Pandora’s Box 2

Ivy green leaves grouped up like bushes hid the birds who were happily chirping amongst themselves. The pale younguns were earnestly expanding their mouths, eagerly awaiting their parent's catch. With no hesitation, the birds inserted their angled beaks into their children's mouths. The children gobbled up the bits of worms in their throats, not willing to share with their other siblings.

It was morning. To be exact, it was 7 a.m.

The Mo family were in the dining room, having a simple breakfast made up of sunny-side-up eggs, plain rice, salad, and grilled fish. Mrs. Mo wasn't an extraordinary cook, but she tried her best.

"Mom, is Yi Fan okay?" Yi Fei asked worriedly.

"Yes, dear. Your father told me that Yi Fan had a headache turned for worse and is going to stay in today. Don't worry," Mrs. Mo answered.

Yi Fei clumsily had pieces of rice around her mouth again, and Mr. Mo was affectionately cleaning up after her. However, Yi Fei felt uncomfortable at Mr. Mo's touch.

She still had her doubts about the strange man beside her. He was the same one from dinner; they even wiped her mouth in the same way. So why she did feel so off? What were those sounds last night? Were they from... Yi Fan?

Regardless of what Yi Fei was thinking up, she went to school driven in Mr. Mo's car. At the same time, Mrs. Mo decidedly stayed home to carefully tended to Yi Fan's needs. It was quite worrying that Yi Fan barely shifted in his sleep as Yi Fan was usually a very restless sleeper that excessively made twists and turns.

By the time Yi Fan had woken up, it was already 11 o'clock. Mrs. Mo was busy preparing for lunch in the kitchen. He could hear her melodic hums through the walls.

"I'm alive..." Yi Fan's voice was raspy and hoarse. Should I be happy?

Yi Fan attempted to take off the awfully stuffy blanket, but his body immediately recoiled in response. Every inch of his anatomy was in pure agony, especially his back from the hideous burns. The other injured parts paled in comparing, mainly being just knotty bruising.

Instead, Yi Fan strived to start propelling his arms into motion as they were the least harmed. As he was doing so, he grazed against a bulky plastic in his pocket.

'The present...' Yi Fan discerned.

He mustered up all his strength to pull the gift out of his pocket and in front of his face. Its tacky design was still being marveled at by Yi Fan. For the last three years, Yi Fan had never received and kept a gift because of Mr. Mo.

Yi Fan gulped as he pulled the glittery, thin ribbons out. The top part of the box seemed to have excitedly jumped, eagerly waiting for Yi Fan to open it.

Yi Fan slowly ripped the unpolished wrapping, trying to cherish the moment. His murky brown eyes popped open, seeing the familiar logo on the white box. He gleefully turned it around and about, watching the logo glimmer in its holographic state. Despite the discomfort, he couldn't help but joyfully grin ear to ear.

He immediately flipped the box open, and there it was. It was the latest version at that!

A phone.