"...Whether I'm a bland, yellow-skinned bastard, Or is makkhi oppa handsome since birth?

Whether she is an exchange student or girl group members

Whether it's L.A. or Seoul

No matter two thousand ten or two thousand sixteen

Mark Tuan's heart still trembles every time he sees Sorn Satjakul's smile..."

P.S. We all know who this ad is for.

The force of the plate from 비가 오는 날엔, every version that I've listened to.

(#pentagonmaker 6vs4

Hino's high-pitched voice is really good.)

We posted this on Twitter. But it's really very scattered.

Broken body

I woke up in the afternoon of a gloomy rainy day. Aches and pains surged like they were tearing his entire body apart. I carefully moved on the top bunk of the bed, using one hand to find a T-shirt to put on to protect against the cool air that was hitting Jackson's bare chest. Wang, who should be sleeping peacefully on the bottom bed, was tossing and turning on the floor beside him. I climbed down the stairs and used my foot to kick my Hong Kong friend's butt hard until he felt it.

"Raiwa Tuan," Jackson moaned in his throat without opening his eyes.

"Go get some good sleep, I hope." I kicked it again. Jackson tried to kick it back. But it didn't seem to have enough strength. It stupidly crawled back onto the bed and made sleepy sounds in a familiar language that I didn't understand. It might have been Mandarin, which I can speak less than a two year old. Or catonis, which I know nothing about.

Sometimes I feel at a disadvantage. Mark Tuan was sleepwalking in English and Jackson understood everything. It was so bad.

I was shocked when I opened the bedroom door to find two members who seemed to have been awake for a long time and were sitting in the common room, playing a crazy game. The day after the concert everyone slept like they were practicing death. When I woke up again, it was late afternoon, or almost dusk in Bambam's case. The person who was now gripping the joystick tightly had his eyes fixed on the race track on the giant screen. Ignoring the sound of my door opening for a bit.

Luckily, Jaebum still felt that another human had woken up and used the air to breathe in the living room.

"There's some extra side dishes in the refrigerator. Bam's fried omelette is probably all cold, but you can still eat it." Jaebeom spoke quickly without leaving the match of honor in front of him.

On the kitchen counter, there was a plate of fluffy, golden-yellow fried eggs that looked delicious. I scooped three ladlefuls of rice over them. Before when he was in America, Mark Tuan had never eaten this much rice. The nutrition teacher at school always said that Asians eat too many carbohydrates per day, but what could they do? After years of experiencing life as an Asian, I fully understand the behaviors that Americans dislike. Eat rice and feel full, nothing can compete with it.

I quietly prepared my breakfast alone in the kitchen area. Heavy raindrops fell outside the window pane that had been scrubbed until it was clear. The view outside seemed to be obscured by translucent frosted glass, the faint green of leaves from large trees shaking with force. Lombam and Jaebum changed from dueling games to arguing instead. Jaebum is so good that Bam never wins, but the maknae who is always spoiled never accepts defeat either.

I closed the lid on the Super Lock box containing various Korean side dishes and stuffed it back into the refrigerator filled with beer cans and soju bottles. Then I turned to take care of the white ceramic plate, leaving only oil stains on the edge of the plate. Within less than a minute, I opened the refrigerator again. Grabbing a bottle of soda, the sounds of the gamers' arguments were cut short by the rustling of reaching for snacks. I plopped down on the long sofa that Jaebum was trying to stretch out to occupy by himself.

It kicked me in the side a few times until it stopped. I took a sip of soda from the glass bottle. Watching Bambam press the remote to change the TV channel continuously.

"I'm bored." Bam finally threw away the remote. The TV was showing a period drama about Hwa Jung. (Referring to the screen angle) I remember her as that flimsy woman in a man's outfit. Lee Yeon Hee, the heroine of Miss Korea, an actress under SM.

...She's beautiful.

Especially in shabby clothes. Even more strangely attractive

The series has ended. The bottle of soda is gone. Jaebum lay with his mouth open, snoring softly. Bambam picked up his new white iPhone 6 Plus and took a photo. It might come in handy for some occasions where blackmail is necessary.

"Let's go outside."

I nodded as I was fully asleep. There is nothing to deny.

"Let's drive," Bam said, one hand reaching into the pocket of Jaebum's jeans and pulling out the Audi keys, "Borrow the car, Phi B."

BamBam and Mark took the snoring as a yes answer.

Even if you are a driver But I don't know where we're headed, we're stuck on the middle of the road, the music

On the rainy days

from the Arirang radio station paired with the sound of rain outside

The rain is still falling And it will go on like this.

When the cycle of rain ends, maybe my love for you will also end.

BamBam raps on the seat next to the water droplets on the glass rolling under the force of gravity and the driving force of the Hyundai train in front of him, bright enough to dazzle.

...When the cycle of rain ends?

So cruel

I try not to think about her. But it seems like I'm not trying hard enough.

...You yourself once sang this song.

"At the intersection, turn left," Bam gave the directions again.

This time, I think I know where I want to go.

The rain continues to fall heavily with no signs of stopping. Or if it finally stops, it will always come back down again...

I turned the car over and parked in a private parking lot that charged exorbitant parking fees. I pressed my card from the automatic machine and handed it to Bam to keep. The barrier was raised to allow cars to pass through. I managed to turn into the envelope. Move forward and back until you're confident that the owner of the car next to you won't scold you.

Our destination was two blocks away. We walked quietly under a large golf umbrella. (Jaebeom's stuff in Jaebeom's car) It would be crazy if he wore sunglasses on a rainy day. Bambam hid his bright colored hair with a cap and a windproof hood. I can only pray that it doesn't. Let anyone remember that the two men walking through the rain were BamBam and Mark77.

It's definitely not good. If anyone sees us going in there...

BamBam rang the bell next to the apartment door. Soon there was a response and someone opened the door for us and flashed a bright smile. We are regular guests here but I am not familiar with her face.

"Hello, Senpai." I really hate this word. Sonbaenimman makes you look thirty years older.

“Hello Eunbin. It's better to call me Opa." Bam probably knew from my expression of displeasure with the over-praising pronouns that she took the wet umbrella from my hand.

Eunbin, I remember that name. Beautiful face You don't have to try, you can remember.

"P'Sorn is in the room. I'll go make some tea for you." She pointed at the dark wooden door near the TV. My hands were all sweaty. Really bad.

"No need, thank you." Eunbin's face was a little sad, but her smile was still the same. What can I do? I don't want to drink tea and I know Bam doesn't want it either.

Asian people are like this. To be honest, I'd say I'm mean.

...It's strange, even though she's also Asian, that woman never gave it a second thought.

Probably because I studied internationally all the time.

Bam pushes the door open. The small bedroom was still no different from the last time we came. Lilac purple curtains hung limply next to the glass window, the ends of the cloths on the desk were neatly arranged, and CLC posters from the mini album.

PePe

The same type I had in the suitcase I first brought home, two single beds side by side. One bed was covered with the same color cloth as the curtains, the other had a navy blue stripe pattern. Two women sit in separate corners in their own worlds. Seunghee lets loose with an electric keyboard. Sorn sat leaning against the wall, reading a thick book on the floor.

"Noona Annyeong" Both Seunghee and Sorn turned to greet the voice. Sorn gave us both a wide smile. I smiled back with all my effort.

Seunghee is one of the few Koreans who doesn't look shocked when greeted in a friendly way from the first time we meet her, which made me quite impressed with her. "What's up? The room is a bit of a mess."

Her messy room is cleaner than our dormitory during its cleanest period.

"This isn't called a mess, bro," Bam laughed and threw himself onto the bed next to the window like the owner of the room.

"P'Sorn..."

And after that I couldn't understand the conversation between these two anymore.

“You can sleep on my bed, oppa.” Seunghee nodded towards the purple bed. I sat down. Thank you softly The weight of the large reproductive age male caused the mattress to deflate.

Seung Hee returns to playing the piano.

That song again

On the rainy day

A girl who is always bright seems strangely lonely when a sad song is played. Her heart is probably waiting for that person to come back and fulfill her, unlike me.

My imagination is coming true, Mark...

The sweet sounds of the musical instruments go well with the sound of the pouring rain and the conversation of two Thai people.

One person keeps talking non-stop. I understand Bambam. As a foreigner, it is almost impossible if you want to express your deep feelings in a foreign language.

speak the same language It's definitely easier to talk to each other than the other person.

Chonsanorn

She just nodded and smiled understandingly.

...sincere smile

The smile that made me fall in love all those years ago

Acadia, LA

Year 2010

"Where do you come from? Bland face."

That was the first sentence from the manager of the third convenience store where I applied part-time. It was almost the same sentence as the previous two except that the pronouns were changed according to the preference of the person calling.

-- A kid with yellow skin and a bland face.

That guy's face fell off.

"I live six blocks away."

"Are you bothering me?" Annoying your father. Well, what would you answer?

After the sperm mixed with the egg was implanted in the uterus for nine months, I emerged from my mother's womb.

Is this so?

It looks to the point.

But it's probably better to keep quiet.

"I mean China, Hong Kong, Korea, or Japan...where are you from?" He looked bored. But I'm not from any of those countries.

"I'm from America. I mean, I was born here." I answered honestly but got a glare from the manager. Damn it, what do these people want?

"Go home and eat dim sum, kid."

..since thinking of doing part time How many times have you sighed?

In the end, I just walked home with a limp but I definitely didn't go back to eat dim sum. We hardly eat Chinese food in our house. I don't know why.

What I encountered was not unusual. Asian descendants who are

American-born

I've been experiencing this crazy thing since I was born. Although the ancestors were Taiwanese, the children were around the same age as me. I understand that I am an American person (not imagining anything). You can look at my ID card)

In short, we are Americans of Taiwanese descent. (..Even though China has a policy

OneChina

Well, Taiwan and the mainland are different like North Korea and South Korea. both language, culture and way of life)

For white Americans with freckled faces We're not really Americans.

But we are.

I insist on sitting and lying down and jumping on two legs.

We live a lifestyle no different from other Americans, eating bread, not cereal. or noodles Eat a lot of hamburgers at a time. Drink gallons of milk and have free kisses and free sex.

Therefore, for Asians Even though we look like them But we are not Asians. We were not instilled with gratitude, loyalty, consideration, or shame like other Asian children.

We all have moments of confusion. For me, the Olympics bring terrible confusion into my life. My parents cheer for the Taiwanese team.

But we're American.

I said ..innocently.

(Of course, I was only seven years old at the time.)

Dad only laughed and cheered for Taiwan as usual.

For parents, bloodline is still the number one priority. You were born and raised, had a social life, and lived a happy life there.

Deep down, you are still Taiwanese.

But for my generation, even though every drop of blood flowing through our bodies comes from our Taiwanese ancestors, we hardly have much Taiwanese feelings. We grew up in a multiracial society and were immersed in American culture all our lives.

I solved the problem simply by stopping watching the Olympics.

The sky is starting to turn dark. Large gray clouds block the sun's rays and the wind blows so hard that my hair flies over my eyes. I stopped walking, unloaded my backpack and searched for a foldable umbrella that my mother had given me as a spare to hold in case the rain suddenly poured down. In my backpack was a text book from the school library. If it gets wet, there will be problems with the librarian for a long time.

As I was born with good fortune, it rained heavily as soon as I walked into the door of the house. I shouted to my mother that I was back and she emerged from the kitchen with a large bowl of Caesar salad. Joey followed closely behind, carrying a tray of homemade pizza. "Wow. I make pizza too. I'm hungry when I see it."

"Go take a shower before you go," Mom said the same thing every day.

"Daddy, Mommy."

"I'm coming." Mother Cha is so cold. What kind of woman is this?

I went up to the bedroom I shared with Joey. Our room is very messy because Mom is tired of cleaning it for us. Jeans and t-shirts overflowing with cloth baskets, too many books to fit on the shelves, overflowing on the table and chairs. Scraps of paper are scattered throughout Joey's design class. He is good at designing but makes mistakes often. Therefore using a lot of wasted paper.

As for the bed, I'm allergic to rock-paper-scissors so I have to sleep on the top bunk. Life at high altitude isn't comfortable. I got used to banging my head against the ceiling, so later Dad found a mitten to cushion the ceiling softly.

'Hitting you to death won't hurt,' Dad said.

That is, if Dad were to try that hard, he should try to find a way to put two beds in the same room. Dad's sons are equal, we should sleep on the same level. I don't want to support you.

But let's face it, I've been here for ten years. You should get used to it.

I took off my backpack and put it next to my desk. My rotten backpack fell on top of my brother's cool red waterproof backpack. I took off my socks and piled them with the remnants of an old civilization that was starting to smell bad. It was time to really wash them. But I had to wait until Mom was asleep before I could sneak the socks into the washing machine. Take off your shirt and jeans. and the boxers piled up in piles of laundry.

I really like the birthday suit.

The bathtub we had was not a Jacuzzi with a magnificent whirlpool just enough for a long man to curl up in when he was tired. I squeezed liquid soap from a crooked, chipped ceramic bottle (the first piece from Joey's Ceramic Design class). Put in a bowl of water and beat until there are soft, fluffy bubbles all over the bowl. The cool mint scent makes your head clear. At least I have enough free time to plan a part-time job. I'm not poor at home, but here, everyone works.

Now I'm 17, I should be earning money.

But when you still can't find a job I'll probably have to wait.

I can't soak in the water for long. Joey comes pounding on the bathroom door. Shouting loudly, "Hey Mark, hurry up. Daddy's back."

"Yes"

I let the water out Wash yourself with a shower. The soap was so slippery that it was difficult to wash off. I took a towel from the hanging rack and wrapped it around my waist and went back, but Joey was lying face down on the bed playing with his cell phone. I ran out of T-shirts to wear to bed, so I had to borrow them from my beloved younger brother to wear first.

"See, I don't think I'm going to ask." Joey said. I just rolled my eyes in a W shape.

"Are the socks you're wearing yours?"

...I did it to laugh and show my stupid eyes. I'll give it to you now.

"Hurry up and get down. Dad has a surprise today." The younger brother stood up and stuffed his phone into his pocket. Then hugged my neck tightly

"Go away..I'm getting goosebumps."

I tried to shake off the squid's hand around my neck. But it didn't move an inch. Joey increased the creepiness by moving his face closer to his ear, his warm breath caressing the crook of my neck, making me stiff.

"I'm sure you're shocked."

His hoarse whisper made shivers tremble from head to toe.

"...Oh, hahahaha, I'm laughing so hard, my face is red, Mark, I'm weak."

I punched him squarely in the cheek. He held his cheek in pain, like he had been stabbed with a knife. Playing a prank without knowing how to think

"You don't have to lie. Go.. hurry downstairs."

"Whoa, Mark. You're a bastard. It's not fun to pretend."

Joey grumbled behind him, and I glanced over to see a bruised cheekbone between the fingers that held his face.

...I feel guilty too.

There were some things that Joey Duan was right about.

Dad has a surprise.

And I was really shocked.

The stranger who was busy with a bottle of ketchup looked up at me, his eyes wide and wide. It looked as mysterious as a black hole that could swallow up anything. Its fine, pitch-black hair flowed down to the middle of its back.

She also cut her bangs.

Damn it, this is too much...

That bright smile almost made my heart stop.

"...Mark"

Thank you Joey for bringing me back to my senses. I gave her a wry smile and rubbed her ear to correct her embarrassment.

"Hi," I greeted.

"Hi Mark, I'm Sorn, I'm from Thailand."

..Where is this Thailand?

The question mark seemed to appear so clearly on my face that she had to answer my doubts out loud: “Southeast Asia. We are just above the equator.”

I nodded in acknowledgment. But the question mark on the face had not completely disappeared.

“Sorn will be staying at our house for a month. Previously, Jonathan served as a host but.. As you know..."

Papa talks about Mr. Jonathan. McIlloyd's key business partner suddenly died of a heart attack last Wednesday. And I know that Dad himself is very sad. In this industry, it's hard to find honest people. But Papa had Mr. McIlloyd as a true friend among the lions that would kill us at their paws.

"..Anyway. We are now coordinating with AFS to see what should be done next.”

"Would you like her to stay at our house?" Joey offered.

..Sounds good.

“AFS officials sent an email. Said I might be able to find a new host within three weeks but I would have to go outside of LA."

Her English is very good. And the sound was really very soft.

"Good. The cost of living here is very expensive. You probably won't be able to travel much."

We siblings looked at each other, how could we forget that Mother didn't like having other people staying at the house? Mom was the most privacy-conscious of our four siblings. No one has ever had a friend stay over at their house.

Dad seemed to see the bad behavior and signaled to start eating dinner before the pizza got any worse. I glanced at Sorn to see what her face would look like after hearing her mother's words. But she looked normal.

Joey picked up a large piece and made the cheese so long that he had to cut it several times before it was finished. Normally, Mom doesn't add this much cheese..

Maybe we'll have some hope for her.

After dinner, Joey took care of cleaning up while Sorn and I helped carry her giant suitcase up to the guest bedroom upstairs. No one had ever used this room except Aunt Anqi, Dad's older sister, who came to visit us. In the summer many years ago

“I don't have to call Mark brother, right?” she asked as we helped each other open the lid of the bag.

"If Joey calls me

Bro. --

His brother shows that he is extremely annoyed. Please call me Mark."

“I don't know what kind of culture I'm dealing with. It's like something out of a Ya Ba Ya Ya novel. But Daddy and you guys are like western people.”

"Crazy... what?"

“Baba ya ya. Chinese Singaporeans have movies about them shown on public television."

Sorn took out a pair of sneakers and placed them next to the closet. She didn't pack in enough supplies, so there was plenty of room for souvenirs. I retreated and sat on the bed because women probably don't like strangers messing with their personal items and wanted to talk to her a little longer. But my brain is all tense.

What should I say to look cool?

"Her English is not like an Asian child's at all."

...Damn it. Is this cool?

"I've been studying at an American international school since kindergarten." That's good, at least she won't have adjustment problems like the other exchange students I've known who act like they're aliens who set foot on Earth for the first time.

...What must I say?

hello world

Right?

I laughed a little because I thought about the hours I spent studying programming where I typed commands\

printf "hello world";

It's the first command.

"What's up..."

It seemed like my out-of-nowhere laughter was making her upset.

“Sorry, it's nothing. Do you want to soak in warm water? I'll go open it for you."

"Okay, thank you."

She smiled again. My hands are all damp.

"..Skin is more beautiful than Anastasia's. I'm going to school tomorrow. Believe it or not, Will's booked it." Joey blurted out as soon as I closed the bedroom door.

"Shut up."

"A bland face like yours isn't my type." Is this life just piled up? I have a bland face, so what's the problem with that? William Hangerton has nothing good except a face like Brad Pitt. This guy has a brain the size of a watermelon but his arms are as big as a coconut.

"I don't want to date him, okay?"

"Because of you," Joey poked my chest hard. “It's too rubbish. Just looking at his eyes makes your spirit fall away. Don't be so pretentious, brother."

"Don't be Verna."

"Hey...don't you want to give it a try? He's been at our house for three weeks. In a normal three weeks I can claim at least two.”

My younger brother plays on the basketball team. He's dating a cheerleader until the team is gone.

"Not in the mood," I cut in and walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth stubbornly. Joey laughed behind me and shouted loudly.

"Because you're such a slut."

The reflection in the mirror was a man of Asian descent with black hair pointing in different directions like a white and yellow-skinned ownerless bird's nest. A figure like a chopstick tries to reach a toothbrush and brush it all the way to the innermost molar teeth. White toothpaste foam flows from his mouth, dripping down his shirt.

I rubbed my own bulging fish bone.

...Joey might be right.

There's a woman with a body like Serena. Gomez came to my house for three weeks and I was supposed to just stand and watch. Let other people steal it in front of you?

How wonderful it would be if I could touch her plump lips and stare deep into her dark brown eyes as deep as the night.

sometimes

Just maybe

I wonder how sweet the kiss will be.

The alarm clock on my phone screeched at 7:00 a.m. I really hated this time. It felt like I still couldn't get enough sleep even though I had slept for almost ten hours. I jumped out of the bunk bed. His height made my face tremble but at least it made me feel a little more alert. The lower bed was empty, with only the blankets curled up into a ball to be seen. My younger brother woke up very early, which has been a habit since he was a child. It would be nice if I could be the same way.

I wasted a lot of time in the bathroom listening to music while relieved. Chris Brown's mixtape is not only awesome but it's also free. There's nothing better than this.

The weather this morning is as gloomy as yesterday evening. It had been raining non-stop for several hours, small drops of water clinging to the entire window glass. The sunlight shone brightly and I touched the cool air with my hand. The rap song you're listening to doesn't really fit the atmosphere, but the sound of water from the sky hitting the earth goes well with any type of music.

I wear a windproof jacket. Grabbing a worn-out backpack, I slung it over one shoulder and rubbed my stomach as I thought about whether I should toast bread or go buy a subway sandwich for breakfast. Having workaholic parents made me feel envious of others. Many of my friends eat. Homemade sandwiches came from the house of some Asian friends and they even ate rice and various side dishes, but our parents went to work very early every day. and let your children take responsibility for themselves

But today was different. I was no longer the only human left in this house. Sorn stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the kitchen counter, watching over the toaster, not even realizing that it had sprung. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight. cannot

"Sorn.. Sorn" The voice calling made her a little startled when she found out that it was Mark Tuan and not anyone else. Sarahao greeted me once.

"Morning"

She took some toast from the toaster. Spread butter thicker than anyone I've ever seen without any fruit jam.

“Toast?” she asked muffled after taking a full bite of bread.

"No, I'd rather boil oatmeal. Is there a normal recipe or a recipe mixed with dried fruits? Which one do you want?" It's like I'm forcing her to eat it too. But that's how full you can be with just one slice of buttered toast.

"That's normal. Dried fruit soaked in milk is really scary."

...I don't want to tell you. I think the same thing.

Mark was delighted again.

I put my backpack on the dining room table and grabbed two pots just the right size for boiling oatmeal over the sink. Sorn finished all the bread.

"Do you want me to help you?"

..Suddenly I realized something.

“Come on, give me the jar of oatmeal. It's in the top shelf on the far left."

I opened the refrigerator Pick up a glass bottle filled with fresh milk and open it and pour it into the pot. Turn on the gas and heat it on medium heat. Sorn tried to stretch out his tip-toe and move his hand up to move the cabinet cover. The jar was within reach, but Sorn could only touch it with his fingertips. Without thinking twice, I left the stove and went to help her.

Unfortunately, I'm not a very tall man and Sorn himself isn't small enough to be at chest level. The picture that came out turned out to be that she was probably shocked when the Mark Tuan creature suddenly came and stood behind her. So I turned around and saw her head suddenly hit the tip of my chin. Aram was shocked as a jar of oatmeal fell out of his hand and hit the edge of the marble counter. before it hits the ground and shatters.

We looked at each other for a moment. before bursting into loud laughter

"It's all messed up, Mark."

"Let's take out some dried fruit."

Sorn didn't deny it.

Her smiling lips were less than a foot away.

I picked up another jar and handed it to him. Warm milk on the stove was boiling, I had chopped oats in a pot, turned on the gas, and left the lid on while I tried to clean up the broken glass and oatmeal with a small plastic broom.

We ate oatmeal mixed with dried fruit in silence. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would take more time to kick it than it did to eat it. I scooped out some undried fruit and ate it myself. Sorn opened my mouth.

“Do you like it?” she asked.

I shake my head

"Leave it."

"I don't like it, but it doesn't mean I can't eat it." Sorn put down the spoon and looked up.

"excuse me..."

Why are you apologizing?

"Did you do something wrong?"

“You know, because I thought the taste was terrible, I felt guilty that I had to eat this dried fruit. But actually for me it wasn't that bad. She didn't force me at all.

Mark is willing to do it himself..."

"thank you"

She smiled at me again.

Because a lot of time was spent cleaning up, before I knew it I was under a big umbrella walking through the rain heading for the school several blocks away, checking the time on a modern leather strap wristwatch. (Decades ago) "It's half past eight. We're definitely late. I haven't arranged the registration yet."

"If it hadn't rained this heavily I'll tell you to put your dog in gear and run,” I said, hoping it sounded funny.

But Sorn probably wasn't amused. "Alright."

It's so crazy

I changed to wearing a backpack on the front. Grabbing their wrists, they ran together. Their non-waterproof sneakers hit the sidewalk with a loud thud. Water pooled on the floor, splashing all the way to the inside of their sneakers. The legs of their jeans were heavy because they were all wet. I tilted the umbrella to cover her side a little more, which allowed the left side of my body to absorb the rain.

I glanced at my hand.

Sorn's wrist was no longer in my palm, our hands were in each other's hands. fingers between fingers Our rain-soaked hands are cold and clammy. But I feel like it's so warm

The bell rang just as I entered the classroom. My classmates all occupied seats in the back row. Only the front seats were left for people who came late like me, the math teacher who hadn't gotten in yet. I picked up a notebook and a calculator and prepared to use this little free time to take off my socks and dry them. and squeezed water out of his pants

"Mark, why are you late?" Kevin nudged his shoulder and appeared to ask from the back seat.

"It's just..." What should I say? There's an exchange student staying at my house. I wanted to be a hero so I went to help him pick up things but he was too short. The plan was ruined and the oatmeal jar broke.

I just don't want anyone to know her.

..go more than me

Prevention is definitely better than cure.

"I'm boiling oatmeal."

"Ha..."

"How do you boil oatmeal?"

Kevin could only shake his head, looking confused.

Before coming here, I took Sorn to the registration room. Offering to stay and document the matter as a friend in case there was anything she needed help with, Sorn declined my good wishes with a smile as usual. She wants to try everything herself.

'I came to exchange because I wanted experience. If Mark is always there to help, how will it be different from living in Thailand?' Sorn said like that.

'I can stay for sure'

'um'

'Let's meet in front of the main gate after class.'

Before Sorn could answer, the administrative officer called her into the glass room inside to take care of the registration and all the documents. I walked out quietly. When I glanced at the time on the wall clock, I knew I had to hurry again.

I can't polish it.

It's already deep..just deep.

I'll feel a bit disappointed.

Mathematics lessons pass slowly as usual, even though compound series are not as simple as arithmetic and geometric series. But in principle, it's not much different. I pressed the calculator to calculate the final results and wrote the answer in my notebook in surgeon's handwriting. Kevin clicks his pen next to his ear. Fifty-three-year-old Lawrence explains a new question in the tone of a priest reciting a prayer.

I watched the hands of the wall clock move slowly.

I hope it tells me when class ends..

The bell indicating the end of class made a loud sound that caused pain in the ears of the students in the storage room. The chatter immediately exploded, leaving a polite silence behind. I shoved a thick book, Principles of American Literature Criticism, into my backpack, zipped it shut, and slung it over my shoulder, ignoring the shouts of commotion from Kevin, who was trying to invite me to the game center for the millionth time in the corridors packed with students. who came out together like a herd of salmon escaping the cold.

I went straight to the main gate. Waving to a few acquaintances who cheered along the way, the cheerleaders walked in large groups under the gymnasium. Anastasia stood out from the crowd. (Joey said so) whispered to his friend and turned towards me.

"Tomorrow at 7 PM, we're having a small party at my house. There are a few people I'd like to introduce to you. Do you want to go?" From the look on her face, she was extremely confident that I would agree.

"Invite Joey. He's complaining about his lack of partying."

"You're going, right?"

"No, I'm sorry. I can't touch alcohol these days."

She blushed slightly. Of course, being the number one star of the cheer club, she was probably confident that none of the guys in the whole school would be stupid enough to refuse the invitation.

"Um, then? It's okay." But the look in her eyes was the opposite.

"Sorry."

"See you later. Bye."

"bye"

The sweet perfume lingered around her even as her back slowly turned a corner and disappeared.

It's been thirty minutes. But Sorn hasn't arrived yet. I started to fidget and took the phone out of my jeans pocket, knowing that she hadn't dealt with phone calls in this country yet.

Maybe Joey knows. Those two people were in the same grade, maybe they happened to be in the same class last period..

faster than thought I dialed a number I remembered well. Waiting for a signal from his younger brother, but all he could hear was a thud. and automatic answering call center

Let it be like this

When there's nothing to do, or simply put, there's nothing to do but wait, how can Son who still doesn't remember the way home walk randomly and go back alone?

One more thing

We made a promise here..

I picked up the book Principles of Literary Criticism and read it to pass the time. The letters lined up like a millipede flowed past my eyes and didn't penetrate my brain at all.

Where did he go?

I tried to focus on the textbook.

..Why is it this difficult?

Three o'clock in the afternoon is the time on the phone screen. The number of students remaining was very few. The sky was beginning to be covered with thick clouds, causing the afternoon sun that should have been bright to be partially obscured. I stood and leaned against the cement wall. His left arm held a large umbrella to his body. The hand clicked into the WhatsApp chat, trying to send a message to his younger brother, who still didn't seem to reply.

I called again, and again, and many more times.

..Bought a phone to use as a paperweight?

An hour passed and my patience wore thin and I dismissed the thought of Sorn returning home on her own. In the morning it rained like a downpour. The picture you saw was only a curtain of rain water. Light from traffic on the road and the blurry colors of the environment (you could definitely walk in the neighborhood you've lived in for seventeen years with your eyes closed). No wonder I was able to take myself and Sorn to school when I couldn't see anything.)

I decided to run up the school building one more time. The sound of my sneakers hitting the marble floor in the main hallway echoed all the way down the spiral staircase. I had fallen in love with the beautiful architecture, which became a big obstacle as my thoughts moved faster than my two feet. Having to watch out for the angles of the Lake Superior painting on the side wall doesn't help calm my nerves.

She must be in some room.

Even if you have to open every room and look.

Two weeks ago, local news reported that a female student of Asian descent went to school and didn't come home for three days. Police checked her cell phone signal and eventually found her body dead in a public bathroom in a slum. She had been attacked and gang-raped by a gang of young junkies.

..She is an exchange child in the care of our family.

..Her smile is too pure and precious to be tainted by something like that.

I couldn't stop the fear that was gnawing at my heart.

..please May you be safe.

There were about three hundred classrooms used from seventh to twelfth grades. After all the impossibility was eliminated, there were only a few dozen classrooms left for the tenth graders. I don't know which subjects they took. I don't even know the class schedule for Grade 10. I don't even know the room usage schedule. I don't know anything. All you can do is go to every possible room.

But I couldn't find her..

I stood in a large gymnasium, gasping for air. What was unusual was that the basketball court was empty. The school's basketball team generally practices here from 8:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day except Thursday.

But today is Wednesday..

I dialed Joey's phone again.

Turn off the machine...

Damn it.

Where did it go?

His instincts that used to work so well suddenly stopped working. Sorn might be with Joey. Maybe with a new friend that she might become close to in a few hours, maybe with a guy who's interested in her. ...Maybe it was Captain William. That thought made my insides feel twisted.

But it wasn't as bad as the worst that could happen.

Sorn might be captured. She might be screaming for help somewhere she doesn't know. No one cares about the circumstances of the people around them.

What should I do?

You should suppress your worries. Go home and act like nothing happened. Maybe I'll find her sitting in the kitchen talking with her mother, smiling brightly.

But what if not?

If we could just sit and wait If you don't come back again If that's the case

How difficult must it be?

She still doesn't have a phone number to contact anyone in this country. She probably doesn't carry a passport. May be tricked out of money Might not be able to find the right way home...

I kept running along the corridor. Open door after door, floor after floor, building after building, only to find lifeless tables and chairs, the sound of sneakers hitting the floor, resonating repeatedly in your head. It's like I'm trying to say that I'll never find her.

I stood in front of a large school building facing the flagpole of the United States flag, gently swaying in the gentle breeze. Small drops of rain fell on his bright blue jacket with dark spots all over it.

The large umbrella was still in the palm of his hand.

But the thought that Sorn might be in danger left me with no strength to open it.

Since I didn't know where to go, going home and setting up my mind was probably the only best thing I could do at this time. I kept my eyes on the crowd of people around me, really hoping that Sorn would run in and be ready. She smiled and told me in a bright voice that she was just coming out to get something to eat with her new friends..

But reality and thoughts are always different.

I returned home with a distraught mind. Mother came back and the sound of the spatula hitting the iron pan and the smell of the unique seasonings told me that today we were going to eat a special Chinese meal after not eating for a long time that I can't remember.

Mom must have had a great day at work. To be in such a good mood

Does Mrs. Tuan know that the exchange student we took on as a temporary host has disappeared? And her son is at her wits end..

"So slow, Mark." I turned around at the familiar voice of Joey there. I want to kick his ass once more. Vent out this crazy frustration.

"You're not answering the phone." Joey could easily detect the anger in his voice.

"Oh," he pulled out his useless communication device from his jeans pocket and pressed the screen-on button a few times before concluding, "The battery ran out. Sorry."

The battery is dead.

Let it be like this

"Hey, don't you see the need to make such an ass face? If you have something, tell me."

"Joey, this is a big deal. What do we do? I told him to come to Main Gate but he didn't. I mean, where is he now?" I can't find any..."

My body shakes with an intensity of eight million on the Richter scale. Joey's heavy hand squeezed my shoulder tightly, shaking me until I tossed. "Wait a minute. Wait..that's where you come back so late, you're not looking for a part-time job, but looking for a job..."

"That's right. Have you seen Sorn?"

"Find me. What's wrong, Mark?"

I sat face to face with the twelfth grader at the lunch table. Joey had a look of disbelief on his face. Holding back laughter until your mouth trembles Sorn, who had been apologizing for many times, began to have tears and red eyes.

In summary,

I was imagining it myself, I was worrying all over myself.

"Well, you can't just blame me. Markson didn't tell me he would come back with you." Joey tried to defend himself.

If you answer the phone, is it over?

“Sorry, Mark. I really can't hear it."

I sighed heavily. I don't even want to look at those two faces.

..You are so stupid, Mark Tuan.

Sorn was in her last American history class with Joey, so her father, a skilled basketball player, invited her to watch himself practice basketball at the gym. But when he arrived, Captain William suddenly became lazy. Suddenly wanting smoked beef burgers, the entire basketball team that was supposed to be practicing and preparing for next season changed their place of residence to a famous Super Burger restaurant, with all the delicious ingredients hanging out as well.

After eating their fill, they went home together.

good..

Really good..

I was worried like crazy while these two were happily eating burgers.

What are you doing here, Mark?

We started eating dinner without waiting for Papa Joey to push behind Sorn to go help Mom bring food to the table. I followed along quietly, trying to ignore the giggles. and loud noises Loud almost every minute Joey likes to tease Sorn and likes to hit him.

Mom's crispy fried chicken stir-fried in sweet and sour sauce with cashew nuts is as delicious as ever. Two other Chinese dishes are cabbage stewed in chicken curry sauce. and soft tofu served with hot Thai jasmine rice. which made Joey very happy.

Because of health problems that began to plague Dad The mother was very careful about the food while the children ate chicken and became oily. Mother wouldn't touch anything but stewed cabbage.

The rice on Mother's plate was gone. Mother grabbed the spoon, walked into the kitchen and picked up an old dark brown porcelain tea set. The cracks and ivory patterns told how much it had been through heat and cold. Mother said that this was a treasure. My great-grandfather brought it with him from the mainland and it was so valuable that my mother never allowed anyone to touch it. Even Dad

We drank tea in peace. Mother didn't like us talking much during this ritual. Joey hid his smile behind a chipped teacup. Sorn sat still, holding a teacup smaller than a jar of Vaseline with both hands. Her eyes were focused, looking intent and too much pressure. I took the opportunity to look at her clearly again. dark brown eyes Long hair as black as silk and honey-colored skin. Round shape looks sexier than anyone else.

She's sitting right in front of this. But I couldn't seem to get close to her as Joey took the lead.

Sometimes I feel jealous of my younger brother.

He's very talented at getting along with people, while I'm very poor at it, to the point where I'm in the negative.

Today is my duty to clean up. Oily pan and spatula Four plates and three pairs of chopsticks And another pair of cutlery for Sorn, who insists she is terrible at using chopsticks. Mother won't let us use the dishwasher unless there are too many dishes to wash. I never knew how much. I only know that Mom will be the one to decide and won't let them pile up until there are enough of them either.

I wiped the container with a soft, dry cloth. It absorbs water surprisingly well. I store the dry jars in a shiny metal basket. Wipe away water splashes around the sink and flip the switch to turn off the lights in the kitchen.

Mom watches television on a long armchair, and Joey stands behind her, giving her custom massages. His mouth was chattering loudly, competing with the reporter sitting next to his mother. Make a noise Nod or laugh occasionally.

It was seven past seven according to the clock on the wall.

It's only natural that Papa hasn't returned yet.

I walked up the stairs Return to being buried in the room. Soak in warm water and listen to Chris Brown songs. Blow fluffy soap bubbles and play with Joey's cute yellow rubber duck until it wilts.

I came out of the bathroom. Joey lay down and pressed the phone that was charging at the head of the bed, not afraid that it would easily explode at any second. He smiled a little and smiled so big that it was annoying.

"Did you tell Anna that there's no alcohol these days, Mark?" Still kindly looked up and asked. How noble

"yeah"

"You're lying, brother. The other day, he was still drinking beer with me. It's true. Joey found a can of beer and hid it in the room, but I had a good eye and found it. So it invited me to form a band.

“So Anna invited you?” I asked, fastening the plastic buttons on my old cotton pajamas. It's actually time to do laundry and Joey's T-shirt isn't there to compete with either.

"Oh, so you told him to invite me." I might have thought that Joey's voice sounded like someone who was feeling hurt.

"Oh hey, you just said you wanted to party. Is it good to go? But I...your brother is so lazy."

"I'll definitely go, you don't have to worry." Joey never refused Anna once. He is like this Always be kind to you." But you must be a bit bad, Mark. Because I'm going to take the money with me."

..it's good for Sorn.

She will have some new experiences.

I told myself that as I fought with my thoughts.

..but Sorn doesn't know anyone.

..but if you don't know me, you can get to know me.

..but if we get drunk and become dogs, something bad will happen.

..but what do you worry about? It's just a high school party.

I gathered up a pile of rotten clothes and put them in a plastic basket. They fell over and I had to hold them to my chest with both arms. You twist the doorknob with one hand, but you can't close it, little brother.

It took more than half an hour for the washing and drying process. I put the clothes in the same basket, closed the lid of the machine, unplugged it and rolled it up to put away. Then cover it with a cloth and cover it like before.

For some reason I felt that I was not ready to face Joey very much. There was a woman involved with the two of us. She created a thin bond that tethered Joey's frozen heart, but in the end she chose to end the relationship and remain a close friend. Then turn around and start over with me instead.

Anastasia

Our Anna..

She went to the same elementary school as us and played on playground equipment with us. Playing kicking and punching like boys with us, Anna is like a real little sister to us. (She's Joey's age. But who cares about two boys whose older sister is almost ten years older? I like playing the role of hero protecting little girls.)

She was as cute as a doll, with wavy black hair and honey-colored skin, a true Filipino look.

But because of her gender and family needs, Anna was sent back to the Philippines at the end of the sixth grade. Three years in a girls' reformatory school in the northern part of the country transformed her into a taller, more beautiful Anastasia. The size of the chest and hips increases. More charming

But the change in appearance is nothing compared to the hormonal changes in the minds of teenagers.

The little ones I love shared for the first time with each other.

But after that There was nothing progressing. Anna maintains her friendship as always, with only Joey remaining in the same place. Unable to go backwards or forwards, he could have a date or one-night stand with a half-decent girl at school.

But deep down

There was still only Anastasia. And Anastasia was the only one who possessed Joey Duan's ice-armored heart.

To me, Anastasia represents a precious childhood. She is my younger sister who will always be a child in my eyes.

There is no way beyond this.

Bad luck for the three of us That Anna doesn't think like Mark.

Sorn's soft voice on the phone became clearer as she walked down the stairs, step by step. Joey must have taken her to buy a SIM card this afternoon.

"Um.. same. Thanks for today's burger. Good night, Will."

I intend to warm up a glass of milk for Sorn to drink before going outside.

But it looks like she's had enough of her burgers.

Continue.

It's exactly seven o'clock as usual. original sound alarm clock With the same Mark Tuan, the addition is very sleepy. Mark doesn't want to go to school. Mark is lazy. Mark wants to sleep more. But Mark has a literature exam, which is very sad. Yesterday, he only read a little while waiting in front of the school. After that, there was nothing more to add, it wasn't finished, I didn't fully understand it all, but if F. Papa definitely didn't keep the mark.

Tears will flow, please ask for a chair.

No matter how disappointed you are in your fate But life must move on. I folded the blankets and climbed the monkey ladder into bed. Joey went to school (same old), he didn't fold his blankets (same old), everything was the same. Except for the empty laundry basket in the corner of the room. and the same emptiness that occupies almost all the space in the brain and my heart

It would have been better if I just lay quietly on the bed last night. Staring at the emptiness and yellow stains on the walls of the room. If I hadn't heard her talking on the phone to the stupidest guy in school, He doesn't know anything except basketball. Hamburgers and women. It would be an exaggeration to say that Besides basketball

hamburger and woman I thought I knew more than that guy in everything. I got an A in math five semesters in a row. Even seniors who studied pure mathematics at Stanford University couldn't do it.

Why can't that person be Mark?

If you skip the bland story I'm pretty good.

I spent an eternity in the bathroom like usual. That might be another reason why Joey makes it a habit to wake up early. But because I woke up very early, there was nothing to do. So he chose to practice basketball to pass the time.

Normally it is like this. The kitchen was empty and lifeless. There was only a faint smell of Chinese food from yesterday's dinner. Everything is in order. The pot hangs on a wall mount. Significantly pursue size The refrigerator door is smooth and smooth. There wasn't even a scratch. Once when I was very young We tried to attach magnets in the shape of aliens from the Ben 10 cartoon.

But it disappeared within a few hours. Joey and I cried and hugged each other in the bathroom until Dad had to come in and follow us to eat. Mother and sisters hate violence cartoon boy with watch But Dad still keeps us happy. By purchasing a CD and opening it from the computer to view often. Joey received an Omnintrix watch as a gift for his sixth birthday.

I once asked for Gwen's magic book. But it hasn't happened yet.

Everything remains the same. Mark Tuan's Ordinary Life

Yesterday was just an anomaly.

I spent a lot of time in the bathroom. Brush your teeth lazily Sitting and playing Angry Birds on the phone while pooping. Soak in the water and listen to music from your phone speaker. I washed my hair twice. Wipe yourself until from the tip of your hair to the tip of your toes there is not a single drop left.

Because deep in my heart I'm not ready to meet Sorn face to face.

..so stupid

..What type of man are you?

I toasted three slices of bread with toast. Pick up milk from the refrigerator and drink it without warming it. Every morning, the milk delivery boy rides his bicycle to deliver the milk before it's light. It was the best milk I'd ever drunk in my life. Sweet, creamy, thick, and so fresh it was hard to believe it had traveled hundreds of kilometers from a farm outside of LA.

I took the bread out of the toaster. Blow a little, just enough to let some of the hot steam evaporate. Spread some butter on top and cover with orange marmalade that mom made herself. I leaned against the kitchen counter. Bite the bread slowly Alternate with sipping fresh milk. The sweet and sour taste of the orange marmalade that lingers throughout your mouth goes wonderfully with the soft texture of the bread and the nutty aroma of the butter milk.

Until now, people don't apply jam. Have you gotten to school yet?

...Then why are you worried about him? Now that we're all grown up, if we can't take care of ourselves, will we dare to come all the way to the United States?

...Have you forgotten yesterday? You're running around all over the place. But he was fine.

I try to clear my head before class. But it seems Thoughts like these keep popping up and getting tangled like earphone wires. It's the same today. Just like every day of Mark Tuan. walk to school Amidst many people rushing around It's the same people. Have the same old way of life On the same route The weather after the rain is clear.

..Why would I be lonely?

I'm not feeling lonely at all. Don't come and have fun.

We had a literature exam in the second class before lunch. It's the worst of it. The lines on the page lined up in a lonely manner. The empty white space was dazzled by the neon lights. I read the questions again, and again, and again. Roll the ballpoint pen in your hand back and forth between your fingers.

It didn't help at all.

I glanced at Kevin. That pillow was in slightly different condition. blank paper Sitting next to me, pressing a pen, making an annoying clunking noise, I reached out and kicked it on the shin, hoping it would realize how much it was disrupting other people's concentration. Even though I concentrated hard, I still couldn't pass the exam.

I decided to write some down. Don't let the paper look too ugly. Can't remember the principles in the book In the end, I had to just write it in my imagination.

Very sad

Kevin and I walked out of the exam room together. Everyone knows in their hearts that not falling is a good thing. Kevin kicked my ass once again. It hurt because of those hard Nike shoes. The cafeteria was packed like mackerel in ketchup, as it were. The additional thing is that there is no Mexican food today. Kevin turned to look at me.

He opened his mouth and looked up at him for a second then went to buy a burger. This friend eats strange things. It was chicken meat baked in a Mexican style sauce and topped with as many large pieces of bread as the small pieces of bread could handle. Topped with a generous amount of mustard. The way of eating is truly unbearable.

I chose breaded and fried white fish. With grilled chicken, teriyaki sauce, lettuce, tomato and spicy Mexican sauce We sat and ate on a long row of chairs. Next to each other, five eighth-graders sat, shredding until little bits of food flew out of them.

I saw Joey's back quickly disappear. He wore a blood red t-shirt and my faded jeans. He was walking hand in hand---no, he was dragging a blonde woman. She is not a member of the cheer club. or anyone I know I automatically looked around for Anastasia. She was sitting in the middle of the cafeteria.

Surrounded by a large group of female friends Talk with each other enthusiastically Has no interest in anything around him.

The bell signal indicates the time of entering the afternoon class. It sucks to sit with your back straight while your stomach is full of burgers and sodas. Kevin sat on his chin. Eyes floating out the window Randomly scribbling in a notebook His mind must have drifted to the game center a long time ago.

My brain curled up into a worthless ball of mucus in my head. At the end of the lesson on tissue culture. We'll do the lab next Monday. It's probably going to be pretty fun.

No different from every day Kevin invited me to the game center again, and of course I declined again. Not really in the mood to drive a race car or shoot zombies? I waited for the number of students on the corridor to subside. Then he left the classroom. Head to the library. Grab a slightly damp textbook and have the librarian shoot the barcode.

She must have sensed some unusual moisture. So he gave me green eyes. But he didn't say anything more than that. I returned the book to the shelf. Light smell of dust The smell of old paper and wood permeated the air.

I really want to keep this scent and smell it at home.

But besides our bedroom There was nowhere else in the house that was dusty.

I read a book in the library for a while. Besides librarians and mold and bacteria in books I was probably the only living creature in this area that was quieter than the cemetery.

In the family, Mom and Dad clearly ruled us separately. The two sisters had never dated before high school. They have never had as much freedom in their lives as Americans of the same age. Mother controls her two daughters in the desired direction. with Dad not having the right to vote But for me and Joey Maybe because I'm a man.

And the lessons from his sisters made him unable to ignore him any longer. While Mom draws the line Papa gave us just as much freedom as two boys needed. If you want something that isn't beyond your means, I'll find it for you. If you have any problems, you can always consult (but mostly, if it's not really serious, We consult among ourselves. (Although it sometimes ends in the use of force.) That's the reason why. That's why the two of us dared to dream beyond our mother's limits.

Our older sisters both graduated from accounting and psychology. which mother considers appropriate

But for Joey He doesn't want to study at university. The basketball path is going well. I was approached by a few people from professional basketball clubs. The NBA has been my goal since I started playing on the school team. He may seem rubbish to me, but in reality he is a person who is serious about his goals.

But my mother would never approve of it.

His mother will try to get him to study sports science. and played for the university club instead That probably wouldn't fill Joey at all.

For me, my mother used to mention chemistry majors at MIT, Stanford, Harvard, or the National University of Singapore. But I probably won't be able to reach my mother's destination. Since the last station I was hoping for was on a different route from my mother's.

librarian

I always looked at her with the eyes of a child wanting lollipops. She lives alone Take care of the lonely high school library. Thin hands kept the books in place. Always arranged according to the system perfectly. Her skin was pale white. But the face without a smile looks devoid of suffering. She buried herself in a pile of books.

The pages are yellow and crisp. or being white and clean, being treated with equal care

I want to be like you

Be a librarian like you

My little brother might be shooting an orange ball into a hoop in front of millions of viewers. But I want to stay away from people's eyes. Watch him succeed in silence. Make yourself as little of a problem for other people as possible.

It's close to him. And I don't want to bury my desires deep in my heart.

I walked home alone

as before..

Everything is like coming. Just change the direction and time. In my head I thought about the exam that I couldn't do. and dreams of the future that still have to travel so far I turned onto the narrow road leading to the garage. The house is located among many other houses. The lawn is green and fresh because of rainwater.

A large bush of hydrangeas blooming in blue-purple flowers looks as cool as the person who grew it. ..My mother is not anyone.

I was surprised to see that the door was locked as it had been since I left. Mother hasn't returned yet. Sorn himself still hasn't arrived.

Mother may have work involved.

As for Sorn, he probably went out to open his eyes and ears like an exchange student would.

I pulled out the house key from a secret compartment in my backpack. Pressing the six-digit security code (very long and too much, even from my mother), I pushed open the door and entered the dark house. I turned on the light with the switch near the door. Take off your sneakers. Open the shoe closet door and place the rotten Converse on the bottom shelf. I was surprised again when I found that a new member was also in the cabinet.

...When you get home, why don't you turn on the lights?

...may not have arrived yet. Sorn has many pairs of shoes. That day, you saw

I walked into the kitchen, picked up a clear glass, opened the faucet and poured water to quench my thirst. But to find that my feet touched something too soft to be a piece of furniture, the kitchen was pitch black, my hands were damp with sweat, and I was stiff. I trusted my familiarity too much, dammit.

I mustered up all my courage to look down below. Fear returned again in a different form.

That body

Long hair covers part of the face She wore a long-sleeved t-shirt and long pants. The same outfit that Sorn wore last night.

Sor..

This is Sorn Sajjakuj, an exchange student who is staying at our house.

She was unconscious on the floor.

faster than thought I'm on the floor Hoping to shake her and wake her up. But the hot steam coming out of my body made me rush to find the first aid kit. Grab a digital thermometer and turn it on. Insert under the armpit The temperature rose until it stopped at a certain number which scared me crazy.

104.7 degrees Fahrenheit

I searched for the number on the phone. Call to find the only doctor among nearly a hundred names. Not even a minute of waiting on the line lasted like an eternity.

"doctor"

'What's up, Mark? Is something wrong?' He was Dr. Wang. He is a doctor who takes care of our family.

“An exchange student came to our house with a high fever of 104.7. She was unconscious. I don't know how long it's been.”

'What about breathing?'

"Normal."

'Good, lie on your side, use a cloth soaked in cold water or ice while you wait for the ambulance.'

I did as the doctor told me. Sorn did not respond to both basic and reflex stimulation. Not much time passed, but the feeling of anxiety made me unable to think. Apart from wiping himself and muttering religious prayers that he had never intended to recite before,

I may be a bad Christian. She may be a Buddhist. But please help mankind, your children.

Please protect me.

please..

The ambulance arrived in fifteen minutes. I'm in a fast moving vehicle. Sorn lay on the bed surrounded by the rescue team who were giving first aid and basic checks on his body. The sound of sirens wafting through the dense traffic in the big city towards the emergency room of the regional hospital. I was barred from performing my duties.

Doctor Wang in his green Viridian uniform smiled encouragingly. before the glass doors of the emergency room closed.

Continue (170607)

I watched the second hand move continuously. With a slow rhythm like a snail mating with a sloth. Without even knowing how much time had passed. It could be just five minutes, ten minutes, or as long as an hour. I sat and smelled the phenol. Disinfectants in hospitals Staring at the emergency room door sometimes

One of the officers would open the door for someone to go in or out. I scanned the narrow space with my eyes. You only have a few seconds to look for it. But I still can't find her old rose colored socks.

Until finally

My waiting is over.

The doctor hopes to open the frosted glass door of the emergency room. Looks completely tired He took off the mask covering his mouth, massaged the bridge of his nose, squeezed the nape of his neck, and smiled at me. "She's fine now. Her fever has gone down. It's good that her temperature isn't so high that she's convulsing." or the brainstem has been damaged But we still need to monitor the symptoms for a while.”

"Yes." It was like a whole mountain had been lifted from my chest. I knew she would be safe in the doctor's hands. But it was nothing compared to Doctor Wang saying she was safe.

"The problem is... She comes from the tropics So we can't trust contagious diseases like malaria, dengue fever, things like that." Crazy doctor...

"Before coming here, Sorn had to undergo a medical examination."

“Should we trust the quality of hospitals in such a poor Southeast Asian country? Come on, Mark. Don't risk it. You are the same. If you have any abnormal symptoms, you must see a doctor immediately."

I could only nod lightly. Dr. Wang is a skilled, honest, and methodical person. Father respects his skills very much. But the bad thing is Narrow-mindedness and likes to look down on others who he considers inferior.

It won't be bad at all. If the bed isn't properly carted out..

I could tell she was conscious. Although not yet fully And her English was good enough to understand what the doctor was saying. If you ask British people how they feel about Americans, They may give you a fake smile and say, 'Uncultured'

This is even worse..

I felt angry at the doctor in my heart. But I knew that there was nothing I could do about my anger. Both correct that narrow-mindedness. and punched his stubborn mouth to make it disappear once and for all

"Where will she be sent?"

"Until the blood test results come out You have no right to enter the restricted area, Mark.” He lowered his head and wrote a chart in his hand. “I hope well, you know.”

"thank you.."

"Good," then he left. The back beneath the green uniform became smaller and smaller until it disappeared from view.

Rules are rules, this is how I am. Give up on it easily. Just sitting stupidly on the same plastic chair. If Joey were here He might punch Doctor Wang at some point. Then he ran after Sorn, telling her over and over to forget what he had heard.

It's what I want to do. But I couldn't do it. She was probably hiding her tears from Vepel's watchful eyes.

..I'm just not brave enough.

My mother called me about half an hour later. To tell him to go home now

The first thing my mother asked was

'You don't have a fever, right?'

He looked so loving and concerned that I was almost moved to tears. Every mother is probably like this. Worried about his own child until he was blind and unable to see anyone else. Doctor Wang must have told Mom everything. And even though the blood results showed that she was fine But after this, we probably won't see each other often again. I know my mother well. She hung up on me. She probably contacted the AFS officer immediately. Tell them about your concerns and have them arrange a new host quickly.

I walked and searched for a long time. until we found the public relations counter I asked about the disease control area. The bright blonde officer gave her an uncertain look. There was no reason for an outsider to do anything in that area.

"I'm looking for my girlfriend. She's a nursing assistant." Make up a story, Mark.

"Call her to come see you here," the blonde mother said. She didn't even bother to look at me. Damn it.

“If you answered the phone I wouldn't disturb you. I'm flying to Papua New Guinea tomorrow. We probably won't see each other for another six months or so. How can I go when we haven't reconciled yet?" Mark Tuan deserves to be nominated for an Oscar. But I probably won't claim that award before DiCaprio does.

She looked at my face for a bit. An expression of half belief, half disbelief

“St. Anthony Building, fifth floor, walk from here. Continue along the path. At the end, turn right and there will be a path connecting to that building. You can use the small elevator on the left."

"thank you"

I walked straight along the walkway, turned right, and followed the walkway. Press the elevator on the lower left as she tells you. The short distance was quiet as a few officers walked hurriedly by. It's suitable for a hospital. It wasn't long before the metallic door opened. I ducked out of the way of a large group of nursing students (

has the words "small nursing student" embroidered on the chest of his shirt) and finally inserted himself into the elevator.

It only takes a moment to get from the first floor to the fifth floor.

I know very well that Doctor Wang is telling the truth. And there was nothing I could do more than speak to the doorknob that held Sorn inside.

But even so.

It made me feel a little better. After really doing that Under the watchful eyes of the nurse looking through the room glass. But at least it was better than just walking home. Act like nothing happened.

A fever that high can be life-threatening. I don't want to imagine it. How lonely it would be to leave in a foreign land.

I walked home Strolling for many kilometers in the pouring rain. The sky on a moonless night is dark. Not a single star can withstand the bright lights and smoke of LA. We have everything here from a nanotechnology research center to the world's best burger joint. But we are missing out on what appears every day in the skies in countries we label underdeveloped.

I couldn't see anything in the sky except the sound of flashing lights from the tops of tall office buildings. That ugly red light is our L.A. star. The sidewalk is wet. I was soaked from head to toe. My vision was blurred by raindrops. I had no umbrella, no money to buy one, no card, and only Mark Tuan.

Tasteless, wet clothes And the phone that was knocked over died because of water entering it.

I miss that morning. I miss our cold hands holding each other tightly. I miss your smile. I think that if I paid more attention to her If I let her sleep for a day to relieve jet lag, If I go home quickly today I might find Sorn before she faints.

It might not be this bad.

Mark Tuan is really bad.

I stopped and stood in front of the door of the house. Ring the bell once. The door swung open immediately. Mom grabbed me and hugged me. Her trembling hand stroked my back. Dad, who was watching TV, glanced in my direction and moved his mouth, understanding that 'Your mother is going crazy'

"I'm fine. The person who lost consciousness is the source of the problem." I slowly pushed my mother away as gently as possible.

“Why are you so wet? If you didn't take your wallet, you should have called a taxi to take it home. What should I do if I feel sick?"

"Fever, bed rest Just take the medicine and it's gone. Don't worry." So did Sorn's fever. I'm sure it's just because of a little rest. from jet lag The raindrops that we ran through to school And the weather changes from where you come from

"Go take a shower."

I took a long shower like usual. It was so long that Joey yelled at him not to bury his head in the toilet and kill himself right now. It's lazy to collect corpses.

The bedroom is normally messy. I dug out a t-shirt with a wrinkled neck and football shorts from the closet to put on. Then I decided to read and review the literature subject that I took the exam for this morning. I might get an F. But graduating without knowledge is even more embarrassing. The broken wheelchair made a squeaking sound every time it moved. Joey, who was drafting at the next table, threw a lump of paper at him and made an annoyed noise in his throat.

"Buy a new chair Or go read in bed. I need to meditate."

I didn't answer, just pretended to move and stretch hard.

It's already a new day. But we haven't seen each other for a minute. Joey, who has been working hard for a long time, seems to have finally come to his satisfaction. He turned off the warm light. Just as I got up from my chair. Go press the switch to turn off the fluorescent light bulbs on the ceiling. We went to bed quietly.

I don't feel sleepy at all.

And Joey would be no different.

"There's one thing you need to know," Joey said, breaking into the silence. I curled my legs and hugged the pillow.

"yeah.."

"When will you leave the hospital? ...Even if Sorn isn't sick. You have to go--" Buying the lotto isn't exactly like this. I mean, people like you..

"Have you found a host yet?"

“Ah, a person of Taiwanese descent. There's a sixty-three-year-old aunt living on a pension at home with her son who's studying for a doctorate in behavioral economics at MIT."

"That's good." Is that good? What's good? You don't even know her yet.

“If you say so, that's fine. If you're willing to stop just like this If I'm not going to leave anything for you, I'll remember you."

"yeah..."

I heard a gasp in my throat from the bottom bunk.

"It's like this. Even though I'm just a loser..."

"Uh..." I felt a tremor. The poor bedpost becomes Joey's outlet for his feelings for his stupid older brother.

I'm really going to give up. That's it.

It might just be the first time you like it. I was captivated by everything from her looks, smile, voice to the way she spoke.

Is it just passion or...

I know better than anyone. My heart beats faster when I see that beautiful smile. The warmth that spreads in the palm of your hand even when the rain pours down. It made me unable to lie to myself anymore. No matter what name this feeling is called Whether it was just a fleeting passion Or love at first sight that will be engraved in our memories for a long time.

I want it to be as valuable as possible. Even those who feel There's only me on one side.