“We’re leaving!” Teddy yelled over his shoulder before he went out.

 

“Ya! Stop lazing around! The dishes do not wash themselves,” Kush nagged on her before he and TOP followed Teddy.

 

As soon as the door closed, Dara flailed her legs and kicked in the air while lying down on the sofa. “I feel so lazy today!” she screamed on top of her lungs. “It’s Saturday! It’s a rest day!”

 

“Need help?” Jiyong’s face appeared, hovering over her.

 

Dara stared at him in shock. Frantically, she got up, causing her and Jiyong’s forehead to bump into each other.

 

“Ow! Yours is the hardest skull I have ever encountered,” Jiyong complained, rubbing his forehead.

 

“Ow, Ow, Ow,” Dara repeated, lying back down on the sofa. “That hurts, that hurts!” she rolled to the side, causing her to fall. “Ow!”

 

“Aish, why do you have to be such an idiot?” Jiyong asked exasperatedly, picking Dara up from the floor.

 

As soon as Dara straightened up, she stuck her tongue to Jiyong and turned around. She stomped her feet towards the kitchen and prepared to wash the dishes. She was mumbling under her breath about how lazy she felt today and how she wished to just sleep all day and yada… yada… yada…

 

“Give me that,” Jiyong said, snatching the sponge from her hand. “Let me help you.”

 

“I didn’t ask for your help, Mister,” she said, snatching the sponge from him and she continued washing.

 

“Aish.” Jiyong then snatched it back.

 

“What shall I do then?” Dara asked, placing her hands on her waists.

 

“I thought you’re too lazy to even do the dishes?” Jiyong asked.

 

“I am,” Dara said, nodding. “But I have to. Now give me that,” Dara ordered, trying to snatch the sponge from Jiyong but he took the sponge away from her.

 

“Let’s just help each other, arasso? You wipe the washed plates afterwards, okay?”

 

Dara furrowed her brows. “What’s up with you? You’ve never been helpful around the house until now. What did you eat? Or are you sick?”

 

Jiyong just snorted. Dara pouted and had an idea. She picked a handful of soap foam and put it on his head. She laughed when Jiyong looked at her annoyingly.

 

“YA!” Jiyong yelled. In revenge, he took a handful of soap foam and placed it as her beard. Jiyong laughed louder than Dara’s and fits of laughter filled the kitchen.

 

Jiyong was true to his words as he really helped Dara. He helped her wiping the windows, carrying her as she couldn’t reach the highest part of the windows. He also helped him wash the clothes while they were playing around with the container of dirty clothes being balanced on top of Jiyong’s head.

 

Jiyong also helped her vacuuming the house, running around with vacuum cleaners on their hands. Jiyong chased her around with the vacuum cleaner in between his legs as if it was a horse.

 

When Jiyong was able to reach her, he threw the vacuum cleaner away and chased after Dara as she also threw the vacuum cleaner, forgetting that they needed to finish the chores. Dara and Jiyong laughed as they ran around the house. As Jiyong caught Dara by the waist, she squealed and laughed as Jiyong started tickling her. They were literally on the floor, rolling around and laughing.

 

The fun was just starting to build up when a doorbell was heard. Their game stopped with Jiyong on top of Dara. They stared at each other’s eyes and before awkwardness built up between them, Dara flicked her finger on his forehead.

 

“Aren’t you going to open the door?” she asked.

 

Jiyong blinked and cleared his throat. He leaned away and stood up. As he made his way towards the door, Dara also stood up and went towards the vacuum cleaners. She turned the one used by Jiyong off and she continued using the one she previously used. She continued her chores when she heard Jiyong.

 

“Oh, Yoona, you’re here?”

 

“Oh, good, I finally found your house,” Yoona’s voice reverberated in her ears. Dara took a peek with the vacuum cleaner still on her hands. When Dara and Yoona's eyes met, Yoona gasped. “You’re here too, Dara-ssi?”

 

“What are you doing here, Yoona-ssi?” Dara asked, frowning.

 

“Yeah. What are you doing here, Yoona?” Jiyong repeated.

 

Yoona stared at Jiyong. “Can’t I visit my boyfriend?”

 

Jiyong and Dara both widened their eyes on her. Dara stared at Jiyong and snorted at him before she turned around and left.

 

“Why is Dara here?” Yoona asked Jiyong.

 

Dara turned back to her and raised her brow. “Why? Can’t I be here in my own house?”

 

“You live in the same house?” Yoona’s voice filled the house.

 

“Of course, I’m Jiyong’s sister!” Dara said, lifting her chin proudly. She failed to see Jiyong warning her not to spill anything.

 

“Omo, you’re his sister?!” Yoona said, surprised. She went to Dara and s her arm with her. “You and I are going to be great friends.”

 

Dara stared at her disgustingly as she shook her arm off her. “Don’t touch me. I still have chores to do.”

 

“Oh? I thought you live here. Why do you do chores? Are you this house’s helper? I thought you’re Jiyong’s sister.”

 

Dara’s eyes squinted into tiny slits. She rolled her sleeves to her shoulders and was about to attack Yoona when Jiyong immediately caught her by her waist just in time to carry her to the other side of the room.

 

“Why did you tell her you’re my sister?” Jiyong whisperingly asked.

 

“Why can’t i? It’s true anyways,” Dara said, lifting her chin again.

 

“You know I don’t want anyone from school knowing that,” Jiyong said.

 

“What’s wrong with them knowing about our relationship?” Dara frowned.

 

Jiyong pulled his hair out of frustration and turned around towards Yoona who was sight-seeing inside their house. “Yoona, look, you should no—“

 

“I brought dinner,” she said, raising a plastic bag of foods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dara was left witnessing Yoona feeding Jiyong. She frowned every time Yoona giggled with how cute she found Jiyong. Dara had also her own share of food but she didn’t even touch any of it because of the scene in front of her. She just wanted to puke.

 

Jiyong, on the other hand, always try to lean away every time he was fed by Yoona but she was really stubborn and persistent. He would look at Dara while she frowned at Yoona.

 

After a while, Dara stood up roughly, pushing the chair back as it fell with a loud thud. Her eyes squinted at Yoona when the latter looked up at her with a shocked expression. Without another word, she left the room and headed out.

 

When she left, Jiyong faced Yoona who was trying to feed him another piece of meat. “Yoona, you should go home.”

 

“But your food isn’t finished yet,” Yoona said. “I still have to feed my boyfriend.”

 

“I…” he shouted accidentally. He cleared his throat before continuing. “I am not your boyfriend.”

 

“But why do you hang out and go out on dates with me?” Yoona asked.

 

“Just to have fun. I don’t have any feelings for you alright? Now, just go home while the night is young,” he said, pulling her out of the chair and out of their house, leaving Yoona speechless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dara was on their house’s rooftop. From all the money they collected from his brothers’ kind of job, they had built up this luxurious house and the rooftop was her favorite place. She would always find herself alone with just her thoughts accompanying her.

 

With her pissed off tonight, she wanted to feel the air and free all of her negative thoughts. Successfully getting rid of the image of Yoona and Jiyong from her mind, her mind wandered to several years ago.

 

As she looked up to the sky, she remembered some memories that she never once forgotten even after fourteen years.

 

-

 

Dara watched as the people in black dispersed from the place and went home. She wondered what was wrong, not having any idea why some of them were crying. When no one else was left in the place, the tall guy who was holding her hand brought her to the man who was still crying in the middle of the place where there was once a crowd of people.

 

“Dad?” she called.

 

“Oh, Dara,” her father turned to her, wiping the tears from his face.

 

“Why are you crying, Dad?” she innocently asked, wiping the tears off his face too.

 

He shook his head and forced out a smile. “I’m fine,” he said before standing up and met the gaze of the guy who sent Dara to him.

 

“Where is he?” he asked.

 

“Back in the car,” the guy said. “He’s sleeping.”

 

“Did you fix his things already?” her dad asked as the guy nodded. “How about Dara’s?” he nodded again.

 

Dara got curious and she asked, “What are you talking about, Dad?”

 

“Nothing dear,” he said as they walked back to the car.

 

When they opened the door to the car, the three-year old boy woke up and beamed at his father and his sister.

 

“Noona, Appa, we’re going home already, right? We’re going to see Omma now, right?” he beamed.

 

Dara saw how their father’s head shifted to the side and suppressed more tears to flow. The younger kid went silent as Dara held his brother’s hand, sensing that there was something odd happening.

 

After a while of silent travel, the car stopped mildly. The driver went out and got some luggage out. Dara just watched him do them while still holding to her little brother.

 

“Dara, listen to me,” her dad ordered. “Remember that I still love you no matter what, alright? No matter what happens, I love you and your brother,” her dad said. And just then, she caught a glimpse of two nuns waving outside the car. Perhaps they saw her. “I’m really sorry for all the shortcomings. I really am,” her dad continued, tears flowing from his eyes.

 

Dara didn’t understand why he was suddenly telling her he loved her and her brother and even apologizing to her. ‘It wasn’t like dad spanked me,’ she thought innocently.

 

“I can’t take care of you and your brother anymore,” her dad continued, cupping his daughter’s small face. “With your mom gone, I can’t even take care of myself. I don’t want to neglect you and your brother.”

 

“Where has mom gone?” Dara asked.

 

Her dad closed his eyes until pools of tears burst from his lids. Dara looked over her shoulder to see what her brother was doing. He was only playing with his robot, oblivious of what was happening inside the car.

 

“Your mom will never come back, Dara,” her dad said, his voice shaking. Dara was about to ask why when her dad interrupted her. “Take this,” he said, putting on a necklace around her neck. Dara looked down and saw a silver ring hanging on it. “That is your mother’s. Your brother will have mine. And also this one,” her dad pulled out an old picture of their family when they went into one of the traditional places in Korea. She was seated on her mom’s lap while her brother was on her dad’s lap. They looked happy while smiling to the camera. Just then, her dad tore the picture into two. “This will be your copy. The other one will be your brother’s.”

 

Dara looked down at the torn picture. It only showed her and her mother. She then looked up, still not getting anything.

 

“Promise me when you grow up, you and your brother will find each other,” her dad said.

 

“Where is dongsaeng going?” Dara asked.

 

Her dad looked down. “I already found someone who would adopt your brother. But unfortunately, they don’t want to take another kid. One is enough they said. So I have to send you to this orphanage,” her dad said.

 

Dara looked behind him and caught the nuns looking anxiously at them, but she still didn’t understand the situation.

 

“Promise me you’ll look for your brother when you’ve grown enough alright?” her dad asked.

 

Curiously, she glanced back to her brother who was looking back at her, blinking his eyes. He got curious when he heard they were talking about him. When Dara looked back to her father, he had his pinky finger reached out.

 

“But—“

 

“Just promise me!” her dad yelled suddenly, startling Dara and her brother and himself. His eyes widened before he closed them and relaxed himself. The moment he opened his eyes, he met Dara’s scared eyes. “I’m sorry for yelling,” he said, voice shaking still due to crying. “Please, just promise me,” he said, pinky finger still reached out.

 

Hesitantly and still unsure of what this was all about, Dara reached out and locked her little pinky finger with her father’s. She didn’t know why she did that, didn’t know why she had to look for her brother later on, but she did know that she only locked pinky fingers with her father because she was scared by him yelling again.

 

Her dad then hugged her tight to himself while her brother was left just staring at them, wondering why his father was crying, he wondered if he was hurt somewhere. ‘Maybe he got a boo boo,’ he thought.

 

Just then, without looking at his daughter’s face again, he opened the door of the car and with Dara’s hand clasped with his, he sent Dara to the nuns, who gladly accepted her. Her father immediately turned his back and left, not wanting to see his daughter’s face again before he would break down. He knew he had shortcomings and he didn’t want to be one to his daughter and son. He knew this was the only way.

 

Just then, as his heart ached more and eyes flowed more tears, he turned back to his daughter and hugged her for the last time.

 

“I love you, Dara,” he whispered. “I’m sorry,” he said before going back to the car.

 

Dara was left in the hands of the nuns while she watched her father going back to the car and eventually get into it before he closed it behind him. She looked up to the nuns and asked wonderingly, “Aren’t they coming with us?”

 

The nun sadly shook her head. Dara looked back to the car when the engine started. She let go of the nuns’ hands and walked towards the car. She tried getting her father’s attention by tapping on the window but before it happened, the car started to drive slowly.

 

Shocked, Dara followed while still tapping on the window. Although her father didn’t notice her (well, he was still turned away), her brother saw her and tried to reach out but their father blocked his way.

 

“Dad! Dongsaeng!” Dara called as the car drove faster. She ran after it and saw how her brother looked back and tapped the glass of the car behind him. He was crying and it broke Dara’s heart as her brother looked pathetically weak just like her.

 

‘Noona,’ she read the word her brother mouthed. ‘Noona!’

 

She ran faster, trying to keep up with the car, her sight blurring with the tears along the way, and the torn picture crumpled on her hand.

 

“Dad!” she called again, but her father didn’t turn to look at her. Before she fell to the ground, it was her brother’s face she last saw.

 

She tried getting up but to no avail. She lifted her head to see if the car was still in sight, but there was no sign of the car. Crying, she screamed, “Sanghyun-dongsaeng!”

 

 

 

 

--

 thank you aieru of Aethon Shop for the poster.