After Jae found out Kyung had come back, she didn’t really speak much. She kept to herself around the house, and at school she became more and more of a loner. She would wake up early and go to school by herself and come home late. Eun Mi, Eun Ae, and Eun Jung all sat around the dinner table eating as they watched Jae stroll into the dining room and take her seat.

“Mianhae…” she mumbled. Jung frowned and slammed her chopsticks down on the table and stood up.

“Unnie, what is wrong with you? Stop acting like this. It’s been two weeks already.” She shook her head and her light brown curls bounced. “What did Zico tell you?”

“Yah, Jung, sit down and leave Jae alone.” Mi’s firm voice had a tone of annoyance. “If she wanted to talk about it, she would have told us already.” She eyed Jae’s face, but could not read her expression. Jung took her seat and her shoulders sagged.

“It’s my fault isn’t it? I brought Zico home with me. It wasn’t intentional! I was at the store and I said hi. I didn’t know he would follow me home! I was on my way to warn you but I dropped the stuff you asked me to buy and you came out and…” she trailed off, looking down at her food.

“We already know. You’ve told us a million times already. Can you just quit it already?” Ae snapped as she finished up her dinner, picked up her plate and put it in the sink. “Junggie, you’re dishes.” Jung hung her head and whined.

“Eun Mi Unnie.” Jae looked over at her and frowned. “I want to go to an arts school for university. Please convince omma and appa to let me go!” she pouted.

“Wae? What made you want to go to arts school? Give me three good reasons.” Mi raised an eyebrow at Jae and scoffed. “All of a sudden…”

“I don’t know. I have a good feeling about it. I’ve been doing research and I found an all girls school. It looks like a great school.” This was the most Jae had said in two weeks. The two younger siblings eyed each other suspiciously, Ae still standing by the sink. Mi laughed.

“You did RESEARCH? You must really want to go. You never research anything. Ever.” She stood up with her plate and walked to the sink. She nudged Ae with her elbow. “Well, I’ll talk to appa. I’ll see what he says first.” Ae suddenly ran out of the kitchen. Jae’s eyes widened and she looked around. Jung was nowhere to be found, but it didn't really bother her. She stood up and smiled.

“Unnie, komapda.” she hugged Mi from behind.

“YAH! You’re trying to escape dish duties again?!” Ae was heard in the distance. “I had to do them for you last time. If I have to do them for you again…”

“BUT UNNIE I HAVE SO MUCH HOMEWORK!” Jung screeched. “I don’t want to wash dishes! Please!”

Jae released Mi and laughed. Things were beginning to go back to normal. Mi turned to Jae and elbowed her side.

“If this is some sort of plan of yours, I better not find out.” She whispered into Jae’s ear.

It was half way through summer vacation when Jae finally heard from Minhyuk. She had been avoiding him after school was over.

He probably is busy anyway, she thought. He has to pack and get ready for school.

Jae’s phone rang out. She grabbed it absentmindedly and opened a text from Minhyuk.

“Annyeong Kang Jae! How have you been? I’m leaving tomorrow. Be sure to eat well and find someone to walk you to school. I heard you’re going to an arts school too. Hwaiting!”

“Oppa…” she sighed and threw the phone on her bed. She had kept herself busy, working out, running, figuring out things for the next school year.

Because her parents worked in the States, she didn’t see or hear from them often. Mi had convinced them that she would be fine and thus got the tuition money for her first semester. She was going to be dorming away from home, so she was packing up her room. Before she knew it, tears started to sting her eyes. That didn’t stop her from packing though. She blinked them back.

I have to get my stuff out of here so Ae can have this room.

The phone rang out again.

“Another text?” Jae rubbed her eyes and picked her phone up again. This time, it was from an unknown number.

“Noona! I’ve arrived at school!”

“AISH! HOW DID YOU GET THIS NUMBER, YOU!” Jae dropped her phone on the bed. “Woo Zico…”

Well, he’s always been someone who tries everything to get what he wants. She shrugged and turned to her cluttered room when the phone beeped again. And again. And yet again. Jae glared at her phone and continued to pack her things as the phone continued to make noise. She rubbed the back of her neck. It was bare. It was still hard getting used to the feeling of having almost no hair.

“If you won’t turn the phone off, then I will!” roared Jung as she thundered into the room, gritting her teeth.

“Ah, mianhae.”

“I’m being serious!” Jung grabbed the phone and stared at the messages. “How come you’re ignoring Minhyuk Oppa? He’s been sending you messages!” She showed Jae the screen. “They’re all pictures of the school.” Jae squinted and snatched the phone away from her youngest sister.

“No way… you’re right.” There were pictures of the school grounds, the dorm hall, and his room and even his roommate.

“Mi Unnie! Ae Unne! Minhyuk Oppa sent pictures!” she called. Ae and Mi arrived at the same time. Ae stood behind Jae’s shoulder and looked at the pictures. Mi flopped on the bed and grabbed the phone, going through the pictures quickly.

“Pointless, pointless, pointless, point…” Jae whipped around and raised her brows. Her sister had paused on the picture of Minhyuk’s roommate. The guy’s face was covered by a hat. All you could see was his mouth, which was twisted into a frown.

“His name is Taeil, eh?” Ae piped up, wiggling her brows at Jae and Jung. “You like what you see?” They call giggled until Mi snapped.

“Kang Eun Ae! If you want dinner tomorrow, you will shut up right now.” Mi sat up and glared back at Ae, chucking the phone back to Jae. “Minhyuk, you babo…” she muttered and stormed off.

“Wae?! I wasn’t the only one laughing, you know.” Ae covered to suppress further outbreaks. Jae put her arm around Ae’s and giggled.

“I’m going to miss you! I’m also going to miss how Mi omma always scolds you.” Ae made a pouting face.

“She’s going to pick on me more that you’re leaving. Eottokke?”

“YAH WHAT ABOUT ME JAE UNNIE! You’ll miss me too, right? You’ll do what I asked, right?” Jung rolled around on the bed. Jae scoffed and shrugged.

“I suppose I’ll miss you too. And if you follow my instructions, then I’ll help you out. You better remember, araso?” Jae held up a fist. “Or else…”

“I not even going to ask what this is about.” Ae looked around the room and leaned on Jae’s shoulder. “So I finally get my own room, eh?”

“All yours. I’m leaving in the morning.” Jae sighed and stood up. “You going to just sit there or are you going to help me move my stuff?” She nudged Ae with her food and ruffled Jung’s hair. She really would miss her sisters and felt a bit of guilt, leaving Mi to be the head of the house by herself. Jae rubbed the back of her neck. It was still unbelievably bare.

Well, I better get used to this because I’m going to have to keep my hair like this for a long time, she thought.