Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley: 1-3

Before he met KEL and the others, SUNNY liked to play alone. He would go to the park with MARI, and MARI simply watched him walk around. Sometimes he would trip over, and MARI rushed to his side and helped him up. SUNNY swept off the dirt on his shirt. When MARI asked him if he was alright, he simply nodded. Then he would go back to walking around.

This one time, he was sitting by the sandbox. SUNNY liked to draw or build things. He would build houses or the things he saw around the park. MARI sat by the bench and smiled as she watched her brother. She didn’t really want to do anything with him; just watching him made her happy. She could forget about her piano lessons or schoolwork.

The wind became strong. It blew by MARI and her hair fluttered in the air. It blew by SUNNY’s sand castle, demolishing it. SUNNY sat there as his work came tumbling down. MARI, again, rushed to his side. SUNNY didn’t look at her; he only stared at what once used to be his piece.

MARI hugged SUNNY from behind. “There, there.” She whispered to him. “It’s alright, little brother. I’m always with you. I’ll stay by your side.”

SUNNY listened to MARI speak to him softly, as his fingers went over where his castle used to be. He picked up a bit of the sand, which spilled on the ground through the gaps of his fingers. He turned around and hugged MARI back. MARI continued to console him, and he started to weep quietly. He had never cried while outside before. Even when he fell down, or ran into a tree, or was looked at by other kids in a weird way, he didn’t cry. He was never really sure what sort of emotions he should be feeling in those moments. But as his sister embraced him tightly and told him words of comfort, he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.

They stayed there for each other for a little while longer. The wind did not settle down but they didn’t feel it anymore.

MARI was miserable.

Her parents had to practically drag her out of the hospital room when it became time for them to go home. She didn’t understand why she could not stay with SUNNY.

They told her he was going to live. If he hadn’t gotten treated immediately after the knife’s impact, he might not have made it. The doctor told MARI that she saved his life.

MARI didn’t listen to any of it. She knew it was her fault he did it in the first place.

She couldn’t stop looking over at SUNNY’s bed while trying to sleep. When she closed her eyes, she could see images of his terrified face in the dark. SUNNY holding up the knife against his stomach, tears coming out of his eyes, as if he felt absolutely appalled by the sight of her. Echoes of him crying roared in her ears.

She couldn’t go to sleep.

When MARI woke up in the morning, she reflexively looked for SUNNY on the other side of the room. Of course, he was not there. She had silently hoped that everything from last night was a dream. As she got up, she swiftly abandoned such hopes.

She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her eyes were crimson red. Her body ached everywhere. She had put up quite a fight last night in the hospital. It reminded her even more that none of this was a dream.

She really didn’t want to go to school. But she knew she had to keep a perfect attendance record. She thought for a moment, but why? She also abandoned that line of thought swiftly. She had no time to think about such matters. She got dressed.

She wanted to see SUNNY.

MARI dozed off through most classes.

HERO came up to her after one class. It didn’t even register to MARI that he was talking to her until he touched her shoulders. She was surprised and was visibly shaken. HERO was shocked to find her like this.