---

 

     Jieun opened her eyes and jumped at the sight of Myungsoo watching her.

"Were you watching me sleep this entire time?" Jieun got up, freaked out.

"No," he blurted. "Breakfast is ready."

     He walked out of the room, letting the smell of Bean paste stew and egg rolls enter the room. Jieun got up and rushed to the table; smelling the food finally made her realize that she hadn't eaten anything properly for days.

"Your cooking skills are still good," Jieun laughed as she vacuumed in the food.

"Eat slow," Myungsoo chuckled. "No one's going to steal your food."

"You're really not going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

     A cheeky smile formed on the side of as she poked Myungsoo on the arm. He sighed in annoyance and shook his head in disbelief, continuing to eat his food.

"I feel so betrayed," she sighed and poked on her rice with her chopsticks. "I thought we were best friends."

"I don't like anyone," he murmured. 

"If you're not going to tell me," she squinted her eyes. "I'll find out on my own."

"Hurry up and finish eating. We have to get to the hospital soon."

 

--

 

     "What?" Jieun dropped her bag.

"It's brain cancer but it's only stage 1," the mother said nonchalantly. 

Jieun's hand shook at the sound of brain cancer. Her heart was beating fast and she could hear her own heartbeat in her head. 

"It's a benign tumor," Joohyun glared. "Don't act like a drama queen."

"What did you say-"

"Your father will undergo tumor removal and he will be fine. Don't make a fuss." the mother shut down Jieun and sat beside her husband, smiling. 

Jieun formed a fist, angered. 

How could they be so calm when her father had brain cancer?

"Dad didn't show any signs of sickness before you guys came," Jieun shot. 

"Jieun," Myungsoo grabbed her shoulder but she slapped him away and stomped toward the mother and the sisters, her eyes tearing up in anger. 

"It doesn't make any sense that Dad suddenly fell ill," Jieun growled. 

"What are you saying?" Joohyun crossed her arms and glared down at Jieun. "That we made Dad sick?"

"There's no other reason, is there?"

     "THAT'S ENOUGH!" Her father screamed angrily. Jieun stared at her father in shock; she had never seen her father that angry before. Moreover, she couldn't believe the fact that he was getting angry at Jieun for standing up for him.

"That is no way to speak to your Mother and Older sister," her father said sternly. "You've been too out of control these days."

"I'm the one out of control?" Jieun said in disbelief. 

"You need to learn to respect your family, Jieun." her father stared right through her. 

"They're not my family." Jieun spat and stormed out of the room angrily.

"Jieun, stop." Myungsoo chased after Jieun and grabbed her by the wrist.

"Let go," she murmured. "I want to be alone."

      "No, you don't," Myungsoo sighed and walked towards her, hugging her softly. Her cries muffled in his arms as she started crying silently, collapsing to the floor. Her small shoulder felt even smaller as she cried in his arms.

     In her cries, he could just feel how much pain she was going through.

     To Jieun, the fact that her father was sick was the biggest horror in her life. After the death of her mother, she grew weak at the sight of every small sickness because she now knew that anything could lead to death.

"What if my Dad dies?" she shrilled. "Then I'm really alone."

"You're not alone," Myungsoo wiped the tears off her eyes. "You have me."

Jieun sobbed silently, tears freefalling.

"They said it is benign," Myungsoo said. "After surgical removal and good aftercare, Mr.Lee will be healthy again."

"I want to believe you," she said quietly, her crying toning down. 

"Trust me," Myungsoo assured. "I'm not Valedictorian for no reason."

Jieun chuckled lightly and wiped the tears off her face. She was finally grinning and a little was laid off her shoulder. 

 

In fact, Myungsoo wasn't really sure either. 

     He wasn't sure what was going to happen and he couldn't guarantee anything, but even if it meant telling a white lie, he wanted to make Jieun feel better. Losing your most loved ones within the span of a year could really break someone, and Jieun was the last person that he wanted to break. 

--

    Mr.Lee went through his tumor removal surgery at dawn and got discharged after 5 days. He was in a very weak state and it was important that he take full rest for a sound recovery, followed with a healthy diet. 

     Jieun took care of her father every chance she had.

She didn't want her worst fear coming true. 

 

     "Dad, it's time to take your medicine." Jieun walked into her father's study, to find him writing something in a serious matter. When he saw Jieun, he hurridly hid the letter inside his desk as if he had gotten caught doing something he shouldn't have been doing.

"You can just ask the housekeeper to deliver it, honey," her father smiled and took the medicine from the tray.

"I want to see you drink it with my own eyes," she chuckled, her eyes fixed on the paper that he hid.

"My daughter's all grown up now," he chuckled and her hair. 

     An awkward silence fell upon them as they only smiled at each other, trying to squeeze out a conversation. Jieun hadn't even noticed that she had grown so distant from her father, although it was explainable why when considering the past few weeks.

"So what were you uh... doing?" Jieun asked, peeking over his desk. 

"I was just working on some business letters," her dad said. 

"Oh," she nodded awkwardly. "I'll uh... leave you to it then." 

"Jieun," her dad called and walked towards her. 

"Yes?"

"If there's anything you ever want to talk about, you can always tell me." Her dad stared into her eyes as if he wanted her to talk to him about everything.

     "Of course," she forced a smile and walked out of the study, perplexed. Her Dad had never said anything like that to her before and he would never hide anything in front of Jieun; something was up.

 

"I heard that you slept over at your boyfriend's house last night," Joohyun walked past Jieun with a glass of water in her hands. 

"What?"

"Kim Myungsoo, was it?" 

"He's not my boyfriend and it's not what you think-"

"Whatever," she interrupted and walked closer to her. "This is my final warning. If you don't get your straight with us, you bet Dad will know about all of this and how you've been sleeping with guys."

Jieun glared at Joohyun who glared right back.

"And go put this back in the kitchen," Joohyun pushed the glass into Jieun's chest and walked up the stairs to her new room. 

Jieun was boiling with anger. 

She had never felt so much hatred toward someone up to the point where she really wanted to do something violent.

She stormed into the kitchen and dumped the glass in the sink, running up to her room. 

 

--

     "Are you going to go to the English camp this year?" Myungsoo asked as they walked home from school.

"It's on Jeju island this year?" Jieun said as she looked through the information package. "Wasn't it in Chicago last year?"

"Apparently they're implementing a Korean friendly system or something, I don't know."

"Are you applying?" Jieun asked, thinking.

"Hell yeah," Myungsoo's eyes widened. "My parents barely afforded the Chicago camp last year, and even that I was funded 50% because I was top of the class. If it's Jeju Island, it'll be a whole lot cheaper."

     This English camp was the biggest Academic camp organized by the Education Board each year where the top 10% of each grade from every state were chosen to participate in a highly paid English instruction Academic camp at designated countries each year. This camp was highly competitive as only the smartest students could get in and being one of the most renowned programs in South Korea, having this program on your College application would mean a huge boost for your College entrance.

     Jieun never worried because although she didn't come first place, she always managed to place in the 10% of her school and safely made it into the cut each year for the past two years. 

"When is the Candidate list coming out?" she asked, flipping through the papers.

"Probably after the final exams," Myungsoo said. 

"Mmkay," she murmured. 

 

>> Two Months Later <<

    The candidate list was released and as expected, Myungsoo and Jieun were on the list. 

The candidates were given invitation letters in secret and were invited to the one-week camp over the winter break. 

     Jieun arrived home and saw the entire family sitting around the living room with smiles on their faces. 

     "Have a seat," her father greeted her with a smile and she saw down beside her father, trying to figure out the situation. It was so rare for the family to sit around like this, especially with all smiles. 

"What's the occasion?" Jieun asked.

      Juhyun, Taeyeon, and Sooyeon placed a white envelope on the table with a despisable smile. Jieun stared at the envelope and realized that it was the invitation letter to the English camp. Jieun's face hardened as she stared at the letter in dismay.

     "You received the letter too right Jieun?" her father chuckled. "This year you can go with your sisters. It's Sooyeon and Taeyeon's first time at the camp so you should take care of your sisters, Jieun."

Jieun went silent. 

"Jieun?" Her dad snapped her fingers in her eyes. 

"O..of course," she stuttered.

    This English camp was her only chance to stay away from her sisters for at least a week, but now even that plan was ruined. She thought about giving up the camp but there was no way she was going to give up her Academic opportunity because of them. 

"It's on Jeju Island this year?" Her dad asked, reading the letter.

"It's good that they chose within the country this year," the mother said, reading through the information pamphlet.

 

Lost in thoughts, Jieun sighed and looked up to see the three sisters glaring at her.

 

This wasn't going to be easy.

---