She Did Not Ask Me

Eomma called at 4:02. She did not say hello first. She said Min-ji got a big job at Kakao. Senior. Min-ji called home to thank her. I used my work voice. The bright one. I said I am proud of her. I said I am doing my own thing now. Then I asked eomma to say hi to Min-ji for me. I hung up. I went to the window. The rain sketch is still up. The Tae-oh drawing is still up. They look at each other. I look at them. Aigoo. I sat down with the sky-blue book. I wrote the one eomma did not say. She is checking me. I am the quiet one. Min-ji is the one who won today. I am the one who smiled on the phone. I picked hotel work. Not the big office. Not the title. Some nights I still wonder. But I will keep the bright voice. That is the deal I made. And I will pass the call again next Sunday.