“Dara noona, how are you?”

“Better than yesterday.” Noona smiled.

“That’s good. Ah noona, here’s a book I bought awhile ago. I hope you like it.” I smiled while handing it to her.

“Thank you Seungri-yah.” I can see how happy noona is while she starts reading the book.

I’m Lee Seunghyun, 19 years of age. Currently working at this age, day and night.  I have a noona, her name is Sandara Park. We are not biologically siblings since both of us were just adopted by our foster parents but they died 6 years ago. I was only 13 years old at that time and my noona was 18 when she raised me alone. She worked hard to send me to school and eventually, I finished high school because of her hard work. Just after I graduated, my noona was hospitalized for having a rare illness. Since then, she has been admitted to the hospital for 2 years already. Everytime I visit noona, I always bought her books for she loves reading novels. I just randomly picked books from a book store nearby and I am not even sure if I bought the same books over again. but nevertheless, noona always says Thank you to me.

“Noona, feeling fine?”

“Just seeing you everyday makes me feel better.” I felt happy hearing this from her.

“Four days to come and it’s already Christmas, what do you want to have as my present for you noona?”

“Did you know that during Christmas, the streets of Seoul are lighted up with lots of Christmas lights and fancy decorations? I always wanted to see it with you.” Noona excitedly told me her wish.

“That’s all? Ok, I’ll ask doctor-sshi to allow you to go out during Christmas Eve. Seungri will do everything to make Dara noona happy.” Noona laughed but then she coughed.

“Noona, are you ok?”

“I’m fine Seungri-yah, hmmm sorry because noona has been a burden to you. You weren’t able to proceed to college because of me. Sorry.” Noona holds my hand and pressed it tightly.

“nahh, it’s ok noona. You have done so much for me and now it’s my time to take care of you. Besides, I academically and barely passed high school so I guess college is not meant for me.” I joked.

“aishh you. But I really wanted you to graduate and hold a degree. I would be the happiest noona in the world.”

“We’ll see.” I just smiled at noona. “Ah noona, before I forgot, here’s another book I bought. Hope you like it.”

“Ah, thank you again seungri-yah.” Noona gladly accepted it.

I worked really hard for three days for me to be able to save a lot to treat noona this Christmas. During night time, I worked at the streets for construction and it was too cold, I felt my hands would chip off. When I go home, I spent alone in my apartment, having a hard time sleeping knowing that my noona’s illness is incurable. Her condition is worsening day by day. Knowing this crushes my heart.

It was a day before Christmas Eve and I asked permission to her doctor to take her out  this evening. Unfortunately, he forbids me to do so since noona’s condition is not good. But I really want to make this Christmas a memorable one for noona so I sneaked her out of the hospital. Using a wheel chair, I brought her in the streets of Seoul.

“Woah, look at the trees Seungri-yah. It looks like cherry blossoms sparkling. It seems like greeting me a happy and merry Christmas. and everyone seems so happy.” Though she looks really weak, I can see the great happiness painted in noona’s face.

“yeah, never thought this was this beautiful.”

“I am happier because I was able to spend this Christmas with you. You are the best brother in the whole world that’s why I love you so much.”

“and you are the best noona in the entire universe.”

Dara noona softly laughed.

“Ah noona, where do you want to go? You know I saved so much so that I can buy anything my noona wants. Do you want to eat at cake? ice cream? or should we go to your favorite restaurant?” I was so excited treating noona.

“hhmm, Seungri-yah.” Noona looked at me.

“yes noona?”

“Thank you.” Dara noona’s smile was so warm.

I just keep talking and talking while pushing her wheel chair not knowing that would be the last "Thank you" I will hear from her that night.

“Seunghyun-sshi, are you really sure you are ok?” the land lady asked me.

“Yes ahjumma.” I answered weakly.

It has already been 3 days since my noona died, 3 days of constantly mourning and crying. I realized that I have lived my life just to see my noona happy, hearing her “Thank you” means so much to me. I love her so much that it really hurts and now, I can’t find any more reason to continue living.

Weeks have passed and still, I long for my noona’s presence. I went out to buy something to eat when I saw a child holding and ice cream saying ‘Thank you’ to her oppa. She reminds me of my noona. That Thank you reminds me of my Dara noona. Then it made me realized that I should not give up. Noona will not be happy seeing me like this.

I went to college as what my dara noona wanted. I study hard and able to top the class. I was able to pass the licensure exam for being a doctor. Even though I was not able to save my noona’s life, in this way I can save other people’s life.

I know noona is happy for me wherever she is.