Chapter 9: Unwanted Playmate

"Eonni! / Eonni!" Someone called and Yerin saw Sinb and Yuju at the otherside of the street waving at her.

"Eonni I found you!" Yuju yelled then ran across the street without looking if there were cars coming.

Yerin was again horrified by what she'd done. She immediately pulled her to the side and lectured her about the right way to cross the street. At the same time, Sinb was crossing the street after making sure that it was safe. The little girl silently neared the two older girls and just listened on to how her eonni scolded the other girl. Her eonni seemed to be concerned about the other girl way to much and she doesn't like it. However, she didn't voice out her dissatisfaction.

Yuju was just nodding and smiling to everything Yerin's been saying and the older girl got the feeling that Yuju isn't actually listening.

 -___-

"How did you find me?" Yerin who was still focused on Yuju forgot about the smaller girl who was staring at them. She was so concerned about Yuju that she did not notice the slight frown on the little girl's brows.

"Destiny brought us together!" Yuju said with her bubbly personality.

"I'd rather believe that your luck brought us together or you might be someplace else on your own again." Yerin said waiting for any comeback from Yuju.

"Maybe it is luck! I'm so lucky to have found you again today. So there was no need for me to bring my phone then." Yuju said in disappointment looking at her phone.

"You came all the way here and didn't try to call your parents before then?" Yerin took Yuju's phone and called her friend's mom. She informed her of her daughter's whereabouts and said that she'll keep the other girl company for now.

Sinb wanted to join the conversation but there was something stopping her. She didn't know if it was the way her eonni expressed her concern to the other girl or the way her tone seemed so sweet to Sinb but that it was being said to someone else or that her eonni seemed to be ignoring her presence. She didn't know but she couldn't just ask. She didn't like her eonni playing with someone else. She didn't like her eonni being nice to someone else. She didn't like her eonni to be taken away by someone else but she doesn't like her eonni getting angry at her so she didn't say anything. Her eonni always tells her to be friends with all the kids and getting into a fight is bad. She's doing what her eonni told her but she doesn't like this particular girl.

"Eonni lets play!" Yuju says before running to the park . . . . . . Across the damn dangerous street.  -____-

Yerin catches up to her and holds on to the collar of Yuju's shirt. "I'll tie you up if you keep on doing this." Yerin scolds her. Sinb also catches up to them and glares at the other girl. Her eonni could have gotten hurt if they were caught in the middle of the street. She has come to a conclusion that she doesn't like this girl.

"Eonni, who is she?" Sinb pulls on Yerin's shirt.

Then did Yerin remember that Sinb was also there and asked, "Why are you here?" in a shocked tone that sounded a bit harsh.

Sinb was taken aback and interpreted it as her eonni not liking her to be there and that she was actually disregarding her presence the whole time that she was there.

"I was looking for you and Sinb wants to play." She said

"I don't have time for you right now. I'm taking care of her." Yerin said, a bit annoyed. "Did I not tell you to not wander around the streets alone?! You could end up like her." Yerin pointed to Yuju who is a walking broken compass. Yerin felt mix emotions when she saw the little girl. She doesn't want to associate with her or her family, atleast today.

"But I was very careful. I did what eonni told me." Sinb said waiting for her eonni to praise her, but today was different, she got none.

"Go home Sinb. Do what you're told." Yerin said

Sinb didn't want to leave her eonni, especially when Yerin's with someone else, but she wants to please her eonni so she needs to go but. . . . . 

"Eonni can I stay? I'll be very good." Sinb pleaded.

Yerin touched her non-existent pocket for her non-existent phone and unshockingly, there was none. Yerin borrowed Yuju's phone and texted Sowon. She waited for a response but the woman must be so busy with her married life that she had no time for her daughter. Yerin felt her sadness grow again with that memory. She looked at the little girl with conflicting emotions.

"Fine, you can stay." Yerin did not know how happy that made the little girl. Sinb hugged her eonni which was answered with a pat to her head.

"This is Yuju, Yuju this is Sinb." Yerin introduced them.

"Hi" said the shy Sinb that was still hugging her eonni.

"Sinb? Ooooohhhh, the Sinb that you don't like . . . ." Yuju clapped in happiness for remembering the information. "That Sinb?" Yuju asks again for confirmation and Yerin did not know how to answer it.

"Eonni doesn't like Sinb?" Sinb asks

Yerin goes down to Sinb's level and says, " . . . . I don't like a naughty Sinb. Are you naughty?"

Sinb shakes her head.

"I like you then." Yerin finishes her answer. "And I don't like a naughty Yuju too, so behave!" Yerin warns the other girl.

Yerin lets the two girls play together while she watched over them. If Sinb played with so much energy, Yuju played with lots of excess energy. Yuju always tried to go beyond things and ended perfectly fine while Sinb followed Yerin's warnings all the time.

Sinb felt tired so she went beside her eonni.

"Eonni, carry Sinb." She said to her beloved eonni.

"Eonni tired, You carry eonni." Yerin replied back

"Sinb lazy, wants hug from eonni." Sinb

"Eonni lazy, doesn't want to do anything." Yerin teases back.

Sinb pouts and leans back on the railing beside Yerin, watching Yuju balancing herself on one low horizontal bar.

"Eonni, Yuju eonni is naughty. She doesn't listen to eonni." Sinb

"Yeah she is." Yerin said with a laugh. Sinb looked at her eonni. Yerin had a pleased smile plastered on her face and Sinb was confused why Yerin seemed to be fine with it.

Sinb thought of an idea. She wanted to see her eonni smile at her like that too, so she went to where Yuju was and tried to climb the bar.

"Sinb get down from there!" Yerin said and went to get Sinb.

"Why? Its not dangerous." Yuju said "Look! I can even lift one leg up while standing."

"She's not as good as you. She's still a child. She needs lots and lots of help. And you should stop already. Aren't you tired?" Yerin countered Yuju. Yerin placed Sinb down from the bar and had a discussion with Yuju about lots of things. At the same time, Sinb was thinking about one particular line that Yerin said.

SHE'S NOT AS GOOD AS YOU.