YeongMi was beginning to accept the fact that she would be spending the night in this room, with chairs that were more uncomfortable than the ones in American schools.

So it figured that just when she was getting as comfortable as she could, planking across 3 chairs and burying her head between her arms, she was interrupted.

"Today's your lucky day," she was picked up by the cops, how lucky was that? "Someone's here to bring you home."

Home? They can't mean take her to the family house?

YeongMi considered just staying put, but she knew her parents were out of town, and anything would be better than these stiff chairs.

She stood up, her pounding head causing more grief than she could bear. She stumbled forward, feeling like her eyes were melting inside of her head.

Her eyes met the soft face of her parents' housekeeper, and memories of her childhood flooded her as she took in the aged face.

~
"Young mistress, what's wrong this time?"

"Alei hit me again."

"Why don't we tell your parents?"

"No! I'm grown up, I can take it."
~
"Young mistress, don't you want to come out?"

The young YeongMi scowled at the locked door, sitting on her windowsill with books scattered at her feet.

"Never! Mommy said I was stupid. I won't come out until I'm smarter than Einstein!"
~
"Young mistress - "

The woman was shocked as the child threw herself in her arms, for once accepting the comfort of her inviting bosom.

"Do you hate me? I know I'm rotten, mommy says I'll never do anything right. Will I never do anything right?"

"I think you'll do wonderful things, young mistress."

"Can you call me YeongMi? Just this once?"

"I don't think so, young mistress."

A whisper, "I wish you were my mother."
~

Miss Yi smiled sweetly as she stared at the grown up YeongMi.

It had been too long, and she was surprised at how much YeongMi had changed. The young, vulnerable girl was replaced with a headstrong, rough, gorgeous young woman. She felt a small burst of pride, but it was soon overshadowed with shame, wishing she could have done more for the girl. Maybe if she had, then YeongMi would have grown up as a happier girl.

She could remember nothing but the anguished look in her eyes as a child, and the small, delicate hands that would clench into fists by her sides. She remembered torn up lips from incessant biting, and messy hair falling over her face. She remembered the exact moment when YeongMi stopped being a sad child and became an angry girl.

She hadn't seemed to grow out of that one, quite yet.

She was silent until they got into the car; for the best, really, as the hour long drive would have been awkward with silence between them.

"Master Boo called me. He was very worried after receiving a call from your parents."

Of course her parents hadn't arranged this. They'd prefer her to rot away in that holding cell, pretending she didn't exist.

"He asked that you call him when we get home."

But YeongMi didn't have a home.

YeongMi stared at the familiar car.

As far as she could tell, the damage she had done to it earlier was repaired.

And she realized that her parents weren't at this home. Everything she had done to spite them, had only fallen onto Miss Yi's shoulders.

Guilt and embarrassment weighed down on her, and she glanced sideways at the woman.

The woman who had dealt with her childhood temper tantrums, her mood swings, and the drama she had centred. The woman, who even now, was tasked with cleaning up her messes.

It was almost a lesson on humility for YeongMi.

As they drove into the driveway, YeongMi's stomach tightened. Last time she had been down this, she very well could have died, with how reckless she had been.

She noticed that the broken statue was gone, and there was an empty space on the cracked podium.

Her throat closed up, but she forced herself to grab Miss Yi's shoulder, pausing her exit.

"Thank you, and," this was the hardest thing to say, and the lump in her throat grew, "I'm sorry, for everything."

"Oh, young mistress, it's quite alright."

YeongMi smiled softly, nodding before exiting the car.

She followed Miss Yi inside, all the way to the bathroom. There was an unsaid agreement, and YeongMi sat obediently on the edge of the bathtub while Miss Yi got started on tending to her face.

She did her best not to wince, only clicking her ankles together to give away her discomfort.

Miss Yi did it quickly, her experienced hands moving of their own accord, delicately brushing the skin. YeongMi felt at ease, despite the unwanted memories blocking her head.

She took the pills Miss Yi offered without hesitation, and she let Miss Yi hold onto her arm to lead her to her old room.

She noticed that it was just as she had left it - save for the mess of junk on her floor, one last tantrum before she left.

She let Miss Yi help her out of her dress, stepping out of her shoes and falling on the bed.

Her eyes felt heavy, and she knew the pills were making her drowsy. Groggily, she noticed Miss Yi slipping her into a nightgown.

By the time she was moved under the covers, she couldn't even open her eyes.

"Young master, she's alright. I'm sorry, she's fallen asleep faster than expected. Yes, I'll check on her every hour.... Yes, I'll tell her....  yes, of course. Goodbye, sir."

YeongMi wanted to smile, but she was out before her lips could raise up.