2. An Ending That She Didn't See Coming

I woke up late today, my phone dying in the middle of the night meant there was no alarm. Mom and Dad both left at 5AM to prepare the store which was usually busy now, and with Joon also helping them no one was around to wake me up.

The subway was busier then usual if that can be possible, with no chance to do either my hair or make up. My natural curls that ,were fueled even more by humidity, tended to look messy more often then not, which was fine for school but was very much frowned upon in the conventional Korean work place. After what felt like fifty gravity defying stops, thirty punches by various objects and in just as many various places on my person and ten sore toes in heels, I finally arrived at my stop. It started to rain just after I left the shelter of the subway, confirming that today was just not meant to be.

My superior caught me arriving late to work and took a good thirty minutes lecturing me about punctuality and the proper respect that should be showed towards your seniors after which he proceeded tell me to prepare his presentation. I tried to look as contrite as possible and took on the work he gave me.

I sighed as I sat down at my desk, knowing that it would be an other all nighter. It wasn't until 6PM when Ah Young called about our plans to meet up today that I finally remembered my promise to meet before she left the country.

"Sorry, Ah Young! I completely forgot! Where are you now?"

"Unni, it's okay. I am still at home, I was just about to go out and thought I'd call you to confirm because you hadn't called yet."

"Then how about you come to the barbecue place by my house that we always go to? I'll buy you beef!"

"Okay Unni! Ill see you there then! Bye!"

"Mmm." Right after I ended my call with Ah Youn I called Joon.

"Joon-Ah I forgot Ah Young's gift at home. Can you bring it to that barbecue place? I'll buy you food."

"You are meeting with Ah Young today? She didn't tell me anything."

"We planned to have our own send of party, but I totally forgot. So, do you want to come or not?"

"No! No! I'll be there! I'll come!"

"Mmm, don't forget the gift it's in the Bo Ro's shop bag by my bed." I put the phone away and started to clean up my desk to leave for the night, packing extra to finish the rest at home.

When I got to the small, family run restaurant Joon and Ah Young were already there, bickering and being cute together at the same time. Seol smiled looking at them, some things never changed. Joon had decided to take cooking classes and was working part time at a famous restaurant. He is definitely growing up, thinking of the future and saving up to take mom and dad's noodle place and make it world famous someday. It's been a year so far and he hasn't given up yet. We laughed, talked, ate and drank together well into the night, it was late by the time we decided to head home. We all got up leaving the restaurant, I took out my wallet at the register to pay when I saw a familiar face on the small TV tucked in a corner.

"Sajangnim, can you turn up the volume for a second, please?"

"Sure" he said and turned a dial, a steady, monotonous female voice became audible which seemed to drown out every other sound in the world. The voice said words that made no sense but I couldn't stop listening to them, couldn't turn my head away from the faces and pictures that filled the screen.

"A commercial airplane traveling from Germany to Korea crashed at 7:30 PM today, So far 38 survivors were found and 4 are critically injured and 2 dead. There are still 22 people missing and of them is the heir to Taerang Group Yoo Jung who was returning to the country after studying abroad. We have contacted Taerang for an official statement and were denied any response. Our business correspondent believes that the death of the Taerang heir can lead to a delay on the merger to occur with Rally, a Singapoorean group of companies involved in-"

A hand fell on my shoulder startling me, a gasp escaped from my lips, my eyes were open but I couldn't see anything except that one face.

"Noona." Joon said, his voice soft and filled with fear.

"No!" I said sharply. "let go, I have to go! I have to go home!"

"Noona!" Joon said again. "It's okay. It's going to be okay. Hyung-" but I stopped listening and stumbled out of the restaurant, blindly following my feet to take me home. I knew that Jung and Ah Young were behind me, trying to get my attention, trying to drag me out of my head, but I couldn't, if I came out of my head I might not survive.

Because he died, Sunbae is dead...