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Part 1
It’s raining.
That’s what I thought watching the world looking blurry because of the rain.
A shower of rain. The rain that will just pa.s.s by.
His long black hair was calmly placed on his shoulder. He felt chill because of the cold wet air. He was thinking that while he was fixing his blue blanket on his shoulder.
He put his cold hand outside and because of the strong rain fall, his sleeve got completely wet.
He placed his drenched wet hand on his mouth.
The water smeared into his dried cracked lips, and the smell of water hit his nose.
Tomorrow the air will be clean. I said it quietly. The day after the rain the air was somehow very fresh and clean. I always liked that, so I always waited for the rain.
“Yeho.”
It’s my sister’s voice.
I turned my head to my sister who just came into the room. She looked like a magnolia flower. Her beauty used to be beautiful like a fresh bloomed flower, but now her white gloomy face looked like a magnolia flower that is drenched wet due to the strong drops of rain.
“What were you watching?”
I smiled because her voice was very gentle and soft. My sister who is very kind and beautiful. I’m always in a mess, but my gentle sister is always neatly organized. She never used any kind of powder on her face unlike any other women, but her face was flawless like some of the powder is going to get on my finger if I touch her cheek. Her fair skin, smooth forehead, neat eyebrows, and underneath her lashes were long like an opened fan and her black eyes. Everything really fit well with her face.
If my sister was a flower, I’m that flower’s tear. A shower of rain that wets the magnolia. The cold air that the rain brings made magnolia shiver, and that strong drops of rain ruined the flower's pedals.
“You were looking at the rain again. Oh no, you will get wet. Close the window. Don’t just blankly stare at the rain.”
She said it quietly. She quickly closed the window.
“Sister, you are leaving tomorrow.”
Her hand slightly trembled because what I said.
“You heard something bad again.”
She said it like it was nothing, but end of her voice was slightly shaking. I smirked with my dried lips.
“It’s not bad right? My sister is getting married. Isn’t that something we should celebrate? I probably could see my sister with colorful silk dress tomorrow. I didn’t see you wearing those ever since I got little older. It must be nice to see.”
“…Yeho.”
“No. Wasn’t North Empire’s tradition is to make a bride wear a silk dress like a pure white magnolia? But isn’t that good also? My sister never even had a proper cotton clothes.”
My sister bit her peach-blossom like lips because of my twisted words. I coldly looked at my sister.
“Why are you making that face? You don’t want to go to the North Empire? It will be much better than this old c.r.a.ppy house. You will be able to eat and wear good things. Why are you making such a gloomy face?”
“…Yeho. It’s cold because of the rain. Go lie down.”
She tried to change the subject. She always says that with a teary eyes and a pale face.
“No. Open the window again. I want to watch the rain.”
“Yeho.”
She quietly called me and sighed. She slightly opened the window. About so that the rain and wind won’t come in. That made me ever madder. I stood up and opened the window widely. Just then a strong wind blew and the rain poured at me.
“Ye…!”
“Stop now!”
I pushed my sister who panicked and tried to stop me. I screamed at her.
“Say it if you don’t want it. Tell them that you don’t want to get marry! Tell them that you have a lover who loves you. Tell them that you don’t care about your sick younger brother. Tell them that you sacrificed enough with your 18 years of life. And tell them don’t ask more things for me to do!”
“...Ye…ho…”
“Are you stupid? An idiot? Why can’t you say something that simple and hold that cold heart of yours? Is it your fault that our house is poor? Is it your fault that I have weak lungs? Say I can’t do it anymore and kill me instead. Who’s going to blame you?”
“…It’s cold… you got wet. Mother will get mad if you get sick again.”
She was just worrying about me crying. I said,
“Who’s going to get sick? I’ll die before I get sick.”
“Yeho!!”
“Run away. Yesterday your lover came. He couldn’t even say give me your sister to me. He just laughed and left. Why are you guys so much alike? He came and just worried about me. His eyes were swollen because he wanted to see you, but he didn’t even say a single word about you. I don’t like myself. I’m sick of seeing your desolate face. I don’t want to see mother bothering you to make me well. So just run away. Run away with your lover.”
I said with a begging voice. She bit her lips and shook her head.
“Why, why!! Why are you so stupid! I told you I don’t want it anymore!”
“…They made a promise. If I go instead of Princess Sooyoung, they will give thousand bag of rice. With, with that you can buy your medicine, and mother won’t have to work hard….”
She dragged her voice. I shouted at her.
“Who said to worry about my medicine money? Who said to worry about mother? She always said she works hard and complains about when she will be able to not work. But it was you who always worked! How can a human be so naive?”
“Then what should I do?”
Her voice whispered like crying and blaming, and that made my heart ache.
“What should I do? Yeho.”
I went to my sister who was standing still. I slightly bend down my back because she was smaller than me. Her eyes like black pearl were looking at me. I touched her white warm cheek. My hand that was like pale dried tree branch touched my sister’s cheek. She closed her eyes.
“I beg you, Sister. Don’t worry about the house just leave with your lover.”
“..Yeho.”
“Whatever. Who cares if we can’t keep the promise? Are you the only distant relative? You were picked just because you are more beautiful than royal family’s treasure Princess Sooyoung. We are not the only poor distant relatives they have. They won’t care even if you run away.”
“…You…Mother…”
“Mother should work now. And I got lot better these days. So go with your lover. Mother will cause trouble if she finds out, so leave secretly. Your lover needs to leave the capital because of merchandise. That’s why he was wandering around here to see you even once more yesterday. So leave right now with your things.”
“…Tomorrow is the day though…:
“I will do something about it. Am I that untrustworthy younger brother to you?”
I smiled at her, and she smiled at me back.