Into The Reality

Chapter-9: The true face of the universe.

Kichu followed Roco outside.

"What the heck, man? I was really hoping to eat something," Kichu complained.

Roco didn’t respond. He simply walked ahead and sat down on a nearby bench, staring blankly at the ground.

"Ah, come on! Just tell me already," Kichu said, raising his voice slightly.

Roco took a deep breath. His eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"She gave me a reason to live," he said softly.

Kichu’s expression changed. He sat down beside him, this time without a single joke.

"I searched for my mother for three years… and never found her," Roco continued, his voice distant, as if he were reliving the past. "Then I arrived here—two years ago. I spent the first six months looking for her, but she wasn't here either. That's when despair hit me."

His fingers curled into fists.

"What if she was dead? What if I had spent years chasing a ghost? The thought shattered me. I lost all hope… and I decided to end my life."

Kichu clenched his jaw but remained silent.

"But then she appeared. Like an angel." Roco let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "I told her everything. My pain, my regrets, my hopelessness. And you know what she said?"

Kichu shook his head.

"She told me not to give up. She told me my mother was alive, waiting for me. And I believed her. It was all I needed to hear. That despair that was eating me alive… turned into love."

He exhaled slowly.

"From that moment, for the first time in my life, my eyes searched for someone other than my mother. I watched her every day. We never spoke again, but just seeing her was enough. Watching her work, seeing her kindness—it made me admire her. Before I knew it, two years had passed."

Kichu looked at him, realizing the weight of his words.

"But time doesn't wait for anyone, does it?" Roco smiled bitterly. "I finally decided to continue my search for my mother… but first, I wanted to confess my feelings to her. I wanted to tell her how much she meant to me."

His hands trembled slightly.

"But neither time nor she waited for me. Instead… I found her wedding invitation."

Kichu's eyes widened slightly.

"The bride inside is…?"

Roco nodded.

"Yeah. It's her." His voice barely rose above a whisper. "I couldn’t bring myself to attend the wedding, so I just… stayed outside. I never expected fate to hit me like this."

Kichu stood up and sighed.

"Well, there’s this beautiful little concept called ‘moving on.’ I know it’s not easy, but we have to. Love is like quicksand—the more you struggle, the deeper you sink."

Roco remained quiet.

Kichu crossed his arms. "So, are you coming with me? We can leave this place and start fresh."

Roco hesitated.

"I… I just want to see her smile one last time," he finally said.

Kichu sighed but nodded.

Together, they stepped inside the wedding hall. The bride and groom were laughing, surrounded by friends and family, their joy filling the room.

Roco watched her, a gentle smile on his face.