In My Memory of Stars

Chapter 3

Yeonju's POV

I woke up to the screams and shouts of my Unnie... Unnies? What the heck? Why were they shouting so early in the morning? I finally get a full sleep recovery from my schedule, but they ruined it... Partly.

It took a while, but I got worried. What happened... Though I wasn't mad, I was the maknae. I had to make a scene. I angrily stepped out of my room.

"What the heck Unnie! Why are you shouting so early in the morning?!" I yelled.

"Sorry, there's a cockroach under the table!" Minji shrieked.

"Then why are you sitting on the table, hugging your legs? You coward." I shouted back.

"I'm scared! C-can you kill it? Please!?" She said with fear in her voice.

"No."

"Why? Because you're a coward too?"

"No! I am not. A. Coward."

"Then why aren't you killing it?!"

I crossed my arms and said, "Because it's not my problem you stupid human being."

I headed toward the couch and got on my phone.

"Hey~! Park Yeonju! Come back!" She screamed.

I just laughed. Just then a door slammed open, bumping into the wall next to it. I froze, and I looked. A fuming Eunbin Unnie stood there. I might've even saw the smoke coming out of her nose and ears.

"What the hell you guys! What are you yelling about?!" She glared at Minji. Then at me. Her eyes were shooting very much visible lasers at us.

Minji spoke up, "Unnie~ Yeonju won't get rid of the cockroach for me!"

Eunbin sighed, went under the table, and smacked the cockroach revealing its guts squeezing out.

Minji looked disgusted, but eventually clapped her hands while getting off the table.

"I love you, Unnie!" She said as hugged Eunbin.

Avoiding trouble, I walked back into my room and closed the door. I laid down. Memories of Jennie started appearing. I sighed. I couldn't sleep because of my stupid feelings for Kim Jennie. It'll never come true anyways.

*Knock Knock*

I opened the door to find Chaewon standing right in front of me all dressed up.

"Yeonju. Go to the supermarket with me. We're out of stock." she demanded.

"Ask the others," I said walking back to my bed, "I'm not in the mood."

"The others are out for dance practice and Minji is cooking lunch, so they can't come with me," she said leaning against my door frame.

"Okay... fine. Wait like.... five minutes," I sighed pushing her out of my room and closing the door.

Before I fully did though, I could hear a mutter of thanks.

I quickly changed into an outfit of black pants, black sweater, black jacket, black socks, black

sneakers, and a black hat and mask to cover my identity. I looked at the mirror to check my visual. A lot of black. Eh. Not like I care that much. I walked out of the door. I must've not realized it, but until Chaewon snapped me out of my thoughts, I was thinking about Jennie again. Her cute face.

"Ready to go?" Chaewon asked, looking up from her phone. Then she giggled. "You look like a grim reaper... should I be scared?"

In the corner of the kitchen, Minji objected and said, "No, she looks like a kidnapper."

I glared at her, "Then I should be the one to kidnap you and put you in a room full of cockroaches."

"Ahhh! Unnie!" She looked hopefully at Chaewon for help.

She turned to me, ignoring the whinny Minji. "Yeonju. Let's go."

We walked out the door and called a taxi. Apparently, our manager was busy, so they couldn't drive us. We waited for an hour, like fifteen minutes before our taxi finally came.

While Chaewon was telling the driver our destination, I just leaned against the window, looking at the Han River bridge. The only place I could call my comfort place, and the only place I go, after having a difficult day.

I can recall the moments when I was ten, playing in the water, and my stepbrothers playing basketball. My dad had been standing and my mom was in her wheelchair overlooking us with smiles on their faces. Being the proud parents that they were.

"Yeonju. Do you want mommy to be proud of you?" My mom asked as I had looked up at her.

"Yes mommy! I want you and daddy to be proud of me!" I said as a grin spread across my face. My innocent smile.

"What do you want to be when you grow up, princess?" My mom had asked, smiling softly at me.

"I want to be famous. I want everyone to know who I am. I want to give mommy a big, beautiful house, even if daddy already did," I answer, hands motioning to show how big the house was. A triangle on the top for the roof, and a rectangular at the bottom for the rest.

"I'm glad you have a dream, my little princess. I want to see you achieve this dream, and to know how

my one and only princess gets to be well known," my mom said as she pinches my chubby cheeks.

"Daddy wants to be proud of you too!" My dad exclaimed, trying to join in the conversation.

"Hey! Me too," my stepbrother Jimin said.

"Me too," said my fifteen-year-old stepbrother, Bogum jumping up and down.

"I want to be proud of my sister too!" My youngest stepbrother, Chanyeol shouted, leaving the whole room surrounded by laughter.

I can't deny, I have the best family ever. To be able to have these kinds of small moments to remember, is the thing I treasure the most.

My mom was my best friend, my diary, the only person I could open up to. The only person who I tell everything that happens in my life to. My dad was an office worker and is often busy, but still, he manages to make time for us, his family. I used to be always bubbly, positive, cheerful, because my mom told me to. To keep a smile on my face. To be the happiest girl out there. To enjoy life.

But that slowly changed. Disappeared.

My dad came home late that night. He was crying: his had tears running down his face, like rain that ran down windows. My stepbrothers too, had tears going down their faces. I asked them what was going on, but they didn't answer. I asked them where mom was, but they didn't respond. I looked for her, but she wasn't there.

I remember clearly, my dad was hugging me very tightly, trying to smile, trying to show me his strong side. He told me that mom was in a better place up in the sky where she could now live in peace with no pain. I didn't get it. She said she wanted to see my future. She said she wanted to be proud of me. I didn't achieve it yet.

Why did she leave me so soon?

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A/N: Do you think there's more to Yeonju's story?

Weekly Question: What was your deepest memory? What memories do you cherish the most?

Thank you for reading!

- 이윤아