horrible as well. Come on, make me feel better, tell me what happened!” She insisted, giving him a bright smile, even if it was pa