Extra Onion

Ha-Eun had her head between her knees, sniffing and crying softly as the rain poured heavily. She sat at the bottom of the staircase leading up into the front entrance of the school, barely being sheltered by a flimsy piece of metal hung over the staircase.

The club recruition flyer was crumpled into a ball and stuffed into the trash bin, tucking it deep into the trash. Ha-Eun wiped the tears off her face and took a deep breath, calming herself.

"Ha-Eun?" Byeol stood in front of Ha-Eun, holding an umbrella while panting. "Ha-Eun!" She ran towards Ha-Eun, she was completely covered in water from the waist down. "Ha-Eun." Byeol dropped her umbrella and hugged Ha-Eun, wrapping her warm arms around Ha-Eun's cold body.

Ha-Eun was caught off guard by this gesture but she wrapped her arms around Byeol. Her cold body contrasted with Ha-Eun's warm body, the two of them seeking comfort in one another. "Byeol." She grabbed Byeol's hair, holding her closer. "I saw dad." She cried into Byeol's shoulder.

"It's okay." Byeol clutched and grabbed onto Ha-Eun's shirt, holding her even tighter. The wind starting blowing towards them, knocking over Byeol's umbrella which was laying on the stairs. "It's cold, do you want to go home?" Byeol loosened her grip and sat next to Ha-Eun.

"Yeah." Ha-Eun grabbed her skirt as a singular tear drop fell from her eyes.

xxxxx

"I'm home." Jaeneung unlocked the door, pushing it inwards. "I brought dinner." The rain was still pouring heavily, thunder roared in the far distant.

"Jaeneung!" A small boy came running at Jaeneung, he looked exactly like him, just a shorter version. He also had black scruffy hair, just like his brother.

"Jong-in, have you eaten?" Jaeneung sat down on the floor, placing his fingers into his sock and taking it off. "My shoes..." Jaeneung realised he wasn't wearing shoes. He left them in class.

"I haven't! What did you buy?" Jong-in ran over to the brown paper bag that gave off an amazing aroma. "What is it?"

"It's your favorite, hamburger." Jaeneung raised the bag, shaking it. "Extra onion, no tomato." He smiled as he gave it to Jong-in who had a grin from one end of his face to the other.

"You bought anything for me?" A woman walked out from one of the rooms, wearing pink lingerie and holding a cigarette in between her fingers. She had heavy eyeliner and purple lipstick and messy curly black hair.

"You can take care of yourself." Jaeneung stood up, wiping his foot on the carpet.

"Rude." She took a puff of her cigarette.

"Don't smoke in here." Jaeneung walked up to her and ripped the cigarette out of her hand.

"Hey!" The woman raised her voice.

"What?" Jaeneung looked at her with his eyes. Even though he couldn't see anything, his eyes could pierce through your soul. She didn't say anything, she dropped the cigarette onto the floor.

They were living in a pretty small apartment, there was only one bedroom and they shared one toilet. Jaeneung walked over to the refrigerator, opening it and taking a can of soda out. "Did you pay rent yet?" Jaeneung asks the woman.

"No, I just slept with him." She took a sit on the couch.

"What a whore." Jaeneung whispered under her breath. Jong-In was sitting on the couch, eating his hamburger. "I'll pay you tomorrow, I don't have the full amount today." He walked over to the kitchen, which was in the living room and took a cup out, turning the tap on and filling it up with water.

"That's okay, just make sure you have it by tomorrow." She took a big stack of cash from her pocket.

"Has auntie Jessica been treating you well, Jong-In?" Jaeneung walked over to the couch, putting the can of soda on the table and placing his cup of water on the table.

"Yes! She brought me out to the park to play with dogs!" Jong-In said as pieces of onions flew out of his mouth.

"Told you I'd be an amazing mom." Jessica remarked.

"Yeah, I'm grateful you didn't kill my brother." Jaeneung said sarcastically as he sat down and took a sip of his water.

"How was your first day? Did you get a girlfriend?" Jessica asked as if she was his mom.

"I may be blind but I know I'm not that handsome. I didn't meet anyone new except for a girl in my class who sat next to me. She's cute." Jaeneung took another sip of his water. There were little particles and debris floating in the water, like the filter was broken. "This water taste like shit."

"That's what you get when you don't have enough money to pay the water bill." Jessica laughed. "Look on the bright side, you've got something covering your head." She pointed up to the ceiling which had scratch marks and drill holes.

"Yeah, sure." Jaeneung felt a vibration in his pocket, it was his phone. He took it out and pressed on the home button. "Hey Syree, open up my notifications." The phone didn't make a sound.

"Tch." Jessica took the phone off Jaeneung and just opened the message. "It's from the landlord, he wants to see you. Now." Jessica handed the phone back to Jaeneung.

"Is everything okay?" Jong-In asked Jaeneung.

"Yeah, just enjoy your hamburger, I'll be out for a couple minutes." Jaeneung gave Jong-In a headpat and got off the couch, walking to the door. "While I'm gone, give Jong-In a shower." He wore a pair of slippers and opened the door, walking out.

"Who does he think he is?" Jessica took a cigarette out that was cushioned in between the couch cushions.

xxxxx

"I think I've made it abundantly clear that you can't live here. You're not Jessica's legal children." The landlord was sitting at his desk with a cigarette in his hand. The two of them were in the apartment building's laundry room, which was where his office was located.

"But I'm paying the rent, no?" Jaeneung was standing up, his hands on the table.

"Well yes, but that's not the problem. In a week, some agent is coming here to check on the conditions of this shit hole, and they're going to check each room's piping, heating and electricity individually. You're under eighteen so you're illegally renting out an apartment, I would yet in hot water for that." The landlord was wearing a white t shirt with yellow stains on it which was clearly too tight for him.

"Then find a way." Jaeneung said as he turned around, placing his hands into his pockets. "Or I'll beat you up."

"No, you have to leave!" The landlord banged on the table with his hand. "You can't fix everything by violence-"

Jaeneung turned around and kicked the table, completely smashing it into two from the middle. "Watch."