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'' Are you still mad at me? '' - asked Jiwoo, while she was eating her breakfast, sitting on the foor of our living room with a sandwich in her hands.
'' Of course I am. It's not the first time for you to put on a show for me, we had a deal that you have to be in bed by midnight, sleeping, because you have school. '' - I said while washing the dishes.
Our house had only three rooms in total. Living room, that is connected to a small kitchen, with a small shelf, TV and one sofa bed, where Jiwoo and I used to sleep. Now I sleep on it. We also had a small, almost non-existent, hallway where our front door is. An average bathroom, without the washing machine, so we have to do laundry by hands, usually in our bathtub. The last room was our parents room, where Jiwoo is sleeping, with a double bed, a mirror and one big widow that had the view of this shitty town. We also had an attic, which is not used at all and full of other unused stuff. We didn't have a basement, but we had a restaurant right under our house - that of course isn't working anymore, just like my hope that things are going to get better at some point.
'' You never sleep early. '' - Jiwoo added.
I looked at her, leaving the dishes in the sink. '' Jiwoo, I'm not going to school anymore, I thought we went over that a million times before. If you're done eating, bring me the plate and get dressed, we have to leave soon. ''
Jiwoo is 18. She's old enough to understand some things that I, sadly, as her older sister, wanted to hide away from her, but are too obvious. Jiwoo knows what kind of life I'm living and where do I get the money for the house and her needs. She keeps telling me to find a proper job, but until now, neither I would get fired, literally kicked out or the salary I get monthly wasn't enough for our living. I never allowed Jiwoo to go looting with us, even tho Chaewon, Haneul and Seoyoon were begging me to take her, to show her our tricks - but I knew that, once she gets in, there is no way she can back up at anytime, it would only ruin her life, like it ruined mine.
I wanted a brighter future for her.
She got outside with me following closely behind her, locking our front door. Walking down the stairs, we came down in our street, slowly making our way to the bus station, that was pretty far away from here. Jiwoo always protested why am I going with her every morning, saying that she's old enough to look out for herself, that she doesn't need me. But I was scared. I was scared to let her walk alone in the streets of Itaewon, overthinking that someone will hurt her - even in the daytime. The only place she could go all by herself was that restaurant down the street, because our house was only two buildings away.
Rummaging through my pockets, I pulled out 2.000won [ 1.4€ / 1.5$ ], giving her the money for the day. I wish I could give her more.
'' Thank you. '' - she said, hugging me.
'' Behave well today. '' - I added, watching her get on the bus, leaving.
I turned away from the bus station, walking down the street, towards our local post office.
