The classroom was silent, with the energetic atmosphere of the morning now replaced by a calm stillness. The desks were scattered and the chairs were pushed away from the tables.
I watched as my classmates left the room one by one, leaving it gradually empty. I swiftly gathered my belongings, excited to make the most of my day
I eat a large amount of food in the morning.
I am not hungry at the moment and I believe that food should be consumed for the purpose of providing energy to the body, not just for enjoyment. I find it wasteful when people eat simply for the taste, especially when they are consuming more energy than necessary. I don't understand why some people find pleasure in overeating, as it seems foolish to me
I am heading to the library to try and understand my unusual memory condition. It's a strange experience where I forget certain tasks, like homework, only for the memories to suddenly come rushing back at unexpected times. Sometimes I even forget aspects of my own identity, making me feel like I am not quite myself. I hope to uncover the mysteries of my memory lapses . It may seem like a simple problem, but it's actually a complex puzzle that I am determined to solve
I exited the classroom and was immediately stopped by Mia, who pressed me against the wall with a firm grip. She stared deeply into my eyes, her expression serious and unreadable, trapping me with her intensity.
My sister is being foolish with her pranks again. Doesn't she understand that I have important tasks to complete? I am eager to go to the library and not waste time on her childish antics. Despite my annoyance, I keep a calm appearance, waiting for her to finish so I can get back to my responsibilities
Mia's voice, firm and serious, sliced through the silence. "Hey bro, listen..." She trailed off, a deliberate pause hanging in the air. With a swift click of her tongue, she locked eyes with me, her gaze piercing. "I am not going to say it twice, so listen," she insisted, her tone laced with urgency. The stillness that settled between us was thick with unspoken words, a tension that seemed to stretch the seconds into hours. I waited, my mind racing with possibilities, for what secret or revelation she held back
Mia's eyes, a deep black, shimmered with unshed tears as she held my gaze. "Can I get your help please, just this time?" she asked, her voice quivering. I hesitated, my initial resistance waning under the weight of her plea. Finally, nodding slightly, I said, "Alright."
Mia's voice trembled as she spoke through her tears, "A week ago, there was a boy… he proposed to me when I was alone in the room. He was in the drama club with us. And I refused him. Then the next day, during drama club practice, he started touching me in weird places." Her words trailed off as her resistance crumbled, and she hugged me tightly, crying inconsolably, much like she did when we were child.
With a gentle touch, I comforted her trembling back as I softly sang a lullaby to ease her troubled spirit. "Shh, it's okay," I whispered, offering a promise of peace through the soothing melody. "I'm here for you, sister. I apologize for not noticing your pain sooner." As the music filled the space between us, her sobs gradually subsided.
Mia's story unraveled in a trembling voice, her words interrupted by stifled sobs. "When he touched me, my first instinct was to slap him. But then, his sister, who is the club manager, refused to listen. She accused me of playing a prank, of bullying him—just like I supposedly do with you? But, brother, I have never bullied anyone or played pranks on anyone," she asserted, her voice cracking with the weight of her emotions.
She wept softly as I comforted her with a gentle pat on her back. Breaking the heavy silence between us, she finally spoke, revealing the reason behind her recent behavior. "I wanted your attention," she confessed, her voice filled with longing. "After Kees fell into a coma, you distanced yourself from me. I missed the brother who was always so cool and cheerful."
Her words carried a deep sense of sadness as she continued to pour her heart out. Her embrace grew weaker as she sank to the ground, her head bowed and her eyes fixed on the ground. Tears streamed down her face as she mustered the courage to confess, "I resorted to bullying and pranks to try to get you to notice me. But now, even my friends and teachers think I'm a bully."
Her voice cracked with emotion as she looked up at me, her tears flowing freely. Her body trembled with the weight of her confession as she pleaded, "I'm truly sorry, brother. Please forgive me. I never meant to hurt you. Please believe me when I say what comes next".
Hearing all that, a pain began to throb in my chest, my mind reeling. Kee's incident... She was a persistent fool, just wanting to be my friend, and I ignored her. But when I was ready to set aside my introverted nature and logic, to say I'd be her friend, she fell into a coma. Since then, I've been engulfed in depression, neglecting not just my sister but even before Kee's incident, my mind has been fractured. I can't recall what happened to me. And now Mia, my mischievous little devil of a sister, always pulling pranks and even bullying me—it was all to get my attention. It truly hurts; I didn't give her the attention she needed all these years. I want to say I'm sorry; it's not your fault. I'm sorry; it's me who failed to notice you, and because of me, you're in this situation.
"I'm sorry," I said, my voice heavy with regret. "I believe you. It's all my fault."
Mia's eyes, brimming with tears, met mine as she stammered, "Brother… no… it's not… your fault…"
I, too, fell to the ground and began to cry. All my pain, the memories of my precious childhood friend, my dear sister, and my fractured memory, as well as my regret for not giving Mia the attention she deserved, were all reflected in my tears. Mia and I hugged each other, and as she patted my back, I patted hers. We cried together. Through my tears, I said, "Tell me about this troublemaker and the entire situation." Still crying, she replied, "Okay."