SOUL DEEP

The Heart Withers

Choi So-ri stood by her father's open coffin..

No tears ran down her cheeks, because she had no more tears to shed, it'd be a miracle if she had anymore..

He didn't look dead, at least to So-ri he didn't, so why was he lying in a box and about to be stuffed into a hole?

"Honey? So-ri it's time to go.." The mother reminded her once more

"We can't just leave him here.." The Eighteen year old protested

"So-ri, your father is dead. There is nothing you or anyone can do about it. Now quit behaving like a spoilt child and come along!." In a harsh voice now

Something in the voice managed to penetrate the girls senses. She blinked once, bowed to her father's corpse and pushed past her mother as she walked past her.

The mother watched her child's slumped shoulders with clouded eyes.

"I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me child.." The mother prayed.

* * *

So-ri closed her eyes and wriggled comfortably under her bed covers, the slow music blasting in her ear lulling her to dreamland..

Suddenly the music stopped. Her eyes flew open and she swallowed a scream as she came face to face with her mother's angry looking face.

"Get up and come downstairs now, we need to talk."

Her mother ordered and stalked out of the room.

So-ri reluctantly rose from her bed and sneaked a glance in her bedside mirror before she followed her mother.

She was medium sized, and a "fast Bloomer" her father used to tease her, considering at Eighteen she had pronounced curves that complimented her slim Asian features.

She had red lips, brown eyes and a heart shaped face with waist long brown hair.

She might not look like a Miss World candidate, but she could hold her own in a room full of potential Miss Worlds she thought as she ran down the stairs to find her displeased mother waiting.

"Sit down So-ri.."

The girl hesitated

"C'mon sit.."

"Mum, you makes me nervous when you ask me to sit down."

"Suit yourself." The mother cleared her throat and started in a persuasive tone.

"I want you to listen to me very carefully, you're an adult now, so you should understand. So-ri, I'm getting married.."

Her head swarm as her mother dropped the bombshell.

"You can't! How can you? Father has been gone for just six months!."

"I've mourned him long enough, I'm moving on with my life, and so should you."

"I don't have to stand here and listen to this!." So-ri snapped as she turned around and started to walk away.

"Come back here, I'm not finished!."

"Yes you are! You're getting married! Fine! Get married, just don't expect me to be your bridesmaid!."

"Start packing up your things from today.."

"W- what do you mean? Start packing? What are you talking about?."

"I'm sending you to your father's family in South Korea." The mother dropped yet another bombshell.

Silence vibrated in the living room as the daughter processed her mother's words.

"You can't do that! I've just been accepted into college, you can't send me away.."

"I've already made arrangements with your college, they're transferring you to Seoul National University, everything has been arranged.."

More silence.

"You haven't said anything.."

"I'm not leaving.."

"Yes you are.."

"I grew up here! New York is all I've ever known, my life, my friends, they're all here. You can't just take that away from me!."

"You speak Korean, we taught you well." The mother argued "You'll blend right in, when you get there."

"How am I suppose to blend into where I've never been to before?! It's just not fair!."

"A tantrum won't change my mind right now, so stop it. You'll be living with your cousin's down there, they'll help you fit in.."

"Cousin's I've never met! I country I've never been to! Haven't I lost enough already? Why are you doing this to me?."

"I can't have you with me when I get married.."

"Why not? I'll stay out of your way.."

"No you won't. I know you So-ri. You'll do everything you can to see that the marriage doesn't work. I can't allow that."

"I'm of age now, I could move to the hostel when school starts or rent an apartment or something, just..please don't send me away. I'll change! I swear, I'll stop ignoring you and holing up in my room.."

"This decision is final. It isn't open for discussion. Do yourself a favour eh? Go up right now and start packing up. You leave for Korea in three days."

So-ri glared daggers at her birth mother.

"I hate you!." Sh hissed and watched the mother shrink back in surprise "I hate you with all my heart!." So-ri sobbed as she stumbled upstairs, banged her room shut, crashed a lamp and crumbled into a pathetic crying heap on the floor...

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