âI⦠I really should have aborted her back then! I shouldnât have given birth to her! We canât afford to have such an insensible daughter!â
âMom, please, donât send me awayâ¦â
I begged Dongyu in a hoarse voice, âBrother, I donât want to study abroad. I begged Mom, but she wouldnât listen to me. Brother⦠Does Dad not want me anymore? Does Mom not want me anymore too?â
âItâs useless whatever you say! Iâve already made arrangements with your aunt! When she returns, Iâll send you away!ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
With that, she stood up and walked towards her room.
Dongyu suddenly dropped onto his knees. He couldnât hold it in anymore and broke down, crying uncontrollably. âMom! I want her! Even if you donât want her! I want her! Even if the whole world doesnât want her, I want her! If you send my sister away, I swear Iâll never forgive you!â
âDisgraceful thing! Silence!â
My father slapped him on the face and pointed at him angrily. âTake back your words!â
âI want her!â
Dongyu was unbelievably stubborn. âYou canât send her away!â
Bam!
He got another slap.
I cried and clung on to my fatherâs pants. âDad, stop hitting him! Stop hitting Brotherâ¦â
But my father didnât even look at me. He glared at Dongyu, his eyes bloodshot.
My father and brother confronted each otherâs gaze for a long time. Dongyu then said again with great clarity, âI want her!â
Bam!
âI want her!â
Bam!
â¦
I donât know how many times my father slapped him that day. Perhaps it was to establish his authority as the head of the family, or perhaps he felt that Dongyu was too stubborn and he wanted to tame the boy.
However, Dongyu was more stubborn than I thought.
Even though his face was flushed red, he kept repeating, âI want her!â
â¦
âI want her!â
â¦
âI want her!â
â¦
That night, Dongyu was locked away on the balcony while I was being locked up in my room. I leaned against the window and looked at him kneeling on the balcony.
He had his back to me and was facing away from the house. The cold wind was getting stronger, but I couldnât get out. I couldnât get to his side and kneel with him in the cold night air.
For the next few days, I was locked up in my room. My mother prepared three meals a day and brought them to me. Other than that, the door was locked from the outside. I had no way of coming into contact with the rest of the world.
I was isolated like a dangerous psychopath.
Until one night, someone suddenly unlocked the door from outside.
I sat up in bed, alarmed and on guard.
I thought my mother had opened the door and was about to send me away in the night, but it was Dongyu who walked into the room.
He had a small bag slung over his shoulder. When he saw me, he put his finger to his lips and shushed me.
âTheyâre all asleep!â
He walked in and shut the door lightly behind him. Then he walked over to my bed and whispered, âI stole the keys and some money. Iâll take you away from here, okay?â
âYouâre taking me away?â
I was stunned and stared at him for a long time. I couldnât believe that these words came out of Dongyuâs mouth.
âWhere are we going?â
âAnywhere is fine!â
Dongyu held my hand tightly and smiled encouragingly. âXiachun, leave this place with me. Even if they donât want you, I do. Iâll stop school and look for a job to support you, okay?â
I was even more stunned. Tears welled up in my eyes.
âWhat nonsense are you speaking?â
âIâm not speaking nonsense! Iâve been thinking about this for the past two days.â