The semester has just begun, but Jiyong and Youngbae has started skipping school time to times to pursue their music. Eunhye sit at the end of the row, gazing outside while the teacher is scribing note on the blackboard. She tabs her finger lightly on the table, following the rhythm in her mind. The school is ending soon and Eunhye can’t focus on the class anymore.

She never likes to study, what is the meaning for her to study anyway. Her finger stops tapping when he notices the chubby figure walking toward the stair at the back of the school. Eunhye remember him, she like his voice.

School hour has ended hours ago and Eunhye doesn’t realize that she’s been sitting near the Han River for hours. “Damn! I’m going to be late!” Eunhye grab her backpack and start running towards her home.

Eunhye stop and slowly approached her house, she open the gate quietly as she try not to make any sound. She tip toe into her room, before she could lock the bedroom room, someone push the door hardly, pushing Eunhye down on the floor.

                “What do you think you’re doing!” the man, Eunhye uncle stride into her bedroom.

Eunhye stunt by his action, “I’ve just got back from sc-school” she stammer.

Her uncle pulls out his belt and without mercy he whacks Eunhye with the belt, she screams in pain each time the leather belt hit her skin.

                “Shut up! Shut up!” her uncle shout to Eunhye.

It bruise red where her skin showing.

                “Shut up!” he stop and bent down and spank Eunhye cheek a few time. Eunhye close tightly and scream inside. It hurt like hell and her uncle smell like alcohol.

He stops when blood start dripping from her cut lips. “Behave! Or you are going to get it next time!” her uncle bang the door close as he walk outside.

Eunhye sit still for a moment, she tremble with pain.

                “Eunhye!” her auntie shouts from outside the room.

                “Are you deaf? Answer me! Hurry up and make dinner! Do you want us to starve to death?” her auntie open the door, she snicker when she saw Eunhye sitting on the floor with the new mark on her body, “Serve you right” she come in and pull Eunhye hair, she hardly able to stand on her feet.

                “Let me go Auntie, please” she begs her. Eunhye holds onto her hair as her auntie pull her into the toilet.

                “Clean up!” her auntie yells. Eunhye wash her face, and clean her cut. Right after she finishes tying her hair, her auntie pushes her outside.

                “Dinner… and hurry up” she push Eunhye head and walk away to her bedroom.

15 years old Yoon Eunhye, abused. She doesn’t ask for her fate to be like that. But it happen, her parent died in a car accident since she’s 6 years old. She always acts tough in her school, for a reason… so people won’t know that the bruise and cuts she get is actually from her family, so called family.

15 years old Yoon Eunhye, she doesn’t know where to turn, so she let things continue to happen. She don’t understand anything, she is 15 years old girl and afraid.

                “Consider yourself lucky Eunhye, thank to us that you can still stay in a good house, and eat good food, than be rotten death anywhere. Who would accept you anyway? Be thankful. Listen to us” Eunhye auntie babble as they eat dinner while her husband gobbles the food fast.

Eunhye nod her head and quietly eat, that’s the word she always heard. Always… repeated, it has been cemented in her mind.

The married couple rested in the living room with cigarette in their hand, they drink, smoke and laugh. Eunhye run upstairs quietly.

She locks her bedroom door hastily and jumps into her bed. Her house is the only place that she try to avoid the most. Eunhye look at the door and lay inaudibly, and when she finally tired she doze off, but she is easily waken with the slightest sound.

                Everyone eyed her when she walk inside the class, Eunhye ignore them and sit on her chair and she gaze outside. She heard them whisper to each other, Eunhye turn and glare at them and that shut them from talking about her.

Eunhye skip the last hour of her class, she run to the back of the school. She waits by the cherry tree. A few more minute before the bell rings signing the end of school for that day. She notices the figure walking toward the stairs.

Smile form as she watch him silently, he doesn’t notice her watching. Earphone stuck in his ear as his mouth mouthing something that Eunhye can’t catch. She watches till him leave the school through the back gate.

She feels glad that she catches him that day. Eunhye wonder if she should do anything about it. But, what she wanted the most is to hear his voice again.

                Another day comes fast, she doesn’t skip her class that day, and she loves the Art subject to her heart content. Luckily she still picks the seat by the window facing the back of the school. Her eye can’t stop gazing at the stair, waiting for him to walk by.

                “Yoon Eunhye” her teacher put her hand on Eunhye shoulder.

                “Yes Moon Ssem” she responds quickly and turns her head to the painting.

She chuckle looking at Eunhye reaction. “Something interesting outside?” she ask.

                “Not really” Eunhye shakes her head.

Moon Ssem compliment her painting, she advice on her colour pick because even though Eunhye is drawing a family picnic, she seem to pick a darker colour that not suitable for the event.

                “Eunhye, did you get into fight again?” Moon Ssem pull a chair and sit near Eunhye.

                “Not my fault that they keep on picking on me” she smiles proudly.

Moon Ssem shake her head, “Yoon Eunhye, please take care of yourself. What if something bad happen?”

Eunhye smile back to her, “Is this more perfect Moon Ssem?” Eunhye show her painting. Moon Ssem nod her head.

                “I haven’t see Youngbae and Jiyong, did they skip my class again?”

                “No Ssem, they skip this week. They are on tour with the company”

Moon Ssem nod, “Have lunch with me if they were not around Eunhye” Moon stand up and pat Eunhye back.

                “Maybe” she smiles to her and Moon Ssem continues to check on other student.

The only teacher she feels comfortable with, her art teacher Miss Moon. Moon Ssem is her homeroom teacher in her first year and she doesn’t stop worrying even when she is not Eunhye homeroom teacher anymore.

Eunhye nearly miss him, as she watches his back disappears down the stair. Eunhye groan in disappointment.

                Eunhye feet stomp impatiently as she stare the watch and the stair outside back and forth. As soon the bell rings, Eunhye is the first one to run towards the stair at the back of the school, the stair is rarely use by student.

Eunhye skip a few step and she jump to the middle at the walkway, she rest her back at the wall and catch her breath. Eunhye wish that he hasn’t used the stair. She stands nervously waiting for him.

He come steadily walking down the stair, he didn’t notice Eunhye.

Eunhye stand in his way. He walks to the other side, Eunhye follow. He tried the other side and Eunhye follow.

He stop and look up, he raise his eyebrow at Eunhye.

                “Yah!” Eunhye shout at him.

He pulls out the earphone, “Sorry miss, you’re blocking my way”

                “I’m not” she smiles innocently.

He tries to move to the right, but Eunhye follow and when he changes to the left Eunhye follow again.

                “You are not going to let me through?” he asks.

Eunhye smile, “Not really”

He keeps his eye on Eunhye as she take the right, and Eunhye follows diligently. She smile widely, but he is not showing any reaction.

Maybe on impulse, Eunhye tip toe and plant a kiss on his lips. His eye wide open and he look at Eunhye.

                “Remember me!”She yells and run away before he can do anything else.

                Slowly Eunhye open her eye, she saw Nana looking at her curiously.

                “Morning Eomma, why are you smiling in your sleep?” she asks.

Eunhye wakes up, she look at the picture of them three on the side table. “I smile?”

Nana nods, Eunhye giggle. “I have a nice dream” she wake up and kiss her daughter cheek. Nana hugs and kisses her mother, and then both of them prepare for the morning breakfast.

Seunghyun walk down from the second floor, Eunhye smile to him when she notices he was eyeing her. Seunghyun pull the chair out for Eunhye, he help Eunhye sit and he whispers to her, “Did you enjoy the kiss last night?”

Eunhye cheeks blush.

                “Morning Nana” Seunghyun greet his daughter.

                “Good Morning Appa”

They both smile to each other. Seunghyun place his hand on Eunhye blushing cheek, “Morning Honey” he her cheek lightly.

Nana keep her gaze on them and she smile to herself. Warm, the warm feeling she feel inside making her feels comfy.