Waxing Moon by H.S. Kim

candle, and gasped. “Gods! What on earth are you doing, Big Sister?”
    “Get a bowl of water. She is sick. Can’t you see?” Nani said, in an exaggerated tone of voice, just as her mother had used to speak to her when she was busy.
    “All right. What happened?” Soonyi asked as she was leaving the room for the kitchen, knowing she wouldn’t get an answer.
    “Bring a spoon too,” Nani commanded.
    When Soonyi came back with a bowl of water, Nani held Mirae up and asked Soonyi to feed her water with the spoon.
    “She is not swallowing it, Big Sister!” Soonyi cried.
    Nani was sweating profusely now too. She thought hard, her teeth rattling from nervousness and her eyes focusing on the candlelight.
    “Bring me a clean cloth,” Nani said.
    “Where is it?” Soonyi asked, moving her innocent eyes uncertainly.
    “In the cupboard. In the kitchen. I don’t know. Look for it!”
    Soonyi frowned and sulked, pouting her lips. She went to the kitchen. The gray light from the east was emerging, and the roosters in the distance were announcing it. She looked about to find a clean cloth in the kitchen. She saw the low table on which she had served dried cuttlefish and sesame cookies to Mr. O’s visitor the day before. The cookies were untouched. She ate one. It was even better than yesterday. A little less crunchy, but sweeter from the oozing honey. She ate another. She drank a little plum wine from the jug. That was the only wine she liked, because it was sweet.
    Nani examined the skin of Mirae’s chest. It was a whole new world. It resembled the flesh of a peeled peach. It gleamed, blinding her.
    “Big Sister, is this good enough?” Soonyi came in and showed her a piece of white cloth that was used in the kitchen for making bean curd.
    Nani sighed, and snatched it from Soonyi’s hand. “We need to dress her in the dry clothes. You hold her from behind and I will put the clothes on,” Nani said. Mirae did not put up a fight.
    Nani dipped the cloth in the water and let the end of it hang in the hot mouth of Mirae, letting her suck the moisture.
    “She needs to rest. Make sure she gets water constantly, even if it’s one drop at a time. I am going to ask Mistress Yee what I should do about this. Stay right here,” Nani ordered, pointing her finger at Soonyi.
    “I am not going anywhere, Big Sister,” said Soonyi, looking worried.
    Nani left the room and walked up the steps to go across the yard to Mistress Yee’s quarters. Her head felt light.
    Min was walking toward the kitchen with split wood on his back for the stove. He was already sweating on his neck. As he disappeared into the rear entrance of the kitchen, Nani thought about Mirae’s radiant skin. She walked faster and went to the outhouse, and when she came out, Min was coming toward her to go outside to do other chores. He passed Nani without acknowledging her presence. Nani picked up a pebble and hesitated for a moment, but before he went too far, she threw the pebble and hit him on his back. He turned around and shot a glance at her.
    Nani sighed in frustration.
    Min strode toward her and picked her up by the arms and put her back down on the ground. She slapped him hard because she felt frightened. His Adam’s apple moved up and down. He stared at her for a moment, turned around reluctantly, and began to walk away. “Idiot!” Nani said to the back of his head.
    Min turned around and looked down at his feet. A group of busy ants worked right by his foot. He moved carefully, so as not to step on them. He looked down once more, as if making sure the creatures were all right. He stared at Nani’s skirt blankly and then his glance moved to her feet.
    Her toes wiggled. Her fingers fidgeted. She wondered what Min was thinking. He came over to her slowly and grabbed her hand. His palm was moist and hot. They walked toward the storage room. She had the key to it. They entered in silence and closed the door behind them. In the dark they stood immobilized