Chapter Three

“Too Many Times"

He laughs and continues walking back to the bus stop.

Was my hearing wrong? I stand there for a moment, trying to process what I heard. Was I surprised, sad, or happy? A little bit of everything, I was confused out of my mind! So I caught up to him. “What did you say?” He chuckles and continues on his merry way, leaving me at the gate of my school. I was about a class period late.

After school I went home at around 10 pm. That is, before stopping at my local minimarket. I picked up a bowl of instant ramen and headed home.

It was a one room apartment, partly furnished. The walls were decorated with paintings, drawings, and sketches, covering up any of those unpainted, cracked, patches . The room had just one stuff animal, a large fuzzy polar bear. It was torn up and sewn together by pieces of fabric with random pattern. This bear was a stuffed animal my parents bought me when I was little. I remember crying for it and making my parents so embarrassed in public. Unknowingly, a smile flashes across my face. I miss them.

I sit on the floral patterned seat cushion and begin to cook the ramen. Once the old tin pot had finally done its job, I used the lid as a bowl and slurped it up! Usually I would love ramen, but it has been the only thing i’ve eaten for weeks. There just wasn’t enough time. After I finished draining the delicious pot of its broth I let out a sigh of relief . Then, my stomach growled in the most horrible way. I was still hungry. So I decided to throw on my sweater and take a trip to the local food stand.

“Annyeonghaseyo Ahjumma(Ma’am)! , your spiciest ddukbokki please?”

    “Sure Skyla! It won’t be long, where have you been lately?”

“School, work, school, work, is basically my whole routine.” I answered as I sat on the plastic bright red seat under the foodstand’s protection from the snow. I loved talking to Ahjumma when I get lonely, she also worked alone while her children were off to college.

    “Are you eating healthy Skyla? Your mother told me to care for you,” She quietly paused for a few seconds,“before she passed away. I honestly feel like I haven’t been doing much of a good job.” She began tearing up. I smiled and attempted to comfort her by hugging her.

    “Please don’t cry, my mom is in a better place, and she wouldn’t want to see anyone being sad because of her.” I chuckled as an attempt to lighten up the mood. Ahjumma wiped her tears on her sleeve and continued preparing the tteokbokki. She was a very close friend to my mother, she tried her best to help me. The feeling of others trying to aid me just because I lost my parents made me feel weak and vulnerable, I did appreciate Ahjumma’s  compassion, however.

    “You’re such a brave girl, your mother would’ve been proud.”

    I’ve heard that line way too many times from too many people. She handed me the steaming tteokbokki, her phone rang and she went out to answer it. I hastily finished the food and escaped the food stand. “Thanks for the food Ahjumma! See you soon!” I shouted,  leaving the money on the table.

I went home and retreated to my apartment.