126 years ago, on a faraway planet...
A mother was giving birth to a child.
"Congratulations, it's a boy," the nurse said to the mother.
"Oh... Can I see him?" the mother asked.
"Yes, of course." The nurse handed the baby to her.
She looked at the child with a smile and kissed his forehead.
The child didn't know that it would be the first-and last-kiss he would receive from his mother.
"Is Mr. Heighstone present?" the nurse called out, stepping out of the room.
"Yes," a man replied, running toward her.
"It's a boy," she said, showing him the baby.
"Oh... he's beautiful. Is my wife okay?" he asked.
"Yes, though she needs to rest for at least a month due to heavy bleeding. But... there's a problem."
"What is it?"
"It's the baby. He hasn't cried since birth."
"Haha, a strong one, eh? Is that a problem?"
"Not necessarily. But we need to run some tests to be sure."
"Do whatever you want with him. I'm going to see my wife," he said, walking into the room.
"What a cold father," the nurse murmured, smiling sadly at the baby.
They named the baby Xavton Heighstone.
He was energetic and started talking at the age of two. But there was a problem-he showed no expression.
Whether he was happy or in pain, his face remained blank.
"Mother, look at this!" young Xavton said, showing her a medal he had won.
She stared at him with a look of disgust.
"She liked it. Yay..." he said, still expressionless, and ran off.
You can't blame the child-he couldn't recognize expressions. His mother always looked at him with disgust, so he believed that was the face of love.
As time passed, the distance between them grew.
One day, Xavton approached his mother with a broken arm.
"Mother, what should I do?" he asked, holding up his arm, the bone poking out and dangling.
His mother recoiled in fear and stepped back.
"What the fuck, Xavton?! Why are you like this? Your hand is broken! Why aren't you crying? Why can't you be a normal child? I hate looking at your emotionless face!" she screamed and kicked him.
He fell to the floor, silent.
"What did you do?! Why did you kick him like that?" his father asked.
"I've suffered long enough, Heigh! I just wanted a normal baby. Since birth, he's only brought me pain. That bleeding nearly killed me. But I was happy, thinking our son would make me smile. But look at him! He doesn't cry, doesn't get angry, doesn't even smile. Who wants a child like that? Let's have another baby, Heigh. Please..." she said, crying as she hugged him.
He didn't say a word-just hugged her tighter.
Xavton, hearing everything from outside the door, walked silently to his room.
"It's just you and me now," he whispered to a doll.
His room was empty-just like his face.
Ten months later, his mother gave birth to another boy.
"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" she said to her husband.
"Sure he is," he nodded.
Xavton stared at the baby from afar.
His parents made sure Xavton never got close. But the baby-Aston Heighstone-grew curious.
Despite their parents' restrictions, Aston often sneaked away to play with Xavton.
And for the first time, Xavton learned what fun was.
But one day, while playing, Aston fell down the stairs and was seriously injured.
At the hospital, the first thing their mother did was slap Xavton.
"Why did you do it?! Didn't I tell you to stay away from him?! I know you pushed him! You emotionless monster!" she yelled, though he was the one who carried Aston all the way to the hospital.
"I'm not a monster, mother. I just... can't smile or cry."
Those words repeated in his head but never came out.
"If something happens to him..." she glared at him, then looked through the window at Aston.
"My baby..." she whispered, tears falling from her eyes.
Xavton just stood there.
"Why are you still here? Go away. I don't ever want to see you again. I wish I never gave birth to you," she said.
Her words pierced his heart like a spear. But no tears came out.
He slowly walked out of the hospital and stood in the rain.
"Why can't I cry?" he whispered to himself.
"Maybe if I injure myself... I would."
He picked up a stick and stabbed it into his eyes.
And for the first time in his life, something came out of his eyes.
But it was blood.
"Haha..." he laughed and ran.
He ran until his legs gave out. He ran all day and collapsed.
He lost all energy-along with his will to live.
His blinded eye slowly closed, and his consciousness faded.
"Hey, kid."
A warm voice stirred him awake.
"Oh, I didn't think you'd wake up. It's been three days."
He couldn't see the man, but the voice felt strangely comforting.
"It's okay now. You can rest as you like." the man said, patting his head.
Even through the dark, Xavton saw a kind face.
Sometimes, a voice is enough to recognize a good heart.
"Hey, he's awake?" another voice, this time of a young boy, came from behind.
"Who's he?" the boy asked.
"He's... your rival," the man said.
"Rival? Huh!" the boy looked confused.
"Ah well. I'm Saas. Nice to meet you," he said with a big grin.
Xavton remained silent-shocked. Because for the first time, through the blurred eyes he recognized a smile.
"It's not nice, you know. You could at least show some expression," Saas teased and began to walk away.
"Hey... Saas," Xavton called.
Saas paused, surprised.
"Yeah?"
"Can you teach me how to smile?" Xavton asked.
Both the boy and the man were stunned.
Saas looked at the man.
"Can I, Master Casimir?"
"Yes, you can," Casimir, the man of mysteries laughed.
Back in the present...
Xavton's eyes were still watering. He couldn't stop them.
Everyone in the room was silent.
"Sir Xavton, what is this?" Hinko finally asked.
"I never thought... tears would run down my eyes. You taught me how to smile. And now... you've taught me how to cry," Xavton said, hiding his face in his hands.
Kichu walked over to him.
"Can you stop whining?" he said.
Everyone was shocked. No one had ever spoken to Xavton like that.
"What's the point in crying now? It won't change anything. He made his choice. So stop whining and respect his decision, you bastard!" Kichu shouted, his voice so loud it made the windows tremble.
Xavton stared at him, stunned. His tears stopped.
"Then why are you crying?" he asked.
Kichu blinked, his own eyes filled with tears.
"What? I..." he tried wiping them, but they wouldn't stop.
"You said that to yourself, didn't you?" Xavton said.
"Kichu! How can you talk to him like that?! Apologize right now!" Hinko barked.
"It's okay. I don't mind," Xavton said, placing a hand on Kichu's shoulder.
"I don't know what your relationship with him was. But anyone can force tears from their eyes. True tears... come from the heart."
He turned to the door.
"The meeting is over. Follow the instructions I gave you."
Kichu stood in place, still wiping away tears.
"I really want to see what you'll become, Kichu," Xavton said to himself.
"I really want to see if his prediction is true."
And he walked out of the room.
"Shall we go?" Hinko asked.
"Yeah," Kichu nodded, walking alongside them.
But none of them knew...
That an evil eye was watching them from within the room.
-To Be Continued...