The afternoon sun was warm and intense.
On the stone steps of the orphanage, a little girl in a white dress sat quietly. The sunlight reflected in her deep blue eyes, mirroring the busy street.
"Nia, won't you eat?"
Gulihana walked up to her and patted her head. "Eat something first. Matron Tissen made oatmeal with sugar."
Yunia said nothing. She just shook her head, her gaze fixed on the direction Mawei had left.
"Sigh..."
Gulihana sighed softly. She had seen this too many times. Most children who came here had to go through the moment of separation from their parents.
From hope to despair—it was a long, painful process.
Time passed slowly. The sun began to dip west. Yunia lowered her head, hands gripping her dress, sitting alone while the noise of the orphanage echoed behind her.
Unbeknownst to her, a pair of eyes had been watching her from a nearby alley for a long time.
Mawei stood in the shadows. Rats scurried past his feet, but he didn't move. He watched Yunia.
As the light in her eyes dimmed, it felt like needles were piercing his heart.
Abandoning a child with his own hands and watching her slowly fall into despair was torture.
Mawei was torn. He had always prided himself on being rational, but for the first time, he doubted his choice.
Abandoning Yunia was the safe choice. But in doing so, was he not pushing her into an abyss?
"Did I make a mistake?"
Mawei muttered, "No... this is best for everyone... she won't starve, and I can..."
Is this the Truth I've always preached?
The question popped into his mind unbidden.
What is Truth?
He suddenly felt a wave of panic. He was doubting his own beliefs. Was he afraid of Yunia? Afraid of the unknown power?
No...
Mawei suddenly understood.
What he truly feared wasn't Yunia, nor the power of a God. It was himself.
By abandoning Yunia, he was abandoning the self that pursued Truth.
"A cold, lonely life is worse than a magnificent death. I pursue that light, from beginning to end."
"What one should do is important, but what one wants to do is equally important."
Mawei pressed his hat down, a smile curling his lips, and walked out of the alley.
The sun was setting. The cold air began to creep in.
"Nia..."
Gulihana approached Yunia for the third time. Night was coming.
"Everyone is waiting for you," she said softly. "Eat, sleep, and tomorrow will be better... The Director prepared a wool blanket for you."
"Maimaiti and the others even used their pocket money to buy you a honey candy. Look..."
A translucent yellow candy lay in a handkerchief.
Yunia didn't move. She looked at the candy, then at the dying sun. Convinced her Papa wasn't coming back, she finally reached out her hand to Gulihana.
Just then...
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a long shadow stretched by the setting sun. Someone was running toward her, breathing heavily.
Yunia turned around, staring blankly. Her eyes slowly lit up.
"It's great, Nia. Papa came back to get you," Gulihana smiled.
"Papa!!!"
Yunia threw herself into his arms and burst into tears. "Yunia... Yunia won't be picky anymore... Yunia knows she was wrong... don't leave me..."
"I'm sorry. I'm late."
Mawei held her tight. "Let's go home."
He stopped, handed the paper bag of candies he was holding to Gulihana. "For the children. Sorry for the trouble today."
"It seems you've made your decision, Father."
"Yes." Mawei nodded. "This is what I want to do, and what I should do."
"See you next Friday."
"Goodbye."
Walking away, Mawei fished a small teddy bear made of scrap fabric out of his coat pocket. "I saw this at the grocery store. It's filled with hard cotton, but I thought you'd like it."
"Thank you, Papa!" Yunia waved the bear's arm. " hitting people with this must hurt a lot!"
"Of cou—wait, what?"
"Nothing! Papa, what's for dinner? I'm starving..."
"Mrs. Cecil surely has something ready."
Under the envious gazes of the orphans, Mawei carried Yunia into the distance.