[Sol Han Na’s POV]

“Jogeuman nalgaetjit neol hyanghan ikkeullim naege ttaraora sonjitan geot gataseo
Aejeolhan nunbitgwa mueonui iyagi gaseume hoeoriga morachideon geunal bam”

I was back at the convenience store, everything that happened yesterday - completely forgotten. I’ve already spent too much time last night pondering about it and I don’t want to let it bug me anymore. Yes, I wasn’t able to sleep. The dark circles below my eyes are enough proof as to how much that simple card affected me. There was this small voice inside my head that kept saying I made the wrong decision - that I just wasted another precious opportunity.

Just how many times do you have to set your dreams aside because of your family? How many opportunities do you have to waste just because of them? 

Fine. I gave up my scholarship on the single university I ever dreamed of attending ever since I was a child. I stopped studying. I began working at such an early age. And yesterday, I rejected a precious offer from one of the biggest entertainment companies.

All for the goal of helping my family.

Last night, I was so sure that I did the right thing but now... I just feel so blank. Am I really sacrificing a lot? Am I really giving away a lot of opportunities? Am I really thinking about my family too much that I already forget some self-worth?

I don’t know.

I hit my head for what felt like a hundredth time this morning and went back to polishing the shelves. Don’t let this get into you. Move on. What had happened has already happened, you can’t do anything about it anymore. There is no going back.

“Omyohan geudaeui moseube neogseul noko hanappunin yeonghoneul ppaetgigo
Geudaeui momjise wanjeonhi chwihaeseo sum swineun geotjocha ijeobeorin nainde”

I always sing to myself every time I am at work. It makes the time move faster and the tiredness go away. My co-workers don’t mind, though. They say it gives them a sense of calm and who wouldn’t want some sort of entertainment during such a boring job?

“Walcheucheoreom sappunhi anja nuneul ttel su eobseo siseoni jayeonseure georeummada neol ttaragajanha”

The memory came inside my head. Me, at this exact spot, restocking ramyun after a surge of female tourists, and the CEO of SM Entertainment hiding beside these shelves, listening to me as I sing. I never thought of myself as an expert in music, just someone who knows how to sing. But it was really flattering to be noticed, not just by anyone,but the owner of the company himself - a company home for various worldwide-known Idols. I remembered how he teased me about calling an EXO member yesterday. I acted like I didn’t care but honestly, I was a fan. I sing their songs so much that even my co-workers get to memorize some of them. How wonderful it could have been if I was able to speak to at least one of them...

“Han Na!” 

A yell from my co-worker woke me up from my reverie. I immediately ran to the counter to check on what’s happening. 

“Yes, Eonnie?” Apparently, it was my co-worker Chae Won who called for me. She is our cashier. 

“Can you watch the counter for a while? I think I need to go to the restroom.”

“Oh, yes. Sure.” 

I stood behind the counter as Chae Won immediately rushed towards the restroom. I bet she’s having a constipation again. With all those things she eat, I am not surprised at all. 

Now don’t get me wrong. I am fairly close with all my co-workers but Chae Won is definitely at the bottom spot. Her eating habit is getting on my nerves. Not that I mind her eating, of course it is alright, but the way I have to clean her garbage every time is really annoying.

More than 15 minutes had passed before she came back. Now I doubt if she really went to the restroom. Maybe she just ate again. 

I left the counter and went back to cleaning the shelves. I still got a lot to do and I need to finish them all so I can go home early.

“Nal annaehaejwo
Yeah geudaega salgo inneun gose nado hamkke deryeoga--”

“Han Na!”

There she goes. There she goes again. It hasn’t even been 5 minutes since I left her and now she’s calling for me again. 

I went back to the counter, feeling my blood boil. Control yourself, Han Na. Control your--

I was preparing myself to face Chae Won when suddenly, it wasn’t only her who’s in the counter. Someone was with her. A fisherman, like my dad. I can tell based on his clothes and the smell of ocean and salt wafting in the air. I suddenly felt myself tensed. It’s still time for catching. He should be in the ocean, not here. 

“What is it?” I asked, a little hushed. I can’t fight the sick feeling that’s building in my stomach. What is he doing here at this time of the day? 

“This guy here has something to tell you.” Chae Won pointed a lazy finger to the fisherman who seemed to be really uncomfortable.

“What is it, Sir?” Looking at the man doesn’t help in controlling the sick feeling I have inside. What’s going on?

“I... Uh... Y-Your father...” The man kept tugging the hem of his shirt and his eyes kept flashing on different directions. Beads of sweat have started forming on his forehead. What is he so nervous about?

“What?” I demanded, seeing the actions of this man kept on bringing undesirable images inside my head. “What’s wrong with my father?” 

“H-He’s... He’s rushed to the hospital.”

The air went out of my lungs. It’s like the feeling of being punched in the gut. Everything felt completely still. My mind went blank, I cannot think of anything for a moment. A rush of images went through my head: dad in a hospital bed, dad unconscious, dad fighting for his last breaths. 

I shook my head. It won’t help if I would think this way.

“Why? What happened to him?” I asked after a few moments, my voice raising a bit higher than necessary.

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