A Path To Happiness And Sorrow

13: Three Choices and its Equivalent Risks

Kei's POV

Ding! Dong!

Huh?

Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!

What the hell is that noise...?!

I opened my eyes and the bright light from the small gaps of the windows curtain greeted my sight. The consecutive sound of the doorbell makes my blood boil out of annoyance.

Who the hell is in their right mind to bother someone so early in the morning?! I'm still tired from yesterday...! Damn it.

"Sister Kei? Are you in there?"

This voice...

"It's me, Sophia!"

I automatically smirk when I heard this child's voice.

So, my plaything has come to visit me.

I observe my surrounding. After checking that my whole place is neat and clean, I immediately walk towards the door to greet my visitor without fixing myself.

"Hello. Sorry to keep you waiting.", I said the moment I opened the door.

A girl who's smaller than me greeted me with her bright smile. As I looked at her over all appearance, she's wearing a casual clothes while a tote bag is hanging on her right shoulder.

"Good Afternoon, Sister Kei! Are you sleeping? Sorry to bother you."

Huh? Wait, afternoon...?

"No, it's fine. What time is it anyway?"

"Oh, it's already one in the afternoon!"

What? I thought...

Ah, it must be because my whole house is covered of curtains that I didn't notice...did I really slept that long?!

"I see. Hahaha. Come in. Did you already eat lunch? Sorry, I just woke up so, I have not—"

"It's fine, Sister Kei! I already ate before coming here."

This girl is my neighbor who's living a floor above mine. Her parents is always busy at work and the only time she can see them is during at night. She's a twelfth grade highschooler, her school is just a walking distance from here.

I met her one night, I'm on my way home from work when I saw her crying at the front gate of the apartment building. It's already late that time and yet, she's still wearing her school uniform.

"Excuse me, are you lost?", I asked to the girl who's currently bawling in front of the apartment's gate.

"No...hic! Hic! I...live t,there."

Huh? She's my neighbor?

"Oh, then why are you here? It's cold here and your parents are probably worrying about you."

And if you're going to cry, please do it at home. Are you asking for pity?

"Hic...hic! I,I'm s,scared. I...c,can't..."

"Scared? What makes you scared at home?"

"T,There's a...s,subject that I failed. Hic!...hic! My p,parents will s,surely g,get at me...!", tears overflow in her eyes as she confess that to me.

Ah, I see. A student who is grade conscious due to her strict parents.

"What's your name?"