Today is the first day of my last year of high school, I woke up at 7:30 and got dressed. In Busan, South Korea it gets really cold in the winter and early spring, so I often wear leggings over the uniform skirts. After I was done changing I went downstairs for breakfast.“Good morning Mom”, I said with an angelic voice.”Good morning Moongi, today I made pancakes and hot chocolate”, she said while she poured me a glass of hot chocolate. Then I heard footsteps coming from the stairs and saw it was Joon-Hee. Joon-Hee is 15-years-old and today is his first day of high school. My other brother is Mark, he is 21-years-old and lives with us until he moves to Seoul South Korea for his dream of becoming a music producer. Currently, he is working at a“Good morning Mom & Moongi”, Joon-Hee said while getting a plate for he and I. A few minutes later Auntie Jae-Yoon, Grandma Ji-Su, and Mark came downstairs to eat with us; our dad had already gone to work by the time we all woke up. Auntie Jae-Yoon is a 29-year-old woman who works at a famous cafe near the school me and Joon-Hee go to, also today was her birthday. Grandma Ji-Su doesn’t work anymore but she helps keep the house clean and cooks dinner. While Joon-Hee, Grandma Ji-Su, Mom and I were eating Mark and Jae-Yoon had left to work and told Joon-Hee and me to have a good day at school.
After Joon-Hee and I were done eating we thanked our Mom and did our morning routine. When my brother and I were putting our shoes on the doorbell rang, ”I’ll get it!” mother said. She opened the door and I saw my best friend Ara Choi. She is 17-years-old but I’m 3 months older than her, Ara has always been there for me and I have always been there for her. We have been friends since we were born because of her parents being friends with my parents but, I consider Ara like a little sister that I never had.”Good morning Mrs.Jeong and Joon-Hee”, she said with a smile.“Ara!”,I said while running towards her with my arms open.“Moongi!”,running into my arms hitting my shoulder since she was shorter than me. Even though we saw each other yesterday we are always dramatic when we see each other.”Goodbye, mom!”Goodbye, Mrs.Jung!”,we said while grabbing our backpacks and walking out the door.”Goodbye, kids!”,she yelled closing the door. Joon-Hee, Ara and I started walking to school, which was only 5 minutes away. Then we started telling Joon Hee that he would be fine since he was nervous about his first year of high school. When we got to school we went to the office to get our schedule trying to get around the busy hallway. Once we got to the office and got our schedule, Ara and I saw that we had all the same classes.“Goodbye Ara & Moongi!”,Joon-Hee said while walking to his friends. We then heard the bell and walked to our first class. After we went to the first, the second & third period it was time for lunch.”Moongi, we should do something this weekend.”,Ara said while grabbing her lunch.
”Yeah, we should go to the amusement park that just opened.”,I said getting the food tray that smelled delicious.”Sure that would be nice.”,she said looking for a place to sit looking around the crowded lunchroom. I then saw I spot and tolled Ara to follow me. We sat down and notice some new kids that were in the same year as us sitting alone. Ara walked up and said”Hi I’m Ara and this is my friend Moongi.”,she said turning to me.”Hello my name is Sou-Bi Kim and this is my twin brother” said the brown-haired girl smiling suspiciously while pointing to her brother.”Hi nice to meet you I’m Chae-yo Kim.” the blond-haired boy said.”We were wondering if we could sit with you?”,I said in a kindful voice smiling waiting for a response.”No, I don’t want to sit with somebody as ugly as you”, Chae-Yoo yelled in a Harsh voice laughing with his sister. When he yelled people started to look our way and I looked down with a sad expression. Ara notice I had a sad look on my face which made her mad because she hates it when somebody is being disrespectful to her family.”Hey, we’re just trying to be welcome you!” Ara said in an Angry voice getting more attention.”Well, we don’t need your welcoming!”,Sou-Bi said while walking away with her brother.”Moongi you better be ready for this year because it’s going to get a lot worse!”Chae-Yo yelled walking out the lunch room.”It’s okay Moongi don’t listen to them. Even though their father is Mr.Kim you shouldn’t be hesitant to defend yourself alright.”,Ara said with a bright smile.”Thank you Ara I’ll try.” I said with a sad smile.”Come on now let’s eat our lunch while it’s still hot.”Ara suggested while setting down. I sat down smiling and enjoying the food.
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Soon the 7 periods were over and it was time to go home. Ara and I walked out of class and saw Joon-Hee walking towards us, ”Hi girls, I heard what happened are you okay Moongi?” he asked in a concerned voice.”Yes, I’m alright Joon Hee.”,I responded with a reassuring voice.”Okay just making sure. Sorry I wasn’t there I would’ve taught them a lesson!”,Joon-Hee said making a fist while we walked closer to Ara’s house. We then laughed saying bye to Ara and started walking home which was just two houses away from Ara’s.”Tell Jae-Yoon that I said happy birthday.”, Ara yelled out from her door.”Okay, I will.”I said waving bye. I unlocked the house with the keys and yelled that we’re home and heard Mark telling us to go to the kitchen. I was expecting birthday decorations around the house but instead of that, the lights were all off except the one in the kitchen. When Joon-Hee and I were walking towards the kitchen we noticed Mom, Grandma Ji-Su and Jae-Yoon were crying. Dad and Mark had sad and worried expressions.”
Joon-Hee and Moongi, today Auntie Jae-Yoon went to the doctors and found out she has Breast cancer. The doctors also said that they would be able to cure it but aren’t sure of it.”,Mark said with a mournful voice looking at us. Nobody was really expecting this considering that it was her birthday. Right, when he finished I went to Jae-Yoon and hugged her while crying telling her that it will be okay even though it really wasn’t. Joon-Hee also went to Jae-Yoon and hugged her trying to hold back the tears. Mark, Joon-Hee and I were really close to Jae-Yoon because she was always there for us, even when we would be mad at our parents because they wouldn’t let us get or do something. She was also close to Ara because Ara’s parents used to go on business trips for 2 or 4 months when we little and Jae-Yoon would be a mother figure to her. That next day I tolled Ara she cried and hugged her.
4 months later
My family, Ara and I spent all the time we had with Jae-Yoon. The bullying from Sou-Bi and Chae-Yoo has gotten worse, they have been saying harsh things to me and threatened me that they will physically hurt Joon-Hee, Ara and me if I told their father, Mr. Kim, that they have been bullying me. Mr.Kim is really strict when it comes to bullying. Besides all the bullying Ara has been here for me and tries to tell Mr.Kim about the bullying but I stop her because I don’t want her or Joon-Hee to get hurt because of me. During this time, Mark moved to Seoul, South Korea two months after we found out Jae-Yoon has Breast Cancer. He was hesitant to move because of Jae-Yoon cancer but she insisted on him to follow his dream of becoming a music producer for an artist. Today is the last day until we go on break, Ara, I and some other girls are going to perform a dance today after lunch. Ara’s parents and my parents are going to see us perform. When it was the third period the girls and I went to practice in the theater. Once we had gotten everyone we made our way to the theater.”I’m so nervous.”, I said to Ara.”It’s okay we’ll do great since we been practicing for a month.” she said with a joyful voice.” yeah I guess your right, I’m just afraid that I’m going to mess up.”, I said with a doubtful voice. We got in the theater and got in our positions to dance.
”You guys were perfect!” our dance teacher Mr.Jung cheered.”Now go get Lunch and after your done go backstage.”,he said with a sunny smile. We then got our things and went to the lunch room. After we ’re done we all went backstage excitedly. Us girls were the last ones to perform, ”And last but definitely not least we have are Seniors!”,Mr.Jung said with a gleaming smile. We were done and heard applause, then we bowed and went off stage were Ara parents, Grandma Ji-Su, Jae-Yoon, and My parents were, they told us we did a great job and my mother told us that she cooked our favorite food, Spaghetti. I then went and told Joon-Hee that we’re going home. After my parents were done signing him out we made our way to the house. That night was filled with a lot of fun and dancing. On Sunday Jaw-Yoon had an appointment to check up on her Breast cancer. I woke up early and made the family breakfast since my mother was going to go with her for her appointment. When I was done, my mother.”Good morning.”,she said with a smile .”Good Morning mother, I made breakfast today so you won’t be late for the appointment.”Thank you Moongi!”,mother exclaimed. “You’re Welcome!” I answered with a bright smile. Soon Jae-Yoon came down and started eating breakfast with me and mother.
They were done and mother told me they would be back around 1 o’clock since their also going to run some errands. Grandma, Father, and Joon-Hee eventually woke up and ate breakfast. Today Mark was also supposed to be coming home soon. Mark had texted us that he would come home today at 12 o’clock since it was close to that time Father and Grandma headed to the airport to get him while I and Joon-Hee stayed home.”We’re home.”,mother said opening the door for her and Jae-Yoon walking to the living room setting down. Joon-Hee came then came downstairs to greet them.”How did it go?”, I asked curiously also setting down but then noticed that Jae-Yoon was crying and mother was fighting back tears.”The doctors told us that Jae-Yoon’s cancer got worse and can’t cure it. They also said that she has five months to live.”,Mother said while breaking into tears. I looked towards Jae-Yoon and gave her a big Hug while crying and Joon-Hee doing the same.
While this was happening Mark, Father and Grandma came inside. Mother then told them the news and they also started crying. Jae-Yoon then told us she wants to tell Ara so, during dinner time she came over to help. When we’re eating Jae-Yoon had told Ara and she started crying and hugging Jae-Yoon. When Christmas came around Ara’s family and My family all gathered up at our house and spent Christmas and New Year’s together. A week later we had to go back to school and Mark left for Seoul. Ara has been helping ignore Sou-Bi and Chae-Yo but even though she is helping me their words still hurt me. Every time they see they always saw something rude to me and sometimes I feel like saying something but then remember that they threatened to hurt Joon-Hee, Ara and I if tell their father. Soon January passed and February came, little did I know these were going to be the last few days Jae-Yoon is going to be alive.
Today was a normal day I woke up, got dress, ate breakfast, did my morning routine, walked to school with Joon-Hee and Ara, and started school. Mother told me that morning that Jae-Yoon was going to stay home because her head hurt and that she was taking Grandma to work with her since her job was having a party for all their hard work. Before I went to school I went up to her room and said goodbye even though she was sleeping. I was in third-period, Literature class when Mr.Min was teaching the class and the phone rang and said, ”Miss. Jeong and Mrs.Choi, please go to the office.”, he said. I looked to Ara who was setting next time and asked her to take my backpack if I didn’t make it to the second period. When I got out of class I noticed that Joon-Hee saw also heading towards the office. I caught up to him and asked, ”Did you get sent to the office too?”Yeah, did you?”Yes. I did too.
Iwonder why?”,I said with a questioning tone. We then went to the office and the ladies told us to go to the Principal’s office which made me more anxious and scared. We went inside and saw Mother crying, Father’s eyes watery and The principle, Mr.Bang, giving an empathy look. Mr.Bang then left his office to give our parents space to talk.”Moongi…Joon-Hee, Jae-Yoon committed suicide. She jumped off the bridge near our house. ”Father said with grief. When he said that I felt like Jae-Yoon would commit suicide, I then hugged father while crying and also feel Joon-Hee and mother joining the hug.”
How did you find out?’, I said with tears still coming down my face and struggling with my words.”Ara’s parents called us and told us that the police went to around the neighborhood and asked if anyone if they knew anybody by the name Jae-Yoon since she had her phone had her name in it.”, He said looking like he was about to cry because he lost his little sister. After we were done taking, Ara’s parents came to to the office to also bring her home. Once Ara got to the office I told her that Jae-Yoon had commit suicide she started crying, ”It will be okay, we’ll get– through this.”,I told her hugging her and fighting back my tears to stay strong for her. Our parents signed us and Joon-Hee out of school and headed home. That weekend was Jae-Yoon funeral, My family and Ara’s family had gone to the funeral.
During the barrel, I started crying uncontrollably and excused myself Ara following behind me. While Ara was comforting me Father walked up to us with a litter in his hand, ”Moongi Jae-Yoon wrote this letter to you, she wanted me to give it to you after the funeral.”, he said leaving me to read it. In the letter said that, that even that she is gone she will always be with me and to finally stand up to my bullies. Jae-Yoon wrote that she knew about my bullies because of Joon-Hee. Monday when we went to school, I finally told Mr.Kim that kids, Sou-Bi and Chae-Yo were bullying me and he said that we will make sure that they would stop. Sou-Bi and Chae-Yo then said sorry to at lunch and never dared to say or threaten Ara, Joon-Hee, and I.
Before we knew it, it was already graduation and Ara and will be heading off to college soon. During this 2 months after Jae-Yoon had passed, it has been hard but we try our best to help each other. After the Graduation Ara parents and my parents threw a party for us. I was in my room looking at a photo of me and Jae-Yoon when I had an epiphany because realized every SPRING DAY she will always be with me.
