Facets of Fate

Chapter 7: Not The Same

'Even though we were soulmates...why...?'

When Yibo was sixteen, his family crumbled.

He had a hard time believing it.

He remembered all those times he and his father talked on the balcony, of how the curtain fluttered gently at the soft caress of the wind, and how his father happily looked at the golden band on his left ring finger before looking up and ruffling Yibo's hair with his warm and strong hand.

That time, Yibo knew he wanted to be like his father.

He was a man who had been very dedicated with his family, and he never failed to make his mother's heart flutter with love at his embrace and his smile.

They weren't rich, they eat three times a day and can buy all of their necessities.

They were happy.

Were.

If Yibo would describe the happenings that time, it was one of those scenes in a drama where the main character was about to lose something very important. It had been raining since the day before that, and Yibo had caught a terrible cold that left his eyes teary and him unable to breathe properly. To add more to his unluckiness, he also dropped his phone on one of the big puddles gathered on the sidewalk and when he tried to turn it on, it wouldn't reboot at all.

So after he bought cold medicines and other things, he was left walking home alone while sneezing and lamenting his dead phone. Not to mention, he didn't send Xiao Zhan a message yet and he knew his best friend was worried about him not attending that day's classes.

He remembered shrugging it off and thinking he can just send a message once he was home.

He didn't.

Once he reached home, he knew something was wrong. It was awfully quiet, and it brought a sense of foreboding inside Yibo. Old ladies were gathered at every corner outside their house, but no one dared approach him and tell him what they were there for. It was even raining, what was the commotion all about?

Did his mother trip again?

He sighed, remembering all those times she tripped but his father was there to catch her. They should remove that stupid rock, who knows if it would kill someone next time.

The moment he opened the door then, he was frozen. It was dark, and he made up his mind that he hated it.

His eyes roamed around the dark surroundings, "Mom?" He had called, and it was a while before his mother emerged from the kitchen. Her eyes were wet, and her knees are red, arms full of scratches, and one of her elbows is bleeding.

And on her face was a smile that Yibo couldn't decipher.

"Welcome home, Xiao Yi. Did you get wet?"

Yibo furrowed his eyebrows before he rushed towards her. He frowned when he noticed the wet trails on the floor, puzzled at the sight. He then worriedly stood before her and brushed her cheeks, growing more concerned when he felt that she's so cold. He hovered above her frantically, worried eyes scanning her whole form.

He knew she tripped! He mentally face palmed, so this is what he was so nervous about? But it really does look serious this time, especially her bleeding elbow. He needs to get the first aid kit or she'll get an infection or something.

But what is this? Where is his father?

"Mom? What happened?!"

He gasped in panic when the other only stared at him blankly before slumping on his chest.