A boy was walking so lonely on the street when suddenly he heard voices behind him. It was the voices of his classmates bullying him-not because of his personality or behavior, but because of the people who were close to him. Everyone leaves.
He shook his head, trying to forget the memories, but they clung to him like shadows. Suddenly, he noticed an actual shadow following him. His anxiety grew, and his steps quickened. The closer he got to home, the faster his heart beat, as though it could burst at any moment.
The shadow called out, its voice echoing through the empty street, pleading for help. The boy froze for a moment, his mind torn between fear and curiosity. Then, with trembling hands, he pushed open the door to the house. As he stepped inside, the shadow vanished. A beam of light shone brightly through the darkness, washing away the eerie sounds.
The shouting faded little by little, replaced by an almost deafening silence. Then, the boy's mother shouts his name.
"Jiayian, can you lend me a hand here?" called Jude, his mother.
Jiayian then approached the kitchen. The sudden clattering noise coming from the utensils immediately caught his attention. Jude, visibly frustrated, muttered about the shattered pieces of plates scattered across the floor. Jiayian knelt down to help clean up while his mother focused on tidying the mess. Cobe, his father, entered the room, his sharp eyes scanning the scene.
"Why is everyone so silent?" he asked, his deep voice cutting through silence.
Jiayian and the twins, Leo and Reo, exchanged a brief glance. Jiayian shrugged, keeping his face neutral, while the twins avoided eye contact.
After that, they all sat down for dinner. The atmosphere remained tense, the clinking of utensils is the only sound. Suddenly, Cobe turned to Jiayian and asked, "How's your experience in school lately?"
Jiayian paused, unsure of how to respond. "It's fine," he replied, trying to sound casual.
Cobe nodded, then shifted his attention to the twins. "Leo, Reo, does anything bother you at school?"
The twins hesitated but confidently said, "No."
Cobe leaned back in his chair. "Really? Because it feels like something's bothering all of you."
The twins stayed silent but looked uneasy. Jiayian focused on his plate, avoiding his father's gaze. The atmosphere grew heavier, as if everyone was holding back something.
Later that night, it was past 10:00 PM when they all went to their rooms. Jiayian was ready to sleep when his phone suddenly vibrated. Confused, he reached for it, but there was no notification. He stared at the screen for a moment before placing it back down, dismissing the thought.
The unease lingered, but exhaustion won. Jiayian turned off the light and lay down, eventually drifting into a restless sleep.
Two days had passed, and everything seemed to return to normal. Jiayian felt lighter as the weekend rolled in, especially after receiving a message from Bae Li, his girlfriend. She had asked to meet him at the park, and Jiayian couldn't help but feel excited.
The sun was shining brightly as he walked to the park. He spotted Bae Li sitting on a bench beneath a tree, she stared at something in her hands. Jiayian smiled and quickened his pace.
"Bae Li!" he called out as he approached.
She looked up and gave him a faint smile. "Hey, Jiayian."
Something about her tone made him pause. The excitement he had felt moments ago was quickly replaced with unease. "Is everything okay?" he asked, sitting beside her.
Bae Li hesitated. "I wanted to talk to you about something," she said softly, her eyes avoiding his.
Jiayian's smile faltered. "What is it?"
She took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she said, "I think we should break up."
Jiayian froze, her words echoing in his ears. He blinked, trying to process what she had just said. "Break up?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.
Bae Li nodded, her gaze finally meeting his. "I've been thinking about this for a while. I just feel like we're going in different directions. I don't think this is working anymore."
"But why?" Jiayian asked, his voice cracking. "I thought we were happy. I thought everything was fine."
"I'm sorry," she said, her tone filled with regret. "I didn't want to hurt you, but I can't keep pretending."
Jiayian's chest tightened, his mind racing with questions he couldn't say. He clenched his fists, trying to keep his emotions in check. "Was it something I did? Something I said?"
"No," Bae Li said quickly, shaking her head. "It's not about you. It's about me. I just... I need time to figure things out on my own."
Jiayian stared at her, his heart sinking. The words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat. Finally, he managed to nod, though it felt like the hardest thing he'd ever done. "Okay," he said quietly.
Bae Li stood up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm really sorry, Jiayian," she whispered before walking away.
As Jiayian sat on the bench, trying to gather his thoughts. He suddenly realized that people in the park was starring at him, he just walk away feeling heartbroken.
In the parking lot her father, Chen, leaned against his car, watching her with crossed arms.
"You finally did it," Chen said with a smirk as Bae Li approached.
She froze, her entire body trembling. "Are you happy now?" she shouted, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face. "Are you happy that you ruined everything?"
Chen raised an eyebrow, unfazed by her outburst. "It was for your own good. He's a distraction. You need to focus on what's important."
"What's important?" Bae Li cried, her fists clenched. "You don't get to decide what's important to me! You've always controlled everything in my life, and I hate it!"
Her voice echoed through the quiet park, drawing a few curious glances from passersby. Chen's expression darkened, but he said nothing. Bae Li shook her head, her sobs growing louder as she turned away from him.
Chen entered the driver's seat, his face is unreadable. The car pulled away, leaving Jiayian wondering.
When Jiayian got home, it was already late in the afternoon. His head hung low as he entered the living room, his thoughts replaying Bae Li's tearful face and her trembling voice. He slumped onto the couch, feeling a hollowness he couldn't describe.
Moments later, the door burst open. Cobe stormed inside. Without a word, he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. Jiayian barely glanced up, still lost in his own heartbreak, until the news caught his attention.
"Breaking news: Cobe Enterprises is under investigation for allegations of illegal transactions."
Showing a picture of Bae Li's father, Mr. Chen.
Cobe's jaw tightened as he stared at the screen. "I knew it," he muttered, his voice heavy with anger. "This is the work of one of my investors. He's been sabotaging me all along."
His hand gripped the edge of the couch as he paced back and forth. "I have a good idea," he said after a pause, his tone resolute. "But it's too late to stop what's already happened."
Jiayian's heart sank further, and his mind wandered back to Bae Li. His stomach churned as he realized the truth: her father had orchestrated their breakup to isolate him and weaken their family.
"I was set up," Jiayian whispered to himself, the weight of the revelation settling heavily on his chest.
Cobe glanced at him, but neither spoke. The silence in the room grew heavier as they both came to terms with the helplessness of their situations.
Finally, Cobe sighed and gestured towards the kitchen. "Let's eat," he said simply. They sat at the table for an early dinner, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension. The clinking of utensils was the only sound.
Then, out of nowhere, Cobe broke the silence. "We're leaving tomorrow," he announced firmly.
Jiayian looked up, startled. "Leaving? Where?"
"Somewhere far from here," Cobe said, his voice steady. "We can't stay. Not after everything that's happened."
Jiayian didn't argue. There was no point. Tomorrow held uncertainty, but at least it offered a chance to escape.
They will only realized that there was no tomorrow.