Best of Friends. Best of Sisters.

After Chou and Loung get separated they are all alone. Loung says that "When [she] was sad and upset, it was [Chou] who [she] invariably sought out to share [her] feelings. [She] never realized how much [she] would miss [Chou] now that [they] were apart" (136). Loung had three brothers and three sisters, she was the second youngest and Chou the third. They were only three years apart and they were closer to each other than to any of their other siblings. When they were all forced to leave, their mother asked them to go off in different directions because it was safer, but "Though it goes against Ma's warnings, Chou and [her] cannot separate [from each other] so [they] head off in the same direction" (123). I can tell that they are very close, and reluctant to let go of each other and part ways.

I only have one sister, but when I try to put myself in Loung's shoes I know I would never be able to let go of her. She is my best friend and I cannot even imagine not having her around. We share everything and even though sometimes we fight but we can never go to sleep without making up. I could never imagine being in the situation that Loung was in when she had to part ways with her sister and keep going on her own.