People always say your life can change in a matter of seconds… it can change for the good or the bad...well my life sure did change drastically at the age of 10. When my father died…

I remember it vividly every time I close my eyes...the night before it was dark stormy, the only light that there was, was the full moon shining down, lanterns and flashlights. My mother Jennifer Lee or better known as Jenna or Jen Lee, told my father not to go out with his friends hunting at night it was dangerous. For me it was more odd they weren’t taking hunting gear. I stood in front of my mom looking back and forth at her and my dad, after a while of debate and arguing he bent down on one knee to my level and kissed my forehead saying “be good my dārilaros” and promise he would be back before I woke up, I never understood what that word meant but I just nodded my head hugging him tight as we said our last I love you and our last goodbye. That night was a difficult night, a really sleepless night for me even when in the middle of the night I hear a howl from far away and a really loud ringing in my ear.

The sun rose and it was morning I got up before my mom going to the door hoping for it to be open by my dad but instead...it was open by Erick my uncle from Germany from my mom’s side of the family. He went in running, waking up my mom in a rush. We spent the morning gathering friends and neighbors for a search in the forest. We had gathered all in front of the forest getting orders from Erick and his wife Sera who is my aunt. I hold my moms hand tight as they gave us bags and instructions on which way they would walk to. We all had to separate and go looking for my dad. My uncle Erick and my aunt Sera force my mom to let me walk by myself, all I carried with me was a small backpack with a map, flashlight, 5 bottles of water and 7 different snacks inside of it, even though I had all that they also handed me a metal walking stick and a whistle that went around my neck. I was scared of course I never had walked the forest alone. 

My aunt Sera held my mom back for a while so I could be able to walk alone without her actually following me. I looked back at them one last time as I headed into the forest. I continue walking for a while longer and looked up at the sky, seeing it was becoming dark very slowly, who knows how long I was looking up for, because the next thing I knew my walking stick had slipped out of my hand and as I tried catching it my body force made me lose balance and I fell rolling down a hill. I cover myself using my arms as best as I could, the only reason I stopped was because I hit my head with a rock. I was dizzy and felt really tired, I looked around and quickly grabbed the whistle using whatever breather I had in me. I could feel a little cut on my forehead and little bit of blood dripping, I got up looking around and then stopped as I saw a small meadow, it wasn’t like the rest that had flowers or green healthy tall grass, it was a clear open and the last bit of sun shine down in the middle of it. As I looked down at the middle I could see it, there was a big bump like thing that was covered in vines, as I got closer to it my eyes started getting teary and I wiped my eyes to see clearly. I finally got close enough when then I saw it...it was a man covered in vines ...but he...he was dead, and it wasn’t any man it was my...my father! I looked at his eyes they were wide open with no life, they were not his normal eye color..., I slowly looked down seeing he had no clothes on, but then I saw it...my father was dead and he had been shot with an arrow that was still in his side. As all these thoughts ran through my I started screaming loudly like a crazy person. I screamed and screamed and then hear people running towards me. I then felt a pair of arms drag me back and hold me, it was my uncle Erick and he had been followed by a few of the men, he held me tight putting a clot on my head to stop the bleeding. I had finally stopped screaming but now I was just crying and sobbing hugging my uncle tightly not wanting this nightmare to be true. After a minute or two my mom then came running over with my aunt Sera. My mother then collapsed near my father body and hugged him as she then started crying. My aunt Sera picked me up as she whipped her eyes and carried me out of the forest to go wait for an ambulance and the sheriff. 

It was another sleepless night for everyone I had stayed with a police officer who was helping out with my cut on my forehead while the sheriff and the paramedics had gone to help bring my father out. After an hour or so they came back followed by everyone else who had help us look for him. My mom followed the ambulance to the hospital while I had to stay the night with my uncle and aunt. The day of the funeral came soon but I wasn’t allowed to be there while they had it. I was forced to stay inside the house while everyone else was outside in the backyard where it would take place, I sat in the living room with Jinyoung, Yugyeom, BamBam, Mark, Youngjae, JB, and Jackson, who have been my closest friends forever since I can remember but they were all older than me by 2 years. I sat between Mark and JB as I just looked at the fireplace, no one had arrived yet so I had decided to sneak out to see my father one last time. The boys covered for me as I walked out into the backyard, as I looked around I walked straight ahead to the casket and stood on my tip toes as I looked into it. My father… looked really calm and at peace now. I slowly rubbed his cheek and hair one last time letting tears roll down my cheek. I leaned closer to kiss his head and then backed away looking at his eyes. I then walked back inside quickly before I got in trouble. The sun was setting and they made me and the boys go up to my room. We didn’t do much, but just watched movies, as night fell I was the last one awake. I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer so I slowly closed my eyes but open them again widely, hearing a howl. 
~

I opened my eyes slowly as I felt the sun hitting my face, I slowly sat up noticing it was all a dream, I looked around to adjust my eyes to a very bright and lit room. I rub my forehead with my palm noticing how sweaty I was. I stood up cracking my back and neck and looked at my desk seeing the picture of me with my mom and dad on their wedding day and another picture frame with Jinyoung, Yugyeom, BamBam, Mark, Youngjae, JB, and Jackson and me in another picture standing in a meadow. It was taken the same day of my parents' wedding.

“JuJu!! June Lee wake up sweetheart. You have to start getting ready now so we can leave on time” my mom yelled from the hallway as I stood up out of my bed.

I stare at the door for a bit wondering why they had picked my name to be June, I always wonder why but never ask. I grabbed a towel and went to my restroom to take a shower. As I got out I brushed my teeth and brush my hair blow drying it a bit. I then walked out picking up a white spaghetti top and and a pair of black leggings, slipping on some black converse then walking to my desk and picking up a tan cardigan.

I brushed my hair one last time putting a bit of geal in it, and grab a hair tie out of a small box putting it on my wrist. I then grabbed a bag putting a book, notepad, and computer in it. I looked in the mirror one last time then walked out of my room walking down the hallway and turning a corner into the living room half kitchen. I saw my mom sitting on the kitchen table looking at the newspaper as she drank her coffee.

“Good morning June did you sleep well sweetie” she looked up at me as I sat on the counter eating toast with Nutella and strawberries.

“Yeah...I did” I lied and looked down. She stared at me knowing I was lieing but decided to let me be.

“Well...that’s good. Let me go get my bag and jacket and we can leave” she stood up and walked around the corner to her room. Ever since my dad died it has been difficult for me and my mom to communicate. But we have helped each other out a lot these past 5 years. I learn to clean every inch of our now small house and learn to cook, at the same time as I balance my hobbies and school work. While my mom worked day and night at a coffee shop my uncle Erick owns.

My mom took a bit longer than she normally did, after awhile she walked out smiling, it was a smile I had not seen in years... I smiled back a little and looked away walking to her. She looked at me and kissed my head smiling more and hold my hand as we walked out the house to her car. She unlocked the car and we both got in. I closed my door and put my belt on as she looked at her phone smiling and closed her door then putting the phone away and put her belt on as she turn the car on as we drove off. I looked at my phone the whole time reading information about the Greek mythology’s. After 10 minutes of driving we had arrived and my mom drives her car to the back of the building and parked her car looking around then looking at the time.

“Well looks like we got here early before your uncle did, lucky us” she smiled and looked at me. I looked back and giggle a bit. We got out the car and headed inside through the front of the building opening the door and turning on the lights. I took my place at my usual spot that was in a small corner next to the window and left my stuff on the table. I went to the back putting on gloves and grabbing a broom, while my mom turned the machine on and re filled toppings and coffee. As I walked back out my uncle Erick walked in.

“Morning little cub dārilaros” he said laughing a bit and smiled going to the back of the counter.

“Morning uncle ~” I smiled and laughed. He extends his hand as we high five and then fist bumped.

As the day went by fast I moved my stuff into the back room and help out more as the same customers as always walk in for a small bite or drink, then by 11 people coming in for lunch time. By the time lunch was over everything settled down and it became 12:00. A man who clearly wasn’t from here walked into the coffee shop. He was dressed in a suit wearing a really fancy gold watch, and had glasses on that had diamonds on the side. He walked toward the counter smiling in a really friendly way.

“Hello my name is Wang Wu. I am looking for Jen Lee” he smiled at my uncle.

“You mean Jennifer Lee? As in my sister Jen?” My uncle ask kind of confused and a bit mad.

The man nodded still smiling and my uncle went to get my mom as I stood there looking at him. “Hello there what’s your name?” He asked looking at me.

I looked at him for a while before I could speak and speaker in a low tone “My...my name is June Lee sir”. His smile faded a bit but then got wider.

“You look a lot like your father my dear girl” he smiled as my mom walked out from the back and smiled.

“Wang you came” she went to hug him and then kissed him. Me and my uncle looked at her shocked. She broke the kiss gently and smiled then looked at me and my uncle “June Erick could you give us some time alone?”

My uncle grabbed my arm dragging me to the back before I could react, as we watched threw a small window on the door. They probably spent like 5 minutes alone because they didn’t talk much but that was the longest five minutes of my life. Soon my mom signal us to come out as they were saying goodbye to each.

“Well thanks a lot for coming again wang, I am really glad you ask me in person” my mom said smiling as she held his hand. 

“No problem Jenna it was an important question because it’s gonna be an important date” he smiled as he held her hands and they kissed one last time. “I will see you and your daughter later then bye for now my love” he kissed her and walked out smiling one last time at her.

My mom spend around happy as I looked at her really sad and disappointed, Erick put on hand on my shoulder and said “don’t break anyone’s hand JuJu…”. I did break one girls hand a long time ago, she had made fun of my family...she regretted right away but I haven’t done it ever since.

I watched my mom as she waltz around the room it was soothing to see her happy, but seeing her happy with another man who isn’t my father hurt me more then anything you can imagine.