"What is this?" I asked.
Upon a closer look, I saw that his hair was messily tousled, as if he'd been standing in the wind for a long while.
"Medicine."
He uttered only a single word, gave me the medicine, then walked away.
He seemed slightly intoxicated - presumably his private chauffeur had come to pick him up.
His car was parked right behind me; I hadn't paid much attention to it and had not noticed it previously.
In all honesty, if Michael were to extend an olive branch to me at this moment, I might actually accept it.
Tonight, I am feeling very vulnerable.
Desiring a safe haven to anchor my drifting heart.
I opened the packet and looked at the medication–all of it for allergies.
I let out a bitter chuckle, without even a bottle of water at hand, I dry swallowed the pills.
Perhaps at this moment, the only things keeping me going were pain and discomfort.
When I returned home, apart from my parents, there was an extra person present.
My younger brother, Joe.
He was flanked on either side by our parents, who were attending to him as if he were royalty; one was peeling oranges for him, the other massaging his shoulders.
The coffee table was replete with a variety of snacks and fruits.
Even without considering it for long, I knew they were bought with my money.
"How did you come back?
Aren't you studying abroad?"
I asked Joe.
Without even giving me a glance, he kept playing mobile games on his phone.
"I'm tired of studying.
Besides, I don't have as much money as my classmates do to go out and play every day.
There's no fun in it.
It's better to come back."
Hearing his words, I was absolutely livid.
Although the connection was made by James Brown, it was me who had been bearing the expense of his overseas study.
Our parents had been giving him plenty of money for spending too.
Others went abroad to study, working part-time while studying diligently.
Yet, all he cared about was enjoyment!
"Who allowed you to come back without asking for my opinion?
I am the one bearing your tuition, and you say you will drop out just like that!
Do you think money just falls from the sky?"
I was so angry that I grabbed the phone from Joe's hand, threw it on the coffee table, and yelled at him.
Mom gave me a harsh glare, picked up his phone, handed it back to him, and said, "He's your younger brother.
Why are you so aggressive?
If he doesn't want to study, let it be.
It's hard for me to see him when he's so far away.
It's better if he's back."
I knew that my parents adored their young son.
But their total disregard for my feelings still hurt me to the core.
Now, the whole family is living in my place, expecting me to shoulder the burden of supporting them all.
When I can't even provide for myself, how can I take care of them?!
Exasperated, I spoke coldly to Joe: "Since you don't want to study, then go to work.
After all, you are 22 years old."
"No, I have mom and dad to support me," Joe retorted.
"What mom and dad?!
In the end, isn't it me who's supporting you?!"
Mom got upset at this, shut me up, and told me to let Joe sleep in the room.
She and Dad would squeeze on the sofa and suggest that I sleep on the floor or crash at a friend's place.
Next day, we could rent a bigger house.
Suddenly, I was filled with despair.
We don't even have extra blankets in the house; how am I supposed to sleep on the floor?!
At this late hour, who am I supposed to go to?!
I looked coldly at the harmonious family of three, feeling like I was the superfluous one.
Since they didn't treat me as their daughter, I really didn't want to burden myself any further.
I returned to my room, packed my stuff, and left with my suitcase.
Likely guessing that I was going to see friends, my mother merely glanced at me and continued caring for her darling son.
After shutting the door heavily, I exhaled a breath of relief.
Looking at the empty street, however, I had no idea where to go.
At this moment, all I could do was to turn to Sarah.
I placed a call to her, only to find out she was vacationing abroad.
This left me truly helpless and at my wit's end.
Flipping through the numbers in my phone book, I stopped when my eyes landed on the name Micheal.