Ursa Major | Park Jin-Seong

5 • Familiar Family

"Families are interesting things. Families tell you they unconditionally love you, but they never say why. It's only because you're their own flesh and blood, that they seek out the good things in you and love you for them. If we drop the part about carrying the same blood through your veins, couldn't everyone seek the good in everyone else and unconditionally love everyone? If that's how families worked, then why isn't that how everyone else works? Don't get me wrong through, I would never do that even if I could. And don't even get me started about religion. I'm an atheist."
-초성민 (Cho Seong-Min)

"There is love in a family between the couple, no matter what orientation that couple happens to be (except in arranged marriages). But love within the rest of the family seems to just be a case of 'you're related to me.' I've found that it kind of becomes invalidated when you realize that."
-박진성 (Park Jin-Seong)

"I build a home and wait for someone to tear it down. Then pack it up in boxes, head for the next town running. 'Cause I've got memories and travel like gypsies in the night."
-Alice Merton, "No Roots"

February 2015

"Areum dongsaeng, come here!"

"Why, eonnie?"

"Just come." Areum reluctantly sat down next to her on Nari's bed.

"Remember that cute first year boy I was talking about last week?"

"And the week before, eonnie. And the week before that, and the one before that. And all the days in between."

Nari giggled excitedly. "I'm not that obsessed with him."

Areum rolled her eyes. "You totally are. So, what happened today? Get on with it."

"Well, he won the city championship with the high school LoL team today." Nari stared up at the ceiling with a sheepish grin.

"Oh, wow, good for him. Anything more exciting?"

"And then, when he walked out to lift the trophy, I think he was looking at me."

Areum raised her eyebrows. "You sure he was looking at you specifically? Not just looking at the crowd?"

"Uhm, well, pretty sure at least. C'mon, dongsaeng, I'm having a little hope here."

"Oh, haha. Hope, yes, right. It's, um, always good to be hopeful, eonnie."

"Shame it's the end of the school year already. I never did pluck up the courage to ask him out."

"It's okay, eonnie, you can always do it next year."

"But what if he drops out? What if he dies? I should have just taken my chances this year."

Areum scoffs. "He's not just gonna die, eonnie. Just relax and tell him next year."

September 2015

"Areum dongsaeng, I need to tell you something."

"Hm?"

"Jin-Seong.... Dropped out. And according to the rest of his LoL team, he went to go pro in League. Except the midlaner. That girl's been acting weird all of a sudden. She won't talk to anyone and she walks away if you bring his name up."

"That's strange. I'm sure it's nothing, she was probably just upset that she can't get carried for the second year in a row."

"Well, I still haven't told him. I think I'm in love with him."

"You can start by first telling him you like him."

"I have a plan."

"And that is?"

"Know how I always wanted to be an artist?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I can go through art school as fast as I possibly can, then apply for a position at Riot Games, so I can have a better chance of seeing him."

"Eonnie, isn't that a little-"

"Hear me out. I'm going to convince Ji-Hun (Chovy) to become a pro LoL player too, once he is of age, of course. So then I can have a really good reason to go to the competitions, and since I'd be related to a pro player, he'd have to see me at some point."

"Eonnie, honestly, how is that ever going to work?"

Nari brushed off the question. "Oh, and Areum, you're gonna come be an artist there with me."

"What?"

"Yeah! I already told eomma and appa to register you to art school too."

"Jeong Nari, WHAT THE HELL?"

"We forged a portfolio of your art and they just let you in. We already made a deposit of thousands of won. You can't back out now, dongsaeng." Nari used her best puppy eyes.

"Nari, eonnie, you know I've always aspired to be a doctor. Do you know how hard it is to finish medical school when you're older?"

"Oh, come on, Areum. My job will be lonely. I figured you wouldn't mind anyways."

"Why didn't you ask first?" Areum was beginning to tear up.

"Well, every plan needs a sidekick."

Areum broke down in sobbing, while Nari was still smiling like an idiot. "Cheer up, Areum. This is your life now, so you're gonna have to live with it."

"Why didn't you just tell him? You could text him right now. You could call him. Don't drag me into your stupid romantic fiasco!" Areum stormed out of the room, leaving Nari alone, still grinning foolishly. "Because he's Romeo and I'm Juliet," she said, thinking Areum couldn't hear her, "and our love was always meant to be."

"He doesn't even know you exist." Areum replied from around the corner, before hurrying to her own room, where she cried and whispered to herself until the sun rose the next morning. "Leave me out of your 'love story.' Jeong Nari, please leave me the fuck out of it."