Have you ever wanted to know when you'll die? There was a survey done on whether you would want to or not. More than half of them said they didn't want to know. To be honest, I'd be on their side as well. Unfortunately, I do know when I'll die.

Doctors say I can't live past 20 years but there is still hope. I just can't do what normal, healthy people can do. Run around... Go to school... Hang out with friends... Fall in love... Have a family. But you see, a life without those things, isn't called living, it'll just be me, everyday, breathing. Sadly, I can't do anything about it.

"Sowon ah~" I heard my mother call out from the first floor.

Special fact about me. My family is really rich... like really. My father is a doctor and I'm one of his patients. My mother is a lawyer. We're pretty well off which is really needed because of my condition. Oh, my condition? I'm not good at remembering medical terms but I do know that there's something wrong with my heart. It can't beat too fast if not I faint and there's a possibility of a heart attack.

I hopped down the grand stairs and saw my mother in her office attire, eating her breakfast. She looked at me angrily.

"What did I say about moving fast?" she asked intimidatingly.

I chuckled.

"Okay, okay... I'll walk like a grandmother the next time..." I said, already feeling a bit out of breath.

I sat down in front of her and the maids came in to served me my breakfast.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed to them and they bowed down respectfully.

I ate my breakfast as lady-like as possible because I knew Omma liked me doing that. I didn't get it though, it wasn't like I would live long enough to be able to start dating and have a boyfriend who would mind how I ate.

"Sowon ah... Its your birthday today!" Omma said suddenly.

My eyes widened and I dropped my spoon on the glass plate in shock.

"Gosh! I forgot!!!" I said.

I always forget my birthday. As in, I knew the date, it was just that I didn't really think about it much since my birthdays were always the same. It would be home school work, then piano, then chess and only at night when my Omma and Appa are home then there'd be cake. Birthdays weren't really memorable so I always forgot. Its kind of sad to some people but birthdays always reminded me of how many years I have left... so I guess I kind of hated it.

"Since you're turning 18... Omma and Appa decided to buy a cake... and grant you ONE wish! A realistic one! So no telling me that you want a flying unicorn or something," Omma said teasingly.

"Awww... No unicorns?!" I said teasingly, making Omma shake her head in disbelief.

"Aigoo... Its okay. I don't need anything..." I said.

"Come on, Sowon ah... There must be something," Omma said, trying to get an answer.

I continued looking down at my plate, plucking up all the courage I had in me to give her my honest wish.

"I... I want to go to public school and meet people my age..." I said timidly.

There was no response so I looked up and saw that Omma was now looking down at her plate, not knowing what to say. I didn't want her to feel bad so I laughed.

"Eish... But its fine... I know its impossible for me to go. It was just an idea, sorry if I scared you," I said, trying not to make her feel sadder than she already needs to be.

I went up into my room since I felt the tears coming. No one ever saw me cry... well, except for a few doctors and my parents. There were times my heart would start to beat so fast that it hurt so I'd cry. However, as I grew up, I learnt to control my tears or at least if I couldn't then I'd make sure no one saw me cry. The people I love only have 20 years to see me... I wasn't going to let them remember me crying. I wanted them to remember me as the girl who smiled and laughed all the time eventhough she was dying.

LATER ON...

The telephone in my bedroom rang, knowing it was a short distance, I ran towards it, enjoying just the slight rise in my heartrate. I picked up the phone.

"Hello?" I said.

"Sowon ah~" Appa said.

There was a certain way Appa called my name. It was just... different from how other people call me.

"Omma... told me about your birthday wish..." he said.

I bit my lip, knowing that he must have felt bad knowing that it would be dangerous for me.

"Ah~ Yah, its fine... I don't need it," I said, trying to sound like I was cool with it.

"Really? Because I already bought your school books. You want me to return them?" Appa said.

The silent response over the phone was an indication to him that I was mindblowned which made him laugh.

"APPA! DON'T PLAY JOKES WITH ME!" I yelled.

"I'm not! Yah, I'm driving. I'll talk to you about the school stuff when I get home. I suggest you start choosing what to wear and bring for your school on Monday," Appa said before hanging up.

"AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed at the top my lungs.

I wasn't allowed to hop or jump or do anything like that to express my happiness so I went to my piano and started banging my fingertips on it happily.