At The Edge Of The World | YiZhan ✓

Part 2

There he was, a fifteen year old boy playing with his piano. The world outside was rainy, while so was it inside. The distinctive sounds of his parents yelling was to be heard from behind the kitchen walls, so he played the piece even louder, pressing onto the keys with great strength, hoping that he would hear less. 

As the moonlight sonata 1st movement filled inside the house, his heart began to beat faster, his strength slowly beginning to diminish as he suddenly heard the door slam open. His twenty-two year old brother rushed up to him and grabbed his hand, pulling him away from the dream he'd once been too engulfed in to realise, that there was much more to this world than it met the eye. 

His big eyes looked at him with emotion and strength, his hands clenching him into his grip even tighter. "Zhan I... I can't do this anymore. It's too much to take... you may call me a coward as you grow up to be a man, or hate me for that I have left. But know this... your big brother loves you. Okay? So remember that I will come back for you. I will never leave you behind." 

Zhan's eyes watered slightly, his breath hitching as his brother grabbed the bag that had been laying on the floor and left the house. And just like that, he was gone. Speechless and lost, Zhan ran up to his parents for an answer, yet all they had told was but, to forget that he ever even existed. He could not believe the betrayal they had shown him to face, to feel, and to despise as though his brother had been nothing but a man of lies. And so he thought they were right, as time came to pass, and as the seasons came to change, he never came. Not for him, or anything, nor anyone else. 

All that was left were the memories from the past, and those trophies left on top of the living room shelf, later to be discarded as well, as though they had never belonged there. Oh, how simple it was to forget someone, to think of them as enemy when once they had been of blood and kin. Oh, how sad it was to live in a world of such hatred. 

It simply was nothing the words could ever describe. 

The reminder of that memory had come to him in his dreams that night, waking him up from his sleep, restless. The morning was ever so bright, his eyes squinting in pain from the sunlight, while small rustling sounds were to be heard from the side. "Awake from the dreams yet?" 

Zhan groaned and sat himself up, his head slightly hurting from last night. And as though she knew, Li Na grabbed him a glass, pouring the water in it quite slowly as she spoke once more. "You know, you were mumbling in your sleep. Was it a nightmare?" 

Zhan rubbed his eyes in discomfort before grabbing his underwear from the ground. "Just something. Isn't it too early for work?" The clock read seven AM, its ticking beginning to annoy him after a while. "Something came up. It's about a drug scandal or something. A bar owner wants to file to a complaint on an idol for dealing drugs at his bar. It may lead to court if the police end up finding evidence to support his claim." The latter didn't say anything back as he picked up the glass and glanced at the time once more. 

"I... know that you wouldn't get involved in such things. But dragging someone with you is very easy amongst celebrities. All they would need to do is mention your name once and it'll be all ov-" Yet before she could even finish her sentence, Zhan suddenly frowned, his hand quick to slam the glass on the bedside-table. "That damn clock is annoying. Why do you keep it in this room when the sound is so loud?" Li Na swallowed, her expression showing concern. "What... you know that it was from my father. What are you so worked up about now? It has never bothered you before." 

Zhan then grabbed his pants from the ground and sighed. "Yeah... sorry. I just feel restless for some reason." Li Na's shoulders fell in understanding, her face now gentle. "It's fine. I'm sure it was the nightmare." The latter didn't say anything back, just dressing up while deep in thought.