“Alright, so each of you can choose six outfits, three pairs of shoes and some other things as well. Since I’m unsure of how your Korean sizes compare to American sizes, we will be trying on everything you buy as well.”

“Noona, do they have Pororo?” Chae-Sun asked.

“I don’t think so. But I’m sure you’ll find something. What are your favorite colors?”

“Green!” Chae-Sun shouted excitedly.

“Periwinkle…” Kan-Sun stated wither arms crossed.

“I’m pretty sure there is green, but I’m not sure about the periwinkle, but let's see. Maybe you’ll find something that also suits your style. Arasso?” Chae-Sun picked out his clothes first and quickly noticed that the kid had a thing for not only green but stripes, with the particular characters kids like such as SpongeBob and Elmo. In less than 30 minutes Chae-Sun had picked his outfits and shoes, tried both on and was now even eager to shop more. Kan-Sun on the other hand only walked around the store aimlessly. “Kan-Sun has anything interested you yet?”

“No.” Kan-Sun answered sharply.

“What about this one? It has all the colors of the South Korean flag? Maybe it will make you not so homesick.”

“..”

Miyah stood slowly and exhaled loudly.“ Well, are you more into skirts or shorts? They have an excellent selection of patterns.” Miyah picked a pair of pink cargo pants off the rack. “How about these?”

“I don’t want to be here! If I pick some clothes will you leave me alone?”

“Kan-Sun you just need clothes because you didn’t bring many with you from Korea remember?”

Kan-Sun turned around to a shelf, snatched off a handful of shirts, skirts, pants, and shoes and threw them in the basket. “There happy now!”

Kan-Sun spoke so sharply and loudly that she had caught the attention of a few nearby shoppers. Miyah had been afraid that this would happen; that at least one of them would be resistant to the change, but not this painful. When Miyah reached for her hand to check-out, she slapped her hand away and grabbed her brothers instead.

…

Maybe she is just homesick? Miyah decided it would be a good idea to take them to a nice Korean restaurant she liked, in hopes that maybe it would help calm Kan-Sun’s attitude. As Miyah watched Kan-Sun and Chae-Sun interact through her rearview mirror, she contemplated if maybe she was in over her head in this situation. At least, if I fail, I’m sure that there is a nice Korean family who will teach them all the things I can’t. I am a college student, and can barely keep a fish alive for more than a day let alone two kids.

“Welcome and please sit where you want.” The hostess stated as the three of them walked in. The restaurant only consisted of a few customers seeing as it was mid-day and the dinner crowd had a tendency to be it’s peak hours.

Miyah looked around for the usual familiar faces of the kind Ajumma, who owned the restaurant. She thought to how when she first came here with Soo-Min after they had returned from her first trip to Korea.

“Well look who decided to stop by?” Mi-yah looked up to see the owner, Mrs. Kim standing before with her hand on her hips. “I was beginning to think we had lost you to that Chinese restaurant down the street.”

“Of course not Mrs. Kim.”

“…And who might these two little ones be?” Mrs. Kim questioned looking at Kan-Sun and Chae-Sun, who merely looked between the two women.

“Do you remember my friend Choi Soo-Min? She was a few years older than me, and I think had a bob cut the last time you saw her.”

“Oh yeah. I remember.”

“Well, these are her kids. Choi Kan-Sun and Choi Chae-Sun.”

“Well aren’t you both the cutest things. I remember when my son was that sweet.” The both of them smiled and bowed to Mrs. Kim. “ Do you two like fish?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“There is a huge fish take over by the dessert bar filled with all kinds of fish, even a baby shark.” The two looked at each other and scurried out of the booth so fast that they nearly ran each other over. After they had been out of sight, Mrs. Kim took a seat across from Miyah.

“So are you playing babysitter while for the weekend?”

“ I’m their guardian.”

Mrs. Kim’s face held an expression of genuine confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Well Choi Soo-Min and her husband passed away in a car accident recently, and she left it in her final will that she wanted them to be in my custody, and as far as I know she doesn’t have much family let alone any that would’ve taken them in.”

Mrs. Kim reached her hand across the table and held your hand. “Poor child…”

“I know they are so young; I’m surprised at how well they’re handling it.” Miyah spoke looking past Mrs. Kim at the two of them admiring the fish tank.

“I meant you. You’re just a child yourself. Aren’t you still in school? Someone your age shouldn’t be taking on such a burden if they don’t have too.”

“But I do have to. I figured it would be better for them to be with some they sort of knew, rather than a complete stranger.”

“Mi-yah…” Mrs. Kim started to say but stopped at the presence of their waiter. She quickly took down the drinks and food and just as soon as she came she disappeared.

“Honestly things are pretty good. The only thing is that Kan-Sun hasn’t warmed up to me, or life in America just yet. I’m hoping that once they start school they’ll make some friends they can relate to and will begin to adjust better.”

“She probably just misses her parents. Giver her time.”

“That’s what I’m hoping but I have feelings too and sometimes I feel like she hates the sight of me.”

“Nonsense. Your goal now is to parent them not be their friend. They don’t have to like you just listen to you.”

Miyah looked across the table to Mrs. Kim and smiled. “That sound like something my mother would say.”