“ing watch it !”

Her eyes welled up as she was pushed aside by her classmate. This happens everyday, and she hates it so much, but there’s nothing she can do about it. She’s tried everything but nothing has stopped her schoolmates from picking on her. So she does her best to deal with it. However, with the recent stress of her graduation coming up and her parents passing, her emotions are running high as she runs off to the nearest restroom, the tears finally falling. 

Entering the restroom, she prayed no one was in there, and luckily for her, no one was. She grasped onto the sink, no longer holding in her cries. She hates this. She hates everything about this. Why did they always pick on her? What did she ever do to them? To anyone? She couldn’t get a break, and she wanted nothing more than just that. Everyday, her classmates would talk about her, push her around, just torment her all day. Some she didn’t even know. No one ever talked to her, no one was even cordial with her, not even her teachers. It was as if she was her school’s punching bag, and she had no idea why she got that title. Her ringtone broke through the sound of her cries, startling her. She hurriedly wiped her face with the back of one hand, trying her best to compose herself to answer. 

“Hey.”

“Yeoj- wait, what’s wrong?”

“What? No, nothing’s wrong, I’m fine.”

“Hey, I’m your sister, I know when you’re lying. You have to tell me what happened. I’m outside”

“Ok. I’m on my way.”

She hung up before she could say anything else. She hated that she couldn’t hide her pain from her. The young girl rinsed off her face in a last ditch attempt to remove any sign of crying from her face, and left. 

She said nothing when she entered the car, staring straight ahead, focused on tuning out her sister’s questions. Don’t get her wrong, she loves her sister. She appreciates that she’s there for her when no one else is. But she doesn’t want to constantly bother her with her problems. Haseul has so much on her plate now. She’s taken on the guardian role once their parents died, even though she’s has acted as Yeojin’s parent more than their actual parents. She works full time while at university just to support them both. She does so much for so little in return that Yeojin feels guilty to tell her about her school life. 

Haseul is the only good thing in this cruel world. Yeojin knows she would be lost without her. She knows that she’s the only reason why she even continues to suffer, so that Haseul won’t be burdened. She knows that she’s extremely lucky to have Haseul as her sister, and she cherishes every minute of it. 

“Thank you.”

“What? For what?”

“For everything. You do so much that you don’t have to and I just want you to know I love you. Thank you for still being here with me.”

“Yeojin, you know I love you too. You know I want to be here with you and take care of you. You’re my sister. Now don’t you EVER give me the silent treatment again.” 

They both laughed as they pulled into their driveway. Yeojin almost (almost) forgot about her day in school as they entered the house, joking about anything. As the night came, Haseul left to pick up some pizza for the two while Yeojin studied. 

That night, Haseul never came back with the pizza. Instead, an officer came to relay the news to a broken Yeojin. A Yeojin that lost her light.