It was early, around 6ish when Mia heard a knock at her door. “Mia-yah!” her sister’s muffled voice splurged through the door. “Wake up, hon.” She said tapping on the oak wood door. The knob wiggled and the door slid open. Mia peered over to the older girl as she peeped into the room. Her toothbrush hung out of . “C’mon, dad and I are leaving soon and if you want to go with us before school…” she stopped moving the toothbrush around . “You need to hurry.” Mia nodded and waved her off. When the door closed, Mia rolled to the floor. “Hanna!” she yelled vibrating the room. A woman old enough to be her mother appeared. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier?” she asked groggily rubbing her eyes. “Miss told me not to.” Mia shot up and looked at the woman. “Miss?” she asked looking at a family portrait. Hanna nodded and helped Mia off the floor. “As in my stepmother?” she huffed. Hanna hesitated, but nodded. She raised her hand to slap the woman. “Aish!” She stopped remembering her manners. “I apologize Hanna, you’re not at fault here.” She sighed waving the woman away.

“Bring my tea, please.” She requested opening her closet to reveal a whole entire room. She pressed a button on the wall and four young ladies trotted into the room. “Good morning.” They say bowing Mia simply smiles while they sort through her clothing. “Today is Tuesday, why not wear pink?” The blonde asked. Mia shook her head. “Wednesdays I wear pink.” Mia said jokingly quoting her favorite movie. The girls laugh and Mia takes the pink skirt and her uniform blazer to the bed. The blonde girl brought Mia’s shirt to the bed and placed it inside the blazer. “Thank you all.” Mia said dismissively excusing herself to the bathroom. After washing and brushing her teeth she got dressed and headed to her living room. “Eonni, I’m ready!” Mia says sliding down the rail. The clicking of heels could be heard on the marble floors in our foyer. After regaining her balance she dusted her skirt back into place. “Sunmi, you really shouldn’t be doing things that.” A woman wrapped in an elegant black fur cooed click clacking over to the girl.

Mia’s face twisted in disgust. She hated her step mother with a passion, but then replaced her frown with a smile. “It’s Mia, I don’t like to be called Sunmi.” She said for what felt like the hundredth time. The woman just nodded. “Where’s the taller one?” she asked moving towards the stairs. Mia didn’t answer she just headed into her dad’s office. “Ding dong, the witch came home!” she announced closing the doors behind herself. Her father was on the phone. His face didn’t look too well, he was upset. Mia sat across from him and waited. Once he hung up the phone, he glared at the teenager. “That was your mother.” He growled. He hated talking to and about her. “Yes?” Mia said awkwardly. He cleared his throat. “She wants you to go to her house while we’re away.” He says matter-of-factly. Mia smiles, but then it faded when her father’s look hardened. “She also said that your school informed her that you’re failing math.” He sighed shaking his head. Mia bit her lip and averted her eyes. She didn’t have a comment. “I’ll pack when I return from school.” Mia says dismissing herself.

Sunah appeared from the family room. “The wicked witch came back from the west!” she joked tapping Mia’s arm lightly. Mia simply smiled at the comment. “Why are acting strange?” Sunah questioned. “I’m going to stay with mom.” Mia said with an exaggerated sigh. Sunah’s eyes widened and she broke out in a smile. “Mom? Like mom mom?” she said cackling like a child. “I haven’t seen mom since we were children.” She said laughing uncontrollably. She placed a hand on Mia’s shoulder. “Sunmi-yah, how have you been?” Sunah said imitating their mother’s voice. Mia chuckled at her sister’s playfulness. “The bags have been loaded, miss.” Don, the driver’s son, said bowing and exiting the room. “Thanks.” Mia and Sunah chime trotting out of the room. Hanna and the other staff waved off the two girls. Their father was standing behind them on his phone. “Yu-ssi!” Hanna yelled as the man dropped to the floor. “Call 119!” Hanna bouted and Don pulled out his phone. “Daddy!” Mia exclaimed running out of the car. Sunah sat still in shock.

Mia looked at her father. “What’s the matter?” she asked repeatedly. He looked up at her with a pained expression before collapsing. “Eonni!” she screamed looking at Sunah frozen in the car. “What’s all this noise?” the stepmother asked stomping down the stairs. The ambulance arrived at the time. They took him away on the stretcher. Mia sobbed onto Hanna’s shoulder while Sunah struggled to pull herself out of the car. She waddled up to the small crowd and looked down her face was blank. She dropped to her knees looking at her father’s phone. It lit up to show a familiar number. “H-hello?” she asked pressing the phone to her ear. She sounded and looked distraught. “Where’s your father?” The man on the line known K asked. Sunah opened , but no words would form. “Are you two still coming?” he asked Sunah cleared . “I will be the only one in attendance.” She said confidently. K got quiet, but his background noise kicked up. “My father, Mr. Yu, is not available due to sudden illness.” She says picking herself up. Her voice was confident, but tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Alright, Miss Yu, we’ll see you tomorrow.” K said hanging up. Sunah took a breath and turned to face everyone. She clenched her fist. “Why are you all just standing around!” she shouted and the staff minus Hanna hurried off. Mia rushed to the car and the stepmother just stood there glaring at her. “Would you like to say something, Madison?” Sunah asked her stepmother. She smacked her lips childishly and stormed off. “Come Hanna, were leaving.” Sunah demands and they get into the car. They head to the airport. "See you in 2 weeks, Mia." Sunah coos. Mia nods and rolls up her window. "C'mon Hanna." Sunah sighs taking the woman with her.