The bell rang indicating the end of the last lesson that day. After the teacher dismissed them, the students packed their bags and dashed out of the class without missing a single second. MyungHee and KyonDae stood up with their bags on their shoulders and walked towards the door. KyonDae stopped and turned towards L. Joe, who was walking to the door too.

L.Joe looked at her inquiringly and KyonDae said, “Thanks again, for keeping my sister company. You didn’t have to do that actually.”

L.Joe shook his head and said, “And I’m telling you again that it’s okay. It was fun to play with your sister, honestly. She’s a good girl. It wasn’t a bother at all.”

KyonDae nodded her head and walked out of the class towards MyungHee who was waiting for her at the corridor. “What was that about?” MyungHee asked as she glanced at L. Joe, who walked towards the other corridor, probably looking for his friends.

“I was just thanking him for looking after SoRa last Saturday. He passed by the restaurant and met SoRa. Somehow SoRa didn’t want to let him go, so he stayed.” KyonDae explained.

MyungHee’s eyes widened. “He stayed at the restaurant with SoRa?” She asked and KyonDae nodded.

“Until your working hour was up?!” MyungHee asked again in amazement. KyonDae looked at her oddly and nodded, wondering why her friend seemed to be enjoying this.

“Wow ... why did he go through all the trouble looking after SoRa for you? Not to mention the whole day until you were done too. Is he trying to hit on you?” MyungHee asked while smiling teasingly at her. KyonDae elbowed her and gave her a look. “No way, MyungHee. I think SoRa adores him is all, even though I don’t know why.”

MyungHee tapped her cheek and thought, “Maybe SoRa likes his red hair.” KyonDae shrugged and they continued walking.

Silence filled the atmosphere for a while before suddenly MyungHee spoke, but with a different tone this time. “KyonDae ah ... I have something to tell you.” KyonDae turned her head towards MyungHee and motioned her to continue.

"This is regarding ... MyungSoo oppa.” She started. KyonDae looked at her more intensely. “MyungSoo oppa? What about him? Did something happen to him? Is he sick?!"

MyungHee took a deep breath and continued. It was quite hard for her as she hated to be the bearer of bad news but she must let KyonDae know. “He ... he is going to America. He received a scholarship to further his studies in music. His flight is at midnight.” MyungHee looked at KyonDae and KyonDae knew she saw tears were threatening to fall from MyungHee’s eyes. She understood what MyungHee felt. MyungSoo was her only sibling.

KyonDae rubbed her friend’s shoulder as to give her comfort. She didn't really know what to say as the news shocked her as well.

“We’re having a small send-off dinner tonight and we want you and SoRa to come. MyungSoo oppa will want to see the both of you especially.” MyungHee continued.

KyonDae gave MyungHee a sad smile before she said, “I’m sorry MyungHee. My mother and step-sisters will be at home until nine before they go out.”

MyungHee shook her head and said, “It’s okay. MyungSoo oppa and I can come after they leave. You don’t have to go far. Just in your backyard is enough. I’m sure two hours will do it. Oppa will want to see SoRa for the last time before he leaves anyway.”

KyonDae thought about it for a while and tried to do some calculating with the time. Maybe they can spend some last time together even for a short while before MyungSoo departed. She was sure that SoRa would want to say goodbye to MyungSoo as well.

“Okay. Backyard it is then. Since it will be easier for us to go back in the house if anything happens.” KyonDae agreed.

Throughout the rest of the evening, KyonDae did her house chores around-the-clock and at the same time, tried to comply with her family’s demand. At exactly nine o’clock, her mother and step-sisters went out to God knows where. Her father, as usual, was not around until later.

After making sure that her family had left and none was nowhere in sight, KyonDae and SoRa opened the back door and saw MyungHee and MyungSoo entering the backyard as well, with containers of food in their hands.

“Oppa?” SoRa called, as she felt strange seeing MyungSoo at her house at night. MyungSoo smiled once he saw her. “Hello, princess. Shocked to see me again, are you? You see me twice today!”

They sat in a circle at the backyard and started to eat the food that MyungHee and MyungSoo brought. “Where are your parents?” KyonDae asked. “They’re inside the house, dealing with our relatives.” MyungHee answered.

MyungSoo, for the moment, was busy tending to SoRa who was sitting on his lap. He wiped whenever she ate messily and helped her to eat properly. MyungHee softened when she saw her brother spending time with SoRa. MyungSoo was trying to hide his sadness but it was so obvious from the look in his eyes.

“Have you packed everything, oppa?” KyonDae asked. “Have you double checked everything you need?”

MyungSoo nodded upon her question while tying up SoRa’s hair. “Yup. I’m all done. As much as I’m excited to go, a part of me doesn’t want to leave.” He hugged SoRa tighter and ignored the little girl’s whining as she was a lollipop.

KyonDae immediately understood. The part of him that didn’t want to leave was because he had to leave SoRa for who knew how long. He was attached to SoRa, everyone knew. He saw her every day and spent half of the day with her five days a week.

SoRa too, even though she never said it, was feeling likewise.

“I’m going to miss everything here, especially this princess over here.” MyungSoo said sadly, as he pinched SoRa’s cheek.

“Oppa, it’s not that you won’t come back now, won’t you? You will see her again. We will send you photos.” MyungHee exclaimed as she herself was trying to fight the urge to cry.

“Where will you send SoRa after I’m gone, KyonDae?” MyungSoo asked KyonDae. He was worried about that matter more than anything else the whole day. What would happen to SoRa? Where would she go when KyonDae was at school? Where could KyonDae send her?

“To be honest, I don’t know yet, oppa. But don’t worry I-”

“I don’t want to go then.”

KyonDae and MyungHee were wordless after hearing what just came out of MyungSoo's mouth. “What?” MyungHee asked as she could not believe her ears.

MyungSoo looked at them seriously and repeated, “I said, I don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave. I want to be here instead and look after SoRa.” He knew very well for a fact that KyonDae could never afford to send Sora to a nursery, as she hardly had the money to do so.

KyonDae blinked and quickly said, “Oppa. You can’t say that. Don’t worry, SoRa will be fine. I ... I will take her to school tomorrow.”

It was MyungSoo’s turn to look at her with widened eyes. “School? Are you sure she will be safe there? Where are you going to leave her, even?” MyungSoo started asking her questions. KyonDae nodded in promise, even though she didn’t know whether her sister will be okay there. She can’t leave her sister at home, no way. No matter what happens, she will never leave SoRa at home.

“Don’t worry, she will absolutely be okay. By the way, it’s a chance in a lifetime, oppa. You cannot let this opportunity go.” KyonDae said.

After what seemed like forever, trying to convince MyungSoo that SoRa will be okay and that he shouldn’t worry, they continued eating, chatting and playing little games with SoRa.

Laughter filled the backyard with MyungHee taking pictures of all of them and made a mental note to print them later for KyonDae and SoRa. They tried to make as many memories as they can with MyungSoo while they still had the time. No one knew when MyungSoo would return. SoRa's laughter was the one that sounded best in everyone's ears.

MyungSoo thought to himself that he won't be able to hear it for a long time but as MyungHee said, he won't be going away forever. He would miss it badly, and her laughter would be one of the things that would keep him going, while he was in America.

Time definitely passed by quickly, as it was finally time for MyungSoo to leave. He had to be at the airport in two hours.

After clearing the place up, KyonDae and SoRa walked MyungSoo and MyungHee in front of their house. The cab that was supposed to pick MyungSoo up had arrived and MyungSoo’s suitcases were already loaded in the car. MyungSoo hugged his parents as his relatives already left and gave his sister a long hug. Sadness clearly filled the atmosphere.

Then, it was KyonDae and SoRa left. MyungSoo hugged KyonDae and told her to take care of herself as well as her sister and always called for their family when she needed them. KyonDae only nodded and fought the urge to cry when she saw that MyungSoo’s parents and MyungHee were already tearing up.

The last one was SoRa. MyungSoo’s little princess.

MyungSoo knelt in front of her with a smile on his face, trying to cover his own gloomy expression. “Love, this is the last time I’m seeing you. You understand that much, don’t you? I’m going somewhere far away. Tomorrow you won’t see me again; you know that right?” He said. He had no idea whether SoRa understood him or not, but he guessed she did by the look on her face.

“Don’t go.” SoRa pleaded. Her lips were quivering and she was close to crying.

MyungSoo teared up and finally his tears fell. He could still contain them in front of his parents and the girls, but he finally broke down in front of SoRa. She was forever his girl.

“I have to, dearest. As much as I don't want