“Pick up the phone…Pick up the phone...Pick up the phone~~”

Your phone ringed. You groggily answered the phone.  “Yobosaeyo?”, you answered. “Yerie-ah. It’s Jaehyuk, he’s vomiting again. You need to get to the hospital.NOW!”. Your eyes widened as you hurriedly went out the house without even changing your clothes.

*So much for sleeping.*

 “Yes Imo-ah. I’m on my way!”, you said.

As soon as you arrived, you went into the ward and made your way up to your brother. As you approached him, he laughed at your embarrassing figure. “Bwahahaha…Noona didn’t change her clothes!”, he continued laughing until you hit his head. “Ow!What was that for?”, he said. “that was for pranking me again. Imo-ah, why are you doing this to me? Don’t spoil Jaehyuk too much..Please, I beg of you…”, you put my hands together and dramatically pleaded her.

“Aigoo, don’t be like this Yerie dear. He just asked me to do that so you could come here.”, you looked at Jaehyuk and softened. “He misses you a lot. You haven’t visited him for 4 days now.”, grandma whispered. You sighed and patted your brother’s back. “Jaehyuk-ah, noona missed you so much.”, he hugged you as you soothingly rubbed his back. “ I know noona.”, he chuckled.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be out of the hospital before you know it.”, you told him. “I can’t wait for that day! Then noona, grandma and I will live happily ever after!”, he gleefully said.

“Aigoo, Jaehyuk-ah. This isn’t a fairytale. We will not live happily ever after.”, you said.

“We will be happy together. Dead or alive.”, you added.

He hugged you again.

*Umma,appa. If only you guys were here. Jaehyuk would still be in good condition.* you  glanced at the sky long enough for Jaehyuk to notice.

“Noona, gwenchana?”, he asked.

“Hmm?Ne, of course.”, you lied.

How can you be fine. You have a younger brother fighting cancer at an early age. Your parents died when you were 7. And you were the one finding money for the payment of your brother’s hospital bills. Your grandma insisted that she would pay for him, but you declined. Since she has her own financial problems to solve.

“You sure?”, he raised an eyebrow at you.

“Yes, I’m sure.  Now eat.”, you fed him food and the two of you chuckled at each other’s silliness. Your grandma went up to you and told you to go to school already since you’re 2 hours late.

You shook your head. “Aniyo. I’ll just come to school tomorrow.”

“No, come to school already. And look at your clothes. You haven’t even changed yet.”, she eyed me from head to toe. So did I.

I sighed and raised my hands in defeat. “Arasseo Imo-ah. Just call me when Jaehyuk needs something.” You said. “Will do.”, she assured.

You went home and got ready for school.