“I SAID, GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!” Chorong’s scream shrieked through their ears.

Bomi unconsciously released Chorong’s arm and took a step back.

Eunji froze in her spot, her eyes was red. She was scared.

Chorong passed by Eunji and went straight to Naeun’s room.

Because of Chorong’s scream, Namjoo woke up and instantly got on her feet. She was dumbfounded.

In her room, Naeun heard Chorong’s loud voice. She stood up and faced the door, bracing herself to receive a bleeding earful or even physical beating from Chorong.

Chorong knocked on the door as if she wanted to break it.

Namjoo remained in her spot and watched as Chorong kept knocking hard on the door.

Bomi and Eunji stood a few steps behind Chorong, unable to do anything to stop their eldest unnie from raging.

“Open, before I break it, Naeun-ah! I’m not kidding! I give you three seconds!!!” Chorong stopped knocking and counted until five seconds in her mind. “Open the door, Naeun!!!” Chorong tried to tolerate. She waited for a few more seconds. The door still closed. She could not hold back her anger. Chorong kicked the door with all of her might and power for several times until finally Naeun unlocked it.

Naeun stood in the middle of the room, facing straight towards Chorong.

“Naeun-ah, what did you to your dongsaeng this time? Why is it so hard for you to be nice to her?!” Chorong yelled.

Naeun did not answer.

“Where’s the kind and caring Naeun that I know? Where is she? Have you any idea what’s happening to Hayoung right now?! The kid is crying in her sleep asking for Mom! How should I answer her if she wake up and ask that question again? Do you know how hard it was for me to tell her about our parents’ deaths in the first place? How should I tell her again? What did you do to her to make her crying in her sleep? What if she gets sick again? Tell me, Naeun-ah!!!” Chorong’s screamed even louder.

“Right! Blame me all you want. Even if I tell you the reason, you’ll still take Hayoung’s side. After all, Hayoung is your favourite. That’s why you care so much about her. Never once have I seen you scolded her even when she behaved badly and stayed up all night just to play those stupid games. You pampered her too much that she had no respect for me anymore!!”

Bomi and Eunji did not expect that Naeun would talk back. They were completely annihilated by Naeun’s action.

Namjoo was still in confusion. She looked like she was about to cry.

Chorong was taken aback. “Why are you changing the subject? I asked you, why did you make her cry? Obviously you can’t answer it because Hayoung did nothing wrong! I don’t understand why you blame her for Yookyung and our parents’ deaths, because it doesn’t make sense anymore. It’s been over three weeks now, and you still think that Hayoung don’t deserve to survive! And for your information, I don’t play favourite. I love all of my sisters equally! I don’t scold Hayoung? Well how would you know that if you were never there when I scolded her? Do I have to scold her and beat her in front of your eyes for you to believe me?!!”

Naeun knew that Chorong was right but she did not want to surrender. “Action speaks louder than words, Unnie. If you don’t play favourite then prove it!”

“Yah!! Why are you being so immature?!”

“Maybe because I’m crying for attention!”

Chorong let out a single sarcastic laugh. “You wanted attention? If that is the case then why did you always lock yourself in the room? Enough with the assignments and school works as excuses. I know that is not the real reason. You just wanted to avoid all of us! How is that for a solid fact?!”

Naeun was lost for words. She just stood there, speechless.

Chorong let out a grunt and dragged Naeun to her room.

Eunji followed behind the two closely to make sure that nothing worse would occur.

“Look at her! Look at your sister, Naeun-ah! Can’t you see that she’s also suffering? She lost not only her parents and unnie, but also her ability to walk! Don’t you have even a tiniest pity for her?” Chorong sounded disappointed.

Naeun was forced to look at Hayoung. She saw Hayoung cried in her sleep, asking for their mother. Naeun had never been that guilty in her entire life, tears rolling down on her cheeks.

Chorong waited for Naeun’s response.

Naeun could not stand the pressure. She bit her lip and walked out.

Chorong did not stop her.

“Naeun-ah!” Bomi called. “Where are you going?” She asked when Naeun walked past her and Namjoo.

Naeun continued to ignore her sisters and headed for the front door.

“Unnie…” Namjoo said, looking at Bomi. She was afraid that Naeun was really going to run away from home.

“I’ll go after her.” Bomi mouthed to Namjoo.

Chorong inhaled and exhaled loudly with her eyes closed.

“Are you okay, Unnie?” Eunji asked, holding Chorong’s shoulder.

Chorong simply nodded without saying anything. She stared at sleeping Hayoung with mixed feelings before lying down next to the girl again. She pulled Hayoung into her arms and kept on biting her lower lip to the point that it left a mark, trying to sort out her messy mind.

Eunji’s reaction was not much different than Chorong. She held back every single mixed feeling that she had at the time. She was standing at the door, when she turned her head and noticed that Namjoo was frozen in the living room; probably still shaken by the whole situation. Eunji signalled Namjoo to come to her.

Namjoo shook her head and stared at her own feet.

Eunji sighed. She went to Namjoo and pulled the kid to her room.

Chorong glanced over her shoulder to see Namjoo who was standing behind her. “Sit down, Namjoo-yah. I’m sorry I scared you.”

Namjoo who was confused, got even more confused when she realized that Hayoung was really crying in her sleep. She heard it when Chorong was yelling at Naeun about Hayoung’s condition, but she thought it was just a pure metaphor. Namjoo looked at Eunji to have a simple explanation.

Eunji met Namjoo’s eyes. She was not ready yet to tell Namjoo about the fight cause; at least not when Chorong was there. She did not want to add fuel on the fire. She just gave Namjoo a blank stare back.

…………………………………..

“Naeun-ah! Stop!” Bomi chased after Naeun.

Naeun ran as fast as she could while tearing up.

Bomi managed to outrun Naeun after running for about three minutes. She blocked Naeun with her whole body. Arms spread wide, she breathed heavily, trying to catch a breath. “Yah!!! Where are you going??”

“I’m an adult. I’m free to go wherever I wanted to. Why do you care?!” Naeun was annoyed.

“Because I’m your unnie! I care about you because I’m your unnie!” She shouted. “Where are you going, Naeun-ah? Let me go with you. Let’s talk. I know you need someone right now. So let’s talk… I’ll listen to you…” Bomi said softly.

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Naeun replied coldly and avoided eye contact with Bomi.

“Don’t act all tough. Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m your Unnie. You can’t lie to me. I know you inside out. I know that you didn’t mean what you said to Hayoung earlier. So tell me honestly, what exactly happe