"Hey! Look where you're going, boy!" she snapped, her tone laced with irritation as she brushed past me.
I froze.
That voice…
"Tsk… kids these days are so stupid," she muttered under her breath as she walked away.
My chest tightened.
Wait…
Why… why is Mom here?
My heartbeat pounded violently, every thump echoing in my ears. My breaths grew shallow and ragged, my vision blurring as if the world had tilted.
Why is she here… in this town? In this hospital?
Did she not recognize me?
I clenched my fists, fighting the unease crawling under my skin.
No… I have to know.
---
As I turned around to follow her, she was gone.
Panic gripped me, but then, from the corner of my eye, I saw her slip into a room.
Miku's room.
I crept closer, pressing myself against the wall, and peeked through the narrow gap in the door.
"Mom! You can't do this to Sis!" Miku's voice cracked, her words sharp with desperation.
…Mom?
My blood ran cold.
Did Miku… just call her Mom?
No… no way.
The "stepmother" Shu's grandmother mentioned…
It was her?
A hollow ache spread through my chest, sharp and suffocating. So… after abandoning me, she found herself a new family.
So that's it…
She erased me from her life.
She started over.
She… moved on.
It hurt.
But… I couldn't blame her, could I? Finding happiness isn't a sin.
But if she's Shu's stepmother…
Then she's also the one who's been abusing her.
The thought stabbed deeper than any knife.
---
Inside, the tension in the room was thick enough to choke on.
Miku argued fiercely with her mother, her voice trembling, but the woman remained cold and unmoved.
On the other side, Shu stood silently, her hands gripping the edge of the hospital bed, trembling as though the ground beneath her was crumbling.
And then—
"Enough!" the woman roared, turning toward Shu. Her hand shot up, and before anyone could react—
SLAP!
The sharp sound cracked through the room.
Shu staggered, her small body collapsing onto the floor.
"M-Mom, stop!" Miku cried, rushing to her sister's side. But even she couldn't stop her.
I couldn't take it anymore.
My body moved before my mind caught up.
I threw the door open.
---
The woman—my mother—froze when she saw me.
Her eyes widened for a split second before narrowing into a calculating glare. She knew. She realized I had seen everything.
Shu lifted her head weakly, her lips trembling as she whispered, "Wh-White…?"
"Brother White!" Miku's voice cracked, half-relief, half-despair.
My mother tried to walk past me, but I stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
"What? Move," she ordered, her tone dripping with authority.
"No." I met her gaze, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "You need to apologize. To Shu. And to Miku."
Her eyebrows twitched. A cold smirk touched her lips.
"Apologize?" she repeated, as though the word was foreign to her. "Why would I apologize? Did I do something wrong?"
My jaw clenched. "Hitting her like that is wrong. What you're doing is nothing but violence."
She turned, slowly, to face Shu. Her sharp, piercing eyes burned like blades.
"Shu…" she said softly, almost sweetly. "Tell me… is your stepmother doing something wrong?"
Miku gasped, her voice breaking. "Big sis… don't…"
Shu lowered her gaze, her fists trembling. Then, in a small, cold voice, she said,
"…No. You're doing the right thing, Mother."
My stomach dropped.
"Shu…!" I started, but my mother's voice cut me like glass.
"If she denies it," she said smoothly, "then your accusations are nothing but lies. And for that… you owe me an apology."
My teeth ground together so hard it hurt.
Why…
Why can't Shu speak up?
But I saw it—the lifeless look in her eyes. The fear. The resignation.
I couldn't force her to fight if she didn't believe she could.
I stepped aside, helpless, as my mother walked past me without another glance.
---
Inside the room, Shu knelt, trying to brush the dust from her clothes with trembling hands. I moved to help her, but she stopped me, bowing her head.
"Maybe… you should go," she said softly. Then, forcing herself to smile, she whispered,
"Everything Mother said… I apologize for it."
"Shu…" I clenched my fists, my throat tight. "You don't need to apologize! You need to raise your voice! If you don't—"
But then I saw her face.
The Shu I knew—the one who laughed and joked with Miku just minutes ago—was gone.
Her expression was pale, empty… like a doll with its strings cut.
I swallowed hard, my chest burning, and forced myself to take a step back.
Before leaving, I said firmly,
"What you're doing right now is wrong and it will break you completely, Shu. But… before you shatter completely…"
I took a deep breath and smiled faintly, forcing confidence into my voice.
"…I promise I'll save you. Somehow."
I turned to Miku and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Miku, take care of your sister. No matter what."
Miku wiped her tears, nodding quickly. "Of course! And don't forget, White… no matter what happens, I'll be there for you too."
Shu's shoulders trembled.
And for the first time that day, I saw the tiniest, fragile smile on her face.
The walk back to my apartment felt endless.
My thoughts spun like a storm I couldn't control.
Mom. Shu. Miku.
That slap.
That lifeless look in Shu's eyes.
I clenched my fists as I walked, replaying every moment, every word, every helpless second.
What's my next move?
I had planned to confront Shu's stepmother eventually, but… this changes everything.
By the time I reached my apartment, my head was pounding.
I stopped in front door to entre, taking a deep breath to compose myself. But before I could reach my room, I froze.
Because two familiar figures were standing right outside my room.
"Zen…?" I blinked. "Aris…?"
Aris spotted me first and tugged at her brother's sleeve.
"Zen, there he is!" she said brightly.
Zen turned, hands in his pockets, his usual calm smile in place.
"Yo," he greeted casually, as if this were his place, not mine.
I raised an eyebrow. "Uh… do you both… want something from me?" I pointed at myself, confused.
Zen tilted his head slightly. "What do you think we're here for?"
Aris puffed her cheeks, bouncing on her heels. "Obviously, we came here to help!"
"Help?" I repeated blankly. "What help? I didn't ask for any help."
"Yeah," Aris said with a grin, "but someone else did."
I frowned. "Someone else…?"
A soft, composed voice came from behind me.
" Because I asked them to join."
I turned sharply and found Luna standing there, her expression unreadable as always.
"…You?" I asked. "Why—"
Before I could finish, Luna cut me off with her usual calmness.
"Just like before," she said, walking past me gracefully, "I want my tea. Make sure the temperature's exactly right."
"Wha—" I blinked. "Tea? That's why you're here?"
"Ooh! I want orange juice!" Aris jumped in cheerfully.
"Then I'll have tea too," Zen added with a small smirk.
I stared at all three of them, deadpan.
"What is this, a café now? Do I have a sign on my door saying free drinks for everyone?!"
Aris giggled, Zen chuckled under his breath, and Luna… didn't even flinch.
Sighing in defeat, I unlocked the door and stepped aside.
Aris and Zen immediately made themselves at home, heading straight for the living room like they owned the place. But as Luna passed me at the entrance, she leaned in close, her breath brushing against my ear.
"Is Bell… alright?" she whispered.
I stiffened.
So that's why she was really here.
"Yeah," I said quickly, forcing a smile I didn't feel. "A good doctor checked her. She's fine. She… went to play in the park." said this jokingly
I avoided Luna's gaze deliberately, knowing full well I couldn't tell her about Aisha. Not yet.
"Hm." Luna narrowed her eyes, studying me for a long, quiet moment. Her expression didn't change, but I could tell she didn't believe me.
Still, she didn't push further.
For now.
---
Inside, Aris was already sprawled on the couch, humming to herself, while Zen stood by the window, scanning the view outside as if searching for something.
"You know," I said, walking toward them, "you could have called before barging in."
Zen glanced over his shoulder, his tone light but his eyes sharp.
"And miss your priceless reaction? No thanks."
I rolled my eyes. "You're impossible."
Aris waved her hand lazily. "Come on, White, don't be so grumpy. We're here to help, remember?"
"Help with what, exactly?" I crossed my arms.
Before she could answer, Luna's calm voice floated from the kitchen.
"With… the Shu situation."