“How are you feeling?” JiHyun opens the curtains to the hospital room. She walks over to her uncle and held his hand. “Can you hear me? It’s me…JiHyun. Aunt said she had to open the stall early today so I came instead. You have to get better soon so you can help her. She’s going through so much, it’s painful to see her like this.”

After visiting her uncle she went straight to work. All day all she thought about was her uncle and bills. Bills were starting to pile up and there were more things to pay for than what she had in her savings account. KiKwang had kept his words and took more hours to help pay for some of the bills. Aunt’s stall wasn’t going as smooth since all she did was cry and that kind of scared away the customers. JiHyuna had told Mimi to stay in school and concentrate on studying but Mimi had taken a job at night without JiHyun knowing.

KiKwang waited for JiHyun like always outside of her work place so they could walk home together. KiKwang would start small talks with her but she usually just gives one word answers so he had stop trying to talk to her. Walking next to her was enough for now. JiHyun walked in the house first and notice the food on the table.

“Auntie?” JiHyun looks around the house. “Why did you buy meat? You should have bought tofu.” JiHyun couldn’t find her. JiHyun walks back to the kitchen where KiKwang was. “Did she go visit uncle?”

“I don’t think so.” KiKwang was holding onto a piece of paper. He hands it over to JiHyun.

“JiHyun-ah,

Please forgive me. I tried my best…I really did but I can’t do this any longer.

Even before your uncle got into the accident I had made up my mind already. For years I raised you two up as my daughters. There was not a day that I didn’t see you or Mimi as mines. I love you two and only stayed this long for you two. Your uncle and I been having issues for some time now but we kept it from you two since we didn’t want to worry you two. I’m leaving. This is as much as I can take. I might be seen as selfish and horrible but it’s okay. You can hate me all you want I understand.”

JiHyun didn’t know how to feel. She was overflowing with different kinds of emotions at the same time. She just stood there breathing hard.

“JiHyun.” KiKwang touch her shoulder.

“She can’t do this…we have to find her.” JiHyun crush the paper into a ball and threw it into the trash. “How can she just leave like this?” JiHyun ran out the door.

On her way out Mimi came through the gate. “Unnie.”

“Go home.” JiHyun started running.

“JIHYUN STOP!” KiKwang came out of the house running after her.

“Unnnie” Mimi turns back and ran after them.

----

“Unnie…unnie” Mimi kept trying to hold onto JiHyun but she kept pushing Mimi away. “Let’s go home, we can talk about it there.” Mimi held onto JiHyun’s hand and plead.

“I have to find her.” JiHyun push Mimi away again.

KiKwang followed the two girls saying nothing. He thought it was best to be quiet in this situation. JiHyun suddenly stops. She had spotted auntie Nam. JiHyun ran over to her and grabs her.

“Auntie!” JiHyun tightly held onto her wrist.

“JiHyun.”

“Let’s go home. We can talk about this at home. Where are you going? You can’t just leave uncle like this.” JiHyun pleaded.

“Let me go JiHyun.” Auntie was a different person. She had a nonchalant tone and facial expression.

“What about Mimi and I? Even if you and uncle don’t love each other anymore what about Mimi and I?” JiHyun pleaded again.

“Unnie get up!” Mimi grabs JiHyun’s free hand and started pulling her. “JUST LET HER GO!” Mimi started crying.

Aunt Nam looks over at the two girls pulling on each other. “She’s right just let me go.”

“No” JiHyun shook her head. “Please, I’ll try harder to not make you stress. I’ll work two jobs. Please don’t leave us. We still need you.” JiHyun started crying.

“WE DON’T NEED HER! WHY WOULD WE WANT SOMEONE WHO DON’T WANT US?” Mimi kept pulling JiHyun to let go of aunt Nam.

JiHyun lets go.

“Anyone in my shoe’s would be doing the same thing. Marrying a man with a daughter. That’s not bad enough he had to go find another mouth to feed when we can’t even feed our own mouths. Who in their right mind would stay?” Aunt Nam adjusts her clothes from all the pulling. “He couldn’t even give me a child. He’s lying hopelessly in the hospital now, why would I stay? His daughter that I raised up as my own is hoeing herself to get money, bills are piling up, debt collectors are constantly coming by. Who in their right mind would stay? JiHyun-ah if I was you I leave too. You, you’re not even related to him. Why are you so stupid claiming to take care of everything for him?” She took out an envelope and threw it at the two girls. “That should be enough to pay off the debt you guys owe JunHyung and his gang. That’s all I can give.”

Mimi held onto JiHyun who was quietly weeping. “JUST GO!”

----

JiHyun sat on the floor not saying anything. There was too much going on in her head. Mimi and KiKwang sat at the dinner table trying to eat .It was a waste of food if they didn’t eat it. Mimi fix JiHyun a bowl and brought it over to her.

“Unnie, you have to eat.” Mimi puts the bowl into her hands. “I…I knew everything…she was planning on leaving the day uncle got into the accident. He was trying to stop her from leaving. He rode his bike carelessly to catch up to her and got hit. Unnie…you should just let her go. As long as we have each other we’ll be fine. We can live without her.” Mimi hugs JiHyun.

JiHyun puts down the bowl and hugs Mimi back. “No matter what I won’t leave. Even though we are not related I won’t leave…but promise me…quit your job…even if I’m not sure what it is I won’t get mad at you if you stop now. I don’t want you whoreing yourself for money.”

Mimi nodded. “I’m sorry.”

----

“Where did you get all this money?” JunHyung asks looking at the money.

“That should be enough to cover the amount we owe you.” JiHyun zip her bag and stood up.

“Wait” JunHyung stood up too. “You’re going through a hard time right now. You should pay off your uncle’s hospital bill first.”

“I think you waited long enough for your money. We don’t want to be in debt with you any longer. Besides I’m tired of all the house calls you and your man makes.” JiHyun walked to the door.

“Whenever you need help I’m always here JiHyun. I’m always here.”

“No thanks. I won’t need any of your help any longer.” JiHyun bows to JunHyung before exiting the room.