CHAPTER 8
Jae realized something was wrong as soon as he walked into the house. It was past midnight, but his position at the police office would protect him from punishment for breaking curfew. “What happened?” He didn’t bother addressing Father, who sat staring out the kitchen window, but went straight to Mother’s bed. He knelt down and placed his hand on her heaving shoulder. “What’s wrong, Mother?”
“She’s left us.” She grabbed Jae’s arm in both of hers and sobbed into his bicep. “Our Sun’s gone.”
His heart constricted in his chest. He smoothed out Mother’s graying hair and clucked his tongue the same way he used to soothe his little sister when she was still a baby. “We don’t know that. She might have gone visiting. Maybe she missed curfew and decided to spend the night with one of
