"Nanren, Nanren!"
Even if he called out to her, she did not hear or give any reaction. It was as if he was disconnected from the world.
Elena approached nervously, shaking him, trying to rouse him.
"Nanren!" When a heavy slap fell on his face and he regained consciousness, his pupils trembled. She broke out of her trance and grabbed her cheek. His eyes were already watering, and he pressed his trembling lips.
'Oh that's bad!' She had slapped him to regain consciousness, never with any other intent. She was frightened and she wanted to shake him out of the shock. But Nanren seemed to have misunderstood…?
She pressed her lips together, so much that she was starting to fade. The lips were drawn like a knife line, as if trying to prevent something.
"Behave yourself!" His body, already weakened by the hands that grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him with both hands, was thrown and left to the initiative of these hands.
It's like freezing when her uncle abuses her.
"My child…" His head and heart ached when he felt a warm touch. A strange shiver ran through him, as Nanren finally could not hold back his tears.
"Cry my child"
And empty what you're holding inside, she.
Delicate hands wiped her tears, Nanren continued to cry silently from these gentle touches.
Elena patted his back non-stop, trying to calm him by staying by his side to comfort him.
She felt bad, Elena only getting worse the more she looked at Nanren. How many hardships did this boy go through to learn to cry without making a sound, without whimpering or groaning? A silent and imperceptible cry, experiencing everything in itself.
While her abusive parent wouldn't even let her cry, she somehow learned to deal with her own wounds.
Maybe even if he cried, it was a crime and he was paying for it.
In a low voice, shrinking his own body, isolating himself and living only within himself.
Even the crying that is forbidden to him, to secretly commit a crime...
"Oh…" Elena sighed with relief. She didn't know what she could do but stay by her side. All she could do was tell him she was with him.
***
Every drop of tear shed made him feel even more awkward. And the greed within him was growing little by little but steadily.
As if...
He felt a relief. A feeling inside him seemed to be taking over him.
Just like people's strange obsessions, dangerous thoughts unleashed within him were surfacing.
"This is selfish," he thought. Trying to suppress and ignore these strange urges. However, how long could he ignore the essence that he suppressed from the very beginning?
His mind seemed lost in a dark void.
"Nanren" was that tender voice that brought him out of here.
"Mom?" She finally realized the body she was holding tightly to. Surprised, what are you looking for..?
He closed his eyes.
At least now... a little bit better. "Mom" she said again, her voice very soft and pleasant. It was as if he was trying to gain strength by calling out to her. Or was she real, confirming her existence?
"Mom"
It was a single word, as if whining, but the meaning and emotions it carried on it were so much...
"No problem"
Elena sighed deeply as she patted her head.
This kid...
How much more would he suffer?
***
"How was it?"
Nanren felt a little more at ease when he spoke in a soothing tone.
How Does?
"I do not know"
She didn't know that she had never shown any 'gay' gestures before either. Well, he might have been a bit of a fragile person, but that was human nature.
She really didn't know how she found herself in the midst of these feelings.
"Oh, okay..."
Elena didn't say anything either. It wasn't the case to say anything casually. Moreover, this situation was even worse for Nanren, who was quite sensitive right now.
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know." Nanren spoke weakly, exhausted.
The real issue was what would happen next. Elena wondered how she could help.
If he says 'No problem', his son Yun... If he says 'No problem', Nanren...
oh wait...
That person, unknown number... He said that Yun is gay too? So one possibility is...
If they are like that, ehehe...
Besides, Nanren was a good candidate...
Hehehe...
Eh.
Elena also knew that by making a direct decision, these things would not happen.
She got serious, recovering herself. Well, this issue was a life-affirming situation, and he couldn't make a direct decision, nor could he just dive headlong into an issue between Yun and Nanren.
Moreover, there was also the possibility that Yun was asexual rather than gay, which was making matters worse.
So he couldn't irresponsibly say 'Let me help you' to Nanren. When the outcome was uncertain, a bad reaction would devastate her already borderline. He could not hope for an uncertain outcome.
Still, she would help in any way she could.
"First of all," Elena continued, looking at him seriously.
"It's not a crime Nanren. Loving someone is not a crime"
Besides, it wasn't his choice, it wasn't something that was in his hands at all.
"And what's more," he came closer and patted her shoulder, "You didn't do anything wrong."
Just a few words, but it seemed to ease all his burden and distress.
-To be continued-