chasing girl wonder

a solution of salt and water

Roseanne walked toward the panoramic window with the scenic view of the Han River, with the bridge illuminated with pillar lights and floodlights. She was fond of watching the starry night and deep blue skies but not from the top floor of some luxurious apartment complex in Cheongdam; in an affluent neighborhood that never looked any different from the house she grew up in until she was five.

She was not ungrateful for the hard work her parents did to provide a good life for her and Alice. Her parents earned it. But once upon a time, they lived in a house of spectacular opulence too. And it only proved that no amount of luxury could stand resilient against a storm especially when it came to collect not only everything literally standing in its way but even lives that tried to run away from it. That huge house with four floors was gone forever and she was glad to spend her next years then in a home that was huge enough for the four of them.

Suzy stood behind her, wrapping both arms around her waist and resting her chin on her shoulders. "We get to access the private rooftop pool too. There are only two units in this penthouse, and I heard that a famous pop star lives next door."

Letting out a brief chuckle, Roseanne placed her hands on Suzy's and continued musing. Her mind further drifted back to the first of September, the year 2002. The typhoon was named Rusa, which she realized years later was close to her name. It even rhymed with the name she gave her favorite black teddy bear—Luisa—that she lost in that rain.

For a five-year-old kid, losing her favorite doll was heartbreaking. So heartbreaking that every time it started raining, she would climb into Alice's bed, hide under the sheets, and cling to her sister. For most of those early years, she always cried about how much she missed Luisa and how the rain scared her, especially when accompanied by thunder. But growing up, Alice taught her that they could still play in the rain. Those times were one of her core memories. And she started to like the rain bit by bit for that.

"Do you like it?" Suzy said in a breathy voice, kissing Roseanne on the neck.

"If I say no, are you going to sell it?" Roseanne meant to tease, but Suzy took it seriously with the way she turned stiff and stopped kissing her neck. "Just kidding. It's really nice!"

But Suzy was no longer allowing herself to be convinced with that backpedaling. She let go of Roseanne and plopped herself on the black, leather sectional sofa accompanied by an audible huff. "Jokes like that are half-meant, Rosie."

Roseanne pressed her fingers against her temple. Despite feeling tired and sleepy already from the party, she still used her remaining vigor to soothe Suzy and cuddle beside her on the sofa. "Hey, I was just teasing you. I know you worked really hard for this, and I'm happy and proud that you're able to achieve your dreams." She dropped the last three words into a mumble.

Glancing at Suzy, the dark circles underneath those tired eyes were proof of her hard work. Suzy's family suffered a different kind of tragedy that was far from hers. Losing the foundation of their family at such a young age made Suzy stand on her own earlier than most kids. All her life, she wanted to provide a great life for her mom and Subin. They were not well off to begin with. That was why, for them, success meant having enough money, decent jobs, and prestige to make a mark in society and to secure their safety. Suzy may not have lost their home during that typhoon, but she lost something greater against an illness that could have been cured if only they had the money to afford it; a father who was supposed to be the breadwinner. More than that, she lost a huge part of her youth too.

It was during those quiet moments that Roseanne empathized and understood why Young-ae was overly protective and strict with her kids. And Suzy was admirably one of those eldest children that played the role perfectly.