CRUEL

CRUEL|TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CRUEL

[SEASON TWO-END]

My mother once told me to cover my ears with my hands. It was a game, she said. If I pulled my hands away, I'd lose, and she'd get angry with me. As a child, I obediently played along, pressing my hands firmly against my ears. Sometimes, I'd even count the seconds, honing my counting skills to impress her. It became my favorite game because I never lost. Even when the numbers got quite high, I'd patiently wait in my room for her to come and declare me the winner, wearing that sweet smile of hers.

I never had to ask to play this game; it was part of our nightly routine. I'd eagerly await her arrival in my room, knowing that she'd join me for our little contest. I remember once hearing a loud noise from outside, so I left my room with both ears covered, looking for my mother. That night, when I ventured out, I lost the game for the very first time. Because that was the first time I saw my mother, standing there with her arms drenched in blood, next to my father, who had a long object protruding from his skin. It was something I'd seen our doctor use to treat my own injuries. Instead of covering my ears, I covered my mouth.

That was the night I felt butterflies fluttering inside me for the first time.

I turned away, returning to my spot, trying to pretend I hadn't witnessed the gruesome scene. I placed my hands back over my ears, as if to deny that I'd lost. That night, my mother came into my room, wearing a long-sleeved sweater and a smile that had suddenly lost its charm. She praised me for being patient and strong, but that night marked the end of my affection for that game. No, I despised that game.

Now, I find myself standing here, pressing my hands against his ears, playing the same game she once played with me. I whisper soothing words into his hair, my hands trembling as I press against his ears. I hope that he'll stop shaking, that his cries will subside, that the sounds around us will finally cease. I wish for everything to stop, for this to be a dreadful dream, one he could wake up from, and Minu would be alright.

I truly wish this were all just a nightmare.

But it's not.

His cries are all too real.

Minu's accident is painfully real.

Every heart-wrenching moment is real.

And no game can change this reality.

Atlas_qu

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