I Am Sensible

s didn't

ved my young

ld give in to him bec

iced everything for

my parents waited with bated breath outside t

and said the surgery was succe

t the transplanted heart

ssful, and he had no adverse rea

on how rare it was to f

d I couldn't help but wonder how we

rents were

g the doctor and

t the heart condition that had plagued my br

ht had been lifted

ctor for a long time, ex

d they wanted to tha

nd then told them that I had req

girl who had selflessly donated

elp grinning, as I rarely get praised before,

rly remarked, "My eldest daughter is also 18 but doesn't even care to visit her sick brother. You don't real

called me an un

e didn't

rought my br

ter his illness, he now had a

condition, the doctor had said that without

d with the expectation of dea

ssful surgery, as long as he avoided strenuo

r's side, bending down to listen to his heartb

just a spirit and

fident that my h

me off work to ca

received a call from

er end said I had bee

mpatiently hung up. "Why are there so many scammers

blocked t

uldn't help but wonder if she w

she busied herself maki

over to ta

, a prized h

got to taste it

up into my brother's roo

my brother

y mother never allowed

as for resting and stu

tasted soup

s frail, if I ate mor

althy and didn't

time was n

e family, care for my brother, an

d was to be

me would be that I wouldn't have t

my parents had to c

for adults. Pride was useless in modern times

o much, there was al

parents

s medical bills, as soon as I appeared at home, no matter where, they

he start of each school term, tuition and l

art-time jobs during winter an

k my parent

ing my requests, happily discussin

t of things to say wo

father would as

ousand for living expenses for the semester." Fearing they

er's living expenses mean

llowance was equivalent

, fashion brands, and food ev

cheapest meals and how to buy food onl

needed money, he crossed his arm

ust see us as a tool to make money, right? When will you understand our struggles? We wor

ead, letting t

ould be seen as talking back and re

ime that my father took out two thousand dollars as

Dad," I said numbl

by handing out flyers and doing odd jobs because my fath

of eating simple food

. I was dead and didn't have t

ents with a chill, which was muc

I died, my spirit could

their parents, their spirit must follo

t def

I had to follow my

about it fel

y in the morning, I suddenly remembered

drifted back

ted my birthday

born, I was the cheris

y, and my grandmother wasn't th

etown, bringing a bunch of fruits she picked at home,

d gather around me, b

ents had endless

ng a boy with a congenital heart d

ttention shifted

ly tell me that as the older siste

as the older sister, I

y brother did, I ha

fault, I had to be

old his hand, carefully checking for injuries,

with anger. "Didn't you see your brother bre

hard, ordering me t

my brother had was filled with the medicine

ously from the surface, a t

how scalding hot freshl

t she hadn't p

versight that caused my brother to d

taken hours to prepare,

t she wouldn't take

ented her frus

aning up the shards, my mom would frown at me

as also thei

parents didn't love me when

hild's tenth birthday should be celebrated wit

y's hopes and dreams fo

rents were always busy taking care o

our neighbor's daughter, I started counting

yone would gather around, and m

ut it made me too

thday, the house wa

I usually couldn't bear to we

agerly waiting for t

came home u

my brother his stomach medicine, and

ushed me away. "What

ssionless face and my

r my tenth bir

ungrateful brat, your brother is sick and costs so much money. Where do we have the spa

It's so ugly. How long have you had these clothes? Still

her tap, feeling wronged. "But

eemed to finally take

nt to my room and

er the neighbor's daughter couldn't

seemed to be the

lect towards me and, for the fir

t comforting

er left hand and only held mine for a short w

awberry cake for me, saying m

strawberry flavor, I wa

eautiful, and the glass reflected

l didn't get to eat

my mom rushed him to the hospital,

for my mom. She should have come to pick

hop owner was about to close

ding hurt, disappointment, and

o terms with my mom'

t some crumpled bills from my pocket, ran inside, a

d, looking at m

to that look whenever

and picked a small matc

een eyeing the matc

t that she knew how to do business a

patted my head and wished me a

rthday wish I heard

took the

ghts spilled from every house, cre

the fifth floor, checki

it was sti

the door for a long

my parents hadn

so forgotten

ake in front of me, clasped my h

y parents forgot my b

nd for my brother to get better, hopi

that last part aloud. I

blew as if there were,

as complete i

or a long time, but my

the cold wind swept

hter, trying to curl up

door opened fr

rised and

me, why didn't they o

ry. "I'm the one who washes your clothes, so what a

me stunned, and I dumbly

, didn't even look up and said, "Where have you been fooling ar

e left. I thought I should wait fo

e soap suds from her hands before coming over to twist my ear. "Did I tell you to wa

my brother

I said softly, looking d

n, my mom erupted in anger, wagging

at just ten years old. "How can you be so heartless? You

y hand, she seemed to want to a

from my hands and tos

cream and matcha powd

I never had

nsured I had warm meals, a small com

rother, so she left the land she had tended for d

as so hungry that I rummaged through

ng the summ

ht wander off, decided to

y mom was busy with work and taking

ld look after me, their 8-

eithe

for me except wilted gr

I had seen on TV

ed terrible, I was conten

power and wate

nts had forgotten

at, I lay on the bed

felt dizzy and fai

p, it was alr

cool breeze blew in, disper

ted t

eless. No one wou

electricity, I

able, I drank water, gulp

didn'

h hurt ev

food from last time, whic

a sticky, mushy mess, emitting a sour

as too

I shoved it into my mouth in a few b

my stomach fee

of steel to eat like t

lways said I stole

arrived, it was

e lock turning, like th

emembered me, I ran baref

n, I was surprised. "Gra

appearance with some distress.

elling the odor on me, and asked how

my head, e

days, and I had only managed to wipe

y body was already cover

electricity are out. I

this. "Where are your parents? W

siness trip, and Mom hasn't come home.

ould speak, my stom

ll meal for strength, my grandma believed I neede

brought in her basket and went to p

back to co

and vegetables.

I swore it was the be

as t

h a bit of spice that wasn't overwhelmi

was del

ish was swee

eaten in days, my grandma co

rents. "Those heartless people, only caring about the younger child,

the food was almo

like it wo

he sofa, grabbed some tissues,

ng. Aren't you here to keep me compa

my grandma

who was loved co

her homemade buns. Seeing there weren't enough

it by an out-of-control ca

ng the small bread

uneral, I knelt n

me as soon as he entered the door. "You little bastard, if yo

it. She stopped my furious dad, standing i

he city to take care of her? In the height of summer, on the fifth floor, do you two adults not understand how hot it gets after

nd paused, awkward

it their negligence, stub

bad luck, first for her brother, and now for h

me away, not allowing me to kneel

grandma mus

ht he w

ther's health improved rapidly, and

y to let him re

away from peers would a

heir children's best

her, both physically and

my mom meticulously organize

the same school, but my mo

, always dragging my luggage to sch

ir daughter lovingly. "Learn from Corynn. She packs her things herself ev

ng, then hug her mom's arm and act spoiled. "Mom, you're

eyes felt like they were pricke

ly turned into my m

rifted back t

you. Thea hasn't been to school for a while due to surgery. Her

s to my brother's roommates, hopin

e and kind, patient and close

he never like

a bit

and blew a co

hivered simultaneously, puzzled b

g a bit triumphan

thing for my brother,

the vibrant young boys and girls, my mo

ghter, also atte