I had made a promise long ago to always be with my sister.
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It was back when my sister and I were in kindergarten. We had recently started our extracurricular activities, and I was beginning to notice the differences in how we were treated.
Even now, it's hard to say if things have changed, but back then, I was simply proud of my sister, who could do anything. I always worked hard to catch up to her. Since we were in different classes, I didn't know exactly how she was treated at school, but I assumed everyone adored her.
That day was special because multiple teachers were taking us to play at a nearby park. I was excited at the rare chance to spend time with my sister during the day. Back then, we were so busy with our activities that we hardly had time to play together after school. As soon as we got to the park and were allowed free time, I eagerly searched for her but couldn't find her anywhere. As I started to panic, I heard a commotion coming from somewhere nearby. Thinking she might be there, I turned towards the noise, and sure enough, there she was—covered in mud. When I got closer, I realized that three boys were throwing mud at her. I quickly ran over and shouted, "What are you doing?!" I chased the boys away and rushed to my sister's side.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, really. This is the first time something like this has happened, but it's no big deal. It happens all the time."
"It happens all the time?! Why?"
"I don't know... Oh, right, they did say something about not wanting me to draw better pictures than them."
My sister seemed genuinely puzzled about why she was being bullied. But I understood. I didn't know the word "jealousy" at the time, but I knew the feeling of envy all too well. I had felt it myself towards my sister, who could do everything effortlessly. Those boys must have been praised for their drawing skills, but my sister had surpassed them without even trying. There were probably other reasons too, but my sister didn't notice any of it. She could do everything so well that she couldn't understand how others felt when they couldn't. I finally understood that then.
I had always wondered why the teachers didn't stop the bullying, but now I get it. My sister was too smart. She never made a fuss when something happened, so the teachers assumed everything was fine.
At the time, I was too young to fully grasp this, and even if I had, it wouldn't have changed what I did next. From that day on, I started sneaking into my sister's class to protect her from being bullied. Looking back, I'm surprised at myself for doing that. I hated getting in trouble with the teachers or making our parents angry, but I did it anyway.
I was certain it had to be done. After all, I had never seen my sister smile. I believed someone needed to be by her side, even at that young age. Maybe, deep down, I was trying to fill the loneliness I felt by being with her. One day, she finally asked me about it.
"Kaya, why do you care so much about me? What's in it for you?"
"Because you're my sister, of course! Don't worry. I'll always be with you. If I'm by your side, you'll smile someday, right?"
Without missing a beat, I said that, and for the first time, she smiled—just a little, but it was real. And so, I dedicated myself to keeping that promise...
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Why did I forget that? By the time we entered elementary school, my sister had become popular, and I must have assumed she didn't need me anymore.
But she was right—I was the one who made that promise first, the promise to stay together forever. That's right. Those feelings from back then came rushing back to me. Yes, I see it now. In that case, I...
As I hugged my sister back, I renewed my resolve.