"Mae... Mae..."
Pan dropped her bag on the dining table. The house was empty and quiet that evening. It was almost 7 p.m., and usually, her mother would be home by now. With no sign of her anywhere, Pan assumed she was still stuck at her usual place.
As Pan settled down on the sofa after a light roamed around the house, a knock on the door startled her. She sighed, gathering her remaining energy to open the door, and saw a man standing there.
"P'Yo..." Pan greeted the man politely. He glanced around before his eyes landed on her.
"P'Lam asked me to come," Yo said with a wide grin.
"Oh? But he's not back yet. Would you like to come back later?" Pan asked.
"Sure! But can I use the bathroom real quick?" Yo asked. Pan nodded and pointed to the outdoor bathroom at the back of the house. Yo quickly headed there.
Pan went back inside, unbothered by Yo's presence. He usually stopped by to meet her brother, Lam. While waiting for Lam to come home, Pan decided to cook something for dinner.
As she bent down in front of the refrigerator, she sensed someone standing behind her.
"P... Your friend is here—"
Before Pan could finish, Yo cupped her mouth and hugged her tightly. Pan struggled, trying to escape.
"P'Yo!!" Pan screamed when she had a chance to voice out.
"Shut up! One more scream and I'll kill you!" Yo warned. Pan sobbed silently, tears streaming from her eyes.
Yo dragged her into her room and slammed her onto the bed. As he turned to lock the door, Pan hit him hard on the head with a hockey stick. He fell onto the floor, helplessly watching as Pan escaped from the room.
"Ai shia!! Pan!!"
***
Pan ran as fast as she could, tears streaming down her face. She prayed non-stop, hoping for a savior. The rain made her escape even harder, but she forced her feet to keep moving. Behind her, she could hear Yo was screaming her name.
So, she dashed even faster.
From afar, she saw a familiar figure walking towards her. She immediately slammed into the person.
"Mae! Mae! Help! Help!"
"What's wrong, huh?" her mother asked casually, not even shielding Pan from the rain with her umbrella.
"P'Yo... P'Yo... He..."
"Oh, did he stop by the house?"
"Yes! Yes! He tried to rape me!"
"What?!" Pan's mother gasped and quickly pulled her closer.
"Mae..." Pan cried in her mother's embrace.
"Did he manage to?" her mother asked.
"No... I escaped before he could..."
Her mother sighed, then pushed Pan away slightly.
"So, where is he now?"
Before Pan could answer, Yo came marching towards them. Pan hid behind her mother.
"Khun mae..." Yo looked shocked. Pan's mother sighed heavily and then slowly exposed Pan to Yo.
"Here. Make it quick. I'll stop by my friend's place."
Her mother's words shocked Pan to the core. She stared at her mother, confused and betrayed.
"Lam asked me to pay his debt to Yo. I got no money, so..."
"Mae! How could you do this to me?!"
Pan's mother chuckled. She grabbed Pan's jaw, bringing her face closer.
"It's gonna be painful at first, but later, you'll enjoy it, kid... Trust me," she smirked. Pan quickly smacked her hand away, stepping back with a feeling of deep betrayal from the one person who was supposed to protect her.
That's when she realized: there is no one in this world she could trust, except herself.
***
"You look cute in uniform," Lam grins widely at Pan. She stares at him, discomfort clearly visible on her face.
"What do you want?" Pan asks bitterly.
"I need money," Lam replies shamelessly.
"I don't have any to give to you," Pan replies firmly.
"Don't lie to me, nong ja... I know you have money. You have a shop. You're enrolled in an expensive college!"
"That money is not for you. And, how I spend them, it's none of your business!" Pan hisses, pointing her finger at his chest.
"Can you just give me some?! Why are you so stingy? I am your brother!"
"I don't have a brother like you! You're never really around, P'Lam. All you do is gamble recklessly, and when it's time to pay, you flee and leave all the debts for us to cover! And you know Mae will never care, so it all falls on me!" Pan finally vents. She had been holding it in for so long, she can't take it anymore.
"It's just a small amount, why are you so fussy about it?!"
"It's not a small amount when you literally sold me to your friend, P'!" Pan yells. "Am I that cheap to you?! Is that my value in the family?!"
"You're talking about your value? A girl who dared to live with a man, not even married! And even got pregnant! Who knows what you did behind our backs! No one knows who the father of your kid is! And you dare to talk as if you're innocent! You slut!"
Pan lifts her hand and slaps Lam hard, leaving a trace of blood at the corner of his lips.
"How dare you—"
Lam grabs Pan's shoulder and throws her to the ground. He slaps her face multiple times and kicks her stomach. Pan fights back bravely, yet she can't match his strength.
Lam snatches Pan's bag and rummages through it. He smirks when he finds her purse. He takes it and leaves her lying on the ground, almost unconscious.
"Don't, P'!" Pan still has some energy left to fight. Lam lifts his hand to slap her again, but his hand stops mid-air. His body suddenly drags up and tosses away.
"Cray..." Pan stares at Cray with her bruised face. Cray balls his fist and punched Lam several times until he lay motionless.
Cray retrieves Pan's purse from Lam.
"You want money?! Here!" Cray threw some money from his pocket at Lam's face. Then he approaches Pan carefully.
"Come, let's go to the hospital," Cray says, lifting Pan gently and guiding her to his car, leaving Lam grunting in pain alone at the bus stop.
***
"You look cute in that," Zee smiles as Shu twirls in front of him, wearing a pink yukata with a red cherry blossom print on it. They are preparing for the Japanese Festival that will be held soon at the nearby primary school.
"I know, right? I'm always beautiful in pink!" Shu shrieks in happiness. Zee can't help but chuckles a bit while watching the girl posing like a professional model.
"I think this will do. We have only this in your size, missy..."
"Are you suggesting that I am fat?" Shu glares at Mei. The girl swats her with a sassy look, causing Mei to jokingly pinch her belly.
"This belly is full of chicken skewers. Not to mention mookata every once a week!"
"Hey, stop body shaming me!" Shu hisses as she steps back a bit, avoiding Mei's slender fingers from touching her.
Zee watches them bickering while casually taking a video as a memory. That becomes his habit now, especially if there's a special occasion at school. He wants to enjoy the moment, just in case one day, he won't be able to see Shu anymore.
After seeing how close Pan and Cray are, Zee prepares for the worst. He knows, no matter how close the knit between him and Shu, one day, he has to let the girl go. She will have a complete family, and he is just an outsider.
Thinking of it makes Zee chokes in tears.
The bickering suddenly stops when someone calls Mei to the office. Shu hops towards Zee, still showing off the yukata. Zee fixes the fabric so it will shield every inch of Shu's body. He truly feels like a father when he attends Shu.
Mei comes in, face as white as a sheet of paper. Her eyes look at Zee and Shu as she bites her lips softly.
"Who's calling, Aunt Mei?" Shu asks, with her innocent look. The lady looks reluctant to reply to her, but later, she slowly draws a smile at the kid.
"Ah... Some parents. I got scolded because of some issues-"
"What adults need to be abusive towards each other, tsk! I don't understand!" Shu shakes her head in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Zee stares at Mei attentively. He knows, that's not the case. The way Mei looks at Shu recites everything. Something must happen, and it must be bad news for Shu.
"Shu, let's go home, shall we?" says Mei.
"Okay! Are you sending me home today as well, Uncle Zee?" asks Shu. Zee nods, drawing a smile at the girl. She immediately looks radiant by the news, she doesn't even care to run with that tight yukata to her classroom so she can pack her bag and leaves.
Mei is about to leave, but Zee stops her midway.
"Something happened, isn't it?" Zee whispers at her. Mei locks her jaw tight, and sighs.
"It's Pan. She's at the hospital now..."