It’s hard to describe how much I love my sister. She is my best friend, comrade and handler. But we weren’t too close when we were young. I think we have become really good friends after one big fight.

When I was 21, she came to Tokyo and stayed at my place for a month. She was 16. She found a summer job at a call centre and worked 20 hours a week. It was her first job. She said she didn’t like the job, but the pay was relatively good for a teenager without any previous job experience. Every day she complained about how much she hated making cold calls. I cheered her up, and took her to some popular tourist destinations around Tokyo on weekends.

On the day before she returned home, we planned out to go out for dinner. I wanted to treat her in a nice restaurant. So we went to Shinjuku together. Then I got a text from a guy whom I was seeing at that time. He asked me if I was up for a drink in the evening. I asked him back I’m available if he is okay with my sister comes along. He said OK. So I told my sister that we were going to have a plus one. She looked annoyed.

“No, I don’t want to go dinner with a stranger.”

“Oh, he’s a nice guy. It should be fun. Come on, you haven’t socialized much in Tokyo.”

“No, I want to have dinner with you.”

“But we have been having dinner together almost every day for the last four weeks. Why don’t we have a guest? If you want, you and I can go other place to have a dessert after the dinner.” I persisted. 

“No. I don’t want to. You can go with him. I’m going home. ” She said and walked off.

“Hey, wait. What’s the matter?!” I chased her.

“Nothing. You enjoy dinner with that guy. ” She was cold. I got angry.

“Fine, I ask him not to come.” I texted him to cancel the plan. “Happy now?”

My sister looked very unhappy. We went to a dinner as we initially planned, but I was simmering throughout the night. 

Next morning, she went back home. I sent her off to the station. As I came back to my apartment, I found a letter on my desk. It was from my sister.

“Thank you for letting me stay for a month and taking me to places. I enjoyed spending summer with you. I know you have been struggling to make ends meet with student loans and rents, so please use this money which I earned this summer.”

Enclosed, I found about the half of the salary she had made in the last four weeks. 

I cried. I realized the true purpose of my sister’s visit was not seeing Tokyo. She came to help me and take care of me. I hated myself so much for being selfish and short-sighted. I have never known my little sister can be so selfless and dedicated. I immediately texted her to apologize, and promised her that I’ll pay her back with 1000% of interest when I made myself. 

Actually I haven’t paid her back with the interest.  (I paid back the same amount, but haven’t paid the interest yet. I owe her much.) Almost 20 years since that summer, my sister is still my best friend.