It's Always you

Chapter 22

"I want to tell them tomorrow night, after the party. And I want you to be there and stand up for me, convince them not to kick me out." Minji muttered, eyeing me hopefully.

"They would never change their views just because I say it's fine." I pointed out.

She heaved a frustrated sigh. "Ugh, why don't you get it! They've never liked much about me, my hobbies, my choices but they adore you !" I detected the bitter tinge of jealousy in her tone. "You aren't here but all day long, the only topic is 'Mirae does this, Mirae does that..." Minji drew in a deep breath. "If you support me, at least they'll try to accept it."

Something about her words told me that she has this false image in her mind that Mom and Dad don't love her because she didn't do well in studies or in most of the areas of expertise, but that's ridiculous. Can't she see that in spite of all their dislike about everything she does, they still love her? It's easy to adore a person who is good at something but not so much when they don't excel how you want them. So what, if Mom and Dad talk about me, all parents do when their kids are away. But it doesn't dim their affection for their other children. I didn't know how was I ever going to make her understand this; it's just a whole lot of misunderstanding she believes in. And I suppose this the reason why she never liked me much because she holds me the culprit for stealing our parents' love; bullshit if you ask me.

"That wouldn't be easy," I muttered.

"I know and neither is hiding it from them." She said convincingly.

"They're gonna be really furious, Minji, seriously where was your conscious all this time?" I wondered.

"Please, you have to take my side on this one."

I contemplated on it for a minute. I can give it a try, right? "I guess I can do that. You're asking for a big favor, you know?"

She beamed, her face broke out into a relieved, genuine smile. "Thank you so much. I owe you."

I scoffed. "Yeah, yeah." We sat in silence for a minute or two. I don't know what she's thinking but I still was too shocked to digest the news. "How does it feel?"

She looked up, surprised before her lips arched in an actual smile. "Great. Just great. It's pure heaven, Mirae."

I wanted to roll my eyes but tried hard not to. "And look where this heaven's got you," I replied pointedly.

Minji chuckled. "You have no idea how tense I've been these days."

But I would have loved to know it.

"Why don't you just marry him quickly. Nobody would know about the baby." I came up with a solution.

She shook her head like I suggested the most improbable way. "I thought about it but he isn't stable now. Neither am I. We just graduated, Mirae. And we need money to live."

I nodded. She kept rambling. "At first I considered abortion but-"

I gasped and hit her shoulder. "I'd kill you if you do that!"

"Ow, I know! That's exactly the same thing Daehyun said so I've forgotten about it. Plus, it's only been weeks and I'm already attached to this little guy, I can't even think of killing it now." She rubbed her stomach gently and I smiled excitedly.

"I can't believe I'm gonna be an aunt!"

---

"Mirae, you better hurry!" Eomma screamed from downstairs.

"Just a minute!" I screamed back. I turned towards the mirror and examined myself one last time. Yeah, I look acceptable. Maroon, sleeveless flared dress that met my knees. Tight in the bodice, flowy from below. I tied my hair in a bun that ended up looking like a bird's nest, I tried to follow a hairdo tutorial but I guess it really was not my thing. My lips were dipped in a coral red color. Okay, it's good enough.