Aunt Hyoyeon had two children of her own and resented having two extra mouths to feed. She make it clear she thought Father has spoiled us. I was nearly eighteen and not in work because I have been completing a correspondence course whilst looking after Lily and keeping house for Father. Lily was seven. 

As soon as we reached Busan I went in search of work and secured a position in a tea shop to earn our keep. I gave my weekly wages to Aunt Hyoyeon and kept the tips, but even then Aunt Hyoyeon didn't seem satisfied and I soon understand why Mother and her sister had never been friends. 

"Your father should have put you to work at fourteen like other girls," she said one day. 

She was well aware that I had been doing my best to complete my correspondence course in the evenings whilst working at the tea shop. 

"All that learning doesn't put food in your mouths," she continued. "If you wanted to be a Lady of leisure you should married a Lord!"

"Father wanted us to be educated so that we could work as secretaries or in an office. It's what Mother wanted."

"My sister always did have ideas above her station!" she siad, the corners of turning down sourly. 

"What;s so wrong with that? It's the nineteen twenties, Aunt Hyoyeon," I said crossly. 

I wondered how, in such sad times, she dared to say a bad word against my mother or father. Did she feel no grief for a loss which had surely affected her, too? She certainly didn't seem to respect ours. 

"Are you thinking of arguring with me, girl?" she demanded

"No," I said, calming myself "I was just saying....."

I held back angry tears and said nothing further because I didn't want to aggravate Aunt Hyoyeon more than I had already. I wanted to work which would enable me to support both Lily and me so that we could have a home of our own, and I couldn't see what was so wrong with that.

"And another time," she said,"you can stop tap, tap, tapping with that typewriter of yours and evening. It's getting on my nerves."

I decided from that day on that i would not let Lily live much longer in such a poisonous environment, I didn't want to interrupt her schooling again, but I had to weigh up the benefits. Living with Aunt Hyoyeon was difficult for me and for Lily. I could just about tolerate my aunt's constant nagging, but I knew Lily couldn't