The next day was quite a fortunate day for KyonDae. MyungHee was having a slight fever and won’t be going to school and she volunteered to look after SoRa while KyonDae was at school. KyonDae politely tried to turn down her offer as she insisted that MyungHee should rest instead but the girl would never listen. MyungHee waited for KyonDae and SoRa at the front gate of her house when the two of them passed by. MyungHee said there was no way KyonDae was taking SoRa to school when there was someone at home who could look after her.

Not wanting to argue, KyonDae agreed. She also reminded SoRa that MyungHee was sick and not to be a bother to her. MyungHee had to push KyonDae to keep on going to school as she looked like she will never leave. And so, KyonDae walked to school and focused on the lesson throughout the day alone without her best friend.

In her mind, she was hoping that MyungHee would be okay to look after her sister in a sick state.

L.Joe went to her desk during break time and asked her where she sent SoRa as KyonDae didn’t leave the class. KyonDae told him that SoRa was with MyungHee because MyungHee was sick. There was more that L. Joe wanted to ask but he had to go to the cafeteria to meet his friends. He waved KyonDae goodbye and the girl only nodded.

Right after the bell rang, KyonDae walked out of the school quickly to pick her sister up before her part time work. She was thinking of where she could send her sister the following days when MyungHee was able to go back to school. It was unsafe for her to bring her sister to school and lucky enough she managed to hide her sister away from the sights of ChungAh and ChungAe. If the two of them knew that KyonDae brought SoRa to school, KyonDae will receive the biggest punishment she will ever get.

The twins, and also their mother, despised SoRa as much as they hated KyonDae. They never even bothered about SoRa’s presence for once and wanted nothing to do with her. They hated the little girl so much that they could do anything to her like what they always did to KyonDae.

While KyonDae was walking, she suddenly remembered the first time she left SoRa at home, because she was ordered to go to the market for a while. She left for not more than an hour and when she got back, she found SoRa crying helplessly inside their room. She asked her stepsisters what happened and ChungAh said that SoRa was too noisy and annoying, so they locked her up in the dark.

KyonDae was furious when she heard everything and she fought back for the first time and also her last. She yelled at everyone in the house for treating her sister like that. She was just a toddler and was barely two years old. Her stepmother and stepsisters beat her up for having the courage to fight back. They kicked, punched and even slammed her at the wall.

They even grabbed the crying SoRa from the room as an extra warning to her. They were holding SoRa so harshly and it made the little girl cry harder. KyonDae pleaded them not to hurt her sister and she promised she won’t do it again.

The three wicked step family made her kneel on the floor for two hours before they let her go. God knew how painful her legs were after that. 

KyonDae teared when she recollected that painful memory. That was why since then, she never left SoRa at home. She couldn’t risk anything to happen to her sister again. She didn’t mind bringing SoRa everywhere she went, as long as she knew SoRa was safe.

She was still lost in her own thoughts when suddenly she felt a presence next to her. Oh. Him. KyonDae quickly wiped her eyes before any tears fell.
“Are you on your way to pick SoRa up?” He asked. KyonDae nodded.

“How old is she?” He asked again. KyonDae sighed softly and answered, “Three this year.” He nodded.

“So next year she will be going to playschool then?” Third question. KyonDae stopped on her tracks and so was the boy. He looked at her weirdly and asked again, “Why are you stopping?”

“L. Joe-ssi, why do you have so many questions?” KyonDae asked, a bit irritated. One thing about her, she didn’t like it when someone who wasn’t close to her asking her questions. She got annoyed.

L.Joe shrugged. “I don’t know. I just want to be your friend. Like MyungHee.” He finally said.

KyonDae frowned. “Friend? Why?” No one had ever asked to be her friend before. MyungHee was the first and also the last. This was the first time in many years someone asked to be her friend.