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wracking down his spine and a chill hardest to pay me back when you grow
running through his blood when he older.” His mother says coldly. “I am your
realises her makeup is still perfect and mother. I am to be listened to.”
her blue dress is in pristine condition.
Xiao scoffs inside his head. He’s
Xiao can count on one hand the seventeen now, and never once in these
amount of time she has come home seventeen years has she ever listened to
in the middle of working hours, and him expressing his love for volleyball
most of them have something to do or books. How many times has he been

with days like today, report card days. denied the right to join the school team
because of his studies?
His older sister peeks out from
the kitchen, a smile softening her He’s exhausted. He just needs a nap.
features. “Welcome back!” Yiren says,
her voice upbeat despite the looming Nodding absently to whatever his
thunderclouds over his mother’s head. mother is ranting on about now, Xiao gets
“Lunch will be ready soon. You should to feet as soon as she waves him off and
go take a shower-” scuttles back to his room. He slams the
door shut and breathes in deeply, forcing
“He will take a shower after he Illustration by Liew Yok Wen the beginnings of tears back into his tired

answers some questions.” His mother eyes.
snaps. “The food is burning, Yiren.”
There’s a stack of paper on his desk.
Yiren takes the dismissal with a There’s also a plate of sliced mangoes and
minute grimace, vanishing back into a note.
the kitchen quickly. Xiao meets his
mother’s glare head on as she asks, These are my notes from last year. I
“What do you have to say about your thought they might be of some help.
results?” –Yiren

acting, he just doesn’t see the
Xiao shrugs. “I’m quite this way as long as he point of bringing up the fact that He can taste her apology on his
satisfied.” remembers. It’s best or he’s scored straight A’s, just the tongue. The tears come again, unbidden,

nothing, to her. same as his sister. He’s always spilling out to stain his cheeks. He
“Fifth in class, Zhong Han Xiao! been just as good as she is, but wonders why Yiren has to apologise for
That is utterly unacceptable! I did not “Your sister none of that seemed to matter to being accomplished, when he knows full
raise you to be so incompetent!” received first place young her. well she’s gone through twice as much as

man. If she can do it, why he has.
Just like that, all his efforts can’t you?” He’d just have to work a He wonders why they have to live
slaving over his homework for the Xiao shrugs again, little harder, next time. like that at all.
past few months were dismissed. carelessly. “Dunno.” “…I have spent thousands

Xiao zones out, because she has been
on your education, Mr. Zhong,
The way she is and you had best work your

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