[ Large Chapter Warning!! ]
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March 2, 2014
10:18 AM
Inside a jungle, blanketed with fresh snow, was silent but for the soft crunch of hurried footsteps. A dark-haired, wide-eyed eight-year-old boy ran through the trees, his breath forming quick clouds in the frigid air.
He wore only a thin shirt and pants, little more than inadequate light clothing for this biting cold; however, he continued running as if running from something he could not see.
The deeper he ran into the forest, the heavier his steps became. His energy drained, his legs trembled, until finally, his foot caught on a hidden rock beneath the snow. He stumbled and crashed to the ground, the impact sending a sharp pain through his knees.
"Ow…," he muttered, wincing as he tried to sit up.
A soft voice, gentle but probing, pierced through the chilly stillness. "Are you okay?" it came from a couple of meters away.
Started, the black-haired boy's head jerked up. Standing just ahead was another boy, also eight, but altogether different. He had blonde hair that shone like gold, even in the subdued light of the snowy forest, and his golden eyes were shining with concern. The boy was dressed in a luxurious winter coat, thick and warm, the opposite of the thin attire of the black-haired boy.
The black haired boy shrank back instinctively, his eyes wide with fear, and he trembled as he stared at the other.
"Hey, it's all right. What's wrong? You're scared. You need help?" the blonde boy repeated in a gentle but firm tone.
"Just… leave me alone," the dark-haired boy murmured, his voice barely audible. He tried to push himself to sit up, but his legs had no strength anymore, weak and shaking with cold and exhaustion. Just as he was about to fall back into the snow once more, the blond boy abruptly tumbled forwards to catch him.
Something snapped.
Before their hands could touch, an invisible force flared between them, a shockwave powerful enough to send them both flying.
The blonde boy was flung against a nearby tree, the force of the impact knocking the breath from him, while the black-haired boy struck the ground with a jolt, pain shooting through his body.
Between them, where their hands had almost touched, an orb of light started to form. It hovered in the air, growing brighter by the second. It was no ordinary light, but a perfect sphere, half black and half white, with a small white dot in the black half and a black dot in the white. It was the embodiment of yin and yang in swirling balance and harmony.
Both boys were gazing, their eyes wide with confusion and awe.
The orb abruptly flashed into an explosion of light, knocking the whole jungle down. Its explosion shook through the trees, and for a moment only, a huge yin and yang mark appeared in the sky before crumbling into the chilly, snowy air.
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Ten years later
March 2, 2024
4:02 PM
Virevale City, Antherion Country
Inside a noisy classroom at Virevale Crest Academy, where students were hastily putting things into their bags, looking forward to going home, he was closing his backpack.
He had mid-length black hair and deep brown eyes and was not showing any emotions.
Beside him stood a girl with short, dark brown hair and black eyes. Her smile was teasing but warm. "So, what's the plan today, Akondo?" she asked, adjusting her gray school uniform.
Akondo shrugged nonchalantly and slung his bag over his shoulder. "Nothing special today. Maybe tomorrow."
Seren narrowed her eyes, playful, and crossed her arms. "Come on, I know you don't have any plans. Don't try to dodge me."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Seren, I swear, I've got stuff to do today. My mom needs help with some things. I can't hang out, not today."
Seren's shoulders slumped slightly, disappointment clear on her face, but she forced a smile. "Alright. I guess I can't argue with that. But at least we can walk home together, right?"
Seeing her expression, Akondo's face softened. He glanced around the now-empty classroom, and before Seren could say anything, he leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. "Don't be upset. I really can't make it today," he said softly.
Her face lit up with a soft blush on her cheeks. "Aww… You're always so sweet, Akondo."
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The two walked together down the quiet streets, the late afternoon sun casting a soft, golden light over Virevale City. Akondo was wearing a grey shirt under a dark jacket, his school uniform blending with the city's muted tones.
Seren in her school uniform, her jacket tied loosely around her waist as her hand intertwined with Akondo as they talked through the quiet streets of the city.
After a while, they came to the familiar crossroads where the road split into three different paths. Seren turned around, holding him in a tight embrace. "Well, I guess this is goodbye. See you tomorrow?" she said, her voice tinged with a trace of hope.
Akondo embraced her in return, smiling gently. "Yeah, tomorrow. Take care, Seren."
With a wave, she went down the left path, leaving Akondo standing there, watching her walk away.
Just as Seren vanished around the corner, she turned back to wave again, radiant. Akondo waved back, his lips curling upward in a small but genuine smile.
As soon as she was gone from view, the smile fell, and a pensive look took its place. He crammed his hands deep into his jacket pockets and set off down the right hand path, the cool breeze of the afternoon ruffling against his face.
The streets were silent, except for the distant hum of automobiles and the chirping of birds from time to time. The neighborhood was lined with trees whose leaves were just beginning to change color, hinting at the coming of autumn. Akondo walked steadily on, his eyes occasionally fluttering down to the ground, lost in thought.
A few minutes later, he stopped in front of a modest two story house with a small garden out front.
The house was old but well-maintained, the kind that felt warm even from the outside. His eyes were drawn to the front steps, where a pair of shoes were neatly placed by the door. His mother's habit of keeping the entrance orderly. He reached out for the doorknob and let himself in without a sound.
The familiar smell of newly baked cake hit him as soon as he walked in. The warmth from the kitchen replaced the cool air from outside, wrapping him in a warm hug. He kicked his shoes off and placed them in line at the door before stepping further inside.
His mother was in the kitchen, busily working, her back turned to him as she methodically frosted a cake.
She was a woman in her late forties, with long hair tied back into a loose bun and a few strands falling free around her face. She wore glasses that had slipped down her nose as she concentrated on the task before her. The kitchen was a cheerful mess: flour dusted the countertops, mixing bowls were scattered about, and the smell of vanilla lingered in the air.
"Hey, Mom," Akondo said softly, leaning against the doorframe. "What are you up to?"
His mother started a little at his question, visibly jumping a bit before she turned to face him with a somewhat guilty smile. "Oh, Akon! You're home already? I thought I'd be done with this before you got back. I'm sorry, dear."
Akondo's gaze strayed to the cake his mother was icing; the multicolored icing gave it away. "Is this for my birthday?" he asked, flatly.
His mother smiled sheepishly and dusted some of the flour off her hands. "Yes… I wanted to do something special for you."
Akondo let out a long sigh and crossed his arms, his face darkening. "Mom, you know I hate birthdays."
His mother paused, her smile softening but not fading. "I know, Akon, but it's not just for you. It's for me too. My son is 18 today. How could I not celebrate that? My little boy is all grown up now." Her eyes glistened with a mix of pride and nostalgia.
Before she could say another word, Akondo walked up and gave her a tight hug. "Mom, you don't have to go through all this trouble. You're enough for me. I don't need a big celebration."
She hugged him back and gently patted his back. "Aww, Akon… you're so sweet. But still, it makes me happy. Can't a mother do something special for her son on his big day?"
They parted, and she looked up at him with a fond smile. "Besides," she added, turning back to the cake with renewed energy, "I've made a big cake and arranged some things. I was hoping you'd invite some friends over in the evening."
Akondo shook his head, sighing again. "No, Mom. I'm not telling anyone about my birthday. I don't want a party or anything."
His mother raised an eyebrow, adjusting her glasses as a playful glint entered her eyes. "Not even Seren? Don't tell me you haven't told her it's your birthday either."
Akondo scratched the back of his head, feeling a little sheepish. "She doesn't know. And I'd like it to stay that way. I don't want to make a big deal out of it."
Akondo's mom raised an eyebrow, amused. "So no one knows about your birthday?"
"Nope. No one has a clue," Akondo said, shrugging. "But don't worry, I'll take care of all this food myself. I'll be right back." He sent her a cocky grin before he bounded upstairs.
Some time later, Akondo slumped over the dining table, his stomach heavy from the feast. The plates surrounding him were half-empty, remnants of the meal still scattered about.
"Mom… I can't eat anymore," he groaned, his head resting against his arm. "This is way too much."
His mom stood at the doorway, chuckling softly. "I knew it! Ha ha. That's why you're so skinny."
"I am not skinny, Mom," Akondo protested, looking up at her. "It's called a 'perfect body.' You don't know anything about that."
His mother just laughed and waved her hand dismissively. "Sure, sure."
The evening dragged on. The clock indicated 9:12 p.m. Akondo was at his desk studying through his papers; the dim light from his lamp fell on his notes. The house was quiet, his mom in the other room watching television. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. He looked to the screen, Seren was calling him.
He reached for his phone, his finger poised over the answer button, when, without warning, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through his chest. He gasped, his hand was trembling, and the phone dropped from his grasp to the floor.
A wave of nausea hit him and Akondo doubled over, clutching his chest. "What is happening?" He thought in desperation. His breaths were shallow and erratic as if his lungs were being squeezed by some invisible force. He saw the room blur as he looked around in desperation for water, anything.
"My chest. It hurts. Why does it feel like I am being stabbed repeatedly?"
He lurched toward the door, struggling at each step, his body seemingly betraying him. Losing his balance at the top of the stairs, Akondo tumbled violently down the wooden steps.
His fall echoed off the house walls in a series of sickening thuds.
His mom, in the living room, heard the thud; her heart leapt with fear. She rushed towards the staircase and paled at the sight of Akondo sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, his body convulsing violently as his hands clenched his chest in agony.
"Akondo! What's happening?!" she yelled, kneeling down next to him in panic. Shaking, she had supported his head onto her lap, desperately taking a glass of water that was lying on a table nearby. "Drink this! Please, Akon, drink!" She pulled the glass near his lips, but Akondo was half-conscious at this point; his cries of pain now hoarse and cracked.
His vision faded rapidly. "Am I dying?" His mind was in a muddle, panicky. It feels like someone is ripping open my chest. like something's squeezing the life out of me from the inside."
Then, in an instant, before his eyes, a holographic system interface flashed into view, glowing brightly through the haze of pain. Its message shot another shockwave through his already weakened frame:
"Swap body in 42 seconds or you will die."
The countdown began, ticking mercilessly.
Akondo's mind was racing. "Swap body? What the hell does that mean?"
His mom, not letting go of him, didn't know what to do. Tears brimmed over the tops of her eyelids, and she shook with each attempted whisper in a quivering voice: "Akon, pleeeeease! What's happening?! What do I do?!"
Akondo wanted to answer, but the pain was too much. He couldn't speak, couldn't think beyond the overwhelming agony coursing through him. The countdown in front of his eyes continued its relentless march toward zero.
"25 seconds…"
Suddenly, his eyes flared to a burning brilliance, casting an unearthly red glow. His form spasmed into rigidity. His mother recoiled in terror at this new development. For a flash of a second, her eyes glowed red as well, imitating Akondo. Her grip on the glass slipped and it crashed to the floor, pouring water over his face and down his clothes.
"15 seconds…"
Akondo's vision went dark, and his body slumped to the ground, but his consciousness was submerged into a weird, disorienting vacuum.
The surroundings whirled around with swirling white, and two orbs in the distance saw through him: one bright blue, the other a living, twisting black.
The black orb lunged forward, forcefully combining with the blue. The blue orb exploded, its shards dissolving into nothingness as the black orb usurped its place.
Akondo found himself, in an instant, standing over his own lifeless form, looking down at it in horror. His limbs felt strange, alien. His heart thudding, he looked down at his hands. These were not his hands. They were his mother's.
"What the hell… "He glanced down and saw his reflection in the broken glass on the floor. His mother's face stared back at him. " What the… its mom..I'm.. Am I… inside her?"
His body, his real body, lay on the floor in front of him, lifeless. His hands were shaking as he reached out to touch it. "It's breathing… It's still alive. But why am I in my mom's body? How is this even possible?"
Panic coursed through him. He tried to reach out and touch his mother's body, to roll it, but his limbs felt like lead, unresponsive. He stumbled, fell onto the ground beside his own body.
The reality of what he was seeing hit him like a mallet.
"Is this a soul swap? Like in movies or Comic's? But how? There's no way this is real," Akondo muttered, hearing his mom's voice instead of his own. It was unnerving, but undeniable. He was in his mom's body.
"Then… my mom must be in my body," Akondo thought, panic rising. He started shaking his own body, hoping against hope for some kind of response, but it just lay there, still on the floor.
"Mom… are you there? Wake up, please… Mom!" Akondo shook even harder, but nothing happened.
His mom's body felt weak and alien. As he struggled to get to his feet, he fell again onto the floor.
"I need to call an ambulance," he said, and heaved himself back up with effort. His legs wobbled as he struggled to get used to his mom's smaller frame.
Slowly, he made his way toward the living room, where the TV was still on, and grabbed his mom's phone.
The phone unlocked with Face ID, and he dialed 611 in a hurry. But as his finger hovered over the call button, doubt began to creep into his mind.
"Wait… what do I even say? They're not going to believe me… How would they? What if this is all just some strange dream?" Akondo muttered, thumping his chest.
" Fuck…its not time to think that. I can manage that right? And what if all this is a dream?" Said Akondo breathing heavily.
He hesitated, but with the situation growing more desperate, he forced himself to press call.
The line clicked. "611, what's your emergency?" a voice asked.
Before Akondo could answer, an intense pain suddenly exploded in his head. He screamed, clutching his skull.
"Hello? Are you okay? What's your emergency?" The voice on the other end grew urgent, but Akondo couldn't respond. Even in his mom's body, the pain was too much. His vision blurred, and with a thud, he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
The phone slipped from his grasp as his mother's body went limp, her eyes flashing red before closing.
"Sir? Sir, are you there? Please answer!" the voice from 611 called out, but there was no answer.
Suddenly, Akondo's own body, which had been lying motionless, twitched. Its eyes opened, and Akondo felt himself drawn back, like something was pulling his consciousness out of the dark. He could feel his limbs, his skin, his breath again . He blinked and stared up at the ceiling, his head spinning.
"I'm… I'm back," Akondo whispered in disbelief. He sat up quickly, but his hand knocked into a broken piece of glass, slicing his skin. He winced, clutching his bleeding hand.
"Ah… "he muttered in pain. His heart was racing as the events of the last few moments came flooding back to him. The confusion, the pain, the body swap…it was all real. He had been inside his mother's body.
His eyes widened in realization…Mom.
"Mom?" he gasped, panic setting in. He scrambled to his feet and ran toward the living room. The sight that met him made his stomach drop.
His mom was lying on the floor, not moving; the phone was still connected as the 611 operator's voice came through faintly. "Sir, I've dispatched emergency services to your location. Please respond if you can."
Akondo rushed to his mom, falling down on his knees beside her. "Mom! Mom, wake up!" He gently shook her, but his fear strangled the voice from coming out.
"Sir, is somebody else there? Can you hear me? What's happening?" The operator's voice crackled through the phone, but Akondo wasn't listening. All he could do was focus on his mother's still form.
" Hello sir if you are near the phone please say what's happening" Said the guy from the call.
Hearing the voice on the phone he picked up the phone, his voice trembling. "My mom… she's on the floor. She's not waking up."
"Sir, please check her pulse or see if she's breathing. We've dispatched the police, but if her condition isn't normal, we'll send an ambulance immediately," said the operator from 611.
"Yeah… okay," Akondo replied, his voice shaking. He put his shaking hand by his mother's nose.
Nothing. No breath, no air. Her body wasn't breathing.
"Mom!" Akondo wailed, panic rising in his chest.
"Sir, please tell us what's happening," the operator begged him, but Alondo could barely hear.
10:21 PM
Akondo was slumped in a chair, his eyes closed, trying to steady his breath. But all that came before his eyes was a memory from his childhood. He was eight years old, sitting in an orphanage while other children played nearby. They were all a year or two younger than him.
Up bounded a boy his age with curly brown hair, his eyes aglow. "A family came, and they picked me! I'm gonna get a mom and dad—yay!"
Akondo didn't answer. He sat on the floor, tracing lines in the dust, sketching a family. There was a small stick figure of himself in the middle with a child beside him, a woman on one side and a man on the other. They all looked happy-a family he had always wanted.
"Are you drawing?" the boy asked, peeping at his crude drawing.
Something I'll never have. Good luck with your new family," Akondo said, his heart heavy.
The boy snickered. "Okay, loser. You'll never find a mom or a dad."
The words cut deep, and before he knew it, Akondo sprang to his feet, fists clenched, and hit the boy hard in the face. The playground erupted in shouts as the two boys wrestled to the ground, fists flying.
Just then, a woman ran over and tore them apart. "Stop it! You're going to hurt each other!" she said firmly.
It was her—the same woman eighteen-year-old Akondo called his mother.
Akondo's eyes welled with tears as he cried out, "He said… he said I'll never get a mom."
The boy wiped the blood from his nose and spat, "Yeah, I was right. Out of all the kids my age, he's the only one no one's adopted."
The woman looked sternly at the boy. "That wasn't a nice thing to say. Who told you no one will adopt him?" she asked, softly now, looking toward Akondo.
Just then, a teacher from the orphanage came in and looked at the woman. "Ma'am, aren't you supposed to adopt Dokja today?" the teacher asked, pointing at the boy.
"Yes, but I haven't made up my mind yet," the woman said, looking at Dokja. "And now I've decided—I don't want a child who hurts others. If he can't respect others, then I don't want him as my son." She turned and placed a gentle hand on Akondo's shoulder, meeting his tear-filled eyes. "Since no one else wants to adopt him, I'll take him. I hope Dokja finds a better mother elsewhere."
The teacher hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, ma'am. Just make sure you mean your commitment this time."
The woman smiled warmly. "Don't worry. I'm committed, and I won't ever betray that. I'll never leave him."
As it all came flooding back into her mind, Akondo's heart began to crack. When nobody wanted me, you picked me up, Mom. Please don't abandon me now. You promised me you never would leave me…
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of steps coming closer. His eyes fluttered open to see a doctor standing before him.
"I have the report," the doctor said softly, his face solemn. "You should prepare yourself. Your mother…"
Akondo rushed towards his mother's hospital bed room, and tears began to blur his eyes. He reached her bed, where her lifeless body lay still. Without saying a word, he clasped his arms around her and held her close as tears soaked through her clothes. The doctor followed quietly and stood at the door, watching this painful moment in silence.
Akondo already knew what the doctor was going to say, but he could not let go. The warmth, the familiarity, it all felt too real to lose.
"I guess you've already sensed it," the doctor whispered, moving closer. "But I have to spell it out. Your mother, Akio Samua, has passed."
Akondo tightened his hold on her lifeless body as his own shook uncontrollably. He couldn't move, couldn't speak. The tears kept falling, unstoppable, as if his whole soul was breaking into pieces with every drop.
The doctor looked toward the door, where the police were waiting to come in. "Please," he whispered to them, "give him a few more minutes."
Alone with his mother, Akondo screwed up his eyes as his mind whirled. Why did you leave me, Mom? You said… you said you wouldn't leave me ever.
His mind reeled in a haze of grief and then—there it was.
The familiar voice, soft and gentle. "Who said I've left you?"
Akondo's eyes snapped open. He was not in the hospital room anymore. He was in a white, endless space, and before him was his mother—alive, smiling at him, speaking as if nothing had happened. Still holding her, still feeling her presence.
"Mom… you're alive!" Akondo exclaimed, choking on the words.
His mother, Akio, smiled warmly and laid a gentle hand on his cheek. "I'm alive, my dear, though not in the way you think. I may not go with you in body, but I will always live inside your heart. As long as you carry me in your memory, I'll never truly leave you. I'll remain immortal inside of you."
Tears welled up again in Akondo's eyes, but this time Akio wiped them away with her fingertips—her touch as warm as it ever was.
"When I found out I could never have a child of my own," Akio began, her voice calm and full of love, "I decided to adopt. I was so scared. I wondered if I would be able to love a child as deeply as if they were born from my own blood. I worried if my child would love me the same way. But when I met you, all my fears disappeared. I realized I was worrying for nothing because you were the one I had been waiting for."
Akondo wept, holding on to her as if to hold her from slipping away again. He held her in his arms, and yet he could feel slowly that she was fading away; that her form was becoming much less substantial.
Akio smiled through her own fading form. "I will be with you always, Akondo. So long as you live, and so long as you remember, I will never leave you."
And with that, she was gone, leaving Akondo standing alone in the endless white space. His tears fell silently into emptiness, his heart heavy but full of the love she had left behind.
To be continued….