Sandara didn't have to pick up a sea shell to hear the ocean. Her mind was as vast as it was imaginative. Her senses would ignite like a painted picture with words alone, it was a gift. Her father once told her that.

Sandara's parents were never given the chance to do what they most dreamed of. It had been tougher times then...

She turned her head from the window of the classroom to mistakingly make eye contact with her teacher. Who wasn't the least bit impressed. "Sandara Park, how many times must I tell you...your focus for this class is crucial."

"Terribly sorry Choi Seonsaeng-nim.." Sandara straightened her back and brought out her text book to the correct page. A teacher who wasn't as understanding as Ms Choi would simply think she's a mockery of the curriculim. "Your day-dreaming phases are becoming quite alarming, nonetheless you are one of my promising students as long as your work continues to show the results needed, you can dream about the future all you like."

"Yes, of course." Her small, but sweet smile had saved her more than once from trouble. The loud disturbance of the school bell interupted the fluttering commotion of the room that had all begun from the teacher's attention towards Sandara.

"That's the bell, please hand in your notes from this afternoon as class is dismissed." Ms Choi informed everyone. A whisk of her black top high heels, she was back at the front of the class in order to squeeze in the necesscary pep talk at the end of each lecture.

What....that was it...but I've wasted so much time..

Wait the notes are still there.

"Permission to clean the board Seonsaeng-nim?' Kim Dasom asked, she was never eager to leave like the rest maybe she'd give it a minute.

"Of course Dasom, thank you always for your help."

B-but.....my work....

Sandara felt like slumping on the desk and wacking her head against it. She's screwed now....mid-year exams wil be in less than two weeks.

"Hey..." Someone was speaking to her, she comtemplated ignoring them at first but no...she portrayed that attitude with her sister only. Sandara probably looked sloppy and unmannered when she peered up at the fellow student.

Oh...it was just the guy from the front row who always wore hoodies and caps. They didn't speak much either, probably why Sandara hadn't given them much attention.

"Thought you might need these." A few note books plonk down on the desk beside her. The guy winks at her and hurries off before she can usher any questions or even a simple thank you.

"Have a good evening, Sandara." Dasom waved cheerfully. They were the only students left in sight. That's an indication that Sandara was free to forget about school for the rest of the day. "You too." She mustered through gritted teeth. Thanks for nothing..

Well....these notes here may be her only chance to catch up.

The sky had remained that rich baby blue colour while Sandara journeyed home. The two notebooks rested neatly in her arms, a quick but unburdened scene between her and the mystery school guy plays over in her head. It wasn't likely for Sandara to accept a second chance at anything since she instilled in her mind that she would never be distracted. Her gifted opportuinites had been too precious to take for granted.

Of course that was her fourteen year old conscience, she is now twenty one. But yes, mid term exams would be here before she knew it. One question that will arise in the exam is "Where do you see yourself ten years from now."

When Sandara was little, she used to take dips of her father's house paint and paint across a flimsy wooden fence that surrounded their mother's garden. When her father was forced to work two jobs, his bakery was run by both him and Sandara's sister Durami. He gave Dara the task of painting the bakery sign. To her families luck,their neighbourhood was bundled and friendly, everyone would pitch in to help others with their family businesses.

Her childhood was easier than alot of the kids she grew up with. She was fortunate enough to have an ongoing education. Maybe that's why I feel pressured...If I had known of my families true struggles as a kid..I would never have let them give up everything..

A tiny meow brought her thoughts to a pause.

"Dadoong, you always wait for me..." She picks him up in a cuddle. "My sweet prince.."

"Wish he would catch the mice that creep around here.." Durami said from the front door of their small detached homestead, she had her hair tied in a messy bun with an apron around her waist. She really looked like their mother, when Sandara and Durami were both little. Since their Father was busy working day in and day out, it left their mother to be a housewife and supporting parent.

Sandara could still remember the never ending giggles from when Durami had tripped into their mother's wash bucket while they were playing cops and robbers on a sunny afternoon. It was one of the last times they were allowed to play together freely...since their father had needed to train Durami to help him.

With her School bag and note books secured safely on the desk in her bedroom, Sandara took to her duty of feeding the cats. "Hey you know we have to ring Mom or she'll come racing and take you back home." Durami snickered from the kitchen. The smell of baked goods infiltrated Sandara's senses and her stomach started growling. Durami would only act so cocky because she knew she was more independant than Sandara would ever see herself to be.

"Woah is that a polaroid camera?" Sandara sat at the window ledge when her sister walked in to find her. "Yup, you snap a picture and it prints it out...like so." Durami is stunned by the small flash. "Gosh that probably turned out terrible." She caught Durami fixing up her hair and shirt collar awkwardly.

Sandara burst out in laughter when the polaroid set.."Naww but it's cute." She flicked it around for Durami to see. "Ahh Sandara get rid of it!" She frantically tried to grab the photo. She was no where near vain. Too busy to think about herself often, which saddened Sandara.

"I smell burning..." Both their eyes popped at the thought of a spoiled dinner. "It can't be! I never burn anythinggg!!" Durami raced down the stairs to save her "masterpiece".

"Why didn't you tell me you could make pizza?" Sandara had never been so into eating in her life. "I wanted to surprise you...I can afford the ingredients now."

"Durami that's great, can you make dessert too?" Durami snorted, "By the looks of it you could eat us out of house and home."

"Hmm...you eating this?" Sandara says and slips the pizza slice from her plate. "What? That was clearly mine! You don't need to eat that much.."

Dara then cleaned her hands and got up to fill the kitchen sink with hot water. "I'll eat all your ramen!" As if, whenever Sandara bought them she'd always nag about the starch and calories.

"You'll have to find my stashes.." Sandara teased. "You're hiding stashes of food in my house!? That'll bring rats goddamnit!" Durami prodded her with the end of a mop.

Twilight hours setting amongst Sandara's hometown appeared the most magical from those big victorian style windows, the view stretched over the plains...every now and then there would be houses with streaks of smoke from their burning fireplaces. Winter was newly upon them as Autumn gave out it's final rays of sunsh