Anna woke up to the sound of heavy rain pounding against her window. The room felt cool, and the gray light filtering through the curtains told her it was still early.
She stretched her arms lazily, groaning softly as she sat up, listening to the steady rhythm of the rain. The wind howled outside, shaking the trees and splattering raindrops against the glass.
Anna smiled to herself, enjoying the cozy feeling of being warm and dry inside while the storm raged on. She put on her glasses, swung her legs out of bed, and walked over to the window.
Pulling back the curtain, Anna saw the world outside soaked in rain, with puddles forming on the ground and water streaming down the streets. Her eyes scanned the car parked outside the house—David had arrived home last night.
"No, peaceful days are finally over," Anna muttered, exhaling a cold breath in annoyance. She tied her hair into a high ponytail and stepped out of her room.
Anna and her siblings had always had a difficult relationship with their father. Kevin almost hated him, blaming David for the death of their biological mother. Anna felt the same way, but she tried to hide her feelings to keep the peace in the family. As she walked down the stairs, she heard loud voices coming from her parents' room.
As usual, Jennifer was upset with David for not coming home for several days. David, not in the mood to argue, had been dealing with a tough situation. After an unexpected heavy rain, the police had to pause their investigation. Feeling overwhelmed, David went to a bar to drink and escape from his harsh reality. As always, he avoided taking responsibility, using his work as an excuse to shield himself.
"Morning, guys," Anna greeted Serena and Kevin, joining them at the dining table.
"The old man is back; good days are over," Kevin said, rolling his eyes.
Serena scoffed, "And guess what the first thing he did was."
"Fighting with Mom," Anna answered.
"He's the worst dad I've ever seen," Serena muttered.
"Agreed," Kevin added.
"But still, guys, you have an escape. You both can hang out with your friends, go out, and have fun. And me? I have nothing to do," Anna said in a low tone, picking up a piece of toast and a glass of orange juice for breakfast.
"That's so sad," Serena said dramatically.
"Why don't you apply for a job at Mr. Han's bookshop? He's searching for a responsible worker anyway," Kevin suggested.
Mr. Han, an old man, owned a small bookshop. Anna had been buying books from his shop for a long time. She loved spending time there, sipping a cup of coffee. The idea of working in the shop excited Anna.
"Well, that's a good idea. I'm going to visit the shop today and apply for a job," Anna said, her eyes beaming.
"You think I don't know where you were last night? You smell like alcohol, David! How long are you going to keep this up?" Jennifer shouted, her voice rising.
"I had a rough day, okay? I needed a drink to clear my head. You don't understand the pressure I'm under!" David shot back.
"Pressure? What about the pressure you put on this family? You're never here, and when you are, you're either drunk or making excuses!" Jennifer retorted.
David slammed his hand on the dresser, the loud thud echoing into the dining room. "I don't have to listen to this!" he shouted, storming out of the room.
Anna watched her father in disappointment as he stormed out. The house fell silent except for the sound of the rain outside. Serena exchanged a glance with Kevin, all of them feeling the weight of their father's actions. Jennifer stood in the doorway, her shoulders slumped, looking exhausted.
"You can't always escape like this," Jennifer said in a trembling voice. "Besides being a police officer, you're a husband and a father."
David stopped. He turned back and looked at Jennifer. "I know I'm a husband and a father. I know that very well. That's why I'm trying to protect all of us. You don't know how much danger this town is facing right now," he said.
Kevin shoved his plate away and stood up. "You're not a superhero, Dad. So stop trying to be," he shouted, his face red with anger.
Anna turned to Kevin, "Stop it, please."
Serena stood in annoyance quietly, waiting for a chance to leave.
"Kevin, this is our private matter, and we'll handle it," Jennifer said firmly. "Don't get involved."
"I can't stop myself," Kevin shouted back. "I'm too tired of seeing a drunk man who always escapes reality, who is terrible at his job and a horrible person," he spilled all his feelings in one breath.
David's face turned red with anger. He stepped closer to Kevin, his fists clenched. "You think you can talk to me like that?" he shouted, his voice shaking with rage.
Kevin didn't back down. He grabbed David's collar, pulling him closer. "You're a terrible father, and I'm done pretending you're not!" Kevin yelled, his voice cracking with emotion.
Jennifer panicked. She rushed forward, trying to pull Kevin away. "Stop it, both of you!" she cried, but her voice was drowned out by the shouting.
Serena froze in fear, her eyes wide. Tears streamed down her face as she watched her father and brother fight. "Please, stop!" she sobbed, but no one seemed to hear her.
David shoved Kevin hard, making him stumble back. Kevin lunged forward, swinging his fist at David. The two of them crashed into the wall, knocking a picture frame to the floor. Jennifer screamed, trying to wedge herself between them, but they were too strong.
Anna couldn't take it anymore. Her anger boiled over. She grabbed a flower vase from the table and slammed it onto the ground. The loud crash made everyone freeze. "ENOUGH!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the house. Broken pieces of the vase scattered across the floor. "Stop fighting! You're tearing this family apart, Dad."
The room fell silent except for Serena's quiet crying. David and Kevin stood apart, breathing heavily, their faces flushed with anger and shame. Jennifer looked at Anna, her eyes filled with tears. The storm outside seemed to grow louder, mirroring the chaos inside the house.
Anna couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She burst into loud sobs, her heart aching with pain. She couldn't stand the chaos in her home anymore. Without saying a word, she grabbed her coat and ran out of the house.
The rain poured heavily, soaking her clothes, but she didn't care. She walked a few blocks away and found a bench under a tree. She sat down, crying for hours. Her mind raced with thoughts of her broken family. She felt so sad and helpless. She didn't want to go back home. She just wanted to escape everything.
After crying for almost half an hour, Anna finally felt a little lighter. She wiped her tears and took a deep breath. She remembered Kevin's suggestion about the job at Mr. Han's bookshop. "Maybe this is what I need," she thought.
Anna stood up, her clothes still soaked from the rain. She walked to the bookshop a few meters away, determined to get a job.
As Anna pulled open the wooden door and entered the shop, she saw Mr. Han sitting behind the counter, reading a book. He looked up and smiled at her.
"Good morning, Anna," Mr. Han said kindly.
"Good morning, Mr. Han," Anna greeted him shortly, her voice still shaky. "Mr. Han, I heard you're looking for someone to work here. I'd like to apply for the job," she said, trying to sound confident.
Mr. Han nodded and smiled. "Of course, Anna. You're always welcome here. You can start tomorrow if you'd like."
Anna felt a small sense of relief. "Thank you, Mr. Han," she said, managing a faint smile. "I'd like to work from now on. Can I do that?" she asked.
Mr. Han nodded, "But it's Sunday. Shouldn't you be at home right now?" he asked curiously, his old wrinkled eyes observing the pain and anger hidden behind her smile.
"So what if it's Sunday? I still want to work," Anna said, trying to dodge further inquiry.
"Are you alright?" Mr. Han asked in concern.
Anna nodded. "Yes, I'm completely fine," she lied.
Mr. Han decided not to press further. "Okay then, if you're insisting on working from today, I won't stop you," he said. "I'm leaving for a while. Until then, you take care of the shop."
Anna spent almost the whole day in the bookshop. Even when Mr. Han returned and asked her to leave, she decided to stay. Anna wanted to surround herself with books—her only escape from everything. She called home and informed Jennifer, who allowed her to stay but told her not to stay out after ten. Anna agreed and continued to lose herself in the quiet comfort of the bookshop.
The night arrived, but the storm continued. The rain fell heavily, and the wind howled outside. Anna was still at the bookshop, lost in the quiet world of books. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Kevin. She answered, and his voice sounded worried.
"Anna, Serena didn't come home since she left this morning. Her phone is switched off too. We're really worried. Can you come back home?" Kevin said quickly.
Anna's heart dropped. She felt a wave of panic. "What? Serena's missing? Since morning?" she asked, her voice shaking. "She must be at Mia's home, or maybe she went to Yuna's place. Did you call them?"
"Yes, we've been trying to call her, but her phone is off. We don't know where she is. We called her friends, but she didn't visit them," Kevin replied.
Anna's hands trembled. She quickly grabbed her coat and ran outside.
"What happened? Is everything alright?" Mr. Han asked.
Anna nodded, "I need to leave for now. I'll talk to you later," she replied, leaving the shop.
Anna ran out into the rain, her mind racing. "Where could Serena be? Why didn't she come home?" she thought, her heart pounding. She hurried home, hoping Serena was safe but fearing the worst.