Up in the Sky

Family Drama

September 1

Minjung caught the smell of kimchi sizzling on the pan. She climbed over Wonyoung before waddling out of the room. The smell hit Minjung's nose as she walked outside making her mouth water. "I never knew fried kimchi would be my killer." The girl spoke resting her chin on the older girl.

"Morning Minjung. This is just a snack though."

"It still makes me hungry Joo."

"Well you're in luck. Here is your bowl." Minjoo offered. The older scooped some rice and plopped it into the bowl.

"Are we eating this in your room?"

"Would you like to?"

"Sure. I need to talk to you anyways." Minjung told.

The girls walked together to Minjoo's room. The younger of the two dropped off the bowl of Kimchi with rice topped with a sunny side up egg. At Yujin's door.

      "So it actually started way back to I was born." Minjung started.

"What?" Minjoo asked. "That's ridiculous."

"I wish it was.... here let me tell you what my mom told me." Minjung whispered leaning her head on Minjoo's shoulder. The older girl snaked her right arm through the younger's arm.

"Ready whenever you are."

      "My parents were always fighting before I was born. They started talking about the divorce when Minhyun was two. She told me that when ever she tried to talk to him about a problem, he would always raise his voice. Even at the smallest disagreement.

"Another time, my mom tried to plan a trip with everyone but she didn't like that her brother in-law would try to micromanage everything. My mom decided not to go. My siblings didn't go. But you know what was bad? My mom found my dad texting his sibling and they said to just go without her she's no fun. And he agreed. Like who does that?

"She went to her restaurant and made many mistakes. She dropped plates in the back and almost burnt down the place. When she walked in through the doors, she hung her head low and her hands shook. Mom blinked away the tears.

"Chef Koki noticed and pulled her aside. Sat her down at the booth and sat next to her rubbing her back. My mom used her sleeve to bury her face in it. Chef Koki told her to go home for the day. She gave her the keys to her place and told her to go there if she felt unsafe.

"After dinner was finished, Chef Koki used the spare key to get in. She found my mom laying on the couch. Sleeping. There was a frown on her face.

"They talked for hours and Chef Koki listened and gave advice. She asked if she was happy, if there was anything mom could do to fix the problem, if she loved my dad. She said no to all the questions and she came to the decision to get a divorce.

"When she brought this up to my dad, he agreed. Willingly. For about six months they decided to keep it a secret deciding how to split the money, and child custody. They ended up splitting 50/50 for child custody and kept their own money that they made. By the time they finished, Minhyun Oppa was almost four now.

"My mom moved out, and got a small apartment. My siblings switched week to week from parent to parents for three years.

"During those three year, my mom met a man and fell in love with him. They eventually had me, but my fa-step father found out and made forced her to marry him again. He didn't want my mom to fall in love with someone else.